List your Favorite Meal & Recipe

[Thrillhouse]

This thread is for cooks/chefs & people who have a taste for great food. List your favorite meal. Don't just put the name, list the recipe as well and/or include a picture. I'm getting into cooking and looking for new things to try out. Your recommendations can be for novices like myself (just no jail house raumen pie) or really exquisite and advanced. I'm up for a challenge. You can also list appetizers, desserts, etc. Cooking/Baking runs in my family, I've just been hesitant to begin, so late in my life. But I'm really starting to like it. Thanks in advance for your input.

Lastly, does anyone have recommendations on a good name brand for pots, pans & cooking necessities?

[gnasty]

I love to cook, its one of my secret hobbies. My favorite meal to cool/eat is Shrimp scampi. Jumbo Shrimp Scampi slightly al dente angel hair pasta with some lemon sauce and some minced garlic with chopped parsley leaves...delicious

[gnasty]

Lastly, does anyone have recommendations on a good name brand for pots, pans & cooking necessities?

I deal with Pampered Chef pots and pans. They arent top of the line but they arent low class soup kitchen. There stick free and have lasted me many many years. They also make little tools to that help in the kitchen, measuring cups, scrapers, rollers, etc.

[Ill Perfection]

Ummm? Great thread but that is one tough question for a chef to answer but I'll try. Let me think about it for a little bit. Everyone asks that question when they find out you were/are a chef.

[Thrillhouse]

my ex used to be huge into Pampered Chef. Trust me, I know all about it. Good call.

[LAXitives288]

I've also started cooking a whole lot lately, both my parents are great cooks so I watched them for the first 18 years of my life and now that I'm own my own, I've been trying my hand at it.


I wouldn't say this is my favorite meal, but I love some good burgers. Not an exact recipe, use your judgement on what you think you'll like, its hard to fuck up.

Start with a couple pounds of ground chuck 80/20
Place in a large mixing bowl
Dice onions, I prefer vidalias, then add to bowl with ground chuck
add freshly pressed garlic to bowl also
add your hot sauce of choice to mix as well
add shredded cheese to mix, I prefer monterey jack, add more than you think is necessary as the flavor is obscured after cooking
Mix all the ingredients and then make patties, I prefer about 5/8ths of an inch thick as the grills we have to use in my apartment complex are shit, so fat burgers take forever to cook, but do whatever you prefer.
cook on grill, use your judgement on how to cook them, do not press or flatten them with the spatula as it ruins them, but do use the corner of the spatula to gently press the middle of the patty to determine how cooked it is, if it pushes in very easily and feels mushy, the inside is still raw, if it feels a little spongy and springs back its usually about medium rare, use your judgement.

I like to put a little butter on the buns and toast them on the grill for a few minutes.

Then add whatever condiments or toppings you like, I like a little mayonnaise, mustard lettuce and tomato but do what you like obviously. Thinly sliced avocado is also fucking kick ass.


To go with the burgers, take about 4 yukon gold potatoes and basically make small, tater tot sized wedges. Put them on a baking sheet that has been lubricated with olive oil, drizzle more oil on top, add onion powder, garlic powder, salt and pepper on both sides. Bake at 400 for about 20-30 minutes depending on how crispy you like them and how big the pieces are.

After about 40 minutes, youve got some kick ass burgers and home fries. Eat and enjoy your handiwork.

[Ill Perfection]

Mmmm...Souns good Lax. We have been buying these Turkey burgers from a local specialty market that sound almost like the same recipe. They're great 'cause turkey burgers always tend to be so dry and these are far from it.

Thtill, as far as the pots and pans go...it really isn't that important to spend a grip of money on them. Look for heavy duty 100% stainless. If they are really heavy it's usually a good sign. These can be found from ross to farmers markets from a relatively cheap price. Steer clear of non-stick pans. Having a couple small skillets for eggs etc is alright but they have quite a few drawbacks. That's why you won't find them in the back of most good restaurants. When Teflon is heated too high it releases dangerous and toxic chemicals that cause cancer amongst other things. They also eventually start to flake into the food after a while (not in all cases) Try and piece together your set over time to what you need.

[Thrillhouse]

thanks Ill & good suggestion Lax. This could be a great thread for reference. Hopefully we get some neat recipes in here.

[Thrillhouse]

http://www.publix.com/managed_images/sif1098090.jpg

This is DELCIOUS!

http://www.publix.com/aprons/meals/AllRecipes/SimpleMeal.do?mealId=1218&mealGroupId=1000


Some

[Thrillhouse]

Oh, and this DIP is like crack. Whip it up at your next party and I assure you people will demolish it, down to scraping the bowl with their fingers.



