Weekly Cooking Thread (twas the week before)Dec 18

Free Republic | December 18, 2010 | libertarian27

[libertarian27]

Merry 'Week Before' Christmas.

For the 2nd installment of the cooking thread I thought it would be great to have a hodgepodge of recipes for the upcoming 'Crunch Time' and Christmas week.

Have a delicious recipe for a quick meal during this hectic week? How about your most requested 'Party Food' that everyone says you must bring to the party? Have a favorite cookie, etc. recipe that you are cranking our batch after batch for family and friends? And everything else in between!

Here's the place to share your creations and get some food inspiration.

[keepitreal]

pinging myself for later reading

[Red_Devil 232]

I don’t want to sound like the food police but - The US Food and Drug Administration has approved “food-grade” paraffin, even though it is a derivative of the production of crude oil. Mostly it is used to coat fruits and cheeses. While food-grade paraffin is technically edible, it is not digestible; it passes through the body without being absorbed. Do not assume the paraffin for sale (for canning purposes) in your supermarket is food-grade; it is not.

Couverture Chocolate is the best thing to use to coat. If not avalible localy it is avalable on the net.

[Red_Devil 232]

 

Here is a template for you to use for your recipe archive. To get the link to the recipe just click on the recipe's post number and the exact address to that post is then at the top of your browser in the Address Bar, at the top of your browser, and copy that link from the Adderss bar and paste into the template between the Quotes where it says Link to recipe post.

<a HREF="Link to recipe post">Title Of Recipe</a>

<a HREF="Link to recipe post">Title Of Recipe</a>

<a HREF="Link to recipe post">Title Of Recipe</a>

To make it easier you could just make a bunch of copies like above and just start cutting and pasting the required info.

This is what the recipe in post #36, from this weeks thread, would look like all I did was click on the post number 36 and the full link to that particular post is in your Address bar ready to copy

<a HREF="http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/chat/2644498/posts?page=36#36">Chicken Picatta</a>

[FrdmLvr]

Chicken Noel

4 boned chicken breasts
1 can cream of chicken soup
8 oz. sour cream
1/2 C white wine
1 can mushrooms, drained (optional)
1 clove garlic or garlic powder
paprika

Place chicken in a shallow baking dish. Mix the rest of ingredients and pour over chicken, covering chicken entirely. Sprinkle with paprika. Bake 90 min at 350 degrees. Serve with rice or noodles.

[lysie]

Excellent.

[TheConservativeParty]

(bookmark for later reading of yummy recipes)

[SouthDixie]

Sausage Rolls (Mom's Recipe)

I take a pkg {12} sausages. Put then in water and simmer them for about an hour. Pour off the water,. Put them in a bowl and let them cool in the fridge. Pull the casing off when they are cool.Buy a pkg of puff pastry, roll it out. Put a sausage on the pastry, to see how wide you want it. Cut the pastry in 3 strips. Put a sausage on the pastry ,see how long you want it,slice it and roll the pastry around the sausage. Wet the edges so they stick. Leave them whole or cut in half. A pkg of pastry will make 12 sausage rolls 24 if you cut them in half. Have fun. Love ya mom.xx

[TASMANIANRED]

How have I missed this.. Please add me.

[TASMANIANRED]

Mom just shook them in powdered sugar...or added some cinnamon to the sugar.

[Jean S]

No-Bake Pumpkin Pie
Serves 8

Graham Cracker Crust

5 ounces graham crackers (9 whole crackers), broken into large pieces
2 tablespoons sugar
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and warm

Pumpkin Pie Filling

3 tablespoons cold orange juice
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 teaspoons gelatin (from one package)
1 cup cold heavy cream (divided)
2/3 cup (4 ¾ ounces) sugar (divided)
¾ teaspoon table salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground ginger
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
3 large egg yolks
1 (15-ounce) can plain pumkin puree (1 ¾ cups)

1. For the crust: Adjust oven rack to lower middle position and heat oven to 325 degrees.
2. Pulse crackers and sugar in food processor until evenly and finely ground, about 15 2-second pulses (you should have 1 cup crumbs). Add warm butter in steady stream through feed tube whil pulsing until crumbs are evenly moistened and resemble damp sand. Transfer crumbs to 9-inch pie plate and spread evenly over bottom and sides. Wipe out food processor bowl and reserve. Using flat-bottomed rameking or dry measuring cup, press and smooth crumbs into pie plate. Bake until fragrant and browned around edges, 15 to 18 minutes. Cool completely on wire rack.

