OK Chef, Give Me Your Favorite Recipe

[motherhubbard]

I make bread. I want my kids to remember home as smelling like bread and homemade apple sauce and yummy things like that. I know some people have a hard time with it, but it’s much easier than you may think.

I always make bread in the same bowl. This really helps because you get an idea of how much you’re making by how much is in your bowl. I don’t measure anything. So here is how I do it -

First I put some sugar in my bowl. The bigger your bowl the more you add, but start small -maybe a hand full or two. Then add hot water. The more water you add the more bread you’ll end up with. Probably two cups or so for most families is enough. Stir the water and sugar together and allow it to sit until the water is the temperature of a baby’s bath. Then sprinkle yeast on top of the water. I buy in bulk, but you could use a packet. The more yeast you add the faster it will rise in the end, but a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump. I sprinkle enough to cover the top. Let that sit until it looks like root beer. Then add some salt (a little pile in the palm) and some oil (a couple of glubs). Stir that all together. Now you add flower. Just add it some at a time and mix it together until you have soft springy dough that’s not sticky anymore. Kneed it for a good while, at least five minuets. Allow it to rise and then punch it down. You can roll it out with a pin and have cinnamon rolls, pinch it into balls and smooth over the tops for rolls, or shape into a loaf. Three little balls in a muffin tin makes a cute little roll, rill into a sheet and cut into triangles for croissants. I cook it at 350 until it’s not doughy anymore and golden- you can pretty well smell it when it’s done.

[applepie]

Since I mentioned a Cool Whip pie in the comfort food section I thought I would post the recipie here.

1/4 cup of boiling water
1 package jello
1 6oz container of yogurt (any flavor that sounds good with the jello that you choose)
1 small tub of cool whip
1 grahm cracker crust (premade ones from the store are great)

Mix the jello powder with the 1/4 cup of boiling water. Whisk until all the powder is dissolved then whisk in the yogurt. Mix in the cool whip gently, so that you don't flatten it out too bad. Put the filling in the crust and refrigerate for at least an hour or two before serving. If you want to add fresh fruit to the pie, mix it in when you add the Cool Whip and it is really good. You can also make a light version using a reduced calorie crust, light yogurt, and light Cool Whip. You can even use sugar free Jello if you would like. The pie still turns out great and almost no one will notice that it is low in calories. Hope everyone enjoys.

[Niamh]

A stock cube is pretty much the same as a boullon cube. Dried seasonings pressed into a cube to use as a base for soup. I try to get my friend who lives in the UK to send me OXO when she can, but normally I just make do with the stuff I can get at the market.

Those Egyptian potatoes sound very good, I am going to have to make that.

for OxO? Thats an odd request kathy! If you ever want any let me know!

Okay quick simple student style cooking!

ham and Pasta!

Ingredients

slices of ham
pasta
cheap parsley sauce that comes in tub and have to add water to.
cajun
crushed chilis (optional)

cook pasta.
Stir boiling water into powered sauce.
Chop ham and add to sauce
add small amout of cajun and crushed chilis. Just enough to give sauce a little kick.
Strain water off pasta, and add sauce with ham. stir over heat for few minutes until ham is nice and hot and pasta is covered in sauce.
Serve and eat!

this is really nice if the ham is left over ham from one you mam boiled and you had for dinner the day before!

[Visionary3]

Strawberry Shish-k-Bobs. Put two strawberries on a sqewer, then two donut holes...repeat until you have 6. Pour chocolate over and refrigerate until set.

[Bakiryu]

Here's how to make a Bakiryu Style sandwich:

First you need: Jalapeño peppers, hot sauce, black and red pepper, bread, cheese (or ham), tomatoes, salt, mayonnaise and mustard.

First you brown the bread 'til it's a soft golden color, then you slather it with mayonaise. Next you add the jalapeño peppers. Melt the cheese and put in on top of the peppers then add the mustard. Cut the tomatoes and put them on top, adding as much salt as you want: then add hot sauce to your liking.

WARNING: This may be a little bit spicy, so it's best if you eat it with a glass of milk or, if older than 21 a cool, chilly beer.

[Nightshade]

Does anyone have any good recipies for big family meals, by that I mean realitivley simple and healthy but filling ( and hopefully freezable) -- umm not pasta or pork/ham/other pig things. Thanks!!

[Niamh]

what about a nice big shepards pie?
Or a simple fish pie?

[Scheherazade]

realitivley simple and healthy but filling ( and hopefully freezable)

This is not freezable but it is so easy that you can make it anytime.

Fill an oven bag with baby potatoes, mushrooms, halved bell peppers, tomatoes and quartered chicken breasts (or wings and thighs). Add any spice you like (I usually add Cajun mix) and leave in the oven for an hour.

It is a delicious dinner without any hassle.


Another option:

Brown mince meat with some grated onions and add some chopped tomatoes (and spices according to your liking). Pour it into an oven dish and top with sliced potatoes (Boil the potatoes a little if you want it to cook quicker). Pour juice of a lemon of top and cook in the oven until the potatoes are golden brown. Serve with some yogurt.

[Nightshade]

Yummies thanks scher. Humm sheperds pie ... that works thanks Niamh.

[papayahed]

How about a broccoli/cheese/chicken/rice casserole?

[Bakiryu]

Does anyone have any good recipies for big family meals, by that I mean realitivley simple and healthy but filling ( and hopefully freezable) -- umm not pasta or pork/ham/other pig things. Thanks!!

Well you could always make tamales! They're naturally filling and tasty! And since they're made from corn very healthy! they're not gonna last a last time but that'll be because your relative will gobble it up before they're cold!

[papayahed]

How about Lasagna?

[Nightshade]

How about Lasagna?

Alread had it twice this week and its only wedensday
I swear we seem to live on pasta.

Well you could always make tamales! They're naturally filling and tasty! And since they're made from corn very healthy! they're not gonna last a last time but that'll be because your relative will gobble it up before they're cold!

Are they like fajitas?? They wouldnt last very long in this family Im afraid....plus my sisters are always stealing the tortillas to eat for lunch ..

But thanks for the suggestions

[papayahed]

Alread had it twice this week and its only wedensday
I swear we seem to live on pasta.

Doh! You did say no pasta didn't you...

[Nightshade]

But a nice alturnative is 'kosa bechemel'
you take courgets/ zuccini slices and you lay them instead of lasgana sheets only one layer though with themeat on top then the bechemel white sauce and pop in the oven gourgeous.