Favorite no-fail recipe

[MikeBiDude]

12 hours ago, poolboy48220 said:

I made my first try at baking with gluten-free flour, making some rolls I've made many times over for a friend who's gluten-intolerant.  I'm not a fan so far, I gave them half the batch and brought the rest to dinner with other friends, and there were a lot of uneaten rolls on plates after dinner.

As a sourdough bread baker with two different  sourdough starters in my fridge...gluten free bread baking is hard to wrap my head around. There are some artisan bakers who let the dough ferment extra long times...this lessens a gluten reaction in some. I've used some unusual whole grain and "ancient" flours which can cut gluten down significantly. Usually not enough for a gluten free person though.

I've had better luck doing cookies and such with Gluten free products, but not so much bread.

[Rudynate]

6 hours ago, MikeBiDude said:

As a sourdough bread baker with two different  sourdough starters in my fridge...gluten free bread baking is hard to wrap my head around. There are some artisan bakers who let the dough ferment extra long times...this lessens a gluten reaction in some. I've used some unusual whole grain and "ancient" flours which can cut gluten down significantly. Usually not enough for a gluten free person though.

I've had better luck doing cookies and such with Gluten free products, but not so much bread.

To me, it's not really bread. In addition to yeast or sourdough starter, you have to add lots of eggs and fiber supplements like guar gum and lecithin to make up for the lack of gluten - even after all of that, it doesn't rise very well and it's kind of soft and squishy.

[Becket]

10 hours ago, samhexum said:

 

 

Sadist!  I bet you laughed when Humpty Dumpty fell.

It was the greatest day of my life.

[samhexum]

4 hours ago, Becket said:

It was the greatest day of my life.

Corey Seager just gave you the finger.

[+ JEC]

Don't be put off by the number of ingredients (some are optional) or steps, this is a simple dish and all cooks in 1 pot.

PASTA WITH HAM AND PEAS

I have adapted this dish over the years from an original recipe (I’ve forgotten the source!).  You can build on the basic recipe depending on your preferences, and what you have in the house (use leftovers and your imagination!).  Another great thing is it all cooks in one pot.

Ingredients

·         1 Pound Pasta (Farfalle, Rotini, Ziti or Penne:  I prefer Farfalle), regular or whole-grain

·         1 bag frozen petite peas (or, regular peas)

·         1 large Red onion, sliced into ¼ X ½ inch strips (or chunks, or yellow onion)

·         1 Pound Deli Ham, julienned (ask at deli to slice thick for Julienne); pieces should be 1” to 1.5” long. (or, leftover baked ham or ham steak); also consider meat from a rotisserie chicken or sliced sausage

·         ½ C Pine Nuts (Optional)

·         1 Red Pepper, sliced into ¼ X ½ inch strips (Optional)

·         1 Pkg. Sliced mushrooms (Optional)

·         1 bunch flat-leaf parsley, rough chop (Optional)

·         ½ C Chicken Stock

·         ½ C half and half, or light cream

·         ½ C White wine (or, substitute another ½ Chicken Stock)

·         ½ C grated Parmesan or Romano cheese, plus additional for serving

·         2 Tbsp. regular or low-fat Sour Cream (Optional; or mix 1 tsp corn starch with 1 tbsp stock to thicken sauce)

·         Freshly ground pepper, to taste

 

Directions

1.    In 4-quart Dutch oven, cook pasta in boiling salted water with 1 tbsp. oil until al-dente, drain.

2.    Prepare/measure all ingredients: the cooking process goes quickly and doesn’t allow for additional prep once started.

3.    Place same 4-quart Dutch oven (nonstick) over medium-high heat, add 1 Tbsp Olive Oil.

4.    Sauté onion until just starting to brown.  Add Garlic, sauté 2 more minutes.  Remove to large bowl.

5.    If using Red pepper, add swirl of Olive Oil and sauté Red Pepper until just starting to brown, remove to bowl

6.    If using mushrooms, add swirl of Olive Oil and sauté mushrooms until just starting to brown, remove to bowl

7.    Add swirl of olive oil to pan, and add ham.  Sautee, until ham starts to brown, remove to bowl.

8.    If using pine nuts, reduce heat to medium-low, add swirl of olive oil to pan and add pine nuts, stir every few seconds until toasted, remove to bowl.

9.    Return heat to medium high.  Add white wine, chicken stock and half and half to pot (if using corn starch, add to pot now).  Heat, stirring occasionally, until steaming / first bubbles form. 

10. Add peas.  Heat, stirring occasionally, until steaming / first bubbles form.

11. Reduce heat to low and add grated cheese, and pepper.  If using sour cream, add to pot.  If using parsley, add ½ of the parsley to the pot.

