Recipes...

[ghb69]

A tip for potato salad. Dice your potatoes while they are still warm and toss them with your vinegar, you will be surprized at the difference.

 

[just_a_girl]

Count me in.

Love kitchen gadgets and appliances!!

I've gotta control my urge to propose to you.

 

[nudeyorker]

Lemon Dumplings
These are great in a chicken soup
2 large lemons
1 envelope unflavored powdered gelatin
1/2 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp sugar
A dash of salt and pepper
Cayenne pepper
24 square wonton wrappers (I have a recipe for this but I can't be bothered; the supermarket frozen variety are just fine)
Finely grate the zest of half a lemon. Peel the lemons removing the skin and white pith. Squeeze the juice from the membrane into a non reactive saucepan. There should be about two tablespoons of juice, finely chop the remaining lemons and add to the pan. Sprinkle the gelatin over the mixture and let stand 3 minutes. On low heat warm the mixture about a minute and pour in to a shallow glass bowl and add the olive oil, sugar and salt, pepper and cayenne pepper. Refrigerate for two hours.
Scrape the lemon mixture on to a cutting board and finely chop.
Lay 4 wonton wrappers in a work surface and moisten the edges with water. Mound 1 tsp just below the center of each wonton wrapper. Bring two opposite corners together to form a triangle. Press all around to remove any air and to seal the dumplings. Freeze over night. They can be frozen for up to a month. Cook frozen in your broth or soup. I have also stir fried these (defrosted) and served them on top of a salad.

 

[nudeyorker]

I have not had these in ages and I've had a taste for them.
Sweet Potato Croquettes
(makes about 30)
1 1/2 pounds sweet potatoes peeled and cut into 2" chunks
Salt
1/4 cup + 2 TBL cornstarch
1 TBL brown sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp allspice
6 oz extra sharp cheddar cheese shredded
3/4 cup sesame seeds
Boil the potatoes add a pinch of salt and simmer about 20 minutes until tender. Drain and pat dry and return to pan and shake the pan over the heated stove top to dry the potatoes.
Mash potatoes until smooth, stir in the cornstarch, cheddar cheese, brown sugar, cinnamon and allspice add a dash of salt.
Put the sesame seeds in a shallow bowl, using your hands roll the sweet potato mixture into 1" balls.
Roll the balls in the sesame seeds until coated. You need two large skillets with 1/4" of vegetable oil in each to cook. Cook them until golden brown all over (about a minute on each side)
Drain on paper towel and serve warm.
You can make this the night before and remove them from the refrigerator about a half hour before cooking.
I'm serving this with roasted halibut and cucumber salad.

 

[AquaEyes11010]

For a slow cooker ragout use a combination of root vegetables. Carrots, potatoes. parsnips, and celery root. A can of tomato sauce then season with a chopped onion, chopped garlic, a slices red pepper, a sprig of thyme and a bay leaf.

Serve over wild rice.

If you really want to up the flavor, try adding onions to the mix above and roasting the veggies first by slicing into pieces about 1/2" thick, tossing with olive oil and seasoning with a little salt and pepper and italian seasoning. Then place in roasting or baking pan one-layer thick, cover with foil, and put into 400F oven for about 30 minutes. Remove from oven, remove foil, slide veggies around with a spatula, then place back in the oven for another 30 minutes, this time without the foil. THEN add them to the slow cooker.

Another thing to try is instead of roasting, saute on the stovetop in a pan on med-high heat with some olive oil. When the veggies just start to soften, add canned tomato paste and continue moving things around in the pan. When there's some color and caramelization happening, remove the veggies and add to the slow cooker. Then deglaze the pan with red and/or white wine, reduce to half, and add to the slow cooker. Top off with tomato sauce and let cook low and slow.

 

[luka82]

How do you guys make your meatballs????
This is how i do it
1 pound of minced meat(pork and beef)
1 onion
2-3 garlic cloves
1 piece of old bread
1 whole egg
cup of milk
salt, pepper, parsley(origano and basil if you want)

-put bread in milk, mince it with meat, egg, onions and garlic. Add the spices, and let it sit for an hour in your fridge. If the mix is too watery, add some bread crumbs.
I form the little balls and before i fry them, i cover them with a thin layer of flour.
I usually serve them with mash potatoes and tomato sauce!

 

[nudeyorker]

Luka, I make them pretty much the same as you, but I use a mixture of ground veal, ground pork and ground sirloin. And I use basil, garlic, salt and pepper and add a little ground parmesan reggiano. Instead of the bread I use panko bread crumbs, I use one egg and one egg yolk and a half cup of milk.

