Official Recipe Thread

[stilly]

Oops...

I forgot all about this stuff. I put it away in a dark cabinet and then just kinda outta sight outta mind until I was looking for more of that moonshine liquer I made.

So I think this should be good to go. A TAD dark but maybe the 2.5:1 simple solution will lighten it up a tad...

Looks to be about half a quart.

I have another bottle ready to get strained as well but it is darker like apple cider dark, it also has lemon zest + lemon verbena and I might add peppermint schnapps to one of the final mixes... I wanted it cool and lemony going down with a nice warm finish.

I need to get a hold of some of them large grolsch bottles.

Turns out if you need any cool bottles for CHEAP, at World Market in the back they have Voss sparkling water near the tea. The bottles are 800ml and they cost $3.29. OR you can go buy custom bottles for about $6.00 each that hold half as much from the front of the store.

[ZirconJohn]

As Muffin Connoisseurs -- My wife and I have been baking muffins for about a year now. It all started because at the time, I was running 6 miles a day. The glucose produced by the body when these foods are consumed aids the muscles in producing energy and eliminates fatigue.

However, it has turned into an exercise of perfection... and we are almost there.

Here is a pic and recipe I posted a few months back ---► http://www.calguns.net/calgunforum/s...&postcount=142

We bake from scratch - NO boxed anything...!

I've been trying to figure out what exactly makes the difference between a dry muffin and a moist muffin. And the difference between moist and wet.

We want moist - and NOT wet...!

It's a fine line and it takes practice. No doubt I'm going to ruin a batch or two - I HOPE NOT. But, we must try.

Here is an article I found just now... GREAT information about what makes a moist cake or muffin.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

From: A Slice of Heaven Custom Cakes Online Cake Decorating School

Making Moist Cakes or Cupcakes

Thursday, March 22, 2012

I have never believed, as some people do, that you either have a gift for baking cakes or you don’t. Have you ever looked at a piece of cake thinking it’s going to be moist only to find that it’s really dry? If you love to bake cakes (or cupcakes) but find they are not as moist as they should be then read on. Whether from scratch or a box mix, with a little practice and a few tips you can make moist and delicious cakes.

First, here is a quick lesson on the science behind making cakes:

Ingredients for cakes (whether from scratch or a mix) include the same things. Most cakes are composed of flour, sugar, eggs, and a fat for moistness (either oil or butter). In fact, classic pound cake requires nothing more than... GO HERE for full article ---► http://www.asliceofheavencakesclassr...-cupcakes.html

[stilly]

As Muffin Connoisseurs -- My wife and I have been baking muffins for about a year now. It all started because at the time, I was running 6 miles a day. The glucose produced by the body when these foods are consumed aids the muscles in producing energy and eliminates fatigue.

However, it has turned into an exercise of perfection... and we are almost there.

Here is a pic and recipe I posted a few months back ---► http://www.calguns.net/calgunforum/s...&postcount=142

We bake from scratch - NO boxed anything...!

I've been trying to figure out what exactly makes the difference between a dry muffin and a moist muffin. And the difference between moist and wet.

We want moist - and NOT wet...!

It's a fine line and it takes practice. No doubt I'm going to ruin a batch or two - I HOPE NOT. But, we must try.

Here is an article I found just now... GREAT information about what makes a moist cake or muffin.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

From: A Slice of Heaven Custom Cakes Online Cake Decorating School

Making Moist Cakes or Cupcakes

Thursday, March 22, 2012First, here is a quick lesson on the science behind making cakes:

Ingredients for cakes (whether from scratch or a mix) include the same things. Most cakes are composed of flour, sugar, eggs, and a fat for moistness (either oil or butter). In fact, classic pound cake requires nothing more than... GO HERE for full article ---► http://www.asliceofheavencakesclassr...-cupcakes.html

I was gonna suggest adding sour cream... That seems to do it for those last few bundt cakes I made.

[SonofWWIIDI]

I posted this in my thread "dinner tonight" in the OT forum. I thought I'd cross post it here so you can avoid the horrors that are OT.


Okay, here it is.

