Post your Favorite Recipies

[Precise1]

not so much a recepie as it is a quick snack

 

take some mushrooms(smaller ones about a dozen, whole) and pu tthem in a 'bowl' made of aluminum foil. Drizzle oil (peanut/olive/vegtable, whatever your preferred poision is. I only had veggie so it did the job today) over the mushrooms, no need to drown just adding some flavor. Sprinkle some bacon bits over them and favorite seasoning (I am currently obsessed with Steak n Shakes self branded seasoning and yes I actually bought it). Fold edges of "bowl" over but not completly covered and cook on the top shelf of the grill on about medium flame setting (on a cheap Char-broil) for 8-10 minutes, basicly just browning the mushrooms. Dump in regular bowl and get your snack on while making your actual meal!

I'm a big fan of the aerosoled oil spray cans, canola is what I have on hand now, but regardless of the oil, you get much more even coverage and probably use less so it's ideal for this type of application. Also great for spraying on grills and grates prior to cooking.

 

 

I'm not normally a BBQ sauce guy, mainly due to diet and preference; most are too sweet... But, as I have plenty of smoked pork at the moment, I decided to try a recipe. It is still a little sweet to me but you can taste the vinegar a little as well as the hot pepper so I think it is a good start. The wife loves it and compared to KC Masterpiece Original BBQ Sauce (what I would normally use), it wins hands down! (KCMOBBQS is smokier but chemically aftertasting. Add a little liquid smoke if you like smokey flavor, I didn't need it as my meat was smoked)

 

1-2 tbsp butter melted in a pan then ADD

1 cup minced (fine) onions, sauteed of 5 minutes over medium heat then ADD

1 tbsp minced garlic (more, of course) sauteed 2 minutes over low heat then ADD Premix

Simmer for 5 minutes on low or until thickened to preference and serve with BBQ pork or beef.

Add lemon and/or horseradish for seafood?

 

Premix: In a 2+ quart mixing bowl

1 cup ketchup

1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

1/4 cup molasses

1/4 cup Bourbon (1/2 cup, who are we kidding?? It is per taste!)

2 tbsp brown sugar

2 tbsp dijon mustard

1 tsp garlic salt

1 tsp Worshestershireshawnestersheit sauce

1/4 tsp chili powder (flavor, not heat)

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (heat and flavor)

1/4 tsp fresh ground black pepper (really worth buying a pepper grinder)

1/4 tsp sea salt

 

1/2 tsp sage (optional)

1/4 tsp Wrights liquid smoke flavoring (optional)

 

This is a great starting point AFAIAC, so tweak it to how you like it and share or simply share your own!

I plan to try using tomato sauce instead of ketchup and tweaking it from there...

 

B

[Precise1]

With an abundance of tomatoes, out come the recipies...

Gazpacho anyone?

 

3/4lb tomatos (cored)
1/4lb cucumber (peeled)
1/2 red bell pepper
1/4 onion (red)
5oz tomato juice (little can of V8)
1/2 can Garbonzo Beans (15oz can)
1 tbsp GB juice
1/8 cup (2 tbsp) olive oil
1 tbsp red vine vinegar
1 tbsp fresh basil (1 tsp dried)
1 clove garlic
1 tsp worchestershire sauce
1 tsp lime juice
1/2 tsp celery salt
1 tsp garlic salt
12 turns (1/2 tsp) FGP
4 shakes tobasco sauce

 

Wash, chop up and chill the 6 main ingredients. Put all the ingredients in a 48oz blender until very fine and well mixed, chill for 1+ hours and serve.

Obviously, the better ingredients-the better the soup; I get the first 5 from my garden.

I am actually blending different vatieties of heirloom tomatoes to modify the taste.

 

While it comes down to personal taste (heat, onion, garlic, etc) try to stick to the recipe the first time. The balance of ingredients brings out a depth of flavor that is far more than what you would ever expect from blended tomatoes! Start there so you'll know how it changes in your own version.

 

B

[MallCrawler99]

Ok, this one is for Red since he said he like Asian food. One of my all time favorite from my favorite Thai cookbook.

 

Garlic Shrimp

 

3 tbsp vegetable oil (I used less)

1/2 lbs of shrimp, peeled and deveined

2 tbsp Cilantro Pesto (see below)

1 tbsp fish sauce (B said I might lose people here, )

A few fresh cilantro leaves

 

Heat a wok or medium skillet over med-high heat. Add the oil and swirl to coat the surface. When the oil is very hot but not smoking, add the shrimp and stir-fry until it coats the shrimp and begins to cook. Add the fish sauce and toss the shrimp to mix it in. When cooked to preference, transfer the shrimp and sauce to a serving platter. Sprinkle with the cilantro leaves and serve.