3. For the Filling: Stir orange juice and vanilla together in medium bowl. Sprinkle gelatin over orange juice mixture and set aside to thicken, about 5 minutes.

4. Combine ½ cup heavy cream, 1/3 cup sugar, salt and spices in small saucepan. Cook over medium-low heat until bubbles form at edges; remove from heat. Whisk remaining 1/3 cup sugar and yolks together in medium bowl until pale and slightly thickened. Slowly pour hot cream into yolk mixture, whisking constantly. Return mixture to pan and cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly and scraping bottom of pot with heatproof spatula, until custard is thickened and registers 175 to 180 degrees on instant-read thermometer, about 2 minutes. (When properly cooked, custard should form slight ridge on tip of spatula when bottom of pan is scraped and spatula is lifted.) Immediately pour custard over gelatin mixture and stir until smooth and gelatin has completely dissolved.

5. Puree pumkin in food processor until smooth, 10 to 15 seconds. With machine running, add remaining ½ cup heavy cream through feed tube in steady stream. Scrape sides of bowl and process for additional 10 to 15 seconds. Add pumpkin mixture to custard mixture and stir until completely smooth. Transfer filling to cooled crust. Chill pie, uncovered, until filling is just set, about 3 hours. Cover pie with plastic wrap and continue to chill until fully set, at least 6 hours and up to 24 hours. Cut pie into wedges and serve.

[libertarian27]

Baked off your Ginger Snap recipes tonight - they were excellent! Head of the Christmas cookie list, and really, throughout the year too!

[SE Mom]

Wonderful!

Merry Christmas!

[hoosiermama]

bump for tomorrow read

Please add me to the list.

[GailA]

I’ve been eating these candies since I was a kid of 10 and I make them once a year, myself, I’m 62.

[GailA]

Use the rice crispy treats instructions with the jar marshmellow...the parafin just makes the melted real chocolate SHINNY instead of dull.

Through in some red & green M & M’s and you have a nice Christmas treat.

Or try making a trail mix out of different cereals, nuts and dried fruits like cranberries and rasins. I mix 3-4 different cereals, the whole grain ones, be sure to add a chocolate and a honey nut one. Some times I throw in small pretzel gold fish. The mix doesn’t last long, and stores well.

I switched hubby over to it instead of high cal, high fat snacks he likes, it helps keep his weight down...he is a grazer with a sweet tooth.

[GailA]

Cooking time and temp is what hardens candy. And I goofed it’s regular marsh mellows in the package not the jar stuff that goes into rice crispy treats...Brain fog this early...I should have remember I just made a batch and sprinkled them with red and green sugar crystals for our party tonight.

[spitter]

Merry Christmas All

Cheese Dip
1/2 stick butter
4 Tbls. Flour
Cook and stir until melted (about 1 minute) turn off heat & add:
1 tsp. paprika
1/2 tsp. dry mustard
1 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. cumin
1 Tbls. catsup
2 diced peppers & juice(Jalapino) or 2 Tbls. Green Chiles with juice
1 grated pod garlic
6 oz. cubed velveeta cheese
Slowly add 2 cups milk cooking over low flame stirring until thick.

Sopapillas
Delicious for breakfast, lunch or dinner. May be served as a hot bread or dessert.

4 cups flour
4 tsp. baking powder 2 tsp. salt
1/4 cup shortening
1 to 1 1/2 cups water, as needed
oil for frying

Sift dry ingredients into mixing bowl. Cut in shortening. Add water, a little at a time, stirring to form a stiff dough. Knead until smooth. Roll thin; cut into 2 inch squares or triangles. Heat oil in deep heavy pan to 360F., deep fry dough a few pieces at a time until golden brown. They will puff up as they fry. Serve puffed bread hot
with butter and jelly. For a delicious dessert sprinkle with a mixture of sugar and cinnamon and fill with honey.
Makes about 40.