 

[luka82]

Luka, I make them pretty much the same as you, but I use a mixture of ground veal, ground pork and ground sirloin. And I use basil, garlic, salt and pepper and add a little ground parmesan reggiano. Instead of the bread I use panko bread crumbs, I use one egg and one egg yolk and a half cup of milk.

have u tried to make them with minced chicken breast?
I have and they are delicious...
I use the same spices like for the regular ones, i just mince the chicken!
And I do add some minced bacon as well, because they tend to be dry a bit!

 

[Tattooed Goddess]

My cabbage rolls never come out as good as the local Lebanese restaurant makes them. I've looked up recipes on the net but they only smell the same but don't taste anything like them.

 

[ghb69]

My cabbage rolls are a Polish style, here is how I make mine.

1 large head or 2 small of cabbage core and cook until tender and head will seperate easily. at the same time prepare rice 1 cup rice 2 cups boiling water with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and butter. cover and simmer for 15 min. Drain cabbage then let rice and cabbage cool to room temperature.

For the filling 5-7 lbs of ground chuck add the rice till you get a nice blend (you may not need all of the rice) salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion flakes to your taste mix well

To assemble need 2 family size cans of condensed tomato soup (do not mix with water), 1 large can or bag of saurkraut (do not drain), and brown sugar. Place about 2 cups soup in roaster, spread 1/3 of the can of kraut, and 3 TBSP of brown sugar.

for the rolls between 1/2-3/4 cup meat mixture place it cup of cabbage leaf fold bottom over fold in sides and roll place in roaster seam side down. Continue until one layer is filled. Add another layer of soup, kraut, and brown sugar. then another layer of rolls. In my roaster I get 2 layers. any extra cabbage or rolls with out a leaf may be placed on the top. top with the last of soup, rest of the kraut including juice and brown sugar. Add enough water to come up to about 2/3 way up your last layer of rolls put on lid and bake.

Bake in a 350 degree oven for approximately 1/2 hr for every pound of meat. top will show signs of browning when done.

Serve with parsley potatoes and a salad.

This recipe will feed about 15 people or seperate into several meals they freeze well.

 

[nudeyorker]

Coconut Polenta
I even like this cold but it's best served warm.
4 cups vegetable stock
1 14oz can coconut milk
2 teaspoons hawaiian sweet sea salt
1/2 teaspoon finely ground white pepper
1 cup instant polenta
2 tablespoons butter
Corn oil
Bring the stock and coconut milk to a boil in a large saucepan on high heat then reduce to medium/low... add salt, pepper and polenta, whisk until it is firm about 6 minutes, add butter.
Pour into a glass pyrex pan 9X13 and chill until firm. Cut into squrares.
In a large non stick skillet add two tablespoons corn oil and cook on hight heat until browned and crusted on each side. Serve warm.
I'm having this with grilled shrimp and scallops, and Belgian endive and orange salad.

 

[lopo2000]

You guys have a great recipe for spaghetti sauce?

 

[nudeyorker]

Spaghetti Sauce
In a large skillet on med heat 3 TBL olive oil, 1/4 cup finely chopped parsley, 1 med red onion finely chopped 1 celery stalk finely chopped, simmer until onions are golden. add two cloves of finely minced garlic and 1/2 cup fresh basil.
You can either cook in a stock pot...but I use a slow cooker...
2 1/2 pounds peeled seeded tomatoes coarsely chopped. 1 TBL tomato paste, salt and pepper to taste, ( I add a whole peeled potato to catch the acid).I put everything in a slow cooker for about 7 hours. When finished, remove the potato and throw it away) put the mixture in a food processor or blender and puree. You can keep this in the refrigerator for 4 days or freeze for up to three months.

 

[luka82]

Nude I usually add some sugar in whenever I cook with fresh tomatoes just to neutralise the acid. But the potato is a great tip. It`s also great to put the potato when you have put too much extra salt in it. It catches it good, and throw it out later.

 

[lopo2000]

Thank you Nude!

 

[justmeincal]

I've never heard of anyone using celery in their spaghetti sauce. I'll have to give it try!

 

[ghb69]

If you need a good base to start a tomato sauce, to cut corners you can reduce a can of V-8 Juice. All the flavors are there without the dicing or slicing. Works well in chili or a tomato based soup such as stuffed pepper soup also.

 

[freyasworld]

Sorry guys...cooking, like a clean house, is a sign of a wasted life!

 

[tray22nc]

A very quick and easy way to make plain red sauce (never made it, but have heard it works) is to take a couple cans of tomatoes or tomato sauce, if you prefer, add a packet of italian dressing mix (just the packet, not the oil to make the dressing). Simmer for a few minutes and you'll have sauce (add meat if you want).
I personally make my own sauce and cook it for several hours, but I don't give that recipe out...lol

 

[nudeyorker]

Sorry guys...cooking, like a clean house, is a sign of a wasted life!

Maybe it is for you, but I like wonderful food. I also have a clean house while I'm enjoying my meal.