Weekly Cooking Thread *recipes* July 16, 2011

FreeRepublic Cooks | July 16, 2011 | libertarian27

[libertarian27]

Welcome to the 31st installment of the FR Weekly Cooking (Recipes) Thread.

Looking for something new to make or made something new that came out great? Please share a 'tried-and-true' recipe or five - or all of them:)! for fellow FReepers to add to their 'go-to' Recipe Stack of Family Favorites!

Here's the place to share and explore your next favorite recipe.

[bert]

Bert’s Krispy Creme grilled doughnuts

Take one cast iron skillet and melt a generous portion of butter (not margarine, butter)

Heat until the butter bubbles slightly, put Krispy Creme’s in the skillet. After a few moments mash with a spatula, turn over. Repeat.

When done, the doughnuts will be a darker brown and slightly crunchy. one indication of doneness is fine strings of sugar glaze as they are removed from the skillet

Serve and eat.

[afraidfortherepublic]

What is “vanilla paste”?

[illiac]

I’ve also used an old fashioned foord grater (not as fast, but as effective)....

[SAJ]

Quite right. Somehow graters don't get along well with my knuckles, though!

;^)

[illiac]

Ain’t that the truth.....

[A Cyrenian]

Great thread. Can you add me to your list to be notified when you have future posts?

Thanks.

[illiac]

What is Vanilla Bean Paste?

When I first heard about vanilla bean paste, all I could picture was that white paste that you eat (umm.. glue with) in Kindergarten mixed with some bean specks. I found lots of pictures of the vanilla bean paste bottle online but no pictures of the actual vanilla bean paste itself. I had heard that it was vanilla extract, but with the beans in it. I began to picture a liquid with some specks.

It turns out that vanilla bean paste is much thicker than vanilla extract. It’s actually a thin syrup. While I would never drink vanilla extract straight up, I have been known to lick my fingers if they get some vanilla bean paste on them. It’s still a bit strong (not to mention expensive) to, for example, pour on your pancakes

[SAJ]

Every Saturday morning, m’FRiend.

[mowowie]

Hello libertarian27,

Could you please add me to your ping list?
My GF loves these threads.
Thanks

[prisoner6]

Maple syrup is GREAT for justabout ANYTHING!

I've used it mixed with ground beef to make hamburgers. If I grill them I also baste them with maple syrup.

Here is a recipe I tried recently that turned out prettykinda OK! I may have posted before but what the hey.

Maple Syrup Marinade

from http://southernfood.about.com/od/bakedchicken/r/bl80312i.htm

salt and pepper
1/2 cup maple syrup
2 tablespoons chili sauce
2 tablespoons ketchup
2 to 3 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons grated onion
1 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

(Note from Cap'n Obvious: Works for about 8-10 pieces of meat. Since I was making quite a bit more I used more marinade.)

I didn't have any chili sauce so I increased the ketchup and also the maple syrup to about double the amount and added >a litte< chili powder because Mrs 6 and youngest son aren't hot food fans.

The Maple Syrup Marinade then worked for several hours (refrigerated) on chicken legs and thighs. Some were grilled outside and some oven cooked.

Both were great but I would have preferred a little more "kick."

One thing I noticed though. The chicken was great right off the grill or out of the oven BUT a couple of days later I took leftovers and nuked them at work. NOT THE SAME - not even close!

[Twotone]

Here’s a link for you...

http://www.beanilla.com/beanilla-vanilla-paste-2fold-p-121.html

Sort of like almond paste, only from vanilla beans.

[SaraJohnson]

Curry Chicken Salad

four boned chicken breasts
six chopped green onions
two chopped celery stalks
1/4 cup of sliced almonds (or cashews)
fifty seedless grapes cut in half

Sauce:
1/4 - 1/2 cup of mayo
Half of the grapes - pureed
three tablespoons of curry
salt to taste
(You can use white grape juice to sweeten the sauce more.)

Bake the chicken and then chop into cubes. Place in a bowl with chopped onions, celery, half of the grapes and nuts. Mix in the curry, mayo sauce.

Taste and add more curry, grapes puree or white grape juice, etc. as needed. Some like grated carrots in this dish. You can serve this chicken salad on a bed of lettuce or on rolls.

I am one of those cooks who does not measure so I am guessing here. I hope it works! This is a family favorite. If you try it, let me know how it worked out!

[Fast Moving Angel]

The other day, I was looking for a way to stretch two large baking potatoes to serve 3 of us, so I found this recipe. Since I didn't have a regular onion, I substituted a bunch of cleaned and sliced green onions (with tops), used some spicy cajun seasoning instead of the salt, sprinkled chopped parsley over the top, and used a glass casserole dish, sprayed with nonstick spray, with a lid instead of using aluminum foil. The leftovers were reheated for breakfast the next day. Yummy!

Creamy Potatoes Au Gratin

Ingredients
• 4 russet potatoes, sliced into 1/4 inch slices
• 1 onion, sliced into rings
• salt and pepper to taste
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups milk
• 1 1/2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Butter a 1 quart casserole dish.
2. Layer 1/2 of the potatoes into bottom of the prepared casserole dish. Top with the onion slices, and add the remaining potatoes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
3. In a medium-size saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Mix in the flour and salt, and stir constantly with a whisk for one minute. Stir in milk. Cook until mixture has thickened. Stir in cheese all at once, and continue stirring until melted, about 30 to 60 seconds. Pour cheese over the potatoes, and cover the dish with aluminum foil.
4. Bake 1 1/2 hours in the preheated oven.

[Netizen]

Better celebrate junk food day while you still can, before the Obama’s ban if for the ‘peons’. /s

[varina davis]

later

[Proud2BeRight]

Deep Fried Lasagne

Is Lipitor and Plavix in the ingredients?

[Ann Archy]

ooohhhh, that sounds great!!

[illiac]

I’m already on those...so I guess I can eat away.....

[afraidfortherepublic]

Thank you. Amazing! I’ve never heard of it before. I feel like I did the day that I discovered that the chef back in the kitchen did not make those raspberry and vanilla sauces that they use to draw flourishes and pictures on the plate holding your cheesecake in fancy restaurants. Those sauces are pre-made and are part of the chef’s arsenal of embellishments behind the scenes in the pantry — sort of like flour and sugar.

[Liz]

Paula Deen’s Deep-Fried Lasagna.

Make Paula’s or your fave lasagna. Refrigerate overnight so that it is very firm. Cut into squares. Pass through three breading stations in the following order: flour, beaten eggs, plain bread crumbs to coat. Deep fry in heated peanut oil about a minute until golden brown.