The best damn cooks of Portland

Sat, 21 Jun 2008 01:16:45 GMT

I'm planning to buy a new batch of vanilla beans soon, and I was wondering if anyone would like to go in together on an order? I have a fantastic source of excellent quality beans for a far better price than you'd have any hope of finding in a grocery store, but they get cheaper still if you can buy in bulk. I generally buy Tahitian superlong beans, which are at least 7" long. Estimated prices (depending on how much people want to order, as the price goes down as the order gets larger, but shipping also increases) are roughly:

1 bean: $1
10 beans: $7.00
1/4 lb (roughly 25 beans): $13.00
1/2 lb (around 50): $23.00
1 lb (about 100): $40.00
10 lbs (around 1000): $350.00

Obviously, it's financially better to buy vanilla beans a pound or two at a time, but a pound is certainly more than I need in my kitchen at any given time. I've been buying from the company for years, and the beans are very high quality. They can be stored in the freezer as long as they're wrapped tightly or vacuum sealed. If anyone is interested, let me know here so I can keep a simple tally of how many people are buying and how much I need to order. I'll place the order around the middle of next month. I can take Paypal payments. Once the beans are delivered to me, I'll split the bundle up into everyone's individual orders for pickup (I'm in SE but can meet you or deliver within a reasonable distance). If no one is interested, I'll just have to use a lot of vanilla!

make ahead dessert for Thanksgiving

Sat, 17 Nov 2007 17:40:33 GMT

Hi all,

I'm looking for a dessert I can make ahead for Thanksgiving, like something I can make on Sunday. I'm having surgery on Monday on my knee and will not be able to stand long enough to make something once I get home.

Thanks!

deliciously nutty version of chilis in oil -- ( help! )

Fri, 09 Nov 2007 08:16:01 GMT

Okay, so tonight I went to House of Louie in Chinatown in part due to a slight navigational error and the need for immediate food stuffs.

The bean curd soup with seafood was pretty good. Decent, but nothing to write home about. The chilis in oil on the other hand that were sitting in an innocent looking jar on the table was absolutely exquisite and scrumptious. It appeared to have been made out of dried chilis and sesame seeds and unknown variety of oil .... maybe untoasted sesame oil. It had a surprising nuttiness and a very slight hint of smokiness that you often get with dried chilis. It had a slow, mild heat which made it delightfully easy to add spoonful after spoonful onto my soup stuffs.

The question is.... Does anyone know how to make it or where to buy the stuff? It seems like it might be very simple to make.... The only question is what type of chilis did they use and what else goes in it? Any ideas? Any experience with this kind-of thing??? I'm not usually a fan of adding whole or sliced chilis in oil or fish sauce to my finished dishes... rather I tend to gravitate more toward hot sauces and the like. But, the aroma of this one tantalized my taste buds and won me over like no similar concoction ever has before.

Can anyone help me to either recreate it or find a replica of this deliciousness????

Much gratitude to all!!! =)

Lemon Caper Cream Sauce

Mon, 10 Sep 2007 21:53:25 GMT

I got this lemon pepper pappardelle pasta at Trader Joe's recently. We had it last night with goat cheese and sauted spinach. It was fairly good, but what I'd really like to try is to make something like the lemon caper cream sauce that we had at Pastini Pastaria with their three-cheese ravioli (with bay shrimp). The sauce was soooo yummmmy!!! It was so good that I had to lick it all up!!! ;-) I'd love to recreate it at home and try to pair it with that pasta. I think it might be a lovely combination.

Does anyone know how to make it or a similar sauce? Bonus points if you've tried it as I'm not sure if there was any more to it than adding lemons and capers to a basic cream sauce. It was so good they must have added secret food crack to it or something! ;-)

Bread

Sat, 21 Jul 2007 03:39:12 GMT

The friendship bread turned out delicious! Do any of you want a starter?

(x-posted personal journal)

Apple pie filling

Thu, 19 Jul 2007 04:58:42 GMT

I made an apple pie from scratch tonight. (mmm I can smell it cooking...) What do you do with your left over filling? I'm looking for ideas other then pies.

