The Amazing Cooking Thread!

I've talked to a few people and found out that there are a lot of members who enjoy cooking as much as I do and find it just as passionate! So looking around I noticed that there aren't any cooking threads. And I was just so inspired by the awesome breakfast I just had!

I thought it could be a good idea for us cooking lovers to share recipes, maybe photos, tips or dishes that you've had in the past that were so good you just keep dreaming about them!

What do you think? Yay or Nay?

sadie_lust said:

I've talked to a few people and found out that there are a lot of members who enjoy cooking as much as I do and find it just as passionate! So looking around I noticed that there aren't any cooking threads. And I was just so inspired by the awesome breakfast I just had!

I thought it could be a good idea for us cooking lovers to share recipes, maybe photos, tips or dishes that you've had in the past that were so good you just keep dreaming about them!

What do you think? Yay or Nay?

Click to expand...

I say Yay!

sadie_lust said:

I've talked to a few people and found out that there are a lot of members who enjoy cooking as much as I do and find it just as passionate! So looking around I noticed that there aren't any cooking threads. And I was just so inspired by the awesome breakfast I just had!

I thought it could be a good idea for us cooking lovers to share recipes, maybe photos, tips or dishes that you've had in the past that were so good you just keep dreaming about them!

What do you think? Yay or Nay?

Click to expand...

Hell yeah, I'm down for it...I love cooking

Good for you Sadie!! I started one a while back in another room. I'll go and snag some from there and put them in yours.

85Ironman said:

I say Yay!

Click to expand...

Sensualdreamer said:

Hell yeah, I'm down for it...I love cooking

Click to expand...

lance gt said:

Good for you Sadie!! I started one a while back in another room. I'll go and snag some from there and put them in yours.

Click to expand...

Awesome! I'm happy people like this idea

I'll start by sharing my experience with the most delicious omelette I've had so far. So simple and yet so mouthwatering!

Since I'm still not allowed to eat bread or much anything to go with my eggs I decided to make a nice veggie omelette.

Here are my ingredients

2 eggs
1/2 cup diced tomato
1/2 cup diced onions
1/2 cup bell pepper (optional, I didn't use it but I figured it'd give it a nice flavor)
Grated cheese
1 slice of turkey ham in small pieces.

Prepare as you regularly make omelettes.

By the time I sat down to enjoy my breakfast my mouth was watering, it smelled delicious! It was so juicy that my mouth was watering with every bite! yum! For a healthier variation I'd remove the egg yolks and leave the whites only! such a yummy and healthy breakfast

Improved Fish Chowder


4 slices extra thick bacon, cut up
1 lb. baby potatoes, whole
½ large onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
2 cups stock
½ cup chopped baby carrots
¼ cup chopped cilantro
Juice of ½ fresh lime
½ tsp dried dill
1/8 tsp. anise seed
1cup whipping cream (or canned coconut milk!)
1 lb. white fish fillets, cubed

in a 3-quart saucepan or kettle, cook bacon until browned, stirring occasionally. Remove bacon from pan and sauté onion in bacon fat until soft. Sauté garlic 15 seconds and add stock, potatoes, carrots, cilantro, lime juice, dill and anise seed. Bring to boil and simmer 20 minutes. Blend in cream, add catfish cubes and simmer 3 minutes until the fish is cooked. Serve with hot French bread and green salad. Either beer or a Riesling would go good with this.
__________________

"Spotted Dick" recipe.
Not recommended for dieters!

Ingredients:

100g fresh breadcrumbs
175g currants
75g self-raising flour
75 ml milk
75g shredded suet
50g caster sugar
finely grated rind of one lemon

A. Half fill a large saucepan or preserving pan (at least 20cm diameter) with water and put on to boil.

B. Put all the ingredients except the milk in a large bowl and stir well until mixed.

C. Add milk. Blend in well. Bring the mixture to a soft tacky dough.

D. Put dough on a clean floured surface and knead smooth. Make into a roll about 15cm long.

E. Put roll on a clean pudding cloth, or greaseproof paper or foil. Fold the edges together at the top, twisting the ends. Tie ends with string and attach both ends to a lifting loop.

F. Lower the roll into the pan of boiling water and boil for 2 hours.

G. Lift the roll out of the water using the string loop. Place on a wire rack over a plate to drain.

H. Cut the string and roll the pudding on to a warm plate. Cut into slices to serve with custard.

Another good chicken method is just soak in buttermilk, dredge in the flour mixture, then dunk in the buttermilk again and then the flour again. Here's stuff I made this week:

FLOUR BATTER

2 cups flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Dash Old Bay Seasoning

(it says to add beer, but I don't notice a difference between beer and water, and so I use water, batter should be pancake consistency) Fry for about 3-6 minutes until golden brown in 350 degree oil. I always raise to 400 since the temp will drop right away anyway once you put in your first batch into the oil.

