35 replies to this topic

[infractus]

hah. I like to cook; I looooove to bake... but I try to cook dinner at least once a week for my current family.

I ask if anyone else does, too, so we can bounce ideas and recipes off each other. I'm always on the prowl for something new to try, but I don't always feel like digging through a cookbook.

The burgers I made tonight came out rather awesome..
I chopped/diced bacon and onions, although I started cooking the bacon long before I added the onions... (I've got some horrible tendency of thinking, "OH I could add this.." along the way). When the two started looking a bit more caramelized, I figure, heck, I'll add some Guinness beer (probably half a cup). So I did.. reduced everything down into a nice compact sauce.

For the burgers, I took a pound of ground beef, added an egg, salt, pepper, season salt, and panko flakes (because I couldn't find conventional bread crumbs in the house), mixed that all together before forming my burgers and frying them up in a cast iron skillet.

After I fried up the burgers, I drizzled on the onions and bacon mixture, let that set in for a bit... tasty.




I do a decent scampi, too.... but until I get some freedom outside to try it out on a hotter burner with better ventilation, I'm gonna let that one sit before writing it out.


Ask me about my carbonara sauce

[Dex la Cabra]

what about your carbonara sauce?

[Diogothedreamer]

I like cooking too and in fact it always interests me a lot more than getting to eat the end result after.

For cakes I have this recipee from a book for banana cake which always comes out really well. I can't remember from the top of my head as it has been a while since I made it.

In general though I tend to just make sandwhichs with hummous which I find delicious for some reason.But I do know how to cook from seeing my mother do it such as steamed rice with seafood, pasta with tuna/mayo,etc. I also like to experiment and have tried a few ideas from cookbooks and this DS game that guides you through making international dishes. I really like making california rolls when I am looking at it...

Finally... super dynamic cooking time!

[TheBigBadWolf]

I like cooking on the Barbeque, it is the best way to cook over an open fire

Other than that I quite like to do rice dishes, like cooking rice and mixing something in, like choped up marinated chicken, or my famous student dish of spam rice: -

Get a packet of flavoured rice, prepare it as per the instuctions,

Chop spam into cubes and add to cooked rice.

Add plenty of soy sauce, choped spring onions and chopped cherry tomatoes.

Brilliant, and cheap too

I do like to bake aswell, usually just victoria sponge or someting easy.

[TRiPPY]

In our comicbook the band 'UNiTY NOW' eat something all the time called 'Emergency Pasta'. This is a joke at our own expense because in rough times DiGi and I have had to eat this stuff for weeks on end as there has been nothing else in the house. It also lasts for a long time. The best part is we made it by mistake as a last option... but it tastes GREAT! XD Things are tight right now so once again we're living on the damn stuff, so i figure I'd share the recipe.

1 GIANT bag of pasta shells. Like nuclear bunker sized.
as many cheap cans of beans as you can stockpile.
Cans of own brand tuna.
A big block of cheese.

First you boil the pasta. Then you warm up the beans.
Drain the water out the pasta.
Then throw the beans into the drained pasta on the stove. Keep the heat on a simmer.
Get a giant spoon and mix in TONS of cheese. It will melt. (not the spoon)
Then you add the can of tuna and mash it all in.


Done. Eat out of pot like a total tramp <3

[infractus]

*whew* ..for a second there, I was worried that the spoon was going to melt.


Sounds great, something that I could've done when I was broke as hell back in my college days.

What I'd do was take a packet of beef flavored Ramen, add frozen peas, oregano and basil.. it's amazing how much those two spices really kicked up the flavor. If you've got it, add tofu. yum.



As for the carbonara:
cook diced onions and chopped bacon together until onions juuuust start to turn golden. Add a fair amount of heavy cream.. if I had to guess, it'd probably be a pint and a half. Boil the cream to the point where it's frothy and bubbly - and let that continue for a wee bit longer. I do it all by guesswork, seeing as the stoves at work are much different than the one at home.
When it looks like that cream is just going to go nuts, add a good handful of parmesan cheese (you can use either fresh shredded or the sprinkly stuff that comes in the container, but I recommend fresh shredded because it adds another dimension to the flavor). Let cook a bit longer, then serve over your pasta of choice. Salt and pepper optional when you add the cream to the bacon & onions.

[TRiPPY]

These sound tasty, i must investigate!

[Noctourne Wonderland]

I love to cook! In fact, I think we should make up a cookbook with recipes named for each of the characters from NiGHTS!

