Any Culinary Artists?

[Spec A!]

Forgot to mention the cool thing about cooking a whole chicken is chances are you won' eat the entire thing in one night. The left overs go great on salads or thrown in a stir fry.

Also- you can do everything above with boneless skinless breasts too.

[Spec A!]

I am very excited to start trying some of these recipes. Problem now is... girlfriend is on a diet this week so I am not allowed to make anything that looks, smells, or sounds good.

Ha! I guess I should mention that my wife is on weight watchers, and has always been extremely picky about what I make! That however has made me be a little more creative so embrace it!

If you don't mind me asking- is your gf on any particular diet? or is she just watching what she eats? I have PLENTY of healthy recipies, considering my wife doesn't offer me much of a choice not to be! ;)

[Spec A!]

Stir Fry's are healthy! Just because it's got the word "fry" in it, don't let it scare you! It's probably the quickest easiest way to cook too. I recommend using a nonstick wok-style/shaped pan for any stir fry. Here's a simple one:

Heat a tablespoon or less of olive oil on a medium high heat. Mince up 1-2 garlic cloves. Forgot to mention the trick to peeling garlic- with a broad knife, smash the clove- the skin comes right off. Smashing not only brings out the flavor but also makes it super easy to mince up. Anyways- add that to the olive oil- careful not to burn! Add a 1/4 of an onion diced to the pan, sprinkle with garlic pepper and ginger, saute' for a minute or two. Next throw in your chopped up boneless/skinless chicken breasts, add more garlic pepper and basil and cook for about 5-8 minutes making sure to keep the chicken moving till golden. Add in chopped bell peppers, carrots, celery(celery leaves that we typically throw away have a ton of flavor and are great for stir frys!). Turn the heat up and get things a little crispy. If it starts to burn/stick, add a little water- not only will it unstick things, but it will help mix all the flavors together and give a little bit of sauce. Make sure not to over cook the veggies till they're mush- that's why you add in last, keeps them crispy but gets the flavor of the pan, and the chicken will pull the flavors from the veggies.
That's it! The healthy way would be to serve over a bed of iceberg lettuce with some cucumber slices on the side. The not so healthy way... on a bed of noodles..

Add 1/4 or so cup of Yoshida, a splash or two of Soy Sauce, squirt some Rooster sauce in too when cooking just the chicken. It's really not all that unhealthy but your gf may not think so. As the chicken cooks, you'll have a pot of water boiling for you choice of Asian noodles- I prefer rice sticks- they cook very fast. After the noodles are cooked and drained- throw them into the stir fry last minute and cook for one more minute. Mix everything together and serve up!

[Spec A!]

Marinades:
Asian- Yoshida base, garlic pepper, minced garlic cloves, basil, fresh ground pepper, crushed red pepper, ginger or not depending on the mood, if you want it spicey add some rooster sauce and some jalepeno powder. Great for steak and chicken on the grill, baked boneless breasts in the oven, or sliced up chicken for stir frys. I typically marinade 1-2hours before for chickens, 3-8 or more for steaks depending on the cut, overnight for ribs.

Italian: Don't just use bottled dressing! While it does work well and tastes okay, you'll be more satisfied with something you've created! If you don't already have it, get a Good Seasons Cruette. You can use it to make your own or add to their packets. Instead of apple cider or your typical vinegar, use balsamic! Fill to the lines of the cruette for water vinegar and oil (olive oil works too!), add in a liberal amount of garlic pepper, basil, oregano, dill, and fresh ground pepper. A pinch of salt and shake it up! Yeah it's good on salads too.

Greek: This is the only time I'll use bottled dressing as marinades- Greek dressing is awesome as a marinade. Kens brand is good, try some different types tho to see what you like best. Incredible when marinaded for a couple of hours then grilled- both steak and chicken.

Mexican: A base of olive oil with Garlic pepper, Chili powder, Jalepeno and Cayenne powders, fresh minced cilantro and lime juice. Great as a marinade for grilling, also great for stir frying.

[Spec A!]

