Quarantine cooking thread

[americanwoman]

Kudos to Helix for the thread idea here:

this whole thing makes me want to learn to bake my own bread even more. after years in the lab, i've found that i'm a decent baker when i follow the protocol closely with a few trial and error edits. i figure that i can pull it off, and it would be a fun activity.

Great activity to learn or master together and benefit. Any other ideas or recipes to try out?

One thing I've been wanting to try and master - biscuits. Anyone got any good recipes or tricks to share?

 

[grip]

Spicey Beef vegetable soup/stew...

1 1/4 pound of chopped stew beef
2 chopped bratwursts or hotdogs
1 can of diced tomatoes
1 can of mixed vegetables
1 can of red beans
1 sm can of tomato sauce
1 sm can of mushrooms
1 tablespoon of granulated garlic
1 tablespoon of black pepper
1 teaspoon of salt
1 dash of curry


Brown stew beef
Add other ingredients
Simmer on low heat (bubbling) for 45-60 minutes
Add water as needed
Serves 4

 

[longview]

There was a few days where it looked like eggs would not be available, I looked up what could be substituted for egg in recipes.
It seems that Chi seeds ground up and mixed with water, are an OK egg substitute.
The ratio was 1T Chi seeds to 2 T water.
Thankfully we found some eggs.
It seems like I remember that some of the old cookbooks like pre 1960, had substitute lists in them,
I guess, our Grandparents found ways to get by with limited supplies during the depression and war shortages!

 

[eman623]

If there is a silver lining from the lockdown, with all the free time on our hands, my daughter and I are doing a lot more cooking at home together which is fun.

Yesterday we made homemade flautas (taquitos) from scratch.
1. Poach boneless chicken breasts in simmering (not boiling) water until they reach an internal 165 degree temperature.
2. Remove the chicken from the pan, dry and shred it with your fingers or forks.
3. Spice it up (we used cumin, chili powder, salt, paprika).
4. Roll the shredded chicken in corn tortillas (it may help to fry or microwave the tortillas for a few seconds to soften them up first). Stick a toothpick through each one to hold it together.
5. Deep fry em, or fry them up in a pan with a little oil like we did. Or you could bake them at 350 for about 10-15 min until the tortillas turn brown or a healthier option.
6. Serve with some guacamole and sour creme.

So good!

 

[swing_voter]

So buy a can of Walmart corned beef

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Great-Value-Corned-Beef-12-oz/45595282

Make a roux by pouring 3 tablespoons of oil in a pan, heat it up and add 1/4 cup of flour. Stir and cook until light brown. It should be runny, like chocolate syrup and not pasty.

Add a cup and half of water to the roux. Stir.

Add two table spoons of beef bullion to it.

Add the can of corned beef.

If you've done everything right, you'll have a thick, beefy gravy.

Spoon over bread or toast.

It's called chipped beef on toast or **** on a shingle by the more unruly crowd.

 

[Napoleon]

Tuna Casserole Quarantine

Ingredients

Casserole:

1 tablespoon unsalted butter
2 bunches of scallions, thinly sliced
3 minced jalapeño peppers (no seeds or membranes)
1 teaspoon Old Bay Seasoning
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 3/4 cups milk
1/4 cup sour cream
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
2/3rd package of wide egg noodles
3/4 cup sharp cheddar cheese
2 cans tuna packed in olive oil, drained

For the topping:

1 tablespoon minced or dry parsley leaves
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 cup sharp cheddar cheese
1 package of crushed saltines

Instructions

For the casserole:

1) Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter an 8-by-8-inch glass baking dish, and bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.

2) Heat the olive oil and 1 tablespoon of butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. When the oil is hot and the butter foams. Stir in the scallions and jalapeño and cook for 3 minutes.

3) Add Old Bay Seasoning and flour to the vegetable mixture, stirring until the flour is well incorporated. Cook for 1 minute, then slowly pour in the milk, stirring well to make sure no lumps of flour remain. Bring the mixture to a boil, reduce the heat to medium low, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the mixture thickens slightly, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat, taste, and adjust the seasoning with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Stir in sour cream and mustard, and set aside.

4) Once the water is boiling, add the egg noodles and cook until just tender. Drain.

5) Stir 3/4 cup cheddar and the egg noodles into the vegetable-and-milk mixture. Flake the tuna into the mixture and stir gently to combine. Pour into the prepared baking dish and set aside.

