Weekly Cooking (and related issues)Thread

[Jamestown1630]

This week we're starting with: Implements, Strange and Wonderful!

I'm a sucker for 'gadgets' related to cooking and serving food - I have wonderful tools that I've never even used yet, and acquired quite a few 'Like on TV' failures that went immediately to the trash or to Goodwill. I now have every possible sort of sandwich toaster, for instance - including a couple of the old 'Toast Tite' ones; and yes, I bought that Hamilton Beach breakfast sandwich machine, and the ubiquitous red Quesadilla maker - both of which actually work very well, and get a lot of use!

I thought that for fun this week, I'd run through some of the things I've acquired, and ask you about your favorite tools.

1. A couple of years ago, my husband gave me one of the Jalapeno grilling racks, for Christmas. It's a tray with holes in it of different sizes that props-up your stuffed jalapenos for grilling or just baking in the oven.

Here's the Grillpro version, and their recipe:

http://www.grillpro.com/m/recipes.php?type=4&recipe=1

There are many recipes out there for different stuffings; the first time I used the rack, I used Cheddar cheese, but to save time I just carved a 'plug' to fit the jalapeno. That didn't work - the cheese melted down too much. So if you're using anything like Cheddar or Jack cheese, you need to grate it and really pack the stuffing in.

(My Grillpro came with a corer; but make sure you get all the seeds and ribs out, if you're serving jalapenos to 'heat-wimps'. These peppers are very inconsistent when it comes to the Scoville scale; I've bought some that were almost as mild as bell peppers; and others that nearly incapacitated me ;-)

If you don't have a rack, and/or just want to do these in the oven, the following recipe turns out very well; I've tried these on a foil-covered sheet, and on a wire rack; they actually came out best on the foil, but you have to grease it well:

http://www.food.com/recipe/bacon-wrapped-stuffed-jalapeno-peppers-152465

2. I was in the local ethnic store recently, and saw a gadget that looked like an elaborately-carved pestle of some sort. I had no idea what it was supposed to do, but was delighted to learn that it is used like a kind of 'whisk' to froth beverages, especially Mexican hot chocolate. Here's Lisa Fain, the 'Homesick Texan' on the 'molinillo':

http://www.homesicktexan.com/2006/12/mexican-hot-chocolate-and-molinillo.html

I will probably never use this for its intended purpose - more than once, anyway; I whip up my 'Abuelita' hot chocolate with a wire whisk. But at less than $5 for a whimsical purchase, it sure looks pretty in the kitchen :-)

3. Occasionally on a weekend, we do a lot of casseroles or soups to freeze and make weeknight meals easier. I prefer to steam vegetables that are going into a casserole, and my problem has always been that I didn't have a steamer set-up that was quite large enough to steam the big bags of vegetables that we buy for these mega-casserole projects. I recently found this, and it's wonderful:

http://importfood.com/stacked_steamer.html

The holes in the racks are kind of large, so it wouldn't work for things like peas and corn; but for broccoli, cauliflower, carrots - larger things - it works very well, gives you two tiers to work with, and you can do a lot else with it.

4. My passion for cooking implements sometimes becomes entangled with my fetish for 'containers' of any type. Show me a bento box, a clever jewelry box, or one of those wonderfully crafted wooden tool chests, and I'm in Heaven. (I've sometimes bought things I have no use for, just because I liked the container they came in. Go figure.)

In that vein, I've been a fool for 'tiffins'. I've got the pretty Thai type:

http://www.amazon.com/Aluminum-Tier-Tiffin-Carrier-Lunch/dp/B0084Z18KO

And I have a couple of these vintage American ones:

https://img0.etsystatic.com/052/1/6761086/il_570xN.664860286_snnh.jpg

These are great for carrying cold or room temperature things to a big party or picnic. (And if you don't do parties or picnics, they're great for storing craft supplies - as one of mine is doing.)

5. Last but certainly not least is something I had wanted for ages, but only bought when I saw it at the thrift store for a great price and looking pristine: the old Farberware Open Hearth Rotisserie:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4cd_jTivLRM

I've never used this, because I need some parts - not least of which is a modern grounded plug!

I bought it because I thought it would be a great conversation piece for a holiday party - and everyone who remembered it said that it roasted meat wonderfully. Someday, I'll get it going!

-JT

[MV=PY]

I just got a super peel for pizza, and it works. Very cool.

[Kirkwood]

I got mine about 8 years ago. I’m not up on what is available now. But I have several different Zojirushi appliances and they all work great and have stood the test of time.

[JRandomFreeper]

Tuna, marinated in soy sauce, then topped with a sprinkle of sesame seeds, and slices of the ginger. Close the lid. Wait 5 minutes. YUM!

That sounds like what my girl does. Mmmm. She needs to get up here and cook for me soon.

