Comfort Food Cottage's topics - tribe.net

How about..........

2009-11-27T13:33:01Z

A huge stockpot full of boiling water,collard greens and 2 lbs of smoked pork neck bones..........

posted in Comfort Food Cottage - 1 reply

Favorite packaged comfort food.

2009-05-28T20:04:15Z

We almost never eat packaged food in our home. It's not practical and, in most cases, also not healthy. Plus, you can never be sure what's really in there. I mean, how much guar gum do people really need? Disodium isonate? Carageenan?

Anyway, every once in awhile I do get a craving for something really easy and I start to remember things I've enjoyed over the years. Last night, for example. We had cans of stuff in our earthquake kits that get "recycled" once in awhile. I got home after being gone for my normal twelve hours (nine hours at the office and a daily three hour commute) and had a can of Dinty Moore Stew. It was delicious.

Anyone else care to talk about their favorite? Hamburger Helper? Stouffer's Lasagna? Marie Calendar's Chili & Cornbread? What's your pleasure?

posted in Comfort Food Cottage - 19 replies

coffee,coffee,coffee,

2009-04-22T16:22:07Z

and a bigggg slice of cheesecake. its been a bad day already today. sad, sad ,sad,. i`m alone. looks like i`ll be that way forever.

posted in Comfort Food Cottage - 2 replies

Holiday comfort food recipes.

2009-04-05T14:07:18Z

Okay, gang. Christmas is going to be a BIG ordeal at my home for the first time in a few years. We're cooking, baking and candlestick making... just kidding. We ARE making family album DVDs though. Anyway, I'm curious what everyone makes around the holidays to soothe spirits and warm bellies. Food that just seems to smell and taste like the holidays.

I'm really looking forward to hearing everyone's ideas and seeing some great recipes.

Love and light, dear ones.
Rev

posted in Comfort Food Cottage - 10 replies

feel better food- for my back

2009-04-04T19:21:13Z

i have strained a muscle in my lower back and am in intense pain. i always like certain comfort foods when i'm sick, like chicken noodle soup and other things. can anyone think of a special comfort food for an injury like this, maybe one with benefits that alleviate the pain or speed recovery? i'd love to hear what you guys come up with. I've already been stuck in bed with this for almost a week. Thanks in advance!

posted in Comfort Food Cottage - 2 replies

I cannot wait for the seasons to change

2008-09-12T10:59:36Z

so I can make boat-loads of my Grandma's beef stew and it it with buttered French bread.

YUM!!!

posted in Comfort Food Cottage - 2 replies

Sauce-y goodness?

2007-09-10T21:35:52Z

Okay, so we were at this pizza place, earlier this week, and I ordered a shrimp pizza. What can I say? I like seafood. Anyway, they offered a substitution of alfredo instead of the standard marinara. Wow. I mean, wow.

It got me thinking about some of my favorite comfort foods that are made, or broken, by the sauce... or gravy. My all-time favorite, of course, would be buttermilk biscuits (good by themselves) that can be turned into PERFECTION with the right country-style, sage gravy.

What sauce-y dishes do you feel are, well, mediocre without their accompaniment? I'm also very curious about ethnic variations, as well. Enchiladas without the sauce would be, uh, cheese burritos, right? Fettucine alla oleo? Heck no!

Love and light, dear ones.
Rev

posted in Comfort Food Cottage - 12 replies

birthday cake/ confetti cake?

2007-06-11T05:24:01Z

I want to know how to make this cake. It reminds me of my childhood. It's the white cake with little multicolored tasty pieces in the layering, usually with white frosting. Does anyone know what I'm talking about?

posted in Comfort Food Cottage - 2 replies

Kahlua Brownies.....Has anyone made home brewed Kahlua...Got Recipies?

2007-03-20T18:47:22Z

Makes about 2 dozen brownies
• ¾ cup (1½ sticks) unsalted butter
• 4 ounces unsweetened chocolate
• 4 large eggs
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• ¼ cup Kahlúa or other coffee-flavored liqueur
• 1¼ cups all-purpose flour
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• Confectioners’ sugar for dusting
• 1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9 × 12-inch baking pan.
2. Place the butter and chocolate in a medium microwave-safe bowl; heat in the microwave, covered, for 30 seconds at a time, stirring after each interval (about 1½ minutes total), until melted. Alternate method: Place in a bowl over (not in) a pan of boiling water removed from the heat, stirring occasionally, until melted. Set aside to cool.
3. Meanwhile, beat the eggs and sugar with an electric mixer on low speed until pale and lemon-colored. Blend in the Kahlúa and cooled chocolate mixture, beating until smooth.
Add the flour, baking powder, and salt. Beat on low speed until incorporated; increase the speed to medium and beat just until blended. Don’t overmix! Stir in the chopped nuts, if using.
4. Pour into the pan, smoothing even with a spatula. Bake in the oven for 25 to 30 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with only a few moist crumbs stuck to it. Cool in the pan before cutting into squares. Dust with confectioners’ sugar.
Homemade Kahlúa
Makes ½ gallon; allow 4 weeks to cure
4 cups sugar
2-ounce jar instant coffee crystals
Fifth of vodka
In a stockpot or 4-quart saucepan, combine the sugar and 4 cups of cold water. Bring to a boil over high heat. Add the coffee crystals a little at a time, stirring until dissolved. Lower the heat and simmer, uncovered, for about 2 hours, until syrupy. Let it cool several hours or overnight, until room temperature. Pour the cooled syrup into a clean glass gallon jug. Add the vodka and swirl gently to blend. Let it stand undisturbed in a cool, dark place for a minimum of 4 weeks.

posted in Comfort Food Cottage - 2 replies

licorice

2007-03-20T18:45:32Z

Anyone into licorice?

http://tribes.tribe.net/blacklicorice

posted in Comfort Food Cottage - 3 replies

Beef & Guinness Stew

2006-12-05T18:03:05Z

Here's one I'm going to try! But, I think I'll add some New or Yukon Gold potatos to it and cook it in the crock pot. :-)

Beef & Guinness Stew Recipe

Ingredients
2 pounds lean stewing beef
3 tablespoons oil
2 tablespoons flour
Salt and freshly ground pepper and a pinch of cayenne
2 large onions, coarsely chopped
1 large clove garlic, crushed (optional)
2 tablespoons tomato puree, dissolved in 4 tablespoons water
1-1/4 cups Guinness stout beer
2 cups carrots, cut into chunks
Sprig of thyme
Instructions
Trim the meat of any fat or gristle, cut into cubes of 2 inches (5cm) and toss them in a bowl with 1 tablespoon oil. Season the flour with salt, freshly ground pepper and a pinch or two of cayenne. Toss the meat in the mixture.
Heat the remaining oil in a wide frying pan over a high heat. Brown the meat on all sides. Add the onions, crushed garlic and tomato puree to the pan, cover and cook gently for about 5 minutes.
Transfer the contents of the pan to a casserole, and pour some of the Guinness into the frying pan. Bring to a boil and stir to dissolve the caramelized meat juices on the pan.
Pour onto the meat with the remaining Guinness; add the carrots and the thyme. Stir, taste, and add a little more salt if necessary.
Cover with the lid of the casserole and simmer very gently until the meat is tender -- 2 to 3 hours. The stew may be cooked on top of the stove or in a low oven at 300 degrees F. Taste and correct the seasoning. Scatter with lots of chopped parsley.
Yield: 6 to 8 servings

posted in Comfort Food Cottage - 15 replies

Holiday Comfort Beverages.

2006-11-30T01:01:52Z

Hot, cold or anything in between. There's always special beverages to go along with the edibles at our holiday gatherings. We've already had a recipe for eggnog, that's perfectly WONDERFUL. How about a nod to the rest of the drinking fare?

Hot toddies?
Hot chocolate?
Mulled wine?
Spiced cider?

I'll freely admit that I'm a coffe addict. I LOVE coffee and have, quite literally, been enjoying since I was seven years old (I was hyperactive as a child and the doctor recommended it to my parents, along with ritalin, which explains a lot). On any given day, for a twelve cup coffee maker I use about a cup of coffee grounds (I like it strong) and add about a quarter teaspoon of ground cinnamon. During the holidays I also add about one-eighth teaspoon of dried, ground ginger and several dashes of ground nutmeg. Just the coffee itself is DELICIOUS. However, for the perfect Christmas treat make a special creamer to go with it. Basically it's two parts half and half, one part creamy eggnog, one part vanilla creamer and one part hazelnut creamer. Sometimes, I even mix in a shot of toffee syrup, too. Add that to the spiced coffee brew and spike it with a shot of brandy and you'll be in Christmas beverage heaven!

Okay, so there's my favorite comforting holiday beverage. What's yours? Recipes, please?

posted in Comfort Food Cottage - 19 replies

Deep Fried Oreos

2006-11-29T08:40:20Z

Some of you have already seen this (but most haven't). The perfect dessert after Scotch Eggs.

