What Have You Cooked Recently?

[Terrifying Organisms]

I recently tried a microwavable Zatarain’s blackened chicken alfredo dish and I really liked it, so I decided to pick up some chicken breast cutlet, blackened seasoning, fettuccine pasta, heavy cream, and parmesan yesterday to see if could I try to make a homemade version of it.

How did it turn out? I've never heard of 'Blackened seasoning' and I thought you were adding activated carbon or squid ink or some other pretentious nonsense. Looking at the ingredients this could be something I might try myself with what I already have in the pantry.

 

[AnOminous]

How did it turn out? I've never heard of 'Blackened seasoning' and I thought you were adding activated carbon or squid ink or some other pretentious nonsense.

It's just a name for the seasoning mix you use when making anything called "blackened foo." Like "blackened redfish" or whatever.

 

[Kosher Salt]

How did it turn out? I've never heard of 'Blackened seasoning' and I thought you were adding activated carbon or squid ink or some other pretentious nonsense. Looking at the ingredients this could be something I might try myself with what I already have in the pantry.

It's a Cajun cooking style, so typically it's a Cajun-style seasoning.

 

[toilet_rainbow]

Stuff I made recently to use up things that had to be or they'd be tossed:

1) Homemade Jimmy Dean bowls
2) Chicken fettuccini Alfredo
3) Ramen that also doubled as garbage stew
4) Chili with beef and kidney beans

I have some cereal that has been opened and untouched for a little bit, but does not taste like cardboard yet. So I'm going to use some homemade marshmallows my mom gave me for Christmas with it to make cereal bars later today. I remember that my college would do this with old cereal in the dining hall a lot to use them up.

 

[TC-P]

I had a number of veg to use up and some keilbasas that needed to be used. I am making a large pot of a green lentil soup. It is comprised of celery, onions, carrots, turnip, keilbasa, green lentils, chicken stock, pepper and bay leaves. I will divide it up for lunches.

 

[Varsha Nagini]

I made a chicken and chorizo jambalaya a little while ago and a homemade Indian spinach/methi chicken curry (any britbongers, I recommend ordering spice packs from TheSpicery - good stuff. I make most pajeet curries from scratch but I always keep their spinach curry mix on deck). We're at the point of the month of being pretty low on food and making whatever strange freezer/pantry meal that I can concoct. Managed to make a pretty good garlic sausage and butterbean casserole. All of these are pretty fucking basic BBC recipes which are hit or miss, but I'll leave them here:

One pot garlic breadcrumb sausage and butterbean casserole
Chicken and Chorizo jambalaya - this is more of a base for a good recipe, I'd recommend getting inventive with the chicken, getting it in a peri peri marinade. I usually also sneak some harissa paste in this mix for a bit more of a kick and throw in additional veg.

 

[Hepativore]

I am not sure if this thread also includes drinks, but I had two Lunchbox beer cocktails last night and they are very good.

The Lunchbox (mixed drink)

Fill slightly less than half a glass with any beer, then fill up the rest with an equivalent amount of orange juice. Pour in an amount of amaretto equivalent to 1/6th of the total volume of liquid. Stir together and enjoy.

Variation: Docbox

The same proportions as above, only with hard cider instead of beer, and cranberry juice instead of orange juice.

 

[skjora]

Made some steamed BBQ-flavored pork buns (minced pork mixture wrapped in dough then steamed). Third time or so? Ate a couple warm as they were, then two more cold with soy sauce for dipping. Tasted great. Next time I'll stray further from the authentic recipe and add some herbs and stuff to the dough, and figure out some convenient things to add to the filling for a more creamy texture.

Highly recommend steamed buns for any filling. Could even be a great dessert with a bit more sugar in the dough and like a thick jam/fruit paste filling. The texture of the bread is juicy and just slightly chewy.

 

[Titty Figurine]

Just about everyone likes grandma-style peanut butter cookies with the little fork cross hatching but on a whim I decided to throw in some white chocolate chips last night and they came out fantastic. Highly recommend trying it if you've got a sweet tooth.

A bit of maple extract instead of or in addition to vanilla in peanut butter cookies also tastes great without becoming too aggressively breakfast flavored. The peanut butter can stand up to it and it adds a nice little bit of depth without being too cloying.

 

[Triple Flutz]

Stuff I made recently to use up things that had to be or they'd be tossed:

1) Homemade Jimmy Dean bowls

I've definitely seen this since finding out about your Polissa thread, lmao. Thanks.

 

[toilet_rainbow]

I've definitely seen this since finding out about your Polissa thread, lmao. Thanks.

Hehe, thanks. Someone asked me how I made them on my profile, so you can read how I did it there if you wish. I definitely don't eat them often (the rest of what I made is currently in my freezer ready to be nuked when someone wants them atm, haha). Just had some expiring breakfast sausage and old potatoes and eggs and was like "oh shit"

 

[AnOminous]

I had a number of veg to use up and some keilbasas that needed to be used. I am making a large pot of a green lentil soup. It is comprised of celery, onions, carrots, turnip, keilbasa, green lentils, chicken stock, pepper and bay leaves. I will divide it up for lunches.

I have to do this too. I think I'm making a sort of tortilla soup/garbage soup combo. I need to go through the fridge and determine what is fit for a garbage stew and what just needs to go in the actual garbage.

Just had some expiring breakfast sausage and old potatoes and eggs and was like "oh shit"

This is an answer to "what do I do with all this sausage now" which I am currently facing.

