Unofficial TESA Foodie thread

[donnato]

Heheh, understood Jac. I don`t think I`ll be placing my electric cooker under running water.

[vometia]

Heheh, understood Jac. I don`t think I`ll be placing my electric cooker under running water.

But what could possibly go wrong?

I always hate it when I'm going to cook some soupy stuff and realise I've forgotten to leave the beans to soak overnight. At least red lentils don't need to be soaked and they taste nice, so they often save the day.

[donnato]

Heheh .. thanks Vom, I`ve had some really great lentil soups. Might try that as well.

[Notorious]

Turkey Pot Pie Filling

 

Ingredients

4 Tbsp unsalted butter
2 small sweet onion, finely chopped
4 stalks celery, finely chopped
4-5 carrots, chopped ( I leave the peel on)
1/4 cup tablespoons flour
2L hot chicken or turkey stock
4 yellow fleshed potatoes, peeled and diced
4 cups shredded turkey
1 cup peas

salt, pepper, poultry seasoning, & sage to taste

2 eggs, lightly beaten (for the crust)

 

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350F
2. Melt butter in saucepan on med-high heat and cook chopped onion until tender (around 5 min).
3. Stir in celery and carrots and cook for 3-4 minutes.
4. Stir in flour and whisk until golden brown.
5. Slowly whisk in hot chicken stock chicken stock and bring to a simmer.
6. Add potatoes and simmer until tender, around 10 mins.
7. Stir in turkey, and peas.
8. Pour mixture into small pie shells. Top with pie crust and brush with egg. Bake for 30 minutes, or until crust is golden.

 

 

Edited November 4, 2014 by Notorious

[Notorious]

Cheddar Broccoli Soup

 

3 sweet onions, diced

2 sticks butter

1 cup flour

1 small package baby carrots

1 Costco size package broccoli florets

1L Half and half

6 cups chicken stock

2 tbsp garlic, minced

5 cups shredded aged cheddar

Salt & pepper to taste

 

Instructions:

1. Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onions and garlic, then cook until translucent.
2. Slowly add flour. Cook until golden brown.
3. Slowly add Creamo, and ensure that the mixture remains smooth. Reduce heat to medium.
4. Add chicken stock, and bring to a simmer.
5. Add carrots and broccoli. Cook until tender (around 20 minutes)
6. Use an immersion blender
7. Stir in cheddar over medium heat. Enjoy!

Edited November 4, 2014 by Notorious

[Notorious]

French Onion Soup

• 50g butter
• 1 tbsp grape seed oil
• 4 yellow onions, halved and thinly sliced
• Black pepper (to taste)
• 1 tsp sugar
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tbsp flour
• 250ml dry white wine
• 1.3L hot, strong flavoured beef stock
• Croutons
• Shaved swiss and parmesan cheese

1. Melt the butter with the oil in a large heavy-based pan. Add the onions and fry with the lid on for 10 minutes until soft. Sprinkle in the sugar and cook for 20 minutes more, stirring frequently, until caramelised. The onions should be really golden, full of flavour and soft when pinched between your fingers. Take care towards the end to ensure that they don’t burn.
2. Preheat broiler to 450
3. Add the garlic for the final few minutes of the onions’ cooking time, then sprinkle in the flour and stir well. Increase the heat and keep stirring as you gradually add the wine, followed by the hot stock. Cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes.
4. To serve, ladle the soup into heatproof bowls. Put a handful of croutons on top, and then pile on the cheese. Broil until the cheese is melted, and has a nice golden brown hue. 

Notes: Due to my use of salted butter, I did not need to add any additional salt. When they say strong flavoured beef stock, they mean it. My broth was almost black when I added it to the onions, but the flour definitely lightens it.

