*
*August 20 - National Chocolate Pecan Pie Day - National Lemonade Day
• August 21 - National Spumoni Day
• August 22 - National Pecan Torte Day
• August 23 - National Spongecake Day
• August 24 - National Waffle Day
• August 24 - National Peach Pie Day
• August 25 - National Banana Split Day - National Waffle Day
• August 26 - National Cherry Popsicle Day
**FR Weekly Cooking Thread Ping**
(to be added/deleted - post on this thread or PM me)
Recap of Aug 13th Cooking Thread:
Appetizer* 8 Peanut Butter Fruit Dip
Dessert* 11 MOLTEN CHOCOLATE CAKE
Dessert* 43 Coconut Ice Cream
Ingredient* 29 Mayonnaise
Ingredient* 34 SWEET & SOUR SAUCE
Meal* 10 Quick Basic Quiche
Meal* 14 Salmon Cakes
Meal* 15 Chicken or the Sea Muffins
Meal* 22 Salmon Cakes (From Kraft)
Meal* 24 Seattle Salmon Cakes (Ivar’s Seafood)
Meal* 27 Morel Crusted Filet
Meal* 34 LUMPIA (meat/veg filled wontons)
Meal* 38 Catnipman’s Beef Bourguignon
Side* 13 Grilled Potatoes and Vegetables
Soup* 41 “garbage soup”
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/chat/2763124/posts?page=44#44
PING
“National Chocolate Pecan Pie Day”
My most favoritist day of the year!!!
Seriously. :-) A local restaurant used to make the greatest Toll House Pie, essentially a pecan pie with chocolate chips. Yum! Now I’ll probably have to go searching for a recipe...
HI! Could you add me to this ping list, please! Thanks. Looks great!
one refrigerated pie shell, uncooked
half of a package of frozen shredded hash brown potatoes
approximately one cup of cooked chopped meat (ham, left over roast, grilled chicken, etc)
approx 1 1/2 cups shredded cheese
2 eggs
This is my "leftover" lunch or dinner where I can use up leftover meat and even some veggies.
This quiche does not use a lot of eggs so cooking time is shorter, but I do precook the potatoes in a skillet, then mix in meat and 1 cup of cheese, vegetables if you want to use them (like ham, cheese and broccoli, and potatoes).
Put meat and potato mixture into pie shell and pour two beaten eggs over the top. Bake at 375 for about 25 minutes then top with remaining 1/2 cup of cheese and allow to melt.
Note: I ususually cook the entire package of shredded potatoes then save the remainer to use in omelettes and breakfast burritos during the week.
For National Waffle Day:
Peaches Foster Waffles
In 1951, a chef at the famous Brennan’s in New Orleans created a flaming banana concoction as a
breakfast dish in honor of one of the restaurant’s faithful patrons, Mr. Richard Foster. Since then,
it has become synonymous with the South. This variation uses juicy ripe peaches instead.
1/3 cup dark rum
1/2 cup golden raisins
8 Tbs. (1 stick) unsalted butter
2/3 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
4 large, ripe peaches, peeled, pitted and sliced
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 quart vanilla ice cream
1/3 cup sliced almonds, lightly toasted
4 fresh mint sprigs
In a small bowl, pour the rum over the raisins and let stand until plump, about 30 minutes.
In a large fry pan over medium-high heat, melt the butter. Add the brown sugar and stir until melted
and bubbly, about 2 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium and add the peaches. Cook, stirring
gently so as not to break up the slices, until tender, about 3 minutes. Sprinkle with the cinnamon
and stir in the raisins and rum. Heat until the rum is very fragrant, about 1 minute. Remove from the
heat, carefully tilt the pan, and ignite the rum with a long match. The flames will subside in about
15 seconds.
Scoop the vanilla ice cream over 4 individual waffles. Ladle the peaches and rum sauce over the ice
cream. Garnish each serving with some of the almonds and a mint sprig. Serve immediately.
Serves 4.
Thanks for the thread as usual!
Does anyone have a baked spaghetti recipe they like?
