Monthly Cooking Thread - April 2021

[Liz]

A winning goat cheese recipe taken from a French cookbook.

Goat Cheese Potato Galette / makes 4-6" galettes

ING--DOUGH ½ cup raw pistachios 2½ c flour tsp k/salt tsp sugar cup (2 sticks) chilled unsalted butter in pieces

FILLING tbl olive oil, large leek, white and pale-green parts only, halved lengthwise, thinly sliced 4 oz fresh goat cheese, 5 tbl h/cream, 2 minced gar/cl, K/s/p 4 tb coarse-chp dill, 2 large Yukon Gold potatoes, thinly sliced large egg, beaten to blend, honey, Crushed pink peppercorns option.

DOUGH Proc/pulse pistachios, add flour, salt, and sugar; pulse to combine. Add butter and pulse to a coarse meal forms. With motor running, gradually stream in ½ cup ice water; process until dough comes together. Form into ball on work surface; form into a ball, then flatten into a disk. Saran/chill at least 30 min. Do Ahead: can be made day ahead. Keep chilled.

FILLING Heat Tbl oil on med-low. Cook/stir leek til softened (do not brown) 5 min. Hold on plate. Separately mix goat cheese, cream, garlic; add s/p.

Divide dough into 4 pieces. Roll out 1 piece on lightly floured surface to an 8" round; transfer to parchmented baking sheet.

FINAL w/ offset spatula, spread one-quarter of goat cheese mixture over dough, leaving a 1" border. Scatter Tb dill evenly over, then thin layer of potato slices. Drizzle with oil; salt. Scatter leeks over potatoes. Fold edges of dough over filling, tucking and overlapping slightly as needed. Repeat with rest ing to make 3 more galettes. Brush top of dough with egg. Bake crusts golden brown, potatoes are soft, 400 deg 30–40 min.

SERVE Drizzled with honey, dill sprigs, pink peppercorns options, add s/p.

[Liz]

From Driscoll’s website, these are keto-ish using fave bulk sweetener.

Raspberry Coconut Macaroons / Makes 24 macaroons

ING-- 170 grams raspberries 50 grams (1/4 cup) white sugar 140 grams egg whites (about 4 large egg whites) 198 grams (cup) white sugar 452 grams (4 cups) unsweetened shredded coconut. 1 teaspoon kosher salt, tsp vanilla, 170 grams fine-chp bittersweet chocolate, tsp coconut oil, 24 whole raspberries garnish

METHOD Mash 50 grams sugar, 170 grams raspberries. Set berry aside. Place unsweetened coconut in the food processor and pulse about 15-20 times. This will help the macaroons hold together better. W/stand mixer whisk, or handheld electric mixer, whisk egg whites and 1 cup of sugar until foamy, about 2 minutes. Add raspberry puree, coconut, salt and vanilla. Mix well. Scoop 2-Tablespoon sized macaroons onto parchmented baking sheets. Pack firmly into scoop. Press/pat sides and tops w/ fingertips to ensure that they stay together and won’t crack while baking. Bake 325 deg 15 min. Rotate trays; bake 15 min. Place baking sheets on a cooling rack and allow to cool completely. Once macaroons are completely cool, dip bottoms in melted chocolate. Drizzle tops w/ melted chocolate. Top with raspberries. Chill macaroons in fridge until chocolate is set.

While cookies cool, micro bittersweet chocolate and coconut oil 2 minutes at 50% power. Stir a minute. If not completely melted, heat 15 sec, at 50% power. Never micro chocolate at full power. It will scorch.

[bgill]

Hello Fresh, the ship to your door cook yourself prepackaged meals service, claims to have a 25% less carbon footprint than your regular cooking at home. Blue Plate is also claiming such.

Well, well, well. A quick search shows they’re buying carbon offset emissions credits. Yep, thought so. Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain.

[Jamestown1630]

I bought one of those things, once.

The food and recipe turned out pretty good; but the whole just wasn’t worth the money.

Maybe it would be worthwhile to people who are very wealthy and very busy - and don’t know how to cook without outside direction.

[Liz]

Face it, none of us needs ANOTHER recipe for Peanut Butter Chocolate Mousse Cake
even if it is an ethereal confection created by premier French patissier, Dominique Ansel.

Dominique Ansel's perfectly creamy crispy cake tastes like a giant peanut butter cup.
What blew me away was Ansel's use of pedestrian rice crispies......caramelized
and chocolate-dipped for the cake's crunch crust and garnish.