1-1/4 C. All-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 Large egg
3/4 C. Milk
Vegetable oil for frying
20- -25 Oreo Cookies
Confectioners' sugar, for garnish

Combine flour, baking powder, & salt in large bowl, set aside. In small bowl, whisk together egg and milk. Combine the milk mixture with the flour mixture, stirring just until well blended. In a medium, heavy-bottomed saucepan, add enough oil to come 1/3 of the way up the sides of the pan, or about 1-1/2" deep. Heat the oil to 360-degrees. Dip cookies in batter & carefully place in hot oil (I recommend using a slotted spoon). Fry until batter is golden, about 2 minutes. Turn cookies & fry for approximately 1 minute more. Remove & place cookies on a paper towel-lined plate. Dust with confectioners' sugar and serve immediately.

posted in Comfort Food Cottage - 8 replies

My lunch.......or pre-dinner snack!

2006-09-30T20:10:18Z

You know, today was one of those days!

I've got a plate full of fresh, crisp, cold, red seedless grapes, a stack of very cold cheddar slices and a cheap B&J wine cooler!!!!! HA! Nothing better than low-class wine coolers on an 85 degree afternoon.

Just had to share my moment ;)

posted in Comfort Food Cottage - 5 replies

finger steaks...

2006-09-23T16:02:44Z

a staple of the drive ins in the northwest - even a fairly famous restaurant in boise idaho claims to be the home of...finger steaks.

thin slices of lean meat coated in a batter and deep fried. dip in horseradish sauce - MMMmmm tasty comfort food.

i had forgotten about these - but recently went to idaho and had some - gotta start making them here.

posted in Comfort Food Cottage - 0 replies

oh boy - that meat was orgasmic!!!

2006-07-05T04:42:12Z

ok over the weekend I was out at stinson beach (in the sf bay area) for a friends birthday bbq and we decided to marinate a pork tenderloin in this asian wet rub (after brineing it for a couple hours) ... let me say it turned out so wonderful it was actually orgasmic! it was fabulous to watch everyone's faces as they took their first bite and then went nuts - ENJOY!!! :)

ASIAN BARBECUE WET RUB
Makes 1/3 cup, enough for 2 tenderloins

If you don’t have Asian chile paste, substitute 1/2 teaspoon dried red chile flakes.

2 large garlic cloves, minced (about 1 tablespoon)
1 piece fresh ginger (2 inches), minced (about 2 tablespoons)
2 medium scallions, white and green parts, minced (about 3 tablespoons)
2 tablespoons light brown sugar
1 tablespoon hoisin sauce
1 tablespoon Asian sesame oil
1 teaspoon Asian chile paste
1/4 teaspoon five spice powder
1/4 teaspoon salt

Brine –
¾ cup sugar
¼ cup kosher salt

Dissolve in water and add ice cubes to bring water to room temp. Add pork and put in the fridge for at least 3 hours. Remove pork from the brine and pat dry before adding the wet rub.

posted in Comfort Food Cottage - 2 replies

Summer produce

2006-06-27T20:36:17Z

Great time of year to get out the zucchini bread and pancake recipes. Let's not even get to how many tomato recipes there are for right out of the garden pickings.
I started growing eggplant a few years ago and make a killer eggplant parmigiana. I have an eggplant in the frig now to make some, but it's just not the same as using the ones I grow.
Copp's squash casserole sounds perfect too!

posted in Comfort Food Cottage - 2 replies

Squash Casserole

2006-06-03T14:26:14Z

i made this killer casserole with fresh squash, ground meat and rice.

i used a loaf size pan, glass,
melted half a stick of butter in it,
put 1 cup of uncooked white rice in that
poured in 1 1/2 cups of water
placed a layer of fresh squash on top
layer 1 pd of browned ground beef next (which really isnt that much once its browned; drained)
and then the rest of the squash on top
cover it; i used a 9 x 13 glass cake dish turned upside down on top; but you can use foil too.
now i have a gas oven so it takes a bit longer than electric
but i cooked mine for about an 1 hour and 20 minutes on 325' and it was delish!!

season how you like, but i didnt put anything but a couple of dashes of salt after i put it in my plate and it was great.

posted in Comfort Food Cottage - 2 replies

milkshakes

2006-06-01T21:48:02Z

I've been craving milkshakes lately.

posted in Comfort Food Cottage - 11 replies

killer pudding

2006-03-06T20:53:40Z

http://www.thehumorarchives.com/humor/0001066.html

4000 calories...

I thought the fried oreo's & candy bars were bad.
Amy:-)

posted in Comfort Food Cottage - 1 reply

Snackage...

2006-03-03T05:18:39Z

I've mentioned before that I had gastric bypass surgery three years ago. It had the affect that it was supposed to, I lost fifty percent of my body weight and I've been able to maintain that, but the side-effects have been enough to make me wish I'd never had the surgery in the first place. I can't eat normal portions of ANYTHING and I find, most days, that what I do is snack all day long. Little, tiny amounts of some of my favorite things. Actually, it's made me realize that snacks can be a comfort, at times. What are your favorite comfort snacks?

Mine are as follows:
fresh avocado slices and Club crackers (the champion favorite)
nuts of all kinds
Cheez-Its (I've had all the competition and the generics. Kelloggs' Sunshine is the best.)

posted in Comfort Food Cottage - 3 replies

Double your pleasure

2006-03-01T18:35:52Z

Birthday dinner for my brother tonight and I decided to make two kind of lasagna! One veggie one italian sausage. They should be coming out of the oven anytime now. Dad's bringing bag o salad and my brother is bringing garlic bread. Yum, yum, yum.

posted in Comfort Food Cottage - 2 replies

potatoes

2006-02-25T06:12:06Z

mashed potatoes with brown gravy
fried potatoes and ketchup
baked potaoes smothered in butter, salt and pepper
potatoe skins

posted in Comfort Food Cottage - 13 replies

Chicken and dumplings

2006-02-11T21:07:49Z

My grandmom lived with us and did most of the cooking until I was old enough to help (my mom worked). She made a killer chicken and dumplings. I remember her mixing up the dough and dropping it on top of the boiling chicken stew.
I found a shortcut recipe using canned cream of chicken soup, but did it up the same way as my grandmom.
My son doesn't like it, so I don't make it. What a shame.
My grandmom made great chili and pot roast too.

posted in Comfort Food Cottage - 5 replies

Gravy?

2006-02-09T23:00:26Z

All this talk of potatoes makes me think of gravy. Do you make it from scratch or use the jarred stuff?
I do a little of both. When I do a pot roast I add a can of V8 juice and then water and seasonings. By the time it is cooked, I have a nice gravy base.
I like chicken gravy instead of turkey gravy with turkey.
I have a friend who won't eat gravy. She has everything plain.

posted in Comfort Food Cottage - 1 reply

Pajama Party?

2006-01-27T16:18:32Z

Okay. What does one serve at a non-girly pajama party?

posted in Comfort Food Cottage - 12 replies

just a yummy helloq

2006-01-26T21:31:04Z

I am new here but I gotta say that any tribe that encourages abandoning healthy eating on occasion and has recipes for rice pudding has got my vote!

And fuzzy warm slippers to you

Jenn

posted in Comfort Food Cottage - 12 replies

Rice pudding

2006-01-23T21:28:58Z

I'm a huge fan of a good rice pudding, but don't always feel up to the task of making it the traditional way. I just stumbled across a new set of recipes for an asian-style rice pudding that is fairly easy to throw together. The flavor is an interesting, but I think delicious, departure from traditional rice pudding.

Here's the recipe I cobbled together this weekend from several similar ones I found on Epicurious. It's so yummy - I'm having a warm bowl full of it right now for breakfast!

Coconut Rice Pudding

2 cups black rice (Chinese “forbidden“ rice), uncooked
1 large can (25.5 oz.) unsweetened coconut milk
1 small can sweetened condensed milk
¼ tsp. Salt
1 tsp. Vanilla
2 Tbsp. Cornstarch
1 tsp. cinnamon

In a saucepan, combine 4 cups water and 1 to 2 tsp. salt and rice. Bring to a boil and then lower heat and simmer until rice is no longer hard but still just a little bit crunchy. Drain excess water.

Add coconut milk, sweetened condensed milk, salt, vanilla and cinnamon. Add just enough water to the cornstarch to dissolve and add to the rice mixture. Simmer on low heat, uncovered and stirring frequently, until mixture begins to thicken and rice is tender and chewy. A splash of milk or half and half can be added while cooking if the liquid level becomes too low.

This recipe also works well with any type of sticky white rice and can be a great way to use up leftover rice.

posted in Comfort Food Cottage - 4 replies

Appetizers

2006-01-23T20:06:56Z

Well, the Seahawks are playing for the NFC chanpionship today and I'm thinking of finger foods to snack on during the game. Any ideas? Here are a couple of things I'm thinking of.

