Recipes from the food pics thread.

[AnnMarie]

There is an attempt number one in the "Step by Step" thread, but this one worked out better for me, so here you go!

• 4 large russet potatoes
• 1-1.5lbs of sweet italian sausage meat (you could use hot if you want, personal choice)
• 1 can of cream of potato soup (I think you could easily leave this out)
• 6 cups of chicken broth (I used low fat/low sodium)
• 1 medium onion (I used a half large vidalia onion, I prefer sweet)
• 2 cups of half and half (recipe called for evaporated milk, I went with the half and half instead)
• seasoned salt
• pepper

Wash, peel, and slice potatoes. I made the same size pieces I would for potato salad or beef stew. If you don't want to peel them, you don't have to, but I don't like skins in soup.

Dice or coursely chop onion.

Add half of onions and all of the potatoes to a pan with your chicken broth. Bring to a boil then simmer on low/medium heat (low boil).

Brown sausage meat in skillet with remaining onions until the meat is brown/to your liking. While cooking the meat, I added 3 tablespoons of REAL bacon pieces. The recipe does not call for this, but I like the little added flavor. *note: last time I cooked the bacon myself, but I really found it made the soup too greasy, and added time and effort that I just didn't need to do for so little bacon.*

Add browned meat and onions to the soup pan with potatoes/broth. Cook entire pot on low boil until the potatoes are cooked and soft (about 45 mins, the soup will set up well in that time.)

When everything is cooked, add the 2 cups of half and half to the mixture and let it cook through for about 10 mins. Add salt and pepper to taste!

*I added the half and half by mixing it in another bowl with 2 cups of broth to make sure it didn't curdle or anything - not sure if it was necessary, but it's how I always add dairy when I'm late in the game.*


I think you could vary this recipe with lots of things, cheese toppings, etc... but I really enjoyed it just as it was.

Click for picture: Attachment 21045

[SuperMishe]

Sorry if this isn't the place to do this - still a new "foodee"! LOL

I am looking for a recipe for a chicken salad with grapes and walnuts in it. I can't seem to find one on any of the recipe sites I've been to. I need it by tomorrow night as Tuesday is MY day to bring lunch to work! Can it be as simple as just chicken, grapes, walnuts and mayo???

Thanks for any help!
Mishe

[SoVerySoft]

Originally Posted by SuperMishe

Sorry if this isn't the place to do this - still a new "foodee"! LOL

I am looking for a recipe for a chicken salad with grapes and walnuts in it. I can't seem to find one on any of the recipe sites I've been to. I need it by tomorrow night as Tuesday is MY day to bring lunch to work! Can it be as simple as just chicken, grapes, walnuts and mayo???

Thanks for any help!
Mishe

When I am looking for a recipe, I google the main ingredients and often find several to choose from. I know it's not the same as someone you know recommending a recipe, but it is better than nothing!

I googled chicken salad grapes walnuts:

and on Cooks.com I found this (and there are several others):

CHICKEN SALAD WITH GREEN GRAPES

2 1/2 c. diced cooked chicken
1 c. finely chopped celery
1 c. sm. seedless green grapes
1 c. chopped walnuts
1 tsp. minced onion
1 tsp. salt
1/2 c. whipping cream, whipped
1 c. mayonnaise
Salad greens
Garnishes: Stuffed & ripe olives, sweet pickles, parsley & julienne strips of chicken

In a bowl, combine chicken, celery, grapes, walnuts, onion and salt. Whip cream and mix it with the mayonnaise. Fold this dressing into the chicken salad mixture. Cover bowl and refrigerate for several hours. At serving time, serve salad on greens with garnishes.


And on Epicurious:

Chicken Salad with Grapes and Walnuts

Makes 4 to 6 servings.

ingredients
4 cups cubed (1/2 inch) cooked chicken (about 1 3/4 lb)
1 cup walnuts, toasted and chopped
1 celery rib, cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices (1 cup)
2 tablespoons finely chopped shallot
2 cups halved seedless red grapes
3/4 cup mayonnaise
3 tablespoons tarragon vinegar
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh tarragon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper preparation

Toss together all ingredients in a large bowl until combined well.

