Yeah I like to cook. That’s because I love to eat good food. I especially like to fire up the grill. Bobby Flay ain’t got nothing on me.
So if you have something that you need to share add it here. I will be adding some later don’t worry but I wanted to get the thread started.

3 corn dogs in one microwave on high for 2 minutes. Perfection!

This salmon recipe is excellent and very easy:

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Baked-Salmon-II/Detail.aspx

I’m normally not a big salmon fan, but buy some steaks from Costco and use this recipe.  Excellent.

Marinated Grilled Pork Tenderloin
 
3 (3/4 to 1 pound) pork tenderloins
½ cup soy sauce
½ cup dry sherry
½ cup honey
¼ cup rice wine vinegar
¼ cup vegetable oil
2 Tbs fresh orange juice
1 ½ Tbs minced fresh rosemary
1 Tbs minced shallots
1 tsp minced fresh ginger
 
Trim the tenderloins of all fat and silverskin. Place them in a shallow baking dish large enough to hold them without crowding.
 
Combine the soy sauce, sherry, honey, vinegar, oil and orange juice in a medium bowl, whisking until well blended. Stir in the rosemary, shallots, and ginger. Pour the mixture over the tenderloins. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to marinate at room temperature for 2 hours.
Preheat an outdoor grill or indoor grill pan.
 
Remove the pork from the marinade, shaking off any excess. Place the tenderloins on the grill and cook, turning every 3 min, for about 18 minutes, or until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part reads 140⁰ F. Take off the grill (the meat will continue to cook to 160⁰ degrees F).

Transfer to a platter and allow the meat to rest for 10 minutes before carving. Meanwhile, place the marinade in a small saucepan over medium heat and bring to a simmer. Simmer for 10 min, or until slightly thickened.

Enjoy!

The above recipe is REALLY good.  I need to give props to Emeril Lagasse.  I’m not usually a big fan of his because he usually has sooooo many ingredients, and his recipes are usually rather time consuming. 
The most important item in the above recipe is a meat thermometer.  It’s so important to take the meat off the grill at 140 degrees.  People tend to keep it on the grill too long not knowing that it will continue to cook once off the grill. 
Take off grill at <u>140 degrees</u>
Serve at 160 degrees.
 

I guess I’ll complete the meal.  Here’s what I usually serve with the above Pork Tenderloin: 
Grilled Marinated Vegetable Kebabs 

<u>Marinade:</u>
3 Tbs vegetable oil
1 tsp chili powder
½ tsp paprika
¼ tsp ground cumin
1/8 tsp ground red pepper
3 Tbs fresh lime juice
2 Tbs water
2 Tbs chopped fresh cilantro
2 Tbs tomato paste
1 ½ tsp honey
2 cloves garlic, minced
Salt, to taste
 
In a medium bowl, stir ingredients together until smooth.
 
<u>Vegetable Kebabs (cut into 1 ½-inch pieces): </u>
2 red peppers
2 green peppers
2 yellow peppers
4 yellow onions
2 large yellow squash
2 large zucchini
1 medium eggplant
 
<u>Preheat grill or broiler:</u>
Thread vegetables onto wooden or metal skewers. If you use wooden ones, soak them in water for 1 to 2 hours before using to keep them from burning.  You can make single vegetable skewers or use an assortment on each skewer.
 
Lightly brush each skewer with marinade. Broil 4 – 6 inches from heat,
5 minutes per side or until browned or lightly charred and tender. If desired, serve with extra marinade.

For the bunch of "value" investors around here, here’s a "value" recipe, so you can cook steaks at home without paying "steak house" prices.   