SWEET TEA FRIED CHICKEN

Brine:
1 lemon
1 quart very strong tea
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup kosher salt
8 chicken legs and 8 thighs

Crust:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup masa harina
1 tablespoons crab boil seasoning (recommended: Old Bay)
1-1/2 tsp chili powder
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 eggs
1/2 cup buttermilk
Vegetable oil, for frying

To make the brine: Zest, then quarter the lemon. Put the lemon zest and quarters in a saucepan. Add the tea, sugar, and salt. Simmer the mixture over medium-high heat until the salt and sugar dissolve. Add 1 quart of ice water and the chicken. Brine the chicken in the refrigerator for 48 hours. Drain the chicken and blot dry.
Combine 1 cups flour, the masa harina, crab boil seasoning, chili powder, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. In another bowl, beat the 4 eggs with the buttermilk. Put the remaining 1 cup of flour in a third bowl.
Prepare a breading station by lining up the bowl of flour, then the bowl containing the egg and buttermilk mixture, and finally the bowl of seasoned crust mixture. Roll the chicken in the flour, then the egg mixture, and then the crust then put the legs and thighs in a single layer on a plate or baking sheet. Set aside at room temperature for 30 minutes.

Fill a large deep pan with enough oil to completely submerge the chicken. Heat the oil over medium heat until it reaches 300 degrees F. Add the chicken and cook until it is golden and the juices run clear, 15 to 25 minutes. Drain the chicken on a rack then serve.

For cloudy, from my Southern roots:

BOURBON BALLS

1/2 cup finely chopped pecans
bourbon
1 stick butter, softened
1 lb confectioner's sugar
1/4 teaspoon vanilla
1 tablespoon light corn syrup
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
8 oz semi-sweet or unsweetened chocolate
1/2 oz paraffin wax
pecan halves

Cover the chopped pecans with bourbon. Cover and let sit 24 hours. Pour off the excess bourbon and liquify the pecans in a food processor. Add butter, sugar, vanilla, corn syrup and cream of tartar, When smooth, chill until firm. Melt chocolate and paraffin together in double boiler. Then form bourbon mixture into balls about 1 inch in diameter. (I use a melon baller to do this.) If mixture becomes too soft, place in freezer until it firms up again. Put the mixture into two containers and put them both in the freezer to chill. That way, when one gets a little too warm, you can put it back in the freezer and take out the other one and work with it. This keeps the process moving.) Drop the balls one at a time into the melted chocolate, and place them on waxed paper. Top each with a pecan half. Chill until chocolate sets -- about half an hour. Store in closed container in a cool place.

(note - this is a family recipe, I made it for the first time this week - the chilling isn't kidding, the first time I tried this, my filling was too warm and it melted like Gollum at Mt. Doom. Must be COLD. Of course, the chocolate was about to seize up so I couldn't dip any more, and I just spooned chocolate over the filling and squashed down with a pecan. Still damned yummy in a turtle-praline mutant way.)

CHOCOLATE MOUSSE

I had a batch of this up this week, and my Bourbon Ball filling almost didn't make it to the candy stage, because a little bowl of mousse and a little bowl of the bourbon pecan mix together is heaven.

Ingredients
• 6 oz milk chocolate chips
• 6 Tbsp unsalted butter
• ½ cup sugar
• 2 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
• 3 egg yolks
• 2 Tbsp rum or Kahlua
• 1 ½ cups heavy whipping cream

Directions

Melt chocolate. Cream the butter with half the sugar until pale. Beat in the cocoa. In another bowl, beat egg yolks with remaining sugar. Stir in rum. Whip cream until it holds its shape. Beat the chocolate into the creamed butter, stir in yolk mixture, then fold in whipped cream.

Hot Tomato Soup

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Soup3

Daughter’s Hot Tomato Soup

1. Chop and fry 1 or 2 red chillies and
2 or 3 red peppers.

2. Halve 1lb tomatoes. Blend until pulpy.

3. Add 1 pint (or half pint) chicken stock
to chillis and peppers. Then add tomatoes.

4. Season to taste. (If deseeded chillis, add
chilli powder to taste)

5. (Add 1 tbsp tomato puree or ketchup if not
already using tinned chopped tomatoes to make
up quantity.)

