Favorite Foods

I was thinking it might be fun to have a thread where folks who want to can share the specifics of some of their favorite foods. Might give others something new to try

I'll start:

I've already posted about meatloaf, you can add in crumbled bacon and chopped onion before baking for some extra deliciousness

I've also posted about my microwave bacon(well, bacon bits anyways), egg, and cheese sandies.

I recently enjoyed some chili, bacon, cheese dogs I made that were some of the best I had ever eaten.... the trick was using Ball Park all-beef franks, Hormel Chili, deli-cut cheese, and extra well-done bacon (not burnt but very crispy)

I also love Chicken Parmesan. When I make it I use Bertolli extra virgin olive oil, C4 unseasoned bread crumbs, Bertolli Tomato and Basil Sauce, a blend of parmesan, asiago, and romano grated cheeses, and mozzarella.

Hamburgers coated with worcestshire sauce, a bit of salt, and onion powder before cooking, then topped with lettuce, tomato, onion, and ketchup... mmmmmm

Ever had hamburger helper? Try using ground turkey instead of ground beef, its really good... and healthier.

You had me until ground turkey....

When I used to attempt to cook, I would make my own cavatini using a mix of ground beef and ground sausage, and a large crockpot. I gave up on cooking when it takes more than an hour to prepare, and only 10 min to consume.

I'm with Dave on the chicken parm, and my recipe is similar except that I make my own sauce. I also make chicken teriyaki, using teriyaki sauce I get fresh from an asian market. I marinate the chicken in it overnight, then pan fry it with some more sauce, and then mix it into sticky rice I also get from the asian place. That's one of my favorites...

I also make meatball subs a lot... using more of my homemade tomato sauce, fresh ground beef with a little onion, some breadcrumbs and some parmesan cheese mixed in, toasted wheat sub rolls from the deli, and then I smother it in fresh buffalo mozzarella.

My wife makes a ton of Indian food... but I don't know her recipes, so I'll have to ask.

My Wings of Legend recipe:

4-8 Lbs. chicken wings, separated, tips discarded
1-2 Large Disposable Pans (optional, but it costs like a buck and damn are these a pain to clean up after )

Marinade:
1/4C Rice Vinegar
1/4C Sesame Oil (Olive works fine, too)
1C Soy Sauce
~1C Water
~2/3C Brown Sugar
~1" Grated Ginger
Garlic Powder, Lots
Wasabi Powder, Red Chili Flakes, Or Something Else Spicy

Marinate wings at least 8 hours, pref. overnight. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spread wings out in bottom of pan, as close to one layer as possible; discard marinade. Cook wings, turning every half hour or so until wings are brown and sticky, and all liquid has evaporated, approx. 2- 2 1/2 hours.

Can't remember if I've given this one out here before or not, but they always go over well. Ingredients and amounts are approximations, since I tend to make them a little different every time, but the cooking time is what's key, anyway.

Man...too bad I can't eat some of this stuff.

I can attest that the above chicken wings led me down the path that has the wedding of Ms. Corridors and Mr. Chongo in May 2012, and that 1/2 the reason my family adores Mr. Chongo is probably because he makes the wings for every family event he comes to. I advise 24 hours marination, and also trying it with pork tenderloin cubes that you then skewer and grill nomnomnomnom


RI-STYLE HOME FRIES

Southern New England in general probably eats their home fries like this.

1-2 russet/Idaho potatoes (the large, cheap ones that're often on sale for like $2.50 for 5lbs, at least east coast US)
1 medium onion
2-4tbsp butter
salt, pepper, garlic powder, paprika
oven and fry pan/skillet

More traditional:
Cut up your potato/es into bite size chunks, peeled or not, peeled being more traditional,
and boil until *just* cooked. Slice or dice your onion while they cook. Drain immediately, rinse with cold water.
Let them sit and cool and dry slightly for a while, go fold some laundry or something
Put the butter in the skillet and heat on medium heat/flame til the
butter is foamy and sizzly. Add your onions and stir to
coat with the butter. Let them cook til looking soft, stirring frequently. Add your potatoes in. If they seem like they're sticking, add more
butter, or you're going to have a very messy pan and pasty home fries with no crisp! Don't skimp!