X-posted to:
cooking
PaganTable

Sat, 14 Jul 2007 02:53:56 GMT

I have a starter for Amish Friendship Bread. (Hooray!!)

On the day to add flour, sugar, and milk, I added wheat flour without thinking about it... is that okay in Amish Friendship Bread? Will it ruin the starter? I hope so much that it's okay. Any friendship bread hints?

Look! A recipe!

Mon, 25 Jun 2007 03:06:39 GMT

Sorry I've been lacking on the recipe posting.. I'm going to get better, promise!

Hopefully everyone else will start posting too!

Last night I made my first potato salad ever. I'm not normally a big fan of them, since they usually have onions and I'm allergic.. I figured well, if I make it myself it won't have onions, so hey!

I got out the cookbook my mother-in-law sent us of old family recipes, and found a potato salad recipe.. it happened to be her recipe, so I had to try it!

8 medium size potatoes, boiled, peeled and cubed

4-5 eggs, boiled and chopped

1 stalk of celery, chopped

onion, chopped (amount your preference)

1/2 bell pepper, diced

pickle relish, or chopped pickle

salt & pepper to taste

2/3 cup mayonnaise

1 tbsp. mustard

1/3 cup ranch dressing

parsley to taste

paprika to taste

pimento if desired

Mix all ingredients in large bowl. Toss well and refrigerate for several hours..

obviously I left out onions and celery (Mike hates celery) and forgot the bell pepper.. but I added sliced olives instead of pimento!

This is such a dumb question....

Mon, 02 Apr 2007 02:31:02 GMT

So, I was going to bake a batch of cookie bars for a friend's birthday tomorrow at work...

But when I went to put it in what I thought was going to be a pre-heated oven, I discovered our oven was suddenly not working!

So, do you think I can cook it in the microwave? Anybody ever tried this or have some advice?

I'm probably going to try it anyways, I don't have anything to lose at this point except a batch of cookie bars.

Pears

Wed, 06 Sep 2006 06:02:57 GMT

Anyone have any pear-related recipes to share? Our little tree is just about ready for picking.

Thanks!

Cooking Classes

Thu, 24 Aug 2006 02:12:15 GMT

September cooking classes at Bob's Red Mill
5000 SE International Way, Milwaukie 97222

No supplies are needed at any of these, and you’ll get to sample each of the dishes. A 10% discount is offered in the store during and after classes.

Thursday September 7, 6-8pm
Delicious Sweet and Savory Pies!
The Mill is delighted to announce a return engagement of Chef Dan Allan, owner of Cricket Cafe / Madera Coffees. Dan will be sharing a selection of scrumptious pies starting off with the Great American Apple, a perfect rendition of the pie that everyone loves; Empanadas, to include these is a must, with Marion berry filling, lemon, and cherry; Pasties, an English and now a Midwest savory and flaky pie, hearty with meat and veggies; Sour Cream Pie, a simple and delicious pie with any fruit topping desired, and finally Pear Goat Cheese Tarts, tartlets for entertaining! These are one of Dan’s favorites.
Class Fee $40.00

Wednesday September 13, 6-8pm OR Thursday September 14, 6-8pm (identical classes)
Fabulous Gluten-Free Breads!
Author, teacher and gluten-free expert Carol Fenster, Ph.D. is back again to share her knowledge and personal experience with gluten-free breads. Her menu will include: Fabulous French Bread, Italian Focaccia, Indian Naan and Practical Popovers. Don’t miss this opportunity to learn from an expert!
Class Fee $50.00

Thursday September 21, 6-8pm
Healthy Vegetarian Breakfast!
Bob’s Red Mill is pleased to welcome Chef Brian McCarthy, author and instructor to our cooking school. Brian has been a professional cook for over 25 years and brings an incredible wealth of knowledge to this vegetarian breakfast class. Join us as we enjoy his selection of dishes: Banana Bread, Good Morning Muffins, Sour Dough Pancakes, Potato Sausage Skillet, Vegetable Scrambler, and Chai Tea. Brian’s book, The Vegan Family Cookbook, will be available for purchase and signing the night of the class. Join us for a night of great food and loads of fun!
Class Fee $40.00

Call Cassidy at (971) 206-1254 if you want to sign up, space is limited!