6. Simmer until you achieve desired thickness
(minimum of 15 minutes)

CARAMELS

• 1 cup heavy cream
• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces
• 1 teaspoon fleur de sel or regular salt
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1/4 cup light corn syrup
• 1/4 cup water

Preparation:

Line bottom and sides of an 8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper, then lightly oil parchment.
Bring cream, butter, and salt to a boil in a small saucepan, then remove from heat and set aside.
Boil sugar, corn syrup, and water in a 3- to 4-quart heavy saucepan, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Boil, without stirring but gently swirling pan, until mixture is a light golden caramel.
Carefully stir in cream mixture (mixture will bubble up) and simmer, stirring frequently, until caramel registers 248°F on thermometer, 10 to 15 minutes. Pour into baking pan and cool 2 hours. Cut into 1-inch pieces, then wrap each piece in a 4-inch square of wax paper, twisting 2 ends to close.

Fabulous thread... what about requests.. if we are looking for a recipe, may we post the request to see if anyone has it?

This is one of my most fav things to grill This brings a bit of sweet, but also packs some heat! So don't say I didn't warn you! The only thing I ask is if you do try it - make it as written I often see people who will try recipes out and make their own changes, then complain about how it tastes...so try it as written if you wish, and lemme know what you think If you need clarification, I'm only a PM away


Marinade:
1 Tbsp brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp ground chipotle chile pepper
1 tsp EACH garlic salt, dried oregano, paprika
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp ground cocoa
pinch of cinnamon
6 Tbsp vegetable oil
1- 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts (3-4)

Additional ingredients for the basting sauce:

1 1/2 tsp maple syrup
1 1/2 tsp honey


For the marinade:
Place the brown sugar, chipotle chile pepper, garlic salt, dried oregano, paprika, cumin, cocoa, and cinnamon into a gallon size ziploc bag. Add the oil and lightly knead the bag to mix the spices.

For the basting sauce:
Remove 2 Tbsp of the oil spice mix and place in a ramekin - add the honey and maple syrup to this mixture, and stir.

Take the chicken breasts, and place in the ziploc bag. Refrigerate and allow to marinate for 20 minutes (minimum) to overnight for more pronounced flavour.

Grill over a medium-high heat, basting w/ the honey maple spice mix.

Broccoli Soup with Roquefort

Ingredients
– Serves 4-6

600g frozen broccoli
80g Roquefort, crumbled into small pieces,
(or use any cheese you have handy)
2 Bay leaves
25g butter
One medium onion, peeled and chopped
Two sticks celery, chopped
One large leek, trimmed and chopped
110g potato, peeled and chopped into dice
One litre water
One vegetable stock cube
Three tablespoons crème fraiche
Salt and black pepper

Method
Take a large saucepan with a well-fitting lid,
melt the butter, then add the bay leaves, onion,
celery, leek and potato – cover and let the vegetables
gently sweat for 15 minutes.

Keep the heat very low, add the vegetable stock cube
to one litre of hot water, allow to dissolve, then add to
the pan and cook for 15 minutes. Add the broccoli and
cook until the broccoli is tender.

Remove the bay leaves, and then place the contents of
the saucepan in a food processor or liquidiser and process
until the soup is smooth and creamy.

Return it to the saucepan, stir in the crème fraiche and
cheese and keep stirring until the cheese has melted and
the soup is hot but not boiling. Check the seasoning, and
then serve.

Dang Lance! I'm coming to your house for dinner...

newbiebabe said:

Fabulous thread... what about requests.. if we are looking for a recipe, may we post the request to see if anyone has it?

Click to expand...

By all means. I'm just copying recipes from my old Cookbook thread and putting them here for everyone. I've made dozens of these and they are amazing.

Shanghainese Chicken Rice

I take the chickens (in fact I take two) and season them as suggested, and instead of boiling them, put them in a crock pot for 10 hours.

