Foods! Delicious Foods. Please share them (recipes?pics?) with me (everyone)

[MikoBehnen]

I almost forgot there was a food thread!

 

Anyway! I just got myself one of those starter cooking sets with pans with clear lids and various utensils and stuff, and I want to try breaking them in on this long weekend. I plan to stop at the grocery store this afternoon and pick up my usual stuff (in case I fail dramatically, so I have options beyond "unrecognizable charred mess") along with what might be my first home-cooked meal I've done myself!

 

I just... don't know what to make. I want something simple to cut my teeth on (both figuratively and literally, I suppose). I did a quick Google search and found a brisket that sounds interesting... but I figured I'd tap you cookin' folkses for more ideas!

 

So um... suggestions? :blush:

 

So I made this for dinner last night and it was super nummy and easy to make... kinda of a throw it all together and time it type deal. I used celery instead of carrots ('cause I had eaten all those forgetting I'd need them) and it was still really good. 

AND it was really only one pot and a cutting board (๑◕ฺ‿ฺ◕ฺ๑) which is nice 'cause I hate doing dishes

[Gegenji]

So! I have returned home from the grocery store with my normal purchases plus some stuff to start my home cooking!

 

I got the stuff for the chili, the stuff for a brisket I found online (Mix dry onion soup mix, ketchup, and water together, pour on brisket, wrap in aluminum foil and cook! Sounds simple enough!), and some basic vegetables like potatoes, green beans and carrots.

 

So, um... hopefully this weekend I'll be making some tasty, tasty home cooking!

 

Thanks for the suggestions, guys, I'll give you a field report once I give it all a shot.

 

EDIT: Oh jeez, didn't even see the noodle stir fry, that might be nice to try later too!

[Mae]

Kitchen woes

Many suggestions

Yeah, keeping meat is a huge problem. The freezer is really only big enough for a single bag of frozen vegetables, and I have to poke a hole in it first to let out trapped air. I -might- be able to get one or two chicken breasts into it. Sometimes I'll grab a plain steak or chicken sandwich from Subway, just for the meat to use. It's expensive, though >_<

 

Milk and cheese isn't usually too hard to get ahold of, most truck stops stock some variety of both. I keep butter on the truck, as well as sour cream... I can't eat mayo, so I use sour cream as a substitute on sandwiches that are just too dry. 

 

Stew didn't work last time I tried it (too long to cook)... any suggestions for curries? I only made curry once and that was a very long time ago, and while I remember it being complicated I have the feeling it might've been due to inexperience.

[Kage]

Does anyone here have good recipes for "mexican" rice?

 

I think my old high school friend's (super tastype recipe) involved using chicken broth and tomato paste.

[Unnamed Mercenary]

Kitchen woes

Many suggestions

Yeah, keeping meat is a huge problem. The freezer is really only big enough for a single bag of frozen vegetables, and I have to poke a hole in it first to let out trapped air. I -might- be able to get one or two chicken breasts into it. Sometimes I'll grab a plain steak or chicken sandwich from Subway, just for the meat to use. It's expensive, though >_

 

Milk and cheese isn't usually too hard to get ahold of, most truck stops stock some variety of both. I keep butter on the truck, as well as sour cream... I can't eat mayo, so I use sour cream as a substitute on sandwiches that are just too dry. 

 

Stew didn't work last time I tried it (too long to cook)... any suggestions for curries? I only made curry once and that was a very long time ago, and while I remember it being complicated I have the feeling it might've been due to inexperience.

 

Go for a pre-made curry like this: 

 

While the instructions say to precook the meat and veggies, if your rice cooker's able to get to boiling point, you might be ok with cutting everything into sizes that can just be boiled to your ideal softness. You generally only add just enough water to cook/cover the vegetables/meat, and then add blocks of the curry base until desired thickness.

 

@Kage, try this one?

 

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/mexican-rice-ii/

[Kage]

I would like recipes people ( from here) have tried

[Mae]

My only two exposures to mexican rice were:

 

1) A "meal starter" packet where you toss raw chicken, rice, seasonings, and water into an oven bag and bake

 

and 

 

2) A mix similar to the one you already mentioned... chicken broth, tomato sauce, and a packet of... taco seasoning, I think?

 

I wasn't a fan of either, but my brother and step-sisters loved both.

[Gegenji]

So! I have returned home from the grocery store with my normal purchases plus some stuff to start my home cooking!

