What'cha Cookin' Tonight II

[hobbsyoyo]

I accidentally made blackened salmon fillets that turned out awesome. I bought a pre-seasoned ('monterey seasoning') salmon fillet and broiled it per the instructions. I took my eyes off it for a few minutes and wound up with a thick crust of burnt seasoning but somehow it was really good and not disgusting. I had that with onion potatoes, lima beans and baked beans.

 

[civvver]

I got an electric smoker as an early christmas present. It's very basic, analog controls. I'll let you know when I make something and how it turns out. Except we got a ton of early snow, like 6 inches, so not really great weather to go outside and smoke stuff.

 

[Timsup2nothin]

So, tonight's heart stopper easy comfort food...

Start with a thick meat sauce and mix in sleazy store bought pre-made tortellini and some shredded mozzarella just in case the three cheese pasta isn't enough to clog your arteries. Put in baking dish and top with more moz mixed with Parmesan to be sure even the healthiest are finished off. Bake until bubbly.

 

[hobbsyoyo]

I had a honey mustard chicken salad last night that really hit the spot. Easy to make too, though I bought pre-cooked breast strips which made it significantly easier.

 

[civvver]

I made banana bread last night. I love making it cus it's super easy, simple ingredient and tastes amazing. I don't even measure ingredients, cus it's that forgiving. If it's a little soupy you just bake it longer til it stiffens up.

Oven at 350.
Soften a sitck of butter and stir in a small handfull of brown sugar (3/4ths a cup)
Mash up 3-4 overripe bananas. The browner the better. I just squeeze them in the peel so they get mashed and then squirt them out into the bowl like a tube of toothpaste.
Here's where you add an egg but I add a few scoops of applesauce due to an allergy. Stir it up.
A couple large handfulls of AP flour (2 cups), a teaspoon of baking soda, a dash of salt. Mix it all together so everything is moistened.
Put in a greased loaf pan and bake for 60-70 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

 

[Timsup2nothin]

This is almost too embarrassing to describe.

My gf, in her on-line meanderings, comes across this 'recipe' for "contest winning Bavarian meatball hoagie sandwiches." She sends it to me. So, first off, I'm always dubious about any claimed victory. What contest? Who was the judge?

But, y'know, one of the most basic tenets is "cook her what she wants."

So I look at this thing and...oh, hell no. It starts with a bag of premade frozen meatballs. How she looked at this and thought that it even might be good I have no idea.

Yet here I am munching down these sandwiches which are indeed really frickin' good. And off the top of my head I can't think of anything I've ever made that was easier.

Bag of frozen meatballs, quarter cup of brown sugar, package of onion soup mix, and a can of beer in the slow cooker. Four hours later plop meatballs on hoagie roll, lay on Swiss cheese and melt under broiler. The end.

Why do I bother working at cooking?

 

[hobbsyoyo]

Stole this recipe from a local cafe:

• Ciabatta roll
• left over turkey
• apricot marmalade
  
• big chunk of brie cheese
  
• spinach leaves
  
• purple onion

Bake until cheese gets gooey

 

[civvver]

This is almost too embarrassing to describe.

My gf, in her on-line meanderings, comes across this 'recipe' for "contest winning Bavarian meatball hoagie sandwiches." She sends it to me. So, first off, I'm always dubious about any claimed victory. What contest? Who was the judge?

But, y'know, one of the most basic tenets is "cook her what she wants."

So I look at this thing and...oh, hell no. It starts with a bag of premade frozen meatballs. How she looked at this and thought that it even might be good I have no idea.

Yet here I am munching down these sandwiches which are indeed really frickin' good. And off the top of my head I can't think of anything I've ever made that was easier.

Bag of frozen meatballs, quarter cup of brown sugar, package of onion soup mix, and a can of beer in the slow cooker. Four hours later plop meatballs on hoagie roll, lay on Swiss cheese and melt under broiler. The end.

Why do I bother working at cooking?

I'm totally trying this.

I sometimes wonder why I try so hard with certain cooking as well. I totally gave up trying to make good pizza cus it was too difficult/time consuming/expensive compared to take out from a proper pizza joint. I personally like homemade tomato sauce but my family prefers sugary jarred stuff so I don't even bother. When I make homemade pasta I toss theirs with this 6 cheese sauce from kroger and I'll dress mine simply with some olive oil and herbs and a little cheese.

Some of the best foods are really simple like nachos or hobo pizzas where you put sauce and cheese and pepperoni on some bread or a bun and toast it.

