Favorite no-fail recipe

[pubic_assistance]

On 3/30/2024 at 9:40 PM, jsn102 said:

Raise the heat to high and cook for 2 minutes.
- Remove from heat and cover with a clean tea towel. Allow to rest for 5 minutes.

Wow.

My Puerto Rico paella recipe calls for two HOURS of simmering, not two MINUTES

[samhexum]

On 3/30/2024 at 9:40 PM, jsn102 said:

- Raise the heat to high and cook for 2 minutes.
- Remove from heat and cover with a clean tea towel. Allow to rest for 5 minutes.
- Serve and enjoy.

 

41 minutes ago, pubic_assistance said:

Wow.

My Puerto Rico paella recipe calls for two HOURS of simmering, not two MINUTES

what difference does a little extra cooking time really make?

On 7/22/2023 at 1:41 AM, samhexum said:

Not really a recipe, and not sure if it's no-fail, but I think it might not be:  an online grocery order- the nutrition facts for Stouffer's Roast Turkey also had the cooking instructions:

Microwave (1100W): Cut film to vent. Cook 22 minutes on high. Stir both sides of the tray and re-cover. Cook again 22 minutes on high. Let stand 1 minute to complete cooking. 

KEEP FIRE EXTINGUISHER NEARBY.

Edited April 24, 2024 by samhexum
for absolutely NO @%!*ING reason at all!

[pubic_assistance]

Just now, samhexum said:

what difference does a little extra cooking time really make?

I'm guessing you don't know how to cook ? 🤔

[samhexum]

2 minutes ago, pubic_assistance said:

I'm guessing you don't know how to cook ? 🤔

I do, but when the experts at Stouffer's recommend a little extra time, I tend to believe them.

[pubic_assistance]

4 hours ago, samhexum said:

I do, but when the experts at Stouffer's recommend a little extra time, I tend to believe them.

I imagine a Stouffers frozen dinner has a specific heat time...as far as paella, the best ones (my opinion) are those which have been infused for hours with all the flavors. This is why when dining out for paella, you always want to find a spot that makes them early in the day and not bother with those made to order.

[BSR]

13 hours ago, pubic_assistance said:

Wow.

My Puerto Rico paella recipe calls for two HOURS of simmering, not two MINUTES

The key to a great paella is great stock.  If you use canned/boxed stock, which is basically dirty water, surprise surprise, your paella will taste like dirty water.  Well, maybe not that bad, but certainly not all that good either.  If you make a stock from scratch -- roast meat, bones & veggies for caramelization, then throw everything into a pot of water & simmer for hours -- your paella absorbs all that rich, delicious broth ¡una paella como Dios manda!

I'm not familiar with the Puerto Rican version of paella (btw, we Filipinos have our own take as well).  At what point do you add the rice?  If you simmer the rice for 2 hours, doesn't it get overcooked & mushy?

The original Valencian recipe does indeed take hours to make, if you make your own stock.  I've watched a few YT videos by Valencian paella masters, and the recipe @jsn102 posted is pretty close.  The only discrepancy is that chorizo or spicy sausage is considered a no-no because the flavor is too strong and overwhelms the yummy goodness of the broth.

For the record, I tried to make paella once.  Eek, total disaster!  But that was pre-YT.  Watching those Valencian maestros go through the recipe step-by-step reduced the intimidation factor.

[samhexum]

1 hour ago, BSR said:

I tried to make paella once.  Eek, total disaster! 

we have a topic in this forum for that story.

[samhexum]

Made 2 quarts of chicken broth with bouillon cubes, a can of carrots, some parsley flakes, and some dehydrated, minced onion… Simmered for an hour… During which time I made some medium width Manischewitz egg noodles, and a packet of Manischewitz matzoh ball mix.

Perhaps to earn some money, I can give lessons on cooking from scratch.

[MikeBiDude]

23 minutes ago, samhexum said:

Made 2 quarts of chicken broth with bouillon cubes, a can of carrots, some parsley flakes, and some dehydrated, minced onion… Simmered for an hour… During which time I made some medium width Manischewitz egg noodles, and a packet of Manischewitz matzoh ball mix.

