Food and Drink

[tilerite]

Alas, a thread dedicated to those great American pastimes; eating and drinking. As one who prepares most of the meals for me and my family, I am constantly amazed at the eating habits of Americans. The fast food joints continue to flourish while cooking has become a bit of a lost art. I started cooking for my wife (girlfriend at the time) over 25 years ago when she was working many more hours than I was. Seemed like making dinner for her when she got home was the right thing to do, not to mention, it enhanced my chances of getting, well never mind! :devil: Anyway, there is not much I enjoy more than coming home after work and preparing something yummy.

I know there’s gotta be some closet chefs here. Who are you and what are your specialties? Wanna swap recipes? I’ll turn you on to my homemade tomato gravy. I’ve been making it for close to 30 years. How bout your favorite foods and restaurants? What do you like and where do you get it? What are your favorite national chains? What are the best regional restaurants where you live? Lets talk eats!!!

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[Splinter]

I’ll turn you on to my homemade tomato gravy.

My Italian wife makes that... It's called Sauce. :yeah:

It seems the only cooking I do these days is either homebrew beer or anything grill-worthy.

[ddmoit]

My favorite pizzas in Chicago (so far)...

Deep dish: Bacino's Pizza (http://www.bacinos.com/)

Thin crust: Pat's Pizza (http://www.patspizza.info/)

I'll share some recipes later.

[tilerite]

My Italian wife makes that... It's called Sauce

If your wife is really Italian, she calls it gravy.

[Splinter]

Heh... .oh, she's Italian, alright... I couldnt understand my in-laws for the first year I knew them... My wife didnt learn the English language until she was 5... Anyway, back to the Sauce... She made a face when I asked if she ever called it Gravy, and mumbled something about Tony Soprano. :shrug:


Something I've learned at an Italian family's dinner table: When you think you're finished eating, there's still 2 more courses to go... :eek:

[tilerite]

Right off the boat, eh? :)

[tilerite]

Can I get your wife's recipe for grav, er sauce? I've been making the same thing for all these years. I need something new and exciting.

[ddmoit]

from a good friend of mine...

2 Pounds center-cut boneless pork loin
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Metal skewers (or wooden skewers that have been soaked in water for 30 minutes, then drained)

Trim the fat from the pork and cut it into 1 1/2 inch cubes.

Puree the onion with lemon juice, oil, garlic, oregano, salt and pepper in a food processor or blender. Pour into a zip-tight plastic bag and add pork cubes. Refrigerate to marinate while you prepare the fire, or for up to 30 minutes.

Build a charcoal fire in an outdoor grill and let burn until the coals are covered with white ash. (Or preheat a gas grill on high) Meat can be cooked on an oiled broiler rack in a preheated broiler. Cook, turning the skewers occasionally, until the pork is cooked through, about 12 minutes.

Thread the meat onto the skewers, leaving a little space between cubes. Lightly oil the grill. Grill the skewers, turning occasionally, until the meat is well-browned and looks barely pink in the center when prodded with a sharp knife, 10-12 minutes.

Remove the pork from the skewers and serve hot.

[ceramictec]

mmmm, that sounds good Dan.

here's a link to my favorite Cheese Steak place in Philly.
http://www.genosteaks.com/
you cant beat a good Philly Steak !! :)

best Pizza would be, Lorenzo's at 3rd and South st. Philly
http://www.phillyitalianmarket.com/market/lorenzos_pizza/index.html

[ddmoit]

Here's a recipe from Food & Wine magazine that I've made dozens of times...

http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/spring-vegetable-soup-kalen


ingredients

* 1/4 pound pasta, such as farfalloni or orecchiette
* 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
* 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
* 1 large leek, white and tender green part only, thinly sliced
* 6 cups chicken stock or canned low-sodium broth
* 1/2 pound sugar snap peas, halve diagonally
* 10 ounces baby spinach
* 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
* 2 teaspoons lemon zest
* Salt and freshly ground pepper

directions

1. In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the pasta until almost al dente; drain. Transfer to a bowl and cover.
2. In a large saucepan, melt the butter in the olive oil. Add the leek; cook over moderately high heat until tender, about 1 minute. Add the stock, cover and bring to a simmer. Add the sugar snaps and cook over moderate heat until just tender, about 2 minutes. Stir in the pasta, spinach, lemon juice and lemon zest; season with salt and pepper. Cook just until the spinach is wilted, about 2 minutes. Ladle into bowls and serve.

[ddmoit]

This is one of my all-time favorites, and it's fairly good for you...

I clipped the recipe out of an Evansville newspaper, but this online recipe is nearly identical...

http://whatscookingamerica.net/Salad/CouscousBlackBean.htm


2 1/4 cups water
1 (10-counce) box (1 1/2 cups) uncooked couscous
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons fresh-squeezed lime juice or lemon juice
1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 cup chopped onions, including some of the green tops (about 8 onions)
1 medium red, green, yellow, or orange bell pepper, seeded and chopped (about 1 14 cups)*
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro or parsley (USE CILANTRO!!!)
1 cup frozen corn kernels
2 (15-ounce) cans black beans, rinsed and drained
Salt and pepper to taste

* Mixing different colors of pepper make for a prettier presentation

In a large saucepan, bring water to a boil; stir in couscous. Remove from heat and let stand, covered, for 5 minutes. Using a colander, rinse the couscous well with cold water, fluffing thoroughly with a fork to break up any chunks; set aside.

In a large bowl, combine the olive oil, lime or lemon juice, vinegar, and cumin. Add green onions and bell pepper and cilantro or parsley; stir to combine.

Pour the frozen corn into a colander and rise in cold water to soften slightly. Drain well and add to the bowl. Stir to mix the vegetables and the dressing mixture. Add drained black beans to the bowl. Add the prepared couscous, stirring to mix the couscous and vegetables and to coat with the dressing. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Either serve at once or refrigerate until ready to serve.

Makes 6 to 8 servings.


I add a jalapeño pepper to kick it up a bit. I also like to eat this as a dip, using tortilla chips made with black corn and sesame seeds.

[ddmoit]

This is where I get all my spices and other seasonings...

http://www.penzeys.com/cgi-bin/penzeys/shophome.html

[tilerite]

Thats some good stuff, Dan. There are literally tens of thousands of recipes available online. I like your Souvlaki recipe. Hey Brian, Geno's is good but they are also an overrated tourist trap. Chinks, on Torrsdale Ave. will blow you away! You'll never eat a Geno's steak again!

[Tiletim]

This is the only way I will cook chicken on the grill. Same as beer can chicken.

My hoity toity friends gave me crap for making the "trailer trash chicken" but changed their tune after tasting it.

The best of both worlds in eats and drinks. Everyone makes it a little different.

Made this for a superbowl party way back.

Try it with the import beers (dark's) Great flavor and super moist !!!!

4th of July party at the cabin - making 12 of these - 12 pack of beer - coincidence I think not

Got the recipe from USA Weekend magazine: here is a link for a bunch of recipes http://www.usaweekend.com/00_issues/000123/000123cooksmart.html





Chicken on a Throne
This is simply the best way I know to cook chicken, because the beer flavors and bastes the bird from the inside. Jaws will drop and eyes will pop when you serve this outlandish bird.

Prep and cook time: 2 1/2hours

1 large roaster chicken (4 to 5 pounds), washed, lumps of fat removed, and blotted dry
8 Tbs. Sweet & Hot Rub
1 12-ounce can of beer
If roasting in oven: Smoke baste of 3 Tbs. butter melted, mixed with 1/2 tsp. liquid smoke
If grilling: 2 cups hickory wood chips soaked in water 1 hour, then drained

Sprinkle 2 Tbs. rub in the cavity of the chicken. (If roasting the bird, brush the outside with smoke baste.) Sprinkle 4 Tbs. rub on the outside. Open the beer can and make a few additional holes in the top. Pour out (or drink) half the beer and add the remaining 2 Tbs. spice rub to the can. Holding the chicken upright, insert the can into the cavity. Spread out the legs to form a sort of tripod, so the chicken stands upright.

Grill method: Set up your grill for indirect grilling (see page 10). Place the bird in the center, away from the heat, and cook until golden brown and fall-off-the-bone tender, 2-21/2 hours.

Oven method: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Place the bird upright in a roasting pan and roast until golden brown and fall-off-the-bone tender, 2-21/2 hours. Present the bird upright on the beer can on a platter. Remove and discard the beer can, then carve the chicken.
Serves: 8.
Nutrition: 351 calories, 32g protein, 22g fat (7.6g saturated), 0g fiber, 5g carbohydrates, 970mg sodium.

[ceramictec]

Rick,

Ever had Chickie & Pete's Crab fries ?

http://www.chickiesandpetes.com/page/page/795382.htm

[tilerite]

Jaws will drop and eyes will pop when you serve this outlandish bird.

Ok, I'm sold!!

[tilerite]

Rick, Ever had Chickie & Pete's Crab fries ?

No Brian, can't say that I have. Not even sure if I ever ate at Chickie and Pete's. Let me ask you, is the one on Roosevelt Blvd, as good as the one in South Philly, because I'll be up there in a few weeks.

