Miscellaneous Weekend Review (1/6-8)

[MISSINDI]

No thread yet?

Pancetta Crisps with Goat Cheese and Pears - These were OMG good, addictingly wonderful and so easy to make they should be illegal. Salty, creamy and sweet all at once. Definite repeater.

Elvis Paninis - I slathered two pieces of sourdough bread with peanut butter, then added sliced bananas and honey drizzles. Panini'd and then after cut, add more honey drizzles. My creation and deliciously divine.

Cuban Paninis - take inspiration from Joe's recent Pressed Cuban Sandwiches, I used the same ingredients inside, then again on sourdough bread, and made a garlic butter paste for the outside of the bread before panining them. Very good.

Greek Vinaigrette - Party Line. I've never seen a vinaigrette that has the feta cheese food processed with the rest of the ingredients, but this one did and DH ate three helpings, so that should tell you it passed muster.

Next...

[bobmark226]

Elvis Paninis - I slathered two pieces of sourdough bread with peanut butter, then added sliced bananas and honey drizzles. Panini'd and then after cut, add more honey drizzles. My creation and deliciously divine.
[B]


Was this in celebration of his birthday yesterday? :)

Nothing to add, just oldies-but-goodies this weekend!

Bob

[funniegrrl]

I made the Pasta with Chicken & Broccoli from America's Test Kitchen / Cook's Illustrated: http://americastestkitchen.com/recipe.asp?recipeids=1988&iSeason=5. I did sub parmesan for the asiago as that's all I had on hand. It was just eh. It might have been better with the optional lemon; I didn't have any so I sprinkled on some rice vinegar, but it didn't really help. Don't know that I'll make it again.

[SaucyChef]

I made:
Crustless Broccoli-Cheddar Quiches (Everyday Food website) - not bad, but nothing especially "wow." DBF thought they tasted too "omelet-y" :rolleyes:

Chicken-Bacon-Ranch Pizza (my own creation) - in an attempt to perfect my pizza crust and clean out the fridge, I came up with this concoction. Verdict: Pizza crust - almost there. Still needs some tweaking. The actual pizza was good! A nice change from the typical red sauce and the ingredient combo was tasty :) I'll make this one again.

Rich Tomato Bread (CL recipe search) - this is fantastic! I just started making my own bread every week, and I've already made grilled cheese and turkey sandwiches out of this. It's so good! This one is definitely going to stay in rotation.

[veschke]

We were away Saturday night, so not much cooking this weekend.

Part of my plan for the winter is making soup on Sundays. I love soup and don't make it nearly enough. So I made BA's Curried Lentil and Spinach Soup. It was good, but seemed to be lacking something - maybe as simple as not enough salt, but I thought at the time that I would rather have had it as a side with a sandwich than just a big bowl on its own. I had some of the leftovers for lunch and it did hold up well, though (which is good because it made a lot!).

[patsyk]

Only new thing I made was my mil's veg soup - which turned out quite well! (yay, me!).

DH made one of my favorite dinners Saturday night... fried pasta, bbq chicken and corn! Total comfort food! We don't have it often, but boy is it worth keeping him around just to have that for dinner once in awhile! ;)

My goal for 2006 is to be able to participate in this thread regularly with new recipes... I have started a spreadsheet to keep track, and I am on my way!

[MISSINDI]

Was this in celebration of his birthday yesterday? :)

Nothing to add, just oldies-but-goodies this weekend!

Bob

Seriously? It was his birthday yesterday? I didn't know ... definitely a freaky coincedence. Wow - too cool. :D

[Kristal]

I'm eating vegan for the month so I cooked a bit from the Chicago Diner Cookbook.

Thai Tofu and Broccoli Stir Fry This was pretty good, but I've tried other peanut sauce recipes that I've liked better. The tofu part was very tasty, as it's marinated then baked.

Cocoa Oat Bars I loved the topping (a mixture of vegan chocolate chips, coconut, walnuts and maple syrup) but the bottom part (quick-cooking rolled oats, hot water, and maple syrup) seemed a little dry and crumbly. I think a little more maple syrup should have been added, or even a little bit of vegetable oil.

Homemade Gluten (Seitan) I made this for some meals planned later in the week. Despite having some initial issues with mixing the wet ingredients into the flour, this turned out very well. Seitan is my favorite of the meat substitutes, so I'm sure I'll be making this recipe often.

[MISSINDI]

Patsyk - Fried pasta? Do tell!

[dgeevanson]

[QUOTE=MISSINDI]No thread yet?

Pancetta Crisps with Goat Cheese and Pears - These were OMG good, addictingly wonderful and so easy to make they should be illegal. Salty, creamy and sweet all at once. Definite repeater.

I'm so glad you tried these and liked them. We inhaled them. I have found a few wonderful recipes in the Best American series.

My new recipes this weekend were:

Sweet Cranberry Bread - Jeanne Jones Syndicated Writer
OK - but not as good as the Cranberry Upside Down Cake I posted from the LA Times - so won't be a repeater.