12. Stir sauce constantly until blended.  Add additional cheese if desired to thicken sauce.

13. Return all ingredients including pasta to pot, and stir until well blended.

14. Serve, passing extra grated cheese, fresh ground pepper and parsley to garnish

 

[pubic_assistance]

On 7/22/2023 at 9:14 PM, Becket said:

Sweet and Sour Chicken

• 1 bottle Russian Dressing
• 2 pkg dry french onion soup mix
• 1 jar apricot jam
• Mix everything up and pour over chicken pieces. Bake 300 degrees for 2 hours. No turning required. Delicious and foolproof.

 

Amazing.

Thanks for the blast from the past.

I used to make that in college.

Long forgotten, once I learned to actually cook. But I recall this E Z mix was actually kind of good.

Lots of sauce so serve over rice.

[Rudynate]

On 11/10/2023 at 5:48 AM, pubic_assistance said:

Amazing.

Thanks for the blast from the past.

I used to make that in college.

Long forgotten, once I learned to actually cook. But I recall this E Z mix was actually kind of good.

Lots of sauce so serve over rice.

Sounds tasty - loads of sodium, though.

[randeman]

Marinate boneless, skinless chicken breasts (number as needed) in a ziplock bag with golden Italian salad dressing (I use Good Seasons) for an hour.  Be sure to get as much air as possible out of the bag before popping it in the fridge.

Blot the excess marinade from the breasts when you remove them from the bag and discard the marinade.

Grill* the breasts until the internal temperature of the thickest part of the breast is 160F or 72C.  Place atop a plate of buttered fettucine (add an optional squeese of fresh lemon to the pasta and toss before plating).  Top with some freshly grated parmesan and enjoy.

*Roasting the breasts works as well.  These are the only proper cooking methods for this dish.

Edited November 14, 2023 by randeman
missing word

[Daytyle]

Your no-fail chicken recipe sounds delicious!  Have you ever thought about adding a fresh and zesty element with a homemade pico de gallo on the side? It might bring a burst of flavor to complement your perfectly grilled or roasted chicken. Would you like to find out how to make pico de gallo?

[samhexum]

Fiber One Wraps.

Sell by 2/24/20

Delicious when thawed 4 years later.

[jsn102]

My go-to is always Paella Valencia.

Ok, one caveat: you need a paella pan. But other than that, it is simplicity itself because you are just adding one ingredient at a time, stirring it, then leaving it until it's time for the next ingredient.

Bonus points: most of the time you are hanging around (apart from the occasional stir) so you can talk with your date and have a glass or two of wine while technically showing off your cooking skills 🙂

Let me know if you want me to drop in the recipe and a link to the pan I use. I promise that it's easier than you might think!

*Edited because I can't spell on a Saturday evening...*

Edited March 30 by jsn102

[BSR]

1 hour ago, jsn102 said:

My go-to is always Paella Valencia.

Ok, one caveat: you need a paella pan. But other than that, it is simplicity itself because you are just adding one ingredient at a time, stirring it, then leaving it until it's time for the next ingredient.

Bonus points: most of the time you are hanging around (apart from the occasional stir) so you can talk with your date and have a glass or two of wine while technically showing off your cooking skills 🙂

Let me know if you want me to drop in the recipe and a link to the pan I use. I promise that it's easier than you might think!

*Edited because I can't spell on a Saturday evening...*

Please do, because I've watched how-to videos by bona fide paella masters, and it didn't seem all that simple.  One tip they all share is that once you add the rice, you stir barely enough to distribute the ingredients evenly.  Stirring beyond that is an absolute no-no because doing so releases the rice starch, making the dish gluey & sticky.

Useless trivia:  "paella" is the Valenciano (dialect of Catalan) word for "pan," any pan not specifically one to make paella.

Edited March 31 by BSR
Added factoid

[jsn102]

Ok, since BSR asked... As I said, this LOOKS fiddly, but it really is just the case of following the instructions precisely. Also, you want a slight burned crust on the bottom (not innuendo intended) - that's the socarrat and one of the tastiest bits. Feel free to message me if you have questions or want to tell me how bad my recipe was! 🙂 

Two things: first, it is essential to use arborio rice (same for risotto) and equally essential to use a paella pan (somethings like this: https://www.amazon.com/Machika-Enameled-Steel-Paella-inch/dp/B08BG5TP5M/). If you don't have those, really don't bother. Things will stick and burn - the liquids release them and add to the flavor.