Potatoes!

I love red potatoes. That's all I use. Try them if you haven't.

Parsley potatoes:
Clean and quarter 5-6 potatoes, boil till cooked (fork goes in easily). Drain and add butter (or I can't believe it's not butter fat free spray), a liberal amount of dried parsley, mix it up, that's it! Salt and pepper if you like too.

Mashed Potatoes:
Skinned and boiled till done- the smaller the chunks the quicker it cooks and easier it is to mash. Drain and add in stick of butter, a little bit of whole milk, and white pepper powder (great flavor and invisible in those white potatoes!). Be careful when adding in the milk as it doesn't take much to make them soupy! Mash and Blend to your liking of consitency. I always taste and add more butter/pepper till I get what I like. You can always subsitute in sour cream (fat free of course) for milk and the butter spray for butter. I don't like using fat free milk or 2% as it is no where creamy enough.

Seasoned baked potato wedges:
Clean and slice up wedges or chunks of potatoes. Line a 13x9 pyrex w/foil (easy clean up btw), then throw in the potatoes. Drizzle with olive oil. Now you can season several ways, but garlic pepper on all of them: old bay, basil, salt and pepper, dill, parsley, rosemary, you get the idea! experiment! Just like with chicken, bake slower lower longer 425-475. They're done when the fork slides in, but you can make the crispy or not depending on how long you leave in. I find the old bay seasoned ones go well with mexican dishes, the basil/dill go great with Italian/anything.

Baked potatoes- try them wrapped in foil, with a little water and a sprinkle of garlic pepper. Cook like you usually do.

[Spec A!]

One last thing for now

If you've never tried a water smoker before you should! They are cheap (~$30) and give amazing results. The downside is it's an all day affair, but the results are so worth it. I typically add veggies like onions and carrots to the water, as well as beer and bourbon (mmm Knob Creek). Marinade some ribs in the Yoshida style overnight, place them on the bottom rack right above the water pan. Close the lid and don't open for at least 6 hours. I typically add in wood chips soaked in beer/water/bourbon every hour to 2 hours. Make sure to keep the heat going- you may need to add coals. It cooks very slow at a low temp, this is why it'll take all day. I've done whole chickens this way too- experiment with a combination of spices for your rubs!

[walterick]

oops double post

[walterick]

Wow Anthony, you've got some great ideas in there! Not only have I never tried water smoking, I had never heard of it until now. Is it a healthier in that you don't get all the carcinogens in your food?

My gf is on a "calorie limited" diet this week, which basically means, "do not eat anything in front of me that is not lettuce or water!" So yeah, most everything is out of the question this week

Next week should be fun though after she drops a few. Great tips!

[another view]

I do have another question though. How do you carmelize? I threw some sugar in a pan with olive oil and sauteed onions in it. Is that carmelizing? I could google it, but this is more fun

Onions have enough sugar in them (same with carrots) that you only need to caramelize the sugar that's already in them - you don't need to add extra sugar to them. I have added a little a couple of times once they're already going, but I've found it's really not necessary if you have the time.

What I do (which doesn't mean it's right, but it works ) is to start the onions out at med-high heat with butter (not margerine) because it browns better than olive oil, and a little salt and pepper. I use kosher salt because of the flavor difference and it's easier to sprinkle on with your fingers. Once they start to brown, turn the heat down and let them do their magic, stirring once in awhile. Your patience will be rewarded! Don't rush or you'll burn them (actually you'll burn the sugar in them). If you need to rush, turn up the heat, maybe add a sprinkle of sugar (not much) and watch them closely - not as good, but still good.

Vidalia Onions are just starting to hit the markets. Last night I cut one into 1/2" thick slices (kind of a burger-shaped slice), coated in olive oil, salt & pepper and threw them on the grill with fairly low heat, turning occasionally. Mmm...

[zrfraser]

Heres a good one...

Beet greens and sausage..I know it sounds funky but its actually quick and tasty.

