I finally figured out how to make good chopped spinach.

You add a bunch of dill, garlic, mint, and lemon juice. It's delicious.

You can also add oil or sprinkle on some feta if you want to make it fattier.

2/12/2014 10:10:08 AM

I have shell-on argentine shrimp thawing on my deck. My preferred cooking method, grilling, is out of the question for the time being, and I would steam them, but it seems that they are easy to overcook. anyone tried cooking shrimp in the oven? I found an endorsement of a pinterest-type recipe with butter and old bay in the oven at 425 for 15 mins, but i'm skeptical. Is there a seafood chef in the house?





^^sounds great. wish i could get nice mint here on the reg.

A twwer posted this minty noodle salad on fb the other day. yum. http://heatherchristo.com/cooks/2014/02/05/vietnamese-noodle-salad-bowl/

2/13/2014 12:45:25 PM

Immersion blenders, who has one and what do you think about them? Considering getting one.

2/13/2014 1:38:49 PM

We got one as a wedding gift. I love it. It's much easier than getting out the big blender for pureeing soups or things like that. I think ours was only like $35 from Target.

2/13/2014 1:44:28 PM

^^^I rarely find good mint. I just use a whole bunch of the dried flakes.

SHAKE SHAKE SHAKE SHAKE SHAKE SHAKE SHAKE SHAKE SHAKE

^^I call those milkshake sticks.

[Edited on February 13, 2014 at 1:49 PM. Reason : ]

2/13/2014 1:47:32 PM

I'd mostly be using it for protein shakes, blending soups, making sauces, and hopefully new things like mashed sweet potatoes and home made mayo that aren't worth the hassle right now.

2/13/2014 2:06:00 PM

there's a whole thread on that in the lounge, back to shrimp recipes lol


finally made my roasted beet and orange salad. I used navel and pink cara cara oranges, tangelo and kumquat, and some marron carrots, quinoa and arugala, with an orange juice and walnut oil vinaigrette and beautiful red walnuts. shitty cam is shitty, sry.

2/13/2014 2:31:11 PM

on the previous page i wasn't suggesting the Thermapen for use as an oven thermometer. i didn't even see where grimx asked about suggestions for them until it was pointed out by green jay. i was just posting a general "hey, these are really nice and they're on sale. here's the private link." PSA

2/13/2014 6:54:12 PM

but can it measure air temps??

2/13/2014 6:57:53 PM

not really

for air temp, you'd want this: http://www.thermoworks.com/products/thermapen/thermapen_air.html

2/13/2014 7:00:50 PM

Attempting my first Chicago style deep dish pizza tomorrow. Any hints tips or tricks? Found a few recipes online I'm going to follow.

2/15/2014 9:20:26 AM

You guys cooking? Cuz I'm cooking!


Put several sprigs of rosemary on the coals. Steaks should be goooooood!

2/22/2014 7:01:18 PM

I'm making a roasted chicken for dinner tonight. Using this recipe http://www.chow.com/recipes/30264-basic-whole-roasted-chicken as a basis.

Did it one other time and it turned out great. Using rosemary and thyme (no parsley in my bird), lemon, lots of fresh cracked pepper and that's about it. Thought about throwing a few cloves of whole garlic in there as well but didn't this time.

2/23/2014 6:43:18 PM

Rosemary, thyme, and sage on a roasted chicken is pretty solid. I don't have any of that growing, so I'll buy one of those poultry packs of fresh herbs in the grocery store. Kinda pricey, but better than buying whole bunches of it

2/23/2014 6:45:57 PM

Some curry that I cooked the other day.

2/23/2014 7:29:23 PM

Now to let it rest and then enjoy for dinner tonight and maybe make some kind of chicken salad tomorrow.

2/23/2014 7:40:34 PM

i made some super-quick pulled chicken with leftover rotisserie chicken breasts, some veggie stock and san-J teriyaki, with re-steamed leftover sticky rice and steamed broccoli with sriracha.


I also tried this Avocado Pie recipe:

Quote :

" Avocado Pie Recipe Recipe Type: Avocado, Pie, Dessert, Graham Cracker Pie Crust, Gelatin Yields: 8 servings Prep time: 15 min Ingredients: 1 (9-inch) homemade or store-bought prepared Graham Cracker Pie Crust* 1/4 cup fresh-squeezed lime juice 1/4 cup fresh-squeezed lemon juice 2 1/2 teaspoons unflavored gelatin** 3 medium-size very ripe Hass avocados, mashed 1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk 1/2 cup heavy cream 1/2 cup sour cream * Check out my Graham Cracker Pie Crust Recipe. ** It is always best to measure the the amount of gelatin needed as the envelopes of gelatin can vary. Learn how to use Gelatin in your cooking and also the history of Gelatin, Gelatine, and JELL-O®. Preparation: Refrigerate graham cracker crust until well chilled. In a small bowl, combine lime juice, lemon juice, and unflavored gelatin; let stand 4 to 5 minutes or until softened. In a large bowl or the food processor, combine gelatin mixture, mashed avocados, and sweetened condensed milk. Pour mixture into prepared graham cracker pie crust. Refrigerate at least 2 hours or until the filling is firm. In a small bowl, whip heavy cream and sour cream together until stiff peaks form. Serve pie topped with prepared whipped cream mixture. Makes 8 servings. "

Quote :

""

I'll report back after we try it.