Last weekend my wife had a bunch of friends over for a craft day and I made them mini-calzones. I got the recipe from Kraft's Food & Family magazine. You get a can of refrigerated breadstick dough. There are 12 breadsticks in the can and you separate them and then cut them in half. Then, you take some packaged lunch meat slices and shreaded cheese. Put about a teaspoon of cheese in the middle of a lunch meat slice and fold the meat over the cheese. Make sure it's pretty tight. Then, flatten a piece of the dough and wrap it around the meat/cheese. Pinch the edges to seal. Put the little calzones on a baking sheet and sprinkle with parmesan cheese. Bake at 400 degrees until brown. These were a BIG hit! My daughter doesn't like lunch meats, so I made some with just cheese for her.

Another fav appetizer that I'm thinking of making are Mahogany Chicken Wings.

About 2 1/2 pounds of chicken wings
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup honey
1/4 cup molasses
2 tablespoons chili sauce
1 teaspoon ground ginger
2 cloves minced garlic.

Cut the chicken wings at the joints and discard the tips. Mix the other stuff together for the marinade. Marinade in the refrigerator for an hour or more. Line a broiler pan with foil. This is really important, because otherwise the pan will be a total pain in the ass to clean later. Spread the wings on the pan, brush with marinade, and cook in 375 degree oven for 30 min. Then turn, brush with marinade and cook for another 20 min. If you want, you can brush the marinade on more often. Trust me, these are GREAT!

posted in Comfort Food Cottage - 1 reply

i dropped

2006-01-22T08:12:46Z

a whole bottle of mexican vanilla bottle on the kitchen floor...

everything smells great.

i woulda been pissed - but i was watching alton brown on good eats and he said that mexican vanilla is possibly contaminated

posted in Comfort Food Cottage - 5 replies

Green Bean Casserole

2006-01-18T03:48:50Z

So we all know about the ubiquitous green bean casserole that shows up at holiday meals and other times when you just are too tired to make anything complicated.

Somehow, opening a can of green beans, a can of cream of mushroom soup, dumping them in a casserole pan and adding some milk and butter, then throwing the whole mess in the oven until you add the crunchy onions just has a comforting feel of home and good things.

Now, my question is: how do you spice yours up? Do you stick to the tried-and-true original recipe, never deviating from the Campbell's soup label? Do you add browned hamburger? Sauteed onions? Corn? What do you do to make yours unique?

posted in Comfort Food Cottage - 6 replies

Food & Books

2006-01-14T19:26:28Z

When you read a book and there's a description of a glorious meal in it, does it make you hungry? Does it make you want to go and look for the recipe for any of the dishes you were reading about? Is there a certain book that makes you hungry?

I have to say that this happens to me frequently. One example is "Scarlet Feather" by Maeve Binchy. Another one is "Pickwick Papers" by Charles Dickens. And the "Anne of Green Gables" series. (I have a wide variety of reading interests... lol...)

What about the rest of you?

(cross-posted on a couple of different tribes...)

posted in Comfort Food Cottage - 7 replies

Fried Chicken? French Fries?

2006-01-09T16:02:13Z

Do you think grease is a comfort food? I think it is, at times. We eat things that are really bad for us when we feel bad... since my favorite comfort foods tend to have grease in them... I wonder if grease can be a comfort food...

posted in Comfort Food Cottage - 3 replies

Carmel Apple Pie

2006-01-09T08:21:23Z

This sounds like it's worth a try:

Carmel Apple Pie

Pie Dough, recipe below

7 large Granny Smith or Pippin apples, peeled and cored
1 cup sugar
3 tablespoons quick-cooking tapioca
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1 tablespoon heavy cream
1 large egg

Caramel topping, recipe follows

Butter and flour a 9-inch glass pie plate. On a lightly floured surface roll the dough to a 12-inch round about 1/8-inch thick. Line the pie plate, being sure to press the dough into the bottom and up the sides without stretching. Chill 30 minutes. Roughly chop the apples into small pieces, about the size of lima beans. (The apples should measure about 9 cups chopped.) Combine with the sugar, tapioca, cinnamon, salt and lemon juice in a large bowl. Set aside until the juices begin to run, about 10 - 15 minutes. Beat together the cream and egg to make a glaze and brush over the edges and bottom of the crust. Mound the apple filling in the pie shell. It will be quite full. Roll out the remaining dough to a large round about 1/8'' thick. Place over the filling a seal the edges together by gently pressing together. Trim any excess dough with scissors and flute the edges. Brush the top with the remaining egg glaze. Using a paring knife, cut out and remove a circle the size of a quarter from the center of the top crust. Cut 5 or 6 slits in a spoke pattern beginning 1/2-inch from the center hole and ending 1/2-inch from the outside edge. Chill for 30 minutes before baking.
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Place the pie plate on a cookie sheet and bake 10 - 15 minutes, or until the top is golden brown. Reduce the heat to 300 degrees and continue baking until the juice visible in the center becomes thick and bubbly, about 1 hour (if the edges are browning too quickly, cover with aluminum foil). Meanwhile prepare the caramel topping. Spoon the hot caramel over the top of the pie to coat and return to the oven. Bake 5 minutes longer, or until the caramel sets. Cool on a rack before serving.

CARAMEL TOPPING
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons heavy cream
1/2 cup pecan halves
In a small saucepan combine brown sugar, butter and cream. Bring to a boil and cook for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the pecan halves.

PIE DOUGH
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup lard
2 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 teaspoon salt
About 1/2 cup iced water
In a large bowl combine the flour with the lard, butter and salt. Mix lightly with your fingertips until the dough forms grape-sized pieces. You should be able to see chunks of fat. Stir in the iced water. Lightly knead, handling the dough as little as possible, until the dough forms a ball. Add a little more iced water if necessary. Transfer to a plastic bag and shape into a log. Seal the bag, pressing out any air, and chill for as little as 1 hour or as long as 3 days. The pie dough can be frozen for as long as a week.

posted in Comfort Food Cottage - 3 replies

Whoo hoo!!!

2005-12-27T00:03:15Z

I got a KitchenAide food processor for Christmas! A big 12-cup with loads of attachments, including a juicer. I had a dinky one that's part of a "do everything" machine (blender, mixer, food processor, and a few other things), but it was so small I usually had to do things in several batches and the chopping was often uneven. Now, I've got this nice big sucker (that matches the "Empire Red" mixer I have). Vhroom, vhroom! I may paint flames on it like Alton Brown's mixer. :-D

I'm off to the supermarket to get stuff to chop, slice, shread, and juice. Whee!

posted in Comfort Food Cottage - 2 replies

Turkish Delight

2005-12-19T23:58:40Z

Anyone know what the "turkish delight" is that plays such a profound role in the hands of the little boy in "The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe" (the Chronicles of Narnia)?

I know it's a real kind of dessert or treat and have found modern pseudo recipes for it, but I wonder what it was originally.

posted in Comfort Food Cottage - 5 replies

Three Poblanos

2005-12-16T23:21:16Z

I just got three nice poblano's from the Farmer's Market. What should I do with them? Maybe I should grill them/roast them and throw them in some chili?

posted in Comfort Food Cottage - 3 replies

Ah, the smell is killing me

2005-12-14T03:14:23Z

In the oven right now, potato and cauliflower au gratin with caramelized onions. The entire house smells incredible.

posted in Comfort Food Cottage - 3 replies

Italy in a Pot

2005-12-12T19:53:01Z

This is in today's Seattle Times. It sounds great and I can't wait to try it. The article says that it freezes very well.

Recipe: Sandro's Ragu
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 large carrot (about ¾ cup), finely chopped
1 large stalk celery (about ¾ cup), finely chopped
½ yellow onion, finely chopped
1 pound ground beef (not extra lean)
1 pound ground pork (not extra lean)
¾ cup white wine
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper

1 can (28-ounce) crushed, pureed tomatoes
1 can (14 ½-ounce) diced, peeled tomatoes
1 dried bay leaf
½ teaspoon Hungarian paprika
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
1 tablespoon fresh parsley, finely chopped
Grated Parmesan cheese for garnish (optional)
Farfalle or any other short pasta, such as penne
1. In a medium-sized pot, heat the butter and oil on medium and add the carrots, celery and onions. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables soften, about 10 minutes. Add the ground beef and pork and begin to mix right away. Add the wine and continue to mix well.
2. Add the salt and pepper. Brown the meat and boil off some of the water. Add the tomatoes, bay leaf, paprika and pepper flakes. Turn the heat down to low and continue cooking, 40 to 50 minutes, with the lid ajar; the sauce should be at a simmer. Stir occasionally. Add the fresh parsley and stir just before turning off the heat. Crush any remaining large pieces of tomato with the back of a spoon. Taste for salt.
3. Cook the farfalle according to package directions, drain and spoon the ragu over the noodles. Sprinkle Parmesan on top, if desired.

posted in Comfort Food Cottage - 1 reply

Cornbread?

2005-12-08T22:20:35Z

What makes for good cornbread? Anyone got a kickass recipe?

posted in Comfort Food Cottage - 5 replies

Eggnog

2005-11-29T02:48:27Z

Some love it, some hate it. I'm in the love category. I've been making my own and, as with most things, it's way better than the stuff you can buy.