Bleu Cheese Dip

Thu, 13 Apr 2006 18:55:42 GMT

I made this again this week and thought I'd share. This dip is one of those things that people either love or hate.... Personally, I have to make it in extremely small batches, otherwise I totally inhale it. Very bad for me. :)

Bleu Cheese Dip
(The recipe was given to me by a wonderful woman and philanthropist named Petey Cerf.)

16 oz cream cheese
5 oz roquefort or bleu cheese or gorgonzola
1 oz bourbon
2 T milk
dash Worchestshire.

Blend in food processor. Chill. Serve with corn chips.

(seriously, I have to stress the corn chips. Some other things can stand up to this dip, but the corn chips alchemize it.)

The small batch, super-intense version I end up making is:

2 oz cream cheese
1/2 to 1 oz gorgonzola
splash bourbon.

Cheers!
(x-posted to damn_pdx_cooks and to my journal)
(and accidentally posted to pdxfood for a moment, but it's all better now....)

Mon, 03 Apr 2006 00:58:02 GMT

I made these this weekend and enjoyed both very much. A nice light twist on pea soup and a sweet gingery dessert.

Fresh Pea Soup with Mint

Serves 4-6

½ yellow onion, peeled and diced
½ rib of celery, diced
1 tsp butter or oil

4 cups chicken or vegetable stock
8 peppermint tea bags (not a blend, only peppermint)
1 cup half-and-half
8 cups frozen baby peas
¼ cup plain yogurt*
1 bunch fresh mint*
Salt and pepper to taste

INSTRUCTIONS

In a large soup pot, sauté onion and celery with butter over medium heat until onions become tender without any browning. Add chicken stock, half-and-half, and teabags. Bring almost to a boil then reduce to a simmer. Simmer for about ten minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove tea bags and add frozen baby peas. Cover and simmer ten minutes. Puree with submersible want or transfer soup to a blender or food processor, working in small batches. Puree the soup until it is your preferred consistency. Salt and pepper to taste. Return to the heat and ladle soup into warmed bowls or cubs. Garnish with fresh mint and a swirl of yogurt.

* Optional

NOTES
Fresh sugar snap peas can be substituted for frozen baby peas
Pureeing is not necessary if you don’t want to
To thicken, use pea flour or cook longer
I left out the yogurt and it was good!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Spiced Fruit Cobbler

Serves 8

INGREDIENTS
2 cups dates, chopped, pits removed
½ cup water
½ cup orange juice (or pomegranate)
1 Tbsp lemon juice
Orange zest

4 pears, diced (any fruit would probably be good)
Notes: Anjou is good for cooking, not Bartlett
Try using a golden delicious apple instead of one of the pears

1 tsp ground ginger
1 Tbsp candied ginger, chopped
OR other dried chopped fruit such as apricots
½ tsp nutmeg
½ cup hazelnuts, coarsely chopped
2 cups rolled oats
½ cup whole wheat flour
¼ cup melted butter
½ cup brown or raw sugar

DIRECTIONS
Mix dates with water and juices, and bring mixture to a boil in a small saucepan. Reduce to a simmer and cover for five minutes or until thickened. Stir frequently. Peel and chop pears. Combine with date mixture. Cover the bottom of a 9”x12” pan with this mixture.

In a separate bowl, mix together oats, flour, hazelnuts and spices. Pour melted butter over the dry mixture and add brown sugar. Stir. Place topping onto fruit. Bake at 350 for 20-30 minutes until bubbly and browned.

NOTES
The ginger is essential to this dessert! Apricots might be good in addition, but I would not replace the candied ginger completely. I didn't have enough dates so I used chopped dried figs for 1/2 cup of the dates, and it turned out yummy.

