I Need a Recipe!

[KnoxForPres]

I need a wonderful pot roast with veggies. I know the internet has a million but I want a really good one!

I’ve never cared for it but a recent widow who is going blind and is special to me loves it. I didn’t grow up with a mom who made one so if any of you have one please let me know and thank you!  

[Mittengirl]

I stopped at Wendy’s for dinner and had their Big Bacon Cheddar Cheeseburger tonight and it has bacon jam on it.  OMG, how have I lived this long before tasting it!  Anyone have a tried and true bacon jam recipe?

[Bastet]

1 hour ago, Mittengirl said:

Anyone have a tried and true bacon jam recipe?

I've only ever made a basic bacon, onion, vinegar (balsamic), and sugar (brown) recipe, but I'm curious to hear what bonus ingredients others chime in with.  I've heard coffee is a nice addition, but I hate coffee so I never have any on hand even to add just a touch of.

I can't help with pot roast, as I wouldn't eat it with someone else's mouth.  Yet it's my mom's death row meal; I sometimes suspect a mix-up at the hospital.

[chessiegal]

13 hours ago, KnoxForPres said:

I need a wonderful pot roast with veggies. I know the internet has a million

I don't make it often, but if you have a Trader Joe's near by, they sell a cabernet marinated pot roast. Just throw in some carrots, potatoes, and onions, slow cook or roast, and you're good to go. My stepdaughter made it for us once, and it was so good. It's pricey, but I've found it to be consistently good. Now I feel the need to go to TJ's.

[KnoxForPres]

On 10/8/2021 at 12:00 PM, chessiegal said:

I don't make it often, but if you have a Trader Joe's near by, they sell a cabernet marinated pot roast. Just throw in some carrots, potatoes, and onions, slow cook or roast, and you're good to go. My stepdaughter made it for us once, and it was so good. It's pricey, but I've found it to be consistently good. Now I feel the need to go to TJ's.

Thank you so much!  And in Sept we got a   Trader Joe’s!  What are the odds!  Thank you!

[larapu2000]

On 10/7/2021 at 9:58 PM, KnoxForPres said:

I need a wonderful pot roast with veggies. I know the internet has a million but I want a really good one!

I’ve never cared for it but a recent widow who is going blind and is special to me loves it. I didn’t grow up with a mom who made one so if any of you have one please let me know and thank you!  

Ina Garten.  Start there.  She's always solid.  

[annzeepark914]

Whenever we go to the Tomato Cafe in the Mid-Hudson Valley, I order a steak. It comes with a delicious dip and I can't seem to re-create it. It's like mayo and maybe Dijon and a bit of horseradish??? But when I mix these things, it always tastes weird. I should've asked the waiter (sometimes they tell you, sometimes they don't). Now we won't be back until maybe next spring. Anyone know how to make something like this? It's great when I dip pieces of steak into it💓.

[MargeGunderson]

Could it be sour cream instead of mayo? Horseradish sauce is often served with prime rib. here’s a recipe from Alton Brown but there are other versions.

[annzeepark914]

5 hours ago, MargeGunderson said:

Could it be sour cream instead of mayo? Horseradish sauce is often served with prime rib. here’s a recipe from Alton Brown but there are other versions.

Thanks! I've tried a combination similar to this but it wasn't the same taste as the cafe's. I wonder if my horseradish was too strong (or the sour cream not the right brand).  Maybe I'll call the cafe. It shouldn't be a secret recipe for just a dip, right? 

[Leeds]

On 10/7/2021 at 6:58 PM, KnoxForPres said:

I need a wonderful pot roast with veggies. I know the internet has a million but I want a really good one!

I’ve never cared for it but a recent widow who is going blind and is special to me loves it. I didn’t grow up with a mom who made one so if any of you have one please let me know and thank you!  

That's very kind of you.

This link is to a recipe very similar to what I make - quite a lot of ingredients so a little time-consuming, but totally worth the effort according to me, my family, and friends.  (I put myself first since I'm the one making it!)

https://www.seriouseats.com/jewish-braised-brisket-recipe

[isalicat]

I have a generous amount of smoked salmon (still sealed and in the refrigerator) and need to make two different appetizers for a Christmas dinner. Of course I can put some on top of cream cheese (mixed with chives or onion) on top of some interesting kind of crackers, but if any of you have any other ideas, please let me know. There is plenty of time to go get ingredients!

[Mondrianyone]

Make a dip! My mom had a good one, but I never got her recipe. You can't really go wrong with Ina, though. And then hire armed security to keep me from eating the whole bowl.

