Cooking With Intercot (April 2007)

[disneydrmr]

Happy Easter, Happy April & Happy Spring! Anyone else love this time of year? All the flowers blooming, the air always smells so fresh (after all the April showers of course). And it's time to be thinking about all the fresh fruits and veggies that will soon be in abundance at the farmers markets... AND.. it's almost grilling season (actually our weather has been warm enough many of my neighbors have already been grilling out!) So, let's share some of our favorite spring time recipes with each other! Got any good recipes for using up all the ham that's left over from EAster, or the left over hard cooked eggs , or even left over Chocolate and jelly beans! What ever it is - it's time to Cook with Intercot!

[JanetMegan]

Not a recipe at all really but a question...

I love love cooking with freshly chopped garlic but I cannot for the life of me get the smell off my hands. I have tried to run them on the stainless steel, rub them with lemons etc. But for like 2 days my hands smell. I smell them in my sleep. It icks me out. Other than buying disposable gloves, what on earth can I do?

[JanetMegan]

And now the recipe that brought up the garlic this morning...

I made both of these fish dishes last night for company and served them with a rice pilaf and some roasted asparagus. I let the fish marinate in the seasonings for most of the afternoon, I think it really helps build the flavor...

(From foodtv.com-Rachael Ray)

Fishy Mixed Grill: Swordfish Kabobs with Garlic and Lemon, Tuna Steaks with Orange and Rosemary

2 pounds swordfish steak, trimmed of skin
2 lemons
8 large cloves garlic, cracked away from skin
Coarse salt
A generous handful flat-leaf parsley, about 1/4 cup of leaves
Coarse black pepper
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided
2 pounds tuna steak
2 oranges
6 sprigs rosemary, stripped and finely chopped
3 tablespoons aged balsamic vinegar, eyeball it
4 scallions, chopped (which I omitted)

Preheat grill pan or outdoor grill to medium high heat.

Cube swordfish into generous bite-size chunks. Zest 2 lemons and pile zest on cutting board. Add 4 cloves garlic to zest and chop garlic. Add about a teaspoon of coarse salt to garlic and lemon and combine with flat part of the knife. Chop parsley and mix into garlic and salt. Add a generous amount of coarse black pepper to the pile and mix together with your finger tips. Coat the swordfish in a few tablespoons evoo – enough to coat it evenly, just eyeball it. Slather the lemon zest and garlic mixture all over the fish. The evoo will make it stick. Pile the cubes onto metal skewers, it should fill 2 (12-inch) skewers. Set the fish aside for 10 to 15 minutes. Cut up 1 of the zested lemons into wedges and reserve.

Cut tuna steak into 6 small portions. Combine the zest of 2 oranges with the remaining 4 cloves garlic and chop. Add chopped rosemary to garlic and orange zest and combine with flat of knife. Add about 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt and about 1 teaspoon coarse black pepper to the mix. Place a few tablespoons balsamic vinegar and 1/4 cup evoo into a shallow dish. Add the orange-rosemary mixture and mix together. Add the fish and coat evenly in dressing and let stand 10 to 15 minutes. Peel oranges and slice into disks.

When you are ready to eat, grill swordfish skewers 3 minutes on each side, 6 minute total. Slide from skewers and squeeze lemon juice over the fish. Cook tuna steaks 2 to 3 minutes on each side for pink, medium-rare fish, 4 minutes on each side for fully cooked fish. Serve tuna with sliced oranges alongside and scatter scallions over both. Each person should end up with 4 or 5 cubes of swordfish and 1 small tuna steak.

[disneydrmr]

Not a recipe at all really but a question...

I love love cooking with freshly chopped garlic but I cannot for the life of me get the smell off my hands. I have tried to run them on the stainless steel, rub them with lemons etc. But for like 2 days my hands smell. I smell them in my sleep. It icks me out. Other than buying disposable gloves, what on earth can I do?

Hmmm.. I bought a stainless steel thingy that you put between your hands as you wash them with soap and water and it works. Unfortunately I've had this thing for at least 10 years or better so I can't remember it's official name or even where I got it. They do make small jars of freshly chopped garlic that you can buy. I use it quite frequently and it's just as good as chopping it fresh on your own.. and since you spoon the garlic out of the jar your hands never touch it, thus you don't have the garlic hands! I get it at Kroger in the fresh produce area.

[Caroleh]

They do make small jars of freshly chopped garlic that you can buy. I use it quite frequently and it's just as good as chopping it fresh on your own.. and since you spoon the garlic out of the jar your hands never touch it, thus you don't have the garlic hands! I get it at Kroger in the fresh produce area.

I also use the garlic in a jar. One of the chefs out of the many cooking classes I've taken recommended it. He says it isn't as strong as the fresh garlic but it's just good and a time saver. He takes a heaping teaspoon(the one you use on the table) and says that equals a clove.

[MissStyles]

Janet,

Did you know that last nite on 30 minute meals those 2 recipes were made?! I thought they looked good. What a coincidence hehe. As for the garlic smell, I have the steel thingy and it works perfectly. It's from Stonewall Kitchen and you can probably order one online.

[January-2007]

I hate the smell cutting onions leaves on my hands. I use garlic from the jar like everyone else is talking about. I plan on buying the special soap they sell at Basin for getting the smell off my hands when I'm in Disney this May. I wanted to get it last trip, but we were about to move, and I figured I would lose it anyway or it would get smashed. It's supposed to make the smell of cutting stuff like garlic and onions go away from your hands, don't know if it works because I haven't tried it yet, but I plan to. You can order it from Basin's website as well. Good luck... ah, the pains we go through to make our family a meal.

