OK Chef, Give Me Your Favorite Recipe

[papayahed]

Hey guys, I'm so glad I found this thread. Do any of you have any idea for cheap, vegan recipes that are easy to make? I'm a n00b at this cooking business, but since the parental units are working and I don't have time to eat lunch in school, I need to cook for myself.

Also, I'm tired of salads! Any ideas? (or a more interesting way to make salad?)

I just purchased a new cook book called the Passionate Vegetarian. It's huge!!! What types of recipes are you interested in??

[Scheherazade]

Something with mushrooms!

[papayahed]

tofu cakes with mushrooms?
stuffed deviled mushrooms?
creamy gratin of potatos and mushrooms?

[Scheherazade]

creamy gratin of potatos and mushrooms?

I'm listening!

Anything cheesy with mushrooms?

(Thanks, Papaya! )

[papayahed]

1/4 cup boiling water, vegetablr stock, or low-fat milk
1/2 ounce dried mushrooms, (shiitake, porcini, or oyster)
2 pounds potatos (yukon gold or fingerling)
Cooking spray
1 tbs butter
1/2 large onion, chopped
1/2 pound assorted fresh mushrooms (morels, shiitake, boletus, portobellos, or cremini ) coarsely chopped
2 1/2 cups low fat milk
1 tbs & 1 teas cornstarch
2 ounces neufchatel cream cheese, softened to room temp.
1 1/2 teas Dijon mustard
2 cloves garlic
Pinch freshly grated nutmeg
Salt and Pepper to taste


1. Preheat oven to 350F
2. Pour boiling water over dried mushrooms and set aside to steep.
3. Bring a medium-large pot of water to a boil and drop in the potatos. Let blanch for 3 minutes, drain, and run cold water over them.
4. Heat a large nonstick skillet, add the onion and cook over medium heat, stirring often, for 3-5 minutes, or until translucent. Add the fresh mushrooms and stir-fry for 4 minutes more. Lower the heat, cover the pan, and steam the mushrooms briefly, 1-2 minutes or until they soften slightly but before they begin exuding much juice. Combine with potatos.
5. Strain the dried mushrooms through a coffe filter, reserving the liquid. Pick through the died ushrooms to remove any grit then give them a quick rinse. Coarsely chop any large pieces of soaked mushrooms, then add them to the potato-mushroom mixture.
6. Place the milk in a small saucepan over medium heat. Dissolve the cornstarch in the reserved mushroom liquid. When the milk is hot whisk in the cornstarch mixture. When the milk thickens remove from the heat and whisk in the neufchatel along with the mustard, garlic, nutmeg, salt, and plenty of pepper. Combine the cooked potato-mushroom mixture with the sauce and taste again for seasoning.
7. Spray and 8in baking dish with cooking spray. Spoon in the potato mixture. Cover the dish with aluminum foil and bake for 35 minutes or until hot and bubbly and the potatos are soft. Remove from the oven and Preheat the broiler.
8. Broil until bubbly and golden, 5-10 minutes. Serve at once, hot from the oven.

For vegans substitute soy milk for dairy and soy cream cheese for the dairy cream cheese.

[papayahed]

Now, anybody have any "Knock your socks off" chicken recipes?

[Anza]

I could post my grandma's fried chicken, but it's all based on feel. We don't have specific measurements

[papayahed]

I could post my grandma's fried chicken, but it's all based on feel. We don't have specific measurements

I'm nt good with "a pinch of this a pinch of that", I need measurements.

[Anza]

I tried to get her to measure it once. It didn't turn out right. If someone can perfectly re create it, it will eventually be lost to time

[papayahed]

Yeah, that stinks a lot of my grandma's recipes were lost that way.

[BlueSkyGB]

Buy bag of cookie dough.....
pre-heat oven......
open bag...start eating dough with spoon, while standing in front of warm oven
finish bag...turn off oven....smile to self...

[1n50mn14]

^^Cookie dough! Agreed, whole heartedly!

[StayGolden]

Chicken Spaghetti is delicious...but I'm the type of cook who doesn't measure out ingredients, so I'm not sure I'd be of much help if you wanted the recipe I use. lol I suppose you could just make your regular sauce and add cubed chicken, though.

A tip for anyone who likes Tony Chachere's (a cajun seasoning), though - it tastes delicious in absolutely anything.

[tractatus]

"Menemen" here, a single man masterpiece :

Cook small pieces of tomato(take the peel) and long green pepper(cut small pieces) with a bit of butter.
Later add Eggs, and cook again 4-5 minutes. For my opinion, add a little salt and black pepper.
Bon appetite!

Optional :
- onion (if you want to add, do it with domato and green pepper.)
- small pieces of sausage or similiar meat.
- additional spices.
- some puts a spoon of milk, before second cook.

ps. Is there an English name of this food ?

[mir]

I'm hoping to get some good Italian recipies before the end of the year, but whatever the stereotypes, all Italians do NOT like cooking, so I haven't picked many up yet. Most of the reason the stuff we eat in my host family is so good is that the ingredients are of such good quality or so fresh - pasta and olive oil, yumm!

Anyways, here is a wonderful recipie that my (genetic) grandmother makes every year at Hannukah - it's worth the calories!


Upside-Down Kugel
Jan Bergman


Noodle Mixture
1 pound medium noodles
½ pint sour cream
½ cup sugar
pinch salt
4 beaten eggs
½ pint creamed cottage cheese
1 teaspoon vanilla
cinnamon to taste (plenty)
½ cup raisins


Bottom Glaze
1/8 pound butter
½ pound dark brown sugar (1 cup)
1 cup whole pecans (may take more)

Cook noodles in salted water until tender. Blanch with cold water then drain. Add noodle mixture ingredients in order mixing well.

Preheat oven to 350

Bottom glaze: Melt butter in 9x12 pan (in oven) and spread over bottom of pan. Press in brown sugar evenly over bottom of pan. Place pecans in brown sugar – upside down in rows close together to make design.

Pour noodles over nuts. Bake 350 for 1 hour. Cool 10 minutes. Run knife around edges. Cool before removing from pan