The Cooking Thread

[Courtney]

Oh, ha. Heidi beat me to the punch. But yes, I agree.

[insbordnat]

Or, just use fresh - lasagne are pretty easy to make, generally. I've also soaked the noodles (not no-boil) briefly in a hot water bath to ensure their moisture is kept.

[Courtney]

I like your style.

[Cameron Frye]

i feel like a fake italian for never attempting to make lasagna...

ok i'm half italian

ok once i asked while looking at an italian menu "so what's that baked dish with the short round noodles and a lot of ricotta cheese?"

ok i'm lucky i can boil water...geez

[zircona1]

I have this 'World's Best Lasagna' recipe that I got off the web that I've been wanting to make....

Is there much of a difference between italian sausage and sweet italian sausage? It calls for a 1/2 pound of the latter, but I can only find the former at local stores.

[chiapet]

Sweet Italian sausage has different spices than normal or "hot"... Sweet is flavored with fennel, which is pretty distinctive, even in a recipe with other components.

[involvelemons]

How has nobody made a Lil B reference in this thread yet?

That being said, when I'm not doing the cooking dance, I've been pretty into my pressure cooker.

2 beets
1 turnip
4 large carrots
1/2 bunch Kale
1 onion
3 cloves garlic
olive oil
3/4 cup greek yogurt
two veggie soup cubes
salt (if necessary)
black pepper

I start by browning the onion on low heat and throw in the garlic cloves (minced) when the onion is getting about done. Then add the vegetables, spices (but no salt yet, wait to taste later), and enough water to make everything swim. I bring the cooker up to pressure then cook for about 12 minutes. Quick release the steam, add the yogurt, then get to work with an immersion blender until stuff is the consistency of pea soup. Add salt and pepper to taste.
The beets add great flavor, but obviously turn everything maroon. If you can get past the cognitive dissonance of a soup that looks like a raspberry smoothie but tastes like warm winter vegetables, you'll end up with a super-fast, super-nutritious side soup (or light meal) in about 20 minutes tops.

Also: props to this thread for being almost universally positive. I'd upvote if such a thing were possible...

[davrone]

Brats in beer: yea or nay? Also, what beer would work best?

[Cameron Frye]

yes...and i've heard lagers work better than a strong IPA

[insbordnat]

Brats in beer: yea or nay? Also, what beer would work best?

Yea, and Leinenkugel's if you want to go all Wisconsin up innit.

[mountmccabe]

Brats in beer: yea or nay? Also, what beer would work best?

I have had good results with wheat beers but I tend to miss the browning and recently will late in the game pour off the beer and then let it fry in a bit of fat some.

[davrone]

Thanks for the suggestions, y'all. I went and simmered them in some Newcastle and onion for like 10 minutes, then browned them in a bit of butter, olive oil and even more onion. Made a gravy with the drippings, and added a little more Newcastle into the gravy. Served with a potato-fennel au gratin, and swigged down some Ephémère.



Mmmmmm...

[TomAz]

Or, just use fresh - lasagne are pretty easy to make, generally. I've also soaked the noodles (not no-boil) briefly in a hot water bath to ensure their moisture is kept.

I approve of this.

[locachica73]

Heidi & Courtny, I didn't know that, I will try that next time, the no boil ones were a lot more spendy.

I made homemade noodles once (i assume it's about the same as making lasagna) and I rolled them out to be thin enough to read a paper through, which was my mothers direction, and they still plumped up to be way too thick when cooked. I doubt I will attempt to do it again. I am all for easy homemade food. If that means buying a few pre made items then I am ok with that. Everyone who had some said it was the best lasagna they have ever had, probably due to the 4lbs of cheese.

[PlayaDelWes]

Slow cooking me some achiote-marinated pork pibil his afternoon. Get a load of the size of these banana leaves.

[TomServo]

I have this 'World's Best Lasagna' recipe that I got off the web that I've been wanting to make....

Is there much of a difference between italian sausage and sweet italian sausage? It calls for a 1/2 pound of the latter, but I can only find the former at local stores.

Sweet Italian sausage is sweet. There is a difference, but both should be tasty. And be wary of "World's Best ___" recipes. Sometimes with stuff like lasagne you do better with the recipe on the back of the box. I usually make very complicated recipes with lots of garlic pressing and orange zesting and get a mediocre product. The last lasagne I made had about five ingredients and it was fantastic... and my daughter's "World's Best Vegetarian Black Bean Soup" recipe tasted like she soaked the beans for an hour and ate the resulting slop.