[ceramictec]

is the one on Roosevelt Blvd, as good as the one in South PhillyI was up at the Roosevelt one 3 years ago with friends and it was good,
but more recently the South Philly one. I am sure they are both equal.
I know the Roosevelt one gets crowded at certain times with game, ladies night, etc.

*try the Shrimp Tomato Pie, Chickie's Style hot Shrimp or the Chicken Cutlet Parm Sandwich !!

mmmm I'm hungry ! http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/4/4_15_1.gif

[tilerite]

We're driving up to Philly on the 27th. Gonna spend the first couple days at Ocean City, NJ (can you say Mack and Manco's pizza?). After that, who knows where we'll roam. My dad lives in NE Philly and my wife's family, where we'll be staying lives in Levittown, which means I'll be driving by Chickie and Pete's every day. Gotta make a run to Chinks, though. Its too bad you're not in Philly. I would love to but you a Chinks steak. :)

[kilroy]

I just made this last night and damn it was good.

Kind of like a shrimp scampi.

2 lb bag of frozen large shrimp
Olive oil
1 decent size shallot or 2 small
1/2 small red onion
5 cloves of garlic
10 oz bottle of clam juice
16 oz can of diced tomato
tsp crushed red pepper flakes
tsp dried oregano
fresh herbs (i added some fresh basil and flat parsley)
salt & pepper to taste
1 lb angel hair pasta
1/2 stick of butter

put the frozen shrimp in a large bowl of warm water to thaw.
get the onion and shallot going in some olive oil over med heat in a large pan
get a large pot of water going on high to cook the pasta
peel all the shrimp and put in a smaller bowl
add the garlic and let it cook with the onion/shallot for only a minute or so(don't burn it or it will get bitter)
add the clam juice and can of tomato turn up heat to med/high
add the crushed red pepper and oregano
add salt (3-4 tsp) to the boiling water throw in the pasta and stir
add the shrimp to your sauce stir and cover at the same time you throw in the pasta
4-5 minutes later both the pasta and shrimp are done
drain the pasta and put it right into the large pan with the shrimp
toss with the fresh herbs and butter

serve with some good bread and a good cold dry white wine!

:yipee:

[Grunt]

Tim:
Is there a specific brand name associated with "sweet and Hot". Us west coasters need more info.
Thanks,
Mike

[ceramictec]

Ocean City ? :cry:
you need to try Johnsons Caramel Corn on the Boardwalk for sure.
http://www.johnsonspopcorn.com/

I do miss that place.
I will be up in August, lots of work going on now in July.

I would love to but you a Chinks steakyou could FedEx one down :D

[tilerite]

you need to try Johnsons Caramel Corn on the Boardwalk for sure

Mmmmmmm, caramel corn. Mmmmmm, Kohr Bros. Custard.

[Mountain Tile]

I"m heading to Seaside Heights in a few weeks for vacation, any good places to eat there? Rick, if your staying in Levittown ( where I grew up ) Julios on the Levittown parkway in Fairless Hills used to have good cheese steaks in a pouch. Just up the road is V&S Pizza, the best pizza around.

[tilerite]

Chuck
Seaside is our favorite place in Joisey,but my wife's family are going to OC this year, so Seaside is out. We were only in Seaside for one day last year. I don't recall the good restaurants. We usually chow down on the boardwalk. In OC, we used to eat at a great Italian place called Cousins. I will check out Julios when we get to Levittown. It better be good or you will hear about it. :)

[ceramictec]

everybody has so many local favorites is crazy.
just think of where you grew up they have a place that has the best pizza in the world! :)

Seaside Heights has a nice boardwalk also.

Midway Steak House or Three Brothers on the Boardwalk
have great Italian Sausage, Pepper & Onion subs.


I used to love riding my cycle up with a bunch of my
friends and hang out there when I was young. :yipee:
http://i28.tinypic.com/wj6hd0.jpghttp://i32.tinypic.com/ny91yt.jpghttp://i27.tinypic.com/dw5idu.jpg

[tilerite]

Oh, I'm soooo ready ready. :yipee:

[ddmoit]

Great thread so far, Rick.:yummy:

[ceramictec]

Chuck,

just called my friend in Central Jersey and he said try the Seaside Crab House.

so I found the website.
http://www.seasidecrabhouse.com/

[tilerite]

Great thread so far, Rick

How can you go wrong with food? Ok, drinks are next. :neesie:

[ddmoit]

Whenever I get out to Richmond, Virginia (to visit my sister), I make it a point to stop in and sample the wares of Legend Brewing Company (http://www.legendbrewing.com/) . Some of their stuff is better than others, but they make a fine brown ale.

[ceramictec]

I think us North Easterners are more into food then other areas,
not many West Coaster or Central States popping in with Favorite
places or Favorite food.

I was in San Fran a few times and love the Chowder from the
Sourdough bread bowl at Pier 39 Fishermans Wharf.
http://i25.tinypic.com/wrdqg8.jpg

[kilroy]

if you happen to pass thru Trenton/Morrisville area you have try a "Tony Goes" Italian Hot Dog w/ fried potatoes peppers and mustard.

http://www.casinotonygoes.com/html/locations.html

[ddmoit]

I don't know, Brian. I don't think there is a town that loves their food more than Chicago. And the cultural mix of Chicago means that there is endless variety. I'd say the only category in which Chicago may fall short is fresh seafood. They've got good stuff, but the coastal towns have the edge.

The whole mystique around Chicago pizza may actually be a smoke screen so that the locals can keep the Italian beef sandwiches to themselves. :shades:

[ceramictec]

I have been to Chicago and the Pizza & Hotdogs are good.

[kate42]

:wave:

Here it is almost 11 PM and after reading all these recipies, my mouth is watering.
Thank you gentlemen. I'm going to try a few of them.

http://www.millan.net/minimations/smileys/4thsmiles.gif (http://www.millan.net)

[ceramictec]

Kate,

speaking of Long Island NY....I raced my dirt bike years ago at the Nassau Coliseum.
it was an indoor moto-cross race. when we left we headed to the southern parkway
and there was this big pizza place.
I had the best Calamari Pizza I ever tasted!!

[kate42]

Brian :wave:

Do you have any idea where this was or the name of the pizza place?

[dgunnels]

My goodness you people have been busy. I was gone yesterday and you folks have posted three pages on my favorite subject. I don't even have time to read it all right now but I'll be back later. Right now I have to go make breakfast for DH who is coming off night shift. Sweet corn muffins with fresh (from my yard) blueberries and toasted pecans.

I absolutely love to cook. It's really my only hobby. can't wait to finish reading and add to this thread.

[tilerite]

Regional specialties:

Philadelphia: cheesesteaks, soft pretzels, scrabble (yech!), Italian water ice, Franks black cherry wisniak soda, Taylor pork roll (Trenton), salt water taffy (Atlantc City).

N. Carolina: barbecue (pulled pork in vinegar), Cheerwine (cherry soda), Krispy Kreme donuts.

Please add yours!! :yipee: :yipee: :yipee:

[Dave Taylor]

Whenever I get out to Richmond, Virginia (to visit my sister) you should think of lookin' me up..... less than 2 hours East. :sheep:

[Mountain Tile]

Thanks Brian and Rick, yea I cant wait to go, that crab house looks good Bri, Kilroy aka Steve, I have been to that hot dog place and I tell my kids about those Italian hot dogs I used to get there :yummy:

[johnnyhomeowner]

ok ok
just one
take you fav beer
but in cooler
pour ice to cover
wait 1 hour
remove 1 beer and drink
repeat as needed


but really the beer can chicken
it is good been doing it for years
when you think its done wiggle the wing and if its real loose its done
most directions say to "pour out some to allow for expansion" thats going to happen
i drink about half then pour in my favorite BBQ sauce at the time
it changes from week to week
makes great chicken salad too
another fav of mine is the small red potatoes, i cut them in half boil til fork tinder and throw them on the grill

ohhhhhhhhh and summer squash,onion,potatoes, wrap in foil with italian dressing.......tose that on the grill for hour :neesie:

[tilerite]

I make my best meals on Sunday's because that is usually when I have the whole family together. Tonight, we're having grilled seafood and homemade pasta salad. This will feed approx: 4 people and its easy to make:

Grilled Seafood

1LB large shrimp (preferably U15)
1/2 LB bay scallops
1 zucchini-sliced
olive oil
fresh garlic
basil

mix up a marinade of extra virgin olive oil, fresh finely chopped garlic and basil and marinate the seafood for at least a few hours.
you can put the seafood on skewers or cook them pan style on the grill.
Cook until done. Salt and pepper to taste.
You can serve this over rice but since I'm making pasta salad, we're not having rice tonight. You can also add vegetables such as mushrooms, peppers and onions. Tonight, the veggies will be in the pasta salad with the exception of the zucchini.