 

I got the stuff for the chili, the stuff for a brisket I found online (Mix dry onion soup mix, ketchup, and water together, pour on brisket, wrap in aluminum foil and cook! Sounds simple enough!), and some basic vegetables like potatoes, green beans and carrots.

 

So, um... hopefully this weekend I'll be making some tasty, tasty home cooking!

 

Thanks for the suggestions, guys, I'll give you a field report once I give it all a shot.

 

EDIT: Oh jeez, didn't even see the noodle stir fry, that might be nice to try later too!

 

Chili's cooking! Well... simmering for the 10 minutes it recommends, anyway.

 

I actually ended up just going with half of what was recommended in the thread, sticking instead to what was listed on the back of the chili packet - just in case I messed up and needed to have a second go. Turns out it was probably for the best since my skillet wouldn't have been able to hold 2lbs of meat plus all those beans and tomatoes!

 

I took cooking classes back in middle school... and the smell of cooking something myself is surprisingly nostalgic.

 

POST-EATING EDIT:

ogod sogud.

 

Seriously, though. I went with some garlic diced tomatoes since I love me some garlic. I was worried that doing so might mess up the taste some but it's delightful. I read somewhere that this kind of chili goes good with tortilla chips and I have a half-finished bag of them, so I may try them together with the rest of the chili later.

 

Tomorrow, I may try making the brisket.

[Briggs]

I tried making noodles from scratch for the first time.

 

I also made a nice, creamy Italian mushroom sauce. 

 

The sauce was great.

[Unnamed Mercenary]

I tried making noodles from scratch for the first time.

 

I also made a nice, creamy Italian mushroom sauce. 

 

The sauce was great.

 

pasta from scratch can be nightmarish. I commend the efforts without even knowing the result.

[MikoBehnen]

I tried making noodles from scratch for the first time.

 

I also made a nice, creamy Italian mushroom sauce. 

 

The sauce was great.

 

pasta from scratch can be nightmarish. I commend the efforts without even knowing the result.

 

I've only tried that once and I ended up just eating the dough 'cause I'm awful LoL

 

Super thumbs up for the making of things!

[Steel Wolf]

I adore making my own pasta. I still have to find a good noodle press, but for the time being I have a sheeter attachment for my stand mixer that helps me make all sorts of ravioli or farfalle, or I cut my sheets into my own broad noodles.

 

I found it surprisingly simple to make as well! At least as far as ingredients go. It can be a bit time-consuming, but the taste of homemade pasta beats any box you can find.

[Mae]

What type of pasta was it?

 

I never had luck making the "Italian-style" homemade pasta, but my butter noodles (somewhere between an egg noodle and a slicker dumpling) have always been successful. Unfortunately... I'm the only one in my family that likes the texture of butter noodles and slicker dumplings <_<

[MikoBehnen]

*whispers* Guys! I just found these and they're so cute and I know this thread is mostly cooking not baking but loooooook!

That is all... back to pasta

[Gegenji]

*whispers* Guys! I just found these and they're so cute and I know this thread is mostly cooking not baking but loooooook!

 

I would make Chocobolate Chip Cookies in a heartbeat. Just saying.

[Mae]

It can totally be about baking. I'm about to make it into baking.

 

Behold:

 

For those who have lived under damper, mossier rocks than the ones I grew up under, this glorious confection is the cheesecake. Even in it's most basic and unassuming form (as pictured), it is edible heaven. I have heard tales of intergalactic warlords that became peaceful because they sampled a small slice on a world they were about to crush, and beings of light and love become avatars of nightmare because a cheesecake was threatened.

 

Truly, many wars could have been adverted if countries would just send each other cheesecakes -- only the most black-hearted of the lactose intolerant would reject such a offering.

 

Do not let the moniker of 'cake' fool you. This divine creation is actually a custard, the sibling of the flan and distant-cousin to pudding. It can be made with or without crusts, and crusts can range from crushed pretzels to crushed graham crackers, a giant cookie, every sort of pie crust, and even thin cake. The Devout of Chocolate can stand shoulder to shoulder with the Followers of Fruit, Worshipers of Candy, Faithful of Liquor, and even the Church of Bacon in the presence of cheesecake, for cheesecake welcomes all. It will even attempt to appease and conform to vegans, so that even vegans may know it's love.

 

As complex as cheesecake may seem, it is surprisingly simple to make. This recipe reveals the truth of cheesecake, and I have personally witnessed this truth.

