Recipes to share

[Sibling Chatty]

The only one I know is made like tater salad, but with a lot of ham added in, and no eggs.

I pretty much like cornbread no matter what you do to it (except crumble it in a glass with buttermilk. That's DIS-gusting, and hard to wash out of the glasses).

[anthrobabe]

MentalBlock: It most certainly is good with jalapenos! I think I'll try mango also next time. It's a kitchen sink thing- it's all good.

Sibling Chatty: I don't do cornbread in buttermilk either.

[Aggie]

Cajun red beans and rice (RBR), with the beans prepared with no meat, and half the rice made with butter, half without, then the sausage to the side.

Oh, Chatty....!  Recipe please!  Well, a rough sketch of ingredients, anyways...  don't need exact measurements.

I'm planning to serve either Moros y Cristanos or RBR for the reception, but haven't nailed down a recipe for either yet.

I don't eat red meat but I'm not a vegetarian
I like ice cream/ but not much dairy
'cause it gets in my nose
it makes me gotta blows
snot like a farmer and it gets on my clothes
it's rather unsightly/ can even be frightening
but cold medication/ should not be taken nightly
because everything dat I put in/ it comes out again
and if I eat lean/ it helps me stay thin
check out my hair I keep it dreaded
about my corn? I like it breaded
hot from the oven? MMMM! you said it!
straight to the stomach my fuel is unleaded
But not fossil fuels/ I like olive oil
I like my eggs scrambled/ I never eat 'em boiled
The way to my heart/ is with a garlic clove
it smells hella sexy/ when it's on the kitchen stove

(chorus)
Red beans and rice, red beans and rice, red beans and rice,
make everything nice
red beans and rice, red beans and rice, red beans and rice
I could eat a plate twice. So nice. So nice. So nice.

Most people on the planet/ eat beans and rice
some can't afford beef or they think cows are nice
If you talk table manners don't believe all they
told ya I eat with my fingers like an African soldier
I don't know which fork is for meat or for salad
I haven't got a clue when they say "whet your palate"
eat a lot a prunes it'll keep you loose
skin'll turn orange if you drink carrot juice
I think beef jerky tastes like a boot
when I'm on the street I chew a licorice root
and if I have a soar throat /then I eat ginger
and I will break bread /with those who are strangers
so come into my cave / tonight I will show you
food is for life / and life I will show you.
If you're havin' problems/ I invite you here
step into my kitchen /we will cook away your fears

(chorus)

Amazing grace how sweet the sound that
saved a wretch like me
Dammit let's eat!
Mi casa es su casa. Mi cocina es su cocina.
you know what I meana!

(bridge)
get some boilin' water! Yeah!
get a pound aof beans! Yeah!
get some spice and make it nice! Yeah!
you know what I mean!

But if a friend has gas /then he's passin'
it gives me a headache end I gotta take aspirin
it makes me dizzy/ I fix him fizzies
to calm his stomach/ when it's feelin kinda
busy some like it white/but I like it brown
I like spicy chicken/ and I can throw it down
chilis come red /and chilis come green
when it's on the table/ I lick my plate clean
Then I drink a toast to the host and hostess
But first we give thanks/ to God the Mostest
'cause if I am a guest/ I always wash my plate
sip a sip a soda while I sing Amazing Grace
rings on my fingers /left round the tub
bass fulla bubbles/ bumpin like a wash tub
think about my troubles/ goin down the drain
dryin' up the puddles in the back of my brain

[Sibling Chatty]

Recipe?? Uhh...

OK, start with small red beans/Cajun red beans/whatever, a meaty bean, not a mealy bean. DO NOT use red kidney beans unless there is absolutely no alternative. (I will mail you a bag of 'em if the 'laws' allow it.)