Rick's Pasta Salad

1 LB rotini or farfalle (or whatever pasta you desire)
1/2 to 1 bell pepper-cut up into small pieces
1/4 to 1/2 chopped onion
5-10 small button mushrooms, cleaned and sliced
1/2 to 1 cup broccoli florets-chopped up
1-2 dozen cherry tomatoes-chopped into quarters
2-3 ounces whole milk mozzerella cut into small pieces
1-2 ounces Regianno Parmesan cheese cut into very small pieces or grated
2/3 rd to 1 cup wine vinegar-veg oil mix with a tablespoon of mayonnaise. mix well.
Cook pasta according to directions, drain and cool. mix in marinade and veggies. Add basil, salt and pepper to taste and leave in fridge to cool.

Obviously, this recipe can be altered in many different ways. Sometimes I add pepperoni or hard salami to the salad. There is no right or wrong way.

Serve meal with fresh fruit and/or Italian bread

[Tiletim]

Rick,

I am trying this tonight, for my girlfriends son's 7th B-day today.

I will give my review Tomorrow

by the way what is U15 shrimp ?

I was in the food distribution biz for about 10 yrs. and have never heard this.

We referred to the size as 16/20 or what ever was approximate number per pound of shrimp ( I like tiger shrimp) just curious.

and I may just have to work in one or two of JohnnyHO's recipe. :lol1:

[Bugman]

Tim, I'm with you. Hadn't heard of U15 shrimp until Rick posted his recipe. Since you brought it up, I Googled it and it is just another size designation - 15 shrimp/pound. One site said if you couldn't get U-15's to use U-16-20's so I guess it's pretty much what we are used to but they stick the "U" in front of the number.

[ddmoit]

If I had to guess, I'd say the U stands for uniform. Not only do you get about 15 shrimp to the pound, but they are all pretty much the same size.

[Bugman]

Dan, I would agree if it is a single number, as U-15. But then the one site listed U16-20, which is variable sizes, but 16 to 20 shrimp/pound. Beats me. :) All I know is that I love shrimp. We have a local farm market that gets a delivery of fresh, SC shrimp every Thursday afternoon. They are SO much better than the farm raised shrimp from the grocery store and even the supposedly wild caught shrimp in the grocery store. MMMMmmmmm! :yeah: :D

[Tiletim]

Maybe that U15 is a regional thing or maybe a distributor thing.

I love shrimp too !!!

The seafood buyer that I worked with bought a gross (144 lbs.) of what he thought was 8/10 ct shrimp for some of the high end golf courses up here.

When we received them they were actually 1/2 ct shrimp.

1 or 2 shrimp per pound !!! These things were Ginormous !!!!

I said we had to eat some to try it, I didn't even know they grow that big.

God I miss all the "free" food I use to eat there.

[ddmoit]

I read recently that farm raised tilapia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tilapia) have much less omega-3 and far more omega-6 fatty acids than wild caught tilapia. That pretty much defeats the whole health aspect of eating fish. The omega-6 content of the farm raised tilapia was said to be equivalent to that of a typical hamburger.:(

http://health.usnews.com/articles/health/healthday/2008/07/11/popular-tilapia-might-not-help-heart.html

I'm sure that the right feedstock can bring the farm raised fish up to snuff. It will happen when enough consumers demand it.

[dgunnels]

Dan, that's not surprising, wild caught shrimp tastes WAY better than farmed stuff.

[Eschbach]

Legend is Richmond Va has the best Brown Ale.Some of the grocery stores sell the 22's.

[ddmoit]

Legend is Richmond Va has the best Brown Ale.Some of the grocery stores sell the 22's.It's the best I've had. Welcome to the forum. What can we call you?

[Eschbach]

Sorry about that. My name is Brian.

[ceramictec]

hey that's my name !! :tongue:


I make Catfish & Cornbread and love it baked.

I take catfish fillets and some Jiffy mix.
http://i37.tinypic.com/16b08xj.jpg
dip the catfish in egg, then dip it in a bowl of the Jiffy mix.
I spray the tinfoil with Pam or butter and bake.

turns out good with a light sweet flavor.

[ddmoit]

Glad to have you on board, Brian.:)

Since you're a tile professional, I recommend that you start a thread in the pro hangout forum (also called the deep end) and introduce yourself. You'll be warmly received.

[dgunnels]

Catfish & Cornbread

Also the names of Lewis Grizzard's two dogs.

[tilerite]

Rick, I am trying this tonight, for my girlfriends son's 7th B-day today. I will give my review Tomorrow by the way what is U15 shrimp ?

U stands for under as in: there are less than 15 shrimp. You can go as small as U 21's with this recipe but I wouldn't go any smaller. Let me know how it works out.

[tilerite]

Since this is a food and DRINK thread, here is tonight's recipe for my favorite fruity island rum drink also known as a Bahama Mama:

2 ounces light rum
2 ounces Malibu Coconut rum
4 ounces pineapple juice
2 ounces orange juice
splash of genadine

shake it up and pour over ice
garnish with slice of orange or your favorite fruit and for the ladies, stick an umbrella in it. Cheers! :neesie:

[kilroy]

Since this is a food and DRINK thread, here is last nights delight from my kitchen. (also tonight's left over meal)

Trust me... you should really try this one. (unless you don't eat pork)

6 thick pork chops w/bone and tenderloin
6 cups of pepperidge farms herb stuffing mix
Chicken Bouillon cubes
Fresh herbs (parsley basil rosemary oregano)
Garlic
Pine nuts
Worcestershire sauce
Olive oil
Butter
salt
pepper

Pre heat oven to 350
Follow stuffing directions and make 6 cups of stuffing adding 2 chicken Bouillon cubes to the water and butter.
Rip off six 18" pieces of aluminum foil set out side by side on counter or table
Center a raw pork chop on the 6 pieces of aluminum foil salt and pepper
Take a handfull of fresh chopped herbs with garlic and pines nuts and put a little over each piece
Drizzle with a little olive oil and Worcestershire sauce
Put 1/6th of the stuffing on top of each piece
Fold in the four corners of the aluminum foil and crimp tight in the center making what looks like a big Hershey's kiss.
Set on a big cookie sheet and put in the oven.
Turn heat down to 325-330 cook for 2 hours.

:yipee:

[tilerite]

Sounds like a great meal, Steve. The pine nuts are a nice touch. I bought a pork roast for tomorrows dinner but I'm going to keep it a bit simpler. I'll probably make some sort of pineapple/brown sugar marinade, slow cook it in a crock pot and finish it off on the grill. Sunday, I'm going to throw some Alaskan salmon on the grill. Monday through Thursday, I will be too wiped out to cook so I'm going to make sure I get as much out of the weekend as possible.

[ddmoit]

I plan on trying that one soon, Steve.

[Tiletim]

Rick, the seafood and pasta salad was a hit. Kevin scarfed it down like it was going out of style.

We got so wrapped up in the B-day celebrating I forgot to leave my review.

Loaded up the kids and took them down to the Mall Of America for the Nickelodeon amusement park rides.

Bahama Mamas are the norm when we are at the lake.

[tilerite]

Excellent Tim.

[ddmoit]

We tried your recipe (http://www.johnbridge.com/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=687796&postcount=60) today, Steve. Tasty!:yummy: Most of the herbs came from our garden, too.

Once it comes out of the foil, it looks pretty fancy too. We'll probably try it with company some time.

[tilerite]

Guess where I've been?

[Mountain Tile]

Nice Rick, Well, how was it? Man, I'm getting hungry just thinking about it.

[tilerite]

The steak was great but the roll was too soft. Not quite as good as Lee's, but still yummy.

[tilerite]

Tonight's dinner. I made this once before and everyone loved it.

Baxter's Interurban Grill Shrimp Pasta
Source: Baxter's Interurban Grill, Tulsa, Oklahoma

6 ounces linguini pasta
6 large shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 tablespoon minced garlic (or more, if you like)
1/4 to 1/2 cup white wine
2 to 4 ounces butter (cold, cut into cubes)
1/2 cup diced tomatoes
Handful fresh spinach
Salt and pepper
Italian seasoning to taste
Sauté shrimp in olive oil, then add garlic, salt, pepper, seasonings, tomatoes and spinach. Add wine and reduce by half, then add the butter and allow to melt. Prepare pasta according to label directions, drain and top with shrimp mixture.

[Tiletim]

Bump, just keeping this one alive

[dgunnels]

Pasta dressed with a cream sauce containing minced onion, garlic, various herbs. Tossed in diced chicken, shrimp, and spicy Italian sausage. For dessert we had homemade peach amaretto streusal pie. Peaches were fresh!

[Dave Taylor]

After a two year visit to the United States,
Michelangelo's David is returning to Italy......

How about an order of fries with your Chicken sandwich????

[tilerite]

That thar just ain't right.

[kate42]

:wave:

This is no thread for one trying to lose weight. :D

Neesie That pasta sounds great and the desert absolutely magnificent.

Dave :lol1: :lol1:

[ceramictec]

Hey Rick,

I took the same picture that you did tonight while in Ocean City....too funny.

[dgunnels]

This is no thread for one trying to lose weight.

No, that's the other thread. In this thread we talk about all the things that put us in the position of NEEDING the diet thread.

I have a recipe for low fate low cal Alfredo sauce. Want me to post iton the other thread??? It's actually not too bad.

