What are you cooking?

[Donkey]

To post and discuss what you are cooking/thinking about cooking/cooked last night, or to consult on new and interesting ways to approach ingredients.

How I usually cook is I start with whatever I think I want to cook with, then do a little research on google and figure out what I want to do with it, rather than strictly following recipes. Especially because often as not I don't have all of a given ingredient list handy.

Tonight I think I'm going to stuff some acorn squash. Probably basing on garbanzo beans. After a holiday season full of fat and booze, I have a girlfriend mandated health restriction: i.e. if I want to cook for her, it has to be healthy. So you have to put in extra effort if you don't want that to translate into "less yummy."

[The Drunk Guy]

To post and discuss what you are cooking/thinking about cooking/cooked last night, or to consult on new and interesting ways to approach ingredients.

How I usually cook is I start with whatever I think I want to cook with, then do a little research on google and figure out what I want to do with it, rather than strictly following recipes. Especially because often as not I don't have all of a given ingredient list handy.

Tonight I think I'm going to stuff some acorn squash. Probably basing on garbanzo beans. After a holiday season full of fat and booze, I have a girlfriend mandated health restriction: i.e. if I want to cook for her, it has to be healthy. So you have to put in extra effort if you don't want that to translate into "less yummy."
You lost me at acorn squash.

Usually, when I try something new that I like, I'll see how it's made (or guess by taste) and try to recreate it at home. I never follow recipes exactly, so it rarely comes out the same as the restaurant/other cook's, but almost always turns out delicious. As long as I pay attention to the ingredients and make sure they flow together, it's hard for me to really fuck it up.

[cassandrabandra]

You lost me at acorn squash.

Usually, when I try something new that I like, I'll see how it's made (or guess by taste) and try to recreate it at home. I never follow recipes exactly, so it rarely comes out the same as the restaurant/other cook's, but almost always turns out delicious. As long as I pay attention to the ingredients and make sure they flow together, it's hard for me to really fuck it up.


I know that recipe!

its my favourite ... as long as I've got a good collection of herbs and spices I can often recreate things that are pretty close ... and sometimes the most simple combinations are the best.

[Michael]

In honor of it being Sunday morning and I'm about to make breakfast, I shall share with you my secret ingredient for making awesome omelets!

The answer is.... oregano!

Just add a pinch to your egg-mixture. You will notice a stunning difference. :)

(I discovered this by myself after long experimentation - I love omelets and have tried to create various different ones)

[The Drunk Girl]

When I attempt to make omelets they always turn into a mix of what kinda looks like an omelet and scrambled eggs. :lol:

I'm not the "experimental" type when it comes to cooking. I'm always afraid of screwing it up and then what do you have? A bunch of wasted, shitty tasting food. I prefer recipes, when I do cook, but they're generally recipes from my mom or grandmother.

I can make some killer mashed potatoes though!!!

[Margot]

One of my favorite websites is epicurious (http://www.epicurious.com/).

Our entire Christmas dinner came from there. There are just so many ideas and recipes and none of them are retarded riffraff like you'd find on cooks.com or something.

[Lily]

For New Years, I tried my hand at Indian cooking. Not really following any recipe, instead reading through several to get an idea of technique and flavors. I ended up with a spicy chicken dish with a sauce of onions, garlic, ginger, tomatoes, cumin, cayenne pepper, garam masala, curry powder and a little greek yogurt. I served that with basmati rice and some store bought garlic Naan bread. It was very good.

Next, I'm going to try my hand at something I had in Paris, a Croque Monsieur. It's really just a grilled ham and cheese sandwich, but with some bechamel sauce and using grueyere cheese melted over the top under a broiler. It was wonderful.

[Michael]

When I attempt to make omelets they always turn into a mix of what kinda looks like an omelet and scrambled eggs. :lol:

I'm not the "experimental" type when it comes to cooking. I'm always afraid of screwing it up and then what do you have? A bunch of wasted, shitty tasting food. I prefer recipes, when I do cook, but they're generally recipes from my mom or grandmother.

I can make some killer mashed potatoes though!!!

