Unofficial TESA Foodie thread

[Khettienna]

Biscuits & gravy is one of my guilty breakfast pleasures. Thanks, Jac! Yum!

[Jac]

You're welcome, Khett. I sometimes make a breakfast bowl:

Cube 1-2 potatoes (or more depending on how much you want) and brown with the sausage and oil. Drain and set aside like normal and make the gravy as instructed above. Scramble two eggs per serving and add over the sausage and potatoes in a bowl instead of biscuits. Top with gravy and cheese and you have a home made breakfast bowl. I'd chop the potatoes into about half inch cubes so they cook thoroughly.

[Guest SilentSpike]

This thread is wonderfully horrible. I want to eat everything now!

[Jac]

Made this last night:

Chicken alfredo

1-2 chicken breasts skinned and cubed*

1 12oz package of fettuccine noodles

2 cloves garlic minced

1/4 cup of butter (half a stick or 4 Tbsp)

1 1/2 - 2 cups of half and half or cream (more equals more sauce)

3/4 cups Parmesan (Parmigiano-Reggiano) cheese

Salt and pepper

Prepare and cook the chicken. Set aside and cook the noodles per the package directions. Melt the butter in a large sauce pan and sauté the garlic for about 1-2 minutes. Slowly incorporate 1 cup of the cream/h&h and cook an additional two minutes, whisking constantly. Add in the noodles, chicken, rest of the cream/h&H, and season with salt and pepper. Cook an additional 2 minutes while stirring and serve.

*I pressure cooked three chicken thighs and drumsticks for about 45 minutes after the rocker started rocking, then removed the skin and shredded the meat by hand. I didn't weigh the meat, but I had close to a pound. To cook the chicken, I filled a ceramic bowl almost to the top, placed it in the bottom of the cooker, filled the cooker with water about 3/4ths of the way up the side of the bowl, and put the circular rack that came with the cooker on top of the bowl. This allowed me to steam cook the chicken versus boiling it. That way I could keep the flavor without making the chicken water logged.

Edited March 18, 2013 by Jac

[Walrus]

Favorite soup of all time for me

 

Nine Bean Soup

 

Ingredients: 

 

-1 cup Nine Bean Mix  -Can be found at Bulk Barn and Costco if your in Canada

-Green whole peas

-Red Split lentils

-Pinto Beans

-Smal white beans

-small red beans

-light red kidney beans

-black beans

-black eye beans

-a bean no one will tell me and its not important

 

-Onions

-Garlic

-Celery

-Green peppers

-4 cup Chicken Stock

-2 cup Water

-1 can diced tomatoes

-Salt and Pepper to taste

 

Optional (but advised)

-1 Ham Bone

 

Prep: 

-Soak Beans for 12 hrs

-rip off chunks of ham

 

Cooking:

-Saute onions, garlic, celery and green peppers

-Add beans

-Mix the stock, water and tomatoes in a pot

-Add the onions, peppers, celery and beans

-Add the ham

-Apply salt and pepper as you see fit

-Bring to a boil

-Transfer to a slow cooker.

-Cook for at least 4 hrs

    -The longer the better but right after lunch to supper should be long enough

 

Enjoy!

 

 

[Jac]

You can pressure cook those beans for about 20-30 minutes if you're in a hurry. Just sauté your veggies first before you throw them in and leave the ham bone intact.

[donnato]

Cool Walrus. Thank you for that 9 bean recipe. I can think of alot of things I can do with it.

Jac...I wish I had a p-cooker...

[Jac]

You can get a six quart one pretty cheap, Donnato, and it should be about all you'll need for things like beans and small roasts.

[vometia]

We recently discovered the curious thing that is swordfish: I haven't previously been very adventurous at all when it comes to fish things, preferring safe options like cod, trout, salmon and so on.  Though I'm sure it's old news to many here, I rather like the way that it has the consistency of tuna and the taste of cod.  And no pesky bones!  So far, anyway.

 

No recipe here, cooking a swordfish steak from frozen just involves heating the oven to 220 degrees centigrade, loosely wrapping the steak(s) in some foil and placing in a baking tray, lightly seasoning them and putting a small knob of butter on top and leaving them to cook for half an hour.  Accompaniments are at present things like baby sweetcorn and green beans.  Because I'm on a diet.

 

I would like to take a moment to say how much I hate dieting: I really hate dieting.  Especially because I don't get on with carbs, and carbs taste really wonderful, and I can't have them because they're bad for me.  On the other hand, I've lost over three stone since the start of the year, which is cool.  I look better, and my blood tests indicate I'm actually healthier.  Who'd have thought?  But I want pizza, and chips, and potatoes, and cake, and loads of other stuff I can't have!

