Now here's a topic I've been meaning to start for a long time. I know I can't be the only person out there who enjoys cooking, eating and feeding the masses. Have a recipe you'd like to share? Or maybe there's a new eatery/restaurant you want to rave about. Post them here! Have pictures? Even better!

My contribution:

Flu Chaser Soup

1-2 large boneless, skinless turkey breasts (you can use beef or pork too if you want)
1 Parmesan cheese rind
2 large sticks celery, sliced
2 large carrots, scrubbed and diced
2 sweet onions peeled and diced
2 large tomatoes, diced
2 handfuls pasta shells
1 Tblsp Olive Oil
5 pieces sliced dried Astragalus Root (Huang qi) - they sort of look like popsicle sticks-
1 bulb garlic (min. 10 cloves), minced
1 1 1⁄2 inch piece of fresh ginger grated
2 cups fresh, sliced shiitake mushrooms
1 large reishi mushroom
Miso* I like South River's Dandelion Leek
Salt and pepper to taste


What to do:


1. Sauté the garlic, onions, and ginger in oil until soft and aromatic over low heat, stirring constantly. (I like my onions deeply caramelized and charred around the edges, and cook them first before adding the ginger and garlic. Otherwise the garlic burns too fast. To get it this way, you have to be patient and stir, stir, stir! If you turn up the heat thinking it will go faster, it's more likely to all out burn. Add more oil if you think the pan/pot is starting to dry out.)


2. Chop up the turkey into sizeable chunks and put them into a large soup pot (or use the pot with the onions and garlic/ginger ). Add the tomatoes, celery, carrots. Add the piece of parmesan rind (about 3-4 inches long and 1-2 inch wide), the garlic, onions and ginger (skip if already using same pot). Also add the shiitake, Huang qi and reishi, and fill to cover with water. Add a few cracked peppercorns. Bring to a boil and let simmer for a good 2 hours. Skim off the bubbly scum as you go.

After two hours remove from heat and let it sit for two more hours. Pick out the reishi mushroom and Huang qi. Reheat.

Taste before adding salt. Add 2 fistfuls of the shells and cook until the pasta is tender.

Add pepper and cayenne powder if you like. (adjust to your heat level)

* Add a tablespoon of miso and stir it into each bowl of heated soup.


Make sure you don't heat the miso up with the soup! This will kill the active, helpful bacteria in the miso.

3. Garnish with chopped parsley and serve with chunks of fresh bread for dunking.



EDIT: If the rind doesn't melt, you can fish it out when you take out the reishi and Huang qi.

Oh fun. We have been posting some recipes on the glomazons clan... here is mine for coq au vin for the crock pot, which I'll just c/p from our news board

Coq au Vin

ingredients:
1/2 lb fatty (cheap) bacon
2 medium onions
1/2 lb carrots
porcini mushrooms (8-12 oz)
1 tsp thyme
1 tsp oregano
3-4 chicken breasts
3/4 cup chicken broth
"1 cup" full-bodied red wine (Merlot, Malbec, etc.)
3 tbsp tomato paste
salt, pepper, flour

equipment:
crockpot (or a large stew pot)
large frying pan
tongs
rubber scraper


Roughly chop (big pieces) the onion, carrot, and mushroom, and combine with thyme and oregano.

Chop up the bacon into smaller bits and cook over medium heat until the bacon is crispy and most of the fat has rendered. Remove the bacon (leave the fat!) and drain on a paper towel quickly then toss in with the veg.

Trim all the yuck off the chicken breasts, then cut them into large chunks - maybe 3-4 pieces per breast. Dredge in flour/salt/pepper mixture. I do this in a large plastic bag with some air in it and just shake until it's all evenly coated.

Fry the chicken in the bacon fat (zomg), still at medium heat, about 2-3 minutes per side, so it is just browned. Remove the chicken into the pot with the veg and bacon as it is done.

If there is a lot of fat left in the pan you can drain some away, though do not actually clean out the pan. Reduce heat to warm. Deglaze the pan with the chicken broth and wine - I tend to use a heavy pour on the wine. Add the tomato paste and stir with rubber scraper so you're incorporating all the flavourful goodness from the pan into the sauce. Can increase heat to medium when it is all incorporated. Bring to a simmer, simmer for 1 minute, then pour over everything else in the pot. Give everything a turn or two. Cover, and cook.

