My Kitchen

[manysevens]

Today was Chicken Caesar day:)

The Dressing .. in a blender ...

Garlic
Anchovies
Pepper
Lemon Juice

Puree on high speed till smooth ... slowly pour in Olive Oil (roughly four times the volume of what's already in there) ... when it's too thick to spin add a little water and Voila!

I sometimes throw some Parmesan in there as well.

The Chicken I keep simple. Saute sliced strips in Olive Oil with garlic and parsley and season with Salt and Pepper.

*** I ALWAYS let my garlic turn golden before adding anything to it other than salt. Try it, it's yummy.

Toss Fresh Chopped Romaine Lettuce with Chicken and Dressing and serve with Croutons and Shredded Parmesan ... and a Pumpkin Muffin if ya got one, lol

............

Story: I met a fairly popular motivational speaker one time who told me that he eats Chicken Caesar every single day for lunch. It cleared his schedule of at least an hour a day by him not having to put any thought into this meal, and it's healthy and cheap to boot:)

[dr_praeses]

mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm I missed your recipes.

Saving this one.

[manysevens]

The kids were happy with dinner tonight ... so I'll bring it up:)

Steak, Baked Yukon Gold Potatoes, and Asparagus!

Fo Da Steak .... easy marinade ...

Olive Oil
Soy Sauce
Garlic
Green Onion
Salt and Peppa
Some chili Flakes:)

I use flank steak a lot. It cooks fast, it's tender, it's flavorful, and it's not so hard on the budget:)

Slice steak across the grain into thin filets .... marinade say maybe 20 minutes or more ... sear on HOT griddle both sides just to get a little color on there and finish in the oven only briefly ... couple minutes ... keep it pink inside!

Asparagus ... so simple ... snip it, spray it with olive oil, sprinkle with Kosher Salt ... roast in HOT oven for about 7 minutes depending on thickness of spears. Drizzle with Balsamic Vinegar if ya like- I like:)

[manysevens]

First Day Back At School from Christmas Break

Breakfast: Eggs Over w/ Ham
Lunch: Pulled Pork Fajitas
Dinner: Burgers and Sweet Potatoes

Pesto makes Burger Night special:)

In a food processor ...
Fresh Basil Leaves
Chopped Garlic
Grated Parmesan
Lemon Juice
Olive Oil
Salt
Black Pepper

Spin till smooth ... voila!

Trick: I add some spinach in there sometimes :)

[HabaneroDog]

Read this....
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cast_iron_cookware


Cast iron cookware
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jump to: navigation, search
Cast iron is non-toxic, has excellent heat retention and diffusion properties, and is easy to mold into a variety of shapes. These properties make cast iron a natural choice for cookware.

Because cast iron will react with or stain many foods, bare cast iron cookware must be seasoned. Cast iron cookware is also available with an enamel coating - this cookware doesn't need to be seasoned, but loses some of the other desirable properties of bare cast iron.

Contents [hide]
1 Bare Cast Iron
1.1 Seasoning
1.1.1 Cleaning before seasoning
1.1.2 Seasoning techniques
1.1.2.1 Technique 1
1.1.2.2 Technique 2
1.2 Care and cleaning after seasoning
1.3 Brands
2 Enameled Cast Iron
2.1 Care and Cleaning
2.2 Brands
3 External links



[edit] Bare Cast Iron

Cast iron panBare cast-iron vessels have been used by humans for cooking for hundreds of years[citation needed]. Cast iron's ability to withstand and maintain very high temperatures makes it a natural cookware choice for searing or frying, and its excellent heat diffusion and retention makes it a natural choice for long-cooking stews like gumbo or Chili con carne. Because cast iron skillets can develop an extremely "non-stick" surface, they are also a good choice for egg dishes, in particular scrambled eggs. Some other classic uses of cast iron pans are in cornbread and pineapple upside-down cake.

Some of the types of cookware made out of bare cast iron include dutch ovens, frying pans, deep fryers, woks, potjies, and griddles.

Bare cast iron cookware requires seasoning—impregnation of the cooking surface with oil—to prevent rusting, and to create a non-stick surface. New cast iron must be seasoned before use. Some companies now offer pre-seasoned pans, but, like "home-seasoned" cast iron, these may need to be re-seasoned if they are washed with strong soap or allowed to rust.


