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]

How about butter?

This one looks good - haven’t tried it so can’t vouch for it.
(check out the comment section for tips/tricks)

German Chocolate Cake III
http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/German-Chocolate-Cake-III/Detail.aspx

(Darn - now I want cake:)

[Netizen]

I just checked some Stouffer lasagna recipes on the net - looks like they use different vegetables - can’t see why you can’t just add different veggies to that recipe - but hope you try it straight the first time!

I went and snagged that one, I had looked for it before but missed it. Our son doesn't care for tomato based things so I thought the white sauce would be good to try. Now the problem is the veggies, but I suppose I could just use chicken. He doesn't like many veggies, baby corn, water chestnuts, snap peas... got an asian version? lol (kidding)

Now, I was wondering do you think that sauce would work as a good substitute for alfredo?

[libertarian27]

Now, I was wondering do you think that sauce would work as a good substitute for alfredo?

That lasagna sauce isn't really a cheese based one (alfredo-y)- so I don't know...I bet the Chicken Tetrazzini sauce would be a decent substitute....ahh - brainstorm.....work the Chicken Tetrazzini recipe into a lasagna too! (I bet that would be wicked!))

[Netizen]

I think I looked at that one, which reminds me of another question. I usually use egg beaters for eggs, so when a recipe is calling for yolks, how might that affect the outcome if I use eggbeaters and would I just use 1/2 the amount?

[Netizen]

I did snag the Tetrazini recipe for future use, and just looked at it again, and that might work.

Someone had posted the better than Olive Garden one, but a lot of the time alfredo sauces have to be stirred constantly for a long time and I can’t stand at the stove that long, that’s why I was looking for alternatives.

I was planning to cook up pork loins today too, must be that kind of day/week! lol

[Netizen]

Here's one we tried last week and really liked.

Beefy Spanish Rice
1 cup uncooked brown rice 1 pound ground beef 1 medium onion, chopped 1 (28 ounce) can stewed tomatoes 1 teaspoon celery powder	1 teaspoon salt (optional) 1 teaspoon honey 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder 1/2 teaspoon pepper 1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
Cook rice according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a skillet, cook beef and onion over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. Stir in tomatoes, seasonings and rice. Transfer to a greased 2-qt. baking dish. Cover and bake at 350°: for 50-55 minutes. Sprinkle with cheese. Bake, uncovered, 5-10 minutes longer or until cheese is melted.

I used 1 15 oz can of stewed tomatoes with chilies and spices and a can of rotel. I didn't realize when I started that I needed a bigger can of tomatoes so had to ad lib, worked fine. the only thing I would do different next time is instead of putting the cheese on top and returning to the oven, I would just remove from the oven add stir in the cheese, replace cover and let sit a few minutes to allow the cheese to melt.

[Flamenco Lady]

I can’t stand very long either, but I have used a recipe that is very similar to the “Better than Olive Garden recipe” and have been able to manage it just fine. Cream based sauces seem to thicken faster for me than milk based ones so I like to use them. When I am making something that requires me to stir for a long time, I either enlist another family member to help stir for a while, or I use a bar stool height chair to sit on, so I can stir it myself without having to stand too long.

[Netizen]

That’s true about the cream based sauces. I’ll have to give it a try. I want to try one of these so bad, but am lacking one ingredient or another! lol No ricotta :( 3 cups of parmesan, that’s a lot! Sigh, guess I’ll get after that pork loin. :) Trying a new recipe.

[al baby]

Thank you that is the one i wish to try to mimic I know that was alot of work i will print it out and give it a try again thank you

[al baby]

Thank you

[al baby]

I thank you too

[FrdmLvr]

This one has been around a long time, but it’s still one of my favorites. Serve this warm with vanilla ice cream.

CHERRY PINEAPPLE DUMP CAKE

1 can (16 oz.) crushed pineapple
1 can (20 oz.) cherry pie filling
1 pkg. yellow cake mix
1/2 to 2/3 c. chopped nuts
1/2 c. butter

Grease a 9 x 13 inch pan. Dump in the pineapple and juice, spreading evenly. Pour cherry pie filling over the pineapple, spreading evenly. Add dry cake mix evenly over the fruit. Add nuts, then slice butter and lay all over the top. Do not mix. Bake in a 350 degree oven 1 hour.