Get a very large pan with a little oil, and garlic. Take some italian or andouille sasuage and get it going. Cut it into slices and it will cook faster. Then take a large bunch of beet greens and let them cook until they very limber. They will almost be a fraction of the size since the water cooks out. Add some herb goat cheese at the very end and let it melt with the greens. Season with salt, pepper, and sport pepper sauce, and enjoy. I'm not sure how healthy it is but its good, and fills you up. You could make it healthier by using low fat goat cheese, turkey sausage, and cooking the sausage seperatley then adding, but I like the flavor of the grease to help season the greens.

So heres another for your arsenal Rick...

[zrfraser]

I also have a pretty good enchiladas verdes recipe, I will post it if anyone is interested, and if I can remember everything...

[walterick]

Post it if ya got it! I'll eventually get around to making everything...

[walterick]

Ah-ha...

So that explains why my onions burn every time I sautee them! I am cooking to hot and burning the sugar in them. Does the fact that I am using olive oil also make them burn?

[walterick]

Okay, so nothing as elaborate as the recipes you guys have...

But I just remembered my favorite side dish creation! It's called Fiesta Mac. You take a box of mac and cheese (creamy kind works best) and dump some salsa in it after it's cooked while you're adding the cheese. It is very zesty and everyone so far has loved it. It also seems more complex that it is when served The trick is not using too much salsa, just enough to make it zesty, and finding the right brand of salsa.

As you can see, my cooking adventures thus far have been experimental and simple. This thread will do wonders for my education

[another view]

Does the fact that I am using olive oil also make them burn?

Olive Oil has a low smoking point, but so does butter. Turn down the heat for this and you'll be fine. What happens is that the oil will start to smoke (you'll smell it!) and it will taste really bad. If you heat the oil first (you should, btw, so the food doesn't absorb as much oil) and it smokes, throw it out and try again. It happens.

Canola and Peanut oil have a much higher smoking point and are better for high-heat techniques like sauteeing. Sometimes I use olive oil for this which can be done if you're careful (assuming you're not using a big commercial Viking or whatever type stove with the heat on full blast).

[Spec A!]

Wow Anthony, you've got some great ideas in there! Not only have I never tried water smoking, I had never heard of it until now. Is it a healthier in that you don't get all the carcinogens in your food?

Of course not! Actually I really don't know, as it tastes so freaking good you won't care.

My gf is on a "calorie limited" diet this week, which basically means, "do not eat anything in front of me that is not lettuce or water!" So yeah, most everything is out of the question this week

Next week should be fun though after she drops a few. Great tips!

Thanks! Here's a simple to make salad that she will love, and is very healthy!

Fresh spinach- take off all the stems
Red onion- sliced
Mushrooms- button type sliced up
Cucumbers- chopped
Tomatoes- diced
Walnuts- chopped
Turkey Bacon- 3 to 4 slices crumbled
Fat Free Feta cheese- crumbled (Athenos brand w/basil and tomato is good)
Cruette of Good Seasons garlic herb dressing made with balsamic vinegar.

Toss all together, very lightly dress and enjoy! The biggest amount of calories will come from the bacon, cheese and walnuts, but they are integral to the salad so find out how many calories she wants to use up and measure it out for her. Even in small amounts the walnuts and feta make a difference in flavor!

Some greek marinaded grilled chicken breasts go excellently with this too!

[zrfraser]

I know its warm out, but how about a chili recipe....

You will need:
1 large white onion
1 Green Bell Pepper
2-3 cloves of garlic
2 lbs of ground turkey (rick) or BEEF
4 serrano peppers
Cheyeene
Cavenders
salt
pepper
3 squirts Worchestshire Sauce
Tabasco
Rep Pepper Flakes
3 cans of stewed tomoatoes
1 can tomato sauce

Sweat the garlic, peppers, and onions in a little EEOO (extra virgin olive oil). Add your beef or turkey and drain when cooked through.

Add your stewed tomatoes and sauce. Then add you serranos chopped finely. Season to taste with the other spices according to your pallette. let this simmer for about 2 hours, stirring occasionally, and seasoning.