[TheMom]

Aunt Rita’s lemon squares

Crust:
1 c. melted butter
2 c. sifted flour
1/2 c. powdered sugar
1/4 t salt
Mix above ingredients & put into bottom of 9 X 13 pan. Bake @ 350 for 20 mins.

Topping:
6 eggs (beaten)
6 T sifted flour
1 1/2 T grated lemon rind
3 c. sugar
8 1/2 T lemon juice (fresh)

Mix all and pour on top of baked crust. Bake @ 350 for 25 - 30 mins.

When cool sprinkle with powered sugar.

I usually refrigerate before cutting into squares.

[libertarian27]

Those lemon bars sound yummy. I love these bars in the summer and usually cheat and go with the Krusteaz box mix($when on sale$)- will try out your recipe the next time!

[greeneyes]

QUICK CUP OF POTATO SOUP

1 cup of milk or cream
1 tsp chicken bouillon
1 tsp dried onion bits
Instant Mashed Potatoes
parsley flakes
pat of butter

Combine 1st 3 ingredients in coffee cup and heat in Microwave for 1 minute. Add mashed potato flakes and stir(add more or less depending on how thick you want it) You can also substitute leftover mashed potatoes.

Top with a pat of butter and parsley flakes. When butter is melted it's time to drink your soup, or use a spoon if yours is thick. We also garnish with bacon and cheese.

[Libloather]

HOLIDAY EATING TIPS

1. Avoid carrot sticks. Anyone who puts carrots on a holiday buffet table knows nothing of the Christmas spirit. In fact, if you see carrots, leave immediately. Go next door, where they're serving rum balls.

2. Drink as much eggnog as you can. And quickly. It's rare. You cannot find it any other time of year but now. So drink up! Who cares that it has 10,000 calories in every sip? It's not as if you're going to turn into an eggnog-oholic or something. It's a treat. Enjoy it. Have one for me. Have two. It's later than you think. It's Christmas!

3. If something comes with gravy, use it. That's the whole point of gravy. Gravy does not stand-alone. Pour it on. Make a volcano out of your mashed potatoes. Fill it with gravy. Eat the volcano. Repeat.

4. As for mashed potatoes, always ask if they're made with skim milk or whole milk. If it's skim, pass. Why bother? It's like buying a sports car with an automatic transmission.

5. Do not have a snack before going to a party in an effort to control your eating. The whole point of going to a Christmas party is to eat other people's food for free. Lots of it. Hello?

6. Under no circumstances should you exercise between now and New Year's. You can do that in January when you have nothing else to do. This is the time for long naps, which you'll need after circling the buffet table while carrying a 10 pound plate of food and that vat of eggnog.

7. If you come across something really good at a buffet table, like frosted Christmas cookies in the shape and size of Santa, position yourself near them and don't budge. Have as many as you can before becoming the center of attention. They're like a beautiful pair of shoes. If you leave them behind, you're never going to see them again.

8. Same for pies. Apple, Pumpkin, Mincemeat. Have a slice of each. Or if you don't like mincemeat, have two apples and one pumpkin. Always have three. When else do you get to have more than one dessert? Labor Day?

9. Did someone mention fruitcake? Granted, it's loaded with the mandatory celebratory calories, but avoid it at all cost. I mean, have some standards.

10. One final tip: If you don't feel terrible when you leave the party or get up from the table, you haven't been paying attention. Re-read tips; start over, but hurry, January is just around the corner.

Remember this motto: "Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, chocolate in one hand, body thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and screaming "WOO HOO!! What a ride!"

Have a great holiday season!

[Mears]

Three pieces of Mincedmeat pie is my idea of heaven.

By the way,I also like fruitcake.

[Admin Moderator]

Thanks Libloather.

Those are not tips, they are RULES!

[oldteen]

Add me please! :)

Thanks!

