What's Cooking - The Recipe Exchange

[rpmdfw]

After Mike mentioned it on the "Hey Good Lookin'" Thread, I've been thinking that a recipe exchange is a great idea. (With our without wine pairing suggestions, )

So, I'm following MAF's lead and starting the thread myself!

Anyway, here it is. If you've got a recipe to share, post it here. If you're looking for a recipe, post here to ask if anyone else has it. Fairly simple.

I'm hoping this will be fun.

Rob

 

[rpmdfw]

And as promised the first recipe I'll share is my Grandmother's Banana Cake. It's a family favorite. Enjoy!

Banana Cake

Ingredients Quantity
Flour 2 cups
Eggs 2
Baking Soda 1 tsp
Baking Powder 1 tsp
Salt 1/2 tsp
Shortening 1/2cup
Sugar 1 1/4 cup
Banana 1 cup mashed (at least)
Buttermilk 3/4 cup
Vanilla 1 tsp
Walnuts 1/2 cups, optional

Instructions:
Cream shortening; cream in sugar, adding slowly to the shortening; cream in eggs. Add bananas, beat well. Slowly add dry ingredients, alternating with milk. Add vanilla. Pour batter into a greased and floured cake pan. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.

For a large cake in 9 x 13 pan or multiply the recipe by 1.5 and use 2 8 x 8 pans

Ice with buttercream icing with walnuts

 

[DVC~OKW~96]

Oh! Nice idea! DELICIOUS sounding cake!!!

Here's a quick recipe that can serve as a side, or a main course depending upon how you feel that night!

Linguine with White Clam Sauce or Salsa Bianca con Vongole if you prefer! LOL.

I rarely use linguine. I almost always use oricchiete (ok, YOU try to spell it! LOL) or small shells. A pasta of that shape holds the sauce better.

And yep, I break with Mediterranean tradition and use some butter! Trust me, it makes all the difference.

So, for about one pound of pasta use the following proportions adjusting for smaller or larger amounts.

1/4 cup EACH butter (unsalted) and extra virgin olive oil

3-4 fresh, minced cloves of garlic

Melt butter and olive oil together. Add garlic and "saute" (more like float the garlic!) allowing it to simmer for a bit, but not change color.

Add up to 1/4 cup minced fresh parsley. Make sure it is fresh.

Let that simmer a bit, and add some pepper if you like.

Add the liquid from the clams if you are using chopped canned clams (the easiest). The minimum amount of clams to use is two 7 oz or cans. The more the merrier though. Make sure you've drained the clams ahead of time to allow any sediment to fall to the bottom. When adding juice to the sauce, I like to use a paper filter to be sure I don't get those gritty bits. If the clams are canned, after they have been drained, I wash them quite thoroughly.

For fresh clams, you'll want the smallest you can find, or if you can find small ones, cut up the larger ones. Steam them in a pot and use the pot liquor for the sauce. If you need more, add bottled clam juice.

Let it all simmer for at least ten minutes. Watch it carefully, it tends to cook down very fast! Once the sauce has simmered for at least ten minutes and just before service, add the clams. Bring them to temperature, but DO NOT boil the sauce at this point. The clams will only take a moment or two to heat through, and that is all you need to do, heat them through.

Meanwhile cook the pasta.

When the sauce and pasta are done, drain the pasta (I like to put it in a large heated serving bowl) and add the clam sauce. Top it all with some fresh parsley if you like.

Eeeeesh, I do go on don't I? Sorry for the ramble.

 

[rpmdfw]

Here's a quick recipe that can serve as a side, or a main course depending upon how you feel that night!

Linguine with White Clam Sauce or Salsa Bianca con Vongole if you prefer! LOL

Thanks for sharing that!

I figured since you shared a wonderful pasta sauce recipe, I'll throw out two of my favorites to go with it. Red and Green Chile Pasta!

