Monthly Cooking Thread - April 2020

[Jamestown1630]

When we were in the local Lidl last week, the meat counters were practically wiped out – especially the chicken. But if you’ve got chick, this from Food Wishes looks like a great, fast-to-put-together recipe:

Chicken a la Crema:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m457svJVDQw

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

As I’m sure many have been, over the past weeks of teleworking I’ve experienced periods of furious (and frustrating) work; and many slow hours where nothing was happening or could be done.

The oddball things that one becomes interested in, while sitting at home with hours to fill, are fascinating. I happened to find some posts to YouTube about ‘Kennedy Steve’, an air traffic controller with a humorous and droll approach to his job. I was intrigued by the language used in that profession, and by what it really takes to DO a job like this. The subject has filled hours for me over the past weeks – and I’ve never even traveled on a plane, and probably never will.

Here’s a collection of his most humorous performances:

http://www.youtube.com/user/H89SA

And here is the Wiki on him:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kennedy_Steve

Collection of ‘funniest ATC conversations’:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K1hlp0DCE_8

There are people like this, doing essential jobs every day, whom we depend upon; and we usually never know their names or anything about what they do.

I hope that everyone remains healthy and safe, while we work through this difficult time.

(Sorry if the links aren't clickable - we're in the midst of changing out some of our components in order to work more efficiently at home; and some stuff isn't working yet.)

-JT

[Jamestown1630]

Un grand merci. (We’re actually having hamburgers tonight...)

[sockmonkey]

Double Tree Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients:

- ½ pound butter, softened (2 sticks)

- ¾ cup + 1 tablespoon granulated sugar

- ¾ cup packed light brown sugar

- 2 large eggs

- 1 ¼ teaspoons vanilla extract

- ¼ teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

- 2 ¼ cups flour

- ½ cup rolled oats

- 1 teaspoon baking soda

- 1 teaspoon salt

- Pinch cinnamon

- 2 ⅔ cups Nestle Tollhouse semi-sweet chocolate chips

- 1 ¾ cups chopped walnuts

- Cream butter, sugar and brown sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer on medium speed for about 2 minutes.

- Add eggs, vanilla and lemon juice, blending with mixer on low speed for 30 seconds, then medium speed for about 2 minutes, or until light and fluffy, scraping down bowl.

- With mixer on low speed, add flour, oats, baking soda, salt and cinnamon, blending for about 45 seconds. Don’t overmix.

- Remove bowl from mixer and stir in chocolate chips and walnuts.

- Portion dough with a scoop (about 3 tablespoons) onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper about 2 inches apart.

- Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Bake for 20 to 23 minutes, or until edges are golden brown and center is still soft.

- Remove from oven and cool on baking sheet for about 1 hour.

. -Cook’s note: You can freeze the unbaked cookies, and there’s no need to thaw. Preheat oven to 300 degrees F and place frozen cookies on parchment paper-lined baking sheet about 2 inches apart. Bake until edges are golden brown and center is still soft.

https://www.fox7austin.com/news/doubletree-hotel-shares-signature-chocolate-chip-cookie-recipe-for-the-first-time-ever

[Trillian]

I haven’t made it homemade in a long time. It makes the best cheesecake.

[Liz]

Dessert perfection.

[Liz]

Now’s a good time to boost our amino acids with beef to hopefully ward off the virus.

---

How to Have Barbecue (and Future Barbecue) Shipped to Your Door
Texas Monthly ^ | APR 13, 2020 | Daniel Vaughn
FR Posted on 4/14/2020, 5:26:02 PM by nickcarraway

A roundup of Texas joints and meat suppliers that can send you smoked meat as well as meat for you to smoke yourself.

If there’s ever been a time to get a whole smoked brisket delivered to your door, now is that time. Photograph by Daniel Vaughn

Securing a solid supply of barbecue can be a struggle these days. Your local barbecue joint or nearby favorite might be temporarily closed. Many of the Texas joints offering takeout will drop off your order curbside, but it’s understandable if you still feel uneasy about leaving home to get it. Or maybe you have the misfortune of not living in Texas and have a smoked brisket craving you can’t ignore. Below you can find links to the barbecue joints that ship nationwide from Texas. If you’d rather smoke it yourself, keep scrolling for a listing of meat suppliers that will deliver raw meat (a.k.a. future barbecue) to your door.