There are two ways to do the seasoning. The EASY and easiest to adjust way is by using Zatarain's Liquid Crab and Shrimp Boil. It's essentially bay and red (cayenne) pepper oils. The hard way is by cooking with lots of cayenne and remembering to take out the bay leaf before you serve. If you can't find the Zatarain's up there, let me know. (I see on their website that they now make it with onion and garlic added!! WOOT!) I would still put some cut up onions in 'em. The traditional recipe calls for chopped bell peppers and celery as well, but I can't tolerate bell pepper, so I get the 'depth' of flavor it adds from the bay in the crab boil. As to celery...meh. It's bland, all it has going for it is crunch, and when you boil it you got no crunch left.

Rinse the beans in a colander to remove any grit or sand, soak 'em overnight in a big container, then flood the 'top' of the water off, drain and cook. (You may find a sort of foamy/scummy stuff on the water. You flood it off to make sure you're rid of it, then drain and rinse.)

The actual cooking isn't all that long once you've done a good soaking. The recipe on the Zatarain's site says cook an hour and a half, then add the onions and stuff, but I start off with the onions and garlic in there.

http://www.zatarain.com/index.php

Now, this is where the published recipes never get specific. For the first 30-45 minutes after the beans come to a boil, there will be a funky foam that boils up. Skim it off and toss it. You'll have much less personal methane build-up later on. After that, I take them to a slow boil, and at this point, I add the salt and the liquid crab boil. You have to go by desired level of spiciness, but when I cook 6 pounds of beans, I use a scant ounce out of the 4 ounce bottle for mild, and double it for spicy.

I always undersalt and underseason a bit, put a salt shaker, some Tabasco, one or two of these http://www.zatarain.com/products/product.php/67/Seasoning_and_Spices/Creole_Seasoning
and a straight shaker of cayenne pepper (I'm sure Z's has that, too) to the side.

I cook my medium grain (so it'll be kinda sticky) rice and set the pans side by side to encourage folks to get their own proportions. Make sure you've added plenty of water to the beans, and smush up some of them to thicken the bean juice. If you're keeping them warm, for long, you may have to water them periodically.

Rather than mess with trying to find an authentic andouille sausage, just use any well made beef/pork mix smoked sausage, or straight pork if you prefer. (I have used venison/pork as well. Yum.) Cut the sausage into angle cut inch to inch and a half pieces and heat them up in the oven, then put them just beyond the beans and rice if you're preserving vegan/vege status on the beans. If you end up with 2 pots, drain the sausage and dump it into the non-veg one.

For mixed vege/non crowds, I usually cook the beans all together and split them for serving, putting the buttered rice with the sausage and beans and olive oil-cooked rice with the vege.
(I used to hand-letter signs that said "Animal products included" and STILL have to explain the vegetarian/nonvegetarian options.)

Pretty much, a pound of dry beans cooks up to serve even with a scant pound of dry rice, cooked, and you can feed 6-10 people off a pound of each, depending on if they're eating sausage with it. A quarter to a third of a pound of sausage per person. This is figuring the averages, you know the drill. If you've got a lot of big eaters, or big mean eaters, adjust. (I always figure for the crowd and add 15% to be on the safe side.)

I also bring along some zip-lock storage bags, and mix it all together at the end, bag it up and send it home with folks for the next day. The rice holds the bean juice and it's yummy and portable.

I also usually have extra rice on hand, because there's nothin' better than a bowl of warm rice to settle your stomach after you eat too much cayenne.

Have I rattled on enough? What did I forget?

[Aggie]

Sounds good!

Um, what's with the long-distance psychic static this month?  We tossed together an 'instant meal' for a buddy who's just moved out but has no food in his fridge on Sunday, and grabbed some Zatarain's Dirty Rice mix for stuffing peppers with.


On the beans, I think we've got adzukis or similar - small and a tad on the sweet side.  Lots of places to get alternatives, as well.

[anthrobabe]

Ok I added "Hicks" Tacos on the main page under general recipes.

They are fat loaded and not diet food- but they are soooooo good.