INGREDIENTS
• 1 (4 pound) whole chicken
• 3 cloves garlic
• 2 (1 inch) pieces fresh ginger root, peeled
• 2 green onions
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons sesame oil
•
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil
• 2 shallots, finely chopped
• 5 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 (1 inch) piece fresh ginger root, peeled and chopped
• 1/2 cup chopped cilantro
• 4 cups chicken stock
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3 cups long grain rice, rinsed and drained
•
• cilantro sprigs
• sliced green onion
• 1 cucumber, thinly sliced
• 2 fresh tomatoes, chopped

DIRECTIONS

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Crush 3 cloves of garlic and 2 pieces of ginger, and place them into the cavity of the chicken. Tie the green onions into a knot, and place them into the chicken along with 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Carefully submerge the chicken breast side down into the water.
2. Bring to a boil, then cover and remove from heat. Let stand covered for 40 minutes, turning the chicken over half way through.
3. While the chicken is cooking, heat the vegetable oil and 1 tablespoon of sesame oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Fry the shallots, ginger, and garlic in the oil until fragrant. Add cilantro and rice, and cook, stirring until toasted. Pour in chicken stock and season with salt. Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce heat to low. Simmer until rice is tender and 'steam holes' appear in the surface of the rice, about 20 minutes.
4. When the chicken is done cooking, remove it from the pot, and place under cold running water to tighten the skin. Rub the outside with sesame oil, and chop into pieces. Place pieces on a serving platter, and garnish with cilantro, green onion, cucumber and tomato. Serve with rice.

lance gt said:

By all means. I'm just copying recipes from my old Cookbook thread and putting them here for everyone. I've made dozens of these and they are amazing.

Click to expand...

Well you may just be the one to ask for this.. lol... I am looking for a really great scone recipe. I work with some Brits and one has been having a hankering for scones and I thought I might whip some up for him.

Spanakopita

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Adapted from Molly Katzen's New Moosewood Cookbook

Ingredients:
½ c olive oil
2 c onion, minced
¼ tsp salt
1 tsp basil
1 tsp oregano
2½ pounds fresh spinach, cleaned and de-stemmed
5 cloves garlic, minced
3 T flour
1 pound feta cheese, crumbled
1 c ricotta or cottage cheese
1 T black pepper
1 pound filo pastry leaves


Pour 4 oz. good red wine into the cook.
Preheat oven to 375ºF.
Sauté onion, salt, basil, and oregano in 2 T oil for 5 minutes.
Add spinach and cook over high heat for at least 5 minutes, until spinach becomes limp.
Turn down to medium, stir in garlic and flour, and cook for another 2 or 3 minutes.
Remove from heat and stir in the cheese and pepper. Taste and add more salt and pepper as desired.
Lay out a sheet of filo in the baking dish (it will overlap the sides). Brush with oil, lay another on top, brush with oil, and repeat for a total of 8 sheets.
Spread half of the spinach mixture over the dough. Lay out another 8 sheets of filo as above. Spread the rest of the spinach on top, then lay out the rest of the filo.
Brush the top with oil and tuck the filo sheets into the pan.
Bake uncovered for 45 minutes, until golden-brown and crispy.

Yield 8 servings

Time 1½ hours

Tools
large saucepan or Dutch oven
wooden spoon
9x13-inch baking pan, oiled
pastry brush

Tres Leche Cake

For the cake:

Vegetable oil

6 3/4 ounces cake flour (by weight), plus extra for pan
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
4 ounces unsalted butter, room temperature
8 ounces sugar
5 whole eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

For the glaze:

1 (12-ounce) can evaporated milk
1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
1 cup half-and-half
For the topping:
2 cups heavy cream
8 ounces sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the cake:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly oil and flour a 13 by 9-inch metal pan and set aside.
Whisk together the cake flour, baking powder and salt in a medium mixing bowl and set aside.
Place the butter into the bowl of a stand mixer. Using the paddle attachment, beat on medium speed until fluffy, approximately 1 minute. Decrease the speed to low and with the mixer still running, gradually add the sugar over 1 minute. Stop to scrape down the sides of the bowl, if necessary. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, and mix to thoroughly combine. Add the vanilla extract and mix to combine. Add the flour mixture to the batter in 3 batches and mix just until combined. Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and spread evenly. This will appear to be a very small amount of batter. Bake on the middle rack of the oven for 20 to 25 minutes or until the cake is lightly golden and reaches an internal temperature of 200 degrees F.

Remove the cake pan to a cooling rack and allow to cool for 30 minutes. Poke the top of the cake all over with a skewer or fork. Allow the cake to cool completely and then prepare the glaze.

For the glaze:

Whisk together the evaporated milk, sweetened condensed milk and the half-and-half in a 1-quart measuring cup. Once combined, pour the glaze over the cake. Refrigerate the cake overnight.

