I Need a Recipe!

[Athena]

I made the double chocolate banana bread (too rich? pish posh), and a banana muffin with nutella in the middle.  That took care of about half a dozen bananas.  Lots left, maybe I'll make some pancakes this weekend and freeze.

 

Hehe. I had it for lunch today and it was delicious. It's just more of chocolate banana cake than a "banana bread" for me. I used a whole of bar of 60% for it which made it really decadent. ;)

 

I'll probably do banana muffins as well.

[Petunia13]

Coating fried chicken

[Wings]

I have to ask this question.  Why did you buy graham cracker crumbs if you had no use for them?  ***big grin***

[Qoass]

They were on saaaaaaaaale!

[DeLurker]

Did you have a coupon too?

 

.

[Qoass]

No, I really do use graham cracker crumbs a lot but I didn't notice the imminent expiration date on the package until I got home plus I thought I was going to need to make a couple of pies for an event but then I didn't go...

 

I find it entertaining to buy stuff at the market when the price is too good to pass up and then figure out what to do with it.  It's like my own little home version of Chopped.

[Quof]

Hey, I found dark chocolate HobNobs on sale for $0.99 a package yesterday.   We realized it was because the expiration date was in 10 days, so we did quick math on how many our office could eat before then and bought a whole lot.  I mean, a whole lot.  

[Qoass]

I bet they'd be delicious dipped in graham cracker crumbs...

[mansonlamps]

Never heard of Hobnobs, but I have looked them up and am now intrigued....

[Quof]

Hobnobs are awesome, particularly the dark chocolate. A local specialty store carries a large selection of British products, but they are pricey.  

[Etaoin Shrdlu]

I hate that. I always thought the perfect school or church fundraiser would be to sell holiday spices or spice sets in the amount you need to make a dish. I have lots of spices only used in holiday recipes cluttering up my pantry. I would much rather buy a good quality smidge at a church or school function for an inflated price than buy a whole bottle of the stuff that I will use once a year.

Just use a cloth napkin and extend your pinky holding the spoon and you'll be the picture of elegance.

My children (and their cousins in their mid to late 20s) would love deconstructed s'mores. Have little cups of melted chocolate and little cups of graham cracker crumbs, toast a marshmallow on a stick, roll/dip in melty chocolate, roll/dip in crumbs, consume with great gusto, repeat until all elements are gone.

ETA: Because "raiser" is not a synonym or homonym for rather.

Look for a grocery store with a bulk food section and get your herbs and spices there. You can get as much or as little as you need at a time, and it's SO much cheaper than buying the bottles in the spice aisle. I use them to refill my spice jars, but I also have a zillion little plastic baggies with random herbs in them in my cupboard leftover from various recipes.

[MargeGunderson]

Look for a grocery store with a bulk food section and get your herbs and spices there. You can get as much or as little as you need at a time, and it's SO much cheaper than buying the bottles in the spice aisle. I use them to refill my spice jars, but I also have a zillion little plastic baggies with random herbs in them in my cupboard leftover from various recipes.

My local Whole Foods has spices in bulk which is really nice when you only need a small amount. I've also been able to find smaller packages of some spices in the Mexican/Spanish/Latin section of my grocery store - Badia is the brand. Recently I saw small packs of McCormicks spices; really just a teaspoon or 2 in a pack. Also, some Targets with a food section have small bottles of herbs and spices that are usually pretty inexpensive.

Yes, my spice cabinet is out of control. How did you know?

Edited June 7, 2015 by MargeGunderson

[DeLurker]

I've never been to a market that sold spices like that - brilliant!

 

But a Whole Foods just opened up near me in the last month or two so I will check them out.

 

Thanks!  I probably never would have looked for such a thing.

[Quof]

I have a hankering for tabbouleh.  I had the best recipe, from Ladies Home Journal, bookmarked, but now it's gone.  I don't remember why it was so much better than all the others, perhaps the ratio of lemon juice to oil or something, but it was the best I ever had.  Anyone have a recipe to offer? 

[DeLurker]

This is the sister site to LHJ - it has lots of tabbouleh recipes so I hope one of these is the one you are looking for.