My masterpiece is scrambled eggs, which, ironically, I don't like to eat. I share with you all the recipe-

Break 2 eggs in a bowl with 2 tablespoons of milk (I use skim, but I doubt that it matters), 1/4 teaspoon of salt, and a dash of pepper. (For this step, I actually have a "dash" measuring spoon, but 1/16 of a teaspoon is the exact amount). After mixing with a fork, heat 1 1/4 teaspoons of butter on a skillet hot enough to sizzle a drop of water, on which you then pour the eggs. Stir gently, and wham, you're done. You could probably add herbs, but I've never tried it.

Once I made muffins, but I didn't stir very well. They were positivley nasty because of the sour lumps of baking soda. ewewew

[TRiPPY]

I have a stupid question... what's a skillet?

[Zero-Shift]

I have a stupid question... what's a skillet?

It's a kind of frying pan.

I'm not really a cook, but I do love making toasted sandwiches. My favorites are the Reuben Melt and a Turkey Melt I kind of improvised. Put some sliced Turkey with Pepperjack cheese on some sourdough bread. Make sure the bread is buttered on one side for toasting in a pan. Anyway, after it's done toasting, open the sandwich and put in some sliced tomato and ranch dressing.

Also, this sounds weird as hell but try it next time you make hamburgers. On top part put Cheddar and Pepperjack cheese as well as bacon. Now here is the weird part. On the bottom put sliced green olives and sour cream. Trust me, it's delicious.

I'm open to any fish recipes. Fish is my single favorite kind of food...period. I love it all.

[Noctourne Wonderland]

I have a stupid question... what's a skillet?

It's not that stupid- I've actually been asked that alot. It's a frying pan, but I thought "skillet" sounded funnier.

[TRiPPY]

Ohhhhhh i see XD Just checking incase it's a certain type of pan.

Does anyone know any good smoothie recipes? Cheap ones. I know that's not technicaly cooking..... *killed by infractus*

[Noctourne Wonderland]

Ohhhhhh i see XD Just checking incase it's a certain type of pan.

Does anyone know any good smoothie recipes? Cheap ones. I know that's not technicaly cooking..... *killed by infractus*

I think cooking is more like any combination of food. So, if combining ingedients to make a smoothie is what you fancy, it's cooking.

Most soothies have 1 cup of yogurt, 2 cups each of fruit, and 1/2 cup of ice. Just blend them all, and viola!

I actually just found this website, entirely dedicated to smoothie recipes. yum~
http://www.smoothieweb.com/

[TRiPPY]

O_O oh wow... wait TOFU smoothies? eeeeeeeeew

Thanks for the link

[Zero-Shift]

My favorite way to make smoothies is to blend a couple old, super ripe bananas with some vanilla ice cream, milk, sugar, and just a hint of vanilla extract. You can replace bananas with just about any fruit really. Actually, now that I think about it, that sounds more like a milkshake. I guess for a smoothie you'd replace the ice cream with ice and the milk with some kind of juice.

[viperxmns]

I've made myself french toast a few times (gotta be more careful not to overcook and burn it), mostly I'll prepare a mini-pizza on pita bread, or fix myself sandwiches and such. My sister does a lot of cooking and baking, I've helped out here and there (we had a good ol' Memorial Day BBQ, we kinda switched off with the cooking). There's stuff I really wanna try making, like fudge and saltwater taffy. Need to pick up a candy thermometer.

[infractus]

I wouldn't kill you over smoothies, TRiP

When I got my own blender, zohoho.. my dad gave me some money before I went back for my fall semester at school and I loaded up on produce. Depending on what I had laying around, I'd throw just about anything in... kiwis and strawberries are my favorites, or strawberry, mango, and banana. Sometimes I'd throw yogurt or milk and oatmeal in, too.
I can't remember what other fruits I've thrown in.. pretty sure peach and mango are good flavors together.


I'll have to find out what my in-laws did with the mahi-mahi fish tonight.... or better yet, how momma makes her tartar sauce. That woman makes THE finest tartar sauce and coleslaw evar.... and cheesecake, and potato salad. <3<3

[Noctourne Wonderland]

O_O oh wow... wait TOFU smoothies? eeeeeeeeew

Thanks for the link

That reminds me- Chocolate pie with tofu is really good. Add melted chocolate/chocolate syrup with tofu, put it in a pie crust, and eat. Whipped cream makes it even better~

I've made myself french toast a few times (gotta be more careful not to overcook and burn it), mostly I'll prepare a mini-pizza on pita bread, or fix myself sandwiches and such. My sister does a lot of cooking and baking, I've helped out here and there (we had a good ol' Memorial Day BBQ, we kinda switched off with the cooking). There's stuff I really wanna try making, like fudge and saltwater taffy. Need to pick up a candy thermometer.