Here are the instructions for a double recipe



Hidden Valley Bacon & Cheddar Dip



2 packets
Hidden Valley® The Original Ranch® Dips Mix (not the salad dressing mix)

2 containers /16 oz. each

Sour cream (I use Breakstone)

4 cups
Shredded Cheddar cheese (I use Sharp Cheddar by Kraft and NOT the finely shredded type)

1 Pkg
Crumbled bacon (I use the bacon crumbles in a bag next to the dip mix and I use the whole bag for a double batch)

My Directions:

1. Dump one container of sour cream in to a plastic bowl. Mix one package of the dip mix in to the sour cream making sure it is fully blended. Then dump the other container in, mix that up and then add the final dip mix to that.

2. Put the whole package of bacon in (make sure you don’t drop in the little fresh saving packet) and mix it all up.

3. Put about half the bag of cheese in, mixing it all up to see what the consistency is like. Then mix in about a cup at a time until it is how thick you want it. I don’t always use all 4 cups.

4. Let it sit in the fridge for AT LEAST an hour. The sitting time and the brands I use are what make it taste so well.

[zeus]

chicken tetrazzini

[LAXitives288]

Before moving out my mom bought me a 20 dollar set of some pots and pans from target, we were both expecting them to turn to shit after a couple months, but theyve been holding up very well. I'm pretty sure that theyre just shitty aluminium with nonstick but for the price even if they only last a year or two, its a damn good value.

[TBABY]

I like a really good and cheesy stromboli with pepperoni's
YUM
Don't know the recipe but I'm sure they are not hard to make

[LAXitives288]

I also make some pretty mean chicken breast wraps.

Take some some boneless and skinless chicken breasts, cut them in half or thirds.
Put them in a gallon sized ziplock bag with olive oil, some balsamic vinaigrette dressing, salt, pepper, freshly pressed garlic, onion powder and a dash of oregano and hot sauce. Let them marinade in the fridge for a couple of hours.

Put a large frying pan on the range with a thin coating of olive oil, get it hot enough to where it flows like water (about setting 7 on my range). Place the chicken breast strips in the pan, turn over frequently cook until meat is firm and not spongy and then take out, hopefully the outsides will have browned a good amount.

Then put a tortilla on a plate, put down shredded lettuce then cut chicken into small pieces and sprinkle onto the bed off lettuce, then mix your favorite ranch dressing with some crystal hot sauce and drizzle lightly over the chicken and lettuce, I also add some shredded four cheese mexican blend on the top. Then roll up and eat like a burrito.

[Noodles]

chicken tetrazzini

That shit is great. I cheated on my girlfriend with her best friend cause she made a mean chicken tettrazini.

[Thrillhouse]

hahaha...that's crazy Noodles. Lax, thanks for the 2nd recipe. I'm all over those wraps.

[LAXitives288]

hahaha...that's crazy Noodles. Lax, thanks for the 2nd recipe. I'm all over those wraps.

I love them. Theyre real easy to make, not much cleanup, decently healthy and if you make a few pounds of chicken they make great snacks for the next couple days and it only takes a minute to whip them up once the chicken's cooked.


And i'm really hoping you caught the tetrazinni joke, seeing how youre the youtube master.

[Ill Perfection]

Before moving out my mom bought me a 20 dollar set of some pots and pans from target, we were both expecting them to turn to shit after a couple months, but theyve been holding up very well. I'm pretty sure that theyre just shitty aluminium with nonstick but for the price even if they only last a year or two, its a damn good value.
Yeah, it's one of those things you can get a great value on unlike knives. Well, I guess if you're not that heavy into it you could. Just say no to serration

[Ill Perfection]

I'm making Bacon wrapped Scallops tonight with some mega jumbo Prawns (not pronz). probably keep the sides simple with some rice pilaf and some good grilled Artisan bread.

Another good thing about cooking is that once you get it down you'll have to start beating the bitches off with a rolling pin

[LAXitives288]

Here's one that I havent quite perfected yet, but I've got it close. Basically a teriyaki steak type stir fry.

Find a cut of beef thats about 5/8ths to 3/4ths of an inch thick, sirloin is probably a good bet.

Put about a cup to a cup and a half of water in a sauce pan. Simmer it. Add soy sauce to taste. Also add brown sugar and continue to simmer, I usually do a dash of garlic and onion powder. Pepper to taste also. Just add things slowly until it tastes how you like, do not go crazy, i've had to start over many a time on this dish because I fiddled with the sauce too much. Then put the steak in a gallon zip lock bag with about half of the teriyaki "broth". Put in the fridge and let it marinade for about an hour or how long it takes to do everything else.