[Bugman]

But it sure is a good thread to browse when you are contemplating being a bad boy on your diet once in a great while. :)

[Mountain Tile]

I have been on a low carb diet for a couple weeks and lost 12 lbs. If any body has any low carb recipes to share that would be great. Tonight I marinated some chicken in olive oil and vinegar before throwing on the grill.

[Bugman]

Here's one that Frances and I really enjoy. It's from The South Beach Diet Super Charged. We have been very pleased with the diet and the book has quite a few excellent recipes. I used chicken in it last night and it was very good.

Look for a chili-garlic sauce with no added sugar. It should be in the Asian section of your grocery store.

Spicy Shrimp and Bok Choy Stir Fry

1 1/2 pounds large shrimp, peeled and deveined
4 scallions, white and green parts thinly sliced and kept separate
2 garlic cloves, minced (I use 3-4)
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
2 pounds bok choy, sliced crosswise
2 tablespoons lower-sodium soy sauce
2 teaspoons chili-garlic sauce (I use 3 tsp)

In a large bowl, combine shrimp, scallion whites, and garlic.

In a wok or a large nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add shrimp mixture and cook, stirring occasionally, until shrimp turn pink and are cooked through, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer to a large clean bowl.

Return the pan to medium-high heat. Add bok choy, cover, and cook, stirring occasionally, until crisp-tender, 3 to 4 minutes. Drain any liquid from the skillet and add the bok choy to the bowl with the shrimp.

Return the pan to medium-high heat. Add soy sauce and chili-garlic sauce; stir to combine and bring to a boil. Add the shrimp mixture and toss until coated. Cook briefly, just to reheat. Stir in scallion greens and serve warm.

Makes 4 servings.

Note: Before adding the shrimp and bok choy mixture back to the pan, be sure to drain off any liquid that may have accumulated.
Also, I have added a can of sliced water chestnuts while cooking the bok choy for some added crunch. I'm not sure how many carbs the water chestnuts might add though.

Nutrition Info per Serving: 225 calories, 6 g fat, 1 g saturated fat, 35 g protein, 9 g carbohydrates, 3 g fiber, 525 mg sodium

[Mountain Tile]

That looks good Clyde, I'm gonna give that one a try, Thanks.

[ddmoit]

For anyone printing recipes (like I just did to Clyde's), you can the Thread Tools drop-down box and select Show Printable Version.

[tilerite]

That does sound good Clyde.

[tilerite]

I have been on a low carb diet for a couple weeks and lost 12 lbs. If any body has any low carb recipes to share that would be great.

NO BEER!!! :lol1:

[Mountain Tile]

Gee, thanks for reminding me Rick. :tongue: It's getting tough, I do love beer :cheers:

[tilerite]

Do what I do Chuck. Try a delicious Cosmopolitan. It'll get ya there much quicker than beer and with far less calories. Mmmmmmm, vodka!!! :neesie:

[Dave Taylor]

Bein' yest' the babe in the woods I yam'..... I am clueless what a "Cosmopolitan" drink is sooo...... I done did a search and....... lo-n-behold'..... it looks like its just about anything mixed with booze.

See HERE (http://www.drinksmixer.com/cat/55/)

Is this acurate Tile?

[tilerite]

Cosmopolitan

* 2 ounces vodka (my choice: Tito's handmade vodka)
* 1 ounce Triple Sec or Cointreau
* 1 ounce cranberry juice cocktail
* 1 ounce lime juice

Glass Type: cocktail glass

Shake ingredients well with cracked ice, then strain into a chilled cocktail glass.

:neesie: :neesie: :neesie: :neesie: :neesie: :neesie: :neesie: :neesie:

[Bugman]

If you like a little more "heat" in the stir fry, just add more of the chili-garlic sauce. We added 1 extra tsp when I did it with chicken a couple of nights ago and it really added some zing. Might try 4 tsp next time with shrimp. MMMMMm.

[kate42]

Do what I do Chuck. Try a delicious Cosmopolitan. It'll get ya there much quicker than beer

For some that may work, but for me if I can't have a beer, I don't want anything else. Beer is beer, and vodka is vodka.
However, thanks for the suggestion. :cheers: :cheers:

:)

[tilerite]

Whatever gets you through the night, Kathleen. I've put away a few brews in my life but unless I can get the good quality locally brewed stuff, I really don't enjoy it and it also makes me pee like a racehorse. :)

[kate42]

Whatever gets you through the night, Kathleen.

It's flavor preference, not what I need to get me through the night.:D

:cheers: :cheers:

[tilerite]

It's flavor preference, not what I need to get me through the night

Don't get technical Kathleenl. Its just an expression. Now, if you'll excuse me, I think I hear a martini calling my name. Gotta celebrate Phelps 7th gold medal. :yipee: :neesie: :yipee:

[kate42]

Don't get technical Kathleenl. Its just an expression.

I'm a Virgo, I can't help it. :D

Anyway, to Mr Phelps :cheers: :cheers:

[ceramictec]

if any of you have friends in South Jersey they surely can tell you about Joe Italiano's MapleWood. (http://joesmaplewood.com/home.php)

I just had the best Calamari Fra Diavolo.......mmmmm mmmmmm !

http://i38.tinypic.com/4kw39.jpg

[johnnyhomeowner]

Brian...........when can you tile in florida when your always..........well,
SOMEPLACE else??
:topicoff:

[dgunnels]

MMMMmmmmmm...calamari. I love it but it don't love me. Terribly allergic to those cephlapods.

[Tiletim]

All this talk about great food is making me thirsty.

One of my favorites is the "Bulldog"

1. tall glass of ice
2. 2 shot's of Kahlua
3. 2 shot's of Vodka (I like Grey Goose)
4. Now fill rest of glass with Coke up to 1/2" from top
5. top off with 1/2 & 1/2 creamer and stir :neesie:
6. Enjoy

I ordered this when I was in Cancun many years ago and they looked at me and said " a what".

I said you know a bulldog- Kahlua, Coke, Vodka & Cream and he says "Oh you mean a Mad Cow" OK a mad cow it is please.

He brought them to us - 2 people- in four glasses, the cream was in a separate glass, I asked why and he said they don't mix- we would have to.

I think it was a sacred cow thing.

And I think the chicken we ate was actually goat. :lol1:

[tilerite]

That's interesting Tim. Have you tried Tito's handmade vodka?

[Tiletim]

Nope never heard of it, what is it?

Let me guess it's Vodka Tito makes right :lol1:

[tilerite]

Its an award winning vodka that's handmade in Texas in small batches. A few years ago, I read about Tito's online and asked our local ABC Store (state controlled here in NC) if they would bring it in. A few others inquired about it and lo and behold, our local ABC began selling it. The closest comparison in my opinion would be Ketel One. Its good stuff.

[Tiletim]

I'll have to check that out, I like Kettle One also.

There is a vodka that comes out of MN believe it or not, it's Called Shakers Vodka. I think they aim it at the higher end market and it is also pretty good.

[tilerite]

Haven't heard of that one.

[kate42]

All this talk about vodka. Yuch. Just give me BEER. :cheers: :cheers:

[ceramictec]

Brian...........when can you tile in florida when your always..........well,
SOMEPLACE else??yes in between when I'm SOMEPLACE else. :D

but really, I just did 2 months solid of jobs and worked a bunch of Saturdays too.
have 2 small commercial jobs coming up, one that will be about 3 weeks of work.
so after that I will be going SOMEPLACE else again. :neesie:

[ceramictec]

Rick,

you don't know how hard it was for me to stop here,
but I would have probably missed my plane home.....would have been worth it :D

[dgunnels]

We had a semi-freddo for dessert last night. Cream, ginger snaps and salted caramel sauce. Yummy!

Tonight, dessert will be a cocktail call a French 75. Simple syrup, lemon juice, gin, topped off with sparkling wine.

I saw that Tito's vodka at the store Friday. I'll pick some up and give it a try. I have a penchant for vodka gimlets. :neesie: (That's MY smiley! It's even named for me. Wonder why? :lol1: )

[ceramictec]

ok, I made Goulash tonight and it was good but not like my Mom used to make it. :cry:

[Bugman]

good but not like my Mom used to make it
Isn't that the way it always works out? My family has a recipe for "two hour buns" that my Mom always made. None of us, including grandchildren, can quite get them to taste the way they did when Mom made them. Close, but not quite. I maintain that it's the extra love for her family that she put into them. :)

[tilerite]

How am I spending my Labor Day? Cooking my famous homemade tomato sauce, of course (I'm grilled out from the weekend). I've been making this delicious sauce for over 25 years. As Kenny Banya would say; "it's the best, Jerry, the best"!
This version of my recipe will yield 12-15 servings which makes it perfect for serving when you have company. I'll serve it for dinner tonight and freeze 3 more 4 person servings to use later. Feel free to adjust sauce to your own taste.

Tile Rite's Perfect Pasta Gravy

A good sauce must start with good tomatoes. You'll need 3 large cans worth (approx: 84 ounces). Obviously fresh tomatoes are the best. Use plum tomatoes and make sure you remove the skin first. For canned, I like Dei Fratelli and Cento crushed tomatoes, but my favorite is called Pomi, made by Parlemat. It comes from Italy, in a red and white box.