Try 'em sometime.

[Bluenose]

Made up a really quick and delicious meal tonight.  Quantities are not exact, just go with what you think.

Ingredients (for two):
1 100 g can of chunk tuna in brine
6 slices of red salad onion, chopped
2-3 large cloves garlic, crushed
Very small amount of sambal oeleck (crushed chilli), perhaps 1/8 teaspoon
Juice of half a lemon
White wine
Cream
Herbs to taste (I used lemon myrtle)
Baby Rocket leaves, chopped
Salt & pepper
Fresh grated parmesan.
Pasta

Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil and add your favourite pasta, small shells are good, cook until al dente.  While pasta is cooking, gently saute the onion, garlic and sambal until onions are translucent.  Drain the tuna and add to pan.  Break up the chunks into small pieces, then add the herbs and salt and pepper and stir well.  Add the lemon juice and a a generous splash of white wine or cooking sherry (or mirin, or if you don't take alcohol, then verjuice would be fine) turn up the heat a little and reduce stirring frequently until liquid is about 3/4 gone.  Add some cream, turn down the  heat to low and stir in well to combine, cook until it has formed a nice creamy sauce.  The pasta should be cooked by now, drain and then add the rocket to the sauce, stir in well and then immediately stir in the sauce to the pasta and serve right away with fresh grated parmesan.

Quick, easy and absolutely delicious!

[anthrobabe]

added to main page recipe 'book'

Spicy Thai style Jicama Salad----- mmmmmmmmmm

[anthrobabe]

added to main page recipe box

creamy slow cooker chicken--( crock pot chicken) mmmmmmmmm creamy cheesy comfort food.

[anthrobabe]

added to main recipe page some hot buttered rum recipes and something i saw on martha today (yes dirty secret I watch the bitch on TV) for baked stuffed artichoke hearts (more of a dressing on them than stuffed) sounds so good and easy.

[Bluenose]

Received this by email today, it's definitely going to be tried out soon:



The most dangerous cake recipe ever!


5 MINUTE CHOCOLATE MUG CAKE

4 tablespoons flour

4 tablespoons sugar

2 tablespoons cocoa

1 egg

3 tablespoons milk

3 tablespoons oil

3 tablespoons chocolate chips (optional)

a small splash of vanilla extract

1 large coffee mug

Add dry ingredients to mug and mix well. Add the egg and mix thoroughly.
Pour in the milk and oil and mix well. Add the chocolate chips (if using)
and vanilla extract, and mix again.

Put your mug in the microwave and cook for 3 minutes at 1000 watts (high).
The cake will rise over the top of the mug, but don't be alarmed! Allow to
cool a little, and tip out onto a plate if desired.

EAT! (This can serve 2 if you want to feel slightly more virtuous).(comment from Bluenose....AS IF!!!) And why is this the most dangerous cake recipe in the world? Because now we are all only 5 minutes away from chocolate cake at any time of the day or night!

You are going to print this out straight away, aren't you?

[Pachyderm]

Bottle of Hendricks Gin
Bottle of Schweppes tonic
Ice



Combine the three in a glass. (measurements vary according to taste, size of glass and/or level of inebriation)

[Bluenose]

Bottle of Hendricks Gin
Bottle of Schweppes tonic
Ice



Combine the three in a glass. (measurements vary according to taste, size of glass and/or level of inebriation)

Can't fault this recipe, although I use Bombay Sapphire gin and add a slice of lime.  Sometimes I add a couple of drops of Angustura Bitters as well.

[Sibling Chatty]

Blue, I e-mailed your cake recipe about 15 minutes ago. I just got a phone call from my friend Lucy. There are 7 people in her kitchen, lined up to use the microwave...and she's low on eggs for breakfast!! (Her college age grandkids are all there.)

She said thank you, because she doesn't have to make dessert every night!

[Bluenose]

He he he he!

Hope it turned out well!