[sunshinelover]

I'm overflowing with zucchini and tomatoes.  I want something to make for dinner tonight that will use some up.   And not spaghetti.  I defrosted some ground turkey to go with it....

[anony mouse]

I have a good recipe for tomatoes and zucchini, but it is meatless. You could maybe add the meat to the sauce although I'm not sure how that would work out.

Mince 1 onion and 1 clove of garlic. Using an oven safe pan, soften until translucent. Add a jar of your favorite marinara sauce and via medium high heat, cook until it has thickened into more of a paste. Remove pan from heat.

With a mandoline, thinly slice the zucchini and tomatoes (eggplant makes a great addition as well). Layer in the dish, packed enough so the slices are upright, alternating colors for visual appeal. This is tedious, but it's worth it!

Pop it in the oven at 400 until the edges of the veg start to crisp, about 15 mins. Serve with some fresh chopped parsley and basil on top for garnish. It is delicious and looks so pretty!

[blixie]

Mmmm I'd make calabacitas, a Mexican succotash. In fact that's on my menu for next week.

[Wings]

I'm overflowing with zucchini and tomatoes.  I want something to make for dinner tonight that will use some up.   And not spaghetti.  I defrosted some ground turkey to go with it....

 

 

Zucchini  pancakes are a huge hit and the perfect thing to do for tons of them!  

 

Grate them on the coarse side of a grater, liberally salt them and let them release water for about an hour or more in a strainer.  Squeeze them occasionally.   The pile will reduce in size tremendously.   Dry them with a dish towel as much as you can.  

 

4 or 5 of big one make a small batch of pancakes.  That is how much they reduce in size.  

 

You don't have to measure anything.  Add several eggs depending on how many zucc you use.  Zucc will be the dominant ingredient with just enough flour and egg to hold it together.  I would use 3 eggs  for 4-5 large ones.  Now add flour until the eggs thicken a bit.  You can eyeball this, you know what pancake batter looks like.  Chop scallion greens and add feta cheese.  Cook them like you would a pancake.  The pancake should be mostly zucc with just enough egg and flour mix to hold it together.  Not only is this a calorie bargain but I have made them with out the flour when doing low carb and they are delicious.  

[DeLurker]

My aunt used to make zucchini relish and it was widely anticipated each year by her kids. 

[sunshinelover]

Well I think I'm gonna cook up some onion, turkey, tomato and whatever else I feel like into a mix for stuffed zucchini.   I definitely want to try those pancakes though, so those will probably get added to tomorrow or Sunday.

[QuelleC]

If I ever found myself in that situation I wanted to try this recipe.  Zucchini Tomato Gratin.  Slice them into 1/2 inch pieces and line them up card deck style alternating each.  I like to run a peeler down the zucc to make stripes on the side, Season and add some herb like basil and maybe a little thyme or rosemary and garlic finely diced.  Top with 1/4 c parm and 1C mozarella then 3/4 C fresh bread crumbs.  Bake in an oiled dish at 350.  I might drain the veggies on paper towels for a bit first.  I think the medium oven helps dry them out. 

 

I always like grilling planks of zucchini. S&P and let some of the water drain.  Then drizzle with olive oil and lemon. 

 

ETA Sorry, the gratin recipe is pretty much what starving artist posted.

Edited July 11, 2015 by QuelleC

[Athena]

Does anyone have a good cornbread recipe? I've got two cast iron skillets (8" and 10") that need more use. :)

 

I'm always looking for good recipes for frozen bananas too. Thanks!

[harrie]

Does anyone have a good cornbread recipe? I've got two cast iron skillets (8" and 10") that need more use. :)

 

I'm always looking for good recipes for frozen bananas too. Thanks!

 

I've been seeing a lot of this recipe for frozen banana ice cream.  No ice cream maker necessary.  I've been meaning to try it, but I put bananas on cereal and oatmeal, so never accumulate enough.  Here's another take on it, with strawberries added.

[Athena]

I've been seeing a lot of this recipe for frozen banana ice cream.  No ice cream maker necessary.  I've been meaning to try it, but I put bananas on cereal and oatmeal, so never accumulate enough.  Here's another take on it, with strawberries added.

 

I have tried this recipe actually. I recommend it. I don't have a food processor anymore and it works best with presliced banana pieces. I freeze most of my bananas whole now to save time.

