Cooking with INTERCOT (August 2007)

[disneydrmr]

Welcome to a new month! Man is this year flying by! Maybe we should start posting our holiday recipes? :D

Bibbidiboo3 posted just this morning on the old thread.. so here's what Bibbidiboo needed:
" Any ideas for some cool side dishes? I'm having my dd's bday party on Sunday and am planning hamburgers, hotdogs, chicken, pasta salad... Any other cool ideas - it will be 90+ on Sunday.
Thanks!"

[offwego]

Carrot salad perhaps?

Grated carrots with (aprox 4 large for 8 servings keep on going if you need more)
1/4 cup golden raisins
1 small diced apple (or pear if that's what you have).
1/4 tsp ground cumin
salt pepper
aprox 3 tbls olive oil and one tbls white wine or cidear vinegar. (add more in the same proportion if you think it needs more dressing).

You can also use a splash of orange juice instead of the vinegar but then also squeeze in a little lemon juice.

Feel free to add other dried fruit such as apricots and a sprinkle of coconut is yummy too (but then change from cumin to say curry powder to avoid something too sweetish).

Have a great party.

[SBETigg]

Confetti New Potatoes- a great side dish, like potato salad in its own potato cup.

You need:
twenty new potatoes (red skinned)

*two carrots
*four sweet pickles
*two green onions
*two hard cooked eggs
*2T dill
(*all finely chopped)

*3/4 c mayo
*3/4 c sour cream
(*blended together)

another 2 T dill (garnish)


You take about twenty of the small red skinned new potatoes, boil them probably 10-20 minutes. They should be tender to the bite but firm enough to work with. Let them cool. Slice them in half, and cut a small slice off the bottom of each so they can stand upright, then (with a melon baller or small spoon) scoop out (and save) the centers(not all the way through), leaving small potato cups.

Put the potato centers in a bowl and mix them with the 2T dill, finely chopped carrots, pickles, eggs, green onions, and the blended sour cream/mayo mixture- stir it altogether and fill it into the centers of the potato cups, garnish with dill.

It makes a nice presentation and an easy way to eat potato salad, especially at large gatherings. You could also skip the confetti veggies and simply fill centers with bacon bits and sour cream.

[bibbidiboo3]

disneydrmr - Thanks for moving this to the new month! The suggestions are good so far, keep them coming!!:D

[DisneyDog]

Hi all, we are just getting started with construction in our kitchen. It's pretty much a huge mess and will be for about a month. I've been thinking about ways we can actually eat a normal dinner.

Here's what I have at my disposal:

Microwave
Electric Roaster
Crockpot
Barbecue
Electric Frying pan

Can anyone suggest some easy recipes that won't make too big of a mess? I'd have to do dishes (and probably cook) in my laundry room, I guess :)

Thanks!!

Jill

[Scar]

Take-out. ;)

[DisneyDog]

I'm sure we'll do that sometimes and go out sometimes too, but really there's only so much of that anyone can handle -- it gets expensive and fattening.

[SBETigg]

Jill, how about pita pizzas on the barbecue grill? It's easy, quick, and healthy. Clean-up is a snap. Plus, everyone in the family can choose their own toppings. You just need pitas (white or whole wheat), pizza sauce, shredded mozzarella cheese, and chopped veggies or pepperoni. You can do variations, too, like barbecue sauce instead of pizza sauce with cheddar and chicken. They cook in just a few minutes on the grill.

[Tick-Tock]

Also, you can grill vegetables (asparagus, sliced peppers, red onions, maybe some carrots or cauliflower, a little salt and pepper, a little olive oil, wrap them in foil, and they're great!)

I've been eating a lot of sandwiches recently. Heat a roast beef, chicken, or ham sandwich with some cheese in the microwave, it's almost like Quizno's.

Quesadillas in the microwave also (tortillas, cheese, salsa, maybe some chicken, ready in minutes).

[dolphinmickey9170]

How about a delicious fruit salad!!

