Any chefs on here?

[kat]

A friend of mine on facebook enjoys cooking and helps me out with recipes all the time. I get a recipe, a photo of all the ingredients and an after shot.

I was wondering if we had any cooks on here and if anyone would be interested in doing up a cooking thread?

[Lovin]

I think it's a good idea if everyone will share a recipe, a favorite dish, or maybe wanna try new recipe.
Saturday it's my day of cooking, and I don't know what to cook for my wife :D something fancy.
We like french dishes, and not only.

PS: or maybe after we cook, we take a best shot with camera, and uploaded here :)

[Marko]

I make gourmet scrambled eggs and gourmet rum and coke.:D

[kat]

I make gourmet scrambled eggs and gourmet rum and coke.:D


Hopefully not together :yuck:

[casil403]

I'm a professional chef by trade if that helps. :) Need cooking help/advice/tips let me know.

[Gem]

I'm a professional chef by trade if that helps. :) Need cooking help/advice/tips let me know.

GASP! No way! That's so COOL! I have a thing for cooking...but I don't think cooking has a thing for me :o

[casil403]

I have a thing for cooking...but I don't think cooking has a thing for me :o

I kinda feel that way about photography these days...lol! If we start a thread, I'll post some shots of my work if you like.

[Gem]

Can't we just conver this into a cooking thread? Wow, I have so many questions, it's like brain overload.

Where do you work at? Lol, I probably wouldn't know the place since I don't live in the same city, but we might be heading south on a long weekend so maybe we could drop by?!

[kat]

Yay! And we have someone who can cook on here! Awesome!

I'm game for this thread. :)

[casil403]

I used to work at a private club as a pastry chef but now I am waiting to start at a golf club in Calgary at the end of the month. I've worked mostly at private clubs here and in BC.

[kat]

Ohh..and pastry at that! Yummy! :)

[Gem]

Ohh..and pastry at that! Yummy! :)
My thoughts exactly! I've got a friend in Culinary School right now...Heheheh, I used to tease that one day I'd probably see him on "Hell's Kitchen."

[kat]

I looove that show! I wouldn't make it one day without crying..ha ha!

[casil403]

My thoughts exactly! I've got a friend in Culinary School right now...Heheheh, I used to tease that one day I'd probably see him on "Hell's Kitchen."

Too funny...we watch that show and I can't believe what a dufuss Ramsay is (he sure likes Beef Wellington!) ....I don't think I could work for that guy..my BF would probably "pop" him defending my honour....lol.

[Gem]

Too funny...we watch that show and I can't believe what a dufuss Ramsay is (he sure likes Beef Wellington!) ....I don't think I could work for that guy..my BF would probably "pop" him defending my honour....lol.

Lol @ your BF. That's so guy-ish :rolleyes: But I honestly worry that one day he's going to have a heart attack on the show and just flop over :p I hope he isn't really like that in his actual restaurants.

Hahaha! This one time he came on Leno (I think, or maybe Lettermen), and Leno was trying to help him cook something, and Ramsay even yelled at him! I lol'd.

[casil403]

I think he's just still angry because he didn't have enough talent to make it as a professional English League soccer player...lol If I were on that show, that would be my comeback to him...lol!
I've worked for a couple of guys a while back like that and really they are softies. If you have talent and drive, they know it and they ease up on you after a while.

[Gem]

I think he's just still angry because he didn't have enough talent to make it as a professional English League soccer player...lol If I were on that show, that would be my comeback to him...lol!
He'd probably kick you off the show :D


IIf you have talent and drive, they know it and they ease up on you after a while.
What about the poor souls who don't have any talent?!:eek:

[casil403]

What about the poor souls who don't have any talent?!:eek:

They get the deadly jacket hanger at the end of the show! :eek:

[Marko]

Cool that you are a pro chef casil!:highfive:

This forum is still growing but if recipes/cooking is something that people start talking a lot about in the future, we can create a subforum for it in the off topic forum.