[donnato]

Wow, that`s really great Vom. If you have a good fish monger (one that you can talk to) , ask about shark steak. I forget which vatiety it is (I think it`s thresher shark), but there`s one that`s so close to swordfish that, I`ve heard of restaraunts being busted for passing it off as swordfish. Shark used to be way more affordable, and can be prepared any way you like. Also...no bones. My friends and I went on a shark steak binge many years ago, trying all the verious ways of cooking it. I prefer saute`d in garlic butter.

[vometia]

I'll have to check that out!  Even though part of me is drooling at the idea of how big those steaks must be.

[donnato]

Yup, I just got back from a large grocers with a fine meat counter. The  guy on duty had little or no knowledge but said his manager had stopped bringing in shark because it didn`t move well. I guess most folks aren`t aware of this wonderful resource. Others protest the less than honorable way these animals are handled by those only interested in the fins and discard everything else.

[donnato]

O...M...G .. I`ve gotta try ...THIS ..

[Vain]

Spicy Split Pea Soup

 

Combine in large saucepan:

5 cups chicken broth or bouillon

5 cups water

1 pound dried split peas or lentils

Heat to boiling, Turn off heat, Cover and let stand 1 hour (omit this step if using lentils)

Reheat and simmer over low heat 45 minutes

 

Sauté in skillet over medium heat:

2 Tablespoons butter or margarine

½ cup chopped onion

1 clove garlic, finely chopped (minced)

1 Tablespoon curry powder

1 teaspoon crushed or ¾ teaspoon ground coriander seeds

¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper or cayenne powder

1 teaspoon salt (omit salt if using bouillon until you taste)

Stir-fry about 7 minutes

Stir spice mixture into split peas

Cover and cook over low heat for 20 minutes

 

Optional

• Cool slightly.  Puree 2 cups of the soup in covered blender, holding lid partially ajar to let steam escape.  Repeat until all is pureed OR cook longer until peas disintegrate.
• Stir in Â½ cup light cream or milk or almond/rice milk.
• Can be thickened with flour or bean flour mixed with cold water in jar, shaken until blended, then added to soup, stirring until smooth and desired thickness.

[donnato]

Yaayy .. this sounds soo good Vain. I want to get one of those boat motor type submersable blenders. That would save time using the blender. Also...instead of the crushed red pepper or cayenne ... I might try serrano peppers that have dried and turned red. Also .. you mentioned in the shouty, cooking in the oven, rather on the stove top???

[donnato]

Ok .. looking into something new to me. Beef tongue. After having some Lengua tacos I find that I really like it. Folks I`ve spoken to say ... boil for like 3-4 hours, peel, and shred. I`m curious to see what you have done with this really lean and tender meat.

[Carah]

You're brave donnato. Lately I've been curious about beef tongue but I wouldn't prepare it myself... I'll leave that to the pros.

 

I wish to share a recipe that both Malachi Delacot and I love to make on occasion... and love to eat, of course.

 

Moroccan Pot Roast

By Jean Pare (Company's Coming Cookbook)

 

Level: Easy

Makes 12 servings.

 

Ingredients

 

2 tbsp. Olive Oil

1 tsp. Ground Cumin

1 tsp. Ground Coriander

1 tsp. Ground Ginger

1 tsp. Granulated Sugar

1 tsp. Salt

½ tsp. Garlic Powder

½ tsp. Ground Cinnamon

 

3 lbs. Boneless Beef cross-rib Roast

 

2 lbs. Red Baby Potatoes, larger ones cut in half

 

1 cup Beef Broth

 

1/3 cup Water

2 tbsp. All-Purpose Flour

 

Directions

 

Combine first 8 ingredients in a small bowl.

 

Rub spice mixture on roast. Place on greased wire rack set in large roasting pan.

Bake, uncovered, in 450 F (250 C) oven for about 30 minutes, turning once at halftime, until browned. Reduce heat to 350 F (175 C).

 

Arrange potatoes around roast in pan. Bake, covered, for another 1 to 1 ½ hours until potatoes are tender and the meat thermometer inserted into thickest part of roast reads 160 F (71 C) for medium or until desired doneness.

Remove roast to cutting board. Cover with foil. Let stand for 10 minutes.

Stir potatoes gently in pan until coated with drippings. Remove with slotted spoon to large serving bowl. Cover to keep warm.

 

Transfer remaining drippings to medium saucepan. Add broth. Stir. Bring to boil.

 

Stir water into flour in small cup until smooth. Slowly add broth mixture, stirring constantly until boiling and thickened. Strain through sieve into small serving bowl. Cut roast into thin slices.