Chunky Monkey Cupcakes - Loved these. Kristal clbb

Scallop and Kabobs with Cilantro Pesto - Great! Kabob recipe from a cooking class and Cilantro Pesto cl

Hot Onion Souffle Dip - Linda in Mo Excellent 10/10

Thai Chicken Barley Risotto - Jeanne clbb - We all loved it.

Butternut, Goat Cheese and Walnlut Spread - Missindi -Not fair to serve it the day after Hot Onion Souffle Dip. It was tasty but the onion dip the night before was still being talked about.

Dairy Hollow Oatmeal Cookies - Valchemist clbb - We added butterscotch chips and these were a hit!

Thanks everyone for posting!!

Fun new recipes this weekend. Darla

[RD chef]

Missindi, can you please post the recipe for these or point me in the right direction? They sound heavenly! TIA!

[MISSINDI]

Missindi, can you please post the recipe for these or point me in the right direction? They sound heavenly! TIA!

Sure thing. I posted a picture/review on my website on Sunday. Recipe is below. Epicurious sent out an e-mail during the holidays, highlighting some "perfect" appetizers, and that's where I found this one. Definitely a keeper, it's from Bon Appetit, 12/04

PANCETTA CRISPS WITH GOAT CHEESE AND PEAR
16 thin slices pancetta
16 teaspoons soft fresh goat cheese (from 5-ounce log)
2 very ripe small pears, halved, cored, cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices (I used canned)
Fresh thyme leaves

Preheat oven to 450°F. Place pancetta slices in single layer on large rimmed baking sheet. Sprinkle with pepper. Bake until golden, about 10 minutes. Using spatula, slide pancetta crisps onto platter. Top each with 1 teaspoon goat cheese (I use dental floss to get nice, clean slices) and 1 pear slice. Sprinkle with thyme and serve.

Makes 16.

[patsyk]

Patsyk - Fried pasta? Do tell!

Sure!

The gist of it is, that he cooks up about 1 lb of medium shells. While they are cooking he chops up 1-2 yellow onions - large pieces, and puts them into the skillet with probably 3-4 tablespoons or so of veg. oil. He gets the onions cooking up and when they are brown, he addes the cooked pasta. He lets that fry up slowly... it's best when they get a little brown and crunchy. He also sprinkles a bit of paprika over it all as it is nearing being finished.

We like it crunchy, so it can take at least 30 minute to fry it up. It is definitely not light, but it is sooooooo good!

I made him contribute the recipe to my MOMS Club cookbook that we had published and are selling this year - with his name as the credit since he makes it and I don't! He's the only dh with his own recipe in it! :D

[SaucyChef]

Homemade Gluten (Seitan) I made this for some meals planned later in the week. Despite having some initial issues with mixing the wet ingredients into the flour, this turned out very well. Seitan is my favorite of the meat substitutes, so I'm sure I'll be making this recipe often.


Kristal - would you mind sharing the recipe for this? I cook for my vegan friend and her husband often, and would love to make my own seitan. TIA!

[SheRa]

we went out saturday night, so i only tried one new recipe on sunday - cinnamon-spiced moroccan chicken. it was good, but not something i could eat very often. the spices were interesting and it was really different having dates and almonds with the chicken. i served it with rice. i gave it a 3/5 in MacGourmet, because i'd definitely eat it again one day, just not anytime soon.

[Kristal]

Kristal - would you mind sharing the recipe for this? I cook for my vegan friend and her husband often, and would love to make my own seitan. TIA!

No problem, I'll post it tonight for you. :)

[Kristal]

Saucychef,

Here is the recipe.

Basic Gluten (Seitan)

2 cups vital gluten flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
3 tablespoons nutritional yeast
2 tablespoons onion powder
1.5 tablespoons garlic powder
1.5 tablespoons salt
2 tablespoons Italian, Mexican, or Asian spices (I used fajita seasoning)
3.5 cups warm water
1/4 cup tamari

Cooking broth:
3 to 4 bay leaves
pieces of carrot and celery (trimmed ends and tops are also good for this)
3 cloves garlic, unpeeled

For the seitan, mix the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl, then add the water and tamari, kneading well to combine. Your mixture should look like dough. Knead about 10 minutes more, or until the dough comes away from the sides of the bowl. Let the dough rest 15 minutes. Cut into 4 pieces.

Fill a large pot with 5 quarts of water. Add the bay leaf, carrot, celery, and garlic. Add the 4 gluten pieces to the pot, and boil about 1.5 hours. The gluten will triple in size.

When done, the dough will be firm, not sticky. Drain the liquid, discarding the vegtables, and store the seitan covered with cold water and a splash of tamari in a large container in the refrigerator. After the seitan cools, it is ready to be sliced, diced, marinated and cooked for any recipe. Keeps up to two weeks in the refrigerator covered with water.

Makes about 2 pounds cooked seitan.

[SaucyChef]

Thanks Kristal!! I look forward to trying this :)