[fatbastard]

How has nobody made a Lil B reference in this thread yet?

That being said, when I'm not doing the cooking dance, I've been pretty into my pressure cooker.

2 beets
1 turnip
4 large carrots
1/2 bunch Kale
1 onion
3 cloves garlic
olive oil
3/4 cup greek yogurt
two veggie soup cubes
salt (if necessary)
black pepper

I start by browning the onion on low heat and throw in the garlic cloves (minced) when the onion is getting about done. Then add the vegetables, spices (but no salt yet, wait to taste later), and enough water to make everything swim. I bring the cooker up to pressure then cook for about 12 minutes. Quick release the steam, add the yogurt, then get to work with an immersion blender until stuff is the consistency of pea soup. Add salt and pepper to taste.
The beets add great flavor, but obviously turn everything maroon. If you can get past the cognitive dissonance of a soup that looks like a raspberry smoothie but tastes like warm winter vegetables, you'll end up with a super-fast, super-nutritious side soup (or light meal) in about 20 minutes tops.

Also: props to this thread for being almost universally positive. I'd upvote if such a thing were possible...

This looks good.

[Courtney]

Does anyone know anything about bread machines? I had like $50 worth of Best Buy frequent shopper credit I needed to use, from buying stuff for work, and so I bought myself a Cuisinart bread machine randomly. But now I need to figure out good recipes using whole grains.

[jackstraw94086]

Does anyone know anything about bread machines? I had like $50 worth of Best Buy frequent shopper credit I needed to use, from buying stuff for work, and so I bought myself a Cuisinart bread machine randomly. But now I need to figure out good recipes using whole grains.

didn't you say you already have a stand mixer? I don't see much of an advantage of a bread machine over one of those.

[Courtney]

The advantage as I understand it is that I can set the ingredients in the machine in the morning before work, and then come home to bread that's just finishing up in the evening. (Or, have it cook while I'm sleeping and have it ready at 6am.) I do this a lot with my rice cooker and find the function to be very, very useful.

[TomAz]

Here's what I know about bread machines. I got for my wife years ago (she requested it) and she used it a couple times and it has spent the last 12 years or so in a closet under the stairs.

[Courtney]

So, what you're saying is that I should return the Best Buy one, and instead paypal you some postage so you can send me yours?

[jackstraw94086]

I guess it doesn't make much sense to me because I always bake italian or french bread. I don't have much use for a machine that only makes pan loafs.

I don't see it as much effort to proof some yeast and bang out some dough in the morning and let it rise in a cool room till early eve. If I dont' have time for a second rise then I'm probably eating too late to be scarfing down a ton of bread anyway (which I undoubtably will if I that loaf bakes).

[TomAz]

No, I'm saying make room in your closet.

[Courtney]

Dammit.

You both are making me reconsider. Perhaps I should think of some other pointless $50 gadget to blow my credit on.

[RageAgainstTheAoki]

Okay, now that I’ve probably given myself esophageal cancer, I figured I’d actually invest in a couple of proper pans. I cook a lot of meat at home. Fish, beef, poultry. And I pan sear a lot of it. And I mean pan SEAR. On non-stick pans. Cheap $30 pans from Target, too. Yes, I know, I know. It’s probably too late. I should take out a will now.

Two questions:

1. What do you think is the best safe (non-Teflon) non-stick (or near non-stick) pan out there? If I’ve read correctly, your two options are basically ceramic and aluminum pans with silicone layers? Admittedly, I just started reading up so I could be way off. Since I cook at home at least 6 days a week, I’m willing to pay a bit more than I have in the past. Up to $100 a pan, though, of course I’d much rather pay less.
   
   
2. What’s the best type of pan to buy for high-heat searing?

[Courtney]

A well-seasoned cast iron pan. And, as a bonus, you're helping to prevent anemia!

[jackstraw94086]

Dammit.

You both are making me reconsider. Perhaps I should think of some other pointless $50 gadget to blow my credit on.

french bread made with one of these is a thing of beauty. I don't know if I'll ever make it any other way.
http://www.amazon.com/Chicago-Metall...7965393&sr=8-2

[TomAz]

A well-seasoned cast iron pan. And, as a bonus, you're helping to prevent anemia!

Correct answer.

[Courtney]

french bread made with one of these is a thing of beauty. I don't know if I'll ever make it any other way.
http://www.amazon.com/Chicago-Metall...7965393&sr=8-2

I have never even heard of that as a thing! Interesting.