 

Cilantro Pesto

 

1 tsp whole white or black peppercorns

2 tbsp coarsely chopped fresh cilantro stems and/or leaves

2 tbsp coarsely chopped garlic (I use more per B's preference)

 

Using a mortar and pestle or a spice grinder, crush or grind the peppercorns to a fine powder. Combine the pepper, cilantro stems, and garlic and work the 3 ingredients into a fairly smooth paste in the mortar or a small blender or food processor (Magic Bullet blender is great for this). If you use a blender or food processor, you may need to add a little vegetable oil or water to ease the grinding (I add a little water).

 

Enjoy!

 

K

 

 

[linewar]

OK, I've been working on this since yesterday. I am now so HUNGRY

 

It's starting to get cold outside, so here is my recipe for chicken and andouille gumbo. Relax, I'm from south Louisiana, I know what I'm doing.

 

Ingredients:

 

Cooked Rice

 

Vegetable oil

 

1 whole chicken (with or without giblets)

 

2 to 3 lbs of andouille (cajun sausage). If andouille is not available locally, use spicy smoked pork sausage prepped in links

 

1 to 1.5 pounds tasso (optional, I would suggest mesquite or applewood smoked pork belly if tasso is not available in your area)

 

1 large bunch of celery

 

4 large onions

 

4 green bell peppers (as a side note, celery, onions, and peppers are the "trinity" of Cajun cooking)

 

12 to 20 petals of garlic

 

1 or 2 Jalapeños, seeded and choped (optional)

 

1 pound okra, finely sliced (optional as well if you don't like the texture)

 

3 tbsp Gumbo file. (pronounce fee-lay, ground sassafras leaves, may be available at your local grocer)

 

5-6 oz of condensed chicken stock. I recommend Knorr's

 

5 to 10 Bay leaves, depending on age/ strength. 5 if fresh, more if not

 

Tabasco sauce to taste (I put about 3 tbsp)

 

Fresh ground black pepper to taste

 

White pepper to taste

 

Celery salt to taste

 

Kosher salt to taste

 

Cayenne Pepper to taste

 

Dried crushed red pepper flakes to taste

 

Dash of smoked paprika

 

*note* spices are "to taste" because my idea of seasoning may not be your idea; if you already cook, you know what you like, just don't be afraid of the spice. A runny nose during consumption is the mark of a good gumbo. I go heavy with the pepper and light with salt due to the saltiness of the chicken stock.

 

Roux:

 

Either purchase pre-made roux such as Savoie's, or you can make it yourself with oil and flour. Honestly, I can't make a better roux than what is available pre-made locally, and since this is the thickening and flavor agent for gumbo, if you're not familiar try to find a jar of pre-made roux. I prefer a dark roux for chicken and andouille, and a lighter roux for seafood gumbo, but that's just me. If it's not available locally, here's a quick roux:

 

Between 1/3 and 1/2 cup vegetable oil or peanut oil. These work better than olive oil because they withstand higher heat. If you want, get crazy and use Crisco, or see my variations below.

 

All-Purpose flour. You will have to guesstimate the amount but I'll teach you how: the roux is meant to thicken the texture of the gumbo and provide its signature brown color. With that in mind, you know what you're aiming for, right? Not runny and oily, but not like biscuit dough. You want the texture to be like thick natural peanut butter but slightly darker. So go slow adding flour if you're not confident and you can't mess it up. Oh and here's the good news: It's cheap to mess up a roux, and expensive to mess up a gumbo. There's nothing wrong with throwing out bad roux. So in this recipe, the roux is added separate from the stock, so you won't risk messing up the whole pot.

 

In an iron skillet, begin heating the oil on medium heat. When the oil is hot to the touch but not yet able to boil off a drop of water, add roughly an equal amount of flour as what you put in oil. (1/3 to 1/2 cup) stir the flour into the oil, reduce the heat ever so slightly, and stir constantly. Once the flour is completely stirred in, it should be slightly runny - not yet thick enough -, but you want the heat to equalize as you add new flour so that's the part of this that's gradual. Gradually add flour until it reaches the desired consistency, then continue to cook it at that slightly-below-medium heat as it darkens. Remove from heat and set it aside for later when it is about the color of standard brown sugar. (not light nor dark brown sugar) I suggest spreading it out on a dinner plate to cool to cut down on it continuing to cook and possibly breaking.

 

*Variations: brown your sausage in the skillet first to get some of that flavor, or use some bacon, venison, or even rabbit fat. Also, you can add spice to the roux such as black pepper or cayenne, but I find this unnecessary since it's in the stock.