Pickled Hot Dogs:
3 cups water
3 cups distilled white vinegar
6 Tbspn. Kosher salt
bring this brine mix to a boil, turn off heat and add:
1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
1/2 tsp whole mustard seed
1-2 cloves chopped garlic
1 tsp celery seed
1 tsp whole cloves
dried red pepper flakes to your taste
let cool
stir and refrigerate brine
after the brine is cold, put hot dogs (straight from package) into jars and cover with brine.
I use nathans or ballpark franks, the cheap ones don’t do very well.
Refridgerate
Wait at least one day before eating. They are best after about a week.
You can also reuse the juice.
My kitchen is still out of commission due to the remodeling, so I am not cooking.
My 11 year old grand-daughter used my best apple pie recipe in the county fair and it won first prize. I am very proud of her and my pie recipe.
For Waffle Day, Paula Deen has a recipe for cornmeal waffles and chili that I tweaked this week with what I had on hand. She made waffles - with butter, but I’m lazy and made pancakes instead. BTW, Paula, real chili doesn’t have beans or corn.
Mexican Fiesta Pancakes
Meat and veggie mixture:
1 lb. taco flavored ground turkey (half the price of ground beef and enough spice to disguse it’s turkey)
1/2 onion, chopped
1 bell pepper
1 can corn, not drained
1 can chili beans, not drained
1 small can tomato paste
1 t. cumin
1 T chili powder
salt, pepper, and garlic powder to taste
Brown the meat, drain grease but don’t rinse. Add remaining ingredients and let veggies cook through. Simmer while you’re making the pancakes.
Cornmeal Pancakes:
2/3 C cornmeal
2/3 C flour
1 t baking powder
1 t sugar
dash salt
1 C milk
1 T veg oil
1 egg
Stir together. Pour enough batter into oiled hot skillet to make a 6-7” pancake. Makes about 6 pancakes.
To serve, top pancakes with the meat mixture.
Serves 6.
Makes a complete meal or you can add a salad. Leftovers heat well in the microwave.
Was digging through my mom’s recipe box last night and found this staple she used to make when we were growing up....still remember how good it was!
Chinese Hamburger Hash
1 lb. hamburger
1 c. chopped celery
1/4 c. soy sauce
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 (3 oz) can chow mein noodles
1 c. chopped onion
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can cream of chicken soup
1/2 c. uncooked rice
1/2 to 1 can water
Brown meat. Add onion, celery, soup and water. Stir in rice and pepper. Turn into slightly greased 3 quart casserole dish. Cover. Bake 30 minutes at 350 degrees. Uncover cook another 30 minutes. Top with noodles and bake 15 minutes. Services 6
We ate out last night for our 33rd anniversary...no cooking this weekend.
Didn't want to drive too far so we went to a local place, The Hop House
Way too noisy for us but the food was good and reasonably priced. Less than $70 for 4 people including drinks. Mrs p6 had steak, her brother and our youngest son had BIG fish sandwiches and I had a 1/2 lb Hop House burger which was too much for me.
Mrs p6 also had deep fried cheesecake and its' a BIG serving, she had to bring some home. Said it was GREAT.
I usually go there only on the weekday afternoons when it is much quieter.
Since our Durango is acting up we didn't want to go too far and that's why we went there. Mrs p6 will still want a better place when the D is better, LOL!
3/4 cup + 2tbh all-purpose flour
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon sel gris or kosher salt
5 tablespoons cold salted butter, cut into small pieces
2.5 tablespoons cold water
1 egg yolk - beaten, for the glaze I used Celtic grey salt in mine. The blog has the directions.
I decided I should also post the recipe I made for dinner last night. Delish!
Chicken Breasts with Red Onions and Thyme
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
Salt and freshly ground pepper
2 large portobello mushrooms, stemmed, black gills cut off, caps sliced 1/4 inch thick
1 medium red onion, thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
1/2 cup chicken stock or low-sodium broth
1 teaspoon chopped thyme
In a large skillet, heat the olive oil. Season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper and add them to the skillet. Scatter the mushrooms, onion slices and garlic around the chicken and cook over high heat until the chicken is browned on the bottom, about 3 minutes. Turn the breasts over, stir the mushrooms, onions and garlic and cook until the chicken is browned on the second side, about 3 minutes longer.