Beat 12 egg yolks in a pan with 1 cup sugar, or less. Add 1 qt. of milk of choice. Most recipes call for half milk and half cream. I do it with just 2% and I think it's great. (I don't know what makes it creamy, but it is!) Next, grate in about 1 teaspoon of fresh nutmeg.

Over LOW heat, gently warm the nog, stirring constantly. You want to destroy any possible bacteria in the eggs without really cooking them, so pay close attention and stir, stir, stir. Heat just until mixture begins to thicken-- it should have the consistency of heavy cream, (a little thicker if you've used cream in your recipe.) Don't over-heat or your nog will become a curdled mess!

When it has thickened, immediately remove from heat and add two cups cold milk (or milk and cream.) Pour into a cool container. Add more grated nutmeg and enjoy.

In the morning, I add this to my coffee instead of milk. In the evening I warm it slightly and add rum! Mmmm.

posted in Comfort Food Cottage - 12 replies

WHO POSTED THIS? IT's a MASTERPIECE!!!

2005-11-21T18:37:28Z

Please lets talk about it - I must make it!

Looks like cranberries, turkey, gravy, bread, mashed taters?

http://newyorkstate.tribe.net/template/pub%2Ctribes%2CViewPhoto.vm?page=2&currentoffset=7&parentid=bd48442f-0746-47eb-94e2-70b18e5d9479&sortby&rows

posted in Comfort Food Cottage - 5 replies

My all time favorite-- Sweet Potato Burritos

2005-11-18T00:12:11Z

I may have posted this before a long time ago in another tribe. I can't remember. Anyway I made these last night. It's still da bomb. When I was 16 and started making these I mistakenly used yams because I didn't know the difference. Yams worked, and I would still use them in a pinch, but sweet potatoes are much better. I made almost a whole recipe last night and then froze the leftovers. Enjoy!

INGREDIENTS:
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
6 cups canned kidney beans,
drained
2 cups water
3 tablespoons chili powder
2 teaspoons ground cumin
4 teaspoons prepared mustard 1 pinch cayenne pepper, or to
taste
3 tablespoons soy sauce
4 cups cooked and mashed
sweet potatoes
12 (10 inch) flour tortillas,
warmed
8 ounces shredded Cheddar
cheese

DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

2. Heat oil in a medium skillet, and saute onion and garlic until soft. Stir in beans, and mash. Gradually stir in water, and heat until warm. Remove from heat, and stir in the chili powder, cumin, mustard, cayenne pepper and soy sauce.

3. Divide bean mixture and mashed sweet potatoes evenly between the warm flour tortillas. Top with cheese. Fold up tortillas burrito style, and place on a baking sheet.

4. Bake for 12 minutes in the preheated oven, and serve. Add sour cream and/or salsa if you would like when serving.

posted in Comfort Food Cottage - 2 replies

Chestnuts!

2005-11-16T20:59:20Z

I fell completely in love with chestnuts while I was in Paris. I have vats of chestnut puree lying about, and use it on lots of pastries and such, but I don't know what to do with the whole nuts.

I mean, of course, there's the cutting an X in them and roasting them thing...which is awesome...but does anyone do anything else with them? I'd like to get some new ideas for ways to use this yummy food.

Thanks : ).

posted in Comfort Food Cottage - 5 replies

to a party?

2005-11-16T18:27:31Z

What would you bring to a Comfort Food party?

posted in Comfort Food Cottage - 10 replies

Thanksgiving is only a week away!

2005-11-16T18:08:40Z

What are you making?

I'm going to a potluck, and I'm bringing this dish that I saw on the cover of Cooking Light several years ago. It was so good that I actually subscribed for two years (I never seemed to read the mags, though, so I stopped). If you like sweet potatoes, but hate the marshmallowy thing, you might want to try this. I think it's amazing, and I could eat the whole dish if I were to allow myself : ).

*******************************************

Streuseled Sweet Potato Casserole

Assemble the potato mixture and sprinkle with the streusel, then freeze the casserole up to 2 weeks ahead of Thanksgiving. Thaw in refrigerator and bake as directed. Or cook just the potatoes a day ahead, mash and refrigerate and proceed with the recipe as directed (starting with the addition of half-and-half) the day you're serving the dish.
Add 1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper if you want to add a bit of heat to this sweet dish.

14 cups (1-inch) cubed peeled sweet potato (about 5 pounds)
1/2 cup half-and-half
1/2 cup maple syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 large egg, lightly beaten
Cooking spray
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup chilled butter, cut into small pieces
1/2 cup chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 375°.

Place potato in a Dutch oven, and cover with water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer 12 minutes or until tender. Drain.

Combine the half-and-half and next 4 ingredients (half-and-half through egg) in a large bowl, stirring with a whisk. Add potato to egg mixture; beat with a mixer at medium speed until smooth. Spoon potato mixture into a 13 x 9-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray.

Combine flour and sugar in a food processor; pulse to combine. Add chilled butter; pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal. Stir in pecans; sprinkle over potato mixture.

Cover and bake at 375° for 15 minutes. Uncover and bake an additional 25 minutes or until the topping is browned and the potatoes are thoroughly heated.

Yield: 18 servings (serving size: about 1/2 cup)

CALORIES 250(23% from fat); FAT 6.3g (sat 2.4g,mono 2.5g,poly 1g); PROTEIN 3.3g; CHOLESTEROL 22mg; CALCIUM 49mg; SODIUM 149mg; FIBER 2.7g; IRON 1.2mg; CARBOHYDRATE 46.1g
Cooking Light, NOVEMBER 2002

posted in Comfort Food Cottage - 6 replies

Comforting Food . . . The Book!

2005-11-16T18:06:15Z

By Judith Olney. Does anyone else love this book too? Just reading the descriptions and recipes is sometimes enough to, well, comfort me! This has been a staple in my library for almost 25 years and I still love cooking with it.

posted in Comfort Food Cottage - 2 replies

Flosted flake fried chicken?

2005-11-10T21:07:40Z

I was in the grocery store the other day (Albertson's) and they had these cool monitors installed in each of the check-out lines that faced you as you put your items on the belt. On this monitor the weather was displayed, some MISSING person alerts and this: a demo on chicken covered in frosted flakes and fried! Has anybody heard of/tried this??

posted in Comfort Food Cottage - 3 replies

Scotch Eggs

2005-11-10T07:58:06Z

I made Scotch Eggs this morning. I haven't made them for a while. I posted a pic.

Pretty easy, and very good. But, don't eat them too often - give your heart and arteries a break!

Just hard boil six eggs and (after peeling them, of course) roll them in a little flour. Then, take a package of good quality sausage and divide it into (guess what?) six equal portions. Wrap the sausage around the eggs. Dip the sausage balls in the egg and coat them in fine bread crumbs. Put them in the fridge for at least a half hour to let everything set a bit.

Cook the sausage balls in a deep fryer at 350 degrees until they are very dark (see photo). When you think they are done, cook them longer! Nothing worse than bitining into raw sausage.

posted in Comfort Food Cottage - 7 replies

Texas Caviar

2005-11-09T15:24:48Z

I can't get enough of this stuff!!!! Yum!!

Texas Caviar

1 cup olive oil, extra virgin
1/4-1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup cidar vinegar
1 cup celery, chopped
1 small onion, chopped
2/3 of 12-ounce jar jalapeno peppers, chopped
1 medium jar pimento
1 can black eyed peas, drained
1 can black beans, drained
1 can shoepeg corn, drained

Bring first 3 ingredients to a boil. Stir and set aside to cool. Rinse beans and corn.
Mix all ingredients and let set overnight.
Drain the next day.
Serve w/scoop tortilla chips.

NOTE: To make less hot, use less jalapenos or use sweet banana peppers.

Yield: 6 cups

posted in Comfort Food Cottage - 10 replies

New members!

2005-11-07T16:48:32Z

It's been a while since I noticed the number of our members. Hey! We have a bunch of new people here!

Feel free to introduce yourselves and don't be shy about sharing your comfort food (or ANY food) recipes.

The Autumn rains have started here in the Seattle area. Time to start thinking of stews and soups with warm bread and rolls. :-)

posted in Comfort Food Cottage - 6 replies

Butternut Squash Soup

2005-11-04T23:36:52Z

Cafe Flora is a very popular vegetarian restaurant here in Seatte. The owners just published a cookbook that was featured in today's newspaper. This is one of the recipes, which sounds very similar to the Spicy Pumpkin Soup I posted earlier. I haven't tried it yet, but if it's from Cafe Flora, it will be good.

CURRIED BUTTERNUT SQUASH SOUP
MAKES 9 CUPS

1 medium butternut squash (2 1/2-3 pounds)
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 large yellow onion, diced
Salt
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons minced, peeled fresh ginger
2 tablespoons curry powder
1 teaspoon cumin seeds, toasted
1/2 teaspoon coriander seeds, toasted
1 bay leaf
2 (14-ounce) cans coconut milk
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
Optional: Pinch of cayenne pepper or hot sauce
Peel the butternut squash and cut it in half. Remove the seeds, and cut into 1- to 2-inch chunks.