/johnny

[hoagy62]

I have a Vita-Mix blender. Powerful and indispensable. Besides smoothies (helps in my wife’s diet), I’ve done gravies, sauces, soups, and desserts in it. So glad I got it!

I also highly recommend anything from Pampered Chef. I use their small stoneware baking pan to do my bacon in the microwave. I also use it for meatloaf in the regular oven.

[Jamestown1630]

Yes! I’ve got one, and have always used the Normandie Farm recipe:

Normandie Farm’s Popovers

Makes ~20 popovers

8 whole eggs

2 cups of milk

1 teaspoon of salt

1 teaspoon of sugar

2 cups of all-purpose flour

Mix eggs, milk, salt and sugar. Add flour and mix for one minute. Do not over-mix!

Pre-heat popover pan with 1 teaspoon cooking oil in each cup for 10 minutes.

When hot, fill each cup 3/4 full. Bake for 15 minutes at 400oF. Reduce heat to 350{ for an additional 30 minutes. Be sure popovers are cooked inside to prevent collapsing.

http://www.popovers.com/content/view/12/26/

-JT

[Jamestown1630]

That reminds me of something I left out: the Fat Daddio, for cake bakers (comes in two sizes and shapes):

http://www.amazon.com/Fat-Daddios-Lifter-Cookie-Spatula/dp/B0021ZSTG4/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1431649217&sr=8-3&keywords=fat+daddio

JT

[Jamestown1630]

I think that’s one of my husband’s favorite tools - he’s the meat cook :-)

And you remind me that he needs a new one. Anniversary coming up!

-JT

[Jamestown1630]

Um.....

:-)

[Harmless Teddy Bear]

I didn't have a desert when unexpected guests stopped by so I made popovers and topped them with a homemade rum caramel sauce.

In sauce pan melt half a stick of butter, stir in one cup brown sugar, a tablespoon of rum and an teaspoon of salt. Cook for about five minutes whisking often. Add a quarter cup of heavy cream and continue to whisk. When the sauce begins to bubble and climb the sides of the pan turn the heat down until it is just bubbling. Cook another five minutes whisking often.

Let cool a bit before spooning over popovers.

[CARDINALRULES]

I just had TAH-BSO on the 8th and out of the hospital on the 12th. I also had my gall bladder and some lymph nodes removed. One gall stone was larger than a soft ball. Prelim result is endometrial cancer grade 1, but will be getting the pathology results in about 2 weeks to see if I need any more treatments.
-

I am looking for some quick, some what healthy recipes that won’t stress my digestive system any more than it already is. In addition to the staples and pain in my abdomen, my back has decided to start acting up again. My right thigh -nerve damage- started breaking through the pain meds this afternoon. And I have had edema in both legs for the past few months and having surgery hasn’t helped with that. Just taking a shower today wiped me out.

So recipes that don’t need a lot of prep or standing watch would be very helpful. Usually I can come up with my own ideas but my brain is occupied on other stuff and nothing really sounds good right now.

[kalee]

I have a Zojurushi but wish my Magic Chef was still in working order. I miss that appliance, it was a work horse.

[OftheOhio]

Many of my cooking tools have found their way into my Gold Panning kit, lol.
I found some Italian Style bread crumbs (Clover Valley) in a round canister at the dollar store. I’ve been using this on fresh fish. It is a light breading and has a good taste. I catch White Bass at the lake in the late fall, yummy.

[Jamestown1630]

Cool; sort of an Eskimo ‘mezzaluna’.

(It’s cute that they call it the ‘woman’s knife’.)

-JT

[Jamestown1630]

I have that! I found it at the thrift store, and thought it would be great for little tea-things; but I’ve never used it yet :-(

[Roos_Girl]

Ditch the nasty fish, eat more chicken. ;) Never been a seafood fan, reminds me too much of bait.

[KosmicKitty]

Sausage makes a great jalapeno stuffing. Especially if you then wrap them with bacon :-)

Ummmmmm.. Bacon.

[Trillian]

I’m not a big fish fan.. but my dad grills it with olive oil, salt and red wine vinegar. I am amazed at how good it is.

[Trillian]

That is amazing! Here I am just using my plain wooden one when making pizza on a stone.

[NorthstarMom]

Read “Nourishing Traditions” by Sally Fallon. Everything we are told by “experts” is wrong. It changed my life and she isn’t selling a product or system. It’s a cookbook that is much more than a cookbook.

[JRandomFreeper]

Well, since I had to make new ice-cream, and tried to make brownies at the same time.. I had to test everything to make sure it was right.

I'll need to remake the brownies. Not surprising, since I tried making both at once. That doesn't work.

But the test of ice-cream and test brownies was a success. ;)

Bad job, but someone has to do it.

Homemade ice-cream and brownies. mmmm.

/johnny