Continue to let the remaining sauce simmer until it thickens like a glaze, it will thicken upon cooling, so keep that in mind.

While the sauce is simmering and the steak is marinading, put some rice on to boil. I cook the rice like pasta to avoid it becoming sticky, just strain like you would pasta. While all this is going on saute some soy beans/snap peas, brocoli, carrots and sweet onions in some soy sauce. After the veggies, cook the steak in the pan.

Once everything is done, put a bed of a rice on a plate. Put the veggie mix on top. Thinly slice the steak and then place on top of the veggies and then drizzle the teriyaki glaze over everything and enjoy.



That's about all ive got right now, i'll have some more later as I remember them.

[TDOGG]

roast duck with the mango salsa

[TRiiPPiN]

lax you keep all your meats in skimboard thicknesses... guess it works. im gonna throw a recipe up on here but I'm not sure what to put up yet...I'm an improviser but things turn out beautiful if they arent too wierd.

[LAXitives288]

lax you keep all your meats in skimboard thicknesses... guess it works.

Haha, I didn't even realize that, I guess I like whats familiar. Although a fat steak is hard to beat.

[Ill Perfection]

Haha, I didn't even realize that, I guess I like whats familiar. Although a fat steak is hard to beat.
Yes...nice and thick, bloody rare

[TheSeaCowww]

I'll get my chicken nachos recipe up later. If you like spicy food you'll love this.

[LAXitives288]

Yes...nice and thick, bloody rare

Fact

[Thrillhouse]

spicy chicken nachos. hells yea! BTW, if you guys don't know about this seasoning, you are missing it out.

http://gearpatrol.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/02/tony-chacheres-original-creole-seasoning1.jpg

It goes on everything.

and Lax, of course mang..

http://www.youtube.com/v/k-rR3X2UiQU&hl=en_US&fs=1&

almost makes me as hungry as...

http://www.youtube.com/v/MxDG-0gQdz8&hl=en_US&fs=1&

[Ill Perfection]

I'll type out my recipe for Ghikin and Waffles later

[Ill Perfection]

I mean roflz

[waddsworth]

spicy chicken nachos. hells yea! BTW, if you guys don't know about this seasoning, you are missing it out.

http://gearpatrol.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/02/tony-chacheres-original-creole-seasoning1.jpg

It goes on everything.


You ain't kidding. I love throwing it on some chicken or pork for grilling.

Speaking of grilling chicken, if you've never brined it, try it. You'll never want to do it any other way.

[waddsworth]

An app that my stepmom made recently - simple and delicious.

Prosciutto
Cream Cheese
Asparagus

Blanch asparagus
Spread cream cheese on prosciutto
Wrap prosciutto and cream cheese around asparagus
Eat

[Ill Perfection]

There aren't that many main courses as elegant and simple as a dish of seared scallops IMO. Sweet, tender, mild, and fucking delicious—the less you fuss with scallops, the better they taste. The best way I’ve found to cook scallops is to sear them quickly in a hot pan so that the outsides get a crisp, brown crust and the insides remains tender and creamy. Then, to dress them up, I whip up a speedy pan sauce in the same pan.

Getting a great sear isn’t hard if you keep these points in mind.

Dry scallops are essential — At the store, ask for dry sea scallops, which means that they haven’t been soaked in a sodium solution. The solution whitens and plumps the scallops up, but when you cook them, all that liquid leaches out, making it impossible to sear them off right.

Get the pan and cooking fat hot . Heat a nonstick pan over medium-high heat for a minute or so; then add the fat and let it heat up. If you’re using oil, it’s ready when a drop of liquid sizzles as it hits the hot oil. If you’re using oil and butter, wait until the butter stops foaming.

Don’t crowd the pan There should be enough room between the scallops so that they sizzle rather than steam. that’s the only way you’ll get a good crust. If your pan isn’t big enough to hold the scallops without crowding, sear them in batches.

Scallops only need a few minutes per side to get nicely browned. They’re done when they feel barely firm to the touch, and when you cut into one, it should be faintly opalescent. Don’t overcook them or you'll fuck up the whole recipe... dry and rubbery.

After transferring the seared scallops to a platter, make a quick pan sauce. I offer three choices , but the options are limitless. The idea is to choose just a handful of ingredients that complement one another to make a killer sauce for your golden seared scallops.

I like to keep it kind of simple most of the time. Scallops are so good on their own. If you use a really strong flavored sauce it masks the flavor.