[disneydrmr]

I made a WONDERFUL homemade pizza last night and wanted to share.. it was a 'Cheeseburger Pizza'... very easy.. all I did was brown about 3/4 lb ground beef (though I used sirloin since it's leaner) I sprinkled Onion salt and seasoning salt on it. Drained it off. Then I had a Boboli shell... mixed about 1 cup of ketchup with several good squeezes of mustard and spread that over the shell. Sprinkled shredded lettuce over top of that. Sliced a tomato very thin and put those on top of the lettuce. Topped the tomato with the ground beef. Sprinkled real bacon crumbs onto that (I guess I actually made a bacon cheeseburger pizza). Then sprinkled shredded cheddar cheese onto that! I use a Pizzaz pizza cooker - set it on about 12 minutes.. but the cheese browned quite quickly since it was quite thick and thus was close to the heating element.. so would be better prepared in the oven... probably just follow the Boboli cooking instructions. But it was wonderful! OH! After cooking we topped our slices with sliced dill pickles!!! YUMMY!!!! Just wanted to share!

[JanetMegan]

I made my first fritatta last night, it was great and really fairly improvised...

The recipe said to shred some potatoes for the bottom of it and cook them about 15 mins in the pan but I didn't have any so I thawed and broke apart some tater tots. I cooked those with some chopped onion in my iron skillet for about 14 mins. I mixed 6 eggs, some chopped ham, some garlic, and 3 cheeses and then poured that over the taters. I cooked covered for about 7 mins on med-low. I then put the whole thing under the broiler for 4 mins.

Turned out perfect!

[MsMin]

Janet that sounds yummy. I like how you got creative with the tater tots. It reminds me of how I cook sometimesusing pancake syrup for brown sugar
I noticed a portion on substitutions the other day while reading a cook book. It said that if you don't have an egg you can substitute with 2 egg whites.
Honestly, if I don't have an egg what are the chances of having two egg whites???
Anyone want to share some great substitutions?

[offwego]

Janet that sounds yummy. I like how you got creative with the tater tots. It reminds me of how I cook sometimesusing pancake syrup for brown sugar
I noticed a portion on substitutions the other day while reading a cook book. It said that if you don't have an egg you can substitute with 2 egg whites.
Honestly, if I don't have an egg what are the chances of having two egg whites???
Anyone want to share some great substitutions?

Honestly I freeze egg whites if I just use yolks so sometimes weirdly enough I do.

Buttermilk 1 cup you can use just shy of one cup 2% with one teaspoon white vinegar. let stand for a minute after stirring (or even lemon juice has worked in a pinch)

[SandmanGStefani24]

has anyone made stuffed tomatoes? if so, what did you stuff them with?

[Mickey'sGirl]

has anyone made stuffed tomatoes? if so, what did you stuff them with?

I usually use cherry tomatoes -- and stuff them with some kind of cream cheese concoction then grill them .... Dill or chives or finely chopped leeks are nice in the cheese -- or some garlic .... Scoop out the seeds, put the mixture in, then grill the little guys for a few minutes until the cheese is soft. Very tasty snacks!!

[disneydrmr]

has anyone made stuffed tomatoes? if so, what did you stuff them with?

I've scooped the center stuff out of them and stuffed them with Chicken Salad.. then drizzled Ranch dressing over them! YUMMY!!!! You also have to cut a bit off the bottom so they will sit flat on a plate! I also line the plate with Tossed Salad mix. Makes a wonderful light dinner! In fact, I think I'm gonna have to go get some chicken salad and tomatoes - you got me thinking about how good they are!

[MsMin]

If I stuff them for a meal I make it with Tuna Salad. As an appetizer with cream cheese and on the grill I cut them open and coat them with olive oil then add freshly seasoned bread crumbs (garlic, cheese, parsley and salt and pepper.

[GusNJacque]

I've used the Basin soap. It works pretty good. Also at B & B they sell a kitchen lemon that works good as well.

[disneydrmr]

I made this recipe the other night and WOW! It was great! My hubby ate several helping of it! I'll list the recipe as it 'should' be made - but I never follow a recipe exact so I'll also add what I changed...

2 Cups Uncooked spiral pasta
1 lb. ground beef
1 envelope taco seasoning (I always use the low sodium version)
3 Cups shredded lettuce
2 cups halved cherry tomatoes
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (I used 2 cups and I also used the 'taco mix' of cheese - so it was a Montery and cheddar blend)
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped green pepper
1/2 cup Catalina salad dressing (I'm not sure how much I used - I did not measure it - I know I used more than this.. I did it to my taste)

Cook pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile in a skillet, cook beef over medium heat until no longer pink; drain. Stir in the taco seasoning mix and the water that the mix calls for. Cook a few minutes, then take off heat.
Drain pasta and rinse in cold water, draining again. Stir pasta into meat mixture. Add the lettuce, tomatoes, cheese, onion, green pepper and dressing. Toss to coat. You can also sprinkle with tortilla chips if you wish.

[DVC2004]

Last night I made Chicken and Chorizo Quesadillas, a recipe from my 2005 Epcot Food and Wine Festival cookbook. They were a big hit with my family, but they were alot of work.
Well worth it though!