[isalicat]

On 12/15/2021 at 12:05 PM, Mondrianyone said:

Make a dip! My mom had a good one, but I never got her recipe. You can't really go wrong with Ina, though. And then hire armed security to keep me from eating the whole bowl.

This looks delicious, thank you! However if I do this, what else? I was hoping someone might know of something not involving cream cheese - maybe some other kind of cheese? I had offered to make a smoked salmon frittata but after consultation with the hostess it appears she has a plethora of main and side courses and needs more appetizers.

[coppersin]

On 12/15/2021 at 1:50 PM, isalicat said:

I have a generous amount of smoked salmon (still sealed and in the refrigerator) and need to make two different appetizers for a Christmas dinner. Of course I can put some on top of cream cheese (mixed with chives or onion) on top of some interesting kind of crackers, but if any of you have any other ideas, please let me know. There is plenty of time to go get ingredients!

If you're willing to do some last-minute prep instead of make-ahead, blinis would be yummy.

[isalicat]

On 12/17/2021 at 8:09 AM, coppersin said:

If you're willing to do some last-minute prep instead of make-ahead, blinis would be yummy.

This is a great idea! I also thought of mini tacos or quesadillas with corn tortillas, sour cream, chopped chives, chopped smoked salmon and a bit of spicy salsa on top...does that sound appetizing?

[chessiegal]

9 minutes ago, isalicat said:

This is a great idea! I also thought of mini tacos or quesadillas with corn tortillas, sour cream, chopped chives, chopped smoked salmon and a bit of spicy salsa on top...does that sound appetizing?

Yes, please. 🙂

[Leeds]

On 12/15/2021 at 11:50 AM, isalicat said:

I have a generous amount of smoked salmon (still sealed and in the refrigerator) and need to make two different appetizers for a Christmas dinner. Of course I can put some on top of cream cheese (mixed with chives or onion) on top of some interesting kind of crackers, but if any of you have any other ideas, please let me know. There is plenty of time to go get ingredients!

I find the problem with a soft cheese like cream cheese on crackers is that the crackers get soft quickly.  Having said that, I'd never say no to a platter with them (and the salmon) presented separately.  That also allows those weirdos who don't like fish to work around it.

Room temperature smoked salmon with options of Pumpernickel bread or crackers, cornichons, capers and very thinly sliced onions could also be a way to go. 

[annzeepark914]

Those mini quesadillas^^^^sound wonderful!! The filling could be ground beef with a bit of taco sauce mixed in. You out can make them your own.

[isalicat]

On 12/24/2021 at 4:14 PM, annzeepark914 said:

Those mini quesadillas^^^^sound wonderful!! The filling could be ground beef with a bit of taco sauce mixed in. You out can make them your own.

I did wind up making these, with smoked salmon and some medium salsa on the inside and monterey jack cheese melted on the outside. As I used fresh corn tortillas, instead intelligently getting already crispy baked ones, the whole thing sorta disintegrated into a casserole in the baking pan, but was pronounced entirely delicious by everyone at the dinner.

[chessiegal]

Every now and again, my main grocery store (local chain) has "Freebie Friday". Last one was for Eckhart smoked sausage. I'm not sure what to do with it. I found a recipe for sausage, bell peppers, and onions. Anyone have any suggestions?

[isalicat]

1 hour ago, chessiegal said:

Every now and again, my main grocery store (local chain) has "Freebie Friday". Last one was for Eckhart smoked sausage. I'm not sure what to do with it. I found a recipe for sausage, bell peppers, and onions. Anyone have any suggestions?

I would probably make scalloped potatoes and layer the sausage in with the potatoes for a hearty main course. Throw some onions in too, of course :)

[MargeGunderson]

I recently made this potato cabbage casserole but added kielbasa. It was pretty good (I may have put in extra cheese too).

[Gramto6]

5 hours ago, MargeGunderson said:

I recently made this potato cabbage casserole but added kielbasa. It was pretty good (I may have put in extra cheese too).

That looks delicious!! I am going to have to try that!

[Bastet]

7 hours ago, chessiegal said:

Last one was for Eckhart smoked sausage. I'm not sure what to do with it. I found a recipe for sausage, bell peppers, and onions. Anyone have any suggestions?

Sausage and peppers (or zucchini) is good, and the sausage would also be good with kale in a soup, or with pasta and some sort of creamy, cheesy sauce - a cajun/creole alfredo sauce would be especially good.  Or with broccoli and cauliflower instead of pasta.  Jambalaya, if you want something with rice.

(There are lots of things you could do with potatoes or beans, too, but I hate both those things, so the above is where my mind goes.)