 

Stock:

In a LARGE stock pot – I’m talking 15 quarts or more here – put ½ cup of oil and begin heating on medium high heat. Chop the onions, celery, and peppers, and when the oil is hot, throw in the onions first and turn them to coat with the oil. Cook them down a bit, then add the celery and repeat. When the celery starts to wilt, add the peppers and turn them into the veggie mix. Throw in the garlic and spices at this point as well. Keep the heat high, but keep stirring the veggies as you’re not wanting to sautee them as much as reduce them. If you’re adding okra, keep it set aside for now.

 

When the veggies are good and tender, reduce the heat to just below medium and add cold filtered water. You’re about to boil a whole chicken in the pot, so keep that in mind. I can’t really say how much water, but at least 2 quarts. It will need to be enough to completely cover the chicken when it’s submerged. Add the chicken stock and bay leaves and stir them in good. Prep the chicken, rinse it off, and remove the giblets if you don’t like to eat them. When the stock comes to a boil, slide the chicken on in there. When the stock returns to a boil, set a timer for 45 minutes (add time if the chicken is larger than average) and occasionally move the chicken to keep it from burning on the bottom or broaching the top of the stock in the same place.

 

Take a frying pan or iron skillet and get some heat under it, it’s time to brown the sausage. Cut the links into circles about ¼ inch thick, and brown them puppies down in your skillet and set aside. Keep the fat, it’s delicious. If you were able to locate tasso, it doesn’t need to be browned, just cut it into spoon-size pieces. You’re in the home stretch now, just hang on. There’s only one more tough step – deboning the chicken.

 

When you’re chicken is finished boiling, pull it out of the stock and debone it. Hopefully, the long slow boil has given it the consistency of pulled chicken – kinda stringy. When you are finished deboning it, add the chicken meat back to the stock – now it’s time for roux.

 

The roux should be room-temperature at this point. So, increase the heat on the stock to a rolling boil. Once it’s really going, start slowly adding the roux and stirring it in. You’ve added enough when the gumbo starts to look like really muddy water – but don’t it smell delicious? You can add all the roux you want, it will just make the gumbo darker and thicker. First-timers beware, this is where the gumbo really gets it’s signature flavor, so don’t dump it in there. Add it a bit at a time until it looks like muddy river water, that’s the best bet. The point of having the stock at a rolling boil is for complete incorporation without breaking the roux. You know the roux broke because the flour will lump at the bottom and the oil will come to the top. But if you made the roux right, this won’t happen unless you’ve allowed the water to get cold.

 

When you have the roux completely added, reduce the heat to medium low, and add the browned sausage, tasso, okra, and the file and stir everything in together. It should have the thickness/ consistency of a runny stew. Reduce to low heat and let the gumbo simmer for at least an hour, stirring occasionally, to let the flavors marry.

 

Serve in bowls over rice with crackers or potato salad – I put my potato salad IN the bowl – and voila!! Laissez les bon temps roulet!!

 

[Precise1]

Nice!!

 

Now, can you make it readable...

 

B

[Kafike]

you guys are making me hungry and its helpie-selfie tonight. That means whatever we can find in the fridge or pantry. We have leftover meatballs so that might something.

[5523Pathfinder]

Ok, I know it's kind of cheating, but my wife made this salad tonight for dinner...

http://www.howsweeteats.com/2013/05/blt-chopped-salad-with-corn-feta-avocado/


And it was delicious(we deleted the tomato as it's not well liked by the kids)! She made a pan of cornbread to go with it. Very good!

 

 

BLT Chopped Salad with Corn, Feta + Avocado

Yield: serves 2

Total Time: 25 minutes

Ingredients:

2 cups butter lettuce, chopped
2 cups fresh arugula, chopped
1 pint grape tomatos, quartered
4 slices thick-cut bacon, fried and crumbled
1 cup sweet corn
1 avocado, chopped
4 ounces feta, crumbled

1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
1 lime, juiced
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Directions:

As a note, to chop my lettuce I like to lay it out on a big cutting board and just continuously run my knife through it (in all different directions) until it's chopped as much as I like.

In a large bowl, combine lettuce, arugula, tomatoes, corn and avocado. Add in salt, pepper, olive oil and lime juice then toss well to coat. Fold in bacon and feta then divide evenly amount 2 plates. Serve!

 

Just because all links are not created equally...

Edited November 16, 2013 by Precise1

[adamzan]

Ok, I know it's kind of cheating, but my wife made this salad tonight for dinner...

 

http://www.howsweeteats.com/2013/05/blt-chopped-salad-with-corn-feta-avocado/

 

 

And it was delicious(we deleted the tomato as it's not well liked by the kids)! She made a pan of cornbread to go with it. Very good!