We can do this for any topic actually. On the pet forum that i also Admin on we have many off topic subforums like film-t.v., books, gardening etc.

It's still early for this - but i just wanted to mention the possibility for the future.

BTW - Rum and coke and scambled eggs are fine together so long as you drink the rum and cokes first;)

[jjeling]

BTW - Rum and coke and scambled eggs are fine together so long as you drink the rum and cokes first;)

half of what I know as well. Scrambled eggs, potatoes, and sausage or bacon. Cook the potatoes first, then the bacon or sausage. Eggs last to soak up all the grease from the left overs, and there you have it. Add a dash of salt and the meal is served. I could eat breakfast meals all day....mmm mmmm mmm

[Gem]

half of what I know as well. Scrambled eggs, potatoes, and sausage or bacon. Cook the potatoes first, then the bacon or sausage. Eggs last to soak up all the grease from the left overs, and there you have it. Add a dash of salt and the meal is served. I could eat breakfast meals all day....mmm mmmm mmm
I think I just had a minor heart attack from reading this :rolleyes:

[casil403]

These days I've had a "Scone" thing...here's what I adapted from another recipe if anyone wants to try. :)

Cranberry, Apple and Brie Scones

2 cups flour
¼ cup sugar
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp each of nutmeg, ginger, ground cardamom
½ cup butter cold and diced into small squares
½ cup each of frozen cranberries, diced apple and oatmeal
1/3 cup diced (and then frozen) brie cheese (frozen brie is easier to work with)
1 cup buttermilk - or more if too dry

*Preheat oven to 400 degrees F/200 degrees C and place rack in middle of oven. Stack two baking sheets together and line the top baking sheet with parchment paper to prevent the bottoms of the scones from over browning during baking.*
*In a large bowl, mix together dry ingredients. Add butter and blend into the flour mixture with a pastry blender or rub together using your hands. The mixture should look like coarse crumbs. Add the buttermilk to the flour mixture and stir just until the dough comes together.
*Transfer to a lightly floured surface and knead dough until it forms together, then pat, or roll, the dough into a circle that is about 7in/18cm round and about 11/2 in/3.5cm thick. Cut this circle in half, then cut each half into 3 triangles. Place the scones on the baking sheet. Make an egg wash of one egg mixed with 1 TB buttermilk and brush the tops of the scones. Sprinkle tops of scones with a little sugar. Bake for about 15 -20 minutes and then turn pan and bake for another 10 minutes or until golden brown. Transfer to a wire rack to cool. Makes 6 scones.

** You can also substitute some shredded old cheddar, instead of the brie.**

[kat]

OH...need some photos! He he.. only missing 2 ingredients and I would of attempted it tonight!!!

[casil403]

Here's the finished product...not the best shots but boooooooooyyyyyy do they smell/taste good!

[kiley9806]

oh god, yum...

[kat]

YUMMY! Definately trying this one out..alright time to get my cooking cap on..doing one up tomorrrow!

[Gem]

Me and ovens don't mix AT all (except when it comes to pizza). I'm surprised they don't spontaneously combust everytime I go them :S

[F8&Bthere]

I think I just had a minor heart attack from reading this :rolleyes:

Remember that recipe suggestion was from a guy who eats squirrels, lol !:p

[F8&Bthere]

Too funny! I was a professional baker for about 15 yrs (still in the bakery industry but for the last 10 yrs been selling equipment). There must be some connection between food and photography!

I'm with Marko on the rum and cokes, but I'm on the fence between rum and good ole Canadian Rye Whiskey.

[F8&Bthere]

Did someone mention Pizza?
It's a crappy blurred photo but the drizzle on top is made with roasted garlic and real grated Parmesan cheese mixed with a few other herbs and some salt and pepper into plain yogurt and left to sit overnight for the flavours to infuse. Then applied to the homemade pizza after baking. Yummm!