Perhaps to earn some money, I can give lessons on cooking from scratch.

Ummmm, that’s not really “scratch”?

[samhexum]

4 minutes ago, MikeBiDude said:

Ummmm, that’s not really “scratch”?

well, knock me down with a bulldozer!

Edited May 4, 2024 by samhexum
to ensure maximum delight for the reader!

[pubic_assistance]

On 4/24/2024 at 10:26 PM, BSR said:

If you simmer the rice for 2 hours, doesn't it get overcooked & mushy?

The rice is added after you introduce all the ingredients (of which there are many) and bring to a boil. Cook for a few minutes and reduce the heat to a simmer. When the rice soaks up the broth you move it to a warm oven.  You want the rice the consistency of risotto not dry and intact like Moros y Cristianos

[samhexum]

I've been doing the 'make white rice and refrigerate it for 24 hours so it's not so bad for your diabetes' thing, so twice in the last two days I've had a meal of rice, some canned beans (drained and rinsed) and some Birdseye Steamfresh sugar snap peas.

I am so health-conscious, it's disgusting!!! 

[samhexum]

On 4/23/2024 at 7:16 PM, BenjaminNicholas said:

Bagel from Utopia (Queens, NY).

Fresh lox or nova.

Toast bagel.  Add schmear.  Add salmon.  Add capers.  Add fresh red onion.  Donezo.

 

On 4/23/2024 at 9:38 PM, BSR said:

I've seen Utopia Bagels featured in a lot of "best NYC bagel" YouTube videos.  Despite baking up a massive number of bagels daily, apparently they refuse to cut corners and still make their bagels to the same standard that made them famous.

Utopia Bagels will open a third location—with a storefront in Long Island City.

The company will be opening at 26-11 Jackson Ave., although the operators of Utopia Bagels were unable to provide a specific date. The firm said it is likely to open in 2025.

Initially established in 1981 at 1909 Utopia Pkwy. in Whitestone, Utopia Bagels has become a community staple. The company opened a second store, located at 120 E. 34th St. in Midtown, earlier this month.

Utopia Bagels prides itself on its method of making bagels: hand-rolling, kettle boiling, and baking each one in a 1947 carousel oven. Throughout its over 40 years of existence, Utopia has maintained the same recipes.

[Luv2play]

I shop daily for my food. Always buy fresh for most items. Today I bought a stuffed pork tenderloin (double portion) and simply grilled it on the bbq. The secret is not to overcook and dry it out. Basting it with a tomato sauce and turning frequently, it turned out crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. 
This is what was left, enough for a cold luncheon tomorrow. 

[Danny-Darko]

On 4/24/2024 at 8:32 AM, pubic_assistance said:

Wow.

My Puerto Rico paella recipe calls for two HOURS of simmering, not two MINUTES

Maybe he's using Minute Rice? 🤢

[+ BenjaminNicholas]

6 hours ago, samhexum said:

 

Utopia Bagels will open a third location—with a storefront in Long Island City.

The company will be opening at 26-11 Jackson Ave., although the operators of Utopia Bagels were unable to provide a specific date. The firm said it is likely to open in 2025.

Initially established in 1981 at 1909 Utopia Pkwy. in Whitestone, Utopia Bagels has become a community staple. The company opened a second store, located at 120 E. 34th St. in Midtown, earlier this month.

Utopia Bagels prides itself on its method of making bagels: hand-rolling, kettle boiling, and baking each one in a 1947 carousel oven. Throughout its over 40 years of existence, Utopia has maintained the same recipes.

I'm super happy for their success.  It's a homegrown that's done very well for themselves (and for good reason).

I just ordered from them the last time I was in Forest Hills.  Their Nova/bagel is stupid delicious.

I also order from them to deliver to me in Texas.  They freeze beautifully.

[samhexum]

You know how great chefs are always able to elevate the ordinary to the extraordinary…

A few days ago, before dropping a pork chop into a bag filled with shake and bake for pork chops, I had the brilliant idea to add some turmeric, garlic powder, Italian seasoning, parsley flakes, and grated Parmesan and Romano to the rather bland shake and bake mix …

I expect to be winning many culinary awards. 