Now that`s a salad.

[linewar]

Nice!!

 

Now, can you make it readable...

 

B

Huh? Too long?

 

I'm open to suggestions. I wrote this sorta stream-of-consciousness, since it's something I always just do, not explain. It was far more difficult than I thought. I promise, though, if you can pull it off, it's delicious. I just can't over-emphasize the importance of the roux.

[Precise1]

No Bud, I was just razzing you. Yes, it is a long read, but it is just fine as it is. It is hard to describe some cooking, especially the non "bake at 350 for 1 hour" recipies.

One tip though, when saying 'to taste' with salts, peppers and spices, state a low ball recommended starting point since you have an idea of the minimum quantity according to the volume of the recipe.

 

I've made roux before and it is a time consuming pain. Good to know commercially available varieties are acceptable. I know where the file is at the local store, hopefully the roux is near by.

I'm considering making it this weekend so what is your input on canned okra if fresh is not available? Yay or nay, how much?

 

B

[linewar]

No Bud, I was just razzing you. Yes, it is a long read, but it is just fine as it is. It is hard to describe some cooking, especially the non "bake at 350 for 1 hour" recipies.

One tip though, when saying 'to taste' with salts, peppers and spices, state a low ball recommended starting point since you have an idea of the minimum quantity according to the volume of the recipe.

 

I've made roux before and it is a time consuming pain. Good to know commercially available varieties are acceptable. I know where the file is at the local store, hopefully the roux is near by.

I'm considering making it this weekend so what is your input on canned okra if fresh is not available? Yay or nay, how much?

 

B

To taste, my minimums would be:

3 tbsp of Tabasco

4 tbsp fresh black pepper, 6 tbsp if not fresh

1.5 tbsp white pepper

1 tbsp celery salt

3 tbsp kosher salt

2.5 tbsp ground cayenne

2 tbsp crushed dried red pepper flakes

less than .5 tsp of smoked paprika

 

If you find Savoie's roux, that's the way to go. It looks like this:

 

If your store has file in the spice section, it likely will be in either the ethnic foods section, or in the area where you'd find batter mixes. If the file is in the ethnic section, then it should be there with it. For this amount of gumbo stock, the 16 oz jar should be sufficient, but if you want it dark and thick get more. DO NOT use the Tony Chachere's mix or another box mix, you can make it better. Oil and flour, it's not about the mix - it's about the procedure.

 

Just a tip, if you find a jar of acceptable roux, take the top off and microwave it about 30 seconds before trying to add it to the stock. Use a butter knife and mix it up good inside the jar, then add it bit-by-bit to the stock as described in the recipe.

 

Okra - fresh or nothing. If you can't get fresh okra, don't bother. It's really to add texture to the gumbo more than flavor. As it cooks, it releases that slimyness that thickens up the gumbo as it marries. That's why I said to add it in that last step, and also why I recommend fine-slicing it. Fine-slicing allows it to release all that texture into the marriage of it all. I've had gumbo where it's rough-chopped, and there's not much worse than eating a bowl of delicious gumbo and then biting into a half-pod of okra that releases that slime as you bite into it. Maybe the only thing worse would be eating shrimp gumbo where someone didn't clean and peel the shrimp in it. Yuck.

[Precise1]

Excellent, thank you! I'm going to make this today (I just checked the freezer and I have enough tasso ham left).

 

This recipe is in conjunction, I suppose, so here we go...

 

Tasso Ham

 

Tasso ham is a preparation of of pork shoulder and one of the easiest hams to cure. Prominent along the Louisiana bayou, the hot and savory spices were brought there by French Canadian settlers over 300 years ago. (No wonder they talk funny!)

Tasso is not eaten on its own, but rather appears as a component in other dishes, most commonly jambalaya and gumbo. (stolen from Charcuterie by Michael Ruhlman and Brian Polcyn, a great book to get if you are interested)

This describes the 'salt box' method of curing the ham.

 

Basic Dry Cure with granulated sugar.

1 lb (450 grams) kosher salt

1/2 lb (225 grams) sugar

2 oz (50 grams) pink salt (Prague Powder #1, DQ#1, any curing salt mix that is the standard 93.75% table salt and 6.25% sodium nitrite)

 

5lb boneless pork shoulder butt, sliced crosswise into 5 equal slabs.

1+ cup (aprox 200 grams) Basic Dry Cure

 

3 tbsp (30 grams) ground white pepper

1 tbsp (10 grams) cayenne pepper

3 tbsp (6 grams) dried marjoram

3 tbsp (24 grams) ground allspice

 

Using a non reactive container (glass or stainless tray) dredge the pork in the dry cure, pressing to make it adhere and coat all sides evenly. Refrigerate, covered for 4 hours.