Chocolate Caramelized Puffed Rice:

ING 2 cups|70 grams puffed rice 2 tablespoons|35 grams light corn syrup 1 tablespoon + ¾ teaspoon|18 grams granulated sugar 2 ½ ounces|70 grams milk or dark chocolate

METHOD Micro corn syrup 30 sec, then pour the warm corn syrup over the puffed rice. Sprinkle w/ sugar, then spatula/mix to evenly coat (using your hands is easier). Shape the puffed rice, then transfer to cake ring, pressing into an even layer about ¼" thick. Bake 10-15 min, til golden-brown and caramelized. Let cool completely in the cake ring. Unmold, then carefully peel away the silicone mat or parchment.

COATING Microwave chocolate in 10 to 15 second intervals, stirring each, just until melted—don't let it get too hot. Line an 8-inch (20-centimeter) cake pan with parchment paper. Place the disc of puffed rice in a large bowl. With your hands, break it into smaller pieces. Pour the melted chocolate over the puffed rice and fold with a spatula until coated. Press the coated puffed rice into the prepared cake pan, saving about ⅓ cup for garnish. Refrigerate until firm, about 20 minutes.

[mschalock]

Liz, your 3 recipes look fabulous. I will try the macaroons first and the chocolate rice crispie cake topping after that. Thanks

[Liz]

Enjoy the deliciousness.

[Liz]

Watched too many Chopped episodes.....here's how to deliciously repurpose plain
ol' jello for a spring treat. Crumble tastes like Good Humor Strawberry Ice Cream Bars.

STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKE BARS

ING ● BOX FAVE VANILLA CAKE MIX ● 2 LGE EGGS ● 1/3 CUP VEG OIL ● 3 OZ PKG STRAWBERRY JELLO ● 3 OZ PKG VANILLA INSTANT PUDDING ● STICK UNSALTED BUTTER ● CUP FLOUR ● 8 OZ BAR CR/CHEESE ● CUP CONF ● TSP VANILLA ● 8 OZ TUB THAWED COOL WHIP

PREP: Foil 9×9 cake pan extending into handles--then spray.

STEP 1: elec/mixer cake mix, eggs, and vegetable oil until combined into thick batter.

STEP 2: Press evenly into pan w/ spatula. Bake 350 deg 20 min (edges lightly brown). Cool completely before frosting.

CRUMBLE TOPPING: STEP 1: combine strawberry jello powder, 4 Tb butter, and 1/2 cup flour. Fork/mix into a crumble. Separately combine vanilla pudding powder, 4 Tb butter, 1/2 cup flour. Fork/mix into a crumble. Spread strawberry and vanilla crumble onto parchmented cookie sheet or silpat. Bake 350F deg 10 min.

FROSTING STEP 1: elec/mixer cream cheese, conf, vanilla, and Cool Whip blending on high til light and fluffy.

STEP 2: Frost top of cooled bars and sprinkle a generous amount crumble on top. Cut into squares to serve.

Super easy to cut these bars into squares, with aluminum foil handles. Use a sharp knife to cut these bars into squares. Liftout to server.

CHEF NOTES---CRUMBLE BURNS EASILY----Keep an eye on it when baking---check/stir at 5 minutes to avoid burning.
After 10 min of baking, freezer whole pan 10 min to cool quickly, then SPRINKLE atop the frosted bars.

[bgill]

Those companies also claim to save more money than going to the grocery store. More lies.

I tried a couple of their recipes (which were pretty good) with grocery bought food and posted on FR the cost breakdown proving they are more expensive and the customer still has to have some pantry items like butter. But anyone with two brain cells already knew they lied and all that extra packaging and shipping isn’t environmentally friendly.

The reason I brought it up is their endless tv commercials and internet ads.

You’re right about some not being able to cook (Mr. b) on their own but a simple Betty Crocker cookbook should be enough or the bazillion online recipes or cooking shows. It’s sad many parents don’t bother teaching their kids basic life skills anymore. But these services will soon be the norm. Brick and mortar shopping is quickly becoming a thing of the past. No more squeezing the Charmin.

Oh my, Oxygen channel is airing a 3 hour documentary on serial killer, Dorothea Puente, who wrote that creepy cookbook I posted the other day.

[bgill]

“How Victorians Knowingly Poisoned Their Food” -
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bkQ0RFTHvIo

Interesting video of bread additives and why not to eat the laundry detergent.

She has several food related videos. Looks like this will be where I’ll be at this afternoon.

[lizma2]

Sounds like great entertainment to me!

My hobby is feeding the neighborhood chipmunks.

Few years ago I had a ninja talking chipmunk in my yard!

One morning let the pup out and she went after a chipmunk. The chipmunk started to run up the fence and did a flip over my dog and ran out of a hole in fence.

A few days later went to let the dog out and heard some rustling in the leaves. A chipmunk poked out it’s head and I swear it said “UGH” and duct back down into the leaves!