Paella Valenciana

Ingredients:

- 1/2 lb chorizo or spicy sausage
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- 1 cup green beans or snow peas, cut in 2-in pieces
- 12 small/medium shrimp
- Salt and pepper
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1 small onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 large tomato, grated
- Pinch of saffron
- 1/2 tsp paprika
- 1/4 tsp cayenne
- 1.25 cups arborio rice
- 2.5 cups chicken stock

Directions:

- Cut sausage and chicken into 1/2-inch pieces.
- Sprinkle shrimp with salt and pepper and mix well.
- Heat olive oil in a traditional paella pan over medium heat. When hot, sprinkle 1/2 tsp of salt and continue to heat for 1 minute.
- Add the chicken and sausage to the pan and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Remove from the pan with a slotted spoon.
- Add the onion and garlic to the pan and fry until soft, 2-3 minutes.
- Add the shredded tomato and green beans, and fry for 1 minute, scraping anything up off the bottom of the pan.
- Stir in the saffron, paprika and cayenne and then pour in the chicken stock.
- Raise heat to medium-high and bring stock to a boil. Salt lightly and then let boil for 1 minute.
- Add the rice, chicken and sausage to the pan and mix in. Then do not stir again for the rest of the cooking process.
- 6 minutes after adding the rice, place the shrimp on top of the mixture.
- 5 minutes after adding the shrimp, reduce the heat to medium. Cook for another 5 minutes.
- 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.

[samhexum]

 

[BSR]

On 4/14/2024 at 12:31 AM, samhexum said:

 

A friend of a friend made adobo (kind of a stew w/garlic, soy sauce, vinegar, bit of brown sugar -- unofficial national dish of the Philippines) that was the best I ever had (trust me, I've had a lot of adobo in my life).  When I begged her for the recipe, she said she couldn't give me one because she just eyeballs everything.

I'm sure I could figure out a good recipe for adobo on my own by starting off with a YouTube recipe video and then finessing it.  The problem is that because adobo really stinks up the house, I don't want to make it on the regular.  Too bad because it's a simple recipe, pretty much the Filipino can't-fail dish.

[mike carey]

9 hours ago, BSR said:

A friend of a friend made adobo (kind of a stew w/garlic, soy sauce, vinegar, bit of brown sugar -- unofficial national dish of the Philippines) that was the best I ever had (trust me, I've had a lot of adobo in my life).  When I begged her for the recipe, she said she couldn't give me one because she just eyeballs everything.

I'm sure I could figure out a good recipe for adobo on my own by starting off with a YouTube recipe video and then finessing it.  The problem is that because adobo really stinks up the house, I don't want to make it on the regular.  Too bad because it's a simple recipe, pretty much the Filipino can't-fail dish.

The thing with a lot of those folk recipes is that if you don't know what it 'should' be like and try to make it from a recipe or a video, what your first attempt tastes like will be your 'standard' (or convince you it was a bad idea to even try). If you persevere, you may vary it either by chance or to incorporate suggestions from whatever source, and your 'standard' may shift. If you then try an 'authentic' version, your opinion of it is coloured by your version, for better or worse. And of course every cook from the particular culture has their own version that is 'better than all the others'. And so many 'native speakers' of the dish have similarly vague versions of the recipe as your friend.

[samhexum]

[DaltonJ]

**Super easy turkey chili**

1 package of ground turkey

2 cans diced tomatoes (you can choose mild or hot, whatever you prefer) 😜

1 can black beans

First, cook the turkey until it’s brown in pan on your stovetop. Second, add the tomatoes and black beans. Stir and cook for about 10 min. Medium heat. During that time, toss in the microwave a bag of 10-min white rice. When the rice is down, so is the turkey. Mix and voila! Season as preferred.

[+ BenjaminNicholas]

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.

Edited April 23 by BenjaminNicholas

[MikeThomas]

My favorite no fail recipe is (1) two ounces of gin, (2) two ounces of Vermouth di Torino and (3) two ounces of Campari in a Baccarat Harmonie tumbler (triple)... pus a large square ice cube and and an orange peel.

 

 

Edited April 24 by MikeThomas

[samhexum]

6 minutes ago, MikeThomas said:

a large square ice cube and and an orange peel.

and a banana peel on the floor for entertainment value.

[MikeThomas]

2 minutes ago, samhexum said:

and a banana peel on the floor for entertainment value.

...only after the second one!

[mike carey]

1 hour ago, 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.

Whatever you do, don't tell @nycman you prefer a bagel from Queens!

Grin!

[BSR]

49 minutes ago, mike carey said:

Whatever you do, don't tell @nycman you prefer a bagel from Queens!

Grin!

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.

[+ nycman]

1 hour ago, mike carey said:

Whatever you do, don't tell @nycman you prefer a bagel from Queens!

Grin!

Queens?….Bagels?

And here I was…..being all excited about fucking my first ginger……

grin