2/23/2014 8:14:05 PM

Pork loin for lunch and dinner tomorrow. Just pulled it out of the oven.



[Edited on February 23, 2014 at 10:43 PM. Reason : /]

2/23/2014 10:38:59 PM

Picked up a pound of baby octopus I came across in Harris Teeter on Sunday...looking for some decent recipes that could feature them. Any ideas T-Dub?

2/24/2014 10:22:05 AM

my avocado pie, made with the world's tiniest avocados. kinda tasted like sweet guacamole, and definitely reminiscent of key lime pie. I think it needs more gelatin, or to activate the gelatin with boiling water next time, because the filling was still a bit soft, and my premade crust was crumbly, so that wasn't a great combo when it came time to serve.





^marinate and grill with wood chips.

http://fishcooking.about.com/od/squidoctopusrecipes/r/babyoctopus.htm

2/24/2014 12:28:40 PM

Zucchini, squash and oinions in my super-secret-can't-tell-you sauce! It will go with my pork loin for lunch and dinner today!!

YUM YUM

2/24/2014 12:33:31 PM

^^ That looks really good!

Was also thinking about using this recipe http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Baby-Octopus-Salad-231989 (though I'd probably add a little garlic and/or shallots)

[Edited on February 24, 2014 at 12:35 PM. Reason : ]

2/24/2014 12:34:02 PM

^^my grandma would say that needs to cook for another half an hour, hehe. she sautées crookneck summer squash and diced onions until it's completely caramelized and mashed up, and only seasons it with salt and pepper. I miss that stuff, and it's never quite the same with half-dead grocery store squash.


^I think texture/doneness is easier to gauge on the grill, compared to boiling/stewing. I just love grilled octopus though. how many pounds have you got?

2/24/2014 12:41:50 PM

Around 2lbs. I like the grilled option too, but I live in an apt right now and don't have a proper grill, just a cast iron grillpan.

2/24/2014 12:45:39 PM

^^ Mushy squash is not that that palatable to me. And besides I as not finishing cooking it. That pic is more inspiring that the finished product.

2/24/2014 12:50:28 PM

well, your sauce has a liquid component, so yeah, oversteamed squash isn't desirable. crunch is good.

2/24/2014 12:55:15 PM

Neomonde broils big chunks of squash/onion/zucchini without burning them somehow...any ideas? lower temp/longer time?

2/24/2014 1:20:28 PM

maybe roasting is a better word than broil...

2/24/2014 2:10:52 PM

you need to keep temps about 375 or they won't caramelize. so crowd em closer together.

[Edited on February 24, 2014 at 2:41 PM. Reason : and yes, that will increase cooking time]

2/24/2014 2:36:01 PM

I cooked a delicious dinner for some friends on Saturday.. I decided to create the menu around a rustic Italian theme:

*garlic-rubbed crostino w/ olive tapenade in olive oil
*stacked caprese salad w/ balsamic vinegar
* ossobuco w/ tricolor pasta
*homemade tiramisu

it was awesome and most everything was simple or done in advance

2/24/2014 2:43:18 PM

nice, i did ossobuco and tiramisu exactly a year before! haha. did you buy marscapone or make your own?

2/24/2014 3:06:16 PM

I had like 10 minutes to make a dessert and take somewhere, and it was surprisingly good, and includes no pudding mix or coolwhip, which was in every type of icebox pie recipe that I found during my frantic search. I'm adding the recipe I came up with here, because I think it's good enough to make again... though I'll try to make my own crust.


Coffee-Banana Icebox Pie

premade graham cracker crust
cocoa powder
powdered sugar

4 bananas, sliced

1 cup whipping cream
1.5 tbsp powdered sugar
1 tsp espresso powder

8 oz cream cheese
1/2 cup honey
1/4 tsp cinnamon (optional)


Powder the bottom of the pie crust with just enough powdered sugar and cocoa to cover. Firmly press the banana slices into the crust- it should be filled a little over half-way. Whip cream, adding powdered sugar and espresso powder to taste before cream has soft peaks. The taste should be strong, as the flavor will melt into the other layers, but stop before it is too bitter! Whip cream to stiff peaks and transfer to a small container, then whip cream cheese until it is fluffy, add the honey and cinnamon, if using, and beat until smooth. smooth over bananas, and then top with coffee whipped cream. Better after a couple hours in the fridge, but the texture was still pretty good when served right away.