[Anela]

I've seen two recipes for making risotto with pearl barley, but they aren't for the instant pot. I was wondering if anyone had tried to make it with barley, but I'll google.

[BooksRule]

I love salads and can eat a big bowl of green salad every day.  But, I'm trying to cut back on processed foods as much as I can, so I'm looking for some good healthy (and fairly low calorie) recipes for salad dressing so I can avoid buying bottled.  I'm not a huge fan of olive oil, so I probably won't try any recipes with that ingredient at first (it's been years since I tried olive oil, so maybe my tastes have changed and I would like it). 

So maybe some good vinaigrette (balsamic? raspberry?) recipes.  I also like creamy dressings and am looking for some that have Greek yogurt as the creamy part (because of high calorie/fat in mayo).  I do have one recipe that calls for Greek yogurt, Dijon or grainy mustard, and white wine vinegar, along with some seasonings that sounds good. 

Any suggestions? 

Edited April 7, 2022 by BooksRule
typo

[Bastet]

I eat a side salad with every dinner, and sometimes have a Big Salad (TM Elaine Benes) for lunch, so I make a lot of different dressings.  You really only need to look at recipes to learn ratios as you get going; other than that, it comes down to what flavor combinations you like and work best with the salad ingredients (and the dish it's accompanying if a side salad).

I hope you like other oils than olive, because vinaigrette is more oil than vinegar.  Most use olive oil, but just use what you like that isn't an overwhelming flavor.  I make balsamic vinaigrette the most, but also a lot of lemon vinaigrette, chili-lime vinaigrette, etc.

For creamy, some of my favorites are old school offerings like green goddess, caesar, and ranch, but there are so many flavor combinations possible (just like with vinaigrette).  I make them with mayo/sour cream combos (regular mayo/fat-free sour cream), but you could easily use yogurt instead.

There are also quite a few creamy vinaigrette dressings that combine the two -- a basic vinaigrette with a creamy ingredient (mayo, sour cream, yogurt, whipped feta, what have you) added to the base.

[Anela]

On 4/7/2022 at 7:58 PM, BooksRule said:

I love salads and can eat a big bowl of green salad every day.  But, I'm trying to cut back on processed foods as much as I can, so I'm looking for some good healthy (and fairly low calorie) recipes for salad dressing so I can avoid buying bottled.  I'm not a huge fan of olive oil, so I probably won't try any recipes with that ingredient at first (it's been years since I tried olive oil, so maybe my tastes have changed and I would like it). 

So maybe some good vinaigrette (balsamic? raspberry?) recipes.  I also like creamy dressings and am looking for some that have Greek yogurt as the creamy part (because of high calorie/fat in mayo).  I do have one recipe that calls for Greek yogurt, Dijon or grainy mustard, and white wine vinegar, along with some seasonings that sounds good. 

Any suggestions? 

I sometimes make an oil-free dressing that contains Tahini. One of the health food stores used to sell something similar, before the pandemic, so I didn't always have to make it. This is one that I tried, but I don't like mustard. I could eat it, if I included feta cheese, for some reason. https://www.blenderbabes.com/lifestyle-diet/dairy-free/kimberly-snyder-creamy-dijon-tahini-dressing/

The one I make, is a mixture of tahini, apple cider vinegar, garlic, almond butter, water, low-sodium tamari. 

[chessiegal]

I picked up my second CSA basket today (from a friend because I couldn't get there yesterday). It has 6 huge heirloom tomatoes, lots of yellow squash, cherry tomatoes, tomatillos, some red onions, green peppers, and an eggplant. I noticed that my friend had a recipe for tomato pie printed out on her counter. I'm thinking of making a batch of ratatouille, figuring I can freeze it into portions. Not sure what to do with the rest of it. I'll probably end up freezing some of it. 

[Trini]

24 minutes ago, chessiegal said:

I picked up my second CSA basket today (from a friend because I couldn't get there yesterday). It has 6 huge heirloom tomatoes, lots of yellow squash, cherry tomatoes, tomatillos, some red onions, green peppers, and an eggplant. I noticed that my friend had a recipe for tomato pie printed out on her counter. I'm thinking of making a batch of ratatouille, figuring I can freeze it into portions. Not sure what to do with the rest of it. I'll probably end up freezing some of it. 

Salsa?

[larapu2000]

The tomatillos would make amazing enchiladas, especially right now if you can find Hatch chiles in your supermarket.  

[annzeepark914]

I don't exactly need a recipe but I do need advice. I've copied several recipes for Mexican Street Corn Pasta Salad & they call for cotija. Someone described cotija as being like feta, a bit salty. I'm not a fan of feta. Is there another Mexican cheese that's maybe a bit creamier, less salty?

