Guys who cook....

[SOTB]

The replies with ideas/recipes in this thread are waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay cool. I've already copied a couple to my desktop....

[ccorgr175]

...It's a passion. That and red wine...maybe some good scotch depending on the budget at the time.

My tunes

My kitchen

My wine

My ingredients...

YUMMY.


Cheers,


2%

[Justaclerk]

Here's a great marinade that a friend gave me. For best results, marinade in a glass pan for at least 12 hours (cover with clear wrap).

2 C Ketchup
1 C Brown Sugar (light or dark)
½ C Vinegar (white or cider)
2 T each of French’s yellow mustard; Worcestershire sauce
and soy sauce

Mix well with a whisk and baste often while grilling the meat. It’s great on chicken or beef and superb on pork.

The recipe doubles easily and a double portion is recommended.

A touch of Louisiana Hot Sauce will give it a bite.

For ribs: Dip each of the country ribs (recommended) in the sauce before grilling. Best results are achieved when the meat has not been frozen. Use a hot fire initially, and baste often. The sauce will blacken somewhat as the sugar is burned off—this is normal. Heat the last bit of sauce and pour this mixture over the ribs just before serving.

[C-M-R]

Originally Posted by Baildog

So far I haven't. It's easier if they are pre-packaged, of course. I imagine if you are coming back from jamaica with a ziplock baggie full of "spices," they might want to ask you a few questions.

Good point

Chuck brings coffee home from SA and the vacuum seal is always breached. Packaged spices would be easier than anything fresh I would imagine.

I love Colombian food and wish I could cook like they do. Especially that caramel dessert stuff....

[PatriotnMore]

Originally Posted by Jimbo

Here it is: http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/r...glazed-bananas

Edited to add: this is very easy to make and it can all be done well ahead on the main meal. You just keep the soup hot on the stove and serving it ask you are pulling the main course off the heat.

Excellent, I m going to make some next weekend. I've cooked with crème fraîche with other recipies, the first time I went looking for it, the clerks in stores were like, huh?

Edit to add: Pacific Natural Foods makes and organic creamy butternut squash soup, which makes an excellent base, just add your other ingredients. Not from scratch, but a good alternative.

[Justaclerk]

Originally Posted by C-M-R

Good point

Chuck brings coffee home from SA and the vacuum seal is always breached. Packaged spices would be easier than anything fresh I would imagine.

I love Colombian food and wish I could cook like they do. Especially that caramel dessert stuff....

...try ajiaco with a desert of quatro leches.

[Jimbo]

Next time there is some decent weather, I'll be making these again:

http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/y...h-lemon-butter

I have a subscription to Food and Wine, hence all the links.

[BigNickT]

I cook just about anyhting. Nothing all that fancy, but I've found that if you know your kitchen and you follow directions you can make just about anything.

Chicks dig it. That's why.

Tax out

[iraqgunz]

When I am home I cook about 50% of the time. I have even cooked here in Baghdad at the camp for the ex pats. When I do Italian I make my own marinara or bolgnese sauce from scratch. I can also do lasagna. Stuffed pork chops is another favorite of mine as are enchiladas (chicken or beef, corn or flour). I also make a rather mean lemon pepper fried chicken.

I cook reasonably well. I do the more esoteric stuff in the house as well as all the grilling. I cook everything from breakfast to dessert; from Depression entrees to fine cuisine. I just don't get to cook often enough. Cooking gives me the chance to be creative, albeit on a small scale.

I suppose now is the time to ask the Texans about BBQ brisket. I have to do a table lodge dinner for a shitload of Masons who want brisket. I have Cooper's dry rub and some of their BBQ Sauce. First off, is Cooper's a good dry rub to work with? I've got to prepare 15-20 pounds of meat for the dinner. Thoughts? Suggestions?

[Dirtpuppy]

I am mainly a SW type griller, specializing in smoking beef of all types in mesquite wood chopped from my folks ranchito. I do not bake and/or fry. I also make a pretty mean Pico de Gallo, which I have perfected throughout the years (too much tomato, or a little less cilantro etc...) Its all about portions with the pico.

[Papa Smurf]

Since I lived in Europe most of my life and Diane comes from a country family in the US that only understands the two spice rule - salt and pepper, I do 90% of the cooking in our place; mostly Mediterranean, Southwestern, and wont let anyone near MY grill on steak night!

We take turns with the dishes, except on "Italian Night" as that tends to mess up the kitchen quite a bit so we both pitch in.

[Dirtpuppy]

Originally Posted by Psi Brr

I suppose now is the time to ask the Texans about BBQ brisket. I have to do a table lodge dinner for a shitload of Masons who want brisket. I have Cooper's dry rub and some of their BBQ Sauce. First off, is Cooper's a good dry rub to work with? I've got to prepare 15-20 pounds of meat for the dinner. Thoughts? Suggestions?

Ahh...caught myself in a lie. I have BAKED a few briskets in my life, but Im a young padawan compared to pops.