Add the vinegar, chicken stock and thyme to the skillet and simmer, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Reduce the heat to low and cook, turning the chicken once, until white throughout, about 7 minutes. Transfer the chicken to warmed plates. Simmer the sauce over moderate heat until slightly reduced and flavorful, about 1 minute. Season the sauce with salt and pepper, pour it over the chicken breasts and serve.
COCONUT CREAM PIE
1 cup white sugar
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 cups half & half OR 1 can coconut milk & balance half & half
4 eggs
3 tablespoons butter
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 to 1-1/2 cup(s) flaked coconut
1 (9 inch) pie shell, baked, or 1 graham cracker crust
In a medium saucepan, combine sugar, flour and salt over a medium heat; gradually stir in half & half. Cook and stir over medium heat until the mixture is thick and bubbly. Reduce heat to low and cook 2 minutes more. Remove the pan from heat.
Separate the egg yolks from whites. Beat the egg yolks slightly. Gradually stir 1 cup of the hot mixture into yolks. Return the egg mixture to the saucepan and bring the entire mixture to a gentle boil. Cook and stir 2 minutes before removing the pan from heat.
Stir butter, vanilla, and coconut into the hot mixture. Pour the hot filling into the pie crust. Cool. Cover and chill to store the pie if not serving immediately.
State Fair time around here. The husband always enters contests and usually wins several. Here is a winning recipe for a pasta dish from this past week:
Pasta with Portabella Mushrooms in Bechamel Sauce
½ c. Butter
½ c. flour
3 C. whole milk plus 1 C. Cream
1 large portabella Cap (coated in olive oil, salt & pepper, and grilled until soft, then coarsely chopped)
5 oz. Package of Canadian Bacon, coarsely chopped
½ c. freshly grated parmesan
½ c. grated mozzarella
¼ tsp. Nutmeg
4-5 fresh basil leaves, chiffonade
salt & pepper to taste
16 oz. Rigatoni
Melt butter in saucepan over medium heat; add flour and stir constantly for about 1 minute. Whisk in milk and cream combo a little at a time (to avoid lumps); when all is added, simmer until sauce thickens to the point that it coats the back of a spoon. Add grated parmesan, nutmeg, salt & pepper, and stir until cheese is melted.
While sauce is thickening, put pasta water on to boil...add pasta and cook until not quite al dente. Drain pasta thoroughly, toss with sauce, canadian bacon, portabella mushrooms, and basil.
Place into casserole, cover with grated mozzarella, and dot with butter. 25 minutes at 425.
Here’s another of his creations (they were fabulous):
Bacon Wrapped Pecans and Macadamia Nuts with Vanilla Brown Sugar
5-6 slices of hardwood smoked Bacon
1 6oz Package Pecans
1 2oz Package Macadamia nuts
1 1/2 cup light Brown Sugar
1 tsp. Pure Vanilla Extract
Begin By combining Brown sugar and Vanilla in small airtight container and set aside.
Cut bacon into 1 ½ “ Strips and wrap individual nuts, secure with toothpicks.
Using ½ of the vanilla Brown Sugar, coat the bacon wrapped nuts and place on baking sheet. Cook uncovered in a 375* oven for approx 5- 10 min.
SAUCE
Using ½ of the Vanilla Brawn Sugar from above combine with
2 large Jalapenos Diced Fine
½ cup Dark Rum
1 tsp Vanilla Extract
1 tsp Ground Coriander
Bring to boil for 1 Min. Serve in shot glass for dipping. Enjoy!
1 vine ripened home grown tomato, still warm from the sun
Cold water from the hose
salt, to taste
Rinse tomato under hose until surface is slightly chilled but center is still warm. Sprinkle salt on tomato and take a bite. Continue sprinkling salt and biting until the tomato is gone.
That is how summer tastes.