[Trini]

Queso fresco, maybe? If that's available in your area.

[Bastet]

I love cotija, and all the usual substitutes will have a similar salt content.  To change that profile yet still complement street corn, I'd second the recommendation to go with queso fresco.

[larapu2000]

Agree with others here that Queso Fresco is your best bet.  Sometimes it is challenging to find at your store, depending on where they store it!  Here's a few tips:

-If your store has a very fancy charcuterie area, it's not going to be there, but the associates there would likely know where it is!

-Look in the refrigerated sections next to the shredded and block cheese, sometimes there is also a queso section that grocers will place queso fresco next to.  At my store, the QF is like 2 reefer units down from the shredded cheese options.  

[Leeds]

On 8/22/2022 at 11:10 AM, larapu2000 said:

-Look in the refrigerated sections next to the shredded and block cheese, sometimes there is also a queso section that grocers will place queso fresco next to.  At my store, the QF is like 2 reefer units down from the shredded cheese options.  

So I should have a couple of joints with me to make it to the right spot?  I hate that shopping has become so stressful.

[larapu2000]

On 8/24/2022 at 7:12 PM, Leeds said:

So I should have a couple of joints with me to make it to the right spot?  I hate that shopping has become so stressful.

I prefer edibles because of the smell and mess, but you do you, boo.

[annzeepark914]

I just made Jessica Seinfeld's "Sweet & Sticky Pork Ribs" and I wish they were stickier. I grilled slices of a pork tenderloin in her marinade. It just reminded me of other previous, disappointing (to me) marinades. How can I get it stickier? Use more honey? It seems to thin as it melts. There have been other recipes I've made that I wished were more sticky.

[BooksRule]

I'm going to cook a belated St. Patrick's Day dinner either tomorrow or Sunday.  I plan to put a corned beef brisket to cook in the slow cooker, but I also want to try my hand at boxty.  Have any of you ever made these and if so, do you have any tips?  I've found recipes online and they look pretty easy (and I love anything potato-y), but there might be some tweaks that would make them better. 

[SuprSuprElevated]

2 hours ago, BooksRule said:

I'm going to cook a belated St. Patrick's Day dinner either tomorrow or Sunday.  I plan to put a corned beef brisket to cook in the slow cooker, but I also want to try my hand at boxty.  Have any of you ever made these and if so, do you have any tips?  I've found recipes online and they look pretty easy (and I love anything potato-y), but there might be some tweaks that would make them better. 

Must admit that I've not heard of boxty, so I'm no help. Now I'm off to find out!

Edit - okay, I'm familiar with potato pancakes, but have honestly never heard of them referred to as boxty.  Still no help as I haven't made them.

Good luck!

 

Edited March 18, 2023 by SuprSuprElevated

[EtheltoTillie]

I never heard of boxty, and I looked them up.  Seems slightly different from potato latkes, which I've made a million times.  Latkes have grated raw potato and onions, not cooked potato.  Still I can't imagine  you could go wrong with any version of this kind of peasant cooking dish.  Let us know how it turns out.  One tweak for latkes is that you squeeze out excess moisture and let the batter chill for a while before frying.  Like any pancake recipe the first one takes  much longer to brown as the oil isn't hot enough yet. 

On the corned beef and cabbage front, the deli in our office building makes it every St. Patrick's Day, and I had it yesterday.  Delish!

I made a soda bread, which came out pretty good. 

Edited March 18, 2023 by EtheltoTillie

[annzeepark914]

14 hours ago, EtheltoTillie said:

I never heard of boxty, and I looked them up.  Seems slightly different from potato latkes, which I've made a million times.  Latkes have grated raw potato and onions, not cooked potato.  Still I can't imagine  you could go wrong with any version of this kind of peasant cooking dish.  Let us know how it turns out.  One tweak for latkes is that you squeeze out excess moisture and let the batter chill for a while before frying.  Like any pancake recipe the first one takes  much longer to brown as the oil isn't hot enough yet.

But don't the potatoes turn pink as they're chilling? Do you add chopped onions to them? I've heard that onions can hold off the pink for a while. I love to eat latkes but not make them 😎.

[EtheltoTillie]

6 minutes ago, annzeepark914 said:

But don't the potatoes turn pink as they're chilling? Do you add chopped onions to them? I've heard that onions can hold off the pink for a while. I love to eat latkes but not make them 😎.

The potatoes would darken if left for a long time, but I don't leave them a long time.  I add all the ingredients, including the egg and the onions, and cover with plastic wrap and chill for a short while, maybe a half hour or so.  Some people make latkes without onions, but they're heathens as far as I'm concerned. 