Chile Relleno Casserole
What you need:
4 eggs
1 1/2 cups milk
2 tablespoons flour
Salt/pepper to your liking
Paprika (I like the smoked kind)
Cumin (roasted)
Chili powder (optional)
Dried chipotle powder (optional, the above 4 spices should be to your taste. Start with a 1/4 teaspoon of each and see if that strikes you. I just eyeball it and I use way more than 1/4 teaspoon)
Ortega green chiles (I used 4 smal cans to fit in an 8x12 purex casserole dish, 1 large can would probably work. Yes you can use fresh roasted chiles if you wish. I didn't because I was too lazy to go to the store)
1 small onion thinly sliced.
Lots of cheese (I used a combo of Monterey jack, smoked jarlsberg, and Mexican 4 cheese mix by sargento)
Almost crisp bacon, 3-4 slices chopped. (I would have used cooked ground chorizo, but I didn't have any. And again, too lazy to go to the store)

Preheat oven to 350.

Whip the eggs in a bowl until they capitulate...()...um, are nice and frothy. Add in the milk, flour and spices. Mix again.

Drain the chiles.

Split the chiles in half lengthwise and make a layer on the bottom of the dish covering it completely. Add a layer of thinly sliced onion, followed by a layer of the cheese. Repeat. I made three layers. On top, put the bacon followed by cheese to cover it all. Slowly pour in the egg/seasoning mixture. It will flow to the nooks and crannies. I put the casserole pan in a disposable foil pan in case of overflow.

Bake at 350 for about 50 minutes. It should be lightly browned on top and not at all jiggly. A tooth pick inserted in the middle should come out clean except for a bit of cheese (if you used enough ).

Let cool for a few minutes so it all holds together.

Makes about 8 small servings, or 6 large ones. Or in my case 2 giant ones!

I Think that's it.

[movie zombie]

oh, that sounds yummy.......!

[ZirconJohn]

I was gonna suggest adding sour cream... That seems to do it for those last few bundt cakes I made.

Ya -- I've read about that. Sour Cream or apple sauce or plain yogurt.

We are currently trying egg yolk only vs. adding the whole egg. If the recipe calls for one whole egg, we put in two yolk only. and using apple sauce. The cupcake was noticeably moister and stayed moist for several days stored in the refer. The previous recipe the cupcakes would get dry from the refer. They were still good, but noticeably dry.

[Librarian]

I posted this in my thread "dinner tonight" in the OT forum. I thought I'd cross post it here so you can avoid the horrors that are OT.


Okay, here it is.

Chile Relleno Casserole
...

Ah, well ...

It's Lent this week, and Some Of Us need meatless meals.

Here's a variation on Chile Relleno Casserole - meatless and fluffier, but much the same idea. I made it Wednesday.

This is from Sunset's "Quick and Easy Diners", my copy from 1975, and we've been making it ever since.

Chile and Cheese Souffle

Preheat oven to 350F. (I hate it when recipes need this step but don't mention it for half a page ...)

Ingredients:
* 2 tablespoons butter (margarine works, olive oil works, not fussy)
* 2 tablespoons cornstarch
* 1 cup milk (skim is not so good - 2% or 'full fat' works better)
* Dash cayenne
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 1/4 teaspoon dry mustard
* 3 to 5 tablespoons finely chopped green chiles. (or more; I generally use a whole 7 ounce can, and I have used a whole poblano or serrano pepper, seeded, chopped, and pre-cooked to 'soft'. We like chiles.)
* 1/4 pound sharp cheddar, shredded, about 1 cup. (Don't go up to 2 cups - the cheese kind of settles out and the dish is either runny or takes twice as long to cook. Did I mention I've been cooking this for 40 years? Lots of time to make mistakes! Most cheese works well, but mozzarella seems not so happy here.)
* 6 eggs separated
* 2 egg yolks (I always throw the 2 extra whites in with the others, so really it's "8 eggs, separated" but to be faithful to the printed recipe ...)

Procedure
In a large saucepan (I use 3 quarts)
melt the butter over medium heat
stir in the cornstarch
cook until bubbly.

Gradually blend in
milk (you're making a roux)
cayenne
salt
mustard.

Cook, stirring, until thickened.

Stir in chiles to suit your taste.

Add cheese and stir until melted.

Take the pot off the heat.

Beat in the 8 egg yolks.

Whip the egg whites until they hold short peaks (soft peaks, stiff peaks, does not seem to matter).

Fold about half the whipped egg whites into the cheese etc mixture in the pot.

Fold in the rest - be sure to do this in two steps, this instruction matters. (Yes, I have done this in one step - flat souffles are not so pretty.)

Grease an oven-proof casserole - 2 to 3 quart - 3 is probably better. I have recently (2014) found that, while butter tastes good in that role, hi-temperature grilling non-stick spray actually lets the souffle let go of the dish!