Cook in crockpot on high - 4 hours, or else cook in the stew pot on warm for probably the same amount of time (though giving it a turn more often so the bottom doesn't burn) or on low in the crockpot for 7 hours or so.

Chernobyl Fish Sandwich (because I've never seen a fish with fingers)

Ingredients

4 Frozen Fish Fingers
2 slices of brown bread
1 slice of plastic cheese
Butter or buttery spread
Hp sauce

Directions:

Remove fish fingers from box and place in a symmetrical pattern on a microwavable plate.
Microwave for approximately 2mins.
Spread butter on bread and arrange fish fingers ontop of one of the slices. Be careful, fish fingers may be piping hot.
Place slice of cheese over fish fingers, add HP sauce to taste.
Enjoy.
Repeat until utterly satiated.

Easiest Damn Alfredo


1/2 stick butter
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 cup grated parmesan (the cylinders in the store are generally 2 cups each)


Melt butter.
Add heavy cream
bring to simmer
add cheese
stir constantly while cheese melts
Salt and pepper to taste.

if it seems thick, add some of the pasta water to thin it out. Don't worry about measuring it, just start small and eyeball it. You can use regular water, but the pasta water will help the alfredo stick.

I don't list a set amount of salt or pepper because 1.) these things are almost always to taste and 2.) Parmesan is already slightly salty, so the amount will depend on what it tastes like just before you're done.


I like to add things to the alfredo, some of my favorites are:

Smoked tomato and turkey alfredo
Pancetta and mushroom alfredo
Shrimp and bacon alfredo


The list goes on.

Food.

I've made this several times for parties (those ones where you have to dress nicely and act all prim and proper). It is incredibly simple and was a recipe I took off of a friend's blog.

Cucumber and tomato appetiser

• 1 carton of cherry tomatoes
• generous pinch of herbs de provence
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• salt and peper
• 1 english cucumber
• 1 tube of goat cheese
• 1 bunch of basil

Toss the tomatoes in olive oil, salt, pepper and herbs de provence and bake in a preheated oven at 325 for about 45 minutes.
In the meantime, cut the cucumbers into 1/2 inch rounds. Top with a teaspoon of goat cheese, basil and a roasted tomato.
If you have the time, try piping room temperature goat cheese onto the cucumber rounds for an extra special touch.

Transplanted from Raves:

Indian Chicken Pizza

Crust
4 c. all-purpose flour
2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 tsp. garam masala
1 T. dried basil, oregano, or Italian herb mix
1 2/3 c. warm water (110 degrees)
2 1/2 tsp. active dry yeast (one envelope)
3 T. olive oil

1. Whisk together flour, salt, cayenne pepper, garam masala, and dried herbs in a large bowl.

2. In a separate bowl (or large measuring cup) whisk the yeast into the water and then whisk in the oil.

3. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture, pour in the water and yeast mixture, and slowly begin stirring in the middle of the well. Gradually incorporate more flour into the water as you stir, and when it's all incorporated, scrape down the sides of the bowl and fold the dough over on itself repeatedly until no dry bits remain.

4. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or aluminum foil and set it aside in a warm place for about an hour.

5. Start on the sauce as soon as you set the dough aside.

Sauce
6oz. can of tomato paste
1 c. water
1/2 c. olive oil
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. powdered cumin
1 tsp. garam masala
1 1/2 T. minced fresh ginger
3-4 cloves minced fresh garlic

1. Whisk together all ingredients and refrigerate until ready to use. You can stir it every once in a while while it's chilling.

Chicken
~ 1 lb. Thin chicken breast filets (or vegetarian substitute)
3 T. lemon, orange, or lime juice
1 tsp. red pepper flakes
1 tsp. garam masala
1 tsp. powdered curry
2 cloves minced garlic
salt and pepper to taste


1. Coat chicken filets with citrus juice and toss with other ingredients. Allow to marinate while you preheat the oven (a half hour before the dough finishes rising).