[HungarianGypsy]

Your blue cheese dip looks great. I like the extra kick of the dillweed. Will try that. One I throw together has garlic. Not a mayo fan, so tried making dressing with yogurt, instead. Very tasty!

[mad_as_he$$]

Does the skin get crispy in that recipe?

[Liz]

Makes sense to me.

[Libloather]

I like the extra kick of the dillweed.

An extra pinch of Algore or Biden goes a long way.

[Liz]

LIZ’S EGGNOG LATTE

Nice on Christmas morning served in footed Christmas mug w/ cinnamon stick or candy cane stirrer.

ONE SERVING Heat together cup leftover strong brewed coffee, 1/2 cup milk, 1/2 cup Axelrod egg nog (or other prepared egg nog). Blender together til foamy, add fave sweetener.

[libertarian27]

I don’t know what it is but dill and blue cheese go together great(I put more dillweed in than the recipe+ blue cheese too).

That recipe came from a now closed restaurant that had the best blue cheese dressing in the county - I think they cut it down with buttermilk...it’s good to bump into a chef at a bar and buy them drinks- and have a pen handy (I got that recipe for making a gallon and had to cut it down) :>)

[Giddyupgo]

CHOCOLATE OATMEAL DROP COOKIES (No Bake)

1/4 c. cocoa
1 3/4 c. granulated sugar
1/2 c. milk
1 stick butter
pinch of salt

Boil about 3 minutes after it begins to boil. Stir until it starts.
Remove from heat.
Add 1/2 cup peanut butter and 2 1/2 cups oatmeal.
Drop by teaspoon onto sheet of wax paper. Do not cook.

PEANUT BUTTER FUDGE
(you can half this recipe)

4 cups sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup, or white Karo syrup
2 sticks unsalted butter
1 cup evaporated milk
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
9 ounces (1 cup) smooth peanut butter (recommended: Jif)
2 heaping tablespoons marshmallow cream

Lightly grease a 9 by 13-inch pan and set aside.
In a large saucepan, combine the sugar, corn syrup, butter, and evaporated milk. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until it reaches 242.5 degrees F, between the soft and hard ball stages.

Remove from the heat and stir in the remaining ingredients. Beat the mixture with a large wooden spoon until it starts to get stiff. Pour into the prepared pan and let harden.

Merry CHRISTmas to all....enjoy!

[libertarian27]

I make those chocolate oatmeal no bake cookies - they are pure evil!!!!

I try to only make them only once a year because I can’t stop eating them - In my case, it’s best to make them and get them out of the house....lol

[fanfan]

Thanks.
Copied.
Merry Christmas.

[Daisyjane69]

More to come.

I don’t wanna brag about it or anything, but I think I’ve tinkered enough with a recipe to come up with a magnificent Gluten-Free & Lactose-Free recipe for fruit filled Kolache cookies! Yeah, that recipe that includes butter, milk, cream cheese, and wheat flour. That one.

I’ll know on Christmas Eve if they passed the taste test.

*fingers crossed*

[libertarian27]

Recap for this week’s thread - Great mix of wonderful recipes!
(Please don’t post any more recipes on this thread - visit this week’s thread and add your recipe there, thanks!)

Appetizer* 5 Blue Cheese Dip (Dressing)
Appetizer* 14 Guacamole de la Rey
Appetizer* 28 BROWN SUGAR SMOKIES
Appetizer* 57 Sausage Rolls
Appetizer* 67 Cheese Dip
Bread* 16 Cinnamon-Raisin Bread
Bread* 67 Sopapillas
Dessert* 12 Peanut Butter Balls
Dessert* 17 RACHEL RAY FUDGE WREATH
Dessert* 20 Raised Potato Doughnuts
Dessert* 26 Ginger Snaps
Dessert* 29 Oreo Truffles
Dessert* 34 FUDGE
Dessert* 41 Candied Cereal
Dessert* 60 No-Bake Pumpkin Pie
Dessert* 68 Aunt Rita’s lemon squares
Dessert* 81 Chocolate/Peanut Butter Oatmeal Derop Cookies (No Bake)
Dessert* 81 PEANUT BUTTER FUDGE
Drink* 79 LIZ’S EGGNOG LATTE
Meal* 6 calzone
Meal* 21 Cheesy Wine Chicken
Meal* 22 Chicken Tetrazizini
Meal* 33 RIVERBEND CHICKEN
Meal* 36 Chicken Picatta
Meal* 38 Deep fried babyback ribs.
Meal* 54 Chicken Noel
Side* 13 Moroccan Salad
Soup* 48 BAKED POTATO SOUP
Soup* 70 QUICK CUP OF POTATO SOUP

