I love to be in the kitchen, creating. Doesn't matter whether I'm cooking or baking, or using some other random kitchen appliance. I love to cook!
This is convenient, because I also love to eat!
I think our favorite so far has been day old sliced Italian bread, buttered with a slice of Muenster and a slice of American. With tomato soup, of course. And for me, the ultimate in comfort food is to spread my still hot grilled cheese with a thin layer of homemade apple butter. Tomato Jam works well too.
During the summer, I stock up on homemade jams, tomato sauce, and pickles. I also keep my own seasoning mixes around for tacos, and a container of Emeril's Baby Bam that I have to make more of every 3 months or so. But I don't usually keep things like homemade salad dressing, tartar sauce, or ketchup around. I might make them every now and again, but to tell the truth, they usually go bad before I use them up.
I don't know whether your childhood pizza memory place still exists, but I wonder about mine every now and then, too. Frank's on NJ route 206 in Flanders. It was the first pizza I ever remember having that didn't come from the Hut. Huge pieces that you had to fold to eat, cheesy and greasy and completely wonderful! I hope its still there!
Rotini or Gemilli here.
I made this last night. I REALLY wanted to like it. But I REALLY didn't. Don't think its the recipe(so I'm not rating it), I think I just really never realized how much the egg/tomato sauce combination doesn't do it for me. The hubs didn't like it either. :(
The vacuum sealer Mom gave to me three years ago. Dad gave it to her, and she never used it, but thought I would. Actually, at the time, I thought I would use it, too. But I never have. Not once. So it sits in the top shelf of my appliance-and-less-frequently-used-kitchen-stuff-closet, gathering a layer of dust so thick that I doubt I would use it even if I made the opportunity. Perhaps it will go in the next bag for Goodwill...
I had the chance to try them today. I enjoyed them- sort of a cross between salt & vinegar and barbeque flavors with a little bit of heat that creeps up on you. Warm, but not hot, in my opinion.
The garlic parmesan ones tasted a lot like the cheddar onion ones. And I thought the syrup-y element of the chicken & waffle flavor was a little off putting on chips.
Good luck finding the sriracha flavored ones.
@smsingram- 7 minute frosting is a fluffy white frosting that is made with egg whites, sugar, vanilla, and other assorted ingredients depending on the recipe (corn syrup or cream of tartar, various amounts of salt, etc...) You cook it all together in a double boiler and beat it on high for 7 minutes. Its pretty easy and fool proof. And delicious.
When I was a small child, birthday cake was white sheet cake with frosting and whatever decoration I happened to request. One year, that was the Muppets, the next, it was the General Lee from the Dukes of Hazard. Around the time I turned 10 though, I started requesting more sophisticated cakes. The one I finally settled on, and still have, if I can bribe anyone to make it for me (or get up the oomph to make it myself) is a Mt Vernon Cake. This is a three layer white cake with tart dark cherry filling and 7 minute frosting. So good with a cup of milky tea.
My sister, whose bday is a week after mine, prefers a Buche de Noel for her cake (even though her day is 2 months AFTER Christmas!) Mom's is Italian Cream Cake or Carrot Cake, and Dad's is a simple yellow cake with fudgey chocolate frosting. The Hubs gets lemon cake with raspberry filling and white chocolate frosting.
Haven't lived there in several years, but if I recall correctly, Mark's Feed Store is pretty delicious. There's one in the Highlands, and one across the river in Jeffersonville. Something appears to be wrong with their website right now, but you can also find them on facebook.
We are doing bacon and eggs with Monkey Bread and cut up fruit in the (late) morning this year. Substantial enough (with light snacks later) to hold until a 5 o'clock dinner, but not so heavy as to make us NOT hungry for the main affair.
I've tried cooking oats before cooking with them, but I really dislike the texture of the finished product. I think (but have not tried it) that simply soaking the oats for a little while first would do the job without negatively affecting the texture of the cookie.