[edit] Seasoning

Cast iron skillets, before seasoning (left) and after several years of use (right).Seasoning is a process by which a layer of animal fat or vegetable oil is applied and cooked onto cast iron or carbon steel cookware. The seasoning layer protects the cookware from rusting, provides a non-stick surface for cooking, and prevents food from interacting with the iron of the pan. Almost all cast iron cookware is seasoned. Well-seasoned cast iron cookware will have a very smooth black surface.

Fats and oils typically used for seasoning include lard, hydrogenated cooking oils such as Crisco, and palm or coconut oil (in general, oils that are high in saturated fats, and therefore typically solid at room temperature).

Oils that are polyunsaturated (and therefore typically liquid at room temperature) will get rancid much more quickly, and are usually not recommended. Liquid oils may become gummy over time, and extremely difficult to remove. Food cooked on gummy oil may also have an unpleasant taste.


[edit] Cleaning before seasoning
If it is not pre-seasoned, new cast iron is often shipped with a coating to prevent rust. This coating is typically food-grade wax or mineral oil. The coating must be removed before the pan is seasoned or used. To remove the protective coating, cast iron can be thoroughly scrubbed using light dish soap and steel wool pads. If the surface is "natural" (unpolished), it may also be useful to use a wire brush. Some cooks will also rub the surface of the pan with kosher salt to smooth it.





[edit] Seasoning techniques
Once cleaned, cookware can then be seasoned. There are several techniques for seasoning cast iron - these vary based on the smoke point of the oil or fat used.


[edit] Technique 1
Simply wipe the cleaned cast iron with a good oil or fat and use it for frying and roasting, particularly high fat foods, like bacon. The oil or fat will impregnate the cast iron and gradually convert into a seasoning over time. Rendering animal fat in a new pan will have the same effect.

[edit] Technique 2
First, heat the cookware until water quickly boils when splashed onto its surface.
Next, using a rag, wipe a thin coat of lard or oil onto the surface of the cookware.
Finally, place the cookware upside-down in a moderately hot oven for 1-2 hours. It is a good idea to place a layer of aluminum foil under the cookware to catch drips of excess oil.
Let the pan cool in the oven. At this point, the cookware should have a black sheen and be ready for cooking.
A new cast iron pan will not be 100% seasoned after a single treatment. It takes repeated use for the pan to develop a seasoned, non-stick surface.

If too much oil or shortening is applied to a pan in the seasoning process, it will pool and gum up when the pan is heated. In this case, the goo can be scraped off and some more grease rubbed over the spot, or the pan can be re-scrubbed and reseasoned. Heating the pan upside-down may help prevent gumming, but will be more likely to drip grease into your oven unless protected by a foil-lined baking sheet. Seasoning at higher temperatures approaching the smoking point of the oil used will result in darker seasoned coatings in less time that aren't sticky or gummy.


[edit] Care and cleaning after seasoning
Frying in a cast iron pan will help maintain the seasoning, as will roasting fatty meats or other greasy foods. Prolonged contact with wet or acidic foods, such as tomatoes, can dissolve or damage the finish.

It is a common misconception that one should never use dish soap to clean seasoned cast iron cookware, since this will immediately remove the oil, and 'unseason' the pan (or even, according to some cooks, leave soap residue that will poison the food). In fact, a very well-seasoned pan can tolerate dilute dish soap, and, for infrequently used pans, this may be preferable to leaving rancid grease on the cooking surface [1]. In general, however, regular washing with soap is not recommended. When cast iron cookware is washed with soap it should be lightly oiled before it is used or stored away.

There are several methods for cleaning seasoned bare cast iron cookware:

Scrub the inside of a warmed pan with a tablespoon of a coarse salt, such as kosher salt, add a small amount of olive oil, and rub with a small piece of an old cotton cloth. Rinse with cold water.
Scrub the pan with boiling or near-boiling water and a stiff nylon or fiber brush.
Use veggie wash (milder than soap) and a stiff nylon or fiber brush.
Boil a solution of cornstarch or rice starch and water in the pan, tilting the pan to make sure the boiling liquid touches all the way up the sides. Then pour out the resulting grease-water-starch solution, and peel off whatever dries onto the sides of the pan. Rinse the pan in hot water.
In all cases, the cookware should be dried thoroughly after washing, and oiled lightly if not already very well seasoned.