Is French toast actually French, or is it like how some people call crumpets "English mufffins"? It always strikes me as odd, since crumpets and muffins look TOTALLY different.

TRiPPY, you've inspired me to make soothies. Do peaches and raspberries taste good together? Are they even in season?

[viperxmns]

Hmm, let's find out: http://en.wikipedia....ki/French_toast

Closest thing I can figure, it may commonly be prepared with French bread. But other than that, the basic concept's been around for a long, long time..

I bet NiGHTS would enjoy French toast. With lots of syrup.

[Noctourne Wonderland]

Hmm, let's find out: http://en.wikipedia....ki/French_toast

Closest thing I can figure, it may commonly be prepared with French bread. But other than that, the basic concept's been around for a long, long time..

I bet NiGHTS would enjoy French toast. With lots of syrup.

I bet NiGHTS would eat anything with lots of syrup. He strikes me as hyper enough to eat sugar just because he can.

[Sage]

I officially love this thread <3 Now that I've graduated college I actually have time to cook real food. These recipes sound great!

My best friend Heather makes the most awesome homemade cheesecake evar <3 But then again her cooking is awesome all the way around. I'll have to ask her how she makes soda bread (she's made it with orange soda, coke and sprite).

My grandmother had a recipe for this awesome sourdough bread and she used to make it a lot when I was a kid. She stopped making them because some of my relatives jokingly said they were getting fat on them and she unfortunately took it seriously XD Sadly she also lost the recipe. ;_; I've spent the last couple of years trying to recreate that recipe in my spare time, and while I've managed to get the flavor down, I haven't quite figured out what's keeping my bread from rising. My dad says that given how I prepare the bread, it's probably from over-kneading. Is this possible?

If I manage to figure out the recipe, I'll share it. ^^

[Diogothedreamer]

I will have to try and take a few photos of a smoothie book I bought last year in Sainsburys!The ingrediants on it are not even that expensive if you get them from market.

awwww...You should come around my house sometime to try something different from pasta trippy, now we are practically London neighbourhoods.

[sapphire]

I can't cook. I'm impaired like that. The other day I tried my hand at pancakes... I literally nearly burnt my face off...

[Noctourne Wonderland]

I can't cook. I'm impaired like that. The other day I tried my hand at pancakes... I literally nearly burnt my face off...

I didn't know that pancakes were so deadly! I once set an oven mit on fire. Though I never did feel the fire, so the mits were well made...

[Lumas Nocce]

AHEM
@Noctourne,
French Toast originated as pain d'or, which means golden bread in French. It's also known as "lost bread" because it's a good way to deal with bread that's too stale to eat normaly. So yes, it IS French, but originally I don't think it had all that cinammon and syrups and whatnot.

We have smoothies in my house every Friday morning. It's just plain or vanilla yogurt, an apple and a bannana and frozen strawberries, plus milk.

[JaxTH]

I only know how to make Breakfast foods and spaghetti.

And ramen.

[Noctourne Wonderland]

I had a delicious meal last night. It has no name (I invented it, yay!), but here's the recipe:

- Udon Noodles
- Swiss Chard (Fun fact- "Swiss" once meant "common," so Swiss Chard isn't neccissarily from Switzerland)
- Shredded Carrots
- Broccoli
- Snow Peas

Fry it all together with sweet ans sour sauce. Then, add rice and soy sauce to taste. It's also good with a yummy ginger orange sauce that I had.

[Key-Chan]

I also cook but its only when I get really hungy and I make stuff with whatever I can find.

Like a few years back I made an improvised stew out of the left over juice from the meat my mom made and the meat along with mushroos,celary and carrots.