 

Thanks, harrie. :)

[ethalfrida]

Does anyone have a good cornbread recipe? I've got two cast iron skillets (8" and 10") that need more use. :)

Here is one for gluten free AND regular cornbread. The regular recipe is the link right under the photo.

 

http://acommonstreetpeddler.blogspot.com/2015/08/best-gluten-free-southern-cornbread.html

Edited August 22, 2015 by ethalfrida

[GreekGeek]

I recently had a mouse in the house, and tried oil of peppermint to get rid of it. I ended up calling an exterminator (the oil made the house smell delicious, but it didn't faze the mouse), and now I have this bottle of oil of peppermint. Does anyone have suggestions, preferably to use the oil in foods rather than as medicine? I've seen a few recipes online that call for mint extract and this seems quite a bit stronger, so I figure on half the amount of extract called for.

[Lovecat]

According to this site, peppermint oil is four times as potent as peppermint extract, so you might want to cut that estimate in half again :)

 

http://www.livestrong.com/article/182479-what-is-the-difference-between-peppermint-oil-peppermint-extract/

 

And here are some practical hints for cooking with the oil vs. extract:

 

http://www.livestrong.com/article/188022-how-do-i-substitute-peppermint-oil-for-peppermint-extract/

Edited August 28, 2015 by Lovecat

[bachelor857]

Lately I've been into ethnic foods especially indian food, I am from Los Angeles, California and I'm currently doing a 14 day water fast for my health but I am finding myself looking at indian food images while fasting lololol, it's kind of funny. I am  imagining all the great food I will cook once I'm done with this fast. I stumbled upon these indian food images and they're killing me . http://www.europegiant.com/free-classified-ads/54454/best-indian-restaurant-in-london-/ The sauces look delicious and that flat bread ...hmmmm. Does anyone know where I can learn to cook ethnic cuisine like Indian and Thai really good ?  I'm fasting to act on the rewind button to remove all the american junk I've been eating for years.  Any learning place online that is legit would be greatly appreciated.

 

Thank you

 

[parisprincess]

HELP!!! I have a 4.5 pound pork loin and have absolutely no idea how to cook it. I want to put it in the oven and I'd like a good rub or marinade to use on it. I've googled recipes and am more confused than I was before. I've read cooking times from 1-1/2 hours to 5 hours, so I'm not sure what to do because I don't want to undercook it but also don't want to have overcooked dry meat. Any help will be appreciated!

[QuelleC]

Well, I just have a couple of ideas. Is it boneless or not?  Does it have a nice fat cap or is it very lean? I'd score it a bit and rub the rub in and let something that big sit on the counter for an hour.  It'll help get it up to room temp so it cooks more evenly? I'd start it at 400 until you get some browning on top then turn the oven way down to 325 or so and do something that large slowly and tent it, like I do turkey.

 

I think a rub is a great Idea.  I made myself crazy too researching rubs and in the end most contain salt, pepper, brown sugar, cumin, a bit of onion and garlic powder and I crush up some oregano. You could go sweet or have a bit of a kick.  I'd probably add a bit of chili powder and have something sweet on the side like glazed pineapple because fruit goes so well with pork. 

 

My cookbook says 20 min per pound, take out when it's 155 and it should rise to 160. Be sure to let it sit. If I wanted to be sure of moist I'd roast it with your typical onion, carrot and celery wedges and start off with a little water on the bottom.  Set the roast on the veggies. You'll want to start temping it after about 90 min, and rotating once or twice but opening the oven door a lot will make it take forever!

[parisprincess]

Thank you so much, QuelleC!  Yes it is boneless and does have a big fat cap. After all the different, contradictory instructions I've read, I think I'll go with your recommendations. I'm just going to stick with salt, pepper, onion and garlic though for the rub because I want to make a gravy to pour over the meat. Thanks again! 

[QuelleC]

Oh gosh I hope it helps.  I recommended the bottom veggies for a gravy because the juices drip in and you can strain it and thicken it for a gravy and moisture is a good thing on a lean roast.  Good luck! 