[Gem]

Did someone mention Pizza?
It's a crappy blurred photo but the drizzle on top is made with roasted garlic and real grated Parmesan cheese mixed with a few other herbs and some salt and pepper into plain yogurt and left to sit overnight for the flavours to infuse. Then applied to the homemade pizza after baking. Yummm!
Now that is something I can probably make! Looks delicious! http://www.freesmileys.org/smileys/smiley-eatdrink063.gif (http://www.freesmileys.org)

[casil403]

Now, that pizza topping sounds positively delish....! Reminds me of donair topping a little.
:highfive:

[kat]

Now, that pizza topping sounds positively delish....! Reminds me of donair topping a little.
:highfive:


Ohhh.. I miss my donair sauce and a good donair!!! :(

[casil403]

Ohhh.. I miss my donair sauce and a good donair!!! :(

I know how to make donair sauce...the sweet garlicky one. Easy peasy!
I can't do donair itself but I have a great home made chicken souvlaki recipe also

[Gem]

I know how to make donair sauce...the sweet garlicky one. Easy peasy!
I can't do donair itself but I have a great home made chicken souvlaki recipe also
Really?! I've tried sooo many times to find a recipe but none seem to work :(

[kat]

Bring it on!!!!! :)

[casil403]

Really?! I've tried sooo many times to find a recipe but none seem to work :(

I'll write one up and post it either tomorrow or Monday if you like....It's all in my head right now but I'll get something up this week for sure. :)

[Gem]

I'll write one up and post it either tomorrow or Monday if you like....It's all in my head right now but I'll get something up this week for sure. :)
Could you?! That'd be great! Then I can dazzle my friends with my superior donair sauce making skills. :p Lol. :rolleyes:

(Now I'm really craving donair!)

[casil403]

These are just off the top of my head...basically I add the ingredients and adjust until it tastes the way I want. Feel free to do the same.

Donair sauce:
1/2 cup plain unsweetened yogurt
1/4 - 1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk
1-2 cloves finely minced garlic
1/2 tsp dried dill
2 tsp vinegar or lemon juice

Mix together all ingredients and let stand one hour or more in the fridge. Fell free to add more or less of each ingredient until it tasted the way you want.

Souvlaki marnade for chicken or pork:

2 TB extra virgin olive oil
Juice and zest from 2 lemons
1-2 cloves minced garlic (depending on how much you like garlic)
1 TB Greek seasoning spice
1/2 tsp ground black pepper

I pour this mixture over 2 or 3 cubed chicken breasts or boneless pork chops and let it sit in a covered container in fridge for a few hours or even overnight.
Then I put it on a sheet pan with parchment paper on it and bake it at 350 until it's cooked or I put in a frying pan and fry it over the stovetop until it's done. (no longer pink inside)
The other thing I do is get some bamboo skewers, soak them for an hour or 2 in water, then skewer the meat and grill it on the BBQ until done.

When the meat is done I take pitas cut in half or whole tortillas and put the meat in them, add chopped tomatoes, lettuce, onion and the donair sauce (roll up the tortilla like a burrito) and get some greek salad from the deli to have with the meal on the side.
Yummmmm....lunch/dinner is served!

[GregL]

Somehow I've managed to miss this thread or not pay attention to it.

casil403, my wife or I will have to try your scone recipe, we both love to cook when we get time. It looks delicious.

[Gem]

These are just off the top of my head...basically I add the ingredients and adjust until it tastes the way I want. Feel free to do the same.

Donair sauce:
1/2 cup plain unsweetened yogurt
1/4 - 1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk
1-2 cloves finely minced garlic
1/2 tsp dried dill
2 tsp vinegar or lemon juice

Mix together all ingredients and let stand one hour or more in the fridge. Fell free to add more or less of each ingredient until it tasted the way you want.

Yes! Thanks. Hm, I've read that you can also use evaporated milk....?Or is it better just to use condensed? Thanks for posting!