[Ellendra]

Question for the cooking thread:

For years, my family has always made roast beef the exact same way. Put it in a slow cooker, add shredded carrots and seasonings, cook all day, it’s nice and tender at the end of the day.

Except, the last 3 or 4 times, it has come out so stringy it was like chewing paracord! We’ve tried it with a couple different cuts of beef, and they look really good sitting in the store, but they keep getting stringier. The last one was so nasty I lose my appetite even thinking about it.

What could be causing this?

[Ellendra]

Butter can be used in place of shortening for almost any recipe, except for certain candies.

[Brad’s Gramma]

OK. I can help. I am, afterall, a Gramma.

First off, you find yerself a nice fat Mongolian................

[Brad’s Gramma]

i will print it out and give it a try again thank you

Jumps up & down! Jumps up & down!

I'LL be your Royal Taste Tester!!!!

:) :)

I'm not kidding, Big Al!!!

[libertarian27]

Cattle are running leaner these days - and if you are buying from a source/store that doesn’t label their meats you are most likely buying ‘select’ meats - which doesn’t mean they are bad but the fat content will be a lot less, which will make any select cut stringier/less tender.

Even a choice cut of beef will not be a choice cut from 10 years ago - everything, including the economy, is getting leaner....it all has to do with the fat content - there’s no fat- most everything is running lean and mean.(stringy and tough)

Ask before you buy.

[libertarian27]

Just tried this recipe for french toast and it was really good. Husband wanted french toast this morning so off I went to the web for something different.
A keeper!

Fluffy French Toast - 12 slices
(allrecipe)

1/4 cup all purpose flour
1 cup milk
pinch of salt
3 eggs
1/2t cinnamon
1t Vanilla
1T white sugar
12 slices bread.

Flour in bowl, add milk gradually to incorporate - add rest of the ingredients - Stir well

Fry on skillet

(The flour was a great addition. We had some leftover mixture and cooked it up sans-bread and it tasted like a delicate crepe)

[Fast Moving Angel]

Someone sent me a link to a video of Justin Wilson (that crazy Cajun ☺) cooking chicken. It looked so good I copied down everything he did and this is the result. I made this last night and it was some of the best chicken I've ever had, gar-on-teed! I don't have the link to the video any longer, unfortunately, but here's his recipe.

Chicken ala Justin Wilson

2 chickens (or 4-5 lb. chicken parts)
Salt, pepper, red pepper (or Cajun seasoning)
4 cups chopped onion (2 large yellow onions)
1 cup chopped green onion (2 bunches, washed and trimmed)
1 cup chopped celery
2 cups chopped parsley (I used one bunch and removed the stems)
1 cup pimiento (or 1 red pepper, cut into strips)
3-4 cups sauterne wine
8 dashes Durkee/Frank’s hot sauce
2 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce

Heat oven to 365 degrees. Place chicken in large roasting pan and sprinkle chicken with salt, pepper and red pepper.

In bowl, mix together wine, hot sauce and Worcestershire sauce. Pour wine mixture over chicken. Salt vegetables and spread over chicken.

Bake uncovered at 365 degrees for 1-1/2 to 2 hours or until tender.

A note on sauterne wine: When I went to the liquor store for sauterne wine, I was told that true sauterne wine is quite expensive - $30+ for a half bottle. The wine manager pointed me to a delicious substitute, something called "Angelica", which is a sweet fortified (brandy added) white wine. Instead of $30+ for just a couple of cups, it was around $15 for a large jug. I would imagine that you could also use a Riesling if Angelica isn't available.

I also plan to try this same recipe with shrimp instead of the chicken, thicken the remaining sauce and serve over angel hair pasta.

[Netizen]

Yeah, I use butter a lot to replace shortening. Sometimes I use apple butter depending on the cake.