Edited September 22, 2015 by QuelleC

[DeLurker]

I need some recommendations for a basic shrimp and grits recipe,  My Mom is a very good self taught cook, but she's Taiwanese so the concept of grits never appealed and was reinforced by my Dad's negative reaction to them (he's from New England).  She asked me to find her a recipe since she recently discovered she likes them but has no idea how to make them, but she wants to give it a try.

 

I was never a grits fan (texture thing).  She doesn't use the internet but to read the emails I send her and she justs wants a good starting point since she knows she'll modify it to taste once she gets the basics down.  She won't ask my brother or SIL who cook a lot because they over-complicate everything.

 

Are all grits cheesey or just some?  Should they be cheesey in a shrimp & grits recipe?  I'm clueless.

[harrie]

Grits become cheesy if you put grated cheese into them.  I've made cheesy and non-cheesy shrimp and grits - both are yummy. Polenta can be a grits substitute if for some reason you can't find grits or are have cooked polenta before so maybe are more comfortable with it.  

 

This is the recipe I usually use.  With the shrimp part, I often shortcut, and don't do the beer and stock thing; I just saute the shrimp.  But I do use the bacon and bacon fat, because, well, bacon.  Also, the recipe calls for cheddar, but you can use anything - parmesan, gouda, etc. Bleu might be a little strong/rich, though. And I rarely go the full hour with cooking the grits*.   I also look at the egg part of the recipe as overkill/optional; usually I have eggs OR shrimp with my grits/polenta.  I am from New England and love grits.  

 

 

 

*Next time I might try this - slow cooker cheesy grits.   A lot less labor-intensive.

 

Or, here is a very basic slow cooker grits recipe - it came from a TODAY show page that took forever to load, so I cut and pasted.  (I always hit my slow cooker pot with spray fat before doing anything, even if they don't include it here.)  

 

INGREDIENTS
1 cup uncooked yellow grits (not instant)
4 cups vegetable stock

PREPARATION
Add the grits, vegetable stock, 1 1/2 teaspoons
salt and 1 teaspoon pepper to a 12­cup slow
cooker. Cover and cook on low until tender, 5 to
6 hours.

Edited September 29, 2015 by harrie

[DeLurker]

Thanks harrie!

 

My Mom has no concern cooking with bacon fat for flavoring - she totally is not going to worry about that!

 

And I guess saying Dad was from New England was really discrediting the entire region!  His Dad/my granddad was a curmudgeon extraordinaire and my Dad can been periodically stick-in-the-mud cranky on certain things (not all the time thank Dog).

[harrie]

You are most welcome, DeLurker.  (she said, carefully avoiding that n- p---- peevish response)  And no discredit to the region - I'm plenty cranky about lots of things, grits just isn't one of them.

[rissa]

I bought a couple of boxes of graham cracker crumbs on sale.  Can anybody suggest some ways to use them for something other than a pie or cheesecake crust?  I also plan to use them to make those multi-layer bars with sweetened condensed milk, coconut, chocolate chips and nuts and a family fudge nougat recipe.

 

Thanks!

I just found this thread so I'm several months late in responding to your recipe request. I, also, was in search of recipes to use up my box of graham cracker crumbs before they went stale as I only use them as a crust for my cheesecakes.

I don't know if you're still looking for any more suggestions, but I came across this Graham Cracker Cake recipe that looks interesting. I haven't made it yet so can't tell you if it's good, or not. Here is the link to the site.

http://food52.com/blog/13701-how-to-get-the-flavor-of-graham-crackers-in-the-form-of-cake?utm_term=4947938&utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=20150816_hybrid_sunday_digest

[Qoass]

Fascinating... I especially like the idea of adding marshmallow to make it into a s'mores cake...

[backformore]

Last thanksgiving, I made a pumpkin crunch cake.  It was an upside down cake, where I put pecans and butter on the bottom, then pumpkin cake, made with canned pumpkin and cake mix, in a 9 x 13 pan.  You then turn it over onto a platter, so the pecans are on top.  

I'm looking for the recipe, and I can only find the "dump cake" recipe, where you put pumpkin pie filling in the pan, then dry cake mix, then top with nuts and butter. That is delicious, but it's not CAKE, it's  more of a cobbler type thing, it doesn't have the cake texture of what I made last year.   

 

anybody have the recipe?   

