Weekly Cooking (and related issues) Thread

[Jamestown1630]

A while back, Libertarian27 provided a link to a Blue Cheese dip recipe that she had previously posted. I tried it this week, and it really is good; I used it on seasoned Chicken Lettuce Wraps and it went perfectly. Here is her link:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/chat/2644498/posts?page=5#5

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I'm not sure I've posted this before, but it's a nice appetizer or side dish, and though not strictly 'low-carb friendly', you can cut down on the flour, or use a low-carb substitute:

Zucchini Pancake Appetizers

3 cups unpeeled, grated zucchini

½ tsp. salt

2 large eggs, beaten

3 T. all-purpose flour

1 Cup crumbled Feta cheese

Butter for Frying

Dips/Garnish: Yogurt, Sour Cream, etc.

Toss the grated zucchini with salt and let stand in colander for 1 hour at room temperature.

When ready to cook, squeeze excess moisture from zucchini, without wringing it dry.

Place in medium bowl; add the eggs, flour and feta, and mix well.

Melt about 1 T. butter in a heavy sauté pan or griddle, enough to coat bottom generously.

Fry zucchini mixture in small pancake-sized amounts over medium-low heat until dark golden on both sides, about 5 minutes altogether. Transfer to paper towels to drain and continue with another batch until done.

Arrange pancakes on serving platter and garnish as desired (can use fresh or dried oregano, lemon slices, slasa, yogurt, sour cream.)

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The following is from George Stella's 'Livin' Low Carb' cookbook. The recipe makes 4 servings, with only 2 grams of carbohydrate per serving.

Crab Stuffed Mushrooms

8 oz. cream cheese, softened to room temperature

8 oz. crab meat

1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated

1/8 tsp. minced garlic

1/4 tsp. black pepper

1/8 tsp. kosher salt

1 tsp. poultry seasoning

1 tbsp. parsley, chopped

Vegetable cooking spray

16 white button mushrooms

2 green onions, sliced into 1/8 inch rings

In a mixing bowl, combine the cream cheese, crab meat, Parmesan cheese, minced garlic, black pepper, salt, poultry seasoning and chopped parsley, and mix well.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and coat a baking sheet with vegetable cooking spray (I would use parchment or a Silpat mat for this.)

Remove the stems from the mushrooms and wipe the mushroom caps clean with a damp cloth.

Stuff the crab and cream cheese filling into the mushroom caps and transfer them to the baking sheet, stuffing side up.

Place the baking sheet in the oven and cook the mushrooms for about 20 minutes, or until mushrooms are tender.

Remove the baking sheet from the oven, and transfer the mushrooms to a platter. Sprinkle the green onions over the tops of the mushrooms, and serve immediately.

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I'm always looking for interesting YouTubers who are doing videos on cooking/gardening/household subjects, and I found a new one last weekend. Her name is Phyllis Stokes, and she and her husband live in South Carolina. This lady is somewhat older than I, but we are near enough in age to be 'of a generation' and a lot of what she talks about is familiar to me. I felt very close to her after watching just one video, and there's probably a reason for that: she appears to have grown up in or near Newport News, not a far jaunt from my father's birthplace in Gloucester County, VA. When I'm listening to Phyllis I can catch in her diction, and in the cadence of her speech, little vestiges of my grandmother's ancient Tidewater accent.

Phyllis does lots of videos on healthy smoothies, and LOTS of wonderful Southern comfort food (you will gain weight just watching her 'Full Meal' and 'Southern Dessert' videos :-)

Here she is talking about Food of the 1950's (I do have to disagree with her on one point: I've loved Creamed Chipped Beef on Toast since being introduced to it in the 1950s! Also, she has a video on the Nilla Wafer Banana Pudding that she mentions here, which I've strangely never made or eaten; but my crew at work would love it):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qsfAx98fHzY

-JT

[Jamestown1630]

The Philadelphia Original apparently has 1 gm carbohydrate per ounce. It is mostly fat; but that’s why it’s used in low-carb recipes.

-JT

[Patriot Babe]

Sweat? How do you sweat an Eggplant?

[Jamestown1630]

If you peel it, slice it, salt it, and then let it sit in a colander, it will release water; the same thing you do to cabbage when you make coleslaw.

-JT

[libertarian27]

Glad you tried and liked that Blue Cheese Dip recipe, I love it!

YouTube cooks I’ve been watching lately:
Food Wishes, Chef John -
https://www.youtube.com/user/foodwishes
Laura in the Kitchen -
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNbngWUqL2eqRw12yAwcICg
Jenny Can Cook, Jenny Jones -
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCn0NTkWyvU1eLfLAN8yMpGA
Noreen’s Kitchen -
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCt4JkHmgAq1EnQc1Cc5M4xw
Joy of Baking -
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFjd060Z3nTHv0UyO8M43mQ

[CottonBall]

Do we need to peel and deseed the tomatoes first?

[CottonBall]

I don’t like eggplant’s texture either. Just like I can’t eat mushrooms because they are like slimy erasers - but I love cooking them and love the aroma.

I like recipes that ‘hide’ the eggplant, like parmigiana that has them crispy fried, then layered with cheese and sauce. Or moussaka with lots of meat sauce and béchamel.

[ken5050]

Question..