[jamie]

Easy Eggplant Rollatini:

Ingredients:
Part 1-
1 eggplant, peeled and cut into strips about ¼”.
1 egg beaten in a shallow dish
1c Italian seasoned bread crumbs in a shallow dish
2T olive oil

Part 2 –
1 cup (I used more like a cup and a half because I looove ricotta)
1 small jar of mushrooms
1 small box of frozen spinach
Minced garlic or a little granulated garlic (optional)

Part3-
14oz jar of spaghetti sauce
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
Angel Hair pasta


Directions:

1. Dip the eggplant slices in the egg and then in the bread crumbs coating both sides.
2. Heat olive oil in a skillet and fry until golden brown, drain on paper towel lined plate.
3. Preheat oven to 350.
4. Microwave spinach if not already thawed. If using fresh, wilt in the pan for a few minutes and toss with minced garlic.
5. Take each browned and drained eggplant slice and spread it with ricotta cheese (you can mix in the garlic with the cheese if you want). Place some mushrooms, spinach in the center and gently roll the slice up tightly.
6. Place rolls seem side down in a 9x13 baking dish.
7. Pour spaghetti sauce over the rolls and top with mozzarella cheese.
8. Bake for 15-20 minutes (mine took more like 30 mins because we like the cheese very golden) until the cheese is melted and browned.
9. While the rolls are baking, make the pasta according to directions.
10. Serve the rolls and sauce over pasta and…enjoy!

Looks way more involved than it actually was. The most difficult part was cutting the eggplant right and not burning the strips, because I don’t do very well at frying. I just messed the first two up and the rest turned out fine.

The results:

[Michelle]

Thanks so much, Missy J!

Randi - do you think you could put a sticky on this thread? It's usually difficult to locate. Thanks.

[Fuzzy]

(As requested, tho I'm really really late with this.)

Slice or dice 1/2 pound smoked sausage, and brown in a dutch oven. Remove, and keep about 1 tablespoon grease. Saute a medium onion, chopped, with 3 stalks celery, chopped, with 1 green pepper, chopped, with 2-4 cloves of garlic (minced, chopped, or smashed). Season with 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, and a pinch cayenne (optional, I like to put a bottle of tabasco on the table instead). Cook until the veggies are tender-ish.

Return the sausage to the dutch oven and add two cans red beans, drained, two cans stewed tomatoes (I like to puree them first) and enough water to cover. Add two teaspoons thyme, two bay leaves, two table spoons fresh parsley (or one tablespoon dry) Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer about 15 to 20 minutes. Remove bay leaves prior to serving.

Serve over rice.

[SoVerySoft]

Originally Posted by Michelle

Thanks so much, Missy J!

Randi - do you think you could put a sticky on this thread? It's usually difficult to locate. Thanks.

Done!

[Tina]

Originally Posted by panhype

Michelle, here's your Oyako Donburi

Wow. You always impress me with your cooking skills, Pahype. This looks absolutely divine!

Dang, they all look delicious. Why am I looking at this thread on an empty stomach?

[Fuzzy]

As requested: 10-minute homemade minestrone soup

Melt 1-2 tbls. butter in a dutch oven, and saute 1 onion (chopped), 2 stalks celery (chopped), with 2-4 cloves garlic (chopped, minced, or smashed) until onion is golden and tender. Add: 1 can kidney beans(drained), 1 can cut green beans (drained), 1 can diced carrot (drained), 1 can diced new potatoes (drained), 1 can italian stewed tomatoes (I like to puree this), 1-2 cans tomato soup and 1-2 cans water. Bring to a boil, and add 1 cup dry small shells, or elbow macaroni. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until pasta is tender. (about 10 minutes) Add potato flakes to thicken, if desired, about 2/3 cup.

Serve with hot fresh rolls, or biscuits.

[Fuzzy]

Saute cajun trinity in a dutch oven with butter. Add chopped (pre-cooked)(leftover) chicken (about 2 cups), chopped ham (about 1 cup), and 1/2lb smoked sausage (chunked or sliced). Add 1 can french-sliced green beans, 1 can of stewed tomatoes (pureed, if desired), and 1 16oz can tomato sauce. Simmer until sauce reaches desired thickness. (Add tomato paste to thicken if you can't wait that long. )

Serve over rice, or spaghetti, broccoli, etc.

[Brandi]

Originally Posted by Fuzzy

Saute cajun trinity in a dutch oven with butter. Add chopped (pre-cooked)(leftover) chicken (about 2 cups), chopped ham (about 1 cup), and 1/2lb smoked sausage (chunked or sliced). Add 1 can french-sliced green beans, 1 can of stewed tomatoes (pureed, if desired), and 1 16oz can tomato sauce. Simmer until sauce reaches desired thickness. (Add tomato paste to thicken if you can't wait that long. )

Serve over rice, or spaghetti, broccoli, etc.

You are sooo kind! Thank you!

[CrankySpice]

1 lb. assorted mushrooms, cleaned, stemmed, and very finely chopped (I chop them in my food processor, saves a ton of time)

1/4 cup very finely minced shallots or onions

4 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons sherry or wine

Cheesecloth

First, a note about mushrooms: most of you probably already know this, but never wash mushrooms in water: they absorb it like a sponge. To clean mushrooms, either use a soft brush or towel to gently wipe dirt off of them.

