Weekly Cooking (and related issues) Thread

[Jamestown1630]

In last week's thread, V K Lee was thinking about Super Bowl food; and I think that's a good idea for our thread this week.

I don't have a 'dog in the hunt' this year - in fact, I don't even follow football much, unless the Redskins or the Maryland Terrapins are getting hot. But I've decided on South Carolina for my annual bet with my husband - I have some ancestral connections there, and one of my favorite, football-obsessed co-workers wants to see a Panther win.

So, I'm re-posting my favorite 'finger food', this week, along with some other ideas for your Super Bowl gathering. First, an appetizer that has been a hit in my circle for decades (and you can make it ahead, freeze it, and just bake it on the day):

Olive Cheese Puffs

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2 Cups grated, sharp Cheddar Cheese (the better the quality of the cheese, the better this comes out; but it's fine with any supermarket-brand Cheddar)

¼ lb. Butter (one stick from a pound)

1 cup of Flour, salted to taste (I usually don't use salt; the olives and cheese are enough)

Pinch of Cayenne

Jar of Pimento-Stuffed Olives

1.Blend together in a food processor the grated cheese, butter, and flour.

2.Process until dough comes together in a ball.

3.Chill, covered, for about 20 minutes before forming puffs. (You don't want it to get too hard. When I've tried making the dough the day before and doing the balls the next day, it's been very sub-par. You want to make the balls the same day that you make the dough, and chill just a bit, to get it firm enough to handle well.)

4.Pinch off a ball of dough, about an inch in diameter, and pat it into a thin disc in your palm; then place an olive in the middle. Pinch up the dough to cover the olive, and roll between your palms until smooth. (Or, dough can be rolled out to ¼ inch thickness, cut into 2 inch squares, and each square wrapped around an olive - but that's too much trouble for me, and usually results in too much dough.)

5.Place puffs on a cookie sheet and bake 15 minutes. ( I usually use parchment paper on the sheet.) Then remove to a wire rack to cool.

(To freeze unbaked, freeze on cookie sheet and remove to freezer containers when hard. When ready to bake, allow 3-5 minutes extra baking time.)

*****************************************************

The next recipe is from the Aldi website; I don't think I've seen anything like it before:

Black Bean Bacon Dunkers

https://www.aldi.us/en/recipes/holiday-recipes/big-game-recipes/small-bites/black-bean-bacon-dunkers/

*****************************************************

Lastly, Super Bowl and other party-food is often so heavy on 'doughy-meaty-cheesy-salty'; and one looks for something Fresh. I suggest having a fruit platter, raw veggie crudites and dip, or something like this:

http://kitchen-parade-veggieventure.blogspot.com/2012/12/party-rye-with-tomato-cucumber-recipe.html

-JT

[Jamestown1630]

Still digging out from the storm, and not very inventive this week; but please post your favorite Super Bowl Party foods!

(If you would like to be on or off of this weekly cooking ping-list, please send a private message.)

-JT

[Fhios]

Is Trump related?

[DuncanWaring]

In honor of the late Johnny, how about favorite Peach Cobbler recipes?

[BlackVeil]

Those cheese puffs look very good.

[rhubarbk]

South Carolina doesn’t have a team per se, they share a team with NC . . . the Carolina Panthers and they play in Charlotte, NC. But you knew that . . .

[BlackVeil]

Quick and Healthy Brown Rice Salad

1 cup of wholemeal rice
1 packet smoked salmon
2 eggs
1 apple
1 lemon
1 jar green pesto
1 onion
Some sundried tomatoes, or else roast red peppers

Wash the rice and put on to cook for 50mins.

Chop the onion finely, then put on a plate and sprinkle with salt.

Juice the lemon, and put in a bowl.

Chop the apple into small pieces, add to the bowl of lemon juice.

Boil the eggs, then shell them.

Rinse the chopped onion.

Chop the smoked salmon, hard boiled eggs, and some sundried tomatoes or smoked red peppers. Combine.

Drain the cooked rice and mix through the green pesto. Combine well. Add all the other ingredients, mix well.

Place the rice salad in a large decorative bowl, and put in the fridge, until ready to serve.

[Jamestown1630]

Actually, I didn’t know. I’m pretty ignorant about football, though I enjoy watching it now and then. I’m always distracting my husband, asking questions about the rules.

-JT

[prisoner6]

In such a hurry tonight I can’t post what I want.

So here is a recipe I made last week that worked well.

Oven Fried Chicken Thighs With Panko and Parmesan
• 8 chicken thighs
• 5 tablespoons melted butter
• 3 tablespoons grainy mustard or a spicy mustard
• 2 teaspoons maple syrup or honey
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 1/4 cups panko bread crumbs
• 1/3 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 2 teaspoons dried parsley flakes
Preparation
Heat oven to 400°. Line a large baking pan with foil and lightly grease or spray with nonstick cooking spray.
Wash chicken thighs and trim excess fat and skin. Remove skin, if desired. Pat dry and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Combine the melted butter with mustard, honey or syrup, and garlic powder in a shallow bowl. In another shallow bowl, combine the panko crumbs with shredded Parmesan, paprika, 3/4 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and parsley.
Brush or rub the chicken thighs with the butter and mustard mixture then press all sides in the panko mixture to coat thoroughly. Place on prepared baking sheet. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes, or until juices run clear when chicken is pierced with a fork.

Hope a new cooking thread takes off!

..

