Monthly Cooking Thread - October 2018

[leaning conservative]

What a great thread with one of greatest things ever invented! Cheese glorious cheese! I have never had raclette(sp?), but I have eaten fondue with a spoon ; )

[leaning conservative]

I could SO devour those right now!

[MomwithHope]

I have never made a cheese cracker before, wonder what kind of cheese works best.

[leaning conservative]

That looks soooo good!

[Liz]

I'm not sure what you meant by "cheese crackers." But I have this prize Junior League cheese recipe....couldn't be easier.
Fab with cocktails, soups, salads. Or on a BLT if you run out of bacon. NOTE: works only w/ Jack cheese cut 1/4" thick....
will spread out paper-thin when baked. Good when carbing.

MONTEREY JACK WAFERS / Makes 36-48 wafers

METHOD Cut lb Jack Cheese into 1/4" slices, then in circles 1-1/2" in diameter.

Bake on non-stick sheetpan, 3" apart (will spread) 10 min 400 deg.

Do not overbake. Remove immediately; cool. Store airtight.

[MomwithHope]

That’s it! And I have some Monterey jack in the fridge. Thanks!

[Liz]

Potatoes, cheese, gar/butter, onions; baked crisp on top, tender underneath. The best Pommes Anna ever.
Takes time but well worth it; butter/cheese decadent. Impressive made in white quiche plate with fluted edges.

POMMES ANNA

PREP Soak 4-5 Idahos sliced 1/8" thick, ice water 30 min. Drain; p/towel dry. Combine 1/4 c melted butter/2 crushed gar/cl.

ASSEMBLY Layer in deep 10" greased plate 1/3 potatoes slightly overlapping---circling outside-to-center.
Layer 1/3 of 2 onions in rings, then 1/3 gar/butter, s/p, paprika, 3/4 c Parm. Repeat twice, end w/ cheese.
Bake, covered 400 deg an hour. If not brown on top, broiler 4-5 min.

SERVE in wedges.

[Liz]

BTW....you know its sensational b/c it’s a Jr League recipe.

[MomwithHope]

agreed!

[Liz]

Elegant Mocha Torte completely made in blender. What could be easier? From BHG.com.

PREP Wax paper-line bottoms 2-8x1-1/2" round cake pans; grease/flour-dust pans.

PREP Combine 2 c toasted nuts, 2 tbl flour, 2 1/2 tea b/powder.

BATTER Blender/combine 4 eggs, 3/4 cups sugar; then cover/blend smooth. Add prepared nut mixture. Cover/blend smooth.
Spread evenly in pans. Bake 350 deg 20-25 min (spring back when lightly touched---centers may dip slightly).
Cool on wire racks 10 min. Liftout layers to cool on racks.

FINAL Spread cooled layers w/ Mocha Frosting; stack layers; frost top and sides. Apply chopped nuts to sides.
Loosely cover; chill frosted cake 2-24 hours.

SERVE topped w/ chocolate curls garnish.

FROSTING In chilled small bowl dissolve tsp instant coffee crystals in cup h/cream; add 1/3 cup sugar, 1/4 cup
cocoa powder, 1/2 tsp vanilla. Elec/mixer on medium just til stiff peaks form (tips stand straight).

[boatbums]

One of the biggest things I miss now that we are in a high-rise condo in Florida from our house and half-acre property near Charlotte, NC is the birds. In the nine years we lived there, we had entire families of bluebirds, cardinals, tufted titmice, black and brown headed nuthatches, bluejays, goldfinches, wrens, sparrows, four or five kinds of woodpeckers, mockingbirds and the seasonal cedar waxwings and hummingbirds. I loved them all! They cost a fortune to feed but they were worth it. I even loved the squirrels!

[boatbums]

Was able to use a discount to purchase some Wagyu streaks. Greatest steaks ever, but I think the taste was actually too rich for me.

I was watching a cooking show on Netflix recently and they were talking about Wagyu steaks (I think it was Hairy Bikers Asian Adventures). Interestingly, "wagyu" is the Japanese word for "cow". I know it's supposed to be Kobe that are the prime beef steaks that are super expensive, but they are also produced in America. I agree with you about the richness. The fat marbling is high which equates to flavor and richness. I balk at spending hundreds of dollars a pound, though I wouldn't refuse if someone treated! ;o)

[Liz]

$150 Wagyu steak sandwich....looks mighty good.

[leaning conservative]

I could eat French onion soup once a day ; )

[boatbums]

I think the hummingbirds were my favorites! One year we had so many come to the feeder I bought two more (eight ports each) and had to refill them three times a day! I probably went through 20 pounds of sugar that month. They were worth it!

[Chipper]

I think my discount was 25% off, so they ended up at $75/lb (special occasion). Sous vide at 135 for 2 hours, then finished them on charcoal grill. Melted like butter, but paid for it later that night and into the morning. Still have two discounts of $125 off to use at NY Prime Beef online, probably pick up some dry-aged Porterhouses and dry-aged Cowboy ribeyes with them,

[boatbums]

The funny part about the Hairy Bikers show was they were in Japan and visited a farm that produced the special Kobe beef. It was indeed beautifully and extremely marbled and then the idiots used it to make sukiyaki for the owner! I think they said it was 2000 euros per kilo.

[afraidfortherepublic]

Oh no! I’m sorry to learn that we’ve lost Swampsniper. I used to love his posts.

[Liz]

Not your ordinary cheese omelet.

The Breakfast Sandwich
Layer on a large oven-fresh buttery croissant, thick oven-roasted tomato slices, cooked
maple-black pepper bacon slices, sharp Cheddar cheese omelette, dab of Chipotle Aioli.

SERVE w/ a side of redskin home fries tossed w/ herbs.
(could use leftover steamed redskins from the night before)

Chipotle Aioli
Steep 10 min 2 tea ea water, ancho chili powder. Then combine w/ 1 1/2 cups mayo, 1/4 cup fine-chp red onion/dill pickles,
2 Tb ea chp capers/fine-chp flat-leaf parsley/ fine-chp fresh tarragon/snipped fresh chives, lemon juice, 1/4-1/2 tea ea salt, cayenne.

[Liz]

Save this for your holiday cookie file.

French Glacé Cherry Shortbread Cookies

Ing 125g butter 50g caster (superfine) sugar 125g plain flour 50g ground rice 150g French glacé cherries, or use maraschinos

METHOD Cream butter, sugar; beat pale/fluffy. Stir in flour and ground rice to bind together.
Add Glacé Cherries or maraschinos; knead to dough consistency.
On lightly floured surface roll out 10mm thick; cut out rounds or use fancy cutters.

Place on greased baking sheetpan;fork/ prick tops. Bake golden 180°C 15 mins; just firm to touch. Cool on rack.

VARY As an exquisite variation, when cool, flood cookies with caramel and allow to set. Then dip in chocolate.