Season with a bit of salt, pepper, and garlic powder to taste. Just enough paprika for a pretty color. Stir
frequently and VERY GENTLY for a few minutes, then leave them alone for
five minutes or so to let the potatoes crisp a little. Then they're
done!

Less traditional, still super tasty, imo easier way
Prick your potatoes a couple times each with a fork. Bake them in a 400
degree oven for maybe half an hour to 45 minutes. They're done when
they feel a little soft and the skin feels a little separate from the
rest of the potato.
Let them cool while you go to class or sketch or whatever, til they're
around room temp. Cut them into bite size chunks. Cut the onion into
dices or slices or whatever you like.
Put the butter in the skillet and heat on medium heat/flame til the
butter is foamy and sizzly. Add your potatoes and onions and stir to
coat with the butter. If they seem like they're sticking, add more
butter.
Season with a bit of salt, pepper, and garlic powder to taste, and a little paprika
for a fun orange color, some red pepper flakes for a little kick if you feel like it. Stir
frequently til the onions are looking soft, then leave them alone for
five minutes or so to let the potatoes crisp a little. Then they're
done!

Risotto - Food for When You Don't Need to Move Afterwards

1 cup *arborio* rice
1/2 stick butter or equivalent olive oil
1 onion, minced
fresh garlic to taste, minced
2/3 cup white wine
3-4 cups chicken stock (homemade if at all possible! The difference is amazing!)
about 1 cup chopped sauteed or shredded roasted chicken
about 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
about 1 cup frozen pea and carrot blend
Italian seasoning to taste

Heat the butter in a sturdy saucepan, then sautee the onion and 2-cloves
to one head garlic until the onion is soft. Add the arborio rice and
stir thoroughly to coat all the grains in the fat/oil. Lower the heat
to med-low. Pour in the wine and simmer, stirring constantly, until it
is absorbed.
Add one cup of chicken stock, 1tsp to 1tbsp Italian seasoning, and the chicken. Stir frequently, until the liquid has absorbed.
Add the next cup, following the same procedure. Repeat with the third
cup, then taste when it's mostly but not all the way absorbed. Is there
any bite at all to the risotto, or is it very soft and creamy? If it's
not very soft and creamy yet, add the last cup of stock, and let that
go until it's almost absorbed. If it's soft, go to the next step.
Add the vegetables and the cheese, stir in very well, breaking up any
cheese clumps, and stir constantly until the carrot pieces are tender to
the bite. Then it's ready, and oh so filling!

Nice recipes. Gonna have to give em a whirl!

OK, I have to post my Famous Veggie Chili recipe. It's the one thing I know I make well, and one of my super carnivorous friends actually *requests* it whenever he comes to visit me.

1 clove garlic (or about a tsp minced)
1 onion
couple of carrots
3 sticks of celery
1 red pepper (any color will do, but I prefer red)
tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1-2 tsps chili powder (I like it hot)
1 tin of kidney beans
cooked brown lentils (I don't really measure... maybe a cup?)
500 mls passata (thick tomato sauce)
300 mls veggie stock (I don't really measure this bit either)
lotsa salt and black pepper

Chop up all the veg. Cook the lentils in a separate pot while you do the rest: Heat some oil in a big pot and fry the onion and garlic till the onion is a bit soft. Add the cumin seeds, cinnamon and chili powder and fry for a couple more minutes, until the onion is nice and soft. Then add the carrots, celery and red pepper and cook for about 5 or 10 more minutes. The lentils should be done by now, so drain them and then add to the pot, along with the (also drained) kidney beans. Stir everything up, then add the passata. At this point I toss in a stock cube and then add hot/boiling water until it looks about right. The mixture should be slightly thin/watery. Add salt and black pepper, then cover and let it simmer for about 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.

I like to serve it over rice, with lotsa cheese and sour cream, and a bit more black pepper ground on the top.

And don't ruin it by trying to add meat!

Amethyst347 wrote:
I like to serve it over rice, with lotsa cheese and sour cream, and a bit more black pepper ground on the top.