 
     
       
       
         
       
     
     
       
        February 24, 2007
       
     
     
         
     
 

 
     
       
       
       
         
             
                 
             
             
                 
                 
             
         
       
       
     
     
       
        How to Cook a Perfect Steak
        A step-by-step guide from a pioneer in a

        booming category: the star-chef steakhouse
        By SHIVANI VORA

        February 24, 2007

       
        THE CHEF: Laurent Tourondel, executive chef and partner of the fast growing BLT (Bistro Laurent Tourondel) empire. After working in classic French restaurants like the Michelin three-star Troisgros in Roanne, France, and Cello in New York, he decided to open BLT Steak in New York, his take on an American steakhouse, with more ambitious appetizers and desserts, no tablecloths and a casual vibe. "We want people to come in jeans," he says.
       
        KNOWN FOR: Helping to drive the star-chef steakhouse trend that started in Las Vegas, with Charlie Palmer, Jean-George Vongerichten, Emeril Lagasse and Tom Colicchio. There are now three BLT Steaks—New York, San Juan, Puerto Rico, and Washington—with three more set to open this year. Recently Michael Mina, Bobby Flay and Rick Tramonto have also opened steakhouses.
        THE MEAL: A perfectly cooked porterhouse or ribeye steak, with poached and pan-seared mushrooms and that classic steakhouse side dish, creamed spinach. Like many chefs, Mr. Tourondel first sears his steak, then finishes it—just to rare or medium rare—in a hot oven. A heavy cast-iron skillet is ideal.
        STEAK SHOPPING: Buy a bone-in steak—"Steaks that are cooked with a bone have a richer flavor"—that’s on the thicker side, 1½ to 2 inches. "That allows you to sear it for long enough to form the perfect crust and not overcook it at the same time."
        KITCHEN TIP: Wash spinach in lots of water. Lift the greens from the water and place in a colander, then drain the water. Repeat until the water is clear.
        * * *
        <a rel=“nofollow” name=“REC1”></a>
         
         
        The Perfectly Cooked Steak
        Yield: 4 servings

        Active preparation time: 5 minutes

        Cooking time: About 20 minutes for rare or medium rare
       
        4 to 5 pounds porterhouse or bone-in ribeye steak, 1½ to 2 inches thick

        Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
        • Preheat your oven to 450 degrees.

        • On the stove top, heat a large, dry skillet until it is very hot. Season the steak well with salt and pepper and sear for 2 to 3 minutes on each side, until it has a dark crust.

        • Place skillet in preheated oven for about 14 minutes for a 1 1/2-inch steak. Cook to between rare and medium rare, because residual heat will continue cooking the meat while it is resting. To test for doneness, press your finger to the meat; it should yield to the touch but not be too soft. The chef says a thermometer will pierce the meat and allow the juices to run out.

        • Rest steak for at least 5 minutes before slicing or serving.

       
        * * *
       
     
 

Creamed Spinach

Yield: 4 servings

Active preparation time: 35 minutes

Cooking time: 5 minutes
1/3 cup milk

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

Fine sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Freshly grated nutmeg

2 pounds spinach, washed and trimmed

1 clove garlic, minced

½ cup heavy cream

½ cup grated Gruyère cheese
• To make the béchamel: In a small saucepan, heat the milk until small bubbles form around the edge (this can also be done in the microwave). In a medium saucepan over medium heat, cook 1 tablespoon of the butter until melted and foamy. Add the flour and whisk constantly for 1 minute, so the butter doesn’t burn. Slowly whisk in the warm milk and cook for 2 minutes, whisking constantly. Season with salt, pepper and nutmeg, and transfer the sauce to a bowl. If not using right away, place a piece of plastic wrap directly on the surface.

• Prepare the spinach: Bring a large pot of salted water to boiling. Add the spinach. Cook for 3 minutes, then drain well and run cold water over the leaves until they are cool. Wrap the spinach in a lint free towel and squeeze it until it is very dry (or use your hands to squeeze dry small amounts at a time). Chop the spinach finely.

• To finish: Place the remaining tablespoon of butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Swirl the pan until the butter is browned. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, until golden, about 1 minute. Add the chopped spinach, 2 tablespoons of the béchamel, the cream and cheese. Stir until heated through and the cheese is melted. Season to taste with salt, pepper and nutmeg. Serve immediately.