This is the question I'm debating for T-day this year. Do I dry brine and spatchcock the turkey a la Kenji, which I believe will work, but have no proven track record with, or do I do the recipe I've done before and risk dry turkey syndrome, which sometimes occurs, and sometimes does not. Throw into the mix that this is the first year we're hosting Thanksgiving and I'll be cooking the whole shebang for my husband and my in-laws. I'm rather conflicted.
Meatballs. I almost always have meatballs and spaghetti sauce in the freezer because it makes a quick meal!Lasagna. Brunswick stew. Most soups, unless they contain dairy, which doesn't reheat as well. I also like to freeze individual slices of quick bread (banana, zucchini, or pumpkin); it defrosts in the toaster pretty well. Of course, this also works with muffins.
Memphis here. The trendiest we get is sushi, which is 'so five years ago.'
How about locally grown produce and locally made sausage?
I just made this today, and it is by far my favorite batch of preserves I've made this year! Going back to the farmer's market for more tomatoes!
@Golden Palate- we always used that same recipe, except using fruit canned in juice (or fresh if available) instead of pie filling, and 2 tsp baking powder. Its my go-to cobbler recipe to this day.
Nacho Cheese or Cool Ranch Doritos. Thin Mints or Tagalongs... if someone doesn't put them into the freezer IMMEDIATELY and then distract me, they're gone.
Ahhh, college food and kitchen memories... Discovering that the ultimate midnite snack is frito scoops and plain sour cream... Discovering just how bad a potato (or onion) can smell when it gets pushed to the back of the pantry for a while... Discovering just how 'steamed' I can get when my roommate drops my brand new, rather expensive, Sony cordless telephone into her rice steamer(and then tries to replace it with a $20 Bellsouth piece of junk)...
The last roommate situation I was in, we decided to share food and cooking responsibilities four nights of the week (there were 4 of us), and be on our own for the other three. It worked out well. And I'm glad I'm not in college and living with roommates anymore!
Oh, that tuna pie thing- you should bake that. You know, because raw egg and all. Don't know where the recipe is, but I would think 350 for 30 minutes would do the trick. College was a long time ago.
One way you can change up your tuna salad is by adding different mix-ins. We use chopped up hard boiled egg, green onion, and diced pickles (not relish), and sometimes mustard. I have been known to add finely chopped celery and/or sunflower seeds (kernels only). My MIL uses raisins in hers, which I think is a little weird, but to each his own.
When I was in college, I used to make this tuna pie thing. It was crushed grape nuts, tuna, and one beaten egg mixed together and pressed into a pie plate. The filling was canned mixed vegetables (preferably Del Monte, because there is more green and fewer potatoes), all covered with grated cheddar cheese. Sounds kind of gross now, but as I recall, my roommates and I would eat it up pretty quick.
Finally, my husband's grandmother's tuna casserole recipe. Her bridge club always served this with salad and rolls.
1 can cream of soup (celery or mushroom)
1 can (6.5 oz) tuna
1 can evaporated milk
3 hard boiled eggs, chopped
1 cup green peas
1 1/4 cup crushed potato chips
Mix together everything but 1/4 cup of potato chips. Pour mixture into a 9x9 pyrex (or similar size). Sprinkle remaining chips on top. Bake @ 350 for 35 min. Serves 5.
I don't make this much, but when I do, I use 2 cans of tuna, cooked egg noodles stirred into the tuna mixture, a little cayenne to season, and use a 9x13 pan. Also, I prefer crushed crackers on top because they reheat better.
I always add my salt when I put the pan on the burner, for the same reason your mom gave you- salt water boils faster than plain. But I never really thought about if there is an effect to the pots and pans.
Made these tonight for a picnic tomorrow. Taste tests very successful!
Somewhere around 70, I'd say, and the bookshelf I keep most of them on isn't even near the kitchen. I use my recipe cards more than my cookbooks, but I keep my most used and basic cookbooks (Joy of Cooking, BH&G New Cookbook and one or two others) on a pantry shelf.