I was baking yesterday...actually made one of the jam cakes..it's really good..

Anyway..I now have 6 egg yolks in my fridge. I'm going to make a bunch of chicken cutlets for a party tomorrow..and I'm wondering if I can use the yolks...maybe add a few whole eggs, in the egg wash..without affecting how the panko sticks..

Any thoughts? Thanks

Or anyone have a suggestion how to use the yolks..I'm NOT making mayo, or any sauce..

[Trillian]

You don’t have to.. we never did. It’s a personal preference I guess. I noticed a recipe with how to pictures when I was searching yesterday that did do that here:
http://www.pickyourown.org/tomatoes_sun_dried.htm

[Trillian]

I got excited when I saw this new zucchini recipe. I just LOVE zucchini and potatoes.

Baked Zucchini Potato Tots

Ingredients
2 medium russet potatoes
2 medium zucchini (you can also use squash)
¼ cup shredded cheddar cheese (optional)
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon chili powder or paprika (optional)
salt and pepper to taste
Olive oil for greasing and brushing

Then form into tots. There are a few methods to shaping the tots..

The first method is by hand; do this by placing about 1 tablespoon of the mixture shaping it into a cylinder shape.
The second method is by rolling some of the mixture into a long log and cutting into small pieces (imagine rolling sushi or even use a sushi rolled if you have one).
Another method is to place the mixture into mini muffin tins and bake it that way.
The last method is just simply scooping the tots with a cookie scoop straight on the baking sheet.

One thing to keep in mind is that regardless of the method you use to shape the tots, be sure to grease your pan VERY well or the tots will stick in the oven. If you have a parchment paper use it instead because it works much better, but also to lightly grease it as well just to be safe.

Another thing to keep in mind is that you must allow the tots to cook all the way through on the first side before you try flipping them because they firm up as they cook and release from the pan as well.

http://gimmedelicious.com/2015/10/01/baked-zucchini-potato-tots/

[JRandomFreeper]

If someone else will coordinate and manage a freeper cookbook, I'll provide a couple of recipes. A serious recipe and a humorous one.

Once upon a time I would have managed a cookbook by myself.

Should I get any better from the cancer, I may try it, but right now, green bananas seem speculative. I may not have that much time. ;)

/johnny

[miss marmelstein]

I’m so sorry to hear you’re not well, my friend. Prayers up.

[miss marmelstein]

I think that should work out fine. Throw in a few whole eggs and I think it’ll work out perfectly.

We need an entire cookbook for the yolks that are left over in baking. Grrrrr....

[miss marmelstein]

Basically, you cook eggplant to turn it into something else - just as you do with mushrooms. They’re bland and have odd texture but soak up the flavor of meat, vegetables, cheese and tomato sauce really well. In my opinion, of course.

[ken5050]

Whenever I have egg whites left over..I always make meringue cookies..

[Liz]

Your fave cookie dough transformed into fudge-filled bars.

Gooey Chocolate-Chip Sandwich Bars

PREP Butter 9x13" baker; parchment, leaving inch overhang on long sides.

FILLING melt/stir on low 2 c semi/choco/chips, 14 oz can
sweet/cond/milk. Offheat, stir in 2 tsp vanilla; cool to room temp.

ASSEMBLY Press 1/2 half cookie dough into baker; spread evenly w/ cooled chocolate.
Top with small dollops cookie dough; OK if chocolate not completely covered.
Lightly brown top 350 deg 20-25 min; cool completely.

SERVE cut into 32 bars.

[miss marmelstein]

It’s not the egg whites that are the problem - its the egg yolks.

[CottonBall]

“In my opinion, of course.”

Nope, you are right. With both, it’s the texture that gets me. i can even find the teeniest bit of mushroom annoying. With eggplant, I can overcook it until it is unrecognizable and then it’s ok. Seems a waste for a beautiful vegetable!

[Liz]

Christmas Lime Cake / Or make it for St Patrick's Day

Ingredients: 1 package white cake mix (regular size) 2 packages (3 ounces each) lime gelatin 1 cup boiling water 1/2 cup cold water

Topping: 1 cup cold milk 3.4 oz pkg instant vanilla pudding mix 8 oz tub frozen whipped topping, thawed

METHOD Prepare and bake cake mix according to package directions, using a greased 13-in. x 9-in. baking dish. Cool on a wire rack for 1 hour. In a small bowl, dissolve gelatin in boiling water; stir in cold water and set aside.

W/ wooden skewer, poke holes about 2 in. apart into cooled cake. Slowly pour gelatin over cake. Spread Topping over cake. Decorate with sprinkles, holiday garnishes, etc. Cover/refrigerate until serving.

TOPPING In a large bowl, whisk milk and pudding mix for 2 minutes (mixture will be thick). Fold in whipped topping.

[CottonBall]

that’s an awesome website- thanks. I did a trial run and they were fantastic! like tomato candy. I did what the first instruction said not to and used cherry tomatoes since I am overloaded with those. I harvest probably 2-4 cups a day from all volunteer plants. I cut them in half, squeezed out most of the seeds, and in 5 hours, they were dried and delicious!

[Califreak]

I planted sweet one hundreds a few years ago.

I can’t get rid of them. They keep coming back every year.

They usually have a great yield.