Melt the butter over medium heat, and add the shallots. cook for just a few minutes, until soft and translucent.

This step is optional, but it saves a lot of time: drape the cheesecloth over a bowl, and pour your chopped mushrooms into it. pick up the ends of the cheesecloth and twist them together, to form a ball of chopped mushroom. Squeeze the mushroom ball tightly to extract the juice into the bowl. Squeeze as much of the juice out as you can. Pour the mushroom juice from the bowl into the hot pan of shallots; let most of the liquid evaporate, and then add the chopped mushroom to the pan. (you can skip the juicing part and just add the mushrooms to the pan directly, but it will take a LOT longer to cook them down in that case) mix well with the butter, and spread it out in a thin layer over the pan, stirring occasionally, until they look like this:

prep1.jpg

Duxelles are a component of Beef Wellington, for which Fuzzy has requested a recipe (the Wellington, not the duxelles, but you can't have one without the other). However, it is a very rich and flavorful seasoning you can also add to sauces, soups, and stews. It freezes beautifully, and I either spread it about 1/4 inch thick on saran wrap on a cookie sheet, freeze, and break into chunks, or I freeze it in ice cube trays and store in a ziplock bag. then you can just grab a couple of cubes or chunks and toss them in whatever you are cooking for a really nice, deep mushroom flavor.

Beef Wellington recipe to be posted tomorrow....

[CrankySpice]

Okay, I base my BW on a recipe from Martha Stewart...so I've just cut and pasted it here, more or less, with the changes I make and with photos I took while prepping.

1 2 1/2 to 3-pound beef tenderloin, trimmed of excess fat
1 tsp coarse salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 recipe Duxelles (above)
All-purpose flour, for dusting
1 pound frozen puff pastry, thawed, plus more for garnish if desired
1/4 pound (4 ounces) duck liver, chicken liver, or peppercorn mousse, room temperature
1 large egg, lightly beaten
Sea salt, or coarse salt, for sprinkling (optional)


Directions
Tie tenderloin with kitchen twine in 1-inch increments to form an even piece, so it will hold its shape during cooking. (Your butcher can do this for you.)
Heat a large cast-iron or heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Season beef with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Sear tenderloin until well browned on all surfaces, about 1 1/2 minutes on each side, including ends.
Transfer tenderloin to a cutting board with a drainage well; let rest until cool. Cut and remove the kitchen twine. (CS: I don't have a cutting board with a drainage well, so I just use a regular cutting board and put a wine cork under one end and let the other end hang over the edge of the sink, as in the picture below):

prep2.jpg

On a lightly floured surface, roll the puff pastry into a rectangle 1/4 inch thick and big enough to enclose the beef. If using store-bought pastry, it may be necessary to lay out 2 pieces, overlapping, and roll them out into one piece. Spread the top of the tenderloin evenly with half the mousse, and spread half of the duxelles evenly over the top.
Carefully invert coated tenderloin into middle of puff pastry, coated-side down. Spread another layer of mousse on top and sides of tenderloin. Spread remaining duxelles over top.

prep6.jpg

Fold up long sides of dough to enclose tenderloin, brushing edges with beaten egg to seal. Trim ends if necessary, then fold up, and seal. Carefully transfer tenderloin, seam side down, to a baking sheet, and chill at least 2 hours or overnight. Roll out any extra dough, cut into holly or other shapes if desired, and chill on baking sheet with beef. (I have skipped the chilling process in the interest of time, with no ill effect.)

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Place a baking sheet on the middle rack in the oven until hot, about 15 minutes. Decorate top of pastry with shaped cutouts if desired; brush with beaten egg. Make 2 to 3 slits in pastry for venting steam. Sprinkle with sea or coarse salt if desired. Carefully transfer beef Wellington to preheated baking sheet.

prep7.jpg

Bake until pastry is golden brown and beef registers 120 degrees.to 130 degrees.on an instant-read thermometer for rare, 130 degrees.to 135 degrees.for medium rare, 35 to 50 minutes. Cover pastry with foil if it gets too brown while cooking. Let rest on a cutting board 10 minutes before slicing.

prep11.jpg

[Fuzzy]

Awesome!

[Fuzzy]

This was spur of the moment, and I had 30 minutes to make it.

In a stock pot, add 4 cups milk, 2 cups water, two packages of frozen broccoli and cauliflower flowerettes, and heat on medium-high.
Meanwhile, cube 1 lb velveeta (does this count as cheese? ), and 1 package cream cheese and drop into pot randomly, stirring occasionaly as the milk heats and the cheeses melt. Don't let it scorch or burn! Add 1 jar bacon cheddar spread. When hot, reduce heat to low. Add 2 cups potato flakes, and blend until creamy. Optional, Add 1-2 teaspoons red pepper sauce. Optional, I felt it was missing something and I added three tablespoons butter.