For deep cleaning (before re-seasoning), some cast iron collectors also advocate removing baked-on grease by soaking cast iron in a lye solution, or heating the pan in a self-cleaning oven or campfire. Both of these methods have inherent drawbacks, however. Lye can cause serious injury (inluding blindness) if handled improperly, and unevenly heating a cast iron pan may warp or crack the pan. A safer solution is to place the iron cookware into a large pot of boiling water, adding a cup or two of baking soda, and boil for ten minutes. To remove rust, some collectors advocate soaking the pan in a 1:1 solution of vinegar and water, soaking the pan in Coca Cola, or even sandblasting or wire-stripping the pan.

[gloe]

I use a sponge. Don't use scouring pads (like Brillo) or anything rough. You want to get food off, but you don't want to take off the black stuff that starts building up. :)

[dr_praeses]

thanks gloe. will do!

also: by scour do you simply mean brush really hard?

normally I just wash the dishes with a good sponge. Will that do, as long as I don't scrub too hard?

thx

-sean

[gloe]

Hi dr sean:

Cast iron skillets need to be "seasoned." After a first washing (when new), put it on the stove top on very high heat and put some oil in the pan and let it "cook" a bit. I do use soap to clean my well-seasoned cast iron cookware, but do not scour them! You want a nice black film to build up on them. That is the "seasoning" that you want!

Best of luck!

gloe

[dr_praeses]

question: I bought a cast iron skillet for easy cooking. My dad told me I could do pretty much anything w. it.

He advised not to use soap when I washed it: said it would make the pan bottom sticky and lose flavor of spices.

Thoughts?

[janniebgood]

Here's a hint to make your gas grill experience more tasty:

Buy a bag of mesquite chunks and put a few on the burner where they will catch fire, then you'll have wood grilled food even better than charcoaled food!

A Jannie Trick

[serfdom]

Thanks JG! Merry Holidays to you!

[jgbuz]

beginning grilling with gas


http://www.barbecuen.com/begin-gs.htm

[serfdom]

I can have a gas grill - but the insurance company said no charcoal grills. So I'm wondering if the taste from a gas grill is worth actually buying one. Right now I am grilless lol.

[jgbuz]

Weber makes these small portable gas grills that I use at work and cook out on the porch (yes we have a porch at work) it works great and easy to hide....

LOL

[serfdom]

Is it worth buying a gas grill? After mgmt. made me throw out my Weber, I was just planning on never BBQing again lol.

[jgbuz]

serf by far charcoal is the best, but for ease of use and clean up, gas is the way to go, I always have 2 tanks so you never run out of fuel.

[serfdom]

You gotta try this one jg....you'll have it every year! Hey, do you (or anyone here) have any thoughts/opinions of gas grill vs. charcoal grill?

I've always been a charcoal man myself, but the insurance company says we can't have them in my building anymore. Needless to say, I was devastated....

[jgbuz]

Thanks serfdom, as a single dad, I am always looking for something new and delicious, the kids get tired of the same old, same old

Merry Christmas and Happy New year

[xZx]

thanks, serfdom, if i'm on the boards i'll come check it out. have fun..! :)

[serfdom]

First ham going in the oven now - I have two to bake this weekend! I'll be serving up plates buffet-style over at the FAT CATS board on Christmas day if you're interested :)

[xZx]

thanks, serfdom, for letting us in on your secret. it sounds delicious!

[serfdom]

Let me know how it turns out Sevens...seriously, I've never shared this recipe with ANYONE before. I thought it was time to get my Dad's legacy out there :)

[manysevens]

My mouth is watering .. seriously.

Thanks for sharing that serfdom, puttin it on the menu:)

[serfdom]

Unbelievable Citrus/Cinnamon Ham Sauce Recipe:

Inspired by a polynesian recipe, this sauce/glaze was created by my father over a period of twenty years. Every Christmas, he would tweak and refine the recipe, until 1997 when he passed away. At that point it became "locked in stone." I am the only one in my family who knows the recipe, and now I will share it with you.

There is not a single soul that has tasted his secret ham sauce and not been amazed and delighted!

1/2 cup frozen orange juice concentrate
10 oz. can pinneapple juice
1/2 lb. dark brown sugar
1 tsp. cinammon
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
8 whole cloves
1 oz. dry vermouth
2 Tbs. lime juice

In medium saucepan, mix orange concentrate and pinneapple juice. Heat, add brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and lime juice. Bring mixture to a boil. Continue to boil gently for 15 min. then turn down heat and allow mixture to simmer for 10 - 15 min. During last 5 min. of simmering, add vermouth. Remove cloves.