The art of omelets is all in the pan. You must have a very good pan dedicated to omelets (teflon is good). And a lid is very important. Can't make the omelet too thick or it won't cook through.

[partofme]

Today I'm going to give this recipe a try.

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Smoky-Chipotle-Chili/Detail.aspx

I'll admit I picked it because it's a very simple recipe and I wanted to try making some chili. I'll probably modify it a bit by spicing it up more.

[The Drunk Guy]

Today I'm going to give this recipe a try.

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Smoky-Chipotle-Chili/Detail.aspx

I'll admit I picked it because it's a very simple recipe and I wanted to try making some chili. I'll probably modify it a bit by spicing it up more.
That's not chili! That's soup! :D

I like my chili hearty and thick and everyone seems to love it.

2lbs Lean Hamburger
1 Onion, sliced vertically, thin
1 Clove Garlic, minced
3 Cans stewed tomatoes (Diced works, but I prefer stewed.)
2 Cans Chili Beans (Seasoned pintos come in various 'heats')
1 Can Light Red Kidney Beans
1 Can Dark Red Kidney Beans
1 Can Navy Beans (Great Northern works)
1 Can bean of your choice (Pinto is basic, Black is a dark flavor, and Butter or Lima add some dry texture)
3 teaspoons Chili Powder
1 teaspoon Onion Powder
1 to 3 teaspoons Black Pepper and/or
1 teaspoon Red Pepper
Salt to taste

Brown the meat with the onions and garlic in it. Add a little salt and chili powder so it retains flavor. After the meat is ready, add the rest and just bring it to a boil.

I use black pepper to adjust the 'heat', but that's a personal preference. I could see someone just tossing in a habanero or chipotle peppers. It really depends on what kind of burn you're looking for. Personally, I like tasting the ingredients fully with the heat coming in last.

[partofme]

That's not chili! That's soup! :D

I like my chili hearty and thick and everyone seems to love it.

2lbs Lean Hamburger
1 Onion, sliced vertically, thin
1 Clove Garlic, minced
3 Cans stewed tomatoes (Diced works, but I prefer stewed.)
2 Cans Chili Beans (Seasoned pintos come in various 'heats')
1 Can Light Red Kidney Beans
1 Can Dark Red Kidney Beans
1 Can Navy Beans (Great Northern works)
1 Can bean of your choice (Pinto is basic, Black is a dark flavor, and Butter or Lima add some dry texture)
3 teaspoons Chili Powder
1 teaspoon Onion Powder
1 to 3 teaspoons Black Pepper and/or
1 teaspoon Red Pepper
Salt to taste

Brown the meat with the onions and garlic in it. Add a little salt and chili powder so it retains flavor. After the meat is ready, add the rest and just bring it to a boil.

I use black pepper to adjust the 'heat', but that's a personal preference. I could see someone just tossing in a habanero or chipotle peppers. It really depends on what kind of burn you're looking for. Personally, I like tasting the ingredients fully with the heat coming in last.


That sounds like a big enough batch to feed us for a week.

[The Drunk Guy]

That sounds like a big enough batch to feed us for a week.
Close to two gallons. And it's awesome to reheat or use in other stuff. I love making chili-cheese dip with it and it's hearty enough for soft tacos or quesadillas. :D

[Michael]

That's not chili! That's soup! :D

I like my chili hearty and thick and everyone seems to love it.
Sounds pretty good! I've been planning on doing up some chili sometime... not that common of a dish up here in the Great White North.

That sounds like a big enough batch to feed us for a week.

Yes, that was sort of my impression - great if you are having a dozen friends over! :)

[The Drunk Guy]

Yes, that was sort of my impression - great if you are having a dozen friends over! :)
That's pretty much the only time I make it. We ordered a pay-per-view fight last fall and I made it, but then realized we were going to have more people. I just boiled up some shell macaroni and mixed it in to damn near double the volume. It was delicious.