Topping:

Place the heavy cream, sugar and vanilla into the bowl of a stand mixer. Using the whisk attachment, whisk together on low until stiff peaks are formed. Change to medium speed and whisk until thick. Spread the topping over the cake and allow to chill in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

Tzatziki

Ingredients:

1 container (16 ounces) plain lowfat yogurt
1/2 English (seedless) cucumber, not peeled, seeded and finely chopped plus a few thin slices
1/1-2 teaspoons salt
1 to 2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint or dill plus additional sprigs
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon red wine vinegar
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Instructions:
Spoon yogurt into sieve lined with cheesecloth or coffee filter set over bowl; cover and refrigerate overnight. Transfer drained yogurt to medium bowl and discard liquid.
Meanwhile, in colander set over bowl, toss chopped cucumber with 1 teaspoon salt. Let drain at least 1 hour at room temperature, or cover and refrigerate up to 8 hours. In batches, wrap chopped cucumber in kitchen towel and squeeze to remove as much liquid as possible. Pat dry with paper towels, then add to bowl with yogurt.
With flat side of chef's knife, mash garlic to a paste with remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt. Add garlic, chopped mint, oil, vinegar, and pepper to yogurt and stir to combine. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 or up to 4 hours. Serve chilled or at room temperature, topped with cucumber slices and mint sprigs.
Yield: about 1-1/2 cups

I dip it with this. It's a version of Naan, but the yogurt in the bread make these a perfect pairing:

NAAN FOR BREADMAKER

Bread:

Wet:

1/2 cup water
2 Tbsp butter
3/4 cups yogurt

Dry:

3 cups flour
1/2 Tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt

Create a well in the flour and then add:

1/2 Tbsp yeast

Topping: 4 Tbsp melted butter, 1 clove of garlic, thyme, salt.

Use dough cycle on machine. Remove dough from machine and divide into 8 parts. Preheat oven to 500. Roll each part into a small circle (about 8″ diameter) and place on greased pizza or other baking pan. I use a silicon pad on a cookie sheet.

Spoon melted butter mixture onto the top of each and then brush out evenly. I use a silicon basting brush, easier to clean and less oogy than bristled pastry brushes.

After I’ve brushed in the butter I’ll add a grind or two from a pepper mill to the top of each Naan.

Not particularly traditional, maybe, but yummy as hell.

Bake for 9-12 minutes (usually closer to 9…watch closely so the butter doesn’t scorch)

More dipping yumminess:

HUMMUS

You can use a food processor if you like the texture creamy. I like the rustic texture of the mortar and pestle, it was served to Jim and I that way at a Greek restaurant once and I was hooked. I also don’t include tahini, add it if you’d like, but tahini can be hard to find in the store and this is a relatively quick and cheap recipe, tahini starts to make it fussy, so I leave it out. To replace the sesame taste I just toss in some sesame oil.

INGREDIENTS:
• 1 can garbanzo beans/chick peas
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 tsp garlic
• Fresh thyme leaves to taste

PREPARATION:
Warm up the olive oil to medium. Add garlic, thyme, salt and pepper to create an infused oil. Mash cooled oil, lemon juice and beans in a mortar and pestle or blend in a food processor.

Store in an airtight container for up to three days.

This is one my son and I love. The spicier and hotter, the better it is.

Louisiana Seafood Gumbo

Ingredients:
1lb. fresh mussels
1lb. shrimp (prawns)in the shell
I cooked crab about 2lbs.
small bunch of parsley, leaves chopped and stalks reserved
2/3 cup oil
1 cup flour
1 green (bell) pepper
1 large onion chopped
2 celery stalks sliced
3 garlic cloves finely chopped
3 oz. hot Italian sausage skinned and sliced
1 1/2 cups long grain rice (white or Basmati)
6 spring onions (scallions) shredded
cayenne pepper to taste
Tabasco or your favourite hot sauce to taste
salt
Preparation:
Wash mussels and remove"beards". Put 1 cup water in a large pot and add mussels. Cover tightly and cook on high heat for 3 minutes, shaking frequently. Remove mussels as they open and discard any that don't open. Save all liquid from them and return it to the pot.
Add water to bring it up to 8 cups of liquid.
Peel shrimp and set aside, put shells in pot.
Remove all white and brown meat from crab and put shell in pot with 2tsp. of salt
Bring the stock to a boil, removing froth from the surface. Add parsley stalks and simmer for 15 min. cool the stalk and strain into a measuring cup, making up the difference with water to bring it to 8 cups of liquid again.
Using a skillet, heat oil and add flour, on medium heat with a wooden spoon or whisk until roux reaches a golden brown. Do not let roux blacken. Immediately add, pepper, celery onion, and garlic and continue cooking for 3 min. until onion is soft, then stir in sausage meat. Reheat stock
Stir in brown crab meat into the roux and vegetables, then ladle in a little stock at a time and make sure it is smooth. Add roux mixture to stock and blend well. Bring to a low boil.
Cook the rice in plenty of lightly salted water until grains are tender.
Add the shrimp, mussels, white crab meat and spring onions to the stock and bring to a boil. Add cayenne pepper and hot sauce and salt to taste. Add parsley leaves and simmer for a minute, then ladle gumbo over rice in bowls and serve.
For garnish tips, save some whole shrimp to place on top of gumbo.