HAM NOTES:

Use a store-bought smoked shank portion

The night before cooking, cover completely in cold water and ice. Soak 24 hours to remove salt and preservatives (makes a HUGE difference)

Place shank open-side down in a baking pan. Cut a "crisscross" pattern into the outside of the ham, about 1/2-inch deep.

In the "squares" created by the crisscross patterm, insert a whole clove.

Bake at 325F under a loose-fiiting foil "tent" until inner temp reaches 140F.

Remove tent, pour some of the glaze over the ham, return to oven uncovered. Every 5 -10 minutes, baste the ham using the run-off from the pan and additional glaze if needed.

Ham is done when inner temp reaches 160F. Allow 15-30 min. before slicing. Remove the cloves before serving.

[xZx]

i thought i smelled something good so i poked my nose in here... but i see the kitchen's closed... maybe i'm smelling fringe rum-nog's brew wafting over from next door.... LOL

[manysevens]

School is out on Christmas break for a while so I won't be posting our menu's ... but I will be posting some food stuff ... so stay tuned:)

[dr_praeses]

I like the idea!

[Mariner*]

Wow, you have the patience of a saint, I'm lucky to get twenty minutes on a marinate.
Get some green peppers and mushrooms in the skillet with butter add a little brown gravy added in the end and toss them unto the top of your steak and you'll have a real treat next time you do a steak.

[dr_praeses]

I'm cooking myself a rather cheap piece of steak tonight.

Strip serloin quality.

Has been marinating in some Italian dressing which I seasoned lightly.

Only marinating for like 18hrs though I've heard it's better to go longer...

Just going to throw it on my small weber grill till it looks about pink (medium to medium rare)

Last piece I had I used a dry rub w. garlic, cayenne, black pepper, a few other little insiginificant spices.

I love the spicy food.

Going to have some more spinach salad & italian vinagerette (brand name not homemade :( ) as my side.

[dr_praeses]

sounds pretty good Mariner

[Mariner*]

Pasta Salad
Start with MS board dressing #msg-15429686
A couple cups of dressing
Add 3 or 4 sliced tomatoes
more red onions and Italian seasonings plus some red pepper
1 to one and a half cups Cooked Pasta, spiral [Multicolored is fun]
Parmesan Cheese, couple handfuls
5 or 6 OZ Pepperoni, sliced and quartered
Mix it all up and top with dry parsley flakes

Let it sit for a couple of hours in the refrigerator to meld.

[dr_praeses]

salad

super simple

spinach lettuce
balsamic italian dressing
garlic powder
ground black pepper.

I'm in college so it's rare that I go outta my way to make a nice meal.

But I like to, on occasion, and, more than anything, I want to learn to cook!

: )

[Mariner*]

Manysevens McMuffin

Candian bacon, browned
fried egg W/ broken yoke topped with Velveeta
English muffin buttered

Yummie

[manysevens]

You're on to something:)

[Mariner*]

Breakfast Burritos
Toss some onions & chunk sausage on the grill
Throw in some scrambled eggs topped with Velveeta
brown a flour tortilla and throw the mess on top of it

Kids will love it

[Mariner*]

I never researched peppercorns, pretty cool.

[manysevens]

Whadya have for lunch today Dr. Sean?

just curious, thanks for posting:)

[manysevens]

Lunch: Mack n Cheese w/ Broccoli and Ham

The folks I cook for are mostly teenagers, so what can I tell ya- we eat Mack n Cheese about three times a month. They love it:)

The Broccoli. Steamed broccoli is great, it gives a nice fresh crisp veggy flavor that just oozes healthy.
But to turn a broccoli hater into a broccoli lover- ya gotta go a different route. Here's how I like it ...

Put the broccoli in a bowl of lightly salted water.
Put an iron skillet on medium-high heat.
Put a slab of butter in there with a dash of olive oil.
Drain the broccoli and add to the skillet.
Now walk away, no stirring allowed. Don't touch it until you think you might be burning it.
Caramelization is what we want here.
Yummy brown crispy bits of salty broccoli.