 

[Triple Flutz]

Hehe, thanks. Someone asked me how I made them on my profile, so you can read how I did it there if you wish. I definitely don't eat them often (the rest of what I made is currently in my freezer ready to be nuked when someone wants them atm, haha). Just had some expiring breakfast sausage and old potatoes and eggs and was like "oh shit"

It's really brave of you to make them from scratch despite it being so much more expensive than the name-brand premade bowls, which are definitely not cheaper than fresh ingredients, even with the frequent ibotta coupons.

I'll take a look at how you made them to ensure uniformity in all FAT! recipes. I think I'm making some this weekend for the adults in the house instead of the birthday pancakes my kids look forward to every Sunday! Thanks a lot.

 

[a terminal posture]

Made some chicken and dumpling soup, it was great.

 

[HERE YOU GO]

sharing my classic yellow cake recipe.
recipe and instructions in spoiler.

Spoiler: Yellow Cake Recipe

Classic Yellow Cake
3 cups cake flour
1 stick soft butter
1/2 cup canola oil
1 1/2 cup sugar
4 eggs
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/4 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp almond extract
1/2 pack of instant vanilla pudding

get two bowls to prepare wet and dry ingredients
in one bowl, mix butter, sugar and canola oil till creamy
beat in eggs one at a time
stir in extracts
prepare dry ingredients in second bowl, flour, baking powder, salt and dry pudding
measure milk and set it aside for the next step
in 2 or 3 parts, gradually beat in the flour mix and milk into the butter and eggs mixture.
pour a 3rd of the cake batter into a prepared baking dish, keep it thin so it bakes evenly.
let cake cool down before frosting or eat plain.
this will make 3 cakes in a standard dish. a very tall cake!

notes:
try to brown the cake slightly, don't leave it pale or it can taste eggy.

Spoiler: Fondant Recipe

Decoration Fondant:
1 CUP Powdered Sugar
4 TBSP Tapioca Starch
3 TBSP and 1/2 TSP Corn Syrup

mix up powder sugar and corn starch OR tapioca starch
add 2 tbsp of corn syrup and pinch it into the dry ingredients, it helps to pinch the dough as it will be resistant at first to incorporating the corn syrup.
once you obtain crumbles, add the last tbsp plus a half, roughly pinch and tear the dough to incorporate the syrup.
if your fondant does not form into a ball after much pinching and rolling, give it more corn syrup until it can turn into a ball.
roll the fondant into a ball, stores in ziplock in fridge for weeks.

Spoiler: Frosting

Almond Frosting Recipe
little bit of corn syrup, 1 tsp or so
1 - 1 1/2 cups powder sugar
1 tbsp soft butter
4 oz cream cheese
1/4 tsp almond extract
1/4 tsp vanilla extract

get a hand mixer or get a bowl and spoon to mix manually.
pour in powder sugar, gradually add wet ingredients to the pile of powder sugar.
it's very important that the wet is added slow to the dry or it will seize.

 

[fìddlesticks2.0]

Pay day next week so it's that kinda stew!

Red cabbage. Tomato. Potato. Onion. Carrot. Garlic. Chilli. Hot dogs and beef meatballs! Parlsey to garnish innit! Makes it fancy like rather than the dog ends of the fridge.

 

[RoyalPrincess]

Soup. Carrots and paprika with tons of black pepper. Yum.

 

[Matt Damon]

I know this isn't exactly fine cuisine, but I recently inherited an old bread maker and decided to try it out as a lark.

I had to do a few test loaves to hone in the recipe, but holy hell, this is every bit as good as the fancy bakery stuff and it's made out of literally the cheapest constituent components of food a person can buy. I'm not sure I'll ever buy a loaf of bread again.

 

[Still Exceptional]

Half a broiled chicken breast seasoned with lemon rosemary salt blend (literally one of the most delicious spice blends I've ever tasted. You owe it to yourselves to try it. Works great with chicken and pork, might also work with beef and certain seafood) and wrapped in bacon, garlic rosemary mashed potatoes with gravy, and buttered steamed veggies.

 

[bliblblblbbllb]

Half a broiled chicken breast seasoned with lemon rosemary salt blend (literally one of the most delicious spice blends I've ever tasted. You owe it to yourselves to try it. Works great with chicken and pork, might also work with beef and certain seafood) and wrapped in bacon, garlic rosemary mashed potatoes with gravy, and buttered steamed veggies.
View attachment 4301816

Wow, that's my type of cooking.

Re: salt blend. If you've ever seen "all the flavor, none of the salt" seasonings, they typically use citric acid to provide bite. I haven't had lemon rosemary salt, but I have made rosemary lemon sugar before: for shortbread cookies!

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Tonight I cooked Aldi's chicken cordon bleu filets, some couscous with garlic and good butter, and some sliced apples. Less than 10mins prep time. Fridays are low-effort.

The box couscous was 1.99 for 3 servings and the chicken is 1.99 per stuffed filet. (before the pandemic they were a .99 cent loss leader...)

Couscous always impresses people way more than rice for some reason. The variety I get, you just add it and your butter/oil to boiling water, mix, take it off the heat and cover it, and it fluffs right up in 5 minutes. I recommend trying it out especially if you cook for the family- just make sure to add a high quality butter or oil, if you cheap out there it'll really show.

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I have everything for a big chicken casserole this week. I'm actually excited for this. It's going to be chicken divan but with cauliflower and peas instead of broccoli. Honestly it'd make an amazing pot pie filling but I'm going to serve it over rice. Thinking about doing mini pot pies another week.