 

 

My notes:

I double the rub spice mix and set aside 1 tbsp in case there isn't enough drippings to add to the gravy (I like my gravy a little spicy). It never hurts to make too much spice rub than not enough. If you do this omit the oil and sugar from rub mix until you're ready to add it to the roast.

I add spice rub to roast, and let it marinade in the fridge over-night.

I also add onions and carrots with the potatoes... imo, any root veg would work.

 

[donnato]

Ooooh ... That sounds so good. Thanks Carah.

[Sharlikran]

These are variants of recipes I got off of food at the store. Don wanted me to share.

2 cups of cooked rice or 1 pkg dry rice (6.8) oz and 2 cups of water.

1 pkg Polska kielbasa sliced or 1 lb cooked beef sausage, sliced

1/2 cup chopped onion

1/2 cup chopped green pepper

2 med tomatoes diced

1 minced garlic clove

Juice of 1 lime

1 tbsp Cajun spices

1 tbsp cayenne pepper

1 tbsp black pepper

Cook veggies with spices, garlic and butter. When partially cooked add sausage, lime juice, rice, and tomatoes.

If using uncooked rice, cook it first until the water is absorbed. Then follow previous instructions.

Serves about 4 people.

1 lb skinless, boneless chicken breast cut into strips

6 ounces of fresh spinach

1 jar Alfredo sauce

1/2 pkg of a 16 ounce Fettuccine

2 med tomatoes diced

1 minced garlic clove

1 tbsp Cajun spices

1 tbsp cayenne pepper

1 tbsp black pepper

Cook chicken. Once cooked add everything else.

[donnato]

Thanks Sharli.

[donnato]

I love this. I just learned a cool way to judge the doneness of a steak. We all know that you wait for the blood to rise to give the steak the first flip, but then what? Most of us have used the "poke" test. Here`s the way to judge. Touch your left thumb to your left index finger. Do not squeeze. Now , lightly pinch the meat below your left thumb using your right thumb and forefinger. This is how a rare steak should feel. Now, move your left thumb to your left middle finger (again just touch, don`t squeeze) . Lightly pinch again. This is how a med. rare steak should feel. Move your thumb to the left ring finger and pinch. This signifies a med. well done steak. When you touch your left thumb to our left little finger and pinch you will feel how a well done steak should feel using the poke test.

[donnato]

I`ve always wanted a pressure cooker. I just got one and am wondering to handle dried beans. It`s an electric cooker.

[Jac]

I`ve always wanted a pressure cooker. I just got one and am wondering to handle dried beans. It`s an electric cooker.

Soak them over night in enough water to cover them with about a 1/2 inch of water above the top. Drain and throw that water out when you're ready to cook them. If you're doing a 1lb bag, I'd use about 6-8 cups of water - again you want about a 1/2' coverage. I'd use chicken broth if you have it, 4 cups is sufficient. Throw in some ham, like a smoked hamhock, smoked bacon, or the butt of a spiral sliced ham; whatever you use, make sure it's fully cooked. I sauté about a cup of diced onions, along with celery and green & red peppers. I also use salt and pepper. Throw everything together, mix well, and cook for about two hours, starting the timer when the rocker starts rocking (check your manual if you don't have a rocker. Basically you want to start timing once full pressure has been achieved). Let the cooker cool, then test your beans. If they're a bit tough, cook them for another 30 minutes or so. I usually pair mine with cornbread - I posted my recipe in the thread previously somewhere here. 

Edited October 21, 2014 by Jac

[donnato]

Thanks Jac, my cookers timer starts automatically when the pressure is up. It also has a pop up to indicate pressure. It also has a vent/seal gizmo so I can manually release the pressure if needed. I can also set the timer with the lid off for browning meats or sautéing veggies.

I was hoping not to have to soak beans but not really a big deal. I never have to soak split peas for soup though. That`s where the bone if my Christmas ham goes.  

This is the cooker I got. >> http://www.hsn.com/products/wolfgang-puck-automatic-8-quart-rapid-pressure-cooker/7170679  I got it in black.

[Jac]

If you want soft beans, you'll soak them overnight. Soaking also helps get rid of the gas causing enzymes in the beans. You can also boil them for about 2-3 minutes in the soak water before you throw it out to get rid of some more of them. I just soak them overnight in the cooker, rinse them off, then throw them back in with the ham and veggies. I also like using chicken broth instead of water if I have any on-hand. I have a cooker/canner that I use to make mine, it's much better than the store bought variety and I can control the salt level.

 

After the timer goes off, just let the cooker cool completely before you open it. Mine suggests running cold water over it, but I would look at your manual to see if it has any recipes for beans. Peas are different in that they're not as hard when dried as beans are, which is why you really need to soak the later.