Chop one whole bell pepper, half an onion and many cloves of garlic and saute in half a cup of virgin olive oil, in large pot.

Cook on low flame for 5-10 minutes until softened. Do not brown.

Add tomatoes to pot.

Add roughly half cup red wine.

Add one or two teaspoons of sugar.

If you have fresh basil, add a few leaves. Add a bay leaf.

Herb to taste. I use basil, thyme, parsley, salt and a bit of pepper.

Stir,cover with lid and cook on low flame for roughly 3 hours. Stir every 15-20 minutes.

I like to use meatballs and sausage to help flavor my sauce.

Take 1 pound ground meat, add grated Reggiano Parmesan cheese, 1 egg, bread crumbs, 1 slice white bread-cut up, and herb to taste (basil, salt, pepper, thyme, parsley).

Mix thoroughly, roll up into 12-14 balls and cook in about 1/4 inch of olive oil in frying pan. Also, add 1 clove of garlic, cut in half, to pan. Brown the meatballs, turning them often. Remove meatballs and add to sauce (the insides of the meatballs will cook in the sauce.

Add 1 piece of Italian sausage (mild or hot) to frying pan and cook on low temp until thoroughly browned. Add to sauce and let sauce continue cooking until finished.

If you like your sauce thick, Roughly an hour before sauce is finished, you can add a small can of tomato paste. Stir in thoroughly and continue cooking until finished.

When done, serve over your favorite pasta. Mmmmmmm! Bon appitite!!

[ceramictec]

mmmmm Rick, that sauce (Gravy as my girl says) sounds good.

:idea: I'll have to post the recipe for this sauce I have from an Italian guy I know. it's pretty detailed and requires a lot of stuff, from olives, to meat and wine.



we are cooking a small Chiken with Hot Italian Sausage, Potato, Onion, Garlic, Dill, Salt & Pepper.
bake all that for a few hous and the chicken falls off the bone and absorbs all the flavor of the
hot sausage and spices...mmmmmm :)
http://i34.tinypic.com/1qijxk.jpg

[tilerite]

Brian, that looks excellent. Have you ever cooked in a crock pot?

[ceramictec]

we usually cook this in a crock pot/slow cooker when using just chicken breast's.
being a full chicken with bones, etc. this didnt fit in the medium size crock pot we have with all of the potato's and stuff

[tilerite]

I hear ya. It sure looks yummy.

[kate42]

Rick

I'm definitely going to try that sauce. It sounds very, very tasty.

[ceramictec]

Hey Rick,


found one over in John's Pass, Florida (http://www.johnspass.com/) on a small boardwalk type area. :D

http://i36.tinypic.com/15e7brs.jpg

[tilerite]

I'm definitely going to try that sauce. It sounds very, very tasty.

Just pulled some out of the freezer for tonight. I'm going to shred up the meatballs and sausage, heat it up with the sauce, mix it with cooked fusilli, add shredded mozzarella and grated Regiano Parmesan and bake it in the oven for about 30-40 minutes at 350 degrees.

[tilerite]

Brian, that looks interesting though I never saw that version of their sign. I'm assuming its the same thing. Hey, guess what? Rita's Water Ice is now here in North Cacalacky.

[meghan88]

Being from the Great White North, I'm expecting to get some serious ridicule from y'all for posting a recipe for barbecued ribs, but here goes.

Mike makes the bestest ribs I've ever tasted. He boils them first for about 45 min. - 1 hour in a pot of water with one pint of beer, some peppercorns and a bay leaf added. (Lest you think that it's a waste of a perfectly good beer, I can tell you that this step makes them falling-offa-the-bone tender.)

He then drains them and covers them with a dry rub of his own mix of spices (done up in a spice grinder): chili pepper flakes, black peppercorns, cayenne pepper, salt, dry mustard, paprika, cumin, onion flakes, garlic powder, parsley, brown or raw sugar. They go into the fridge for a coupla hours.

He then slathers them with sauce made with some of the dry rub, tomato sauce, molasses and a little soy, and then grills 'em (and keeps basting with the sauce).

We are certainly open to any other good i-dees for the sauce, so long as it doesn't come out of a bottle that says "BBQ sauce" because we like to cook from scratch. Speaking of cooking from scratch, I like the looks of Rick's pasta sauce recipe. Fresh tomatoes and real Parmesan cheese ... yum!

[tilerite]

Being from the Great White North, I'm expecting to get some serious ridicule from y'all for posting a recipe for barbecued ribs, but here goes.

No ridicule at all, Meghan. We take our ribs seriously. That sounds like an interesting recipe. I like to make my own dry rub also but I have a different way of cooking the ribs. I start with babybacks and after pulling off the membrane from the back, I rub them like there's no tomorrow and let them sit in the fridge overnight. Next day, I put them in a ceramic pot and slow cook them in the oven at roughly 180 degrees for about 5 or 6 hours.

When I take them out of the oven, the meat is already starting to pull off the bone. After that, I'll soak some hickory wood for 30 minutes, drain and wrap the wood in aluminum foil and put the wood in my grill. When the wood starts smoking, I grill the ribs for about 15 minutes and right before their finished, I lather them with plenty of sauce.

I agree that homemade is always the best way to go but for those who don't know how to make a good barbecue sauce (me), try Sweet Baby Rays (http://www.sweetbabyrays.com/). It is the perfect sauce for ribs.

[kate42]

Meghan, Rick

Both sound very tasty. What kind of ribs?

[tilerite]

Pork baby backs for me, Kathleen.

[kate42]

Pork baby backs for me,

Sounds good to me

[tilerite]

They are delicious!!

[meghan88]

Kathleen, we've tried both back ribs and side ribs and both come out about the same because of the boiling: really, really tender. We live near a really good farming area, where the local farmers are dedicated to more sustainable / healthier methods of farming - organic or at least antibiotic-free livestock. It doesn't even taste the same as the supermarket stuff.

So ... do you make sauce with your late season tomatoes?

[kate42]

So ... do you make sauce with your late season tomatoes?

Yes. I'm making the sauce this weekend. Probably some salsa too. :)

[tilerite]

Baked Stuffed Shrimp

24 jumbo shrimp
1 medium onion, minced
1 green pepper, chopped
6 tablespoons butter, divided
1 cup fresh crab meat or 1 (7 1/2 ounce) can
1 teaspoon dry mustard
Paprika
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
2 tablespoons flour
1 cup milk
1 tablespoon sherry wine, or more
Grated Parmesan cheese

Clean and remove heads and shells from shrimp, leaving tails. Split shrimp and open flat. Sauté onion and pepper in 4 tablespoons of the butter until soft but not brown. Add the crab meat, dry mustard, Worcestershire sauce, salt and mayonnaise. Set aside. Make white sauce using remaining 2 tablespoons butter, flour and milk. Add to crab meat mixture along with the sherry. Mix well; stuff the butterflied shrimp with the crab meat and dot with extra butter. Sprinkle lightly with Parmesan cheese and paprika. Arrange in shallow baking pan and bake at 350 degrees F for 25 to 30 minutes.
Serves 4 to 6.

[tilerite]

Yummmmmmmmm!

[ceramictec]

mmmmmmm, that looks good.
my girl makes them but adds crackers (Ritz) in there for a little more textured stuffing.
she says bread crumb are the non New Englander way to make them. :)

[tilerite]

I had some of the mix left over so I added bread crumbs and fried it into a crabby patty. Twas a good dinner tonight.

[Bugman]

We made a chicken gumbo this weekend based on a recipe in a Cajun cookbook Frances received as a gift when she lived in Lafayette, LA years ago during another life. It was so good with some fresh baguettes and Fat Bastard Chardonnay. We added one link of hot, spicy sausage and about 2 cups of fresh baby okra to the pot. MMMMMmmmmm!

Our weather has actually cooled off a little so gumbo and soups are beginning to appeal to us again.

[Ravenna]

OOOH Yeah im deffinitly a soup and stew man. Im looking forward to the cool off here in New Jersey to start making them. Anyone got a good recipe for a Cream based seafood or vegatable stew?

[ceramictec]

I love soup also, and from growing up North in NJ I understand the excitement of making soup and fall & winter coming to make it even better.

I like making my Cream of Mushroom soup.

[tilerite]

Glad you guys brought up soup. Last winter, in an endless quest to expand my repertoire, I stared making various soups. Been making chicken noodle for many years but that is so easy to make, I wanted somethin a bit more challenging and a bit heavier so that it could be eaten like a meal. Here is a recipe for a delicious cream of broccoli soup;

Best Broccoli Soup
Yield: 6-8 servings
• 2 cups water
• 4 cups chopped fresh broccoli (about 1-1/2 pounds)
• 1 cup chopped carrots
• 1 rib chopped celery
• 1/2-1 cup finely chopped onion
• 6 tablespoons butter or margarine
• 6 tablespoons flour
• 3 cups chicken broth
• 2 cups milk
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley (or 1 teaspoon dried)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon thyme
In Dutch oven or soup kettle, bring water to boil. Add broccoli, carrots, and celery; boil 2-3 minutes. Drain; set vegetables aside. In the same kettle, saute onion in butter until tender. Stir in flour to form a smooth paste. Gradually add the broth and milk, stirring constantly. Bring to boil; boil and stir 1 minute. Add vegetables. Stir in parsley, salt and thyme. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 30-40 minutes until vegetables are tender and flavors are combined.