For the topping:

1) Combine the parsley, 2 tablespoons of butter, 1/4 cup of cheddar, and the saltine crumbs in a mixing bowl, using your hands to mix well until all the butter is incorporated. Sprinkle this mixture evenly over the casserole. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the crackers are golden brown and the casserole is bubbling.

 

[Moonglow]

So buy a can of Walmart corned beef

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Great-Value-Corned-Beef-12-oz/45595282

Make a roux by pouring 3 tablespoons of oil in a pan, heat it up and add 1/4 cup of flour. Stir and cook until light brown. It should be runny, like chocolate syrup and not pasty.

Add a cup and half of water to the roux. Stir.

Add two table spoons of beef bullion to it.

Add the can of corned beef.

If you've done everything right, you'll have a thick, beefy gravy.

Spoon over bread or toast.

It's called chipped beef on toast or **** on a shingle by the more unruly crowd.

It looks the same coming out later...

 

[Moonglow]

Since I had to stop working in 2012 and go on disability and lost the ability to walk much, stand much or do anything much but sit I have been going through isolation for eight years now. It has given me the ability to actually help my youngest child grow into an adult. All the others(3) I worked so much I hardly ever saw them just like today they hardly ever see me because they are busy being adults...
I grow my own food and preserve it as a hobby and have all my life.So recipes. Well, I make my own bread products because I just like the taste better and I cook with nothing but raw stocks because I can cook it in any variation I like and I like it spicy and seasoned well. I make a lot of goulash, roasted pork chops with bbq or other seasonings, chicken ala king is another fav and I use several different versions..
I don't bake as much as I used to but still occasionally make berry pies from the berries I pick and freeze in the summer, I prefer the pies to the cobbler versions..

 

[Drawdown]

Kudos to Helix for the thread idea here:



Great activity to learn or master together and benefit. Any other ideas or recipes to try out?

One thing I've been wanting to try and master - biscuits. Anyone got any good recipes or tricks to share?

The one on the side of the crisco can works like a charm

 

[Lovebug]

I've been canning spicy kinda minestrone. We don't care much for the store bought canned soups, so I dug out my canning equipment and made a bunch, some for now, some for later.

 

[VanceMack]

We have started a web based cooking classes for parents and kids...teaching meals that their kids can do on their own that are better than opening a can of soup or popping a burrito in the microwave.

Try tortilla pizzas.

Package of tortillas, some Prego or other spaghetti sauce (you can spice that up, add some basil, add some garlic, stir in a littel ketchup, add some sriracha...whatever you like to give it the pop you want), add pepperoni and cheese and bake it at 400 for 12-14 minutes. Thats your basic...but you can go crazy. Add any toppings you like. For a meatier version, put a layer of pepperoni and cheese down, then a tortilla and build the pizza.

You can do the same with a cream/white sauce and Krab sticks, cheese, corn, mushrooms.

Try the tortilla with just a little bit of olive oil, bake for 4-5 minutes til the tortilla firms up, then add arugula, thin sliced red onions, and a balsamic glaze for a great veggie variety.

Combinations are limitless.


(stock photos)

 

[VanceMack]

If you are working a budget, ramen goes a long way.

Drain all the water after cooking, throw in a pat of butter and cream cheese...stir...then add fresh veggies and chopped turkey, ham, beef (all deli cuts), or whatever you like.

Cook ramen, dont drain, add in garlic, frozen corn, carrots, peas, then meat, cook and top with bean sprouts, sliced raw onions, sliced mushrooms, sriracha.

 

[Lisa]

Kudos to Helix for the thread idea here:



Great activity to learn or master together and benefit. Any other ideas or recipes to try out?

One thing I've been wanting to try and master - biscuits. Anyone got any good recipes or tricks to share?

Biscuits are easy, especially if you have a food processor.

Reinhart's Flaky Buttermilk Biscuits - The Biscuit

Measure out all of the dry ingredients into a food processor bowl and pulse for a second to combine. Then add in the diced frozen butter and pulse for 3-4 seconds until they are broken up into a fine meal. Add in the buttermilk and process until it comes together in a rough ball. Roll out that ball on a floured work surface and then triple-fold each side until you get a smooth-sided rectangle. Cut with a biscuit cutter and bake on a cookie sheet at 450°. I brush the top with melted butter when I rotate the sheet 180å halfway through the baking cycle.

If you don't have buttermilk you can make a substitute with 2 TBLs of lemon juice or vinegar and the remainder of the cup with 2% or whole milk. It won't work with soy or almond milk substitutes.