[casil403]

Yes! Thanks. Hm, I've read that you can also use evaporated milk....?Or is it better just to use condensed? Thanks for posting!
I like the sweetness of the condensed milk with the garlic. Sometimes I also add some sour cream to it to give the sauce more body.
Cooking is like photography...it's all about playing and trying new ideas! :) Maybe that's why I like both so much!

[casil403]

Forgive the title...there's no mouse in this recipe! I don't do roadkill!
Wanna stun and amaze your friends/significant other at your next dinner party/special occasion? Why not make Chocolate Mousse? Easy, impressive and very, very tasty!

Chocolate Mousse - Makes 8 portions
200 grams good quality bittersweet dark chocolate, chopped
150 grams good quality milk chocolate, chopped
3 whole large eggs
3 large egg yolks
2 Tb flavoured liquer (ie grand mariner)
500 ml whipping cream whipped to medium peak

Method:
1. Melt together both chocolates in a heatproof bowl set over a pot of simmering water.
2. In another bowl, mix together the eggs, yolks and liquer with a whisk for about a minute..it should be foamy.
3. Remove the chocolates from the heat and mix in the egg/liquer mixture into the chocolate until incorporated.
4. Immediately fold/whisk in the whipped cream into the chocolate/egg mix and keep folding until everything is well combined.
Immediately spoon into serving glasses/bowls and chill for at least 2 hours in the fridge
To serve, top with a little whipped cream and 1/2 a strawberry or other garnish and serve.
*I use wine/martini/margarita glasses to serve this in...looks nice!
* Make sure you use a good quality chocolate for this recipe as the chocolate melts easily and properly. Poor quality/cheap chocolate doesn't melt properly and gets very grainy and won't work for the recipe.

Enjoy! :highfive:

[jjeling]

This is awesome. One of these days Im going to have a get together and make the recipes from this thread. They sound so good. Thanks for the contribution Casil.

[edbayani11]

casil, you should start a thread for food photography!!!

[jjeling]

casil, you should start a thread for food photography!!!

:highfive:

[casil403]

lol thanks!
...although that means then we have to eat this stuff too :eek: and it's getting on swimsuit season and I have ALOT of work to do in that area as well as trying to learn photography!

[casil403]

Here's some of what I've done in the past....not the best foodie photographer by any stretch but you get the idea.

[jjeling]

If you send some of that down my way, Ill take some really good pictures of that stuff for you...........as long as you dont mind when it doesnt come back!

[kat]

I really enjoy this soup. I usually add a couple more veggies into it but this is the basic recipe! :)


3 1/2 cups peeled and diced potatoes
1/3 cup diced celery
1/3 cup finely chopped onion
3/4 cup diced cooked ham
3 1/4 cups water
2 tablespoons chicken bouillon granules
1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1 teaspoon ground white or black pepper, or to taste
5 tablespoons butter
5 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups milk



DIRECTIONS
Combine the potatoes, celery, onion, ham and water in a stockpot. Bring to a boil, then cook over medium heat until potatoes are tender, about 10 to 15 minutes. Stir in the chicken bouillon, salt and pepper.
In a separate saucepan, melt butter over medium-low heat. Whisk in flour with a fork, and cook, stirring constantly until thick, about 1 minute. Slowly stir in milk as not to allow lumps to form until all of the milk has been added. Continue stirring over medium-low heat until thick, 4 to 5 minutes.
Stir the milk mixture into the stockpot, and cook soup until heated through. Serve immediately.

[casil403]

Mmmmmm...I love homemade soup! :highfive:
Thanks Kat. I''m gonna try this this week. I've got some potatoes and some ham left over from dinner this week!

