FR Weekly Cooking Thread *Recipes* Oct 22, 2011

FreeRepublic Cooks | Oct 22, 2011 | libertarian27

[libertarian27]

Welcome to the 46th 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 six- for fellow FReepers to add to their 'go-to' Recipe Stack of Family Favorites!

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

[libertarian27]

We are all dietetic sinners; only a small percent of what we eat nourishes us; the balance goes to waste and loss of energy. ~William Osler~

(****This Guy above was an original NannyStater****Let's Eat!****)

*

October 22 - National Nut Day

October 23 - National Boston Cream Pie Day

October 24 - National Bologna Day

October 25 - National Greasy Foods Day

October 26 - National Mincemeat Pie Day

October 27 - National Potato Day

October 28 - National Chocolate Day

[libertarian27]

***Weekly Cooking Thread Ping List***
(to be added/deleted - please post here or PM me)

Recap of last week’s thread:(Oct 15th)

Appetizers/Sandwiches __ Week 10/15/11 __ Post # 04 Redneck Sushi
Appetizers/Sandwiches __ Week 10/15/11 __ Post # 10 Olive Cheese Balls
Appetizers/Sandwiches __ Week 10/15/11 __ Post # 16 Various Cream Cheese Balls
Appetizers/Sandwiches __ Week 10/15/11 __ Post # 29 Ham Roll Up:
Appetizers/Sandwiches __ Week 10/15/11 __ Post # 31 Olive Spiders (Halloween)
Appetizers/Sandwiches __ Week 10/15/11 __ Post # 31 Ear Wax on a Q-Tip (Halloween)
Appetizers/Sandwiches __ Week 10/15/11 __ Post # 58 Old-Fashioned Popcorn Balls

Cake __ Week 10/15/11 __ Post # 15 Chocolate Cannoli Cake Roll
Cake __ Week 10/15/11 __ Post # 53 Foolproof Bundt Cake

Eggs __ Week 10/15/11 __ Post # 13 Eggs Madison

Ham __ Week 10/15/11 __ Post # 14 Wild Pig Ham

Pasta __ Week 10/15/11 __ Post # 60 Halloween Dinner

Pie __ Week 10/15/11 __ Post # 30 Apple Crisp/ Apple Filling

Poultry __ Week 10/15/11 __ Post # 36 Roast Pheasant

Salad __ Week 10/15/11 __ Post # 59 Broccoli Cranberry Slaw

Soup/Stew/Chili __ Week 10/15/11 __ Post # 45 Cream soup base
Soup/Stew/Chili __ Week 10/15/11 __ Post # 46 Lazy Day Chili Recipes
Soup/Stew/Chili __ Week 10/15/11 __ Post # 22 Curried Autumn Harvest Soup

Vegetables __ Week 10/15/11 __ Post # 38 How to cook corn clean

(Oct 15th Link)
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/chat/2793219/posts?page=86#86

[Mountain Mary]

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/chicken-pecan-salad/detail.aspx

[Mr. Mojo]

I’m not exactly a cook, but here’s what I make myself for breakfast at least 3x/wk., and it’s pretty darn tasty. Gonna make one in a few minutes, in fact.

Lightly fry up a flour tortilla in canola oil, and melt some sharp cheddar cheese on there right before it’s done. Put in a couple scrambled eggs, picante sauce, and a few avocado slices. Then roll it up. Easy, tasty, and keeps me going for a good while.

[DJ MacWoW]

Are You A Whining FReeper?

Got A Gripe So You Won't Donate?

Click The Pic

Isn't That Like Setting Fire To Your Own Home?

When FR Is Gone, Where Will You Go Then?

[libertarian27]

Oops, I forgot to ping everyone:>)

Ping~Ping~Ping

(pardon me....I have a cold...that’s my excuse and I’m sticking to it)

[hattend]

Thanks for the ping

Drink Tea! ;-)

[Siena Dreaming]

We have avocados now falling in our yard.

I'm going to try this.

[Mr. Mojo]

I miss my old avocado tree in the backyard of the house where I grew up in So. Cal in a big way. That thing was huge, and produced so many avos we used to give away large bags of them to friends.