Edited November 4, 2014 by Notorious

[Notorious]

Creamy Carrot Soup

• 3 tbsp coconut oil
• 1 medium sweet onion, diced
• 4 cups chopped and peeled carrots (about 1 1/2 pounds)
• 1-2 cloves garlic
• 3 cups chicken stock
• 14 oz 2% milk
• 1 tsp butter
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• dash nutmeg
• 1 tsp sour cream
• salt and pepper to taste

1. Saute the onions and carrots over med high heat for 5 minutes. Lightly salt and pepper. Do not let brown

2. Add garlic clove(s) and saute for another minute

3. Add chicken stock, and ginger, then reduce heat to medium. Simmer for 30 minutes, or until carrots are soft

4. Add milk, and butter. Place in blender and puree until smooth.

5. Serve with a dollop of sour cream and a sprinkle of nutmeg.

 

This is an amazing fall dish. Vegans can substitute vegetable broth and coconut milk. I added more ginger than the recipe called for, as it wasn't potent enough for my liking. Hope you enjoy

Edited November 4, 2014 by Notorious

[Notorious]

Cream of Mushroom soup

 

Ingredients

• 1 stick (4 ounces or 1/2 cup) of butter
• 2 pounds button mushrooms, rinsed and sliced
• 3 onions, peeled and chopped
• 1/2 bottle red wine
• 4 cups rich chicken broth
• 1 cup 35% heavy whipping cream*
• 1 tablespoon or more of chopped fresh thyme
• 3 tablespoons corn starch
• 1/2 cup water
• Salt and pepper

 

 

Directions

1. Place a large saucepot over medium high heat. Add the butter, mushrooms and onions. Sauté until lightly browned. Season with salt and pepper.
2. Add the wine and bring to a simmer, reducing it by half. Add the chicken broth and cream, stir well and bring to a simmer. Add the thyme and continue cooking for a few minutes. Meanwhile stir the cornstarch into a ¼-cup of water. Add the mixture slowly to the simmering soup, stirring until it returns to the simmer and thickens slightly. If you prefer your soup a bit thicker feel free to add more cornstarch. Taste and add salt and pepper as desired.

 

*Do not use low-fat options for this step! The red wine has a very strong flavour (especially once reduced) and needs the heavy cream in order to balance it.

Edited November 4, 2014 by Notorious

[donnato]

Wow .. thank you so much Notorious for these wonderful recipes. 

[Notorious]

Candied Bacon

 

1 package regular sliced bacon

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 tsp cayenne pepper

 

1. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper*
2. Preheat over to 325F
3. Mix brown sugar and cayenne pepper together in a shallow dish
4. Cut bacon strips in half, and dredge through cayenne/sugar mixture
5. Lay coated strips flat on cookie sheet. Do not overlap
6. Place sheet of bacon in the oven and cook until nice and brown (20-25 mins)

*Unless you want to be scraping sticky toffee mess from your cookie sheet for the rest of eternity, parchment paper is a must.

[Notorious]

Cheeseburger Burritos

 

Ingredients

• 3 lb. ground beef
• BBQ sauce, to taste
• 4 tbsp. olive oil
• 1 large sweet onion, chopped
• 4 tsp minced garlic
• 1 kg baby portabellas, sliced
• 1/2 package bacon, chopped
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 (15oz) can of diced tomatoes
• Dill pickles, sliced (optional)
• 3 c. sharp cheddar cheese
• 10 large soft flour tortillas
• vegetable oil for brushing

Instructions

1. In a large skillet on medium high heat, saute the ground beef. Mix in BBQ sauce to taste. Set aside in bowl.
2. Cook bacon to desired firmness. Set aside on paper towel to blot grease. Leave remaining grease in pan.
3. Saute mushrooms and onions in bacon grease. Onions should be translucent.
4. Preheat oven to 350F. Layer as follows: Hamburger, bacon, onions & mushrooms, cheese and tomatoes. Bake for 20 min, flipping midway.
5. Bon appetit! You can use the sliced pickles as a garnish if you wish.

Yield: 10 tortillas

Edited November 4, 2014 by Notorious

[Notorious]

Poor Man Filet Mignon

 

Ingredients

2 lbs. lean ground round

4 slices bread, crumbled

2 eggs, beaten

1/2 c. milk

2 tsp. salt

1 tbsp. minced onion

2 tsp. dried celery flakes

1/2 tsp. chili powder

1 bottle (18 oz.) smoke flavored barbeque sauce,

12 slices uncooked bacon

 

1. Preheat over to 350F
2. Combine first eight ingredients and 2 tablespoon barbecue sauce. Form into 12 thick patties.
3. Wrap a bacon slice around the sides of each patty and secure with a toothpick. Bake on a cookie sheet at 350 degrees for 50 to 60 minutes or until desired doneness is reached.
4. Baste frequently with remaining barbecue sauce the last 30 minutes.

Makes 12 servings.