Like many of you, I use the internet for recipes (often from here!) more frequently than any of my books. My laptop is small, and takes up less counter space than one of my cookbooks.
Recently, a coworker mentioned to me that she was involved in a dinner club. They've been meeting once a month for the past 5 years or so, rotating homes each month.
This was such a novel idea to me. I don't know why it never occurred to me before!
Are any of you involved in dinner clubs? What are your ideas for starting/organizing one? How well do they work, and how do you keep them fresh?
Always have a half bag of cornmeal lying around but tired of making cornbread (or just need some awesome new variations?) We've got the answer to using up that stash, from biscotti to pancakes to pudding. More
In my family, we have a Christmas morning tradition of feasting on French toast casserole, bacon, and generous pours of maple syrup. Sometimes there are a few grapefruits tucked into plates, but it is mostly a sweet, decadent affair. After making LocalSavour's Warm Custard Spoon Bread from the new Food52 Cookbook, I may make a case for changing up the main course. This spoon bread won the "Best Holiday Breakfast" contest, and with very good reason--this bread is magic. Somehow, the process of whisking together a loose cornbread batter, pouring it into a hot pan, and topping it off with a generous pour of heavy cream yields a three layer masterpiece made of custard, cake, and cornbread. Surely there must be some baking science behind it, but I'm content to leave that to the experts. Magic spoon bread is just fine by me. More
Rich chocolate custard and crushed raspberries moisten soft bread in this cool no-bake bread pudding. More
Bake the mangos under the coconut batter, then flip it out to reveal one beauty of a moist and juicy cake. More
Real-deal tacos al pastor are made by cooking stacked, marinated pork shoulder slices in front of a vertical rotisserie. Here's how to get the same slow-cooked, crisply charred effect at home, no rotisserie required. More
A workhorse pudding that's packed with dark chocolate flavor but doesn't require much fuss in the kitchen. More
A three to one ratio of rhubarb to cherries yields the perfect balance of tart and sweet. Half a vanilla bean and a generous splash of orange liqueur make for one fancy jam. It would be delicious over waffles with a dollop of crème fresh, or sandwiched in a biscuit with a wedge of brie. More
This simple recipe includes macerating the strawberries and rhubarb and draining off some of the liquid first, which reduces the amount of starch you'll need as a thickener, delivering flavor that is pure and true. More
These tender, vanilla-scented muffins are full of strawberry and rhubarb, making them perfect for spring. More
Skillet pasta with shrimp and basil pesto. More
Who doesn't love roast chicken? Crackly, crisp, salty skin. Moist tender meat. Deep aromas filling the house. Little bits of fat and meat to tear off with your fingers and teeth as you linger over the the last sips of your whiskey (whiskey goes with chicken, right?). It's about as classy and classic as food can get, and my go-to meal for company. But to be perfectly frank, most of the time, I don't like roast chicken, because most of the time, well, chickens just aren't roasted very well. More
The tart flavors of this jam make it a perfect compliment to sweet breads, cakes, and other desserts. Try it spooned over vanilla ice cream or swirled into rice pudding. More
Tart, sweet, and very rich, this simple mango sorbet has a creamy texture verging on ice cream. More
For many years, I assumed that Irish soda bread always meant a slightly sweet, caraway and currant laced bread easily mistaken for a giant muffin. Frankly, I never liked this version of the quick bread, much preferring to eat "real bread" with my soup. It's a good thing I was mistaken about the scope of soda breads. Most of these loaves, like those featured in Rachel's Irish Family Food, are a much simpler (and more appealing) combination of flour, baking soda, and buttermilk. Rachel Allen's brown soda bread adds a bit more oomph with a hefty dose of whole wheat flour, a couple tablespoons of mixed seeds, and just a touch of butter. The resulting bread is an exemplary accompaniment to any number of soups, pickles, marmalades, or a generous swipe of butter. More