Garlic butter is always good. If you add some heavy cream to it while it is in the pan it will thicken up and obviously will become white. A little bit of tomato sauce can be added as well and will keep the flavor delicate. Serve with chives or green onions sprinkled on top

[Ill Perfection]

Some friends got a huge new hot tub and are are having a party so I'm bringing 'dis:

Ceviche

2 pounds of jumbo shrimp
1 pound sea scallops
2 pounds mahi mahi
1 large red onion 3 medium tomatoes
2 cups of fresh lemon juice
1 cup oforange juice (fresh squeezed)
1 tablespoon of mustard
3 tablespoon of fresh chopped cilantro or parsley
2 tablespoons of olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Should be pretty epic with a few Modelo's

[penguinofsleep]

everything ill said is pretty good. scallops and ceviche sit up there with may favs.

I myself have been wanting chinese dumplings (pork and cabbage) recently. I haven't made them in a while, recipe may be slightly off.

1. I usually buy the dumpling skins because even when I have time to cook, I don't have the time and rarely the patience to make the skins myself. Make sure you get dumpling skins, not wanton, etc etc.
2. 1.5 lbs ground pork, chopped green onion (usually just pick up 1 thing that is bound by a rubber band and use all of it), 2 tablespoons rice wine, 2 egg whites, minced ginger (I use something about 2/3 the size of the last digit on my pinky), soy sauce (to taste, if in doubt, add 2 tbsp), soy paste (1 or 2 tbsp), napa cabbage (2/3 to 1 head of napa cabbage, to taste). I think that is all, but I may have forgot 1 thing.
3. first wash the napa cabbage. sprinkle salt on the cabbage and let it sit for 20 min to drain out excess water. then chop it up very finely (although some people like it slightly coarser).
4. Mix all other ingredients up with a spoon. Do not use a circular motion to mix it, use like a chopping or slicing motion and folding motions. Or just stick your hands in and do it.
5. Add the drained out cabbage to the mix.
6. Take about a tablespoon or 2 of corn starch. Mix it with about 1/2 a cup of water. Then take the dumpling skins. On each individual skin you will notice that 1 side has more flour than the other. The side with LESS flour is going to be the inside. Dip your finger in the corn starch mix you just made, run it in a semi-circle around the edge of the inside of the skin. (The width of the wet area is about the width of your finger). Scoop meat onto the center of the skin.
7. Fold the dumpling so that the dry half covers the wet half. Make sure the dumpling is not too full and meat touches the contact points for the skin. Then pinch the dumplings shut and make sure they are FIRMLY shut. If not, they will pop open when you cook them.
8. In a boiling pot of water, drop the dumplings in. Stir often at first. After about 3 or 4 minutes, close the lid (leave a small crack for steam to escape) and stir every minute. When the water is at a rolling boil and the dumplings are all floating to the top, take a glass of cold water and add it to the pot. When it boils again, drain well.
9. Enjoy :) For sauce I make a special soy sauce based mix and add sriracha.

[Richard]

Don't know how it's called in english

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/30/90254867_2c0e683a33.jpg

but this is one of my favorites

[ThatGuy]

Ill Your not lying about those scallops, I worked at a fish market for a while and whould saute' up scallops and crawdads....can't beat it man, the more simple the better little garlic little butter little hot sauce

[penguinofsleep]

Don't know how it's called in english

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/30/90254867_2c0e683a33.jpg

but this is one of my favorites

what is it called in dutch (or whatever language you refer to the dish in)? it looks good, vaguely familiar, and i want to try it.

[stickyfingers]

http://www.bigoven.com/pics/rs/128/penne-alla-vodka-3.jpg

definitely have to try penne alla Vodka! made that shit with my girlfriend and it wasy amazzzinnnggg!! best oral sex of my life!

1 can (28 oz) whole peeled Italian plum tomatoes
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 small onion, minced
2 medium shallots, minced
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2 medium cloves garlic
1/3 cup vodka
1/2 cup heavy cream, at room temperature
1 pound penne pasta

and throw in some bacon strips and you're set!

[Ill Perfection]

Looks epic Richard! like Indy said looks like Pork Loin in some type of Caper sauce. Making me hungry!

[Ill Perfection]

Ill Your not lying about those scallops, I worked at a fish market for a while and whould saute' up scallops and crawdads....can't beat it man, the more simple the better little garlic little butter little hot sauce
That's the ticket dude! What's even better is you worked at the market and know when the freshest stuff comes in. Nice!

[Richard]

i would call richards pork loin in sauce

in dutch it's called "varkenshaas" first part (varken) = Pork... so i guess it's pork loin? not sure though!

It has pepercreamsauce (freely translated), it's soooo goooooood!!

EDIT: just tried google translate on it... it's called "pork tenderloin?"