[Library Lady]

That sounds good.

I’m looking for a recipe for Spinnaker’s chicken salad. I used to get it at their restaurant at Valley View Mall in Roanoke, VA. The restaurant was not there the last time I looked.

Anyway, the salad had chicken, pineapple, almonds and other stuff. Does anyone have the recipe?

Thanks in advance.

[momtothree]

I tried a new recipe last night that my family is still enjoying. It is sort of unique since the batter doesn’t contain oil. If you have some extra apples around and feel like baking something... here goes!

PRALINE APPLE BREAD
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups chopped pecans
8 oz sour cream
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla
2 cups all purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups chopped finely and peeled Granny Smith apples
1 tsp cinnamon,
1/2 tsp nutmeg and cloves

Topping: 1/2 cup butter and 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Beat sour cream and next 3 ingredients t low speed until well blended. Stir together flour and next 3 ingredients. Add to sour cream mixture, beating until well blended. Stir in apples and 1/2 cup of pecans. Spoon batter into a greased and floured 9 x 5 loaf pan. Sprinkle the remaining 1 cup of chopped pecans on top and press the pecans lightly into the batter.

Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour to 1 hour and 5 minutes. Check if it is done with a skewer or long knife. You may want to shield the loaf with foil at around 50 minutes to keep the pecans from getting too dark. Cool in pan for 10 minutes and then to wire rack.

For the topping: Bring butter and brown sugar to boil in a 1 qt heavy saucepan over medium heat. Make sure you stir constantly and boil mixture for one minute. Spoon over the top of the bread and let cool completely.

*** Recipe did not call for cinnamon, nutmeg or cloves but I added them. The bread is not ultra sweet but very moist. Topping is good but my girls thought that caramel would be a better topping since it would add more sweetness.

Enjoy...

[Siena Dreaming]

We also have too many to eat. The season is just starting now. By the end we get some hefty ones.

I'm always looking for recipes. There's just so much you can do with an avocado. We usually just end up eating them on the side for dinner with a lite Japanese rice vinegar.

[Tanniker Smith]

Good afternoon, all! I was getting worried.

I'm on my own for dinner tonight, and I came looking for ideas but the thread wasn't here yet.

[djf]

Last week, I made a soup, which I do more and more as winter gets colder.

Had one of those packs of 15 bean soup. you know, the plastic bags with the mixed beans and the seasoning packet.

Soaked the beans for about a day and a half. Washed and drained them good.

About two quarts of water, brought them to a boil, about 2 tsp olive oil.

Had about a quarter pound of lean ground beef which I broke up into small pieces and added slowly.

Tossed in a can of Hunt’s spaghetti sauce, garlic and cheese.

2 cloves garlic.

About a tablespoon of Italian seasoning.

quarter cup of corn starch.

Salt and pepper.

Let it stand close to a boil for about 5 hours.

It was DELICIOUS! The beans were still al dente, the broth was wonderful, it was just spicy enough to warn you up and give you almost a sweat.

I ate off of that pot for three days!

Next time I think I will try ham instead of ground beef. Or maybe turkey...

[WXRGina]

Here is a rare recipe and one of the best cakes you will ever eat. Don’t tell my Mom I’m sharing “her” recipe with the world—she would beat me! :-) I believe great recipes are to be shared. We can’t take them with us when we go.

---

Sweet Potato Cake with Cream Cheese Icing

2 cups flour
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
2 tsp baking soda
2 cups sugar
1 ½ cups vegetable oil
4 eggs
3 15-oz cans of yams/sweet potatoes, drained
1 tsp vanilla

Preheat Oven to 325 degrees.

Combine dry ingredients, minus sugar, and set aside. Combine moist ingredients, plus sugar, and mix well with electric mixer. Add flour mixture and mix well.

Pour into three greased and floured cake pans and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until toothpick comes out clean. Cool completely before icing. Then, ice cake, sprinkling chopped pecans on each layer and the outside after icing.