Edited November 4, 2014 by Notorious

[Notorious]

Ultimate Chocolate Cake

 

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 2 egg
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup water
• 4 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
• 2 teaspoons espresso powder
• 1 3/4 cups pastry flour
• 1/4 cup cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup sour cream

 

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Butter and flour 2 9-inch cake pans.
2. Cream butter and sugars together until fluffy. Beat in eggs and vanilla.
3. In a small pan stir water, chocolate and espresso powder over low heat until melted. Allow to cool slightly before beating into butter mixture.
4. Sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt and stir into batter alternately with sour cream. Divide evenly between the 2 pans and bake for 25-35 minutes, until a tester inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.
5. Allow to cool 15 minutes in the pans, then turn cakes out onto a plate to cool completely.

Edited November 4, 2014 by Notorious

[Notorious]

Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

 

Ingredients

• 1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks or 1/2 pound), softened (but not melted!)
• 3 1/2 cups confectioners (powdered) sugar
• 1/2 cup cocoa powder
• 1/2 teaspoon table salt
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract or 1 teaspoon almond extract
• 4 tablespoons milk or heavy cream

 

Instructions

1. Cream butter for a few minutes in a mixer with the paddle attachment on medium speed. Turn off the mixer.
2. Sift 3 cups powdered sugar and cocoa into the mixing bowl.
3. Turn your mixer on the lowest speed (so the dry ingredients do not blow everywhere) until the sugar and cocoa are absorbed by the butter.
4. Increase mixer speed to medium and add vanilla extract, salt, and milk/cream and beat for 3 minutes. If your frosting needs a more stiff consistency, add a little more sugar. If your frosting needs to be thinned out, add additional milk 1 tablespoon at a time

Edited November 4, 2014 by Notorious

[Notorious]

Gingersnaps

 

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup soft margarine or butter
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup molasses
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon ground ginger

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease cookie sheets.
2. In a large bowl, cream the shortening and sugar. Add the egg and beat until light and fluffy, then stir in the molasses. In a separate bowl, mix together the flour, baking soda, salt, ginger and cinnamon. Add to the egg mixture and stir until well blended. Roll bits of dough into 1 inch balls. Dip each ball in sugar and place on cookie sheet, sugared side up about 2 inches apart.
3. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until cookies have spread and tops have cracked. Let cool on wire rack.

[Notorious]

Pumpkin Roll with Cream Cheese Icing

Ingredients:

• 3 Eggs
• 1 cup Sugar
• 2/3 cup Pumpkin
• 1 teaspoon Lemon juice
• 3/4 cup All-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon Baking powder
• 2 teaspoons Cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon Ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon Nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon Salt

 

Filling:

• 8 ounces Cream cheese -- softened
• 4 tablespoons Butter -- or margarine
• 1 cup Powdered sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon Vanilla

 

Preparation:

1. In large bowl, combine eggs and sugar, beating with an electric mixer until thick and light yellow in color. Add pumpkin and lemon juice, mixing until blended.
2. In separate bowl, combine flour, baking powder, spices and salt. Add to egg mixture, mixing well.
3. Spread batter into greased and waxed-paper lined 10-by-15-inch jelly-roll pan. Bake at 350 ° for 15 minutes. Remove from oven. Cool for 15 minutes. Place cake on clean tea towel sprinkled liberally with powdered sugar. Cool 10 minutes longer. From 10- inch side, roll cake up in towel. Set aside.
4. While cake is cooling in towel, prepare filling. Beat together cream cheese and butter; stir in powdered sugar and vanilla and blend until smooth.
5. Unroll cake. Evenly spread filling over cake. Roll up cake (without the towel). Wrap in plastic wrap. Cover and chill at least 1 hour. Slice before serving. Keep leftover slices refrigerated.

[Notorious]

Banana Spice Cake

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 egg white
• 1/3 cup sour cream
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 2 cups sifted cake and pastry flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 3/4 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1 pinch nutmeg
• 1 pinch allspice
• 1 pinch salt
• 1 cup mashed bananas
• 1 tbsp icing sugar

Preparation

1. Cream butter with sugar. Beat in egg and egg white, one at a time, beating well after each addition; add sour cream and vanilla.
2. Stir together flour, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda, nutmeg, allspice and salt; fold into egg mixture alternately with bananas.
3. Spoon into greased 6-cup (1.5 L) Bundt pan, spreading higher at edges, or 8-inch (2 L) springform pan. Bake in 350°F (180°C) oven for 35 to 40 minutes or until cake springs back when touched. Cool on rack. Dust with icing sugar.

