Have you cooked anything new lately?

jeepcurlygurl · 09-19-2010, 12:32 PM

I made bacon caramels last week. mmm.

Yesterday I learned to make gyro meat and tzatziki sauce. The grocery store didn't have ground lamb and I didn't feel like hunting around for some so I made mine out of hamburger and ground chicken mixed together. Turned out really well. Add lettuce, tomato, onion on a low carb pita and it makes a yummy fresh healthy meal.

Today I roasted some jicama. I love them raw but thought I'd try to cook one. Cubed it and mixed it up with some onion, olive oil, chili powder, hot pepper powder, mint, salt, pepper. Roasted on a cookie sheet for about 40 minute. Oh so good.

So what have you been experimenting with?

webjockey · 09-19-2010, 04:20 PM

Lots of bread baking using the no knead bread recipe. I've had one success in about 10 loaves.

curlylaura · 09-20-2010, 09:17 AM

I've got leek and potato soup simmering right now.

redcelticcurls · 09-23-2010, 07:30 PM

This week's Farmers' Market trip was partly about buying stuff that was new to me. I got the items from my favorite vendor because she loves to talk about her work and explain the foods.

I bought some Swiss chard, but haven't used it yet. I guess I'd use it like collard or kale?

I got some Hakurei turnips. They taste like a mild radish and you eat them raw! I had them in some spring mix with candied pecans and pears.

I also bought beets, because, for whatever reason, I have never made fresh beets. I have to look up how to cook them, lol.

I also bought pea tendrils and I need to look those up too.

*sigh*

Fun, yet a little intimidating.

Not new, but my favorite apple guy had his 2010 honeycrisps in and sold them all in one day. *sigh* They are yummy though. I also like how he explains his work. It's very interesting!

DerbyCityNaturals · 09-23-2010, 08:08 PM

I made some gumbo inspired stew. I am looking at taking old family recipes and simplifying them with a twist to make a mid-week dinner.

Saria · 09-24-2010, 01:02 AM

RCC, Swiss chard is one of my favorite greens. I like making Swiss chard and walnut lasagna.

Beets, there are so many different things that can be done with them! A good way to cook them is to toss with olive oil, salt, and pepper, put into a pan with a bit of water, cover with foil, and put into a 400 degree oven. Cook until tender and peel while still warm, since the skins just rub off.

Try grilling the turnips whole. Really tasty.

Pea tendrils are good with just a quick stir-fry, with some garlic.

webjockey · 09-25-2010, 11:39 AM

Hubby came home with a bread maker.

I think he felt sorry for me.

redcelticcurls · 09-25-2010, 11:47 AM

I had to just fry up the greens since I had a storm induced power outage, and they got wilty in the non-working fridge. I'd like to revisit them in other dishes though.

The turnips, were small, (this kind) and i had them raw. It was like a radish, and quite tasty.

jeepcurlygurl · 09-25-2010, 12:22 PM

I'm experimenting with low carb baked goods. Most are sucky. Non-wheat flours (soy, almond, coconut) produce an odd salty taste. I've got the textures to be decent but the taste just isn't up to par. Some things you just have to splurge and eat the real thing. Like Oreos. : )

I have found great low carb pasta. And low carb pitas/flatbreads that I've experimented with and found the best ones to use for pizza crusts and to make tortilla chips and crackers.

RebeccaK · 09-25-2010, 12:43 PM

Roasted radishes (olive oil and salt) were amazingly good - we try to avoid carbs to help my husband manage his diabetes and these really tasted similar to potatoes.

Speaking of swiss chard, just found this recipe and plan on making it. We don't eat pork so I might add a drop of liquid smoke (or turkey bacon) and I don't see why skim milk (or 0 fat greek yoghurt) wouldn't work in place of the whole milk.

http://www.modernbeet.com/archives/246

Hoping to try roasted kale soon, just haven't been able to find it in the stores (darn this rural area!)

http://kalynskitchen.blogspot.com/20...-with-sea.html

JordaniaBabe · 09-26-2010, 11:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jeepcurlygurl

I'm experimenting with low carb baked goods. Most are sucky. Non-wheat flours (soy, almond, coconut) produce an odd salty taste. I've got the textures to be decent but the taste just isn't up to par. Some things you just have to splurge and eat the real thing. Like Oreos. : )

I have found great low carb pasta. And low carb pitas/flatbreads that I've experimented with and found the best ones to use for pizza crusts and to make tortilla chips and crackers.

For low-carb baked goods, look up gluten-free recipes. My sister has Celiac, and we cook and bake a lot with rice and potato flours. They're usually a little more expensive, but very close to the real thing. We started out buying prepackaged mixes... Pamela's is a very good gluten-free baking company, and their chocolate cake mix is my favorite!

Other things I've cooked this week:
I coated some butterflied chicken breast in cornmeal and pan fried them in some vegetable oil, then in the same pan, made a gravy with butter and corn starch for the roux, added in garlic powder, salt, pepper, 1/2 cup of milk, and 1 1/2 cups of orange juice. Went great with mashed potatoes and broccoli and cheese

webjockey · 09-26-2010, 03:34 PM

cauliflower and parsnip puree. I just cooked the cauliflower & parsnips in a bit of chicken stock. Pureed and added butter salt and garlic powder. I served it with a marinated skirt steak but it probably would have been better with some salty pork chops.

cosmicfly · 09-26-2010, 08:41 PM

Chicken pot pie. Not terribly inventive, but I've never made it before. I did not use a pie crust though (decided to use it for apple pie instead), so I baked it under puff pastry. All 3 kids ate it without excessive commentary, so it must have been acceptable.

redcelticcurls · 09-28-2010, 08:22 PM

I didn't cook it, but I tried wild boar ossobucco for the first time tonight. Quite fun!

jeepcurlygurl · 09-29-2010, 07:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JordaniaBabe

For low-carb baked goods, look up gluten-free recipes. My sister has Celiac, and we cook and bake a lot with rice and potato flours. They're usually a little more expensive, but very close to the real thing. We started out buying prepackaged mixes... Pamela's is a very good gluten-free baking company, and their chocolate cake mix is my favorite!

Unfortunately gluten-free isn't low carb. I can't use rice and potato flours due to the high carbs.

You guys are all making me so hungry! Bread bread bread I want bread!! : )

DerbyCityNaturals · 10-02-2010, 10:39 PM

My teenager was sick so I made her some soup. I cooked 1 large onion, 3 large sweet potatoes, 1 acorn squash and 1 medium apple in coconut oil until brown and soft. Then I added chicken broth and simmered until the veges were cooked down. I pureed the mix in the blender. We ate it up.

spring1onu · 10-04-2010, 07:39 PM

I made a fritatta for the first time. So easy, why had I never made this before?

I used leftovers from this recipe (with andouille chicken sausage instead of chorizo) in it with a sprinkle of cheese on top. That recipe was a new one for me as well and one I will be repeating often.

jeepcurlygurl · 10-04-2010, 09:03 PM

I made a frittata today too! Aren't they great? So easy and you can throw just about anything in there. Mine was a new one for me - apple, bacon, and bleu cheese. I'll definitely be making it again.

DerbyCityNaturals · 11-01-2010, 10:31 PM

Making scratch chicken and dumplings. Cooking is my stress reliever, too bad it adds cals instead of taking them away...