Green Chile Pasta
• 1/4 cup drained green chile finely minced or processed in food processor to a paste consistency
or
3 tablespoons green chile powder
• 2 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
Using a small, heavy skillet, dry saute the green chile over a low heat until the moisture has evaporated. Allow the chile to cool before it is added to the remaining ingredients. (skip this step if using green chile powder)
Place all of the ingredients in the bowl of the food processor and process until the mixture begins to form a ball, adding more water drop by drop if the dough is too dry. The dough should be firm, but not sticky. Blend the dough for 15 seconds more to knead it.
Roll out the dough until it is very thin. Cut the dough into the desired shape. (I use a pasta machine to create the pasta. Either the pasta rolling attachment on my mixer, the hand crank pasta machine or the pasta extruder. Personally, I think the hand roller or the mixer attachment work better than the extruder, and are easier to clean.
Separate the pasta, allow it to dry (or freeze at this point. This pasta freezes very well), and cook it in boiling, salted water for 2 to 3 minutes. Drain the pasta and serve it with your favorite sauce.
Yield: 3 to 4 servings

Or

Red Chile Pasta
• 3 tablespoons hot red New Mexican chile powder
• 3 cups flour (semolina flour recommended)
• 2 large eggs, beaten lightly
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
Mix the chile powder and semolina flour together. Make a well in the middle and place the eggs and olive oil in it.
Mix with your hands and then knead for 10 minutes. Cover the dough, and let it sit for ½ hour.
Using a rolling pin, roll the dough very thin (1/32 inch or less). Cut into 1/2 inch wide strips. (again, I use a machine)
Cook the noodles in boiling salted water for 1 to 2 minutes--no more. Drain, place on a kitchen towel, and cover with plastic wrap until you are ready to use them in your recipe.
Yield: About ½ to 3/4 of a pound of noodles

I fell in love with red and green chile pastas while living in Las Cruces, New Mexico. They're very hard to find, so I learned to make my own. Neither of these recipes is overly hot (for me). They're both great in pasta salads or just tossed with olive oil and garlic. Or try the green chile pasta with thai peanut sauce or creamy alfredo sauce. Can't go wrong no matter how you serve these pastas!

 

[DVC~OKW~96]

Oh yum!

Here is a really "homey" recipe that you'll love or detest. One of m'boys loves it, so I keep it in my file.

Clean as many chicken gizzards as you like (yep, gizzards).

Place in a dutch oven and barely cover with water. Bring to a quick boil, pour off. (You are lifting that gray, icky foam).

Add about three cloves of finely minced garlic and just cover with chicken broth, and simmer until tender. (Covered). You'll add more broth from time to time and it takes at least two hours.

When tender (and I do mean very tender) add a chunk of butter (don't you love my measurements)! LOL Add some fresh chopped parsley and a bit (four leaves or so) of thinly sliced (chiffonade) basil, salt and pepper to taste.

Serve over a pasta that is sturdy (elbows are ok, but again the orichiette types, or small shells are nice too, oh and farfalle works well here too).

I told you it was homey! Not something you serve to company, but it's one of those things I'm always asked for when the boys come home.

 

[tiggr33]

You knew somebody would do this, so here goes

Eww.......

 

[rpmdfw]

Clean as many chicken gizzards as you like (yep, gizzards).

I'll try anything with chicken gizzards in it! I love them. Ever since I was a kid.

And any recipe that involves "a chunk of butter" is my kind of recipe! As my brother the chef says "fat is flavor"!

Not sure what recipe to post next. My mom & I put her entire recipe file into a database several years ago, and my brother is a chef, and my sister is a baker, so I've got lots of recipes to choose from. Anybody have any requests? If I've got a family recipe for it, I'll post it.

Rob

 

[Saxton]

Great thread! I'll start to post some of mine but a warning - I tend to experiment so sometimes I don't have an actual recipe. I made this a couple weeks ago and it turned out great. The next time I make it I'll try to write down the actual amounts.


Orange Chicken


Orange Juice
Orange Marmalade
Dijon Mustard (small amount)
Honey (small amount)


Cracker Crumbs

Boneless Chicken Breasts


Mix the orange juice, marmalade, mustard and honey together. Dip the chicken in this mixture and then coat it in cracker crumbs. Bake in oven.

 

[DVC~OKW~96]

rpmdfw, do you have a recipe for "hot spicy noodle?" It's a Chinese recipe that I used to get at this little place in NY. It's SPICY! red and has ground pork in it. Served over long lo mein like noodle. I've searched for a recipe but never have found one that quite does it.

We had ropa vieja and brown rice tonight. It was really nice. If anyone wants I can post that recipe.

 

[rpmdfw]

Mix the orange juice, marmalade, mustard and honey together. Dip the chicken in this mixture and then coat it in cracker crumbs. Bake in oven.

That sounds good! Do you use chicken pieces on the bone, or chicken tenders or breasts? Or does it matter?