Heat the oil in a heavy-bottomed soup pot over medium heat. Add the onion and 1/2 teaspoon salt, and saute until the onion is soft and translucent, about 10 minutes, stirring several times. Add the garlic and ginger and cook 2 minutes more.

Add the curry powder, cumin and coriander, and saute for 15 seconds, stirring constantly. Add 4 cups of water, the butternut squash and bay leaf, and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and cook, covered, at a low boil until the squash is soft, about 20 minutes.

Remove the bay leaf and puree the soup in batches in a blender, being careful to fill the blender jar no more than halfway.

Return the pureed soup to the pot, add the coconut milk, and bring just to a boil. Take the soup off the heat, add the lime juice, and salt to taste. Add cayenne or hot sauce if you want, and serve.

posted in Comfort Food Cottage - 9 replies

Squash Recipes

2005-11-03T21:03:31Z

With all the squash in the produce department, let's share some recipes. It's odd that I like squash very much, bt don't make it all that often. This one sounds pretty interesting!

Butternut Gratin - recipe

INGREDIENTS
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 medium onions, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 apples, peeled, cored, and chopped
1 butternut squash, peeled and cubed
1/2 stick butter, melted
1 cup vegetable stock
1 teaspoon fresh gingerroot, chopped
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/3 cup Gruyere cheese, grated
4 tablespoons dry unseasoned bread crumbs
salt and black pepper to taste

1. Saute onions and garlic in the olive oil. Mix with the apples, squash, butter, stock, and spices.
2. Place the mixture in a 9-by-9-inch oiled baking dish. Top with grated cheese and breadcrumbs. Bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes. Serve warm.

Makes 4 servings as a main dish, 8 as a side.

posted in Comfort Food Cottage - 0 replies

HaPPy HaLLoWeeN!!!

2005-10-31T20:28:28Z

happy halloween eating and gorging and splurging and complete devastation of the womb-fruits candy bag to some of my favorite cats and kittens on tribe!!!

peace, love and Hey! you got peanut butter on my chocolate.....
You! got chocolate in my Peanut Butter!!!

posted in Comfort Food Cottage - 0 replies

Just in time for Halloween...

2005-10-28T16:47:06Z

or any Autumn meal. :-)

Dinner in a Pumpkin

1 pumpkin (cleaned out)
1 onion
2 lb. ground beef
1 4 oz can mushrooms
2 cups cooked rice
2 Tbs. soy sauce
1 8 oz can water chestnuts
2 Tbs. brown sugar
1 can cream of mushroom soup

Brown onion and hamburger. Add soy sauce, brown sugar and soup. Simmer for 10 min. Add rice, water chestnuts and mushrooms. Put mixture inside the cleaned pumpkin and bake 350 for 1 1/2 hours with lid on. When serving-scrape
some of the pumpkin so you get some pumpkin with the casserole.

posted in Comfort Food Cottage - 0 replies

invitation

2005-10-21T02:55:51Z

Hello!

Is pasta one of your comfort foods? Then join Pasta Addicts! :)

no need to RSVP :)

smiles - twilight

posted in Comfort Food Cottage - 0 replies

I love soup, the kids hate soup...

2005-10-20T03:04:06Z

What to do, what to do?

posted in Comfort Food Cottage - 13 replies

Fall is coming

2005-10-20T00:06:18Z

I hate cold weather and always feel a little bit sad this time of year as the air acquires that bit of crisp coolness that means summer is coming to an end. The few things that make cool weather and the approaching winter tolerable for me are the beauty of the changing leaves, and delicious comfort food.

I can already feel a craving coming on for a pork roast with a garlic, sea salt and rosemary rub, saurkraut simmered in white wine and junniper berries, and homemade spatzle with thick, rich gravy. Mmmmm.... and maybe a freshly baked apple pie for dessert.

posted in Comfort Food Cottage - 4 replies

Death of a comfort food friend.

2005-10-12T16:29:02Z

(My dad sent me this, I thought it was cute...)

Bad News:
It is with the saddest heart that I must pass on the following news:
Please join me in remembering a great icon of the entertainment community.
The Pillsbury Doughboy died yesterday of a yeast infection and trauma
complications from repeated pokes in the belly. He was 71. Doughboy was
buried in a lightly greased coffin. Dozens of celebrities turned out to pay
their respects, including Mrs. Butterworth, Hungry Jack, the California
raisins, Betty Crocker, the Hostess Twinkies, and Captain Crunch. The grave
site was piled high with flours. Aunt Jemima delivered the eulogy and
lovingly described Doughboy as a man who never knew how much he was
kneaded. Doughboy rose quickly in show business, but his later life was
filled with turnovers. He was not considered a very smart cookie, wasting
much of his dough on half-baked schemes. Despite being a little flaky at
times he was still a crusty old man and was considered a roll model for
millions. Doughboy is survived by his wife Play Dough, two children, John
Dough and Jane Dough, plus they had one in the oven. He is also survived by
his elderly dad, Pop Tart. The funeral was held at 3:50 for about 20
minutes. If this made you smile for even a brief second, please take time
to pass it on and share that smile with someone else that kneads it.

posted in Comfort Food Cottage - 2 replies

HaPPy SuNdAy to EvErYoNe

2005-10-12T12:55:26Z

how is everyones Autumn so far?

we are getting the babys room ready
we are decorating for halloween, got our pumpkins yesterday
we are painting our front door sunshine yellow

and have i been in the mood to cook!!! its time for the lentils and i got apples yesterday for apple crisp. called the local fruit market to check on the chestnuts but they arent in yet!! guess i will have to head to williams sonoma and get the jar kind in the mean while.

HAPPY AUTUMN!!!

posted in Comfort Food Cottage - 4 replies

simple burritos

2005-10-10T23:46:10Z

Today was simple burrito comfort food day:

* 1 can of Bush vegetarian baked beans, heated to boiling witih 1/2 tsp red pepper powder
* a BIG handful (read: 1/2 the package) of fresh spinach, sauteed down in a tablespoon of olive oil.
* whole wheat tortillas
* shredded cheese (the sharper, the better)

Add warm beans, spinach, and cheese on top of a hot tortilla and enjoy. Better with garlic in the spinach.

posted in Comfort Food Cottage - 1 reply

Comforting Kid Food

2005-10-10T20:41:46Z

Here's a challenge for you all...

I love comfort food, but if I'm going to cook it it needs to be something kids will eat. They are 8 and 10 and the 10 year old is rather particular to say the least. The 8 yr old likes chicken, the ten year old beef. I only do either once in a while myself. Fish is fair game.

Any thoughts?

I'm definitely giving the pumpkin soup a try.

posted in Comfort Food Cottage - 4 replies

Spicy Pumpkin Soup

2005-10-10T15:32:26Z

Yesterday was kind of a typical October day in the Pacific Northwest. Some rain, some sun, some wind - and the Fall colors coming out. It was a perfect day to try out this new recipe that's just right for Autumn! We ate it with thick, crusty bread and it was wonderful! And, very easy, too!

Spicy Pumpkin Soup:

4 Tbsp unsalted butter
2 medium yellow onions, chopped
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
2 teaspoons curry powder
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
Pinch ground cayenne pepper
3 (15 oz) cans 100 percent pumpkin
5 cups of chicken broth
2 cups of milk
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup heavy cream

1 Melt butter in a 4-quart saucepan over mediium-high heat. Add onions and garlic and cook, stirring often, until softened, about 4 minutes. Add spices and stir for a minute more.

2 Add pumpkin and 5 cups of chicken broth; blend well. Bring to a boil and reduce heat, simmer for 10 to 15 minutes.

3 Transfer soup, in batches, to a blender or food processor. Cover tightly and blend until smooth. Return soup to saucepan.

4 With the soup on low heat, add brown sugar and mix. Slowly add milk while stirring to incorporate. Add cream. Adjust seasonings to taste. If a little too spicy, add more cream to cool it down. You might want to add a teaspoon of salt.

Serve in individual bowls. Sprinkle the top of each with toasted pumpkin seeds if you'd like.

Serves 8.

posted in Comfort Food Cottage - 2 replies

Indeed, Fall IS coming! Pepper/Egg Skillet.

2005-09-28T03:20:20Z

Out in the boonies where I live, we have this funky little weekly paper. Here's a recipe that was in it today. Sounds great for a colorful Fall breakfast:

Pepper and Egg Skillet

1 teaspoon cooking oil
7 cups (5 to 6 medium) red, yellow & green bell peppers, thinly sliced
1 ½ cups thinly sliced onions
2 teaspoons minced garlic
2 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar
4 eggs

In a 10-inch nonstick omelet pan or skillet over medium heat, cook the peppers, onion, and garlic in heated oil without stirring, 3-4 minutes. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally until the vegetables are crisp tender. Stir in vinegar until evaporated.