Both recipes from:
Dan Brophy
Cooking class at Bob’s Red Mill
March 16, 2006

So you want to cook something new eh?

Wed, 08 Mar 2006 05:48:40 GMT

I have hit the mother-lode of all recipe link sites
http://recipes.allepaginas.nl/

Okay all you semi-dead people, this sounds good to me

Thu, 19 Jan 2006 02:00:28 GMT

Apricot Chicken Balls
Prep: 20 min, Cook: 10 min, plus refrigeration time.

* 11 ounces minced chicken
* 1/4 cup plus 3 Tbs. packaged breadcrumbs
* 1 egg
* 1/4 cup plus 3 Tbs. dried apricots, finely chopped
* 1/4 cup plus 3 Tbs. macadamias, finely chopped
* 1 Tbs. light soy sauce
* 2-1/2 tsp. fresh coriander, chopped

Place all ingredients in a blender or food processor and process until well combined. Roll 2 tsp. of mixture (level measure) into a ball. Make additional balls until mixture is used up. Place balls in a single layer in the top half of a steamer basket over boiling water. Cover pan and steam about 8 minutes, or until cooked through. Cool and refrigerate.

Sausage Gravy?

Mon, 16 Jan 2006 21:36:47 GMT

So, the 3 or 4 times I've tried to make sausage gravy .. I've ruined it.. not so bad that it couldn't be eaten.. but.. I tend to put too much flour in, and it comes out really.. pasty

but we eat it anyways.

Do you have a good recipe for good sausage gravy? Any tips on how to make it.. um, not so thick??

Thanks guys!

Ingredient Substitution?

Thu, 12 Jan 2006 20:51:51 GMT

Mom's trying a new recipe for cawliflower soup from the newspaper that calls for 3/4 teaspoon of curry powder. She thought she had curry powder in her spice cabinet.

We don't have curry powder.

Is there a more conventional substitution that we could use? We have pretty much anything else that a person could want, spice-wise. Mom's considering using a few pinches of red hot pepper flakes. She's never had anything with curry before, as far as she knows, and while I like curry dishes, it's been ages since I've had any and can't quite remember what it might taste similar to.

Any suggestions?

[crossposted]

Hmm, no one cooking for New Years?

Sun, 01 Jan 2006 19:09:05 GMT

Eating Hoppin' John on New Years is suppose to bring you luck, I figure we can all use some more of that,
INGREDIENTS:

* 1 bag frozen black-eyed peas, thawed
* 1 cup water
* 1 cup diced ham or sausage
* 1 medium onions, divided
* 2 large cloves garlic, minced
* 1 cup finely chopped fresh cabbage or frozen chopped spinach
* 1 small bay leaf
* 1 can (10 to 14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes with chile peppers, juices reserved
* 1/2 medium red bell pepper, chopped
* 1/2 green bell pepper, chopped
* 2 ribs celery, chopped
* 1 jalapeno or serrano pepper, minced (optional)
* 1 teaspoon Cajun or Creole seasoning
* 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
* 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
* salt and pepper to taste
* 2 green onions, sliced

PREPARATION:
Combine everything in a large casserole and bake at 375 for 1 hour or until peas are tender. (You can also be simmer this in a dutch oven on your stove top till cooked through). Remove bay leaf.

Stir in the sliced green onions before serving. Serve over cooked rice with hot sauce and freshly baked cornbread on the side.

So....

Mon, 19 Dec 2005 02:06:52 GMT

Who is staying in due to the snow, and cooking?

Dinner tonight Chicken Alfredo Tortellini with a tossed green salad and mudslides to drink. Later tonight, after the mudslides kick in, we will be doing some improv cookie baking.

the new guy

Tue, 13 Dec 2005 06:41:23 GMT

I post in damnportlanders from time to time, and just discovered this community.

I improvised something rather good today.