I also make this when ever I have it it was also another improvised soup made from cream of chicken and/or mushroom with frozen mixed vegies and celary

[Nessa Mouse]

Nessa comes from a long line of pudgy country women that love to make hordes of dinners and sweets at Christmas and Halloween. And have a uncontrolable urge to feed people around them. My Marcus gained 25 pounds when he moved in with me. Bear in mind he was skin and bones from living the ramen life, and needed every ounce of it. So, this post is right up my alley. Prepare for goodness:


Entree: Italian Chicken Packages

Need:

4-5 Chicken Boneless Breasts, pricked with a fork several times to tenderize
Several handfulls of Frozen Brocolli and Cauliflower
A large bottle of Italian Salad dressing
Aluminum Foil

Preheat oven to 350

Lay out a sheet of the foil large enough to fold over like a pouch. Place the chicken on the foil, place a handfull of the frozen veggies on top the chicken, then drizzle a generous amount of Italian Dressing on top. Fold the foil into a tight pouch and place on a baking sheet. Repeat with the other chicken breast and pop the baking sheet into the oven. Baking usually takes about an hour or so. Check them, and possibly add more dressing. When the chicken is done, empty the pouch onto a plate with some rice or couscous and its dinner time. ^.^

Desserts: Swedish Kisses

Need:

1 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
2 cups flour
Seedless jelly (raspberry is traditional)

Preheat oven to 375

In a medium bowl, beat the butter and sugar together. SLOWLY add flour, I do it 1/2 cup at a time. You'll eventually need to need it with your hands to get the last of it on. Shape dough into 1" balls. Place balls 2" apart on an un-greased cookie sheet. Press your thumb into the center of each ball to make an indentation. Bake for about 12 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool. You might need to refresh the indentation. Just before serving, fill each center with about 1 tsp of jelly. The jelly is good for about two hours after you put it in cookie. More than that and the jelly might taste kinda stale.

[JaxTH]

Mixing ramen with scrambled eggs is good too...

Specifically Beef ramen...

[The wise Kitsune]

Fruit cobbler is incredibly easy, I prefer using peaches.

Preheat the oven to 350 F
Skin/slice peaches (or the fruit of your choice) and put them into a pot for baking
Mix 1 cup of flour, sugar and milk with the fruit
Throw it in for 30 minutes

[MidgitLD]

I have a reputation around home and with a crew of mine down over in Texas with my chili, fried catfish, and pan fried salmon and mahimahi (I think that's how you spell it.).

Cooking is both an exact science AND an art that only comes to fruition by repeatedly having passionate affairs with ingredients and cookware.

[infractus]

Baw... I love salmon and mahi, LD.
Had some divine catfish stuff in New Orleans way back when in some fancy pants restaurant whose name I can only partially recall. I think our waitress ended up hating me with my broken attempt with trying to speak French.

I've been getting ballsy lately with my dinner concoctions. I try to make at least one day a week "my" day to cook - which has become amazingly easier now that I am cooking for people who don't shy away from my tendency of thinking outside of traditional bounds.

Last week's menu was chicken, greens, and bread.

The chicken:
Marinated with a plum-wine, red vinegar, rosemary, lemon basil-garlic sauce -- which, in cases where you're looking to cook something up kind of in a hurry.. the acidity from the lemon helps to cook the chicken ahead of time to a slight degree.
Sauteed in a nectarine molasses/corn syrup sauce.

Nectarine "gravy" or glaze - two fresh ground up nectarines. corn syrup, a small bit of olive oil, plus a tablespoon of sugar. Bring to slight boil and reduce until sauce thickens - with frequent stirring.
Goes great on chicken... even though I added too much rosemary so both the flavor of the rosemary and nectarines had a tendency of battling each other. *leftover nectarine glaze goes GREAT on porkchops, bagels or toast.



~

This week will be chicken with a plum sauce, twice-baked potatoes and corn. Will keep you updated.

[LUCiD]

I like cooking although I haven't cooked anything in a while, I'll need to start doing that again... My favorite thing to make is cookies because you can make them anyway you want like with sprinkles, m&ms, chocolate... great, now I'm hungry!!

[Nemoide]

I'm finally moving into an apartment this weekend so I am going to have to be learning how to cook/bake! I might experiment with other folks ideas.

Generally whenever I attempt to cook things, I just act like a mad scientist. I go to my mom's rarely-used spice-rack and pull out half of it and cover whatever it is I am eating. Possibly also pouring in liquid things like olive oil or Worcestershire sauce? The results are rarely good but I think it is good to have an adventurous spirit when cooking!

Although if I have a recepie, I generally try to follow it as closely as possible.

[DiENE]

I am certainly NOT a cooker. I make my boyfriend cook after he gets out of work, and he works a few hours later than I get out. :/ But there is only one thing that people REALLY enjoyed that I have made, and I made it for the first time not to long ago.
Its easy but its a sweet potato pie! I used a recipe from an Elvis cookbook >_> but yeah, I do like making sushi, I have been practicing for a few months now, and its technically not cooking. XP