Favorite no-fail recipe

[samhexum]

7 hours ago, BenjaminNicholas said:

Bagel from Utopia (Queens, NY).

my god-daughter took dance lessons on that block 20 years ago.

4 hours ago, BSR said:

I've seen Utopia Bagels featured in a lot of "best NYC bagel" YouTube videos... 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. If I'm ever lucky enough to be anywhere near Utopia Bagels, a top-notch bagel is well-worth making a detour.

 

 

Middle Village Bagels claims the throne as best bagel spot in Queens

 

Looking for the best bagel spot in Queens? Look no further. Middle Village Bagels, located at 79-16 Eliot Ave., has been crowned the best bagel spot in Queens.

The Queens Chamber of Commerce named Middle Village Bagels the best spot for bagels in the borough on Feb. 9, after reviewing 55 nominations and tallying over 3,000 votes over several weeks.

Edited April 24 by samhexum
just for the hell of it

[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 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 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