Recipes thread (continued)

[BigB08822]

I like the sweetness of Miracle Whip. I absolutely LOVE it on a scrambled egg sandwich or used on a Sloppy Joe. I can usually trade out real Mayo with no problem but on a few things I must have Miracle Whip.

[Jenny]

My beloved grandmother used to make her salads with half sour cream and half Miracle Whip. For that reason alone, members of my family occasionally buy the smallest jar possible to recreate her salad.

[BigB08822]

My awful luck with the asparagus soup continues. I went to the store to purchase what I need to remake this and the asparagus has gone back up to $3.00 a bundle. Double what it was before and the reason I wanted to make it in the first place. It has been $1.50 for 2 weeks and TODAY it has to go back up?

[Stefanie]

Ours is still $1.50 a bundle; if shipping wasn't worth more than the asparagus I'd send some your way.

Speaking of asparagus, I made a yummy carmelized onion and asparagus quiche last week. The only thing I'd do differently was replace the Swiss cheese with something else. I thought it was a little strong, but other people liked it so maybe I won't change it when I make it in the future.

[emason]

My awful luck with the asparagus soup continues. I went to the store to purchase what I need to remake this and the asparagus has gone back up to $3.00 a bundle. Double what it was before and the reason I wanted to make it in the first place. It has been $1.50 for 2 weeks and TODAY it has to go back up?

Asparagus is a traditional vegetable for spring meals, like Easter, which is only a few days away. It's price gouging for the season, just like the tin of matzoh farfel I bought that cost +$6.00. If it weren't Passover the farfel would have cost half that.

[Stefanie]

I'm making Hot Cross Buns for the first time. I hope they turn out. They're on their second rise right now.

[BigB08822]

My soup is made and tasting pretty good. I wish it had some more flavor but not sure what else I could do. It has plenty of spice from the pepper and the little bit of crab boil. I've added as much salt as I am comfortable adding because of all the chicken stock. This has enough sodium to give me a stroke, I'm sure. Any ideas? I haven't added the cream so I am really hesitant to add anything until that last bit is added.

[BigB08822]

I found a great way to make homemade icecream very quickly. I had heard of it before but never thought to give it a try until today.

Fill a gallon size ziploc bag half way with ice and sprinkle liberally with salt or use rock salt if you have it.

In a sandwich size ziploc bag pour in 1/2 a cup of milk or half and half (or a combination), 1 tablespoon of sugar, 1/4 teaspoon of vanilla then close the bag very tightly. Put the small bag into the big bag of ice and zip up the bag. Shake for 4-5 minutes until you have ice cream! It comes out delicious. I am thinking of trying this next time without the sugar and seeing if it is edible, would be a great way to enjoy a more diabetic friendly snack.

[Angelskates]

I've only read the last couple of pages and the talk of homemade Mayo has me curious - recipes? (I don't like sweet Mayo)

[skaternum]

Just made my favorite crock pot dish last night. I'm ashamed to admit that it uses Cream of Chicken soup, but it's actually really good.

Mix together 16 oz sour cream + 1 can cream of chicken soup.
In crock pot, layer 5 strips of bacon, then cubed raw chicken. Spread 1/2 the mixture.
Make another layer of bacon, chicken, & rest of the mixture.
Add a layer of bacon on top.
Cook on low for 8-10 hours.

The smoky bacon smell & flavor is yummy!

[skatemommy]

I found a great way to make homemade icecream very quickly. I had heard of it before but never thought to give it a try until today.

Fill a gallon size ziploc bag half way with ice and sprinkle liberally with salt or use rock salt if you have it.

In a sandwich size ziploc bag pour in 1/2 a cup of milk or half and half (or a combination), 1 tablespoon of sugar, 1/4 teaspoon of vanilla then close the bag very tightly. Put the small bag into the big bag of ice and zip up the bag. Shake for 4-5 minutes until you have ice cream! It comes out delicious. I am thinking of trying this next time without the sugar and seeing if it is edible, would be a great way to enjoy a more diabetic friendly snack.

Brian, you can also do this with 2 coffee cans! We visited friends in Florida on spring break on a rainy day and they planned this for my 12 year old. Put a small can (with the lid secured with tape) inside a large can with the ice and salt and lid secured. They you roll it back and forth on the floor! 10 minutes later, open, stir, repeat. It was SO good!

[Jenny]

Just made my favorite crock pot dish last night. I'm ashamed to admit that it uses Cream of Chicken soup, but it's actually really good.

Now now, comfort food allows for such things.

However, you might consider trying to make your own equivalent by thickening some chicken stock with a roux of butter and flour, and then seasoning it with pepper, thyme or other flavours you like. If you didn't already have the sour cream, I'd say add cream, but no need here.

For many, many years and up until very recently I did hubby's favourite tuna casserole with a can of cream of celery soup - I've since replaced it with actual celery and a cream sauce, and he likes it better. He also now does his family's long time favourite pork chops in mushroom sauce with rice without the soup now, and instead sautes mushrooms into his own cream sauce made in the pork chop fry pan to great success.

