Weekly Cooking Thread - January 22, 2011

FreeRepublicCooks | January 22, 2011 | libertarian27

[libertarian27]

Welcome to the 7th installment of the FR Weekly Cooking Thread.

Looking for something new to make or made something new that came out great?

Would you like to share a tried-and-true recipe for fellow FReepers to add to their 'go-to' recipe stack of Family favorites?

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

[libertarian27]

I read an article recently that stated the average consumer has around 10 meals in their rotation that they serve at home. We can beat that! FReepers definitely aren't average!

Let's Get Cooking!

[al baby]

I need help with home made Mongolian beef anyone know a good recipe ?

[libertarian27]

Weekly Cooking Thread Ping List

Recap Recipes from the Jan 15th thread:

Dessert* 36 White Chip Orange Divine Cookies
Meal* 6 Lemon Sauce’: Northern Italian
Meal* 9 GENERAL TSO’S CHICKEN PENG TENG
Meal* 11 Wheat Free and Gluten Free Pizza Crust
Meal* 20 Scampi Time
Meal* 21 Scrunchy Sweet and Sour Chicken
Meal* 24 BABOOTIE - South African delight...
Meal* 31 Ham and Asparagus Bake
Meal* 39 Chicken Lasagna
Meal* 41 Better Than Olive Garden Alfredo Sauce
Meal* 44 Aromatic Chicken & Lentils
Meal* 44 Herbs de Provence
Meal* 45 Beef Stroganoff
Meal* 63 Homemade Ravioli
Side* 23 Corny Corn Bread
Side* 24 butternut squash coleslaw:
Side* 43 Calico Baked Beans
Side* 51 Red Beans and Rice
Side* 52 Preserved Lemons
Side* 65 CHICKEN CRACKLINGS
Soup* 15 Shrimp Chowder
Soup* 37 Moroccan Spiced Chickpea Soup
Soup* 47 Hamburger Lentil Soup - My Moms Great Recipe
Soup* 57 Beef Stew

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/chat/2657401/posts?page=66#66

(Each week’s recipe recap links can be found through my profile page)

(to be added/deleted to the list please just drop a FReep Mail or post on this thread)

[lysie]

Thanks for all your work.

[leaning conservative]

I love to cook and get new ideas. I also love to share things I have learned, so please add me to your list. Thanks!!!!!

[libertarian27]

You’re added!

[devistate one four]

I’m going to try some of these.
They sound great!

[Liz]

MY DO-AHEAD BAKED APPLES / Yogurt Sauce / these are deelish

METHOD Peel center strip / partly core, Stayman Winesap apples. Bake in pan w/ bit water added. Fridge overnight.

NEXT DAY Add cranberry juice, lemon juice, dash cinnamon to apple juices. Bake real soft.

SERVE w/ Yogurt Sauce.

SAUCE Mix vanilla yogurt, pan juices, soft-baked apple chunks (or chunky applesauce).

[libertarian27]

I’ve never cooked Mongolian Beef at home but when I’m looking for a recipe I always check the allrecipes site and see what’s over there - I especially like to read the comments under recipes to check out ideas for adjustments, techniques and additions to recipes.

If no one here has a recipe - give this site a shot:
http://allrecipes.com/Search/Recipes.aspx?WithTerm=mongolian%20beef

[magslinger]

For a quick and easy dessert, I fix my Lazy Day Apple Cake.
One unbaked yellow cake mix prepared according to directions.
3-4 apples(any cooking variety will do, but I usually use McIntosh), peeled cored and thinly sliced. Rings or wedges work, but I find the rings are easier to handle.
cinnamon
allspice
brown sugar
Layer the apples “shingle style” so that each slice covers about half of the previous slice. Sprinkle with cinnamon and allspice to taste and cover with a thin layer of brown sugar. Bake according to mix directions, but you may need to add 5-10 minutes to the baking time.
The lazy day part comes in once you have baked it. You don’t need to frost it and can serve it warm or cold with or without vanilla ice cream.

[illiac]

P F Chang's Mongolian Beef I usually add a little chili oil (depending on heat tolerance) 2 teaspoons vegetable oil 2 teaspoons sesame oil 1/2 teaspoon ginger, minced 1 tablespoon garlic, chopped 1/2 cup soy sauce 1/2 cup water 3/4 cup dark brown sugar 1 cup vegetable oil 1 lb flank steak 1/4 cup cornstarch 2 large green onions 1. Make the sauce by heating 2 tsp of vegetable oil in a medium saucepan over med/low heat. 2. Don't get the oil too hot. 3. Add ginger and garlic to the pan and quickly add the soy sauce and water before the garlic scorches. 4. Dissolve the brown sugar in the sauce, then raise the heat to about medium and boil the sauce for 2-3 minutes or until the sauce thickens. 5. Remove it from the heat. 6. Slice the flank steak against the grain into 1/4" thick bite-size slices. 7. Tilt the blade of your knife at about a forty five degree angle to the top of the steak so that you get wider cuts. 8. Dip the steak pieces into the cornstarch to apply a very thin dusting to both sides of each piece of beef. 9. Let the beef sit for about 10 minutes so that the cornstarch sticks. 10. As the beef sits, heat up one cup of oil in a wok (you may also use a skillet for this step as long as the beef will be mostly covered with oil). 11. Heat the oil over medium heat until it's nice and hot, but not smoking. 12. Add the beef to the oil and saut for just two minutes, or until the beef � just begins to darken on the edges. 13. You don't need a thorough cooking here since the beef is going to go back on the heat later. 14. Stir the meat around a little so that it cooks evenly. 15. After a couple minutes, use a large slotted spoon to take the meat out and onto paper towels, then pour the oil out of the wok or skillet. 16. Put the pan back over the heat, dump the meat back into it and simmer for one minute. 17. Add the sauce, cook for one minute while stirring, then add all the green onions. 18. Cook for one more minute, then remove the beef and onions with tongs or a slotted spoon to a serving plate. 19. Leave the excess sauce behind in the pan.