[Jamestown1630]

We’ve never really discussed politics on this Cooking Thread. There are plenty of threads for that, on FR.

-JT

[Jamestown1630]

I’d like to have a good recipe for Peach Cobbler - or any cobbler. We were gifted with a huge fruit basket recently, and I tried making apple cobbler; the recipe I used was horrible and I pitched most of it.

-JT

[Fai Mao]

For the really big party!

Elephant Stew
2000 lbs potatoes
1500 lbs onions
2100 lbs carrots
1500 lbs celery
150000 10 ounce cans of stewed tomatoes
250 lbs of unbleached plain flour
50 gallons of olive oil
1 medium sized elephant
4 fresh medium sized short eared European rabbits

Bone and skin the elephant and cut the meat into bit sized pieces as if you you were making pork adobo and roll them flour

Brown the meat in olive oil

While the meat is browning in a very large pot chop all the vegetables into pieces that are about 3/4 as large as the meat chucks

Add potatoes and carrots first then after 5 minutes add the onions, celery.

Once all the vegetables begin to sweat add the tomatoes.

Simmer until everything is done

Use remaining flour to thicken the gravy

Serves 800 to 1000

If slightly more guest are expected add the short eared rabbits but this is not recommended as most people don’t like hare in their stew.

[Califreak]

Let’s make cooking great again!

(Ducking and running away)

[Jamestown1630]

Coward. You could at least post a recipe...

-JT

[Fai Mao]

I forgot 600 lbs of garlic and salt and pepper to taste!

[Jamestown1630]

The last time this recipe was posted, I was curious as to where one found a MEDIUM-sized elephant.

I’ve never understood what ‘medium’ really means, in recipes. What’s a ‘medium-sized onion’?

-JT

[prisoner6]

This is what I really wanted to post. Finishing the last of it right now. Mrs p6 is babysitting at daughter’s house and won’t be home for a couple of hours. She eats there so I’m making a few fried onion rings for
when she get’s home.

In any case this is what I made the other day.

http://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes/smothered-chicken-casserole/a68b963a-5f75-4ad4-be09-8e0004ee0d9e

Betty Crocker Smothered Chicken Casserole

1
tablespoon oil
4
boneless skinless chicken thighs
1/2
teaspoon garlic salt
1/4
teaspoon pepper
6
oz uncooked angel hair pasta
1
can (10 3/4 oz) condensed cream of chicken soup
1 1/4
cups half-and-half
1/2
teaspoon smoked paprika
2
cups Green Giantâ„¢ Steamersâ„¢ frozen broccoli florets, cut into smaller pieces
3
slices precooked bacon, crumbled
Directions

1 Heat oven to 350°F. Spray 2 1/2-quart casserole with cooking spray. In 10-inch skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add chicken thighs; sprinkle with garlic salt and pepper. Cook chicken 8 to 10 minutes, turning once, until golden brown and juice of chicken is clear when thickest part is cut (at least 165°F).
2 Cook pasta as directed on package; drain. In large bowl, mix soup, half-and-half and paprika; reserve 3/4 cup sauce. Stir in cooked pasta and frozen broccoli.
3 Place pasta mixture in casserole; top with chicken thighs. Spoon reserved sauce over chicken thighs. Top with bacon. Cover and bake 20 minutes; uncover and bake 10 to 15 minutes or until sauce bubbles.
Expert Tips

[Fai Mao]

:}

How about a real recipe then?

We ave three papaya trees that are just loaded with fruit.

Pickeled Papaya

[Califreak]

Lol!

Okay. I made these fajitas last week and hubs couldn’t get enough of them. They were really good.

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/tyler-florence/fajitas-recipe2.html

[pugmama]

These are great!

Scott Conant’s Grilled Chicken Wings with Yogurt Dipping Sauce
01/25/2016 at 03:06 PM ET

¼ cup dark brown sugar
¼ cup red wine vinegar
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 1-in. piece ginger, peeled and finely chopped
2 tbsp. thinly sliced scallions
½ tbsp. crushed red pepper
1 tbsp. kosher salt, divided
2 tbsp. lime juice, divided
2½ tsp. fish sauce
2½ tsp. chili paste or chopped pickled hot cherry peppers
10 bone-in chicken wings
2 tbsp. canola oil
½ tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp. coarse sea salt
1 tbsp. thinly sliced chives
1. In a sauté pan over medium heat, add brown sugar and red wine vinegar and stir until sugar dissolves.

2. Add garlic, ginger, scallions, red pepper, 2 tsp. salt, 1½ tbsp. lime juice, fish sauce and chili paste, and simmer on medium low for 8 minutes. Remove from heat and reserve marinade.

3. Preheat oven to 375º. On a sheet pan lined with foil, toss wings with oil and season with 1 tsp. kosher salt and black pepper. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, or until wings are cooked through. Transfer wings to a large bowl, pour marinade over and toss to coat. Let cool 30 minutes, toss again and refrigerate for at least 6 hours or overnight.

4. Preheat grill to medium-high (about 400º). Grill wings about 5 minutes on each side until hot and charred, brushing with any marinade remaining in the bowl. Transfer to plate and finish with remaining fresh lime juice, sea salt and chives.

Makes: 10
Active Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour, plus chilling

Creamy dipping sauce: In a bowl, combine 1¼ cups Greek yogurt, ¼ cup grated English cucumber, 1 minced garlic clove, 1½ tbsp. lemon juice, 1 tbsp. chopped parsley, 1 tbsp. olive oil and salt to taste