 

[Glitch]

If you are looking for something tasty to munch on, give this Alaska/New Mexico fusion dish a try. It is a savory southwestern cheesecake, with Alaskan smoked salmon. I mean smoked salmon and cream cheese is already an established combination that works, right?

Ingredients:
8 ounces of cream cheese, softened;
8 ounces of smoked Alaska salmon;
3 eggs;
2 cups of sour cream;
3 fresh jalapeno peppers, small dice;
2 fresh poblano peppers, small dice;
1 yellow bell pepper, small dice;
1 small tomato, peeled, seeded, and diced.
4 ounces of black olives, sliced;
3 scallions (spring onion), sliced;
4 tablespoons of butter, melted; and
1 large bag of tortilla chips (no salt or low salt preferably).

• Crumble the tortilla chips so that the pieces are no bigger than 1/4 inch across. Mix the tortilla crumbs with the melted butter and form an even layer of crumbled tortilla chips at the bottom of a 9 inch springform pan. You do not want to see the bottom of the springform pan, but you do not want it more than ~1/4 inch thick either.
• Bake in a 350°F oven for 5 minutes, then set aside and let cool.
• In a large bowl whip together the cream cheese, half (1 cup) of the sour cream, and all the eggs until smooth and well blended.
• Flake apart the smoked salmon fillet and add to the cream cheese mixture. Add the cream cheese and salmon mixture to the cooled 9 inch springform pan. Spread the mixture evenly, removing any air pockets.
• Bake at 350°F for at least 40 minutes before checking to see if it is done. To test if it is done pierce the center of the cheese cake with a toothpick or knife. If it comes out cleanly, with no egg-white or cream cheese attached, then it is done. Depending on your oven, elevation, and other factors it could take anywhere from 40 to 60 minutes. After 40 minutes you should test it every 5 minutes until it is done.
• Remove the springform pan from the oven and place on a wire rack and allow to cool for at least 30 minutes before removing the springform pan.
• After the cheesecake has cooled to room temperature, remove the springform pan. You can refrigerate the cheesecake at this point and it will last for several days.
• No more than two hours before serving dice all the peppers (reserve the best looking jalapeno as a garnish), the tomato, and scallions to about 1/8 inch.
• Spread the remaining cup of sour cream across the top cooled cheesecake, as if it were an icing, and top with the fresh peppers, sliced scallions, and sliced black olives.

(stock photo)

Serve with toasted bagels and/or tortillas. It will serve around 10 to 12 people.

The leftover cheesecake will be fine for at least a week in the refrigerator, however, the fresh peppers will lose their freshness after several hours. So keep a few extra fresh peppers on hand if you anticipate left-overs.

NOTE: It you prefer a denser (e.g., New York City style) cheesecake instead of a lighter and more airy cheesecake, reduce the number of eggs by one.

 

[Jay59]

Posted elsewhere, but generally useful. My soup primer.

1. Choose a base: 2 cups tomato sauce, 6 cups water, 3 cups stock
2. Add a meat: 1# browned beef, 1 cup diced cooked poultry, 8 pieces of cooked bacon, 1 cup cooked game, etc.
3. Add 2-4 cups fresh or cooked vegetables: onions sautéed in olive oil, carrots, celery, corn, parsley, diced tomatoes, green beans, peas, parsnips, rutabagas.
4. Add a starch: 2 cups cooked rice or pasta, 1 cup dried peas or lentils plus 2 cups water, 1 cup barley or millet plus 1 cup water, 2 cups cooked beans, 2 cans beans with gravy, 2-3 cups potatoes, or 2 cups frozen fries (the cheap kind with no oil).
5. Add 1 to 1 1/2 Tbsps seasonings: dried basil, oregano, rosemary, thyme, sage. If fresh, use triple amounts.
6. If a cream soup is desired, 2 cups 1/2 and 1/2 or heavier cream or 1 cup powdered coffee creamer. Shredded cheese may also be added but not to a boiling mix or it will curdle.

Cook fresh vegetables--in water or stock til tender, saute in butter or olive oil til slightly browned, microwave until softened. Mix all ingredients in large pot or slow cooker and heat over low heat for 1-2 hours to blend flavors. Add beer, popcorn, croutons, shredded cheese just before serving if desired.

Since Velvita-like cheese is still easily available, one more. This is the original 1886 cheese soup.