Assembly
1 tsp. whole cumin seeds
1 tsp. whole coriander seeds
1 lb. Fresh mozzarella
fresh basil and/or cilantro
kosher salt to taste

1. Set oven to 425. Put seeds in an oven-proof ramekin or on a sheet pan or skillet and toast for about 10 minutes. Take them out, let them cool, and then crush them.

2. Liberally coat the bottom and inner lip of a half sheet pan (18x13 inches) with olive oil and dump your dough in the center. With oiled hands, gently press and stretch the dough until it fills the sheet pan. If it resists and tears, let it rest for about ten minutes before trying again.

3. Stipple the dough with your fingertips to make little indentations all over, but leave about an inch around the edges untouched. Sprinkle lightly with kosher salt and pepper

4. Pour sauce onto pizza and spread over the stippled area, leaving the edges clean. Bake for 10 minutes.

5. Slice fresh mozzarella as thin or thick as you like.

6. After ten minutes, lay sliced cheese all over the sauce, rotate the pan and continue baking for another ten minutes. Start cooking the chicken.

7. Heat a skillet over medium high heat with a little oil coating the bottom. Sprinkle in the crushed toasted cumin and coriander and let them sizzle for a few seconds. Place marinated chicken filets over crushed seeds. Cook both sides for about four minutes each. Depending on the thickness of the filet, it may take more or less time, but you want the chicken almost fully cooked. This should take about ten minutes altogether.

8. Slice chicken and place all over the pizza, then bake for another ten minutes.

9. Sprinkle fresh basil and/or cilantro over the pizza after it's finished baking.

My favourite is rather traditional: Seared salmon with beurre blanc. I constantly crave this recipe.

Salmon is rather simple. Hot pan, a little oil, don't cook for more than 5 minutes (depending on thickness, of course).

Beurre blanc:

1/4 cup white wine vinegar
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon minced shallots
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
12 ounces (1 1/4 cups) butter, chilled and cut into pieces
A squeeze of fresh lemon juice

In a heavy saucepan, boil first 5 ingredients until mixture is reduced to about 1 1/2 tablespoons. Remove from heat.
Immediately beat in half the butter, until it forms a creamy paste.
Set saucepan over low heat and continue beating in a piece of butter at a time just as the previous piece is almost fully incorporated. The sauce should have the consistency of a light hollandaise.
Remove from heat, season to taste with salt, pepper and a squeeze of lemon.
Makes about 1 1/4 cups.
Some people drain the beurre blanc to remove the shallots. I don't. It's a personal choice; I find with the shallots in it tastes better, but it's less visually appealing. You can use unsalted butter too (which is what I did), but I would still add some salt.

Excellent with asparagus.

Also - hollandaise is delicious too. Mmmm... I'm excited to try some of these recipes.

Oooo, I adore indian pizza! Especially with eggplant, cauliflower, lots of cilantro, lamb, and crispy shrimp. I'll definitely fiddle with that recipe, Daraius.

Spicy Peanut Drumsticks

6-8 chicken drumsticks, skin on
3 Tblsp crunchy peanut butter
1/2-1 Tblsp tahini (optional)
4 Tblsp apple cider vinegar
2 Tblsp soy sauce
1 Tblsp chile pepper oil *
1 Tblsp toasted sesame seed oil
2 Tblsp vegetable or sunflower oil
1 Tblsp minced garlic
1 Tblsp minced ginger
1 Tblsp minced shallots
1 1/2 cup chicken broth
1 Tblsp white wine
1 tsp brown sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cayenne/chipotle pepper
1 tsp spicy dijon mustard
1/2 Tblsp honey

What to do:

Mix all marinade ingredients together in a large ziploc bag. With a sharp knife, cut three or so slits into either side of each piece of chicken down to the bone: ///. Put the drumsticks into the bag, sealing it with as little air as possible and massage the marinade into them being careful not to tear the skin. Let sit in the fridge overnight. The next day, preheat your oven to 450 degrees F. Put the chicken on a baking sheet and let cook for 3-5 min. After, turn the heat down to 350 and cook for 20-25 min, then flip and cook another 10 min. When clear juices start to run when you poke at the drumsticks with a fork, you can transfer them to the broiler. Broil both sides for 5 min each. Serve with buttered white rice and chopped chives.