Barbecue shipped nationwide Because it’s always a good idea to keep a whole brisket or a rack of ribs in the freezer in these uncertain times.

407 BBQ in Argyle is building an online store. For now, use its website contact page to place an order.

Black’s BBQ in Lockhart, Austin, and New Braunfels ships their barbecue, but you can’t buy a whole brisket. Four pounds of fatty or lean brisket (including shipping* costs) will run you a total of $87.53.

SNIP-—long read

[mairdie]

https://www.texasmonthly.com/food/priya-krishna-quarantine-journal-entry-one/

Priya Krishna’s Quarantine Journal: Entry One

FTA:
Before all this, I was constantly telling myself I needed to slow down without actually doing it. That weekend, I could finally appreciate why people derive relaxation out of taking the time to make dessert and share it with others. When I wasn’t pressuring myself to stick to any schedule, making a chocolate mousse felt meditative. It helped me understand that having time right now is a privilege. There’s no need to rush.

I don’t know when life will slow down like this again. But while I’m at my parents’ house, you’ll likely find me baking every weekend—something I never thought I would say. I really do think baking is kind of like bluebonnet season. You patiently wait for this fleeting pleasure, and when it comes, you realize that the waiting was well worth it.

[novemberslady]

Thanks for the thread
bkmk

[Liz]

Keto Diet Is Best Way to Combat the Flu
WDDTY ^ | December 5th 2019 | Bryan Hubbard
FR Posted on 4/23/2020, 4:17:04 PM by nickcarraway

Keto diet is best way to combat the flu image The flu season is upon us—and the ketogenic diet is the best way to tackle it. The high-fat, low-carbs diet helps the immune system combat the virus, new research has discovered.

The diet activates a sub-set of T cells in the lungs that trap the virus and stops it spreading. The discovery is something of a scientific first because the T cells, known as gamma delta, hadn’t been thought to be part of the immune system’s response to influenza.

Researchers from Yale University made the discovery when they fed two diets—the keto and a high-carb diet—to laboratory mice who were then infected with the influenza virus. Those on the keto diet had a higher survival rate because it triggered the release of the gamma delta cells, while the standard high-carb diet didn’t have the same protective effect.

The release of the T cells must have something to do with the way the body burns fat, said lead researcher Visha Dixit.

The keto diet includes meat, fish, poultry and non-starchy vegetables.

References:

(Source: Science Immunology, 2019; 4: eaav2026; doi: 10.1126/sciimmunol.aav2026)

[Jamestown1630]

I’ve also read where the diet seems to benefit cancer patients, and people with seasonal allergies.

[Liz]

SOME KETO BREAKFAST IDEAS

Three cheese keto frittata. 6 g.

Classic bacon and eggs. 1 g.

Keto frittata with fresh spinach. 4 g.

Keto BLT with cloud bread. 7 g.

Keto mushroom omelet. 5 g.

Keto Mexican scrambled eggs. 2 g.

Keto browned butter asparagus with creamy eggs. 6 g.

Boiled eggs with mayonnaise. 1 g.

[Liz]

Browned butter asparagus with creamy eggs (keto)

Ing 2 oz butter 4 eggs 3 oz parm 2 cup sour cream salt cayenne.
25 oz green asparagus, tb olive oil;2 tb lemon juice 3 oz. butter

METHOD Melt butter on med; add eggs. Stir til scrambled. Cook through, but do not overcook.
Spoon hot eggs into blender. Add cheese, sour cream; blend smooth and creamy. Add salt/cayenne.

ASPARAGUS Roast in olive oil in a large frying pan; s/p. Set aside.
Sauté butter golden brown; has nutty smell. Cool offheat, then add l/juice.
Put asparagus back into frypan; stir w/ butter to heat.