2 Tbsp butter or 1 oz oil
1/2 cup each diced carrots, onion, celery
1 Tbsp cornstarch
2 Tbsp flour
2 cup (or a 15oz can) unsalted chicken broth
2 cup milk, room temperature
pinch baking soda
1/2 lb Velveeta-like cheese, cubed
S&P, cayenne pepper, parsley flakes

Saute carrots, celery, and onions until tender.
Stir in cornstarch and flour and cook until just bubbly.
Add chicken broth and milk gradually, whisking continually.
Add baking soda and Velveeta.
Cook while stirring until thickened.
Adjust seasoning to taste
Do not let boil.​

You can add up to 6 oz of beer instead of a like amount of milk. It's an easy recipe but requires constant attention.

 

[Jay59]

A guy that sells e-cookbooks posted a free one, stating he's bored. I'll take it. It has some of the basic spicy sauces--hoisin, adobo, etc.--and some recipes that use them.
https://mcusercontent.com/0608d1d36...8-a95d87875e3d/Sunday_Sauce_Project_eBook.pdf

Just the Adobo Sauce

4 guajillo peppers
4 ancho peppers
3 cups hot water or enough to cover the dried peppers + ½ cup
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 small onion chopped
4 cloves garlic chopped
2 tablespoons tomato paste (optional for a milder flavor)
½ teaspoon Mexican cinnamon, or use cinnamon
½ teaspoon cumin
½ teaspoon Mexican oregano, or use oregano
½ teaspoon sugar optional, to taste

1. Remove the stems from the guajillo and ancho peppers and remove the seeds. You may need to cut into the peppers for this, which is fine.
2. Heat a large pan to medium-high heat and dry toast the dried peppers a couple minutes per side. They will become more pliable and slightly puff up. This helps to release the oils for more flavor.
3. Place the dried pods in a large bowl and cover with hot water. Soak them for 15 minutes, or until they become very soft and rehydrate.
4. While the peppers are softening, heat olive oil in a medium pan and add the onion. Cook it down for 4-5 minutes to soften.
5. Add the garlic and cook another 30 seconds to 1 minute, until it becomes fragrant.
6. Add the tomato paste, cinnamon, cumin, oregano, sugar and salt. Cook for 1 minute, stirring.
7. Stir in 1/2 cup water. Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes.
8. Add the mixture to a food processor along with 1/4 to 1/2 cup of fresh water, or you can use the dark liquid from soaking the peppers. Process until smooth.
9. Adjust with salt and sugar to taste, and with a bit more water until you achieve your desired consistency. Strain if you’d like a thinner sauce, or use as-is.

Makes about 2 cups. Store in the refrigerator in an airtight container. It also freezes nicely.

Tips

• Soaking Water. You can use the nutrient rich soaking water from the peppers to thin out your adobo sauce if you’d like. Some people consider it to be slightly bitter, however, so use accordingly. If you feel it is too bitter, use fresh water to thin your sauce.
• Optional Spices. Feel free to add other spices to your personal tastes. Some ingredients you might consider include cloves, allspice, sugar or honey for a touch of sweetness and to adjust bitterness, brown sugar, other chili powders, dried basil, vinegar, lemon juice or lime juice.

 

[OldFatGuy]

One of my neighbors told me the lockdown has forced him to expand his cooking abilities. He now knows what almost all the buttons and dials on his toaster oven mean. And he has discovered instant coffee.

 

[OldFatGuy]

Kudos to Helix for the thread idea here:



Great activity to learn or master together and benefit. Any other ideas or recipes to try out?

One thing I've been wanting to try and master - biscuits. Anyone got any good recipes or tricks to share?

Basic Biscuits Recipe - Allrecipes.com
https://www.momontimeout.com/perfect-biscuits-every-time-recipe/
Easy Homemade Biscuits - Sugar Spun Run

 

[TheDoctorWasIn]

I made gumbo last night, and it came out amazing. So I'll post the recipe.

Start by browning a pound of chicken breasts (whole) and a pound of andoullie sausage (sliced) in a dutch oven with a tbsp of vegetable oil. Do this in batches as to not crowd the pan. Remove from pan, and drain on paper towels.

In the same pan, make a dark roux, with about a 1/2 cup butter and 1/2 cup flour. If you have bacon fat lying around, use that instead of butter - but not many people have a half-cup of bacon grease lying around. This will take up to an hour at low heat, on a range. Stir constantly, otherwise it'll burn and you'll have to start again.

Once your roux is the color of milk chocolate, add your holy trinity - a medium onion, 5 stalks of celery and a large green pepper, all diced.