[illiac]

Discovered this in Cooking Light a few years ago. We usually wait until Costco has pork loin on sale and use it in place of the center cut pork chops. We usually get the loin for around $1.69 per pound.

Pork Chops with Lemon Caper Sauce

Serve with orzo and green beans.

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 chop and 1 tablespoon sauce)

Ingredients
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/8 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons Italian-seasoned breadcrumbs
3 tablespoons preshredded fresh Parmesan cheese
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 large egg white, lightly beaten
4 (4-ounce) boneless center-cut pork chops (about 1/2 inch thick)
Cooking spray
2 teaspoons olive oil
1/2 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
1 tablespoon dry white wine
1/4 teaspoon grated lemon rind
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons capers, rinsed and drained
Preparation
1. Combine flour and salt in a shallow dish. Place breadcrumbs, cheese, and pepper in a shallow dish; place egg white in another shallow dish. Dredge pork in flour mixture, dip in egg white, and dredge in breadcrumb mixture. Coat pork with cooking spray.

2. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add pork to pan; cook 4 minutes on each side or until done. Remove from pan; keep warm. Add broth and remaining ingredients to pan, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Cook 2 minutes or until reduced to 1/4 cup (about 2 minutes). Serve with pork.

Nutritional Information
Calories:256 (35% from fat)
Fat:10.1g (sat 3.3g,mono 4.9g,poly 0.8g)
Protein:28.2g
Carbohydrate:11.5g
Fiber:0.7g
Cholesterol:68mg
Iron:1.5mg
Sodium:419mg
Calcium:82mg

[libertarian27]

Sweet & Savory Slow Cooker Pulled Pork

1- @5lb bone-in pork shoulder roast
1 can root beer
Pork shoulder and root beer. Seal in large plastic bag to marinate 6hrs to overnight in refrigerator.

Next day - Mix together
2 1/2t brown sugar
2t kosher salt (or less if using table salt)
1/2t black pepper
1 1/2t paprika
1/2t dry mustard
1/2t onion powder
1/4t garlic salt
1/4t celery salt
1/4t cinnamon
1/4t ginger
1/4t nutmeg

Remove Meat from marinade - shaking off excess. Rub above spice mixture over meat- wrap in plastic and refrigerate for 30min -to- 2 hrs.

Mix together:
1/3c balsamic vinegar, 1 1/2c root beer,(I used the whole can) 1 1/2 ounces whiskey(used a full nip bottle), 1/4c brown sugar. Mix until sugar dissolves.

Heat olive oil in pan over med-high to sear pork shoulder on all sides until meat browns(@3min each side)
Place pork shoulder into slow cooker - pour vinegar/root beer mixture into cooker - set to high for 6-8 hours.

Shred with forks(discard bones) return to slow cooker with @1cup cooking liquid (save the rest to use if needed).Mix in barbecue sauce @1 cup and keep on low heat in cooker to serve.

(Found this recipe on the allrecipe site and it’s great - a definite [plan ahead] recipe for the Superbowl, etc. the root beer marinade is a great touch and no one will figure it out until you tell them:))

[illiac]

YUM! I gotta try your pulled pork....

[dainbramaged]

A weekly cooking thread? Now we’re talking! Please add me to your ping list - thanks.

[libertarian27]

Nothing says you’re a cook looking for punishment besides a 15+ ingredient recipe:).I try to steer away from ‘open the can’ recipes even though I have cans of cream of mushroom soup in the pantry...shh, don’t tell anyone.

It’s a great recipe for parties/outings - it makes a bunch, but when fresh pork shoulder is on sale of 99c/lb - it’s a no brainer-economical fun food.

Your lemon/caper Pork Chops sound wonderful, I have got to buy some capers this afternoon:). I also have been using the whole pork loins for pork chops - at under $2/lb I’ll cut up my own pork chops!(It’s just a big pork chop in need of slicing anyways)

[libertarian27]

Your added.
Love your nickname!

[momtothree]

I was wondering if anyone had a good recipe for vegetable lasagna sort of like the Stouffer’s version but homemade. I have tried to find one online but they usually use a red sauce and I would like one with a white sauce. Any help or advice is truly appreciated. Mom

[libertarian27]

This is my favorite lasagna - hands down!

Spinach Mushroom lasagna w/ white cream sauce
Posted on the Jan 1, 2011 cooking thread
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/chat/2650187/posts?page=45#45

[illiac]

We cut our own chops as well. We also have many cans of cream of mushroom soup for use in several cooking experiments.