Cream Cheese Icing

¾ box powdered sugar (sifted)
1 cup pecans, chopped
16 oz. cream cheese
1 tsp vanilla
1 stick butter

Cream butter, cream cheese and vanilla with electric mixer. Add sugar a little at a time and mix well. The more you whip it with the mixer, the fluffier it becomes.

[MHGinTN]

Anyone have an easy date bar recipe? I have a load of dates to cook up.

[SAJ]

There is ONE classic New Orleans sandwich: the Muffaletta. Best ones in the world are sold by street vendors in the old quarter, but here's a pretty good recipe.

New Orleans Muffaletta

Make this in two stages. First, the olive salad.

1/2 c. black olives, pitted (kalamatas go very well here, just a thought)
3/4 c. medium stuffed Manzanilla olives
2-3 medium pepperoncinis
3-6 large cocktail onions
2 TBSP medium capers
2 large cloves garlic, chopped
1 tsp dried oregano
Fresh ground black pepper, to taste
2 tsp fresh squeezed lemon juice
1 TBSP extra-v olive oil
Optional: you might add 1/4 c. giardiniera, which is a mix of Italian pickled vegetables. I happen to think that giardiniera is redundant here.

Place all ingredients in a bowl and drain thoroughly. Pour into food processor and chop to desired consistency (I like the mix WELL ground up). Do NOT re-drain. Put back into bowl, cover, and refrigerate at least 1 hour, overnight is better.

Second, the sandwich.

1 loaf Muffaletta bread, sliced once horizontally (see note 1)
4 oz. EACH of good sliced ham, mortadella, Italian (preferably Genoa) salami
Optional, but tasty! 4 oz. good prosciutto
4 oz. EACH of sliced provolone and sliced mozzarella
1 c. olive salad, see recipe above

On bottom half of loaf, spread a THICK schmear of the olive salad. Layer up the ingredients as follows: sliced ham, provolone, mortadella and prosciutto (if using), mozzarella, salami. Drizzle a bit of good olive oil on top, and cover with other half of the loaf.

Wrap tightly in plastic and refrigerate, TOP SIDE DOWN, for 15-30 minutes, then flip to top side up and refrigerate for another 15 minutes. This mixes the salad and the natural meat juices pretty well.

Remove from fridge, remove wrap, and place sandwich on large plate (the muffaletta loaf is traditionally an 8" wide round loaf). Microwave according to your microwave's directions for warming until cheese has melted, or, remove top loaf and bake in a pre-heated 300 F oven until cheese has melted (10 minutes?), then replace top loaf.

Remove to cutting board and cut into 6 or 8 pieces (I prefer 6, but then I love this sandwich). Serve on plates, with LOTS of napkins.

A little bit of work, but the Muffalettas (as long as you're making one, make 2 or 3!) will absolutely vanish at any Super Bowl or holiday party.

Note 1: Muffaletta loaves are sometimes hard to obtain. Any largish loaf of Italian bread will substitute nicely, with one caveat -- you DO NOT want 'hard'; soft or medium is where it's at.

Yo' gon' lahk dis one, mes amis!

[WXRGina]

Classic Date Bars

1 1/2 cups water
1 1/2 cups chopped pitted dates
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 cup (packed) dark brown sugar
1 cup old-fashioned oats
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, diced, room temperature

Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter 8x8-inch metal baking pan. Bring 1 1/2 cups water to simmer in medium saucepan. Add dates; simmer until very soft and thick, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes. Cool to room temperature. Stir in vanilla.

Combine flour, sugar, oats, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt in large bowl; stir to blend. Add butter. Using fingertips, rub in until moist clumps form. Press half of oat mixture evenly over bottom of prepared pan. Spread date mixture over. Sprinkle with remaining oat mixture; press gently to adhere. Bake until brown at edges and golden brown and set in center, about 40 minutes. Cool completely in pan on rack. Cut into bars and serve.

[rockinqsranch]

I often use chopped Dates, and chopped dried Figs either with raisins, or in place of raisins in many recipes that call for raisins.

[SAJ]

Good for hot dates?

(...ducking smoothly...)