[Notorious]

Dulce de Leche Brownies

Makes 12 brownies

 

Ingredients:

 

8 tablespoons (115g) salted or unsalted butter, cut into pieces

6 ounces (170g) bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, finely chopped

1/4 cup (25g) unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder

3 large eggs

1 cup (200g) sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup (140g) flour

optional: 1 cup (100 g) toasted pecans or walnuts, coarsely chopped

1 cup Dulce de Leche

 

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees (175 C).
2. Line a 8-inch (20 cm) square pan with a long sheet of aluminum foil that covers the bottom and reaches up the sides. If it doesn’t reach all the way up and over all four sides, cross another sheet of foil over it, making a large cross with edges that overhang the sides. Grease the bottom and sides of the foil with a bit of butter or non-stick spray.
3. Melt the butter in a medium saucepan. Add the chocolate pieces and stir constantly over very low heat until the chocolate is melted. Remove from heat and whisk in the cocoa powder until smooth.
4. Add in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the sugar, vanilla, then the flour. Mix in the nuts, if using.
5. Scrape half of the batter into the prepared pan. Here comes the fun part.
6. Drop one-third of the Dulce de Leche, evenly spaced, over the brownie batter, then drag a knife through to swirl it slightly. Spread the remaining brownie batter over, then drop spoonfuls of the remaining Dulce de Leche in dollops over the top of the brownie batter. Use a knife to swirl the Dulce de Leche slightly.
7. Bake for 35 to 45 minutes. The brownies are done when the center feels just-slightly firm. Remove from the oven and cool completely.

Edited November 4, 2014 by Notorious

[Notorious]

Tomato Basil Pasta

Ingredients:

12 ounces pasta (I used spaghetti)

1 can (15 ounces) diced tomatoes with liquid

1 large sweet onion, cut in julienne strips

4 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 tsp red pepper flakes

1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

1/2 tsp paprika

2 tsp oregano leaves

2 tsp basil

4 cups chicken broth (regular broth and NOT low sodium)

2 tablespoons grapeseed oil

Parmesan cheese for garnish

 

Directions:

1. Place pasta, tomatoes, onion, garlic, basil, in a large stock pot.
2. Add chicken broth, and seasonings. Drizzle top with oil.
3. Cover pot, and bring to a boil.
4. Reduce to a low simmer and keep covered and cook for about 10 minutes, stirring every 2 minutes or so.
5. Cook until almost all liquid has evaporated – I left a couple inches of liquid in the bottom of the pot.
6. Season to taste with salt and pepper, stirring pasta several times to distribute the liquid in the bottom of the pot. Serve garnished with Parmesan cheese.

[donnato]

[Notorious]

Chicken Alfredo Sauce

 

Ingredients:

4 tbsp butter

1/2 medium yellow onion, finely chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

2 tbsp flour

1/4 cup dry white wine

500mL heavy cream (30 - 40%)

1/4 cup grated parmesan reggiano

1 tomato, diced

1 chicken breast, fully cooked & diced

salt and pepper to taste

 

Directions:

1. Melt 2 tbsp of butter in a pan over medium-high heat.
2. Add onions and cook until translucent (around 5 minutes)
3. Add garlic and cook for another 2 minutes
4. Whisk in 2 tbsp of flours, and cook until golden brown
5. Whisk in white wine. Begin adding cream slowly, and whisk until blended well
6. Bring to a simmer. Add remaining 2 tbsp of butter and reduce heat to medium. Simmer covered for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally
7. Add parmesan cheese and stir until blended
8. Add tomatoes and chicken.

Use pasta of choice. I prefer fettuccine or spaghetti. You can also add bacon for a great carbonara recipe, just make sure to reduce the amount of salt you add.

Edited November 11, 2014 by Notorious

[donnato]

Wow, sounds very good, thanks. I`m guessing that the chicken is cooked before adding it in that final step?

[Jac]

I would. Otherwise you'll wind up with raw chicken.

[windclan]

Just made this bit of deliciousness today...Definitely one for my permanent recipe collection

 

Salted Caramel Bittersweet Chocolate Tart

 

[donnato]

Wow, that looks good WC.