I was planning to make stuffed mushrooms, but lacked a few ingredients and was too lazy to go to the store. The spicy italian sausage and the mushrooms needed to be used before they went bad, so I figured I'd cook up the sausage, saute the mushrooms and then use it for omelet filling. Instead, something else happened, and each step was total improvisation.

I cooked the sausage up into crumbles and set it aside to drain. I sliced and sauted the mushrooms in butter, mulled wine, and herbs de Provence. I threw the sausage and mushrooms together and added some spaghetti sauce. When all was well mixed and cooked I put some of the mixture on a couple slices of wheat bread and topped it with grated sharp cheddar. I threw them into the toaster oven for a few minutes. Yum!!

Sun, 04 Dec 2005 02:02:59 GMT

So I made my second ever in my life trip to the food bank yesterday, and they gave us an entire HAM. I was vegetarian for most of my adult life, so I have no clue what to do with such a large piece of meat. It's precooked, no bone, and just, well, big.

What the heck do I make with this? My family isn't big on just a big chunk of meat on their plates, so I'm thinking along the lines of casseroles, soups, things like that. Have you got any tried and true recipes for ham? Is it okay to refreeze it if it's already cooked, in case I can't use it all in a week's time?

thanks for any help!

Craving for Chinese

Wed, 16 Nov 2005 19:11:00 GMT

Does anyone have any suggestions for sweet and sour sauce brands? I want to make sweet and sour pork, but the last time I tried sweet and sour sauce (Sun Luck brand) it tasted like funky ketup.

If anyone has a recipe for sweet and sour pork, that would be great too!

asparagus

Tue, 15 Nov 2005 02:54:11 GMT

quick. someone tell me how to make asparagus. I don't have a fancy asparagus pot.. Just my regular pots and pans.. and I don't want to do anything fancy to it, but I have a hollandaise sauce mix I was going to make to pour over it.

I've got about 30 minutes to figure it out.

help!

Thanks guys :)

In a breakfast mood

Sat, 12 Nov 2005 20:16:21 GMT

This is one of the first breakfast foods mom taught me to cook. I like leaving the yolks at overeasy state so I can dip the toast in them.

Rocky Mountain Eggs
Usually 2-3 is a good size serving.

INGREDIENTS for each:
1 slice of bread
1 egg
Salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS
Cut a hole in the center of each slice of bread, big enough to hold most of an egg in it. Butter both sides of the bread. Heat the skillet to medium-high, so that water skitters across it. Add a little bit of butter in the center so the egg won’t stick. Put a slice of bread in the pan, crack an egg into the center of the bread without breaking the yolk, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. It’s very important to do this quickly, so the bread doesn’t overcook. Put some water in the lid for the pan (not too much, the bread will get soggy!), and pour it into the pan while putting the lid on. Let it cook for 2-4 minutes, then carefully remove the lid and flip over the whole thing (so the egg stays in place). Let it cook for 1-4 minutes, depending on how well done you want the center of the egg. Enjoy!

Cinnamon Lemon Cookies

Sat, 12 Nov 2005 20:04:01 GMT

Cinnamon Lemon Cookies

INGREDIENTS:
1 c sugar
½ c butter or margarine
1 egg
1tsp vanilla
1 ½ c all-purpose flour
1 ½ tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. grated lemon peel
¼ tsp. salt
Cinnamon Sugar

DIRECTIONS:
1) In a mixing bowl, cream together sugar and butter. Beat in egg and vanilla.
2) Combine flour, cinnamon, baking powder, lemon peel, and salt. Add to butter mixture. Blend well.
3) Cover and refrigerate 2 hours or until firm.
4) Shape dough into small balls, about ¾ inch in diameter. Roll in cinnamon sugar to coat.
5) Set cookies, 1” apart, on lightly greased cookie sheets. Flatten each slightly, and sprinkle a pinch of additional cinnamon sugar on each top.
6) Bake at 350 F for 10 minutes or until edges are lightly browned.
7) Cool slightly on pans, then remove to racks to cool completely.

NOTES:
Great with milk, or warm straight from the oven.

FROM:
Great American Recipes, Group 16, Card 10.