Weekly Cooking Thread ~Recipes~ June 18, 2011

FreeRepublic Cooks | June 18, 2011 | libertarian27

[libertarian27]

Welcome to the 28th 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 two - or all of them:)! 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.

[illiac]

My keyboard seems strange today....

[SAJ]

Sounds fine, but you were kidding about a LARGE casserole dish, right? The quantities you mention would require nearly the witches' kettle from MacBeth!

;^)

[SAJ]

Definitely remove the crust. Fresh/stale shouldn’t matter at all, as the bread will be well distributed AND cooked. Also, consider soaking the bread in a beaten egg — a superior binder, I promise you.

[ken5050]

Couldn't find the Fieri meatloaf recipe..and there are 250+ listed..not gonna click them all to see which ones use milk soaked bread..

So..two questions..maybe you have suggestions:

1. For 1 lb of meat, how many slices of bread...

2. Re SAJ's good suggestion..are you saying toadd the eggs to the bread/milk mixture...or NOT use milk...? first option sound like deconstructed french toast (g)

Thanks..

[illiac]

He used two slices per pound (it was a meatball recipe, but he uses the same recipe for his meatloaf - as he mentioned yesterday)....hope that helps....

here is a link:

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/guy-fieri/hunters-hero-recipe/index.html

[illiac]

He used two slices per pound (it was a meatball recipe, but he uses the same recipe for his meatloaf - as he mentioned yesterday)....hope that helps....

here is a link:

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/guy-fieri/hunters-hero-recipe/index.html

[SAJ]

I beat the egg(s), then add just a dash of milk. Or not, if I don't happen to have milk on hand.

Clearly, one can adjust this notion freely; more milk, no milk, whatever floats your boat. After all, the egg/milk/bread is obviously not a dominant flavour element in a meat loaf, true?

French toast? With this small amount of egg/milk/bread relative to the meat ingredients/veggies? Not even close, mate.

Egg is an absolutely wonderful binder for virtually any dish. That's what we were talking about, binders for meat loaf, right?

;^)

[SAJ]

Typical ratio would be 2 slices per pound of ground beef. If you add quite a bit of bacon and pepperoni (well chopped!) and whatnot else, per illiac's recipe above, you might want to use 3.

Best policy here is to use 2 slices, then take 1/3 of the loaf and see if it is coherent, stands up w/o crumbling or stripping. If it is, you're good to go; if not, add another slice or half-slice and remix and try it again.

[illiac]

Thanks - great advice!

[SAJ]

Here's one of Fieri's meatloaf recipes:

click here

[ken5050]

Many thanks.....( and I was just joshing about the French toast similarity

However, thinking about it..I have 1/2 challah in the freezer...may use that..sort of solves the whole egg thingee

Have a great weekend..

[SAJ]

Thanks for the kind word, but, really, it's just common sense. Ground beef is, well, ground up and, the more surface area, the stickier it is. Pepperoni and bacon, chopped, present less surface area and, being **prepared** meats and cured, simply aren't as sticky to start, and might very well require more binder.

Of course, I imagine one could put the gr.bf., bacon and pepperoni and whatever else into a Cuisinart...but that just somehow doesn't seem right. Bacon needs respect!

;^)

[Library Lady]

This sounds great.

I make meatloaf using my own canned salsa.

1 to 1 1/2 lb. hamburger
1 pint salsa
Pepperidge Farm stuffing mix (about 1/3 of bag)
Milk
1 egg (2 if they are small)
1 chopped onion
Salt and pepper
Dash of Worcestershire sauce

I soak the stuffing mix in just enough milk to soften it, then add all the other ingredients and work them together. Bake at 400 degrees until done.

[Library Lady]

Oh, . . . and I usually top it with bacon strips before baking.

[Bill Melater]

Brussels Sprouts

This is one recipe that I’ve served to friends and family, who always rave about how much they suddenly love to eat Brussels Sprouts. It’s one of my all time favorites too - they’re actually sort of addictive, if you can believe it...

Split 10 to 12 medium sized Brussels Sprouts lengthwise.

Bring about 3 quarts salted water to a rolling boil.

Place sprouts in boiling water - when boil resumes, reduce heat slightly to a healthy simmer - begin timing for 6 minutes.

Drain and shock Brussels sprouts with cold water to halt the cooking.

In a large skillet, melt 3 tablespoons of butter with 2 tablespoons of Extra Virgin Olive Oil over medium low heat.

When butter begins ‘spitting’, add Brussels sprouts, cut side down into the butter/oil mix.

Cook for about 12-15 minutes until nicely browned on the cut face.

Season with Kosher salt.

Serving suggestion - a little dab of dijon mustard on the plate to dip them in is exquisite!

[Bill Melater]

Taquitos

This is much more of an idea - borne out of the age old question of what to do with leftovers - it’s what I’m making for dinner tonight, so I thought I’d share it.

Ingredients:

Leftover meat - tonight I’m using some sliced up steak, and some pulled pork, but this works great with shredded chicken, turkey, even ham and duck...

Flour tortillas; I use the soft taco size, about 8” diameter.

Cheese: You can use almost any type of melting cheese you might have in the fridge - I love a sharp white cheddar...

Prep:

shred or slice meat you’ll be using and set aside.

Slice cheese - enough for 2 slices per tortilla.

Assembly:

On a tortilla, place a couple slices of cheese and top with about 1/3 cup of meat, arranged in a line, just slightly off center. Roll.

Cooking:

In a large cast iron skillet, begin heating a couple tablespoons of lard (Yes! You must use lard! - it makes all the flavor difference in the world.) over medium heat. When the lard begins to shimmer, begin laying the taquitos into the pan, with the seam side down, leaving space between them for rolling. Depending on how many you’re making, you may have to work in batches. When they begin to brown and puff up slightly, roll them, and continue to cook / roll till all sides are browned and ‘puffy’. If working in batches keep cooked taquitos in a warm oven, uncovered, while browning the rest. Add additional lard as needed while cooking.

Serve with freshly chopped Cilantro, Guacamole, Salsa, and/or Sour Cream.

[libertarian27]

Recap of this threads recipes: w/o 6/18/2011

Meal* 5 Lemon Pepper Pork Chops
Meal* 8 Marinated Pork Chops Dijon
Meal* 10 Pork Chop Casserole
Meal* 12 BBQ MEATLOAF
Meal* 25 Fieri meatloaf/meatballs
Meal* 33 Salsa Meatloaf
Meal* 36 Taquitos
Side* 35 Brussels Sprouts

(please don’t add any new recipes on this thread - this week’s cooking thread coming up!)

[libertarian27]

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/chat/2739800/posts?page=1
Weekly Cooking Thread for June 25, 2011