With the back of a spoon, make 4 indentations in the vegetable mixture. Break and slip an egg into each indentation. Cover and cook over medium heat until whites are set and yolks begin to thicken, but are not hard. (3 – 4 minutes.)

posted in Comfort Food Cottage - 0 replies

Summer treats!

2005-08-23T20:59:09Z

It has sure been quiet around here. Everyone must be out enjoying the summer, or stuck in the office like me!

This time of year the produce stand by my house gets great fresh corn on the cob - and for 10 cents an ear. That's on the menu tonight, along with grilled ginger marinated prawns. I cook the corn in a steamer. I know some boil it with a little sugar and some wrap it in foil and cook it on the grill. Now that I have a grill with one of those rack-in-the-lid things, I may give the foil method a try.

And, I associate summer with deviled eggs. Anyone got a favorite deviled egg recipe out there? I add some dry mustard to the yolk mixture and put a small shrimp and tarragon leaf on top.

Enjoy the summer, my dear friends!

posted in Comfort Food Cottage - 10 replies

spaghetti in cartoccio

2005-08-08T03:13:45Z

meat sauce and bechamel
amazin white cheese (pecorino toscana)
baked in a carton (cartoccio) in the oven

tomato sauce can be substituted for meat sauce but it must have both red and white sauce

posted in Comfort Food Cottage - 1 reply

EZ short cook foil/paper wrapped recipe?

2005-08-02T02:07:16Z

Anyone got a recipe, hoping to hear some replies before I leave work today, I gotta make it for dinner tonight. Hoping for a beef & veggie tried & true recipe. I'd like one that you wrap up every thing all together in foil or parchment you know EZ clean up & prepare, yet homey & savory.

posted in Comfort Food Cottage - 7 replies

Free Chick-Fil-A on Friday if you dress like a cow!

2005-07-12T19:12:10Z

http://www.cowappreciationday.chick-fil-a.com/

posted in Comfort Food Cottage - 0 replies

July 4th Feasts?

2005-07-06T17:09:13Z

It's been pretty quiet here in the 'ol cottage.

So, what did you guys have for 4th of July fare? I made baby back ribs using Stephanie's sauce and method. I'll admit, I added a bit of green Tabasco to the sauce to give it a little extra kick. :-) QFC had some very good corn on the cob that went VERY well with the ribs. Topped it all off with a fudge-carmel torte for dessert - from the bakery.

posted in Comfort Food Cottage - 3 replies

Farewell, Old Friend

2005-06-28T04:13:45Z

Sniff, sniff. My old Weber grill died last night. I've had it for quite a few years and it has cooked a lot of great meals - including turkeys and fabulous lamb roasts. But, the fan-shaped thing that controls the lower vents corroded away while I was grilling a steak last night and I'm not sure I'll be able to replace it because the bolt and nut that holds it on are corroded, too. As is, the handles have been held together with duct tape for the last couple of years.

My wife says that she was planning to get me a new gas grill for Father's Day anyhow. She knows that I prefer charcoal, but she insists that the rest of the family get tired of waiting for the coals to heat up, or for me to run to the store because I need coals or lighter fluid. So, we are going shopping today so she can convince me that gas is better. Lots of places have them on sale. Are there any gas grill fans out there that can make recommendations? My parents gave me a gas grill a LONG time ago, but it just rusted in my back yard while I continued to use my charcoal grill.

posted in Comfort Food Cottage - 6 replies

Happy Birtheday to ME!!! Lamb roast!

2005-06-27T20:26:30Z

Though my b-day is actually tomorrow, I'll be out of town. So, I'm celebrating today (except for going out to lunch with some of my tribe friends tomorrow before I leave - YOU know who you are!).

So, for dinner, I'm making Laura's pasta salad with shrimp and bay scallops added. And, I'm making a boneless leg of lamb roast on my new grill using:

Spice Rubbed Leg of Lamb

Spice Rub:
1/4 cup Hungarian paprika
2 tablespoons light brown sugar
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons ground coriander
4 cloves garlic, smashed to a paste
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Mix all ingredients together in a small bowl.

Lamb:
1 boneless leg of lamb (7 pounds)
Spice rub
1/4 cup olive oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper

Rub lamb completely with spice rub. On a hot grill sear lamb on all sides for 4 to 5 minutes. Put lamb on rotisserie and with the cover down roast lamb for 1 1/4 to 11/2 hours for medium rare. Remove from rotisserie and let rest for 10 minutes before slicing.

posted in Comfort Food Cottage - 7 replies

Soul Food - BBQ Sauce

2005-06-27T03:11:25Z

Coca Cola BBQ Sauce

2 tbsp. butter
1 tsp. mustard
2 tsp. vinegar
1 onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 bay leaf, crumbled
2 c. catsup
16 oz. bottle Coca-Cola
1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
Salt and pepper to taste

Heat the butter in a large saucepan over medium-low heat.
Add the garlic and onions.
Cook for 5 minutes but do not "brown" them.
Add the rest of the ingredients.
Simmer, stirring occasionally for 1 hour.
Makes about 1 1/2 cups.

**I'm trying this again this afternoon :)))**

posted in Comfort Food Cottage - 21 replies

Best Pasta Salad Ever!

2005-06-20T13:40:57Z

I swear, it's so yummy I could eat the whole bowl! :) Double it up if you are making it for an outing!

1 pound Vermicelli

1 Cucumber

2 medium tomatoes (I like to use Roma - they are meatier. I usually use three or four. I've also used the grape tomatoes, which are also good.)

1 8 oz. bottle Italian dressing

1/2 jar of McCormick's Salad Supreme Seasoning (This consists of celery, sesame seeds and numerous other spices.)

Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain. Cut up tomatoes and cucumbers (I usually slice and then quarter the slices). Put pasta in large bowl, add tomatoes and cucumbers, pour dressing and then sprinkle salad seasoning on top. Refrigerate overnight (if you can wait that long) to distribute flavor. Toss and serve.

I've also added pepperoni, black olives, etc. Anything that sounds good to you! :)

If you try it, let me know what you think!

posted in Comfort Food Cottage - 12 replies

look what i found on epicurious....Persian Love Cake

2005-06-10T17:15:41Z

its sounds divine. and what better than food and love all in one!!

PERSIAN LOVE CAKE

This chiffon cake filled with rose-scented whipped cream is inspired by the aromatics found in Persian, Turkish, and Indian confections. Cardamom seeds have more flavor than the ground powder and are like little explosions of spice in the cake.

Candied rose petals
2 large egg whites
1/2 cup sugar
Petals from 2 organic roses

Cake
1 cup cake flour
14 tablespoons baker's sugar or superfine sugar, divided
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
3 large eggs, separated
6 tablespoons water
1/4 cup canola oil
1 teaspoon grated lemon peel
1/4 teaspoon whole cardamom seeds (removed from about 5 green cardamom pods)

Frosting
2 1/2 cups chilled heavy whipping cream, divided
Pinch of saffron threads

2/3 cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon rose water

2 tablespoons natural unsalted pistachios

For candied rose petals:
Whisk egg whites in small bowl until foamy. Using pastry brush, brush rose petals on both sides with egg whites; sprinkle on both sides with sugar. Dry on nonstick rack at least 6 hours or overnight.

For cake:
Preheat oven to 325°F. Butter two 8-inch-diameter cake pans with 1 1/2-inch-high sides. Line pan bottoms with parchment paper; butter parchment. Sift flour, 7 tablespoons baker's sugar, baking powder, and salt into large bowl. Whisk yolks and next 4 ingredients in small bowl until smooth. Add yolk mixture to dry ingredients; whisk until smooth. Beat egg whites in medium bowl until soft peaks form. Gradually add 7 tablespoons baker's sugar; beat until whites resemble thick marshmallow fluff. Fold whites into batter in 3 additions. Divide batter between prepared pans. Bake until cakes are golden and tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 25 minutes. Cool in pans on racks 15 minutes. Turn out onto racks, peel off parchment, and cool completely. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Wrap and store at room temperature.)

For frosting:
Combine 1/2 cup cream and saffron in small saucepan. Bring to simmer. Remove from heat; let steep 20 minutes. Chill until cold.

Beat remaining 2 cups cream, powdered sugar, and rose water in large bowl until soft peaks form; strain in saffron cream. Beat until peaks form.

Place 1 cake layer, flat side up, on platter. Spread 1 cup frosting over. Top with second cake layer, flat side down. Spread remaining frosting over top and sides of cake. Chill at least 1 hour and up to 6 hours. Garnish cake with rose petals and pistachios.

Makes 8 servings.

Bon Appétit

June 2005

posted in Comfort Food Cottage - 3 replies

Dinner for breakfast

2005-06-09T14:21:02Z

I like:

Spaghetti
Meatloaf sandwiches
Pie (in a bowl with cream poured over it)

Anyone else?
Anything else?

posted in Comfort Food Cottage - 2 replies

Breakfast for dinner

2005-06-08T20:12:47Z

I'm guilty of doing this at least once a week with my family -- like last nite. Grits & bacon just sounded so good on a stormy Seattle evening.