[tilerite]

I'm also looking for a good minestrone recipe if any of you folks know of a good one.

[Davestone]

I have soaked my ribs in Bourbon,beer and dry rub and maaannn i can tell you they are gooood! :bow:

[ceramictec]

Hey Rick,

we made the Baked Stuffed Shrimp tonight.

and no mayo used !!! eewwww

http://i36.tinypic.com/xdw4k9.jpg

[tilerite]

Hey Bri, that looks good. What type of crab meat did you use?

[ceramictec]

shredded crab meat

[artisticabodetile]

We just made the best shrimp the other night, we wrapped each one with prosciutto, swiss cheese and baked them in the oven. I highly recommend!

[GraniteGirl]

I have soaked my ribs in Bourbon,beer and dry rub and maaannn i can tell you they are gooood!

Sounds more like a licentious afternoon than something you would actually eat!

[tilerite]

First thing you gotta do is pull the membrane off the back of the ribs. Then, rub em with a good spice rub, and after slow cooking them at 200 degrees in the oven, smoke them and lather them with your favorite sauce. Ummmmmm, thats good eatin!! Even the lil ones will enjoy it. :)

[ceramictec]

marinated Chicken, Shrimp & Beef Cubes in a Sesame Teriyaki marinade.
put on skewers with onion & pepper slices and grill....mmmmmm....mmmmmmm :D

http://i37.tinypic.com/16kt176.jpg http://i36.tinypic.com/10mj0xw.jpg

[ddmoit]

Rick,

My two favorite, off-the-store-shelf BBQ sauces are Sweet Baby Ray's and Open Pit. They're both very different from one another, so I always have a bottle of each in the fridge.

[tilerite]

Brian, those kabobs look awesome.

Dan, funny you mention Open Pit. My mom got me addicted to Open Pit when I was a kid and for years it was our favorite sauce. That is, until we found Sweet Baby Ray's. That sauce really is the boss! Geez, now I'm hungry.

[meghan88]

Rick ... um ... looks like you could use the bib instead of the young'un!! :lol1:

[tilerite]

Rick ... um ... looks like you could use the bib instead of the young'un!

I don't use no stinkin bib! :)

[kate42]

I don't use no stinkin bib!

Well, maybe you should? :D

:lol1: :lol1:

[tilerite]

Well, maybe you should

Yeah, you got a point.

[ceramictec]

so it's getting cooler and I love my Soup on cool days, rainy days and dreary days.

so I made my world famous Mushroom soup. (well actually "family famous")
my family loves it since it taste's so good and simple.


what you need:

1 beef stock, 1 vegetable stock, 2 beef cubes, 1 carrot, 1 celery, a few scallions,
1 box white mushrooms, 1 box portobello mushrooms, 1 box Shitaki mushrooms,
1/2 pint whipping cream, 1 cup red wine, salt & pepper.

empty all stocks in pot, add a few cups water & cup of wine. start to boil.
add beef cubes, ad shredded carrot, sliced celery and chopped scallions.
I buy chopped mushrooms so I clean them and add them all now also.
boil for about 15 mins. *at end add half pint of whipping cream
(*you don't need to add if you want a clear Mushroom soup)
salt & pepper to taste.

to me this is a nice hearty simple soup.

http://i37.tinypic.com/bz8s7.jpg http://i36.tinypic.com/20qj6er.jpg

[ddmoit]

A box of mushrooms? Are these fresh in the produce section, or dried?

[ceramictec]

Fresh Dan,
I use 3 boxes of 3 different types.
they shrink up a lot when cooked so it sounds like a lot but it isn't.

http://www.istockphoto.com/file_thumbview_approve/1723264/2/istockphoto_1723264_box_of_mushrooms.jpg

[ddmoit]

I'll be trying your recipe soon - gonna skip the cream though.

[ceramictec]

I like it both ways. with the cream it's just a little more filling.

wait until you smell your house when it's cooking......mmmmm mmm :yipee:

I'll be trying your recipe soontry to remember to come back and tell me what you think of it.

I want to figure out how to make some pumpkin or squash soup.
I also like Gumbo with Okra and Chicken, but it seems hard to make.

[tilerite]

Anybody like a good stir fry? Fresh (not frozen) vegetables and marinated beef. Very easy to make.

[Dave U.K.]

much prefer a kebab guys..

http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/wordofmouth/2008/may/15/killerkebabs

[tilerite]

I make a Filet Mignon kabob with peppers, onions, mushrooms, zucchini and tomahtos.

[ceramictec]

guess you guys missed my Kabobs I just cooked last week
http://www.johnbridge.com/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=719322&postcount=142


Anybody like a good stir fry? Ilove them and make them often, I like Red peppers more then green and cut carrot strips not pennies. chicken ,shrimp or steak...all good to me.

[tilerite]

I saw your kabobs. Wanna see mine? :lol1:

[tilerite]

The beauty of the stir fry is; there is no wrong way to make it. Throw in whatever meat, fish, vegetables you like, add some seasoning and/or marinade, and serve with noodles or rice. When I lived in Arizona, the Mongolian stir fry restaurants were hugely popular. Set up like a salad bar only with vegetables, meats and marinades specifically for stir fry. Once you load your plate, you hand it to the stir fry guys who cook it on a giant wok. They don't have anything like that here in the Carlina's.

[Bugman]

I also like Gumbo with Okra and Chicken, but it seems hard to make.
My wife lived in southern Louisiana at one time and learned how to make gumbo from the rural Cajun women. She exposed me to good gumbo and taught my how to make it. The only tricky part is the roux. I use equal amounts of fat and flour. Heat the fat in a cast iron pan or pot and then slowly add the flour while scraping the bottom of the pan continuously with a metal spatula. Sometimes I sift the flour into the fat a little at a time. I usually start out at medium heat and then reduce it slightly. If you want a dark brown roux, you gotta have lots of courage and constantly scrape the bottom of the pan for close to 45 minutes. Just be careful it doesn't burn or you will have to start over. Once you get the color you want, add the chopped onion and celery to the pan and stir until it is crisp tender. Then add hot water or hot broth and stir until well blended and smooth. Then add the roux to the pot with the chicken and sausage. I usually add fresh okra about 30-45 minutes before serving. We also add filé powder when we serve it. A scoop of rice in the center of the bowl completes it. MMMMmmmmm!

[tilejoe]

Yep, Roux can be tricky.

The longer you cook it the less thickening ability it will have.

Any of you guys belong to a CSA or other farm share program? We have a bunch up here and well, it's the best thing besides having your own garden.

I'm a little bummed out that tomatoe season has come and gone. The grocery store is the wrong place to buy tomatoes.

[ceramictec]

cool day here today...mid to high 50's.

thinking about making Goulash or that Gumbo Soup. :)

[Bugman]

I hope everyone had a day off and plenty to eat yesterday. Megan, Drew, and Jeremy joined us for our annual dinner. Here is the spread just before we sat down. I did the turkey on the grill, made the buns, fixed Shaughnn's cranberry sauce, made oyster dressing for Frances and me and Stove Top stuffing for the kids. Frances made green bean casserole, sweet potato souffle, deviled eggs, giblet gravy, white rice, and a fruit salad. Megan made the mac and cheese and a dessert. Needless to say, we didn't go hungry. :)

[ceramictec]

Clyde,

that dinner looked good, I love green bean casserole.
I used to make it with fresh green beans, cream of Mush. soup & French's onion rings on top and bake.


good thing about Thanksgiving is you can make some good turkey soup with the left over turkey. :)

[Bugman]

MMMmmmm! That soup looks good. We have the turkey carcass in the freezer at the moment just waiting for a cold day and then it will turn into soup too.

We used that exact recipe for the green bean casserole - fresh green beans, too. We mixed some of the onions into the casserole as well. Sure was good!

[tilerite]

Hey Brian, I think there's a fly in your soup. :lol1:

[ceramictec]

it's definitely not a FLYer...they cant do anything right..lol :tongue:

[tilerite]

Go lay some tile. You're spending too much time here.

[ceramictec]

made some Braciole tonight.
I only think some of the Italian North Easterners will know about this.

http://i39.tinypic.com/suxzpg.jpg
http://i44.tinypic.com/24drok1.jpg
http://i43.tinypic.com/spytcw.jpg

[tilerite]

That looks good, Brian. I'm doing chicken cacciatore in the crockpot as we speak.

[ceramictec]

Nice, I knew someone with a Northern Italian taste for flavor would know and like a Braciole.
I love chicken cacciatore, my girl does it in a big pan on the stove.

[Theold--scottyb]

Just finished 2 big ole steaks...Plus some potatoes..

[Dan Kramer]

I had to leave the island today for some materials. Took advantage of being in the big city (Kitty Hawk) and went to Hooters for Guinness and spicy garlic wings.

