What's cookin', good lookin'? Part II

[sallycee]

Thinking about making a lentil soup in the pressure cooker! Perfect for a chilly day!

 

[seela]

Mapo Tofu over rice. Originally a Chinese dish but I made a Japanese adopted version and changed it further by using ground chicken instead of pork. It was quite tasty.

Oh yum! I really like mapo tofu. How's the Japanese adopted version different from the Chinese? I have both tofu and ground chicken in the fridge, so... How did you make your version?

Thinking about making a lentil soup in the pressure cooker! Perfect for a chilly day!

Lentil soup is definitely good for chilly weather. How do you season yours?

I'm working from home today, so I have some butternut squash roasting in the oven and later I'll get some onions, garlic, ginger and chili sauted and blitz it all to make soup. Going to top the soup with toasted chickpeas and pistachios. Lemon cake for dessert.

 

[seela]

Roasted carrots and goat's cheese.

 

[MeekMe]

Oh yum! I really like mapo tofu. How's the Japanese adopted version different from the Chinese? I have both tofu and ground chicken in the fridge, so... How did you make your version?



Lentil soup is definitely good for chilly weather. How do you season yours?

I'm working from home today, so I have some butternut squash roasting in the oven and later I'll get some onions, garlic, ginger and chili sauted and blitz it all to make soup. Going to top the soup with toasted chickpeas and pistachios. Lemon cake for dessert.

It’s not nearly as spicy (I didn’t think it was spicy at all) and no black bean paste. I used this recipe. I’m a fan of this particular blog because it’s usually a very simplified recipe with steps that don’t require me to dirty too many dishes. it was tasty served over rice as donburi.

I recently had a butternut squash soup that was good but a little too sweet. I have some frozen butternut squash, do you have any recommendations for a good (not too sweet) recipe? The soup above sounds great!

 

[seela]

It’s not nearly as spicy (I didn’t think it was spicy at all) and no black bean paste. I used this recipe. I’m a fan of this particular blog because it’s usually a very simplified recipe with steps that don’t require me to dirty too many dishes. it was tasty served over rice as donburi.

I recently had a butternut squash soup that was good but a little too sweet. I have some frozen butternut squash, do you have any recommendations for a good (not too sweet) recipe? The soup above sounds great!

I find that chili and ginger help bring down the sweetness, and you have to add enough acidity to cut through it. Herbs help too, they brighten it up. Or use only part squash and part something less sweet. But it really is a sweet vegetable, there's no way around it.

I didn't used to like sweet potatoes and butternut squash because of the sweetness. I think I've desensitized myself to sweetness again. Should probably reset my palate with a few weeks or months of no sugar.

Thank you for the link! I have all ingredients home already except for chicken soup powder (never heard of it before, I'll work around it) and katakuriko (which I also had never heard of before, but Google tells me it's just starch so it's no problem). Maybe I'll make this tomorrow if I can leave work early and energetic enough to try a new dish.

The trick about putting tofu in the microwave was new to me. I've always just let the block sit in the fridge smashed under a plate until enough water has squeezed out.

 

[soltiera]

I smoked some chantrelles, so I'm making creamy smoked chanterelle with goat cheese soup. I'm also baking a fresh loaf of bread to go with it.

 

[MeekMe]

I find that chili and ginger help bring down the sweetness, and you have to add enough acidity to cut through it. Herbs help too, they brighten it up. Or use only part squash and part something less sweet. But it really is a sweet vegetable, there's no way around it.

I didn't used to like sweet potatoes and butternut squash because of the sweetness. I think I've desensitized myself to sweetness again. Should probably reset my palate with a few weeks or months of no sugar.

Thank you for the link! I have all ingredients home already except for chicken soup powder (never heard of it before, I'll work around it) and katakuriko (which I also had never heard of before, but Google tells me it's just starch so it's no problem). Maybe I'll make this tomorrow if I can leave work early and energetic enough to try a new dish.

The trick about putting tofu in the microwave was new to me. I've always just let the block sit in the fridge smashed under a plate until enough water has squeezed out.

It seems that in the US it is customary to add more sweet stuff to sweet vegetables. Like the dreaded sweet potato casserole often seen at a Thanksgiving dinner. I do like sweet potatoes when cooked in savory dishes. I think maybe I can work with that to make something more savory with the butternut squash. Ginger and chili sounds great, like a curry carrot soup.

The microwave method is okay. I typically just weigh it down though.

I’ve found that with katakuriko it thickens more easily than corn starch but is essentially used the same.

 

[seela]

It seems that in the US it is customary to add more sweet stuff to sweet vegetables. Like the dreaded sweet potato casserole often seen at a Thanksgiving dinner. I do like sweet potatoes when cooked in savory dishes. I think maybe I can work with that to make something more savory with the butternut squash. Ginger and chili sounds great, like a curry carrot soup.

The microwave method is okay. I typically just weigh it down though.

I’ve found that with katakuriko it thickens more easily than corn starch but is essentially used the same.

I use ginger and chili with sweet potatoes as well, and coconut milk, cilantro, lime, all sorts of curry-ish flavors.

I just googled a recipe for sweet potato casserole. Is it a dessert or a side dish?