A little trick I've been doing for years when making grits: instead of using water, I use whole MILK! The milk gives the grits a more creamy-like taste! Also, thick sliced Maple flavored bacon is the choice in my house......

:)

posted in Comfort Food Cottage - 6 replies

bread pudding

2005-06-08T20:10:51Z

hey!

i posted this in the crock pot tribe too -- but if you have any good bread pudding recipes, throw them my way! i have an urge :)

Thanks!

posted in Comfort Food Cottage - 3 replies

Grilled Pizza

2005-05-25T20:53:37Z

This is a cross post from the Breads and Pastries tribe. But, it's too good not to share. With the weather finally clearing in the Seattle area, I'm going to give this a try - probably tonight so I can munch on grilled pizza while enjoying the season finale of Lost. :-) I'll be using the pizza stone method.

http://pizzatherapy.com/grilling.htm

posted in Comfort Food Cottage - 0 replies

Life must be grand...

2005-05-25T20:42:54Z

It's been pretty quiet here. I guess the weather is nice, life is grand, and no one needs any comforting food. Naw!! Comfort food is good ANY time, whether comfort is needed or not.

When I go to summer potlucks, I love to try all the pasta salads. Does anyone have a favorite recipe?

posted in Comfort Food Cottage - 2 replies

Hot Buttery Noodles with Peas

2005-05-19T18:10:27Z

This is my favorite all-purpose comfort food. It's super cheap and very simple, and much better for you than Top Ramen:

Cook any kind of pasta you like until al dente (I like Barilla Thin Spaghetti), but not before adding 1/2-1 Cup Frozen Peas- the amount will depend on how much pasta you're cooking.
Drain peas and pasta welll, transfer back to pan then quickly stir in a generous amount of good quality butter. Stir stir stir until butter is melted and all the noodles are coated with the rich buttery goodness.
Now here's what I do next, but you're free to add whatever you like at this point.
I drizzle the pasta with Kikkoman soysauce, and add razor-thin slices of fresh garlic (garlic powder works just as well, too) and fresh cracked pepper.

The soysauce gives the pasta the salt that it needs and also lends a nice 'meaty' flavor.

For a more well-rounded meal, I also cook and chop up a plain, vegetarian "hamburger" patty, saute some grape tomatoes and spinach, and toss them all into the pasta. Sounds odd but you'll never forget this!

posted in Comfort Food Cottage - 3 replies

Meatloaf

2005-05-17T06:15:10Z

Alright, since we're talkin' comfort food here...

What do you like to do with meatloaf? Wait, that didn't sound right...

Ok, what I mean to say is, what do you do to make meatloaf a little more interesting?

I find myself mostly cookng for my husband and step-son who cheerfully put up with my more eclectic food whims, but mostly prefer the basics. So I try to accomodate their tastes with a healthy dose of meat-and-potatos-comfort-man-food. But I like to make it a little more interesting (for my sake), if at all possible!

posted in Comfort Food Cottage - 14 replies

Soul Food - Catfish recipe

2005-05-11T19:06:15Z

I love, love, love it! I'm a HUGE catfish fan...usually fried in cornmeal. But this variation to catfish is good, too. (tried this last week with greens)

Baked Catfish Parmesan

6 Pan-dressed whole catfish or catfish fillets
2 c Dry bread crumbs
3/4 c Grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 c Parsley, chopped
1 ts Paprika
1/2 ts Oregano
1/4 ts Basil
2 ts Salt or to taste
1/2 ts Pepper
3/4 c Margarine or cooking oil
Lemon wedges

Combine bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, parsley, paprika, oregano, basil, salt and pepper. Dip Catfish in melted butter or oil and roll in crumb mixture.

Arrange in well-greased 14 by 9 by 2" baking dish. Bake in preheated 375 F. oven for 25 min. or until fish flakes easily. Cooking time will be less if using fillets. Garnish with lemon wedges.

posted in Comfort Food Cottage - 12 replies

Yukon Gold Potatoes

2005-05-11T18:53:19Z

Are these the best potatoes? I really like them for mashed potatoes and Pommes Dauphinoise...they are also good for potato salad, now that I think about it..

posted in Comfort Food Cottage - 2 replies

Baked Alaska

2005-05-09T17:20:22Z

Has anyone made this? I'm thinking of doing it for Mother's Day.

BAKED ALASKA

Cake and ice cream dessert topped with meringue -- vary
ice cream flavors for your signature dish.
________________________________________
2 quarts ice cream, softened
1 (18.25 ounce) package white
cake mix
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon almond extract 8 egg whites
1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 cup white sugar

Directions
1 Line the bottom and sides of an 8-inch round mixing
bowl or deep 8-inch square container with foil. Spread ice
cream in container, packing firmly. Cover and freeze 8
hours or until firm.
2 Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease
and flour an 8x8 inch pan.
3 Prepare cake mix with egg and almond extract. Pour
into prepared pan.
4 Bake in preheated oven according to package
instructions, until center of cake springs back when lightly touched.
5 Beat egg whites with cream of tartar, salt and sugar
until stiff peaks form.
6 Line a baking sheet with parchment or heavy brown
paper. Place cake in center. Turn molded ice cream out onto
cake. Quickly and prettily spread meringue over cake and
ice cream, all the way to paper to seal. Return to
freezer 2 hours.
7 Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).
8 Bake the Alaska on the lowest shelf, 8 to 10 minutes,
or until meringue is lightly browned. Serve at once.

posted in Comfort Food Cottage - 1 reply

Happy Cinco de Mayo, everyone!

2005-05-08T12:56:35Z

Does anyone have special plans?

My daughter has requested enchiladas for dinner. She is taking college Spanish in high school and may use that as a dual major (with communications) when she goes to college, so at least she knows the reason for the celebration. I'll probably make the enchiladas and some tacos. I know, not too exciting. But, easy and fun.

posted in Comfort Food Cottage - 3 replies

Decadence Chocolate Cake

2005-05-03T04:50:25Z

Or, otherwise known as Flourless Chocolate Cake.

An old standby the just is death by chocolate when covered by ganache, the center of a chocolate truffle, as it was made for my sons 7th birthday yesterday. Oooh, and I did it as a two layer, making it nearly impossible to NOT share a slice with a partner........ ooooh.....yummm!

posted in Comfort Food Cottage - 0 replies

Pizza and movie night

2005-05-01T13:47:57Z

I have declared tonight pizza and movie night. My wife bought "The Incredibles" and "Finding Neverland" when they first came out on DVD, but I have never watched them.

As for the pizza, we usually put water, flour and yeast in the dough cycle of the bread machine, and that's it. But, I got turned onto this bread website. http://www.thefreshloaf.com/ It has a nice article on making pizza dough. http://www.thefreshloaf.com/modules/news/article.php?storyid=21

I'm going to try this recipe tonight.

BTW, my son made the King Cake on this website and it was VERY good. He has copied the recipe for Hot-Cross Buns, and I'm waiting for those to appear.

Now, what cheeses do you guys like on your pizzas? I mean besides the Kroger or Safeway "Pizza" mix that comes in a plastic bag. ;-)

posted in Comfort Food Cottage - 1 reply

Oven Denver Omelet

2005-04-30T16:30:06Z

This is what's baking in my oven for this morning's breakfast.

Oven Denver Omelet

8 eggs
1 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt
2 cups frozen shredded hash brown potatos
1 cup diced ham
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 tablespoon dried minced onion

Beat eggs, milk and seasoned salt together in a large bowl. Stir in remaining ingredients. Pour into an 8-inch square baking dish sprayed with Pam or greased. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 45-50 minutes or until inserted knife comes out clean.

If I make this again, I might substitute frozen O'Brian potatos for the shredded ones and leave out the dried onion. I might try substituting cooked sausage for the ham, too. This recipe lends itself to lots of variations!

posted in Comfort Food Cottage - 3 replies

Enchiladas

2005-04-26T21:47:39Z

My, my! It's been quiet around here! I'm making enchiladas tonight. Some cheese and some chicken. I've never made them before. Does anyone have some tips?

posted in Comfort Food Cottage - 0 replies

Hey, Merci!

2005-04-18T20:41:43Z

What's on the dessert menu these days?

posted in Comfort Food Cottage - 0 replies

Mrs. T's Pierogies

2005-04-11T02:50:48Z

...Are my favorite comfort food. You can find em in the frozen food aisle of practically any grocery store. I see Trader's Joe's has some too, with chicken, which I have yet to try, but I'm too chicken to eat chicken.

By the way, those Nargisi Kofta's sound damn good.

posted in Comfort Food Cottage - 1 reply

Turkish Chicken Thighs

2005-04-09T16:44:46Z

I made this on Sunday with the idea that I'd make lots and have leftovers. Sadly, there were no leftovers!

The recipe calls for lemon juice, but I used sumac. I bought a big bag of it for another recipe and I'm trying to find ways to use it. If you don't know what it is, sumac tangy stuff that looks like dark maroon salt. You can get it at Middle Eastern stores. I happen to have a Middle Eastern deli a few block from where I work. :-) It's used a lot in Middle Eastern cooking, but in the U.S. lemon juice is usually substituted. Also, I used thighs and legs. And, I couldn't find dried mint, so I used fresh and increased the amount.