Haven't got my family away from turkey gravy made with drippings + a can of golden mushroom soup yet though.

[BigB08822]

Brian, you can also do this with 2 coffee cans! We visited friends in Florida on spring break on a rainy day and they planned this for my 12 year old. Put a small can (with the lid secured with tape) inside a large can with the ice and salt and lid secured. They you roll it back and forth on the floor! 10 minutes later, open, stir, repeat. It was SO good!

I read about this but we don't drink coffee so we had no cans. I also didn't have any other viable substitutes. I would prefer to use the coffee cans as you can probably make more AND it is a lot easier. It gets a bit tough shaking that bag for 5 minutes and my hands get cold so I end up using oven mits, haha.

[skaternum]

Now now, comfort food allows for such things.

However, you might consider trying to make your own equivalent by thickening some chicken stock with a roux of butter and flour, and then seasoning it with pepper, thyme or other flavours you like. If you didn't already have the sour cream, I'd say add cream, but no need here.

Oh yes, I'm quite familiar with making my own cream sauces. But to be honest, when I'm trying to get food in the crockpot on a work day morning, I simply don't have time to stand over the stove making a cream sauce. But I do have time to slop some Campbell's into a crock pot.

[Jenny]

Like I said, comfort foods are often the exception for so many of us. I think I will still be enjoying the occasional box of Kraft Dinner until I die - I literally grew up on the stuff, and much as I like making macaroni and cheese from scratch, it's never even close to the bright orange goodness I've always loved.

[Stefanie]

Like I said, comfort foods are often the exception for so many of us. I think I will still be enjoying the occasional box of Kraft Dinner until I die - I literally grew up on the stuff, and much as I like making macaroni and cheese from scratch, it's never even close to the bright orange goodness I've always loved.

I have tried making my own macaroni and cheese several times--using different recipes--and I still can't get it to taste as good as Kraft or Velveeta shells and cheese. And of course I know that they are made with preservatives, fake cheese, etc., but it's one guilty pleasure I enjoy occasionally. Perhaps I should have used whole milk instead of 2% when making my own??? Does whole milk add to the creaminess?

[Habs]

I have tried making my own macaroni and cheese several times--using different recipes--and I still can't get it to taste as good as Kraft or Velveeta shells and cheese. And of course I know that they are made with preservatives, fake cheese, etc., but it's one guilty pleasure I enjoy occasionally. Perhaps I should have used whole milk instead of 2% when making my own??? Does whole milk add to the creaminess?

My grandmother made the world's best mac & cheese. We've been trying for years (she died in 2003) to recreate it but it never turns out quite right.
And IIRC, she used 2% milk with a splash of cream for goodness (her words ).

She boiled and drained the macaroni, and then added a few spoons of flour and shredded old cheddar by the handfuls. Once it was mixed well, she put it in a greased casserole dish, poured the milk & cream over it (until you can see it rising up to the top of the noodles) covered it with more cheese, put the lid on it and baked it for an hour.

[skaternum]

I have tried making my own macaroni and cheese several times--using different recipes--and I still can't get it to taste as good as Kraft or Velveeta shells and cheese.

Maybe the problem is that you're trying to get it to taste "like" or "as good as" the packaged stuff. I really see them as 2 completely different foods. It's like trying to make a steak taste like a hamburger. Never gonna happen. Appreciate the packaged day-glo flourescent orange stuff for its unique flavor & texture, and appreciate the gourmet homemade stuff for its real cheese flavor.

[Jenny]

In the not-Kraft-but-entirely-awesome category:

A sophisticated version that you can serve to company or enjoy yourselves:

Double Dutch Mac and Cheese with Chard

And a French version from Balthazar restaurant in New York:

Baked Macaroni Gratin

[Ajax]

I've only read the last couple of pages and the talk of homemade Mayo has me curious - recipes? (I don't like sweet Mayo)

Angelskates, do you have an immersion blender or a food processor? If so homemade mayo is very easy, if not you'll be in for a good long bit of whisking by hand which I don't recommend.

Assuming you proceed with an immersion blender, you need:

1 egg (fresher the better)
1 cup oil (canola is preferred as it's flavorless and cheap but for stronger-tasting mayos you can use olive oil, coconut oil or nut oils)
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice or white vinegar
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1/2 tsp salt

The key to homemado mayo is that ALL the ingredients have to be at room temperature. I can't stress this enough. I recently forgot to take the mustard out of the fridge in advance. The mayo never emulsified and I ended up with eggy oil soup

If you're using an immersion blender, crack the egg into a tall glass or beaker and stir in the lemon juice. Let sit for a couple minutes, that way the lemon juice can kill any potential bacteria in the egg. Then stir in the mustard and top slowly with the oil. Stick your immersion blender in all the way to the bottom, turn it on. In a few seconds you'll see it emulsify and mayo will start to make its way up the sides of the cup. When this starts happening, slowly draw the running blender up until all the oil is incorporated.

If using a food processor, process the egg, mustard and lemon juice for a few seconds, then add the oil, drop by drop at first, while the processor is running.