Sautee for about ten minutes, then add 6 cloves of garlic, also diced, half a bunch of parsley, roughly chopped, 2 tbsp of Worcestershire sauce, 1 tbsp creole or cajun seasoning (I use Tony Chachere's), and 3 bay leaves. If you have it, a sprig of thyme will help as well.

Continue to sautee on low-medium heat for another 5 minutes. Return the sausage and chicken to the pan, add one 16-oz can of beer, and 4 cups of water or broth. I generally use water, and add a few bullion cubes.

Bring to a boil, cover, and simmer on low heat for 45 minutes. At the 45 minute mark, add a can of diced tomatoes. (If you want. Tomatoes are the pineapples on pizza of gumbo - some hate it, some love it). Simmer for another 45 minutes to an hour.

Just before serving, add 1-2lbs of peeled, deveined and tailless shrimp (let them cook for no more than 5 minutes).

File powder to taste, serve with rice or toasted bread.

 

[Lutherf]

Chicken Marsala

Brown Mushrooms, sliced
Prosciutto (optional)
Thinly sliced chicken breast (can also dice it up in good sized chunks. The key is everything the same thickness)
Butter
SPG
Marsala

In a skillet, melt the butter and start to saute the mushrooms and prosciutto. Once the mushrooms start to soften a little bit toss in the chicken, season with SPG, add enough marsala to that everything looks like it's in the kiddie pool. Add more butter, like half a stick or so. As soon as the chicken is cooked it's all done.

Serve on its own with a little salad and maybe a side of linguini with garlic and oil sauce.

One pan, very little cleanup, HUGE taste.

 

[VanceMack]

I made gumbo last night, and it came out amazing. So I'll post the recipe.

Start by browning a pound of chicken breasts (whole) and a pound of andoullie sausage (sliced) in a dutch oven with a tbsp of vegetable oil. Do this in batches as to not crowd the pan. Remove from pan, and drain on paper towels.

In the same pan, make a dark roux, with about a 1/2 cup butter and 1/2 cup flour. If you have bacon fat lying around, use that instead of butter - but not many people have a half-cup of bacon grease lying around. This will take up to an hour at low heat, on a range. Stir constantly, otherwise it'll burn and you'll have to start again.

Once your roux is the color of milk chocolate, add your holy trinity - a medium onion, 5 stalks of celery and a large green pepper, all diced.

Sautee for about ten minutes, then add 6 cloves of garlic, also diced, half a bunch of parsley, roughly chopped, 2 tbsp of Worcestershire sauce, 1 tbsp creole or cajun seasoning (I use Tony Chachere's), and 3 bay leaves. If you have it, a sprig of thyme will help as well.

Continue to sautee on low-medium heat for another 5 minutes. Return the sausage and chicken to the pan, add one 16-oz can of beer, and 4 cups of water or broth. I generally use water, and add a few bullion cubes.

Bring to a boil, cover, and simmer on low heat for 45 minutes. At the 45 minute mark, add a can of diced tomatoes. (If you want. Tomatoes are the pineapples on pizza of gumbo - some hate it, some love it). Simmer for another 45 minutes to an hour.

Just before serving, add 1-2lbs of peeled, deveined and tailless shrimp (let them cook for no more than 5 minutes).

File powder to taste, serve with rice or toasted bread.

Nothing like a good gumbo!

 

[Jay59]

@Lutherf This and chicken parma is why everyone should own a meat mallet. Toss the linguini in the gravy. Prosciutto is nice, but bacon will do in a pinch

@TheDoctorIsIn These days a lot of chefs are making dry roux, basically toasting flour. It cuts down on the fat and calories.

For novice bakers

Batter Biscuits (aka Drop Biscuits)

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 Tbsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cream of tartar
2 tsp sugar
1/2 cup melted butter
1 cup milk

In a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, sugar, cream of tartar and salt.
Stir in butter and milk just until moistened.
Drop (spoon out like cookie dough) batter on a lightly greased cookie sheet by the tablespoon.
Bake preheated 425° oven until golden, about 8 to 12 minutes.​

The first four ingredients are self rising flour. Add a bit more milk and this can be used batter tenderized round steak, ie chicken fried steak.

 

[TheDoctorWasIn]

@TheDoctorIsIn These days a lot of chefs are making dry roux, basically toasting flour. It cuts down on the fat and calories.

And the flavor.

I'll stick with a "wet" roux.

 

[VanceMack]

And the flavor.

I'll stick with a "wet" roux.

Amen...especially if it is well made....a heavenly base for the holy trinity.

 

[VanceMack]

One of the guys that works for me gave a demo today of baked mostaccioli. And now I must have pasta.