[BooksRule]

Well, I made a batch of Boxty, and I wasn't impressed.  I'm going to stick with latkes.  I don't know if it was the mashed potato or the flour (it seemed to call for more flour than I thought it should), but they were very 'pancake-y' in the middle.  I like latkes because they are usually crispier.  The only change I made to the recipe was that I added some finely chopped yellow onion (instead of putting some green onion as a garnish). I did eat the crispy edge, though, those were fine.

On the other hand, the corned beef brisket that I cooked for 8 hours on low in the slow cooker was yummy.  Fork tender and melt in your mouth.  I plan to turn most of the leftovers into hash (with potato and onion) later this week.

[Leeds]

On 3/18/2023 at 5:25 PM, annzeepark914 said:

But don't the potatoes turn pink as they're chilling? Do you add chopped onions to them? I've heard that onions can hold off the pink for a while. I love to eat latkes but not make them 😎.

I used to host a Hanukkah party every year.  I don't like latkes that have been kept warm in the oven, so I would just stay in the kitchen with three pans going, and guests would come in and out to socialize, help take out the latkes, and get first pick.  I'd shred the potatoes in advance and rinse them well, then dry them, add minced onions, and season.  This meant the raw potatoes didn't turn pink and resulted in super crisp latkes.

Edited April 4, 2023 by Leeds

[JTMacc99]

I was galivanting around Nashville this past weekend, and one of the stops my friends wanted to make was to get the standard Nashville Hot Chicken sandwich for lunch on Saturday. I had already done this the first time I was down there, so I got it out of my system previously, but I certainly wasn't against a spicy chicken sandwich.

And as it turned out, I forgot how much I like that particular style of hot chicken. I just took a quick spin of the Nashville hot sauce recipes on the internet, and I think I'll be giving this one a try.  My gut says that 3 TB of cayenne seems like a lot, but there are comments saying "I like it hot, so I'm doubling or tripling the cayenne". So I guess I'll go with the recipe as written and adjust going forward.

 

INGREDIENTS

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter , clarified preferred
• 3 tablespoons cayenne pepper , more or less to taste
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons coarse kosher salt
• 2 teaspoons ground black pepper
• 2 teaspoons garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1 tablespoon honey , optional

INSTRUCTIONS

• Combine the butter, cayenne pepper, brown sugar, salt, pepper, garlic powder, paprika and honey in a heavy bottom saucepan. Stir over low heat until combined. Mixture will not be smooth.

[EtheltoTillie]

On 4/25/2023 at 2:09 PM, JTMacc99 said:

I was galivanting around Nashville this past weekend, and one of the stops my friends wanted to make was to get the standard Nashville Hot Chicken sandwich for lunch on Saturday. I had already done this the first time I was down there, so I got it out of my system previously, but I certainly wasn't against a spicy chicken sandwich.

And as it turned out, I forgot how much I like that particular style of hot chicken. I just took a quick spin of the Nashville hot sauce recipes on the internet, and I think I'll be giving this one a try.  My gut says that 3 TB of cayenne seems like a lot, but there are comments saying "I like it hot, so I'm doubling or tripling the cayenne". So I guess I'll go with the recipe as written and adjust going forward.

 

INGREDIENTS

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter , clarified preferred
• 3 tablespoons cayenne pepper , more or less to taste
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons coarse kosher salt
• 2 teaspoons ground black pepper
• 2 teaspoons garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1 tablespoon honey , optional

INSTRUCTIONS

• Combine the butter, cayenne pepper, brown sugar, salt, pepper, garlic powder, paprika and honey in a heavy bottom saucepan. Stir over low heat until combined. Mixture will not be smooth.

I'm not familiar with this type of sandwich.  Is it a fried chicken breast?

[JTMacc99]

44 minutes ago, EtheltoTillie said:

I'm not familiar with this type of sandwich.  Is it a fried chicken breast?

Generally speaking, yes.  I ordered my chicken as grilled, but it is a fried chicken sandwich with this style of hot sauce.  Some of them are VERY hot.

I did make this recipe I posted, and it is way too hot. I'm going to try a different one next time rather than just dialing down the cayenne. I'm sure that if I try a couple different ones, I'll find something I'll like.

 

[EtheltoTillie]

Wow, 3 TBS cayenne does seem like a lot!

[JTMacc99]

1 hour ago, EtheltoTillie said:

Wow, 3 TBS cayenne does seem like a lot!

I used 2. Still very hot. 

It ended up being more brown than bright red which I expected. It's possible I need fresh cayenne.