SERVE asparagus with browned butter and creamy eggs.

[Liz]

The keto recipe for Eggs w/ Browned Butter Asparagus reminds me of a fabulous dish.

On the menu at the famed Sardi's, NYC....perfect "after the show" meal.

Sardi's served the asparagus swimming in browned butter topped with two sunny-side up eggs, smothered in grated Parm.

Little did I now then, eating this luscious high-cal dish that it was keto.

[Jamestown1630]

I bought Gruyere on sale yesterday, because I want to make those popovers that they serve at the Trump Hotel.

I guess Keto will have to wait until I eat these up ;-)

(I think this is a smaller recipe than you posted - I don’t have a 12-cup popover pan):

https://www.williams-sonoma.com/recipe/blt-steak-gruyere-popovers.html

[Liz]

Happy baking.

[Jamestown1630]

I bought a cool thing recently. I got tired of my electric rice cookers dying on me after a year or two; and being sort of ‘prepper minded’, I wanted something that would cook rice very well without electricity, on the gas stove top or on a butane cooking gizmo.

This isn’t cheap, but it’s an excellent item to have in the kitchen - it will last generations, and has many different applications. It works sort of like a ‘bain-marie’:

https://www.amazon.com/Frabosk-Rice-Cooker-by/dp/B00069KUC8

So far, I’ve only done basic rice in it. Soon I’m going to figure out the packaged rice things like ‘Rice a Roni’, and steaming veggies.

[Liz]

That IS nice.

[Covenantor]

Soon I’m going to figure out the packaged rice things like ‘Rice a Roni’, and steaming veggies...

Part of my pantry stock includes the Knorr Rice Pilaf dry mix. Comes in packets, usually 10/$10 at Giant and other stores. Stores much better than Rice-a-Roni cardboard boxes. Very versatile base.

Prep is quick, instructions say to add mix to 2 cups of water, bring to boil then simmer for. 7 minutes in covered pot. Found that best results was to add mix to chicken stock and bring mix to boil, imo a creamier result, then adding a pat or two of butter. In a pinch, powdered chicken bullion can be used. Really tasty variant substitutes 1/4 cup of hal and half to 1 3/4 cups water, adding fresh grated Pecorino Romano cheese in the last minute or two, mixing it well...let sit for a few minutes before serving.

Quite by accident I discovered a new twist. I use a small non-stick sauce pot and a timer. Once my dog required some attention and my pilaf mix simmered for about 2-3 minutes longer. Thought I was going to find a burned mess. Instead the bottom had come up a golden brown toasted as if done up in an oven. Quick flip upside down and voila, nice presentation and added bonus of the toasted cheesy crust. And of course adding steamed veggies as desired...good for that bit of left over stuff at times. Knorr has other mixes, but most have too much salt for me or not to my taste. Broth is the key secret to transforming the mix.

my humble contribution.

[Liz]

Very nice....a must try.

[Liz]

DEALING WITH GLUTEN

Tempura is my fave Japanese dish——so I was just reading

Some expert Japanese chefs chill the flour they use to make tempura——b/c chilling inhibits the formation of gluten.

They dont want gluten in tempura b/c it adds chewiness......perfect tempura is crispy.

I wonder if that trick would help those on gluten-free diets? Or keto?

[Covenantor]

Tempura...first taste was in early 70s in mid-town Manhattan a few blocks from the office when they appeared along with a ramen bar.

I also had little success in coming up with the light crispy batter.

Quick research reveals where I went wrong, and as you said ice cold water and light stirring is essential.

Here’s one recipe:
1/2 cup plain flour
1/2 cup corn (?) or rice flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 egg yolk
2/3 cup ice cold water

(I never thought of using rice flour nor baking soda. Used whole egg)

Sift and mix dry ingredients
beat egg yolk slightly & mix with ice cold water

Stir in dry ingredients only until mixed, which will be lumpy
Cook small quantities only (guessing too much lowers oil temp. which leads to longer cook time and activates gluten...maybe)

Lucky me, have Korean Lotte store within short walking distance for various types of shrimp and flours.
;>)