So, let one side get good and brown, about 12min, give it a little toss and just let it go a few more minutes while you get a plate together.
(may add a little splash of soy sauce at this point if ya like:)

** This works great with Cauliflower too, try it with some indian spices:) Remember Don't Stir!

For The Ham I just cube up some buffet ham, spray it with a little olive oil and brown it in the oven. Simple ;)

Mack n Cheese

Get the pasta water on the stove.
In a separate pot bring some cream and butter up to a simmer.
Season with salt, white pepper, chili flake, onion powder, and little nutmeg.
Drop the pasta into generously salted boiling water.
Whisk in a bunch of grated cheddar and whatever random variety of cheese ends ya got in the fridge into the cream sauce.
(if your sauce needs loosening, use the hot pasta water)
Strain the pasta and toss with the sauce.
Top with bread crumbs tossed in melted butter, parmesan, and fresh chopped herbs
then stick in a hot oven till really gold and bubbly.

Heart Attack!!! Weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!




wednesday, veg

[manysevens]

Props to you for breaking out the double boiler- most folks wouldn't take the time.

If you're really good with a whisk and in a pinch you can skip the 'double' part and put your bowl right on the open flame (lifting off occasionally)- gotta act fast for this to work without getting scrambled eggs though.

Line cooking is fun ... I miss it :(

[Mariner*]

I tried the blender once and it really didn't work for me, too thin and it cooled off too quick.
I just continue to use the double boiler method and it gets nice and thick and hot.
You have to use it right away or keep stirring it and adding tablespoons of hot water to the mix to keep it from becoming a solid.

[manysevens]

LOL! I like it:)

And I'm glad pepper came up again .. here's a little pepper knowledge for y'all ....

Black, white and green peppercorns are all products of the same plant but each is harvested and handled differently. The berries grow in spikey clusters on vines that reach 30 feet or more. A vine will not yield a crop until after the third year and does not go into full production until around the seventh year. The clustered spikes of perhaps 50 berries are hand-picked at just the right time for the desired black, white or green peppercorns.


For black pepper the clusters are plucked when not quite ripe then left in piles to ferment. After a few days, the individual berries are spread out and left to dry in the sun for two or three more days or until they are shriveled and nearly black. The finest black peppercorns are said to be Tellicherry from India because they are larger and the most flavorful.


White pepper is derived from the fully ripened berries that are just about to turn red. After harvest the clusters are packed in bags and soaked in water, sometimes flowing water, for more than a week. This softens the outer coating, or pericarp, so that it may be removed to reveal gray centers. The peppercorns are then spread out to dry in the sun where they become naturally bleached to white. Sarawak white peppercorns from Malaysia are said to be the finest due to careful handling and processing. A close second are the Indonisian Muntok type.


Green peppercorns are harvested when the berry is immature and then packed in brine. They offer a fresher flavor and less pungency than black or white pepper. Dried green peppercorns are also available alone or combined in four-pepper mixtures.


The pink peppercorn, usually the fourth component in these blends, is not actually a member of the pepper family although it is often marketed as such. This faintly sweet spice from Reunion Island does enhance the flavor of the other true peppers.


Both black and white peppers have a place in every kitchen. Black pepper has a biting, hot flavor suitable to seasoning an immense variety of foods. White pepper is more subtle in heat and more practical in lighter colored dishes where black specks would be unappealing. Used in combination, black, white and green peppercorns offer a great range of tastes.


Whole peppercorns will provide flavor to recipes without adding a great deal of heat. Just be sure to remove them so that no one suffers from biting into one. Add pepper toward the end of cooking to prevent it from turning harsh.

[Mariner*]

I just grind up the multicolored peppercorns and that way I'm not perceived as being racist.

[dr_praeses]

mmmm sounds yummy

[Deann]

ManyVIIS ...

just learned this trick with asparagus at Thanksgiving.

It's so simple and so delicious.

[xZx]

i never would have guessed it had to do with color only. interesting, thanks!

[manysevens]

Not a whole lot of difference when you consider varying brands, grinds, etc ...

I use white for light colored dishes and black for dark colored dishes. Not much preference otherwise.

I used to work in a kitchen where we ground all our peppers by hand with a pestle and mortar ... oof. High maintenance menu that one was.

[xZx]

you know you're talking to a cook when they mention white pepper. what's the difference btw it and black pepper?

[Reddog65]

Have the board marked. Keep 'em coming.

[manysevens]

Seriously, not reccomended on a daily basis, hehe ...

Thanks for stoppin by Reddog:)

[Reddog65]

Oh my. That sounds healthy. LOL!