Enjoy

[walterick]

Hey zrfraser!

I finally made your chicken and sausage dish! (girlfriend is outta town ;))

Mmmmmmmm..

I tried it once with sauce added on top and once without... the with sauce one was much better

Mmmmmm... I ate part of it up before I could photograph it LOL

Thanks for the recipe!

[zrfraser]

Just add some ziti and you have yourself a good meal. If your gf is watching her weight, use whole wheat pasta. I actually prefer it now, it seems like it cooks up better. Glad you enjoyed it. I think you have enough recipies to last you for quite sometime, but I have plenty more that I will try and add sometime tonight or tomorrow. What kind of sausage did you use, and di dyou try and butterfly or did you roll it. It looks like you rolled which works well of you can get the chicken thin enough.

Good Eats-Z

[walterick]

Z-

Thanks again for the recipe. I did butterfly the chicken. I guess I made too much filler as the stuff was running out all the sides. I didn't see Italian sausage at the store so I bought smoked turkey sausage. Hope that isn't sacreligious.

Funny thing you mention whole wheat pasta - I tried that once a few years ago because of the health benefits of eating whole grains. I cooked up a batch and hated it... could hardly finish it. It seemed dry, despite the sauce, and had a taste I didn't like. Maybe I was using a bad brand.

Yes, I have plenty of recipes and ideas to last me awhile Though more is always welcome. I think I will try one of Adina's next.

Rick

[zrfraser]

I think the whole grain pasta has come a long way. The Barilla brand is good and seems lighter than others. Its never wrong to try and do something different just look at my sig and it says it all. Whether it be with food or photography there are no rules. As long as you like the end result, then that is all that matters.

[adina]

recipes to follow....

[adina]

1 small onion
1 medium carrot
1 tbs corn oil
2 pork chops (I actually use boneless pork loin stuff)
1/4 cup water 1/4 cup vinegar (I use white)
3 tbs dark brown sugar
2 tsp soy sauce
1/4 tsp hot pepper sauce
1 tbs corn starch
1/4 cup cold water

Peel onion and chop into 1/2 inch pieces. Peel carrot, cut into 1/4 inch slices.

Heat oil, brown pork chops. Remove pork chops, add onion and carrot, cook until veggies begin to soften.

Add vinegar, water, brown sugar, soy sauce, hot pepper sauce and stir. Add pork chops, spoon sauce over them. Cook for 30 minutes, flipping halfway thru.

Remove pork chops from pan, mix cornstarch with cold water and pour into pan with veggies, boil, uncovered, until thickened. Serve over pork chops.


The tacos we just brown the ground chuck or ground turkey, add a jar of salsa, and simmer. Then we pile everything in.

[another view]

Hey Rick, one thing that helps a lot (just like photography) is knowing some of the technical stuff so you can accomplish what you want. Try tasting all the ingredients so you know what they're really like. Of course some things you have to be very careful with (vinegars, chilis, and dry mustard powder come to mind!) and you probably wouldn't eat most meats raw obviously...

If you're making something like a potato salad, keep tasting it to see what affect the next ingredient will have on the whole dish. Sometimes (like in this case), letting the ingredients sit together for awhile in the 'fridge makes it really come together. Oh - speaking of the fridge, you probably would leave some of the salt out at this point because things tend to need more salt after this regardless of how much you used before it went in. Some things really are better the next day because of this, actually.

[walterick]

Hey Steve those are good points. I really am learning the technical stuff as I go along.

So let me get this straight... you're supposed to cook meat before you eat it?

Does that go for eggs too? ;)

The one thing I don't know how serious to take is how important it is to keep your "raw meats" away from everything else. I mean, are you guys nazis about it? I try to be careful, but sometimes I just don't worry if the chicken cutting board sits out for awhile or whatever.

I have to say, I have made some very yummy creations this week with the leftover sausage, onions and peppers from Z's chicken recipe. We've had spaghetti with sausage and peppers, and this morning I made eggs with the same ingredients. yummmmmmmmmm