Pumpkin & Corn Soup

2 cans creamed corn
3 cups cooked pumpkin, mashed
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin or ground sage
3-1/2 cups chicken broth

Combine all ingredients in a large heavy pot . Bring to a boil, stirring constantly, then lower heat to a simmer. Stir frequently for 10 minutes and spoon into serving bowls. Top with 1 teaspoon sour cream per serving and sprinkle with pine nuts, if desired.

Roast Squash with Applesauce

2 large or 3 medium winter squash, like butternut
2 cups applesauce, jarred or homemade
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon brown sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cut squash in half, lengthwise; brush with a little oil, salt and pepper. Place the halves, cut side down, on a shallow-sided large baking pan. Bake for 45 minutes or longer (until tender). Let cool enough to handle. Remove pulp into a bowl with a large metal spoon; use a grapefruit spoon for tight spots. Puree with applesauce, sugar and cinnamon.

Smothered Venison

1 lb. venison steak, cut 1/2 inch thick
2 c. plus 3 tbsp. flour
1/4 c. cooking oil
Garlic salt
1 lg. onion, sliced
Salt & pepper to taste

Tenderize venison and cut into serving pieces. Dip meat into flour and brown in hot oil in cast iron skillet. Remove meat when browned. Stir 3 tablespoons flour into oil and gradually add 2 cups milk. Cook until thick, then add seasonings and browned steak. Place onion slices on top of steak. Gravy should cover steak and onions. Cover and bake at 250 to 300 degrees for 2 hours. 4 servings.

Fresh Pork & Corn Dumplings

3 lbs. fresh pork backbone (any pork will do, really)
1 sm. hot red pepper
1 tsp. sage
1 1/2 tsp. salt
2 c. cornmeal
1/4 c. flour
1 tsp. baking powder

Place pork in large kettle, add 2 quarts water, red pepper, sage and 1 teaspoon salt. Cover and bring to boil then simmer for approximately 3 hours or until pork is tender. Remove pork from kettle and reserve liquid in kettle, keeping it hot. Brown pork in a 350 degree oven. Combine the cornmeal, flour, remaining slat and baking powder then stir in 1 cup boiling water and 1 cup of reserved liquid. Form into egg-sized dumplings and drop into remaining hot liquid in kettle. Cover and simmer for 45 minutes

Baked Ziti

INGREDIENTS
1 pound dry ziti pasta
1 onion, chopped
1 pound lean ground beef
2 (26 ounce) jars spaghetti sauce
6 ounces provolone cheese, sliced
1 1/2 cups sour cream
6 ounces mozzarella cheese, shredded
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

DIRECTIONS
Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add ziti pasta, and cook until al dente, about 8 minutes; drain.

In a large skillet, brown onion and ground beef over medium heat. Add spaghetti sauce, and simmer 15 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Butter a 9x13 inch baking dish. Layer as follows: 1/2 of the ziti, Provolone cheese, sour cream, 1/2 sauce mixture, remaining ziti, mozzarella cheese and remaining sauce mixture. Top with grated Parmesan cheese.

Bake for 30 minutes in the preheated oven, or until cheeses are melted.

newbiebabe said:

Well you may just be the one to ask for this.. lol... I am looking for a really great scone recipe. I work with some Brits and one has been having a hankering for scones and I thought I might whip some up for him.

Click to expand...

I'm sure there's one buried in the book. There's a few hundred, maybe a thousand recipes posted in it.

Tequila Party Mix

1 Gallon Jar w/lid & spout
1 Bag Crushed Ice
Half dozen each:
Lemons, Limes, Ruby Red Grapefruit,
Tangerines (Clementines are better),
Oranges
Peel & slice fruit, saving all juice
Layer Ice and Fruit into jar until full
Pour in 40 oz. Jose Cuervo Gold Tequila
Screw lid on tightly
Turn upside down every 15 min. for 1 hr.
Set Jar on its side and pour out your
drink.