 

[civvver]

Stole this recipe from a local cafe:

• Ciabatta roll
• left over turkey
• apricot marmalade
  
• big chunk of brie cheese
  
• spinach leaves
  
• purple onion

Bake until cheese gets gooey

Sounds pretty good but I really dislike brie. It's too milky. Might be better melted. Do you add the vegtables after you bake or before?

We could have an entire separate thread for sandwich recipes. There are so many delicious ones. I love a really simple, good italian bread, provolone cheese and capicola toasted. No dressing, just meat and cheese melted on good bread. Corned beef, swiss and rye work just as well, but I do like to add a little horseradish. Or grilled cheese with muenster and bacon on sourdough.

Dang it I'm hungry now.

 

[hobbsyoyo]

If you leave the rind on when you melt the cheese, it picks up a firmer texture and bit of tanginess. I add the vegetables after baking but the marmalade before baking.

I'm totally trying this.

I sometimes wonder why I try so hard with certain cooking as well. I totally gave up trying to make good pizza cus it was too difficult/time consuming/expensive compared to take out from a proper pizza joint. I personally like homemade tomato sauce but my family prefers sugary jarred stuff so I don't even bother. When I make homemade pasta I toss theirs with this 6 cheese sauce from kroger and I'll dress mine simply with some olive oil and herbs and a little cheese.

Some of the best foods are really simple like nachos or hobo pizzas where you put sauce and cheese and pepperoni on some bread or a bun and toast it.

Have you tried substitutng a bunch of powdered Parmesan to your homemade sauce for the sugar? Maybe the kids would like it extra savory instead of sweet and that might be more palatable for you as well.

Has your family had Imo's in St Louis? They have a super sweet sauce.

 

[civvver]

No, I've seen it but we never have time to go there.

 

[hobbsyoyo]

You either love it or hate it but it's definitely unique and if you're into pizza you should try it. Also get the toasted ravioli and a chef's salad with their Italian dressing.

 

[onejayhawk]

Sounds pretty good but I really dislike brie. It's too milky. Might be better melted. Do you add the vegtables after you bake or before?

We could have an entire separate thread for sandwich recipes. There are so many delicious ones. I love a really simple, good italian bread, provolone cheese and capicola toasted. No dressing, just meat and cheese melted on good bread. Corned beef, swiss and rye work just as well, but I do like to add a little horseradish. Or grilled cheese with muenster and bacon on sourdough.

Dang it I'm hungry now.

Do you like liver sausage? Liverwurst or Braunschweiger, cream cheese, softened onion and horseradish on toasted rye. Also works pressed, but be careful with the amount of cheese.

 

[hobbsyoyo]

I made a pie recipe but I don't know what it's called. I think 'peanut butter creme pie' is a good descriptor. You mix peanut butter, cream cheese and cool whip together and dump it in a graham cracker crust. You added chopped Reese's peanut butter cups to the top and chill for two hours. I added some chopped peanuts to the creme filling and that gave it a nice crunch. 10/10

 

[MaryKB]

Last night I threw some things together for a caprese flatbread pizza. It was really good! I'm going to try a regular pizza using a pesto sauce (instead of tomato), sliced grape tomatoes, onions, garlic, and either fresh basil or spinach.

 

[hobbsyoyo]

Looks delicious af

 

[civvver]

Call me crazy, but I like a little pizza with my balsamic

 

[civvver]

I am super pumped for this weekend, barring any setbacks I'll be doing my first smoke with my new electric smoker Sunday. Not sure whether to go for ribs or a whole chicken. Or perhaps both!

Edit: forgot I also made some quick deviled eggs for lunch yesterday. Use the pre cooked and peeled hard boiled eggs from the store, mixed the yolks with some mayo and dijon, topped with some cayenne pepper. Delicious.

 

[hobbsyoyo]

Call me crazy, but I like a little pizza with my balsamic

I've had that before and it was really good. Pizza hut used to have a bunch of crazy sauce and topic options and that was one of them. Not sure if they still have them.

 

[civvver]

Have you guys ever smoked ribs? I looked up a bunch of recipes and some do some crazy stuff. Like I've heard of wrapping but this pit masters for competition ribs they put sooo much rub on their ribs, smoke em, then wrap them in foil with honey, brown sugar and butter, cook em some more, then put a bbq sauce on top to glaze them. That seems like an insane amount of sugar.

I'm going for a more straightforward memphis style. Recipe is rub night before so the ribs sweat a little bit and get tacky. That's the "sauce" on memphis style. Then smoke, you don't wrap. Instead after a couple hours you baste em with apple juice/oil concoction every hour. Just wondering if anyone has any tips.

I made a rub with paprika, brown sugar, black pepper (almost broke my wrists trying to hand mill a whole tablespoon of this stuff), kosher salt, garlic and onion powder, chili powder, cayenne.