Turkish Chicken Thighs

8 bone-in chicken thighs (about 3 ½ pounds) with skin removed
1 tablespoon lemon juice or 2 teaspoons sumac
1 cup low-fat plain yogurt
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
2 teaspoons hot paprika
(or 2 teaspoons sweet paprika and ¼ teaspoon cayenne)
1 ½ teaspoons dried mint
½ teaspoon salt

Put chicken in a large bowl or sealable plastic bag. Add lemon juice or sumac and toss to coat. Whisk together yogurt, garlic, ginger, paprika, mint and salt and add to chicken. Refrigerate for 1–24 hours.

Position rack in upper third of oven; preheat broiler. Remove chicken from marinade. Place on broiler rack and broil until browned (about 15 min.). Reduce oven temperature to 400 F and bake about 15 minutes longer. Serve immediately.

posted in Comfort Food Cottage - 1 reply

Best birthday dinner ever

2005-04-07T15:18:17Z

Yesterday was my first annual 29th birthday, and my mommy made macaroni and cheese fom scratch! Baked and perfect. That's what I call comfort food!

What was your best brithdat meal?

posted in Comfort Food Cottage - 5 replies

Leek Rings

2005-04-06T02:57:04Z

Tonight I came home to the most wonderful smell, though I couldn't place it. In the kitchen, I found my son making leek rings. He's a big Alton Brown fan (Food Network) and this was a recipe on one of the shows. I tried one, and then another, and then another, and... well, you get the idea. I had to send my son to the store for more leeks. They are like onion rings only better. Instead of taking a bite and having a slimey onion slip out of the coating, you just pop the little bite-sized buggers in your mouth and enjoy!

3 quarts oil (peanut, vegetable, or canola)
12 ounces leeks, cleaned and trimmed of dark green parts
1 1/2 cups milk
1 large egg
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus additional for seasoning

Preheat the oil in a heavy 5-quart pot over medium-high heat to 375 degrees F.
Slice the leeks into 1/2-inch wide rings, separating them 2 layers at a time.

In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the milk and the egg. In another medium mixing bowl, combine the flour and salt. Divide the flour into 2 separate, shallow dishes and place the milk and egg mixture in a third. Going 1 small handful at a time, dip the rings first into the first flour mixture, then into the milk and egg, and then into the second flour mixture. Working in batches, fry the rings for 1 to 1 1/2 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove the rings to a cooling rack set inside a half sheet pan and allow to drain for 2 to 3 minutes before serving. Season with additional salt, if desired.

posted in Comfort Food Cottage - 0 replies

Trailer Park Stir Fry

2005-04-04T01:00:15Z

Central Market on Aurora has fried tofu squares that are really good, so I used them with ground beef (cooked ahead a bit with lots of minced garlic ), fresh carrots and zucchini, and a bit of soy sauce.

It's really good with some ketchup drizzled on top.

posted in Comfort Food Cottage - 1 reply

Ham Bone

2005-04-03T22:56:48Z

Ok, members! I need your input. I have a BIG ham bone left over. I am soliciting ideas for what to do with it. What do you think?

posted in Comfort Food Cottage - 4 replies

New Casserole

2005-04-02T05:01:35Z

I stumbled onto this one today. I'm certainly going to give it a try!

Basil Lamb Casserole Recipe

This basil lamb casserole is a flavorful twist on your hamburger and macaroni standard. Ground lamb substitutes hamburger, Parmesan cheese substitutes cheddar, and basil is the added touch that brings the dish together.

1 Tbsp of olive oil
1 yellow onion, chopped
2 lbs ground lamb
1/2 cup fresh mint leaves
1 cup fresh basil leaves
1 cup grated fresh Parmesan cheese
1 large can of chopped tomatoes
3 cups of macaroni (uncooked) either wheat or quinoa
Salt and pepper

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F.
In a large sauté pan, cook onions and ground lamb in olive oil, on medium high heat, stirring frequently, until onions are translucent and meat is cooked through. While cooking, season with salt & pepper. Set aside.
Boil a couple of quarts of water in a large saucepan, add a teaspoon of salt. Add macaroni, reduce heat to simmer. Cook until al dente – firm, not soft.
In a large casserole dish, lay down layers of the meat, tomatoes, macaroni, basil & mint leaves, and Parmesan. Top with Parmesan. Cook in oven for 25-30 min.

posted in Comfort Food Cottage - 3 replies

Nargisi Koftas

2005-04-02T04:34:40Z

Ok, this is NOT comfort food! But it's great.

Nargisi Koftas

1 ¼ lbs. ground lamb
¼ tsp ground cloves
¼ tsp cayenne pepper
1/8 tsp ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp ground mace
1/8 tsp freshly ground pepper
1 ½ tsp ground cumin
1 ½ tsp salt
8 TBL plain yogurt
2 TBL finely chopped cilantro
2 med onions coarsely chopped
3 cloves garlic coarsely chopped
1-inch cube fresh ginger peeled and coarsely chopped
4 hard boiled eggs
6 TBL vegetable oil or ghee
6 lightly crushed cardamom pods
2 bay leaves
2 whole dried hot red peppers
½ tsp turmeric
2 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp paprika
2 TBL tomato sauce

Make sure lamb is VERY finely ground. [I usually run it in a food processor for good measure] In a large bowl, combine lamb, cloves, cayenne, cinnamon, mace, pepper, ½ tsp of the cumin, 1 tsp of the salt, 2 TBL of the yogurt, and the cilantro. Mix well, cover and leave aside.

Put onion, garlic, ginger and 6 TBL of water into a blender or food processor and blend to a smooth paste. Divide lamb mixture into four portions and wrap each around an egg, covering it well.

Heat oil or ghee in 10-12 inch skillet over medium-high heat. Put in cardamom, bay leaves and red peppers. Stir for a few seconds. Carefully, add meatballs and brown them. They may not brown evenly, but that’s ok. Lift them out with a slotted spoon and set aside.

To the same oil, add paste. Careful, it may spatter! Stir-fry for about 10 minutes. Turn heat to medium and add 1tsp cumin and the turmeric. Stir-fry for about a minute. Add 1 TBL yogurt and blend in for ½ minute. Add remaining yogurt that way until all has been added. Put in ½ tsp salt, paprika, tomato sauce and ¾ cup water. Bring to boil, cover and simmer gently for 10 minutes.

Add meat balls. Cover and simmer gently for ½ hour. Turn meatballs every 7-8 minutes and spoon sauce over them.

When finished, cut meatballs in half and spoon sauce over them. Serve with basmati rice.

posted in Comfort Food Cottage - 2 replies

Easter Eggs - advanced palnning.

2005-03-31T01:09:47Z

We haven't dyed Easter (or Ostara) eggs for a while, but should my wife decide we need to do a family activity this weekend, that' probably what's in store for us.

So, for those of you who do the egg thing, what do you do with the eggs? Just eat them plain, or do you do something special with them? I like to make Scotch Eggs, which are hard boiled eggs wrapped in sausage. If I want to be more exotic, I make an East Indian dish with them. I think it's called Kofta Nargasi. You take ground and spiced lamb, wrap that around the eggs so you get big meatballs with an eggs in the center, and then cook them in a heavily flavored sauce. Some website I saw suggested making pickled eggs. I've never eated a pickled egg, no less made one. I've seen them in bars, and they haven't looked to appetizing to me.

So what do you guys do?

posted in Comfort Food Cottage - 8 replies

Trashy Pasta Salad

2005-03-31T00:50:20Z

I'm calling it "trashy" because, well, it's not very sophisticated. It always gets devoured whenever I bring it to potlucks, though, and all the ingredients are CHEAP. I got the recipe from a supermarket deli many years ago in Michigan. You can substitute just about anything in this, and vary the quantities to suit your tastes.

Trashy Pasta Salad

1 pound dried pasta (I use spaghetti broken into thirds, but you can use any kind of pasta--multicolored spirals make it festive)
Half of a 16 oz. bottle of Kraft Zesty Italian dressing (shake well)
Three or four cloves of garlic, chopped
Three or four green onions, chopped
Half of a large green pepper, chopped
Two or three Roma tomatoes, chopped
Seasoning salt, to taste*
Cracked pepper, to taste
A few pinches of sea salt or kosher salt, to taste (optional)
Freshly grated parmesan cheese, to taste (optional)

Cook the pasta until al dente, drain and run cold water through it to cool (alternatively you could cool it in the fridge). Mix in all the other ingredients--start with less of the salad dressing and add more as needed. Adjust seasonings to taste.

* Note on seasoning salt: I use Johnny's, which is one of the few brands left that still contains MSG. It doesn't bother me and I like the flavor. If you are sensitive to MSG (or if you're making it for others who might be), you can use Lawry's, which no longer contains MSG.

posted in Comfort Food Cottage - 1 reply