And I LOVE to experiment in the kitchen. Some of our favorites are things that began as "let me try this". There have been some clunkers, too though. Scott will never let me forget the "red chile rice" that was to hot too eat.

 

[rpmdfw]

rpmdfw, do you have a recipe for "hot spicy noodle?" It's a Chinese recipe that I used to get at this little place in NY. It's SPICY! red and has ground pork in it. Served over long lo mein like noodle. I've searched for a recipe but never have found one that quite does it.

We had ropa vieja and brown rice tonight. It was really nice. If anyone wants I can post that recipe.

Sadly, I do not have a hot spice noodle recipe. Most of our "Chinese" recipes tend to be things that could be served to the whole family back when we were kids; so not too spicy. Plus living in a very small town, we didn't have access to such "exotic" things as asian noodles that weren't the Ramen variety. Wow, how things have changed at the Supermarket since then.

What is ropa vieja? (I have a feeling I should know this . . . )

 

[DVC~OKW~96]

A slow cooked until it falls apart in shreds, beef recipe that ends up being served over rice. It's wicked good. Depending upon who you are talking with it's either Puerto Rican or Cubano. All I know is that I love it! LOL!

 

[Saxton]

That sounds good! Do you use chicken pieces on the bone, or chicken tenders or breasts? Or does it matter?

And I LOVE to experiment in the kitchen. Some of our favorites are things that began as "let me try this". There have been some clunkers, too though. Scott will never let me forget the "red chile rice" that was to hot too eat.

Oops, sorry! I used boneless chicken breasts. I usually do my experimentation when I know I'm not having company for dinner ... it's safer that way!

 

[rpmdfw]

A slow cooked until it falls apart in shreds, beef recipe that ends up being served over rice. It's wicked good. Depending upon who you are talking with it's either Puerto Rican or Cubano. All I know is that I love it! LOL!

I googled it. Interestingly it doesn't sound too terribly different from the beef roast that I braised in tomato sauce on Saturday. And here, I thought I was doing something new and innovative. Ah well, back to the drawing board.

 

[rpmdfw]

A friend of ours from the Adventurers Club gave us this recipe a few years ago. They're AWESOME!

Sharon's Killer Kahlua Brownies

1-1/2 cup sifted flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup butter
4 1 oz squares unsweetened baking chocolate
3 eggs
2 cups sugar
6 Tbs Kahlua

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Spray 13" x 9" pan with nonstick cooking spray.
Resift flour with baking powder and salt.
Melt butter with chocolate in a double boiler.
Beat eggs with sugar until light.
Stir in chocolate and Kahlua.
Add flour.
Blend.

Pour into pan and bake 30-35 minutes.

They freeze beautifully, so I usually make a double batch.

 

[rpmdfw]

Well, I've poste a couple of dessert recipes, and the one for pastas. So it's time to break out the big guns. It's time for a cocktail recipe. This one is yummy, and I remember my mom serving them after PTA meetings in the mid-seventies. So I guess that makes it a "classic"

Bourbon Slush
2 Tea bags
1 Cup Boiling water
1 Cup Sugar
3 1/2 Cups Water
6 oz can Frozen Orange Juice Concentrate (2/3 cup)
3/4 Cup Bourbon
6 oz can of Frozen Lemondade Concentrate

Instructions
Steep tea bags in 1 cup boiling water for 2-3 minutes; remove tea bags. Stir in sugar. Add remaining ingredients. Mix until sugar is dissolved. Pour into freezer container; freeze. Remove from freezer about 10 minutes before serving. Spoon into cocktail glasses. (optional step, pour cold 7-up over the slush)

 

[tiggr33]

I wish I had some recipes off the top of my head, but I usually cook without a recipe. I will however post some of my favorites later. I do have a stash of tried and true recipes in a file.

Taco Soup
2 cans kidney or pinto beans
2 cans kernal corn (NOT Cream style)
2 cans diced tomatoes
1-2 packages taco seasoning mix
1Lb Ground beef, chicken or turkey*
1 large onion chopped*

*= optional

Open cans, but do not drain them. Pour can contents into a pot, stir in taco seasoning. Bring to a boil, and then simmer 5 minutes. Serve as soup. Or let thicken and serve over rice

For the optional version, brown the meat, drain fat, add onions to pan saute until translucent. Add contents of cans, bring to a boil. Stir in seasoning, and simmer until ready to serve.