Ultra-crisp fried cauliflower Korean-style, served with a sweet and hot chili sauce or a sweet soy glaze. More
Buttery shortbread is topped with salted cashews and gooey caramel. Warning: Bet you can't have just one. More
The Kale Caesar Salad is a natural extension of the marinated kale salad, in which kale leaves are roughly chopped, massaged with dressing and salt, then allowed to sit. The beautiful thing about these salads is that kale is robust enough that it stays crisp and crunchy even after sitting dressed in the fridge for days. You can make it once and eat it over the course of a few days with no loss in quality. Caesar dressing, which naturally pairs with slightly bitter, very crunchy lettuces, seems like a perfect partner in crime. And it is. More
It's because of my addiction to MacGyver as a kid (along with a healthy addiction to Mr. Wizard and Jacques Pépin) that I constantly press myself to try and come up with unique solutions to common kitchen problems. They're not always successful, but when they are, you get so much more satisfaction out of developing a novel recipe or technique than you do out of merely tweaking what's standard. Here are a few of my favorite kitchen hacks. Some are my own, others are not, all of them are pretty awesome, if you ask me. More
This classic cake can easily be served for brunch, alongside a nice plate of scones and a big pot of coffee. Our version of Pineapple Upside Down Cake uses fresh fruit instead of canned, and a Pyrex dish instead of a cast iron skillet (although a cast iron skillet will work brilliantly if you happen to have one in your cupboard). Make sure to remove the cake from the pan while it's still a bit warm, and make sure your platter is larger then you think you need. I find it much easier to un-mold a slightly hot cake onto a slightly larger platter. More
I've got a confession to make: I love pan pizza. I'm not talking deep-dish Chicago-style with its crisp crust and rivers of cheese and sauce, I'm talking thick-crusted, fried-on-the-bottom, puffy, cheesy, focaccia-esque pan pizza, dripping with strings of mozzarella and robust sauce. If only pizza that good were also easy to make at home. Well here's the good news: It is. This is the easiest pizza you will ever make. Seriously. All it takes is a few basic kitchen essentials, some simple ingredients, and a bit of patience. More
Light, airy, and fresh, this mousse made with Greek yogurt is perfect for warmer weather. Depending on your serving size, each portion falls between 100 and 135 calories, with virtually no fat, as well. Top it with a few berries, and it's a healthy dessert in every sense. Ultimately, I don't want (or need) to be cured of my lifelong M&M addiction. But it's desserts like these that make me feel a little better about it. More
DIY cranberry-raspberry newtons with a sweet-tart filling and that signature cookie-cake texture. More
This year, instead of buying tschotskes that my friends and family will have to dust until they end up in a yard sale or on eBay, I'm trying to make as made homemade gifts as I can. One of the first recipes that came to mind for holiday gift giving was my beloved Chocolate 'Crack'—it's easy, it's inexpensive, and it's absolutely impossible to pass up. But it's even better with a winter-appropriate peppermint spin. More
Eggs and tomato sauce seem to pop up everywhere these days--it seems most chefs have their own version of eggs in purgatory or else shakshuka somewhere in their repertoire. But the Golden Egg Curry in Naomi Duguid's Burma, is decidedly different. The eggs are hard-boiled, peeled, and then fried in turmeric-laced peanut oil. The tomato sauce is sparse but redolent of sauteed shallots, garlic, and chiles, leaving the eggs to take center stage. There may not be a runny yolk to mop up, but the golden crisped exterior of the eggs more than makes up for it. More
A thick, hearty orzo risotto, more foolproof than the rice variety, full of sweet Italian sausage, peas, and Parmesan. More
The blend I like best has hard boiled eggs, finely chopped onion and red bell pepper, bacon, mayo and sour cream (or plain yogurt), a little bit of mustard (like a Tbsp), a packet of Italian dressing mix, and potatoes of course. Sometimes I like some chopped dill pickle in it, but not usually.