Melon Balls - honeydew, watermelon, and canteloupe
Strawberries
Kiwi
Blueberries
Raspberries
Peaches or Nectarines
Pineapple
Blackberries
Bananas

Cut your watermelon (whole) into a basket shape with a handle on a zigzag cut. Scoop out watermelon. Cut up fruit and mix together in another bowl. Sprinkle a little "fruit fresh" in and mix together. Then put all the fruit into the watermelon basket! Keep refrigerated!! Enjoy

[JanetMegan]

How about an Orzo Salad?

It's like a pasta salad, just a little more interesting.

Orzo is a pasta that looks like rice. Cook according to directions, drain well and then add your favorite Italian Salad dressing and toss. Then add whatever veggies you enjoy. I usually go with:

Green pepper (chopped)
Grape tomatoes (halved)
Sliced black olives
Cucumber (chopped)

Toss everything together. I usually like making it the night before so the Orzo can soak up the flavors of the dressing.

[JanetMegan]

For those who don't get the Kraft Foods email newsletter here are two grilling recipes that I think looked great!

Barbecued Flank Steak with Roasted Vegetables and Corn

1/4 cup KRAFT Zesty Italian Dressing
2 Tbsp. soy sauce
1 lb. beef flank steak
2 lb. baby red potatoes, cut in half
1 cup chopped asparagus
1 Tbsp. dried rosemary leaves
4 ears of corn, in husks, soaked in water 10 min.


PREHEAT grill to medium-high heat. Mix dressing and soy sauce. Pour 2 Tbsp. dressing mixture over steak in shallow dish, turning to coat. Let stand 10 min.

MEANWHILE, microwave potatoes on HIGH 10 min. Poke small holes in bottom of disposable aluminum foil pan. Toss potatoes with remaining dressing mixture. Add asparagus and rosemary; spoon into foil pan.

PLACE steak, foil pan and corn on grate of grill. Grill 15 min. or to desired doneness, turning steak and corn after 8 min. and stirring vegetables frequently. (Corn husk will be blackened.)
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Honey Spice-Rubbed Pork Tenderloin

1/4 cup KRAFT CATALINA Dressing, divided
1 large pork tenderloin (1 lb.)
1 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. dry mustard
1/2 tsp. paprika
1/4 tsp. dried thyme leaves
1 Tbsp. honey


BRUSH 2 Tbsp. of the dressing over pork. Mix dry ingredients; rub onto pork. Let stand 10 min. or refrigerate up to 24 hours to marinate.

PREHEAT grill to medium heat. Place pork on grill; cover. Grill 20 min., turning occasionally.

MIX remaining 2 Tbsp. dressing and honey. Brush some of the honey mixture over pork. Continue grilling 5 to 10 min., turning and brushing with honey mixture until pork is cooked through (160°F.) Let stand, covered with foil, a few minutes before slicing.

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I'm going to try the veggies from the steak with the pork tenderloin this weekend!

[disneydrmr]

How about an Orzo Salad?

It's like a pasta salad, just a little more interesting.

Orzo is a pasta that looks like rice. Cook according to directions, drain well and then add your favorite Italian Salad dressing and toss. Then add whatever veggies you enjoy. I usually go with:

Green pepper (chopped)
Grape tomatoes (halved)
Sliced black olives
Cucumber (chopped)

Toss everything together. I usually like making it the night before so the Orzo can soak up the flavors of the dressing.

To make it a 'main course' salad I bet you could add some cut up pepperoni!! Yum!

[January-2007]

Okay so I got my parents bread machine last weekend with the hopes of making my own bread and not having to buy it anymore. Our oven is a little off (I did get an oven thermometer though, just have to figure it out) so a bread machine seemed like the perfect solution. Only it's not...

I started it just after 8 this morning and set it all just like it said in the instruction booklet, but then it started beeping, I don't know why, then later it just shut off. And when I try to plug it in it doesn't show to have any power. So I guess it's either the outlet or I've killed the 9 year old bread machine on my first try. That would be so sad.

Does anyone have any recommendations for me? I know I'll try another outlet I guess, I am not quite sure what my next course of action should be. Does anyone else use a bread machine? Any brand recommendations?