Pour the egg/milk/cheese etc mixture into the greased casserole.

With a sharp knife, cut a circle in the surface, about an inch from the side, all the way around - that's how you get the pretty puffed-up look without having it spill over the sides.

Bake in that pre-heated 350F oven (remember to take it off pre-heat! Another mistake ...)
for 30 minutes OR
until a skewer inserted near the middle comes out almost dry. (I've found that 5 minute increments of more baking seems to work best.)

The top should be a pleasant golden to medium brown and the center really obviously risen - not browned and not risen == not done yet (maybe your oven is too cold).

Serve immediately, or turn off the oven and leave the souffle in the oven with the door closed for up to 10 minutes.

Usually serve this with something hot and green - asparagus, broccoli, whatever.

A nice 'grassy' Chardonnay pairs well. So does Champagne (many of those are Chardonnay or Chardonnay blends).

[BonnieB]

If you haven't seen Molly Gilbert's new cookbook "Sheet Pan Suppers", you're really missing out.

http://www.amazon.com/Sheet-Pan-Suppers-Surprising-Hands-Off/dp/0761178422/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1428280990&sr=8-1&keywords=sheet+pan+suppers

I cooked her "Arctic Char with Asparagus and Cherry Tomatoes" last night, using a salmon steak. YUM! And bonehead simple, my kind of thing. Oil the sheet pan, throw in the veg, salt and pepper, toss to coat, lay the salmon on the veg, salt and pepper again, 25 minutes in a 350 degree oven. Fresh food almost instantly with no drama! Toss it together and go have a glass of wine. By the time you're done, dinner is sur la table.

[stilly]

Ya -- I've read about that. Sour Cream or apple sauce or plain yogurt.

We are currently trying egg yolk only vs. adding the whole egg. If the recipe calls for one whole egg, we put in two yolk only. and using apple sauce. The cupcake was noticeably moister and stayed moist for several days stored in the refer. The previous recipe the cupcakes would get dry from the refer. They were still good, but noticeably dry.

I added strawberry applesauce to my french toast waffles on Sunday. It seems to make it dense and hold them together. Or maybe I just did not cook them long enough. They were good though.

[movie zombie]

I've been oven roasting asparagus on sheet pans. previously I was using my oblong calphalon roasters.

use parchment paper on the bottom of the sheet pan.
oil your veggies or whatever and place on the parchment = very easy clean up with all the roasted flavors in tact!

[BonnieB]

Weirdly enough, roasting veggies and flat cuts of meat or fish works better in a 1" high sheet pan than in a 3" high roaster. The "science" is that the air circulates better in a shallow pan and the caramel-ization of the natural sugars in the veggies goes better and faster... I've tried both and liked the shallow pan method best.

[BonnieB]

OK, you wacky fermenters !

I want some really high quality wine vinegar to cook with, and can't find anything over $ 5 a pint. So, I'm thinking I might be forced to drink a little really good red with my dinner and make my own (Cabernet?) vinegar.

But I don't want to wait three months for it and I don't want 2 gallons. Be advised that just letting it sit open on the counter is not the answer. It just gets foxed and nasty. Making vinegar is a true fermentation with the proper bacteria known as "mother of vinegar". The proper bacteria produce acetic acid instead of alcohol.

Does anyone know how to make vinegar in a small quantity and a finite amount of time? Could it be as simple as adding some raw cider vinegar to some diluted red wine and waiting a week?

Or does anyone know where to buy high end vinegar (brand, store) ?

[BonnieB]

I just started my first batch of home made wine vinegar. Super simple, leftover wine, Braggs unfiltered cider vinegar with 'mother'. Shake it up in a wide mouth jar or bowl, cover with a towel or cheesecloth, stir daily. It takes 3-4 weeks for the acetobacter (correct spelling) to ferment the wine into vinegar and its an AEROBIC process, those little guys need air to breathe! Don't cap 'em tightly while they're working. Once the vinegar-fermenting is done, THEN you pour into a bottle and cap it tightly.

(It's a good thing they are doing aerobics, because I sure as heck am not...).

I'm starting with three cups of Chilean Syrah, we'll see how it goes. Now I gotta go finish off the bottle...

Here's a link: http://phickle.com/wine-vinegar-how-to/

[Off the Roster]

you're in uncharted territory for me, keep us posted though as it sounds interesting.

[SonofWWIIDI]