Rinse the pork under cold water, brushing off any remaining dry cure and pat dry with paper towels.

Combine pepper and spices, mixing well, and dredge the pork so it is evenly coated.

Hot smoke the pork to the internal temperature of 150 degrees (65* C). The ham will keep for several weeks refrigerated or several months frozen, even longer if vacuum sealed and stored in a frost freezer.

 

I have made pork loins in exactly this manner, served them hot, and they turned out incredibly well!

You can use an ordinary BBQ as a smoker by setting a moderate amount of coals off to one side, the meat on the grill on the other and 1 cup of pre-soaked wood chips in a tin foil tray on top of the coals. Cover with the lid and resist peeking but make sure it is heating/smouldering. Check the meat with an instant read thermometer, do not guess!

 

Enjoy!

 

B

 

[MallCrawler99]

OK, I've been working on this since yesterday. I am now so HUNGRY

 

It's starting to get cold outside, so here is my recipe for chicken and andouille gumbo. Relax, I'm from south Louisiana, I know what I'm doing.

 

Ingredients:

 

Cooked Rice

 

Vegetable oil

 

1 whole chicken (with or without giblets)

 

2 to 3 lbs of andouille (cajun sausage). If andouille is not available locally, use spicy smoked pork sausage prepped in links

 

1 to 1.5 pounds tasso (optional, I would suggest mesquite or applewood smoked pork belly if tasso is not available in your area)

 

1 large bunch of celery

 

4 large onions

 

4 green bell peppers (as a side note, celery, onions, and peppers are the "trinity" of Cajun cooking)

 

12 to 20 petals of garlic

 

1 or 2 Jalapeños, seeded and choped (optional)

 

1 pound okra, finely sliced (optional as well if you don't like the texture)

 

3 tbsp Gumbo file. (pronounce fee-lay, ground sassafras leaves, may be available at your local grocer)

 

5-6 oz of condensed chicken stock. I recommend Knorr's

 

5 to 10 Bay leaves, depending on age/ strength. 5 if fresh, more if not

 

Tabasco sauce to taste (I put about 3 tbsp)

 

Fresh ground black pepper to taste

 

White pepper to taste

 

Celery salt to taste

 

Kosher salt to taste

 

Cayenne Pepper to taste

 

Dried crushed red pepper flakes to taste

 

Dash of smoked paprika

 

*note* spices are "to taste" because my idea of seasoning may not be your idea; if you already cook, you know what you like, just don't be afraid of the spice. A runny nose during consumption is the mark of a good gumbo. I go heavy with the pepper and light with salt due to the saltiness of the chicken stock.

 

Roux:

 

Either purchase pre-made roux such as Savoie's, or you can make it yourself with oil and flour. Honestly, I can't make a better roux than what is available pre-made locally, and since this is the thickening and flavor agent for gumbo, if you're not familiar try to find a jar of pre-made roux. I prefer a dark roux for chicken and andouille, and a lighter roux for seafood gumbo, but that's just me. If it's not available locally, here's a quick roux:

 

Between 1/3 and 1/2 cup vegetable oil or peanut oil. These work better than olive oil because they withstand higher heat. If you want, get crazy and use Crisco, or see my variations below.

 

All-Purpose flour. You will have to guesstimate the amount but I'll teach you how: the roux is meant to thicken the texture of the gumbo and provide its signature brown color. With that in mind, you know what you're aiming for, right? Not runny and oily, but not like biscuit dough. You want the texture to be like thick natural peanut butter but slightly darker. So go slow adding flour if you're not confident and you can't mess it up. Oh and here's the good news: It's cheap to mess up a roux, and expensive to mess up a gumbo. There's nothing wrong with throwing out bad roux. So in this recipe, the roux is added separate from the stock, so you won't risk messing up the whole pot.

 

In an iron skillet, begin heating the oil on medium heat. When the oil is hot to the touch but not yet able to boil off a drop of water, add roughly an equal amount of flour as what you put in oil. (1/3 to 1/2 cup) stir the flour into the oil, reduce the heat ever so slightly, and stir constantly. Once the flour is completely stirred in, it should be slightly runny - not yet thick enough -, but you want the heat to equalize as you add new flour so that's the part of this that's gradual. Gradually add flour until it reaches the desired consistency, then continue to cook it at that slightly-below-medium heat as it darkens. Remove from heat and set it aside for later when it is about the color of standard brown sugar. (not light nor dark brown sugar) I suggest spreading it out on a dinner plate to cool to cut down on it continuing to cook and possibly breaking.

 

*Variations: brown your sausage in the skillet first to get some of that flavor, or use some bacon, venison, or even rabbit fat. Also, you can add spice to the roux such as black pepper or cayenne, but I find this unnecessary since it's in the stock.