[ceramictec]

schwinggggggggg:yummy:

[ddmoit]

I enjoyed a few pints at the Outer Banks Brewery last time I was out that way, Dan.

[Dan Kramer]

Outer Banks Brew Station is a nice place with some quality brews. I like it even more because I did some work in there.:D

[ceramictec]

http://www.obbrewing.com/
places like that I love to visit and eat at.

I love going to a place similar in St. Augustine, FL. called A-1 Ale Works.
good food and good times.
http://www.a1aaleworks.com/

:tup2:

[RedRockTile]

Brian, what kind of sauce is in the Braciole? It all looks good!!!! BTW, is that Giallo Venziano granite in the background?


One of these days I'll take a picture of our signature pizza here at the restaurant and post it for you. We have customer who traveled around the US as a salesman and has tasted pizza from coast to coast. He now lives in Salt Lake City and will drive down here just to have our pizza and refuses to eat pizza anywhere else. Ours is the best he has ever tasted.

[ceramictec]

Brian, what kind of sauce is in the Braciole?it's a red sauce. when I'm up in NJ I take home a bunch of containers
from a restaurant named Botto's in South Jersey (http://www.bottos.com/history.html).
they make the best. I then add to a few some peppers, onions, sausage, chicken and mushrooms.
I like a sauce with stuff in it. I do keep some plain for other things.

BTW, is that Giallo Venziano granite in the background?it's Giallo Veneziano Fiorito (http://i42.tinypic.com/jglbht.jpg) since it has some larger lighter spots in it.

One of these days I'll take a picture of our signature pizza here at the restaurant and post it for you. or you could just box me up a small pie and send it to me..I'll pay shipping :D

[ceramictec]

mmmm, Perogies, garlic, mustard & sour cream! :yummy::yummy:

[RedRockTile]

you could just box me up a small pie and send it to me

Hmmm, now there's a new spin on the business - mail order pizza. :lol2:

We catered a small gathering last night.

Choice of Prime Rib or Chicken Cordon Bleu
mashed red potatoes
buttered corn
roasted garlic sourdough bread
green salad
citrus fruit salad
triple layer chocolate cheesecake

A far cry from Italian cuisine but that's what was wanted.

[kate42]

Brian

Those Perogies do look delicious :yummy:, but mustard and sour cream?

[kate42]

Rick

Chicken cacciatore in the crockpot sounds like a great way to cook it. What's your recipe? :)

[ceramictec]

yeah, the spicy mustard in a small amount with the sour cram on the Perogie is good.:yummy:

[tilerite]

Chicken cacciatore in the crockpot sounds like a great way to cook it. What's your recipe

Kathleen, I usually save my recipes in a Word Document recipe album I have created, but for some reason, I didn't save this one. All I did though was run a search for "crockpot chicken scallopini" and dozens of recipes came up. The one I used was a very simple one. Sorry.

[tilerite]

I found my crockpot cacciatore recipe.

1- large onion thinly sliced
2-3 lbs. boneless chicken breast, cut into chunks
2-6 oz. cans tomato paste (I used stewed tomatoes instead)
1- 4 oz. can sliced mushrooms (I used raw mushrooms instead)
1/4 cup dry white wine
2-garlic cloves minced
1-teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon dried basil
2-teaspoons dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon celery seed
1 bay leaf

place onion on the bottom of your crockpot. add cut chicken on top.
combine remaining ingredients and pour over chicken. cook on low for 8 hours.
serve over pasta or rice.

[ceramictec]

that must be a good recipe, it's all over the net.

http://www.cookingnook.com/crockpot-chicken-recipes.html

http://au.answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20071127112837AA22h10

I'll have to try that out one day

[tilerite]

Gee whiz, Brian. I was looking all over for that recipe. I usually bookmark my sights but for some reason, I copied that recipe and then went out of the sight. Anyway, little change of pace tonight. You are looking at; shrimp fried rice, terriaki noodles, spinach salad, calamari and an egg roll. Wonder what my poop will look like tomorrow.:yummy:

[ceramictec]

yum, love the calamari.

Now I'm hungry for and Egg Roll and some Lo Mein :yummy:

[tilerite]

It was good but its something that I have to be in the mood for.

[ceramictec]

Was over in St. Pete this weekend and HAD to go to this sub shop that
makes the best Italian bread I have tasted down here.

they actually make an Italian type of pita and make an Italian sub with the works.
there dough is unreal !!!

[The Kid]

ummmmm, Wings.:yummy:

[ceramictec]

mmm, I like mine Honey garlic. or BBQ. not into the hot wings
we have places down here that area called "Ker's Wing House (http://www.winghouse.com/Menu/OurMenu.asp)"
and they have naked Dallas wings that are great.

[The Kid]

Brian, Im not a fan of the hot wings either. This is my secert wings recipe smothered in sweet baby rays bbq sauce.:yummy:

[RedRockTile]

sweet baby rays bbq sauce

That's the best.

We made a pizza with SBR sauce as the base. Topped with cubed chicken marinated in the stuff. Add pineapple, green peppers and red onions. :yummy:

[Bugman]

We have a produce stand in Seneca, about 7 miles from us, that is carrying fresh seafood as well as fresh fruits and veggies. Last week we got some flounder fillets and they were excellent. Today we bought a box of oysters - 100 select singles. We steamed five dozen for dinner. MMMMmmmmm!!!!! They also had wild caught shrimp. I bought just over 7 pounds. Six pounds, 2 lbs/bag, went into the freezer. The remainder is in the refrig and will be consumed tomorrow night with more oysters. Not sure if we'll steam or fry them.

[silvercitytile]

heres a taste of the southwest. chicken tacos rice and beans. at Jalisco's cafe in down town silver city, NM

[ceramictec]

Jeff...send me some...lol
awww nevermind, we have have more Mexican food in Florida then Mexico does. :lol2:


I made some homemade pizza the other day.

(rolled out the pizza dough, brushed on olive oil, some wet garlic, Italian spices,
sliced Roma tomato's, feta cheese, spinach or fresh basil, mozzarella string
cheese cut in small chunks and bake)

mmmmm mmmmmmm

[tilerite]

Man o man, that food sure looks good!!

[dgunnels]

Clyde, I never have figured out the steamed oyster thing you guys do on the east coast. We were visiting relatives for a 40th b-day party and they told us there would be oysters. That was great until the built a big fire and threw them in a pot of hot water. We take our raw and the only heat they get is in the sauce...hot sauce that is.

Seriously, I'm not the oyster fan but DH sure loves 'em. He'll eat them raw or bake but steaming is just something we don't do this close to the coast.

[Bugman]

Neesie, We are very fussy about our steamed oysters. We don't want no boiled oysters. I suspect what we like is much closer to baked. I put about an inch of water in the bottom of the cooker and the basket sits just above the water level. Get the water boiling real good, put 2-3 dozen oysters in the basket, put it in the cooker and cover. Steam for three minutes and dump them out and start shuckin'. The shells are just barely beginning to loosen at this point and the oyster is just barely cooked. Nothing worse than an overcooked oyster.

We both love them raw, but are a little scared to eat them that way anymore. Of course, as lightly as we steam them they are not that far from being raw.

Oh yes, gotta have the hot sauce too. And a :cheers:

[ceramictec]

yes, lightly steamed here.:yummy:

[dgunnels]

Brian you just pegged yourself as "not from the gulf." :rofl:

Had an interesting combination while in Brevard, NC. A restaurant served sweet potato fries with a gorgonzola/pesto sauce. Nothing unusual about sweet tater fries but DH raved over the sauce. Gonna try my own this Wednesday over some pasta. Any comments?

[ceramictec]

for some reason I don't trust em raw myself.
lightly steamed with horseradish, crackers and cocktail.

here's one of my favorites.

lightly steamed oysters, fried fish and hush puppies.

[HS345]

Jeff, them tacos sure look good.

I had some fish tacos at Point Loma Seafoods (http://www.pointlomaseafoods.com/) while I was in San Diego recently, that were dynamite. If you go in there and order a large Anchor Steam with your food, be advised, it's practically Big Gulp size. :loaded: :cheers:

Brian, you're a foodie alright. :nod: Looks good!

[nicktiler]

I visited the States on Honeymoon 6 years ago. We had 5 days in San Francisco, 3 days in Vegas & 7 days in LA. The food on offer was a real culture shock to me and my wife, much of the general food on offer ( apart from the hotels ) was fast food based.
I am used to good home cooking, which I cook much of myself. home made pies, different cuts of meat, sauces, plenty of vegetables, etc etc. curries, italian home made lasagne, thai, spanish etc etc etc
The main thing being "Home Made"
Never Never Never : Fast Food ! this is destroying our eating habits
If you do an internet search on google for " channel 4 food" you will find many recipies that may be of interest.
Channel 4 is a UK TV programme.
You may have heard of the Sweary Gordon Ramsey ? His recepies are there as well.

One question ? has anyone got a good recepie for some authentic barbeque sauce to have with pork ribs ?