For Oil:

2 cups vegetable oil
2 cups chile powder
2 dried chiles, sliced
1/2 leek
1 small knob of ginger, sliced
2 garlic cloves
1/2 onion

-Heat vegetable oil until just warm
-Add all ingredients
-Simmer on low heat for about 10 min
-Remove from heat just before the color turns dark.
-Strain oil
-Pour into a glass bottle and keep in a cool shady place.

Hello Dollies!

Ingredients

2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/4 cup white sugar
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup flaked coconut
1 cup chopped pecans
1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
Directions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
Combine the graham cracker crumbs, sugar and melted butter. Press into the bottom of an 9x9 inch baking pan. Layer the chocolate chips, coconut and pecans over the crumbs. Pour the sweetened condensed milk over the top.
Bake at 325 degrees F (165 degrees C) for 25 to 30 minutes. Let cool and cut into squares.

Very good. I would have put more coconut and graham in them when I make them though. I didn't like it with too much chocolate.

For those of you living on a budget and looking to add spice to your breakfast....

TACOAST!!!!!!!!

1 slice bread
butter
taco seasoning

Toast bread, spread butter, sprinkle with taco seasoning and enjoy!

I discovered this while in the philippines. Ground beef was hard to come buy(very expensive), and i missed Tacos. I was also sick of the boring toast for breakfast, so the ingenious redneck inside of me came up with Tacoast!

Taco Soup!

This is super easy bachelor chow that everyone loves! Enjoy!

Ingredients

1 lb ground beef
1 can sweet whole kernel corn
1 can black beans
1 can dark red kidney beans
2 cans Rotel (of any spicyness - up to you)
2 packets of taco seasoning
1 bag Tostitos
Sour Cream
Shredded Cheddar

Step one - Brown the beef in a skillet, drain off the grease.
Step two - Open the black beans and drain them, then add them to the soup.
Step three - Open all the other cans and add them without draining.
Step four - Add both packets of taco seasoning.
Step five - Stir thoroughly, and bring to a boil.
Step six - Once it's boiling, reduce the heat and cover, letting it simmer for 15 mins at least, or as long as you want.
Serve with Tostitos, Sour Cream, and Shredded Cheddar!

This is really good as leftovers - so if you wanna make it the day before and stick it in the fridge, it is also amazingly awesome.

Nutella Milkshakes

For Syrup:
1/2-1 cup Nutella*
1/2 cup warm Lyle's Golden Syrup
2 Tblsp Milo or other brand malted milk powder
2 Tblsp unsalted sweet cream butter
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

For Shakes:
1 pint chocolate ice cream or 1/2 pint chocolate + 1/2 pint coffee/espresso ice cream
2/3 cup whole milk
5 Tblsp syrup (above)


What to do:

In a small sauce pan, combine all ingredients for syrup and melt this mixture over low heat until very smooth. Stir constantly and don't let it scorch! Once all nice and melty, set aside to cool somewhat. Once cool, place all ingredients for the shakes in a blender and blend to desired consistency. Pour shakes into tall, chilled glasses and garnish with whipped cream, strawberry, drizzled syrup and grated toasted hazelnut. Maybe a Tim Tam or two or twelve on the side if you're feeling really indulgent. Serves 2. You can store the extra syrup in a Mason jar in the fridge for later use.

*More or less to taste depending on how much you love Nutella.

Since Halloween will be upon us this month.. anyone have favourite treats to share?

If anyone's got an easy-to-cook, budget-friendly vegetarian meal, I'd be forever in your debt! Macaronis, in all their glory, does get boring after a month or so.

Eggplant in garlic sauce (scales really well, too)

Ingredients:
Sauce:
Some amount of soy sauce
Equal amount of water
Copious quantities of fresh black pepper
Garlic (minced)
Ginger (ground or fresh minced)
cider vinegar or dry white wine
Some or all of the following, depending on preference: Cumin, coriander, cloves, cinnamon, anise, cardamom, cayenne pepper, and probably a few other things I'm forgetting
approx. 3/4 Tb corn starch per cup of sauce, maybe a little more depending on how things go

Blend all the above in a bowl and set aside.