[DeLurker]

I need ideas please.  My daughter's Japanese Club is having a field day type event after school next week at a local park,  I need to bring some "healthy" snacks.

 

I'm drawing a blank on a healthy snack that would appeal to teenagers and be suitable for outdoor, so if anyone has ideas I would love to hear them!

[Miss Dee]

Research Halloween snacks on the Internet...you'll find some healthy ones there, and even teenagers might get a kick out of the presentation.

[jenh526]

Just last night I was looking at a recipe for caramel apple mini tarts. Just fill up some mini-phyllo shells with diced apples and drizzle with caramel topping. Optionally top with chopped nuts (my brother has a severe allergy to nuts so I'm always aware of that when I make stuff for others).

Edited October 9, 2015 by jenh526

[DeLurker]

Oh!  That sounds yummy - will look that up.

 

Did a quick search for the variation of the pumpkin upside down cake and all I found were variations of the dump cake.  On Chowhound I found a few that might be closer to what you are looking for.  Here's a link to one and the following was buried in comments on a Thanksgivingy post:

 

PUMPKIN UPSIDE DOWN CAKE

TOPPING:
1 cup dark brown sugar
6 Tbsp butter
Handful of chopped nuts
Dash of rum

1 cup fresh cranberries
1 or 2 peeled and cored apple, sliced thin

Spray oil in cast iron skillet.
Put in pan first four ingredients and cook til bubbling.
Lay fruit in pan in the sugar mixture in a circular pattern.

CAKE:
2 eggs
1 cup pumpkin
3 Tbsp applesauce
2 Tbsp maple syrup or molassas
1.5 cup flour
½ cup brown sugar
1.5 tsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
Cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg to taste

Mix cake ingredients together and pour over apples and cranberries in pan.
Bake 350 for 45 minutes, then cool 10 minutes.
Run knife around pan to loosen cake and invert on serving platter.
Serve with whipped cream.

[backformore]

Thanks, DeLurker. That one seems a little complicated for me. Thanks for finding it!

[Zahdii]

Since there doesn't seem to be a thread just for cakes, I'll ask here.

 

Anyone have a good recipe for mint cake filling?  I bought a birthday cake years ago for my daughter from a local store bakery, and asked for mint filling.  The woman who took my order happened to be making a specialty wedding cake with mint filling and was using a recipe supplied by the customer.  She said she'd whip up some extra and use it for my cake.  It was fantastic, and my daughter was thrilled!  But the next time we went back, that baker was gone and the bakery wouldn't make a specialty cake unless I supplied the recipe, which I didn't have.

 

My daughter wants me to try to recreate that past birthday cake at home, but so far my efforts at making a good filling have fallen flat.   What I'm looking for is something light and creamy, and minty.  Any ideas?

[DeLurker]

Thanks, DeLurker. That one seems a little complicated for me. Thanks for finding it!

I was thinking you could sub a box cake for the from scratch recipe - although I did fail to say that!  I have no idea how one would go about doing that because I don't bake much, but I am sure there are folks here who could give you a hand.

 

Zahdii - Have you tried using a stabilizer for the whip cream ?  Dr. Oetker Whip It is one although you can use some unflavored gelatin too.  I see it tucked away in the baking aisle of some of the grocery stores near me.  I'm thinking Trader Joes also carries it or a similar product.

[ethalfrida]

I think, if you make a simple syrup and then use it for the liquid in the filling you can recreate the flavor.

 

Equal parts of sugar and water and boil until sugar melts. Remove from heat and add a handful of fresh mint. Let it sit until the syrup is cool to room temperature then make whatever filling you will use. IF that fails it is not a waste because you can always make Mojitos or mint lemonade with the simple syrup.

[Zahdii]

Thanks guys!  I have a lot of ideas to try now.  I was feeling a bit out of my depth before.

[DeLurker]

Don't need a recipe, just someone to point me in the right direction to a good olive oil and balsamic vinegar for dipping bread into.  My normal ones are decent, but probably could use an upgrade for use like that.  Looked in the grocery store but the array of brands and prices made my head a bit swimmy!

 

If anyone has some recommendations, it would be much appreciated.

 

ETA: to change most to much.  Not sure why, but I normally say most appreciated.

Edited October 20, 2015 by DeLurker