 

Stock:

 

In a LARGE stock pot – I’m talking 15 quarts or more here – put ½ cup of oil and begin heating on medium high heat. Chop the onions, celery, and peppers, and when the oil is hot, throw in the onions first and turn them to coat with the oil. Cook them down a bit, then add the celery and repeat. When the celery starts to wilt, add the peppers and turn them into the veggie mix. Throw in the garlic and spices at this point as well. Keep the heat high, but keep stirring the veggies as you’re not wanting to sautee them as much as reduce them. If you’re adding okra, keep it set aside for now.

 

When the veggies are good and tender, reduce the heat to just below medium and add cold filtered water. You’re about to boil a whole chicken in the pot, so keep that in mind. I can’t really say how much water, but at least 2 quarts. It will need to be enough to completely cover the chicken when it’s submerged. Add the chicken stock and bay leaves and stir them in good. Prep the chicken, rinse it off, and remove the giblets if you don’t like to eat them. When the stock comes to a boil, slide the chicken on in there. When the stock returns to a boil, set a timer for 45 minutes (add time if the chicken is larger than average) and occasionally move the chicken to keep it from burning on the bottom or broaching the top of the stock in the same place.

 

Take a frying pan or iron skillet and get some heat under it, it’s time to brown the sausage. Cut the links into circles about ¼ inch thick, and brown them puppies down in your skillet and set aside. Keep the fat, it’s delicious. If you were able to locate tasso, it doesn’t need to be browned, just cut it into spoon-size pieces. You’re in the home stretch now, just hang on. There’s only one more tough step – deboning the chicken.

 

When you’re chicken is finished boiling, pull it out of the stock and debone it. Hopefully, the long slow boil has given it the consistency of pulled chicken – kinda stringy. When you are finished deboning it, add the chicken meat back to the stock – now it’s time for roux.

 

The roux should be room-temperature at this point. So, increase the heat on the stock to a rolling boil. Once it’s really going, start slowly adding the roux and stirring it in. You’ve added enough when the gumbo starts to look like really muddy water – but don’t it smell delicious? You can add all the roux you want, it will just make the gumbo darker and thicker. First-timers beware, this is where the gumbo really gets it’s signature flavor, so don’t dump it in there. Add it a bit at a time until it looks like muddy river water, that’s the best bet. The point of having the stock at a rolling boil is for complete incorporation without breaking the roux. You know the roux broke because the flour will lump at the bottom and the oil will come to the top. But if you made the roux right, this won’t happen unless you’ve allowed the water to get cold.

 

When you have the roux completely added, reduce the heat to medium low, and add the browned sausage, tasso, okra, and the file and stir everything in together. It should have the thickness/ consistency of a runny stew. Reduce to low heat and let the gumbo simmer for at least an hour, stirring occasionally, to let the flavors marry.

 

Serve in bowls over rice with crackers or potato salad – I put my potato salad IN the bowl – and voila!! Laissez les bon temps roulet!!

 

B made the gumbo last weekend and it is freaken awesome! Thanks for the recipe, much appreciated.

 

 

K

[MallCrawler99]

Shrimp marinate to try:

 

1 tbsp jerk sauce

2 tbsp teriyaki sause

1 tbsp garlic juice

1/2 tsp fresh ground pepper

1 tsp garlic salt

1 tsp extra virgin olive oil

1 lbs of shrimp

 

Marinate 1/2 hour minimum, longer recommended and toss on the BBQ grill for delicious shrimp!

 

K

[linewar]

 

B made the gumbo last weekend and it is freaken awesome! Thanks for the recipe, much appreciated.

 

 

K

Awesome, K. Let me know if y'all can't find roux around there, and I'll send you some.

 

I think I'll be making a gumbo here in the near future. . . . *stomach growls*

[linewar]

The Holidays are here, which means. . . .

 

"Epic Green Bean Casserole"

 

Ingredients:

 

4 small (14.5 oz) cans of French Cut Green Beans (I recommend the no salt/ no sugar added kind, or use an equivalent amount of fresh cooked)

1 can of condensed Cream of Broccoli soup

1 can of condensed Cheddar Cheese soup

1 pound of bacon

1 large can of French Fried Onions (or substitute fresh fried onion rings, yum)

1/2 cup DARK brown sugar

1/2 cup Heavy Whipping Cream

 

Preheat the oven to 350, and you'll need a large Pyrex dish or biscuit tin and a saucepot.

 

Cook the bacon and set aside to drain and cool. Avoid eating the bacon at this point.

