Weekly Cooking (and related issues) Thread

[Jamestown1630]

Last week I got to thinking about Sloppy Joe sandwiches, which I hadn't had in ages but loved when I was a kid. We decided to try making it from scratch, and settled on Chef John's recipe. It came out really good - I think I might add some jalapeno next time - but it doesn't really taste like the Sloppy Joe made from the canned sauce. I'm not sure what to do to it, to make it more like the childhood favorite (except buy a can of sauce ;-) and I'm wondering if anyone else has made it. Here's is Chef John's recipe:

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/219635/chef-johns-sloppy-joes/

***************************************************

I happened to be browsing archive.org for old cookbooks, and found Rufus Estes' cookbook 'Good Things to Eat, as Suggested by Rufus'. Estes, born a slave, was one of the first famous African American chefs, and the first to write and publish a cookbook. The recipes are sometimes kind of sketchy, as they are in all of these old cookbooks, but the instructions are adequate to figure out the dish. Cherry Season is coming on, and I was intrigued by his recipe for pickled cherries:

"CHERRY PICKLES

Stem, but do not pit, large ripe cherries. Put into a jar and cover with a sirup made from two cups of sugar, two cups of vinegar and a rounding teaspoon each of ground cloves and cinnamon cooked together five minutes.

Let stand two days, pour off the vinegar, reheat and pour over the cherries, then seal."

I searched for more modern recipes and was surprised that most are pretty much exactly as Rufus made them; but here is a recipe that pits the cherries, and adds lemon and star anise:

http://janesadventuresindinner.com/2014/09/celebratingtheharvest-pickled-cherries.html

You can read or download the Rufus Estes book at Archive.org (lots of great antique cookbooks there):

https://archive.org/details/goodthingstoeata00esterich

or purchase a newer edition hard copy at Amazon or Dover Publications:

http://www.amazon.com/Good-Things-Eat-Suggested-Rufus/dp/0965433315

http://store.doverpublications.com/0486437647.html

-JT

[ameribbean expat]

An old chef from St Louis showed me a trick to reduce acidity in any tomato-based sauce: peel and toss in a whole potato while cooking the sauce. Works like a charm.

[miss marmelstein]

Wow! That’s an interesting idea. I generally throw in some sugar but tomato is a little hard to digest...

[Liz]

I like Duncan Hines brand.....but I have used B/C.

[miss marmelstein]

That’s super interesting! Because, ahem, I use my food processor to make it. Now that we’re getting into fruit pie season, maybe I should try it. But working with all those cups of flour on a board! Eh Gods!

[miss marmelstein]

Since you recommend, I’ll try it.

[Liz]

I just know w/ your discerning taste that you’ll be glad you did.

[r_barton]

Burger King Creamy Apple Cider Vinaigrette

I played around with ingredients and here is a copycat recipe that is close to the original.

Burger King Ken’s Creamy Apple Cider Vinaigrette Copycat

1/2 tsp Spiced Cider Apple Flavor Drink Mix powder (sugar-free like Alpine or Mott’s)
1/3 cup Vanilla Yogurt (like Dannon)
1/2 cup Mayonnaise
2 tsp Cider Vinegar

Add ingredients to a small mixing bowl. Mix well.
chicken, Apple & Cranberry Garden Fresh Salad, etc.

Makes about 1 cup.

[Jamestown1630]

I just put the flour in a big bowl, add the diced butter, and cut the fat in inside of the bowl, using two table knives or a pastry blender. Keep everything super cold - I chill even the flour. Then pour in the ice-water, mix it up/knead as little as possible to hold together, and chill again before you roll it out.

It’s always worked for me, and I was disappointed whenever I did it in the processor.

-JT

[Jamestown1630]

I like the Manwich - it’s the only ‘Sloppy Joe’ I’d ever had and I wanted to try and reproduce it. I think I’ll leave out the Worcestershire next time.

[miss marmelstein]

It’s good to know. I hope this summer I won’t fall into my old lazy ways and out comes to food processor, lol!

[Jamestown1630]

I do use the food processor for my cheese-olive balls (olives wrapped in a cheese-flour-butter pastry; and I’m thinking of trying gougeres using the processor or blender.

Your mileage may vary on the cutting-in method; but it works for me - I use it mostly on chicken pie and quiche crusts, as I don’t do many other kinds of ‘pie’- and I’m grateful for this: I don’t need to clean the processor :-)

-JT

[samiam1972]

We are on a budget. We have nine in the family so I try to stretch the meat as much as possible. My husband makes a decent salary so I can keep up with the groceries just fine. It’s just that I do better when I make things from scratch. I do like to keep a can of sloppy joe sauce in the pantry as well as boxed rice and noodle packets. There are just those days that I need access to convenience food. Life tends to mess up my plans sometimes. I don’t really know what is in the Manwich sauce. I don’t have one on hand right now. I always have browned hamburger in the freezer so being able to pour a can of sauce over meat and serve within 15 minutes is pretty handy!!

[Jamestown1630]

That is a really interesting recipe! I’m saving it. I usually use Marie’s or Marzettis for everyday convenience; but I haven’t found a bottled vinaigrette type that I like.

Thanks!

-JT

[miss marmelstein]

Nine in your family! God love you. I’m in awe of people who can stretch a meal on a budget because I’m a numbskull when it comes to buying food on a budget. I shop every day (a holdover from the way all New Yorkers shop) and pick and choose what I want for dinner; a lot of times without caring about cost. A weekly shop confuses and overwhelms me. I also tend to go for organic which is a pocketbook KILLER. Then again, my husband hates leftovers and won’t eat anything that’s been in the fridge more than two days!

[samiam1972]

I have to plan meals around the twice a month paychecks. We have an Aldi’s nearby so I’m able to get the bulk of our groceries, some organic, at an incredibly reasonable price. I also do a monthly Costco/Sams run, depending on our needs. I try to avoid the big chain grocery stores because they’re just too much! If I go into one of them it is because they have some good loss leaders to get me through the door. I stock up on those occasions. I dream about the day when all the kids are gone and I can just grab what we need a meal or two at a time. :o)

[Jamestown1630]

I was looking around for a 'Memorial Day dessert' to post, and found lots of the usual American flag cakes, trifles, &c; and then I hit on a sentiment, instead; and realized that this is what's important:

http://cakesbybecky.blogspot.com/2012/05/memorial-day-cake.html

This week's cooking thread has been one of the best - lots of new people and ideas. I appreciate everyone's interest and responses, and I hope that you all enjoy a very Peaceful, Thoughtful, and Happy Memorial Day and Weekend - and that you cook something Good!

I'll be back next week.

-JT, Very Proud Daughter of a WWII Marine, who served in the Pacific. Semper Fi!

[kalee]

I do my own thing with these too. My vegetarian version of Spilled Bean Soup is common at our house for supper during Lent.

[r_barton]

It’s really good on a cranberry chicken salad or apple chicken salad. It’s really close to Ken’s Steakhouse Apple Cider Vinaigrette Salad Dressing.

[Jamestown1630]

Thanks; I will definitely try it!

-JT

[kvanbrunt2]

old-fashioned sterotypes, if they can’t resist judging the past by today’s standards):

https://ia800204.us.archive.org/28/items/teenieweenieneig00dona/teenieweenieneig00dona.pdf

-JT>> great stuff temple here locally is digitizing all kinds of stuff. phone books before there were phones funny stuff. I think McElroys directory. i have located my house in the directory from abount 1860.