2/27/2014 3:47:27 PM

Cut up a whole chicken and cooking it on the grill along with some peas in tin foil. Salt, pepper, olive oil and rosemary on the chicken.

3/2/2014 6:07:44 PM

yum, that sounds great. i can't wait to fire up the grill. it's currently mired in 3 feet of ice, so it's definitely out of the question for the time being. I wanna buy one of those kamado-style grills this year.


I'm about to cook some fancy super-scientific diet pork chops, using powdered cocoa butter (mycryo), which supposedly keeps them juicier.





I'm gonna do a quick lemon-rosemary marinade while I make yellow bell pepper coulis. and I found some mashed potato-sweet potato-carrot in the freezer, and I have some haircots verts to throw in the pan with an onion while the chops rest.

3/2/2014 6:25:42 PM

Dude, you make the best food. It sounds so delicious.

3/2/2014 6:34:08 PM

^ thanks! You have no idea how good that chicken was. I think I need a cold shower

3/2/2014 7:01:31 PM

Meatloaf in the oven, going to be a happy man very soon. It may not be fancy but I love a good meatloaf, and a good meatloaf sandwich the next day. The Alton Brown recipe is my meatloaf standby.

3/2/2014 8:50:26 PM

took advantage of the nice weather and grilled some awesome burgers

3/2/2014 9:03:47 PM

yeeeeeeaaaaaaah

3/2/2014 9:41:30 PM

^^^^I wasn't talking to you.

For some reason, it's important to me that you know that.

3/2/2014 10:02:52 PM

You said "dude". Dude is a term for male. GREEN JAY is not a male. And you would've melted if you had what cooked. Your loss.

3/2/2014 10:41:46 PM

I made NY strip steak with an improvised mushroom and onion red wine cream sauce, served with roasted asparagus again (I love asparagus and I have like 6 lbs of it from costco).

holy chit that was so good.

3/2/2014 10:47:25 PM

How'd you make your cream sauce?

3/2/2014 10:54:10 PM

^^^I call girls "dude" all the time. It applies to everybody.

And I don't think I've lost anything. I'm not trying to be sassy...it's just a person can't lose chicken that they never had.

3/2/2014 10:59:39 PM

Daughter and I made omelettes this morning with onion, spinach, orange bell pepper, and Gouda.

Made chili for dinner with cocoa, little bit of ground coffee, kidney beans, and 2/3 of a Yuengling...with grated cheddar and sour cream on top. Oh, and avocado, because everything is better with avocado.


Oh, and I ordered this bad bastard today, too (refurbished, as I wasn't about to ante up for full price):



[Edited on March 2, 2014 at 11:30 PM. Reason : ^6 ...and goddamn that looks good.]

[Edited on March 2, 2014 at 11:34 PM. Reason : I'm not a great cook, and don't especially enjoy it, but I fucking love food, so I wanna get better]

3/2/2014 11:24:36 PM

made some great tzatziki sauce and am marinating a butterflied leg of lamb to roast on the rotisserie tomorrow. gonna make some pitas from scratch and put together some homemade gyros. I may also make some hummus. I'll take pictures if I remember.

3/3/2014 12:07:01 AM

Meg - I cubed the steak and cooked it in a tablespoon or so of butter on a med-high cast iron skillet (to be honest, I overcooked it because when all was said and done, the steak came out med-well and I prefer mine med rare, so next time will take it off sooner). Then I put it on a plate under foil to rest. Added to the skillet sliced mushrooms and onions, along with a little more butter. Added some red wine and S&P to all that to "deglaze" the pan and cooked till everything was reduced, and added minced garlic the last min or so. Then turned the heat down and added maybe a couple tablespoons heavy cream and 1/2 cup Greek yogurt. Then poured the liquid from the meat plate back in, as well as a little more red wine and let that simmer for a couple minutes, then added the hunks of steak back in to re-warm.

So. Fuggin. Good.

3/3/2014 1:54:04 AM

Who's got a good recipe for refried beans? I tried a variation of this: http://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/refried_beans/

and it wasn't that great. i didn't use bacon fat so that's probably the main problem, but I'm curious what you people do...

3/3/2014 8:09:13 PM

Yummm, I want GREENJAY to cook for me

3/3/2014 8:12:20 PM

One in, one out. I fed my sourdough starters and had a bunch of goo leftover, so I made this cake with black cocoa. http://www.kingarthurflour.com/recipes/sourdough-chocolate-cake-recipe

The quiche has sauteed red onions and fresh spinach, ham and jalapeno cheddar cheese, with some fleurs d'ail (like garlic paste) and mustard, nutmeg, allspice, black pepper and rosemary (love that Cuisinart spice grider)

3/4/2014 4:13:32 PM