 

Place the soups and heavy whipping cream in a saucepot and start heating at medium-low

 

Drain the green beans and pour them in your Pyrex dish or biscuit tin. Add 3/4 of the can of French Fried Onions and hand-mix into the green beans and spread them evenly in the pan. Place in oven for 5 minutes.

 

After 5 minutes, remove and pour the soup/ cream mixture onto the beans. Mix well in the dish, spread evenly, then place back in oven for 10 more minutes.

 

Dice up the bacon. Try not to eat it all while you're doing this.

 

Put the bacon into a medium bowl and add the brown sugar. Hand-mix to evenly coat the bacon with brown sugar. Again, try to not eat it all while you are doing this, cooking more bacon is expensive and time-consuming.

 

After the beans finish their 10 minutes in the oven, pull them out and stir in the bacon. Place back into the oven for 30 minutes. Celebrate your willpower of not eating all the bacon.

 

When the 30 minutes is up, pull it out and spread the remaining onions on top, then cook 5 more minutes and you're done.

 

Enjoy the richest-tasting green bean casserole you've ever had.

 

*Substitutions*

If you don't like broccoli, use cream of mushroom soup. This recipe was originally created by a member of my old Jeep forum named "mcinfantry" and he doesn't like mushrooms.

 

If you're trying to eat whole foods, this won't be an easy recipe - but then you should be used to that. Pre-cook (steam) the green beans, and use whole food recipes to make a cream of broccoli or cream of mushroom soup. Keep in mind that the recipe calls for condensed soups, so the mixture is thick when it is added to the beans, not runny. It has the consistency of pudding. Also, rather than trying to make a Cheese soup, I would use a blend of a cup of sharp cheddar, a cup of mozzarella, and 1/4 cup of clarified butter mixed into my pre-made cream of (broccoli/ mushroom) soup and incorporate them well prior to mixing into the green beans. For onions, fine-chop a large yellow onion, dredge the pieces in a whole-wheat flour and fry in coconut or olive oil till crispy then drain them well.

Edited November 26, 2013 by linewar

[5523Pathfinder]

Stuffed mushrooms

 

 

Yeah, it's really easy. Basic, but delicious!

 

1 lb of hot sausage( I like jimmy dean, but your choice)

1 8 oz cream cheese

1 5oz container of shredded Parmesan cheese(founf in the specialty cheese section)

Mushrooms( button mushrooms- as my wife calls them), as many as you want. I fill a bag, several handfuls.

 

Clean mushrooms and remove stems..

 

Brown sausage on medium heat, drain fat if needed..

 

Once sausage is browned, add cream cheese and mix together with sausage..

 

Sprinkle Parmesan cheese over top. I usually cover the top, but not use a whole container..

(Yes, I used shaved Parmesan as we accidentally purchased the wrong container)

 

Reduce heat to low and Mix cheese in until gooey and what I would call stringy...

 

Remove from heat and set near mushrooms. Use spoon to scoop up sausage mix and fill gutted mushrooms...

 

Fill a cookie sheet lined with foil(to catch runoff).

 

Either cover and store, or bake at 375 for about 15 minutes or until mushrooms start to shrivel a little, or mixture is browned and bubbling.

 

Let cool 5 or so minutes, then enjoy!

Edited November 28, 2013 by 5523Pathfinder

[k9sar]

Just tried this one:

 

In a crockpot.... toss in a beef roast (round, rump, whatever)

sprinkle one packet of McCormick Au Jus mix around the bottom of the crockpot

sprinkle one packet ranch dressing mix on top of the roast

place a stick of butter on top of the roast

place 3 or so anaheim chili peppers on top of the roast (for flavor and heat)

place lid on crockpot and set on low for 7 hours or so.

 

when done, shread it with forks and serve over mashed potatos, noodles, bread, whatever.

 

 

[linewar]

Just tried this one:

 

In a crockpot.... toss in a beef roast (round, rump, whatever)

sprinkle one packet of McCormick Au Jus mix around the bottom of the crockpot

sprinkle one packet ranch dressing mix on top of the roast

place a stick of butter on top of the roast

place 3 or so anaheim chili peppers on top of the roast (for flavor and heat)

place lid on crockpot and set on low for 7 hours or so.

 

when done, shread it with forks and serve over mashed potatos, noodles, bread, whatever.

 

 

Does it need water or liquid of any kind? Ooooh, maybe beer. . . . .

[k9sar]

Does it need water or liquid of any kind? Ooooh, maybe beer. . . . .

no liquid added.... actualy gets quite a 'sauce' from the butter, beef fat and chili.