And don't ruin it by trying to add meat!

I am a chili lover... so this also goes on the list of stuff to try... I like con carne, but i think this recipe would do well with just some saltines broken up and mixed in.... for thickness

daveyeisley wrote:

Amethyst347 wrote:
I like to serve it over rice, with lotsa cheese and sour cream, and a bit more black pepper ground on the top.

And don't ruin it by trying to add meat!

I am a chili lover... so this also goes on the list of stuff to try... I like con carne, but i think this recipe would do well with just some saltines broken up and mixed in.... for thickness

It actually thickens up quite well on its own (except for the times I occasionally eff up and add a bit too much water), and the lentils do a pretty good job of adding more substance to it where the meat would go.

Adding a tin of black beans is good too, but I have a hard time finding those here.

Snackos

Sliced bread
Tomato based pasta sauce, (jar there of)
Cheese

Cover one side of bread with sauce
Cover sauce with cheese
Cook in Griller

MMmm

(there is a Bourbon based chilli barbecue sauce that goes very nicely on top of this before grilling, the one I get here in Australia is from the Southern US and is called - 'friggen hot sauce)

Kid Feeder I

Ingredients:
1 frozen cheese pizza

Directions:
See pizza packaging for directions.

Except when it's 113 degrees F outside (like today), a simple pizza in the oven makes for an easy way to feed a 4 and a 7 year old.


Kid Feeder II

Ingredients:
4 oz. warm water (x2)
2 scoops expensive formula powder (x2)

Directions:
Add 2 scoops of overly expensive formula powder (doctor recommended for prematurely born infants) to 4 fluid ounces of warm water in a bottle. Repeat for 2nd bottle.

Cover tightly with topper. Repeat for 2nd bottle.

Shake bottle. Repeat for 2nd bottle.


Kid Feeder III

Ingredients:
1 hungry and impatient 7 year old
1 hungry and impatient 4 year old

Directions:
Sleep past 6:30 am. Chances are the 7 year old will make both of them bowls of cereal, or get them out some yogurt, or find the candy that was stashed away for a later time.

OK, this is a bit long but here goes.

3 Tablespoons of canola oil and one teaspoon of chili oil in a large non stick pan. Heat to medium hot and put 2 chicken breasts cubed into 3/4 in cube in and sear until white and firm. Do not overcook!
Strain out of skillet into bowl for later. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1/2 red onion, cut into sliced shreds. Add sweet peppers sliced 3 small or 2 medium, use yellow and green for the color. Cook with the onions until the onions are clear and mild. After onions have been tenderized, add a sliced zuchini and sliced crookneck squash (again, one large or two small of each). Cook until they start to get tender.Pour in stir fry sauce (1/4 cup) and 1 tablespoon teriyaki sauce and a couple dashes each of soy and worstershire sauce. Add the chicken back in and stir and cover. Heat on medium low for 10 minutes, until the squash starts to give up water. Remove with slotted spoon leaving the juice.

Cook jasmine rice (2 cups, makes 6) on back burner. Remove when done and have cool when the stirfry is done. Pour into the leavings from the stirfry and add 1 cup frozen mixed vegetables. Add one heads worth of broccoli florets. Mix well and heat on medium low about 10 minutes,until the broccoli gets tender.

Buy frozen eggrolls and heat up, they are too hard to make.

Feeds me and the wife supper and lunch the next day, with rice left over to have with another supper.

The Amethyst Dragon wrote:Kid Feeder I
Directions:
Sleep past 6:30 am. Chances are the 7 year old will make both of them bowls of cereal, or get them out some yogurt, or find the candy that was stashed away for a later time.

Hehe I remember my older brother feeding me strange things like candy corn for breakfast when the parents weren't awake yet. Most of the time ending up with me throwing up.

Alundaio wrote:

The Amethyst Dragon wrote:Kid Feeder I
Directions:
Sleep past 6:30 am. Chances are the 7 year old will make both of them bowls of cereal, or get them out some yogurt, or find the candy that was stashed away for a later time.