[casil403]

Can't get enough of these guys! If you like Banana bread, you'll love these!
From Martha Stewart's "Cookie" book...page 170

Banana Pecan Chocolate Chunk Cookies - makes about 3 dozen
350 degree oven - 12-14 minutes
1C all purpose four
1/2C whole wheat flour
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
3/4C soft butter
1/2C white sugar
1/2C brown sugar
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla
1 large over-ripe banana, mashed
1C oatmeal
8 ounces of chocolate chips (I add about 1/2 to 1 cup instead)
1/2C pecans or walnuts (optional)

Mix together dry ingredients - flour, salt, soda,nutmeg in a bowl and set aside
Mix together with an electric mixer in a separate bowl the butter and both sugars mixing until combined and it looks pale and fluffy...add the egg and vanilla and keep beating.
Mix in the mashed banana next.
Add the dry ingredients and mix on low speed until combined. Next add the oatmeal, the chocolate chips and the nuts until it becomes a dough.

Drop dough by spoonful on baking sheets lined with parchment paper with space between them as the cookies will spread a bit when baking.

Bake cookies, rotating halfway through until golden brown and just set.
Let cool and store in airtight containers and freeze or eat...we generally eat these up pretty quick when I make them!

*I also add ground flax seed to make them healthier...usually about 1/4 cup per batch.
*Unsweetened chocolate also works well with these cookies too!

[Gem]

Thought I'd revive this thread =) Earlier this week I made Spanakopita with very helpful directions from Casil! I was gonna post a picture, but I kept eating them and forgot (I LOVE these things!). Anyhoo, I made some more today and thought I'd share. It was my first time working with phyllo and I learned a few things O_O

1)Holy hell! Work FAST!
2)There is such a thing as too much butter.
3)There is also such a thing as making the sheets too moist that the break apart.
4)Put lots and lots of feta. LOTS.
5)There has to be an easier way to squeezing the water out of spinach O_O

I can't bake for the life of me, so it's a minor miracle I didn't burn the house down in the process.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3389/3498515829_7ee9aeec4e.jpg

[casil403]

AWESOME work Gem! Those look outstanding! :highfive:

[JAS_Photo]

Lol, good job! Personally I hate the things. :sorry:

[Gem]

Lol, good job! Personally I hate the things. :sorry:
BLASPHEMY! :eek: http://www.freesmileys.org/smileys/smiley-shocked032.gif (http://www.freesmileys.org)


Ha, thanks both! I ended up eating most...I just can't resist them http://www.freesmileys.org/smileys/smiley-ashamed001.gif (http://www.freesmileys.org)

[edbayani11]

i just hope i'll be still around when the geeks from microsoft and the other IT geniuses invent attachments that can send real food via email! :clown:

[JAS_Photo]

Ha ha, that would be good, Ed or you can just tell a machine what you want and it is concocted from thin air a la Star Trek.

[casil403]

Oh and Gem too...... :highfive:

http://www.flickr.com/groups/recipes/

[casil403]

Okay time to revive this thread...it's january and not much else to do so why not bake and cook?
I took these to school this week and they were very well received...I didn't take a picture of them before they were gobbled up!
Thanks Rebar cookbook for this one!!! :highfive:

Killer Peanut Butter Squares with Milk Chocolate and Oats
Rebar: Modern Food Cookbook

The recipe suggests you can drizzle the finished squares with melted chocolate after icing them.

Yields 8"x8" pan

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1/3 cup smooth peanut butter
1 egg
1/2 tsp vanilla
3/4 cup rolled oats
1 cup unbleached flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
4 oz (120 g) milk chocolate, chopped into large chunks

Icing
1/2 cup smooth peanut butter
2 tbsp soft butter
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 cup icing sugar
1/4 cup heavy cream

1. Preheat the oven to 350F. Grease an 8" x 8" pan and set aside. Cream together the butter, sugars and peanut butter until light and fluffy. Add the egg and vanilla and mix well.

2. Combine the oats, flour, baking soda and salt in a separate bowl. Add this to the butter/peanut butter mix and stir well. Fold in the chocolate chunks. Spread into the prepared pan and bake 25 minutes. Set aside to cool.

3. Prepare the icing by creaming together the peanut butter, butter and vanilla. Blend in icing sugar. Stir in cream until you get a nice spreading consistency, using more if necessary.

4. Divide into squares and serve.