The mixture was so flavorful that over the last few days I have used up a mostly full bag of frozen turkey meatballs by dropping a few of them at a time into another bag of the mixture and shaking, then baking them...

You know how great chefs are always able to elevate the ordinary to the extraordinary…

Right Before popping my sugar-free golden cake into the toaster oven, I had the brilliant idea of mixing a couple of glops of peanut butter into the batter…

I expect to be winning all sorts of baking awards.

[Luv2play]

On 7/1/2024 at 7:00 PM, Luv2play said:

I shop daily for my food. Always buy fresh for most items. Today I bought a stuffed pork tenderloin (double portion) and simply grilled it on the bbq. The secret is not to overcook and dry it out. Basting it with a tomato sauce and turning frequently, it turned out crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. 
This is what was left, enough for a cold luncheon tomorrow. 

This is what happened to the leftover pork tenderloin. 

[samhexum]

‘Spell casting’ woman arrested for abuse of a corpse, cooking body parts in a pot

[Tane]

Honestly, salmon is one of the easiest things to prepare. All you have to do is not overcook it, and it comes out amazing. One of the healthiest things you could eat too. An ex-boyfriend once showed me even fronzen salmon covered in olive oil baked on the microwave (4min) tastes amazing. Add a pinch of salt, herbs, and lemon juice afterward. 

[samhexum]

One of the biggest home cooking days of the year is quickly approaching, so, yes, we are already planning our Thanksgiving menu. Sure, we might be waiting for Ina Garten’s favorite store-bought French Apple Tart to be back on shelves at Trader Joe’s for an easy dessert to pass off as homemade, but there’s one thing we don’t wait to buy: the Thanksgiving turkey.

Thanksgiving is quite literally all about the bird—it’s not called Turkey Day for nothing—so the last thing we want is to head to the grocery store the week before the holiday only to find empty shelves or the tiniest turkeys left over.

However, as important as having the turkey is, prepping the turkey correctly on the big day is even more imperative. Everyone knows there’s one surefire way to ruin Thanksgiving: you forget to thaw your turkey in time.

Unlike when you fail to pull chicken breasts or ground meat out of the freezer, there’s no quick way to thaw a 10- to 20-pound turkey. So, typically, if you don’t take your turkey out of the freezer at least a few days before Thanksgiving, you can kiss your turkey dinner goodbye—and might want to call in one of those “emergency” Domino’s pizzas, too.

However, Butterball has created a fix that solves the most stressful part of Thanksgiving with its new Cook from Frozen Turkey.

Butterball Launches Cook From Frozen Turkey
Every year, Butterball provides a Turkey Talk-Line to give home cooks answers to their most pressing turkey questions. And, year after year, the most popular questions remain: “How long do you have to thaw a turkey?” and “When should you take the turkey out of the freezer?”

So, Butterball’s new, first-of-its-kind innovation doesn’t require any of that prep. The new Cook from Frozen Premium Whole Turkey can go straight from the freezer to the oven in minutes. All you have to do is unwrap the turkey, stick it in a roasting pan, and bake it in a 350-degree F oven for about four hours, or until the internal temperature reaches 170 degrees F in the breast and thigh.

The turkey even comes pre-brined, so you don’t have to season or baste it if you don’t want to. It also doesn’t include the neck or giblets, so you won’t have to worry about fishing that bag out of the turkey before roasting.

Butterball’s new two-step turkey has a “specially formulated" brine that keeps the bird moist throughout the cooking process and results in the same juicy flavor you expect from a Butterball turkey.

“It addresses both the fears and frustrations of cooking a whole turkey—it’s not only simple to roast, but the result delivers a tender, juicy, golden-brown centerpiece. Hosts get all the glory whether they are experienced or not,” said Michelle Lieszkovszky, head of innovation at Butterball.

Butterball’s Cook from Frozen Premium Whole Turkey can be found at select retailers, including Walmart, Kroger and its banner stores, Publix, Harris Teeter, and Lowes Foods, nationwide.