Rice:
1 cup rice
2 cups water
1 bay leaf (optional)

BS method: Put all ingredients in a microwave safe vessel with 2 tsp cooking oil and nuke for 15 minutes (be careful as it -will- foam up a bit), then remove from microwave and let stand (covered) for another 10-15 minutes.

Stove method: Put all ingredients in a pot, bring to a boil, turn off heat, let sit covered while you do everything else.

Rice cooker: Follow the directions on the device itself.

Sautee items:
Onion
Eggplant
Mushrooms (optional)
Jalepeno or Padron peppers (also optional)

Murder the onion, slice the mushrooms in thin slices, and dice the eggplant into 1" cubes. Finely chop the peppers if you're planning on using them. Sautee onions and mushrooms together over high heat with some black pepper just until the onions turn translucent. Add eggplant and quite a bit more oil (or butter, if you're feeling indulgent). Brown the eggplant. Dump the sauce over the whole thing and stir it up well. When the sauce starts to bubble, turn the heat waaayyy down to low, add the jalepenos if you're using them, and let the whole thing simmer until you deem the rice to be of acceptable done-ness. Garnish with Padron peppers. You can also add other veggies to this dish, such as bell peppers or asparagus.

Ok this dish isn't vegetarian at all, but it's super-tasty so I'm going to share it anyways.

Sticky Balsamic Glazed Ribs

Roast:
1 rack pork ribs
Kosher/sea salt (the big grains kind)
black pepper

Braise liquid:
Balsamic vinegar (1 cup)
honey (1 Tb)
thyme (sprinkle some in till it smells right)
rosemary (ditto for this)
bay leaves (2-3)
Water as needed

Rub the ribs with salt and pepper, let stand 10 minutes refrigerated or while you wait for the oven to heat up to 350F. Fill a large pan with the braising liquid. Place ribs in pan and add water until they're about 3/4 covered. Braise uncovered 1hr. Turn the ribs over and go play a couple games of League of Legends. Remove from oven, set ribs aside, and pour braise liquid into a shallow stovetop pan thing. Add a few tablespoons more balsamic vinegar and a dash more rosemary. Reduce it down until it turns into barbeque sauce. Baste the ribs with this sauce, then broil in the oven, 6 minutes on a side or until the glaze gets crackly and good-smelling. You'll know you're doing it right if you can pull a bone out of the roast and said bone is completely dry/devoid of clinging meat. Serve with BS Rice from above, and many many napkins. You'll need them.

I don't really have a name for these, we just kind of call them bean fritters in my family.

Fritters!

1/2 cup dry lentils
1/2 cup dry garbanzo beans/chickpeas
2 tsp coriander seed
2 Tblsp fresh parsley, chopped
1/4 cup red onion, minced
1/4 cup canned water chestnuts, drained and minced (optional)
1/4 tsp chilli powder
2 Tblsp cornmeal plus a little extra
Olive oil
1 egg
Salt and pepper to taste

What to do:

Soak beans and lentils overnight in fresh water and rinse

Put them in a pot of more fresh water and cover, bringing the water to boil for three min, then reducing and simmering for 60-90 min until tender.

Strain and mash the beans and lentils with the rest of the ingredients to form a pasty dough.

Form this dough into balls or patties and coat with extra cornmeal.

heat 1/4th in of the oil in a pan and fry the patties/balls until they get a nice golden brown crust.

Drain on paper towels.

Extra: Yogurt Sauce

3 cups shredded cabbage
2 Tblsp fresh dill, chopped roughly
2 Tblsp fresh parsley
3 garlic cloves minced
1 1/4 cup plain full fat yogurt
Juice from one lime
Salt and pepper to taste

What to do:

Combine all ingredients together and cover and let sit in the fridge for at least and hour or two before serving

If anyone has anything inexpensive/healthier side of things to cook, I'd be interested. I'm sick of eating rice and vegetables, or pasta and sauce.

I have inexpensive, but not necessarily healthy...


I have a ramen cookbook somewhere.