[ceramictec]

One question ? has anyone got a good recepie for some authentic barbeque sauce to have with pork ribs ?I think a few posted one a few pages back.
take a look from the beginning and see.
theres one with an ugly mug with BBQ sauce all over his face :D

nevermind, it was a jar sauce....still an ugly mug though :D
http://www.johnbridge.com/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=717445&postcount=141

[tilerite]

theres one with an ugly mug with BBQ sauce all over his face

I resemble that remark!!:bonk:

[tilerite]

Never Never Never : Fast Food ! this is destroying our eating habits

This thread was originally meant for recipes and ideas. Check out the first few pages and you'll find some great home cooking.

[tilerite]

Nicktiler is right. We're killing ourselves with crappy fast food. Here's a healthy and easy salmon dish. I only use wild Alaskan salmon. Stay away from the farm raised stuff.

Seared salmon with orange glaze
Six 6-ounce salmon fillets
1 tablespoon sesame oil
3 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
1/4 cup white wine
1 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
1 teaspoon orange zest
3 tablespoons sherry
1/2 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
2 slices orange
Preheat oven to 400°F.

Sear the fish fillets in the sesame oil in a large, very hot skillet for 1 minute on each side. You should hear the fish sizzle. Remove fillets from the heat and transfer them to a glass baking dish or baking pan. Drizzle the soy sauce and the wine over them and bake them for 10 minutes. Remove them from the oven.
Heat the orange juice, zest, sherry and ginger together in a small saucepan over medium-high heat until reduced by half. Add the orange slices, and stir once or twice, until the sauce becomes thick. Remove from heat, drizzle the sauce over the fish, and serve

[ceramictec]

just made our version of Chicken Divan or Florentine.
we did it our way.

beat out the chicken flat, mixed spinach, tomato & basil feta cheese & pieces of bacon.
rolled them up. sprinkled tops with Italian bread crumbs and baked...

man they are soooo good.
no salt needed with the feta and bacon flavor.

[kate42]

Brian :wave:

Sound tasty.

[HS345]

Brian, what's with the color in those pics?

It looks like Oreo stuffed chicken breasts. And it looks like you're wearing black nail polish. :D:lol2:

[kate42]

And it looks like your wearing black nail polish.

:lol1::lol1:

[ceramictec]

camera phone is bad with colors...and I'm into Goth on the weekends.

:uhh:

[ceramictec]

well we had a small New England clam boil tonight.
just were in the mood for this.

red potatoes, boiling onions, corn, garlic cloves, bay leaves & old bay seasoning steaming in some Riesling.

then we added on top for a quick steam...little necks, mussels,shrimp & turkey kielbasa.
it calls for Chorizo but we used turkey kielbasa instead.

yum! :yummy:

[pooky]

wow, yum city

that looks awsome

we'll do oysters and clams from time to time

we live around the corner from wescott bay -- world renowned oysters

stephen

[ceramictec]

I wanted oysters but decided not to add them.

[Bugman]

Brian, That looks DEEEElicious! :tup2:

I did a "low country boil" Saturday night for company. I use Coaches Low Country Boil Seasoning http://www.coachslowcountryboil.com/index.html andouille sausage, corn, potatoes, a couple of onions, and a couple of lemons. I also did three racks of baby back ribs on the grill for those that might not like shrimp. No one left the table hungry!

We finished the leftovers last night. :D

[ceramictec]

that sounds good too.
we were going to use a Chorizo or an Andouille but decided on the Turkey kielbasa.

[tilerite]

Homemade lasagna, before and after.

[ceramictec]

yeah that looks good.
its going to taste a lot better tomorrow once it coagulates and you have it for lunch. :D

[tilerite]

I'm thinking I'll have it for dinner again, along with a nice salad.

[Davestone]

Didn't get a pic of it,with five kids in the house it was gone, but take a pork loin, braise it,add your spices,in the oven for another 20 minutes and then put blue cheese dressing on it at your plate...man it is good!

[tilerite]

Pork loin is delicious.

[Eschbach]

Just rubbed down a london broil with Kosher salt,cracked pepper,fresh garlic and horseradish.Grill it and slice.Probably serve it with some roasted fingerling potatoes.

[ceramictec]

yum

[ceramictec]

fresh Mahi grilled on the Foreman grill.
fresh spinach sauteed with pine nuts.
and lemon & herb rice.

[dgunnels]

Red sauce with hot italian sausage and diced london broil, slow simmered in the crock pot for several hours. Fresh homeade italian bread. Nice bottle of chianti. (No fava beans.)

Tomorrow night is Momma's bday. She'll be 76. Will be firing up the smoker in a couple of hours. Pork tenderloin has been wrapped up with a dry rub for 48 hours. Chicken's been in a marinade for about the same amount of time. Lime juice, tequila, red pepper and kosher salt. Black beans and rice along with mashed red potatoes will round out a nice down-island meal. Appetizers are crostini topped with homeade boursin cheese and a large juicy shrimp and an asiago cheese dip.

[tilerite]

You guys are giving me some great ideas. Keep em coming.

[Bugman]

We just finished up a couple of pounds of shrimp (leftovers for a snack later) as a traditional SC Frogmore Stew.
Ingredients: Coaches Low Country Boil Seasoning, Andoullie sausage, small red potatoes, onion, 1 lemon halved, fresh sweet corn, shrimp.

Pictures: Cooker all steamed up; Adding shrimp to all the other ingredients (cook for 3 minutes); Emptying the basket of goodies; Ready to eat; Leftovers for later.

[irish tileguy in michigan]

I can taste it from here Clyde, looks good :tup2:

[ceramictec]

Chicken's been in a marinade for about the same amount of time. Lime juice, tequila, red pepper and kosher salt.sounds good!

Pictures: Cooker all steamed up; Adding shrimp to all the other ingredients (cook for 3 minutes); Emptying the basket of goodies; Ready to eat; Leftovers for later.man Clyde,
I would have crayfish/crawdads, clams, oysters all jammed in that pot!

[tilerite]

I tried something a little different last night. Its called chicken pot roast. In essence, its chicken, seared in butter, olive oil and herbs, with carrots, and cooked in the oven for an hour and then served on a bed of noodles. My family thought it should be done with a cream base next time instead of oil and butter.

[ceramictec]

yeah a cream sauce would have been nice, add some peas too, kind of like a real chicken ala king.

my girlfriends Mother made and Italian side dish called "gagoots & eggs.

man it was good!

[ceramictec]

made and grilled some homemade hamburgers, potato salad and some chips.

[pooky]

turkey burger on heavy whole grain bread with all the fixins . . .

[GraniteGirl]

Awesome Curry - even if I do say so myself :D

1.5 lb Meat (Any kind cubed or ground - pork, beef, lamb or chicken - this could even be whole, of course)
3 cloves of Garlic (minced)
1 large Onion (diced - could be quite chunky)
1 tbsp Curry powder
2 Chillies (minced - retain seeds for hotness) or 2 Chilly cubes
3 Bay leaves
1/2 tsp Cumin seed
1 tsp Ground Cumin
1 tsp Ground Ginger
1/2 tsp Ground Turmeric
2 tbsp Apricot jam
1 tbsp Peanut butter
Salt to taste
2 cups Water (hot)
1 Lemon (juice and pulp)
New potatoes/diced large ones
Veggies (I like the frozen mix of baby corn, baby carrots, snow peas & peas)

Method:
Sauté dry spices in 3 tbsp of Olive Oil
Add onions and garlic and sauté 'till soft
Remove onion mixture from pan and set aside
Add meat to pan and sauté till golden brown/done
Add onion mixture back in
Mix jam, peanut butter and juice in the hot water and pour over the meat mixture.
Add salt and potatoes
Cover and cook until meat and potatoes are soft
Add veggies and cook till done

Serve over rice with some chutney or coconut.

[tilerite]

Wow!! That's gotta have some flavor!

[ceramictec]

I love summer !

[Wayne67vert]

Brian,
Your Northern roots are showing. No one from the south cuts corn off the cob with a knife!

[Shooter]

Kids in the pool, rib-eyes on my own grill, Newcastle in hand. Man the small things are what matters. :tup1:

[tilerite]

I'm preparing to make mango stir fry shrimp. Just made up the recipe today.

[ceramictec]

No one from the south cuts corn off the cob with a knife! I didnt have the cob holders so I went that route :D

[tilerite]

I made up this recipe today. Its large shrimp, spinach, celery, carrots, scallions, pineapple and garlic in a mango sauce served over rice. It was delicious.

[ceramictec]

mmmmmm, I would like that with brown rice.
sweet & hot sauce and I would have killed that plate inna minute

they have fusion bowls at a place near me and I get the Mango Chicken: chicken, cashews, brown rice, red pepper, garlic, red chilis, snow pea's & mango.



try making some of these yourself :tup2:

[Bugman]

Brian, What, no teeth? It's corn on the cob and you bite it off.:D

[tilerite]

Looks like good stuff.

[kilroy]

"replace chicken with natural chicken $1.00"

wtf?

:suspect:

[ceramictec]

guess it's like the chicken in your supermarket that's *"organically raised"
and free of pesticides and stuff.


*
No antibiotics ever used
No hormones ever used
No pesticides or herbicides ever used in the soil or the feed.