[Liz]

Summery tea treat has a tangy flavor from lemonade, apricot nectar and mint.

Apricot Lemonade Iced Tea

ING 4 cups water 7 tea bags cup sugar 12 oz can frozen lemonade concentrate,
partially thawed cup chilled apricot nectar 4 cups cold water Ice cubes Mint sprigs

METHOD BTB 4 c water; offheat, add tea bags; cover/steep 5 min. Discard tea bags.
Stir in sugar til dissolved; cool slightly. Transfer to a pitcher; cool completely.
Add lemonade concentrate and nectar to tea; stir in cold water.

Serve over ice with mint sprig.

[Liz]

These triple chocolate cupcakes keep well in a closed container 2 - 3 days. Stored?....LOL.

Decadent Triple Chocolate Cupcakes

ING For chocolate cupcakes: 3 medium eggs room temperature 6 tbsp yogurt or sour cream 3/4 cup + 1/2 tbsp 190 mL milk, room temperature 3 tsp lemon juice 3 1/3 cups 400 g plain gluten free flour blend (I've used a simple shop-bought blend containing only rice, potato and maize flour with no added xanthan gum) 3/8 cup 45 g cocoa powder 3/4 tsp xanthan gum 3 tsp baking powder 1 7/8 cups 375 g sugar1/2 tsp salt 3 sticks 339 g softened unsalted butter 5 1/3 oz 150 g dark chocolate, melted ING For chocolate buttercream frosting: 6 sticks 680 g softened unsalted butter 4 cups 480 g powdered/icing sugar 1 cup 120 g cocoa powder 1/4 - 1/2 tsp salt 10 1/2 oz 300 g dark chocolate, melted and cooled to room temp

Prep For chocolate cupcakes: Pre-heat the oven to 355 ºF (180 ºC) and line tins with cupcake liners.

BATTER In a small bowl, mix together the eggs, yogurt or sour cream, milk and lemon juice. Set aside. Sift together the gluten free flour blend, cocoa powder, xanthan gum and baking powder. Add in the sugar and salt, and mix well. Add the softened butter to the dry ingredients. Using a stand mixer with the paddle attachment or a hand mixer with the double beater attachment, whisk the butter into the dry ingredients until you get small, pea-sized pieces. Add the milk+egg mixture and whisk until you get a smooth cupcake batter. Add in the melted chocolate and whisk until evenly incorporated. Evenly distribute the cupcake batter among the cupcake cases – they should be each about 3/4 filled. Bake 355 ºF (180 ºC) for about 20 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean;cool.

For chocolate fudge sauce: store bought or homemade

For chocolate buttercream frosting: In a stand mixer using a paddle attachment, or using a hand mixer with the double beater attachments, beat the butter for 2 - 3 minutes, until pale and fluffy. Add the powdered sugar, and beat for a further 5 minutes. Add the cocoa powder and salt, and beat until evenly distributed in the buttercream. Add in the melted (and cooled) dark chocolate, and beat until you get a rich, fluffy chocolate frosting with an even chocolate brown colour.

Assembling cupcakes: Use apple corer or piping nozzle to create tunnel to fill with chocolate fudge sauce.
Pipe on chocolate buttercream frosting with Wilton 2D nozzle. Sprinkle with chocolate shavings.

[Liz]

Joe Biden’s brain is like a coddled egg.....half-poached, soft and runny, with very few practical uses.

[dfwgator]

[Liz]

Bob feared his wife Peg wasn’t hearing as well as she used to and he thought she might need a hearing aid. Not quite sure how to approach her, he called the family Doctor to discuss the problem. The Doctor told him there is a simple informal test the husband could perform to give the Doctor a better idea about her hearing loss. ‘Here’s what you do,’ said the Doctor, ‘stand about 40 feet away from her, and in a normal conversational speaking tone see if she hears you. If not, go to 30 feet, then 20 feet, and so on until you get a response.’

That evening, the wife is in the kitchen cooking dinner, and he was In the den. He says to himself, ‘I’m about 40 feet away, let’s see what happens.’ Then in a normal tone he asks, ‘Honey, what’s for dinner?’ No response. So the husband moves closer to the kitchen, about 30 feet from his wife and repeats, ‘Peg, what’s for dinner?’ Still no response.

Next he moves into the dining room where he is about 20 feet from his Wife and asks, ‘Honey, what’s for dinner?’
Again he gets no response. So, he walks up to the kitchen door, about 10 feet away. ‘Honey, what’s for dinner?’ Again there is no response. So he walks right up behind her. ‘Peg, what’s for dinner?’

‘For Gods sake, Bob, for the FIFTH time, CHICKEN!’