[Steel Wolf]

Cheesecakes are a thing that still somewhat slightly elude me. At least, in terms of flawless presentation. I have a spring form pan set that makes lovely little cheesecake to a twelve inch mesa of magnificence.

 

The problem is cracking.

 

I made this just...absolutely smooth and wonderful dark chocolate swirl cheesecake. Flawlessly marbled. Utterly melt in your mouth....and cracked like a goddamn New York City street. ><

 

I will conquer the foe of splintered and cracked cheesecake until I can post a picture of a masterpiece with the #nofilter hashtag!! I SWEAR IT!!

[Mae]

Have you tried using a water bath while baking?

[MikoBehnen]

*whispers* Guys! I just found these and they're so cute and I know this thread is mostly cooking not baking but loooooook!

 

I would make Chocobolate Chip Cookies in a heartbeat. Just saying.

                           ^^^ This? This is why I love you

[Steel Wolf]

Have you tried using a water bath while baking?

 

I did use a water bath...but I dunno if I used enough of a water bath, or if the foil lining the pan had some effect on the water bath. :<

[Mae]

Have you tried using a water bath while baking?

 

I did use a water bath...but I dunno if I used enough of a water bath, or if the foil lining the pan had some effect on the water bath.  :<

You really only need about an inch of water in the bath... might've been the foil? I had hit or miss myself whenever I tried to be honest. If it was creamy, it would be cracked. If it was perfect in appearance, the flavor and texture suffered. I think my problems though were more related to my oven -- I lived in that apartment for four years, and I argued with the landlord for three of them over problems with the oven/stove that he had installed. I just got to the point where I'd shoot for the creamy and cracked, and just top it with fruit or something to hide the cracks.

 

I found the recipe maker that I linked originally in a magazine at my work (cooking magazines at a hardware store..?), but I never got a chance to try it for myself before going out on the road. All my stuff is stored at my mum's house, and I gave her full permission to rummage through my books and magazines bin whenever she felt like it. She found that magazine... to be totally honest, my mum isn't much of a baker but she turns out flawless cheesecakes with that recipe maker.

[MikoBehnen]

Have you tried using a water bath while baking?

 

I did use a water bath...but I dunno if I used enough of a water bath, or if the foil lining the pan had some effect on the water bath.  :<

You really only need about an inch of water in the bath... might've been the foil? I had hit or miss myself whenever I tried to be honest. If it was creamy, it would be cracked. If it was perfect in appearance, the flavor and texture suffered. I think my problems though were more related to my oven -- I lived in that apartment for four years, and I argued with the landlord for three of them over problems with the oven/stove that he had installed. I just got to the point where I'd shoot for the creamy and cracked, and just top it with fruit or something to hide the cracks.

 

I found the recipe maker that I linked originally in a magazine at my work (cooking magazines at a hardware store..?), but I never got a chance to try it for myself before going out on the road. All my stuff is stored at my mum's house, and I gave her full permission to rummage through my books and magazines bin whenever she felt like it. She found that magazine... to be totally honest, my mum isn't much of a baker but she turns out flawless cheesecakes with that recipe maker.

 

These are my cheesecake secret!

They are amaze-balls

[Unnamed Mercenary]

I adore making my own pasta.  I still have to find a good noodle press, but for the time being I have a sheeter attachment for my stand mixer that helps me make all sorts of ravioli or farfalle, or I cut my sheets into my own broad noodles.

 

I found it surprisingly simple to make as well!  At least as far as ingredients go.  It can be a bit time-consuming, but the taste of homemade pasta beats any box you can find.

 

When you finish baking it, do you let it cool to room temp inside the oven or take it out? I've had decent success with never exposing my cheesecakes to "cold" air until the oven's chilled down a bit. 

 

This is the recipe I've had good success with: 

 

http://foodwishes.blogspot.com/2010/10/new-york-style-sunshine-cheesecake.html

 

And everyone should see the other stuff on foodwishes. This guy is AMAZING

[Steel Wolf]

...these are all things I shall have to try.

 

If I can crack a perfect tiramisu, then by the Twelve I'll CRACK A CRACKLESS CHEESECAKE!!

 

*uppercuts a nearby buffalo*

[Gegenji]

Brisket is in the oven now. I worry if I chopped the onions up fine enough, and I completely forgot to put the PAM on the aluminum foil before putting the meat in. Panic panic panic. :cry:

 

With the chili, it looked good enough going in... and it was done in, what, half an hour? I have three hours to panic and worry until my brisket is ready.