I have also, added a can of black beans in addition to the pinto beans

I know, nothing like a taco, it is named after the seasoning used.

 

[rpmdfw]

Taco Soup

That sounds great! Thank you for sharing it! I'll have to try it. I love every variation on Tortilla Soup I've ever tried. So, let me post my favorite recipe. It comes from the chef at a hotel where I used to work. It's fantastic!

Tortilla Soup
Ingredients:
1 Chopped Yellow Onion
1/2 Cup Olive Oil
2 Cloves Minced Garlic
2 Fresh Chopped Jalapenos (I frequently use a can of NM green chile instead)
4 Medium Tomatoes, chopped
20 Corn Tortillas Torn into pieces
1 Gallon Chicken Stock
1 Tbsp Salt
1 tsp White Pepper
1 tsp Cayenne pepper
2 Tbsp Cumin
1/2 cup Cilantro (I leave this out. I don't like it)

Instructions
Sauté onions, garlic, jalapenos, tomatoes, and cilantro until onion is translucent. Add tortillas and sweat until soft. Add stock and simmer for about 20 minutes. Puree well in blender or mixer (I use a stick blender). Return to pot and add half the seasonings. Taste, and add more seasonings if necessary. Ladle soup into cup or bowl. Garnish with shredded Jack Cheese, fried tortilla strips, and fresh pico de gallo

Makes 1 gallon. It freezes well, so I dish it into individual servings to have for lunch.

 

[cdn ears]

ROASTED GARLIC BREAD
Start with
6 heads garlic (sounds like a lot of garlic but acquires a milder taste once cooked)
4 tblspoons butter
3 tblspoons water
olive oil
salt and pepper

Cut root end clean on the heads of garlic, as well trim the top to expose the tops of the cloves. Place in small microwavable container. Divide butter evenly and place on top of the heads of garlic. Place water in the container. Drizzle lightly with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cover with plastic wrap and microwave for 4 minutes. Carefully remove plastic wrap and turn heads 180 degrees. Cover again and microwave for 2 minutes. Remove plastic and check to see if the cloves are soft. If not cover and microwave again for 1 - 2 minutes (everyones microwave is different). When done carefully squeeze the garlic out of the skins back into the cooking liquid.

Either mash with a fork or blend with hand blender until smooth. Add another 4 - 6 tablespoons butter, and 1/2 - 3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese (add more until you have a thick paste).

Slice 2 baguettes or French bread on the diagonal into 3/4" slices. Spread garlic paste onto bread, dip into additional Parmesan cheese and place on baking sheet. Bake in a 350°F oven 10 - 15 minutes or until cheese begins to brown.

Enjoy

 

[DVC~OKW~96]

Gosh! Yummy additions to the thread!

If you roast garlic when you are roasting other dishes in the oven, then you can keep a head or two on hand. We just roasted a head tonight and used it on the bread we had for roasted peppers.

It's one of our "homey, feel good dinners."

Cut and clean as many bell peppers as you like (we find the red ones the nicest, but use green and the others quite often too). We like halves, but some folks prefer quarters.

Place skin side down in a baking pan large enough to hold the peppers one layer. Drizzle with good quality olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, a minced clove of garlic and whatever fresh herbs you have lying around. (Today we had some oregano, thyme and parsley).

Roast at 375 until done. Turn once the skin side is carmelized.

In a small casserole put two cans undrained navy beans (white northern work well too) with at least three cloves finely minced garlic, minced onion (the amount depends on the strength of the onion, don't overwhelm the dish). Season with black pepper (no salt yet) and a good drizzle of olive oil. Bake covered along with the peppers (the beans take at least an hour, so I start them before I begin working on the peppers).

To serve, get a good red wine that can be served chilled (we like a particular one from Russia, believe it or not). Have a nice chunk of parmeggiano reggiano for grating over the beans and peppers. Have a good quality bread, sturdy and with a good crust. If you are using roasted garlic (that you cooked at the same time as the other dishes) spread a clove or two on a slice of bread, put a pepper half on (peel the skin, it should come off easily now) grate some fresh cheese on, fold and enjoy.

The beans can be served in a small side bowl, with more grated cheese, salted to taste and a drizzle more of olive oil if you like.

Go ahead, dunk the pepper sandwich in the beans, it's ok! This is definitely peasant food and meant to be enjoyed.