Coopers rub will work fine. As for the sauce, I am more inclined to making my own, I get a little bit more of self satisfaction after its presented, but any BBQ sauce will work. My dad likes to add bacon to the sauce, its quite good. Any sauce with a smoked flavor will do awesome.

The trick is to wrap that sucker in foil and slow cook for about 5-6 hours.

[JumpCut]

OK, here's the recipe that will have women dropping their pants quicker than a Victoria's Secret 80% off sale:

Jumps' Surf and Turf:

- Tenderize chicken breast, but don't pulverize. Coat with olive oil, dip both sides in Emeril's Cajun blackening jaink. Heat a black iron skillet with a very light coat of olive oil in the bottom, stand by.

- Peel/de-vein one pound shrimp, the bigger the better, and skewer. Lightly baste with olive oil and rub on fresh ground garlic. Set aside.

- Throw together a risoto and add chopped sundried tomatoes right after you take it off the heat. Cover, set aside.

- Take fresh asparagus (no canned shit) and steam lightly. Stand by.

- Whip up a Bearnaise sauce (Hollandaise with capers) and set on very low heat.

TIMING IS KEY:

1) Turn up the heat on the skillet, add chicken breasts. It will smoke like a Kuwaiti oil field. Turn every thirty seconds for three minutes. Remove when done and cut into strips. Set aside.

2) Turn down heat, wait three minutes, add shot of olive oil and shrimp skewers. Turn every 15 seconds for two minutes. Don't overcook. Set aside.

PLATING:

Pile generous risotto in the middle of the plate. Add chicken strips, and shrimp to the risotto. Surround the 'pile' with asparagus. like a fence. Drizzle bernaise over the whole shebang, but don't drown it. Sprinkle on chopped sundried tomatoes, and you're in BIDNESS, YO.

Add tiramasu and a shot of chilled Amaretto for dessert, and she may just bang you right on the table. BTDT.

You're welcome,

Jump

[SIERRA_339]

My wife is Hispanic and I am an East Texas Redneck....That said, she didn't learn to cook until her mom saw me eat the first time. Her mom, she told me later, pulled her aside and told her if are gonna marry him you better learn to cook. I, however, started when I was about 14 as I was always home before the parents.

10 years and three boys later, I am usualy in charge on the weekends:

Grilled fresh shrimp now that I live on the coast again; de-headed and de-veined on skewers over mesquite I smuggle from Texas.

Ribs over mesquite and then cover and put in the oven for an hour w/ BBQ sauce and onions. Should fall off the bone when done.

Venison backstrap or whatever venison you have on the grill over the mesquite. The next day the wife make guisado with it and the smoke flavor is in the gravy. You can do the same thing with larger cuts (roasts) and then throw then into the crock pot. Just dont let them get to dry on the grill.

JumpCut...

I loved, "- Throw together a risotto." That's more involved than any of the other food!

It sounds like one mother of a good meal though!

[Petey]

Peteys Super-Soup.:

1 or 2 cans of regular old chicken noodle soup.

Add Garlic powder or chopped, pepper, cilantro, or even salsa or picante and any other seasoning you like.

Add sliced Chedder Brats, bring to a boil. crack 4-6 eggs as desired. Add the eggs until the whites are white. I like the yellow to stay liquid.

The soup is loosely based off of something I had in Italy. This is pure bachelour food. The ingrediants are simple and off the shelf. Its a great learn how to cook without burning down the house recipe.

[JumpCut]

Originally Posted by Psi Brr

JumpCut...

I loved, "- Throw together a risotto." That's more involved than any of the other food!

It sounds like one mother of a good meal though!

Guilty as charged, brother. Takes practice and plenty of good single malt to tame that Italian rice.

[RedPepper]

Here in Louisiana most boysknow how to cook, and alot do most of the cooking. Everything from Gumbos and etoufee's to roast, rice and gravy, or a sauce piquant. There's not much I can't cook, unless you start talking of salmon and so forth. Or elk or moose. I would probably just deep fry it. Or pour etoufee over a piece of fried salmon.

When I was in my Father in Law flew several sacks of crawfish to Savannah and I boiled for some guys in my Plt. When travel I love to see restaraunts with Cajun Cooking displays or someone suggest a Cajun place. It's almost as bad as telling a hispanic to try Taco Hell.

I love to cook, and do 90% of the cooking, and I had to teach my wife how to cook after we got married.

[rgrdrew]

I cook a LOT! Especially when my kids are staying with me. My ex called a few weeks ago and told me I had spoiled the kids with making them a hot breakfast every morning before school! My son told her he didn't want instant oatmeal and wanted eggs, hash browns, sausage, etc. I don't do just breakfast though. I'm a Food Network junkie, and a big Emeril Lagasse fan. I can cook pretty well. Both of my last wives have said they missed having that.

I'm teaching my kids too, especially my son. Just like my mom did with me.