I put the dough in a corningware since it's 2 pounds and I don't think it would fit into a regular loafpan and stuck it in the oven and I'm crossing my fingers that it's edible when and if it cooks before I go to work.

If anyone can help me, here's a big thanks in advance!

[disneydrmr]

Chilled Strawberry Soup

Here's a YUMMY! cold soup I found. Made it yesterday and WOW! :cloud9: it's to die for! I took some to an older gentleman in our church who is in a nursing home and he thought it was ice cream and gobbled it up as fast as he could!

1 (16oz) container fresh strawberries, sliced

2 cups half and half

1 1/4 cup sour cream

3/4 cup powdered sugar

2 Tablespoons white balsamic vinegar (I could'nt find white so I used the plain dark colored stuff)

Process strawberries in a food processor until smooth, stopping to scrape down sides as needed; pour into a large bowl. Whisk in half and half and remaining ingredients. Cover and chill at least 2 hours or up to 3 days. Stir just before serving.

Garnish with additional chopped strawberries if desired.

[JanetMegan]

Man this has been a slow thread this month, where are all the foodies ;)?

I'm trying to figure out what all I am going to make over the long weekend. Checking sale ads and recipe sites. Does anyone have a favorite recipe site? (Hmm are we allowed to post them here?) I like the regular old food tv site for some things, but would like to try some new ones possibly??

[disneydrmr]

You are right Janet.. this thread has been very slow.. maybe it's cause it's been too hot to cook for most people.. I know this month I've been doing a lot of blt sandwiches and other stuff that I don't have to use my oven/stove for....

As for the websites.. I pretty much use the food network site... I subscribe to Simple and Delicsious Magazine so I'm always going thru those to find new recipes to try. And then I have a nice collection of cook books so I really don't search the web that often for recipes.

Are you looking for any particular type of dish to make this weekend?

[JanetMegan]

Yeah I use the food tv one and get the Rachael Ray magazine and check out Bon Appetite from the library.

I think I have outgrown the RR magazine in cooking style. I used to just adore her, before I was big into cooking. Now that I cook a lot I'm kind of over it. All her recipes seem the same to me.

I have glanced at a couple of Paula's magazines but as much as I do like her recipes, the magazines didn't do much for me as far as substance goes.

The summer hot thing I do agree with, I have been doing a lot of grilling, seafood etc. But I'm in the mood to pull out the ol cast iron dutch oven and put something in it. We are supposed to get rain this weekend. Thinking of trying Tyler's Ultimate Beef Stew, or maybe some kind of rustic chicken dish??

[disneydrmr]

Yeah I use the food tv one and get the Rachael Ray magazine and check out Bon Appetite from the library.

I think I have outgrown the RR magazine in cooking style. I used to just adore her, before I was big into cooking. Now that I cook a lot I'm kind of over it. All her recipes seem the same to me.

I have glanced at a couple of Paula's magazines but as much as I do like her recipes, the magazines didn't do much for me as far as substance goes.

The summer hot thing I do agree with, I have been doing a lot of grilling, seafood etc. But I'm in the mood to pull out the ol cast iron dutch oven and put something in it. We are supposed to get rain this weekend. Thinking of trying Tyler's Ultimate Beef Stew, or maybe some kind of rustic chicken dish??

I used to get Rachel Ray also.. I love watching her on tv, but she uses ingredients that I'm not really 'into'...

Paula Deen - I just adore her! I used to get her magazine also, but stopped because of finances.. I do have all of her cook books and am anxiously awaiting release of her newest one! I've made several of her recipes and have loved them!

Since I don't use cast iron I can't help you on any recipe ideas.. but beef stew does sound yummy! (well, it will by this weekend when we'll have a 'cold front' pass thru - so it'll be in the upper 80s instead of the upper 90s!) I'll be making Calico Beans in my crock pot Sunday for my church picnic.. and if strawberries look good I'm planning to make my Chilled Strawberry soup over the weekend also!