[Michael]

Actually, right now, we are talking about having lunch today on the balcony since it is so nice and sunny out. :)

It is of course all of about 34 degrees out there (F), but it sounds like it might be fun (wearing big woolly sweaters & mittens of course!) and doing a winter picnic thing with a nice white tablecloth and proper table-setting! Got some of my minestrone soup out of the freezer so that's perfect. Trying to think of a suitable 'warm' appetizer to go with it... (and of course, a bit of hearty merlot to wash it all down with!).

(heading off to the store shortly to buy an apple pie, with that heated up it will do nicely for dessert!)

Eating can be fun if you make a bit of adventure out of it! :lol:

[Americano]

If you make chili with diced pork you'll never go back to using hamburger.

[Americano]

Actually, right now, we are talking about having lunch today on the balcony since it is so nice and sunny out. :)

It is of course all of about 34 degrees out there (F), but it sounds like it might be fun (wearing big woolly sweaters & mittens of course!) and doing a winter picnic thing with a nice white tablecloth and proper table-setting! Got some of my minestrone soup out of the freezer so that's perfect. Trying to think of a suitable 'warm' appetizer to go with it... (and of course, a bit of hearty merlot to wash it all down with!).

(heading off to the store shortly to buy an apple pie, with that heated up it will do nicely for dessert!)

Eating can be fun if you make a bit of adventure out of it! :lol:

I'd think the goal with that meal would be getting back inside to a much warmer temperature.

[Donkey]

That sounds like a big enough batch to feed us for a week.
What's the point of chili if you can't eat it for a week?
If you make chili with diced pork you'll never go back to using hamburger.
Hmmm. We (half heartedly) gave up meat for Lent, but after Easter I might have to try that.

[Americano]

What's the point of chili if you can't eat it for a week?

Hmmm. We (half heartedly) gave up meat for Lent, but after Easter I might have to try that.

And here I thought you were an atheist.

Hamburger, even the 9% fat variety, can't compete with diced pork in chili for taste or texture. We also like pasta in our chili. But since our favorite pizza is made with lox and tacos with fish, you might get the idea our tastes are somewhat unconventional for the US.

[Donkey]

And here I thought you were an atheist.

I am. Catholicism dies hard.

[Americano]

I am. Catholicism dies hard.

Your other half follows the rituals?

[Donkey]

Your other half follows the rituals?
Oh, no. I am by far the more ritualistic of the two. This past Christmas was the first in my life that I missed mass. I will probably go to Easter service.

[partofme]

Well the chili turned out to be really good. I used a spicier salsa, more chili powder, and more garlic than the recipe called for. It was a little much for my wife though. I didn't think it was all that hot and the flavor was excellent.

[Michael]

As a general rule of cooking, I've learned never to mix garlic with beans. That's just a guarenteed recipe for excessive gas.

I'd drop the garlic from that recipe for sure on that account. Besides, with all those chili flavors and spices, the garlic will be completely drowned out anyway.

It is nice to eat food without having to spend the next twelve hours farting up a storm.

[partofme]

As a general rule of cooking, I've learned never to mix garlic with beans. That's just a guarenteed recipe for excessive gas.

I'd drop the garlic from that recipe for sure on that account. Besides, with all those chili flavors and spices, the garlic will be completely drowned out anyway.

It is nice to eat food without having to spend the next twelve hours farting up a storm.

It didn't really do that to me too much.

[The Drunk Guy]

It didn't really do that to me too much.
My chili wasn't too bad either. What got me was the half-case of Amberboch. ;)

[Americano]

As a general rule of cooking, I've learned never to mix garlic with beans. That's just a guarenteed recipe for excessive gas.

I'd drop the garlic from that recipe for sure on that account. Besides, with all those chili flavors and spices, the garlic will be completely drowned out anyway.

It is nice to eat food without having to spend the next twelve hours farting up a storm.

No garlic in chili is a sin.

I've never found gas to be a problem with canned beans. To remove the 'air' from dried beans merely soak them in water overnight.

[Donkey]

Well the chili turned out to be really good. I used a spicier salsa, more chili powder, and more garlic than the recipe called for. It was a little much for my wife though. I didn't think it was all that hot and the flavor was excellent.
You could always dilute it for her with rice?