Phil loves to cook and loves to try new things, i'm trying to put together a book of recipes for him for christmas and I thought i'd ask around here.
Does anyone have some great recipes the'd like to share? He's more 'meal oriented' than baking and desserts and such, but i'll take anything and of course if it is your special recipe i'll give you credit!

I'll trade you a recipefor a recipe starting with my mom's banana bread:

Banana Bread

2 eggs (beaten)
½ cup shortening
2/3 cup sugar
1 ¾ cup flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup bananas (or more)
½ teaspoon vanilla

Combine eggs, shortening, sugar until creamy.
Add rest of ingredients and mix until smooth.
Bake at 350 for 60-70 minutes.

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Those who say it can't be done should get out of the way of those who are doing it.

~*~Lacey~*~

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Fast and brainless but great all the same, also works for those semi-vegetarians in the group

Southwestern Bean Salad

2 cans black beans
1 can cannellini beans (white beans)
1 med red onion, chopped
1 can vacuum packed corn kernels
3 tblsp chopped cilantro
1 clove garlic, minced
1 green pepper, chopped



Dressing:
1/4 c olive oil
2 Tbsp red wine vinegar
1/2 tsp cumin (ground)
1/2 tsp Grey Poupon

S&P



These are the basics, they get mixed around depending on what I have on hand.

I also usually add one finely chopped jalapeno

Goes well over slices of tomato and avocado

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Or when grilling salmon fillets

Glaze with a mix of 1 part honey and 1 part soy sauce.

I generally let them sit in a plastic bag with this for up to an hour. Remember fish won't marinate like meat. After you filp the fillet spoon some more of the glaze over the top.

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You can grill most any veggie but broccoli. which I have been playing with for a while.

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Stove top is endless too

In a heavy pan (I use a Le Creuset 2.25-Quart Buffet Casserole) with a lid start to cook one side of a fish fillet (salmon, orange ruffi, talapia, but have not tried with the firmer ocean fish like tuna and sword).
When you go to flip it move it to a plate. Fill the pan with cleaned spinach and place the fish on top.
Cover until fish is cooked.

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Now I'm just rambling because I'm socially inept

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~ Mark

Ramble all you want, I'm going to give him the bean salad recipe right away beause it sounds like something I want with dutch oven ribs.

Anybody do any dutch oven cooking?

Yummy Potatoes

1 lb. extra lean ground beef
1 cup sour cream
1 yellow onion; diced (Optional)
1 cup grated cheddar cheese
1/2 cup butter
salt and pepper to taste
6 medium potatoes; grated
1/2 cup milk
1 can cream of chicken soup
1/2 cup Ritz cracker crumbs

Preheat a 12" Dutch oven using 18-20 briquettes bottom heat. To hot oven add butter, ground beef, and onions. Sauté until beef is brown and onions are soft. Add potatoes and stir to mix. Place lid on Dutch oven and bake using 10-12 briquettes bottom and 14-16 briquettes top for 15-20 minutes or until potatoes start to soften.

In a bowl combine soup, sour cream, cheddar cheese and milk. Stir to mix. Season with salt and pepper. Pour soup mixture over potatoes and stir gently to mix. Sprinkle cracker crumbs over top of potatoes. Replace lid and continue baking for 30 minutes.

Serves: 10-12 (unless you've been hiking, camping and thrown back a few beers, then it serves about 5)

__________________

Those who say it can't be done should get out of the way of those who are doing it.

~*~Lacey~*~

My Photos

LOL Most of what I cook has no recipe!
And it can vary widely from one batch to another!

About the only thing I really do by routine is my salsa!
3 29oz Cans Petite Diced tomatoes
2 Bunches green onions chopped
1 large onion chopped
10 Jalapeno peppers
5 teaspoons seasoned salt
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon garlic powder

It does come out a bit warm so if you like your salsa a bit milder you might want to start out with fewer peppers till you find what works for you.

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Merlin,
What's Life Without A Little Magic!

I'm such a huggggggeeeee wuss that I use hardly any pepper, but phil likes his food to have a bit of a kick. I'm 'mild salsa' all the way.

Fiesta Guacamole Dip

2 (15 or 16 ounce) cans refried beans
1 (4oz can) chopped green chilies, un-drained
1 (16oz.) container sour cream
1 package taco seasoning mix
3 ripe avocados, pitted and peeled
2 tablespoons lemon or lime juice
½ teaspoon season salt
1/8 teaspoon garlic salt
Shredded Cheddar or Jack Cheese
Chopped Tomatoes
Sliced green onions
Sliced ripe olives

In a small bowl combine beans and chilies, spread on large serving plate.
Combine taco season and sour cream, spread over beans.
Mash avocados, mix in salts and lime/lemon juice. Spread evenly over sour cream mixture.
Cover and chill before garnishing with additional ingredients.
Serve with tortilla chips.

(I drain the chilies personally but yet again it comes back to my being a wuss, the less I taste them the better.)

__________________

Those who say it can't be done should get out of the way of those who are doing it.

~*~Lacey~*~

My Photos

I cook a lot! For a living even! I Love my JOB!!!!