(I'm asking because the recipe reads like a dessert and it looks like a dessert but I don't know if casseroles can be desserts. )

 

[NYnewbie86]

Making home made chicken soup!

 

[MeekMe]

I use ginger and chili with sweet potatoes as well, and coconut milk, cilantro, lime, all sorts of curry-ish flavors.

I just googled a recipe for sweet potato casserole. Is it a dessert or a side dish?

(I'm asking because the recipe reads like a dessert and it looks like a dessert but I don't know if casseroles can be desserts. )

OMG that’s the part that’s so disgusting to me. It’s a fucking dessert and it’s treated as a “side dish.” Syrup, brown sugar, marshmallow? Diabetes for dinner sounds great!

Now I want curry flavors. Maybe I can make a dry curry rice? Thanks for the idea!

 

[seela]

Making home made chicken soup!

Sounds great! What do you put in yours?

OMG that’s the part that’s so disgusting to me. It’s a fucking dessert and it’s treated as a “side dish.” Syrup, brown sugar, marshmallow? Diabetes for dinner sounds great!

Now I want curry flavors. Maybe I can make a dry curry rice? Thanks for the idea!

Hmm. I find it hard to imagine what it would be like as a side dish. One more reason why I want to experience the holiday season in the US sometime. Not that it'll ever happen, but would be so cool to stay there from Halloween to New Year and see first hand all the things I've seen on movies and get to taste all the dishes I've wondered about.

 

[MeekMe]

Hmm. I find it hard to imagine what it would be like as a side dish. One more reason why I want to experience the holiday season in the US sometime. Not that it'll ever happen, but would be so cool to stay there from Halloween to New Year and see first hand all the things I've seen on movies and get to taste all the dishes I've wondered about.

Hm, I wonder if it’s really anything like movies? Holidays are usually a potluck type deal and you get to see relatives you prefer to avoid for the rest of the year. (This can also be a very expensive time of year if family is unreasonable.)


——

Tonight is hambagu (hamburger steak) with veggies and rice. I’ll probably make broccoli and miso soup to go with it.

 

[seela]

Hm, I wonder if it’s really anything like movies? Holidays are usually a potluck type deal and you get to see relatives you prefer to avoid for the rest of the year. (This can also be a very expensive time of year if family is unreasonable.)

It probably isn't anything like movies, but I'd be willing to take the risk.

It's not like I have family there, so I'd just get to soak in the general atmosphere and eat new foods. And it's a season I'd probably enjoy in most parts of the US, ie. not crazy hot even in the southern parts of the country, plenty of turning leaves and sunshine in some other parts, and eventually winter weather but with so much more daylight than I'm used to. Yep, I think I could be happy doing a few months long stint there like that.

 

[MeekMe]

You’re always welcome to come visit for the holidays, seela.


I made the hambagu and served it with rice, miso soup (wakame and shiitake), steamed broccoli and some kimchi daikon (the red stuff). I didn’t make the daikon. I was really happy with how the hamburger steak came out, plump and juicy.

 

[FurryFury]

Veggie Red Beans n Rice

 

[NYnewbie86]

Stuffed cabbage w rice and meat!

 

[ultramarineblue]

All of y'all are making such delicious sounding meals. I need to pick up some more vegetables to cook with this week.

 

[soltiera]

Teriyaki cod.

 

[MeekMe]

Wafuu pasta - Japanese fusion dish with a sauce made with butter, soy sauce, and miso paste. I added canned tuna and mushrooms. It’s topped with a sprinkle of aonori-ko which is seaweed flakes.
Edit: this was served with a salad. An unremarkable salad not pictured. The only thing of interest was the added wakame seaweed. It gives an interesting taste and texture to crunchy vegetables.

Butter cookies - a small batch, I used little rice molds to make cute cookie shapes. I didn’t know how they’d turn out so only added a little dot for an eye on the rabbit shape. The other shapes are of a bird, a bear, and an elephant. Next time I think I’ll add some detail to make them more cute.

 

[soltiera]

A little followup on the teriyaki cod. It tastes like crab. Really. I think I found a new favorite recipe for "crab" salad.

 

[gracie920101]

15 bean soup with cornbread.

 

[sallycee]

Lentil soup is definitely good for chilly weather. How do you season yours?

I'm working from home today, so I have some butternut squash roasting in the oven and later I'll get some onions, garlic, ginger and chili sauted and blitz it all to make soup. Going to top the soup with toasted chickpeas and pistachios. Lemon cake for dessert.[/QUOTE]

I season my lentil soup with a bouquet garni of 2 bay leaves, italian parsley, oregano, and rosemary......
It turned out so delicious in the pressure cooker!

 

[seela]

Nettle crepes with cottage cheese and black chanterelle filling.

 

[sallycee]

I season my lentil soup with a bouquet garni of 2 bay leaves, italian parsley, oregano, and rosemary......
It turned out so delicious in the pressure cooker!

Also add a bit of turmeric, curry and garlic.

Trust me.[/QUOTE]

okay I will trust you... I have made a chickpea soup with turmeric, cumin and garlic.... works great in the crockpot.. makes the house smell delicious....

 

[Fingerfuxs]

Shrimp Alfredo