Hehe I remember my older brother feeding me strange things like candy corn for breakfast when the parents weren't awake yet. Most of the time ending up with me throwing up.

Gotta love big brothers!
Our older ones usually go for cheerios for the younger two, and save the candy for themselves!

As per last night, roasting a chicken:

Bring the chicken to room temp and put it uncovered into some sort of roasting pan, baking dish, or oven safe skillet. Take out any giblets. Sprinkle with seasoned salt or salt-pepper-garlic and squeeze the juice of half a lemon over the outside and into the cavity. Stick the chicken into the 350 degrees F oven. Cook for about an hour, just leaving it well enough alone. or until a thermometer reads 160 F. Pass around bits of the other half of lemon for people to squeeze onto their chicken.

I'm loving this thread

I will post a more detailed version of my chicken parm recipe somtime this week. Its the one thing I make that doesnt involve bacon that pretty much everyone who has ever had it, liked it.

My chicken parm recipe is locted at the closest Dominoes....

And as the oldest of four, Fruit Loops was the pick of the day. Or Quisp. I miss Calvin & Hobbs, as it was me!

daveyeisley wrote:I'm loving this thread

I will post a more detailed version of my chicken parm recipe somtime this week. Its the one thing I make that doesnt involve bacon that pretty much everyone who has ever had it, liked it.

But you could use bacon, if you wanted to, and that's the important thing

Dave's sorta famous Chicken Parmigiana:

You gonna need:

2 thin sliced boneless chicken breasts per person
1 jar Bertolli Tomato and Basil sauce (this sauce is important)
1 egg per person
1/2 cup milk per egg
1 canister C4 brand unseasoned bread crumbs
1 jar Extra Virgin Olive Oil (I like bertolli here as well)
A good amount of Mozzarella cheese (one bag should do)
A nice grated cheese blend (I like romano, parmesan, and asiago blend)
Optional: garlic bread
Optional: your favorite pasta
2 good size mixing bowls
1 frying pan/skillet
1 small sauce pot
2 plates
Oven (for bread and melting mozzarella)

Add milk and eggs to one of the mixing bowls, beat them well. Pour your bread crumbs into the other bowl.

Take one chicken breast at a time, and put it in the egg mixture, making sure it gets a good thorough coating. Then lay it in the bread crumbs and scoop bread crumbs over top of it so that it is totally covered, then gently press the bread crumbs into the chicken to make sure they stick.

Now, take that chicken breast and re-coat it with the egg mixture again (try to avoid letting too much of the bread crumbs flake off into the egg mixture), get it a thorough coating, and then back into the bread crumbs for another coat of breading. Press firmly, and then place the double-breaded chicken onto a plate to the side.

Repeat this for each chicken breast. If you find you are running low on egg mixture or bread crumbs, feel free to add more as needed.

Once all the chicken is double breaded, then get your pan/skillet set up on medium low heat, and pour in enough olive oil to totally cover the chicken breasts. Wait for the oil to get nice and hot (you should see some small bubbling action going on). Put in one or two chicken breasts, as will safely fit in the pan/skillet.

Make sure there is enough oil to generously cover the chicken, some is going to boil off, so a little extra is OK... as adding more oil in the middle of cooking lowers the temp and can slow down cooking quite a bit.

Let the chicken fry in the oil until the breading starts to crisp and brown up, then flip the chicken gently using a fork (be careful of splatters). Once it starts to lift off the bottom of the pan, it should be done. Take it out and put it on a second plate (preferably with a paper towel or two to absorb some of the excess oil) and cut into the center to ensure there is no pink. It should be white throughout.

Repeat for each piece of chicken. While doing this, put your sauce in a pot and heat it on medium until its bubbling hot, then turn it to low, stirring occaisionally. You may also pop your garlic bread in the oven, and cook your pasta at the same time.

Once all the chicken is cooked, portion it out onto the serving plates, pour a generous layer of tomato sauce over the top, sprinkle on the grated cheese to your preference, and then add a handful of mozzarella over that. Set the oven to broil, and pop the plate in the oven until the mozzarella is nice and melted. Remove the plate, add pasta and/or garlic bread.... and mangia!