[libertarian27]

This week’s thread

Weekly Cooking Thread (Merry Christmas)Dec 25
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/chat/2647463/posts?page=2

[fanfan]

Very nice, hoagy62.

Thanks for posting the receipe.

I don’t really cook, but was inspired, in spite of reading this”(This’ll take a while, but have patience…it’s worth it.)”. A while? You’re not kidding! How do you put this together in an hour?

I only had whole wheat flour to make the rue. I’m pretty sure the rue wasn’t supposed to look like that. lol.

I also couldn’t resist frying the sliced onions with 2 cloves of chopped garlic in the bacon grease before I added them to the broth. I also used ‘old’ cheese.

All in all, a wonderful soup that tastes like a fully loaded baked potato!

Even when I mess it up. ;-)

Happy New Year!

[hoagy62]

You didn’t screw anything up. You can pretty much use whatever flour you want to. And the idea to saute’ the onions and garlic in the bacon grease was a brilliant idea! I may have to try that as well!

Glad you liked it! You’re very welcome.

[sweetiepiezer]

Please add me to your list.
Thanks.

[libertarian27]

You’re added!

[libertarian27]

(REVISED)Chicken Tetrazizini
This makes two-2QT casserole batches (Bake one and Freeze the other)

Ingredients:

6T Butter, 1LB Muchrooms, 1/2C Flour, 3 Cups Milk, 1Can(2cups)Chicken Broth, 3/4C Dry White Wine(or Dry Vermouth), 3C Parmesan(or mix up cheese but concentrate on Parmesan), 1/2t Thyme (or Tarragon), 1LB linguine noodles(broken in half), Chicken chunks from 1 Bird, Vegetables(peas/beans/broccoli, etc), Salt&Pepper.

Method:

In 2T butter, saute mushrooms~set mushrooms aside
In same pan melt 4T butter, add flour(stir to combine-cook a bit), add milk-broth & wine a bit gradually. Bring to boil then simmer.

Add 2 cups Parmesan(or cheddar & parm, etc.)and 1/2t Thyme(I’m partial to Tarragon so I substitute that) to the sauce. Salt&Pepper.

Add al dente Pasta, chicken pieces, mushrooms and any vegetables you want for the dish.(1+cup or so)

Makes 2-2 Quart casseroles

Sprinkle with 1/2C Parmesan on each.

Bake one 30 minutes/ let stand 10 minutes.
(2nd casserole- wrap unbaked and freeze. Thaw and bake as above)

Great for potluck - bake one for the party and have the other later in the week for dinner.

[Netizen]

What temperature for the oven?

350?

[libertarian27]

400’ for 30 minutes

Did I mess that recipe up or what! aargh

Thank you so much for catching all the mistakes
I hope no one made it with the wrong amount of milk - they’ll think I learned how to cook from bricklayers....yickes

[Netizen]

I wanted to try this as a lasagna. Do you think it will set up or should I just do it as a casserole? I plan to use a 9x13 pan.

[libertarian27]

Give it a go - I would think you’d want to get the sauce at a decent thick consistency- something on the lines of the look of a pasta sauce.

Play with it - maybe add cream for some of the milk - or cook down to thicken more - add more Parmesan, etc. If it’s too loose I don’t know how well it would set-up.....

I bet it would make a nice lasagna.

I’m getting to like white lasagnas more than the reds nowadays....I’m not a big tomato person anyway.

[prisoner6]

Just came across this...Hey I'm always late to the party.

BEST FR POST EVAR!