Serve with hard rolls.

[IdahoCynth]

Originally Posted by Fuzzy

This was spur of the moment, and I had 30 minutes to make it.

In a stock pot, add 4 cups milk, 2 cups water, two packages of frozen broccoli and cauliflower flowerettes, and heat on medium-high.
Meanwhile, cube 1 lb velveeta (does this count as cheese? ), and 1 package cream cheese and drop into pot randomly, stirring occasionaly as the milk heats and the cheeses melt. Don't let it scorch or burn! Add 1 jar bacon cheddar spread. When hot, reduce heat to low. Add 2 cups potato flakes, and blend until creamy. Optional, Add 1-2 teaspoons red pepper sauce. Optional, I felt it was missing something and I added three tablespoons butter.

Serve with hard rolls.

Thanks! I am going to make this over the weekend.

[Risible]

Tomato and Bread Soup

2 T olive oil
Medium onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic (I, of course, double that amount, as I loves me so garlic! )
2 15-oz cans diced tomatoes, Italian style if they have it
1 15-oz can tomato sauce
1 quart chicken stock
2 15-oz cans white kidney beans (cannellini)
1 10-oz package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed of excess water
Fresh or dried basil
about 3/4 loaf rough-textured bread, artisan type, torn into small rough chunks. Use stale bread if you have it.
Parmesan cheese, grated
butter
salt and pepper to taste
optional - oregano, red pepper flakes

Heat the oil in a large soup pot. Add the onion and saute for a few minutes, add garlic, saute until lightly browned. Stir the tomatoes (diced and sauced) into the onion/garlic mixture, then stir in chicken stock. Heat to a boil and add beans and spinach, heat again to a boil. Chiffonade the basil and add it, add salt, pepper and other spices if using. Drop the chunks of bread in and stir. The bread will begin to hydrate and expand after a few minutes; cook for another five minutes or so at a simmer. Soup is done when the spoon stands up!

Add parm cheese and butter (you can also drizzle in olive oil) to taste.

[MissToodles]

Wow, that photo and now recipe seems wonderful. I'm going to camp out in your and your hubby's yard in hopes of getting some food! hee hee

[Risible]

Originally Posted by MissToodles

Wow, that photo and now recipe seems wonderful. I'm going to camp out in your and your hubby's yard in hopes of getting some food! hee hee

Ha! You should talk, Miss T, with that yummy looking noodle soup and all!

[corbinFA]

Okay so this might sound like an awkward recipe, but trust me on this one. It is a freaking delicious breakfast food.

-steam some rice for about 30 min.
-add about 3 spoons of sugar per bowl.
-add about 1 spoon of cinnamon per bowl.
-add as many raisins as you like.
-fill the bowl up with milk.

And...done! It's an easy meal, and believe me you'll love it! Bon apetite!

[Tina]

That's really good, corbin. I like it with brown sugar, though I haven't had it for a good while.

Ris, that soup looks divine.

[MLadyJ]

Corbin...I am older that dirt (LOL..well almost) and when I was a kid my mother used to make this for all us kids for breakfast...and sometimes we ate it for dessert..thanks for reminding me..

[corbinFA]

Glad I can be of service!

[Sweet Tooth]

Betty Crocker has a recipe for either a small [2-8" rounds or 1-9" square] or large [2-9" rounds or 1-13"x9" oblong] cake. My mom also wrote in her version which is basically the small cake doubled that she bakes in a 13"x9" pan.

SMALL | LARGE
Sift together....
1 3/8 c flour | 2 1/8 c flour
1 c sugar | 1 1/2 c sugar
2 tsp baking powder | 3 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt | 1 tsp salt
Add....
1/4 c shortening | 1/3 c shortening
1/4 c peanut butter | 1/3 c peanut butter
2/3 c milk | 1 c milk
>>> Beat 2 minutes.
Add....
1 egg | 2 eggs
>>> Beat 2 minutes.
>>> Bake at 350° for 25-30 minutes for rounds or 35-40 minutes for square/oblong.

To make the PB icing, just add about 1/4 c peanut butter to your favorite buttercream recipe. [I once accidentally made a Tootsie Roll-like frosting quite accidentally, so I'd not be able to repeat it. However chocolate frosting is a nice balance with the PB cake.]

I recommend Skippy for good baking peanut butter, although I have made it with Jif and with Peanut Butter & Company's stuff.

On a side note, sometimes the cake comes out having a dry mouth feel even though it's obviously moist. This actually isn't from it being dry. It's from that sticking to the roof of your mouth sensation that peanut butter gives.

[activistfatgirl]

Yum! I don't often (okay, ever) make cakes from scratch, but this'll be my starter attempt. I don't know why it triggered a baking response, but I do love me some peanut butter!