[linewar]

EPIC PULLED PORK:

 

Just made this recipe Sunday, and it turned out awesome. If you're into a sweet BBQ flavor, you'll need to plan on mixing in some BBQ sauce after it finishes cooking. I just put a little olive oil mayo on bread, some pickles and onions, and a bit of sriracha sauce. It was literally the best pulled pork I have had, and it's crock-pot so it's easy.

 

 

3 tbsp paprika

2 tbsp salt (I used Kosher salt)

2 tsp black pepper

1 tsp cayenne

1 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp thyme

1/2 cup honey

1/4 cup red wine vinegar

3 tbsp olive oil

1 onion peeled and cut in half

3 to 3.5 lb pork shoulder (my grocer only had Boston butt, so I used a pork loin and retained the fat layer rather than trimming it off)

 

1. Mix dry spices with fork.

2. Pour in honey, vinegar, olive oil and stir to form a runny paste.

3. Peel and halve the onion, place pork in two pieces on top of onion, then pour honey paste over top and sides of pork.

4. Cook on low for 7 or 8 hours.

 

When it's finished cooking, grab a couple of forks and it should shred easily. Eat up!

Edited December 13, 2013 by linewar

[Precise1]

That sounds great, especially the honey and vinegar parts...

 

B

[Precise1]

I made this last night and tastes great and is simple to make with ingredients I usually have on hand.

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/cream-of-fresh-asparagus-soup-ii/

• 1 pound fresh asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1 inch pieces

• 1/2 cup chopped onion

• 1 (14.5 ounce) can chicken broth

• 2 tablespoons butter

• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 1 pinch ground black pepper

• 1 cup milk

• 1/2 cup sour cream

• 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

Directions

1. In a large saucepan, combine asparagus, chopped onion, and 1/2 cup chicken broth. Cover, and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat, and simmer uncovered until asparagus is tender, about 12 minutes. Process the mixture in a blender to puree the vegetables. Set aside.
2. In the same saucepan, melt the butter over medium-low heat. Stir in the flour, salt, and pepper. Cook, stirring constantly for 2 minutes. Whisk in the remaining chicken broth, and increase the heat to medium. Cook, stirring constantly until the mixture boils. Stir in the asparagus puree and the milk.
3. Put the sour cream in a small bowl, and stir in a ladleful of the hot soup. Add the sour cream mixture and the lemon juice to the soup. Stir while heating the soup to serving temperature, but don't allow it to boil. Serve immediately.

I had some old asparagus that had been forgotten and wasn't really good enough to be steamed or stir fried. So...

The only thing I did differently was to saute the onions with a little butter, salt and pepper first, add some cauliflower since I didn't have 1lb after trimming, simmer with the lid on to retain liquid, and use an immersion blender instead. After eating it, it could be garnished with chives, green onions, mild cheese, croutons, etc. Not too creamy with a delicate flavor, probably work as a cold summerr soup as well.

 

Gute Mahlzeit!

 

B

 

 

 

[linewar]

Crock-Pot Carnitas:

 

2.5 to 3 lb pork shoulder

3 teaspoons dried oregano

2 teaspoons ground black pepper

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon cumin

1 large white onion

4 cloves fresh garlic

2 Avocados, sliced

Fresh cilantro, to taste

Tomatilla salsa

 

Cut the shoulder into 6 or 7 smaller chunks, and combine the spices to make a dry rub. Rub down the pork chunks and line the bottom of your crock pot. Peel and trim the garlic cloves, and cut the onion into 6 chunks. Place the onions and garlic whole on the top of the pork and cook on low for 8 hours. When finished, discard the onion and garlic, and shred the pork with a fork. Serve on (preferably masa corn) tortillas with fresh avocado, fresh chopped cilantro, and some tomatilla salsa.

 

The bomb-diggety. Just made this Sunday and it was GONE.

[Precise1]

Here is one for the gardeners, specifically those with a prolific squash or zucchini plant (they are all interchangable for this recipe).

 

 

Chilled Curried Zucchini Soup

-2 Tbs olive oil (butter optional)
-2 cups onion, chopped
-4 cloves garlic
-1-1/2 lbs of ripe zucchini, shredded or chopped
-1 large russet potato, peeled and shredded or chopped
-4 cups chicken broth
-1 tsp curry powder
-Salt, 1 tsp to start, finish to taste
-Freshly ground black pepper, 1/2 tsp to start, finish to taste
garnish with green onions and croutons (maybe sour cream?)

Saute onions and garlic with oil, salt and pepper until soft (5 minutes)
Add zucchini, potato, chicken broth and simmer until soft (15 minutes)
Add curry powder and blend (immersion blender or transfer to counter blender)
Taste and adjust salt, pepper and curry powder.
Chill and serve.

*Note, salt and spices will carry through stronger once chilled so start light

 

Enjoy!

 

B