I tend to do things that are either super simple or a little more complicated (not practical for the home cook), I'll give you guys two recipes, one is a super easy foccacia and the other is a seared meat dish with a pan sauce that works well with beef, pork, or chicken.

Tuscan Chicken (or beef, or pork)
4 ea 6oz chicken breasts (bone in skin on preferably as it is much better than boneless- also called airline or French split)
OR 4 ea 6 oz bone in pork chops OR 4 4-6 oz skirt steaks or similar
8 to 10 oz of Canned Plum Tomatoes San Lorenzo Preferably or in season use fresh ones that have been skinned and seeded.
6 oz chopped mushrooms-crimini, portobello, ****aki, or button all work fine
6 oz red onion large dice
1 Tablespoon Mince Garlic
1 Teaspoon Crushed Red pepper Flakes
2 Teaspoons Fresh Thyme, chopped
~Flour for dusting and salt and pepper

Procedure
1- Season protein/meat generously with salt and pepper and flour lightly. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2- Place in a smoking hot pan with a little oil, sear both sides well. If using chicken make sure skin is crispy. Pork and beef should be well carmelized.
3- Remove meat from pan and place on sheet and into oven- don't overcook
4- In the pan you cooked your meat add mushrooms and onion and carmalize well, lower heat if needed but this is where you get the flavor.
5- Add aromatics (Garlic, thyme, and red pepper flakes) and cook for about a minute, you will smell all of these as they hit the heat and pop!
6- Deglaze the pan with the tomatoes and then reduce to consistency then season.
The meat should be about done with the sauce. Serve with legumes.


Focaccia alla Genovese
4 cups Italian OO flour- I use 60% cake flour and 40%AP because I can't find OO
1 1/2 Teaspoons Rapid Rise Yeast
1 Teaspoon Fine Salt
6 Tablespoons Fine Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 Teaspoon Coarse Sea Salt

Procedure
1- Put flour, fine salt, and yeast in bowl and combine. Quickly mix in 4 Tablespoons of oil and very quickly mix in 1-1.5 Cups war water (about 98 degrees), Stop once dough is blended.
2- Kneed dough on floured counter top for 1-2 minutes, dough should be damp. Place dough into lightly oiled container and allow to double in size (about 2 hours).
3- Punch down the dough after it has doubled and place onto a 12X9" cookie sheet. Cover and allow to become soft and light (about an hour).
4- Heat oven to 475 degrees. Mix the rest of the oil with a little water in a bowl, dip your fingers into this mixture and press into bread to form little groves. Brush the remaining mixture on top and sprinkle the coarse salt on top as well. Turn the oven down to 425 and bake for about 20 minutes until golden brown.






This is one of the first times I've actually written down a recipe and haven't just said "a pinch of this now." Hopefully someone will use it and enjoy it, they're both great starter recipes that you can build an endless repertoire from. The chicken dish is very versatile, you can change anything for the seasons, it's really good with some shredded carrots added at the beginning.

Do you have access to a pasta roller? If so I have some great ravioli recipes / ideas. Makes a great and cheap meal to stuff the freezer with. About 3 hours and $10 will give you nearly 3 gallons of raviolis.

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~ Mark

I have one, second most used item to my kitchen aide.

Here's one I like to Lacey. It's called "Turkey in a Trash Can"!

All you need is ...
1 Clean, 20 gallon Galvenized Trash Can
1 20 lb Turkey
1 20 lb bag of Charcoal
1 1" dowel about 2 1/2 ft long
1 Empty vegetable can

- Wash out with soapy water and rinse clean the Trash Can. Next drive in the ground the 1" Dowel.
- Then take the Clean Empty Vegetable can and stuff it up inside the bird (remember to take out the 2 bags of parts) and tie the legs together and secure the wings.
- Now take the bird and put it on the 1" Dowel so it is now hanging.
- Take some cooking oil in your hands and rub it all over the bird.
- Next take your cleaned trash can and put it over the can so that it is upside down, over the bird and flush to the ground. You may have to adjust the dowel so that the bird is not touching the bottom of the can.
- Now take your 20 lbs of charcoal and pour it on top of the upside can, and the rest around the base and light the charcoal. Once the flame dies down, place the cover of the trash can over the charcoal on the top(bottom) of the can.
- Now time this for 2 to 2 1/2 hours. About an hour before, place some potatos wrapped in foil around the can and rotate them ever 15 minutes. About 1/2 hour before open up a can or two of Gravy and place them near the coals.

Once it is time, remove the Gravy, Potatos, and clear off the charcoal on the top of the can. Then pull away the charcoal around the can and using heavy leather gloves or some thick oven mitts, carefully lift the can. Now using a clean towel pick up the bird and place on a platter. Even if it doesn't look done, as long as the fluid coming out of the bird is clear, it is done.

I have done several cooking demos in both Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts with this and have served some guests on a few occasions with this meal. It always leaves people in "AWE"!

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Smile and the world will think that you are up to something!

Steve

Thanks guys!

Steve, that recipe sounds awesome...i'm sure phil's going to have to try it just because it's unconventional.

__________________

Those who say it can't be done should get out of the way of those who are doing it.

~*~Lacey~*~

My Photos