[marylander1940]

Butterball introduces cook-from-frozen turkey for a no-thaw Thanksgiving

WWW.TODAY.COM

---

“Forget about basting or brining,” says the company.

I never understood why thawing a 🦃 could be so difficult to some

[samhexum]

ALREADY POSTED FOUR DAYS AGO 

It was! And now the second coming of the story has been united with the first.

[samhexum]

On 4/23/2024 at 9:38 PM, BSR said:

I've seen Utopia Bagels featured in a lot of "best NYC bagel" YouTube videos.  Despite baking up a massive number of bagels daily, apparently they refuse to cut corners and still make their bagels to the same standard that made them famous. Too bad my aunt no longer lives in Queens because it would have been an easy trip from her house.  Nonetheless, thanks for the tip, @BenjaminNicholas.  If I'm ever lucky enough to be anywhere near Utopia Bagels, a top-notch bagel is well-worth making a detour.

 

On 4/23/2024 at 10:19 PM, nycman said:

Queens?….Bagels?

Spin Bagel, a new health-conscious bagel shop, opened on Feb. 17 in Bayside, replacing the longtime neighborhood staple Top Bagel, which operated for more than 20 years before closing permanently in April.

The new shop at 40-18 Bell Blvd. is owned by Queens natives Yvonne and Cliff Themistocleous, who aim to reinvent traditional breakfast favorites by offering clean ingredients and gut-friendly options, including sourdough bagels that are fermented for improved digestion.

The couple, who have lived in Bayside for most of their lives, had long dreamed of opening their own business but waited for the right opportunity. Yvonne, a clinical dietitian with over 15 years of experience, and Cliff, who has a background in construction and a family history in the Manhattan deli business, saw potential in the former bagel shop’s location on the bustling neighborhood street.

“I just felt if we were going to open a food establishment, I had to remain within the scope of my practice,” said Yvonne. “I just didn’t feel right providing foods that I know are not beneficial, nutritious, or healthy for the public. This location had been a bagel store for a long time. I think someone came in and said this place had been a bagel store for over 20, 30 years, so we figured, why reinvent the wheel?”

Spin Bagel differentiates itself by using unbleached and unbromated flour, avoiding processed ingredients, and cooking exclusively with avocado oil, olive oil, or real butter. Their bagel recipe is vegan, and they do not offer cold cuts or processed meats. Instead, their turkey and roast beef are prepared in-house, and their French ham is uncured and nitrate-free. The shop also makes its own jellies from fresh fruit without preservatives.

“We also carry a French ham that is uncured, so there’s no nitrates in any of our meats. That goes for our bacon and our Canadian bacon, and everything is pretty much clean ingredients,” said Yvonne.

 

The concept stems in part from Cliff’s personal experience. He recalled how years of eating takeout while working in the city left him feeling sluggish and unhealthy until Yvonne helped him transition to a cleaner diet.

“I was in bad shape, and then after we started eating clean, all of a sudden, I had more energy than ever, my joints didn’t hurt, and other problems just kind of went away, and I was very happy for it,” said Cliff.

Beyond its bagels, Spin Bagel offers unique Greek-inspired items, including rustic bread from Greece and an ancient grain called Zia, as well as specialty bagels such as Zaatar and rosemary and olive oil. Their selection of cream cheese spreads includes flavors like spicy feta and fig.

and a block away...

Bayside Rite-Aid sells winning Take 5 ticket worth over $30K

[samhexum]

On 4/23/2024 at 7:16 PM, BenjaminNicholas said:

Bagel from Utopia (Queens, NY).  Fresh lox or nova.  Toast bagel.  Add schmear.  Add salmon.  Add capers.  Add fresh red onion.  Donezo. This is about as complicated as my cooking skill gets. However, I make a fantastic reservation.

 

On 4/23/2024 at 9:38 PM, BSR said:

I've seen Utopia Bagels featured in a lot of "best NYC bagel" YouTube videos.  Despite baking up a massive number of bagels daily, apparently they refuse to cut corners and still make their bagels to the same standard that made them famous.

Utopia Bagels opens in Long Island City with free bagels and long lines