* * *

Rocker, have you tried these recipes?

That’s weird - my comment picked up Rocker’s formatting (centered).

Yes, it was fairly easy to cook the steak, the thing that I like about the recipe is how simple it is.

I have done it twice.  The first time I left the steak resting in the skillet probably a little bit more than necessary, I was trying to achieve medium well, but it came more like  "well done"  but it was ok, everybody was happy with their steak.

But as any recipe I need to practice it more times…but I don’t have any problem whatsoever cooking and *eating* a good steak dinner.

Pan-Seared Hen of the Woods Mushrooms
Yield: 4 servings

Active preparation time: 15 minutes

Cooking time: 12 minutes
1 pound hen of the woods (also called maitake), fresh porcini or black trumpet mushrooms

1 tablespoon fine sea salt

2 sprigs fresh thyme

2 dried bay leaves

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

1 large clove garlic, minced

2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley

Freshly ground pepper
• Brush the mushrooms gently with a soft brush or cloth. Divide them into 2-inch pieces by gently pulling them apart (for the hen of the woods) or cutting with a knife.

• In a medium saucepan, combine 3 cups water, salt, thyme, bay leaves and mushrooms. Cover and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook for 5 minutes. Drain mushrooms, discarding the thyme and bay leaf. Let mushrooms cool slightly on several layers of paper towel, to absorb excess moisture.

• Pat the mushrooms dry with more paper towel. In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the mushrooms and brown on all sides, about 5 minutes. Add the butter, lemon juice, garlic and parsley. Cook, stirring frequently, for 2 minutes, to allow the flavors to combine. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately.

These were amazingly good !
<u>http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,1977,FOOD_9936_23070,00.html</u>

Real Hamburgers from Barefoot Contessa

 
Carefully mix the meats, steak sauce, egg yolks, salt, and pepper with the tines of a fork, but do not mash it. Lightly form each hamburger and lightly press into a patty shape. Make an indentation and put a thin slice of butter inside each hamburger, making sure the butter is entirely encased in the meat.
Heat a grill, broiler, or saute pan and cook the hamburgers for 3 to 5 minutes on each side until almost done. Remove to a plate and cover with aluminum foil. Allow the hamburgers to rest for 5 minutes and serve immediately on buns.
2 pounds ground chuck

1 pound ground sirloin

3 tablespoons steak sauce (recommended: Crosse & Blackwell)

6 extra-large egg yolks

1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt

3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

4 tablespoons cold unsalted butter

12 hamburger buns

I have a rep from the PTSA as a good cook.  Here’s my 4 favorite, most used cookbooks
Favorite cookbooks
http://www.amazon.com/New-Basics-Cookbook-Julee-Rosso/dp/0894803417/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/104-9795549-7797514?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1191297036&sr=8-1
http://www.amazon.com/Herbfarm-Cookbook-Jerry-Traunfeld/dp/0684839768/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/104-9795549-7797514?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1191297067&sr=1-1
http://www.amazon.com/Barbecue-Bible-Sauces-Marinades-Butters/dp/0761119795/ref=pd_bbs_sr_3/104-9795549-7797514?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1191297132&sr=1-3
http://www.amazon.com/Chinese-Kitchen-Techniques-Ingredients-Authority/dp/0688158269/ref=sr_1_1/104-9795549-7797514?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1191297212&sr=1-1
 
 

For the gastronomically challenged among us, I would recommend the always fail-safe <strong class=“sans”>The America’s Test Kitchen Family Cookbook</strong>. I think I saw it in Costco as well.

Might not be the *best* meal, but at least it won’t be horrible either. Most likely it will be something rather decent. There is some margin of error in those recipes - always a good bet.

Greens, goat cheese, and pomegranite.  I just had this salad and it was fantastic (except I used a butter lettuce and raddicho combo and it needed no salad dressing).

Trader Joes has an excellent Tuna/Ahi that is marinated in the frozen section.  We got four decent sized pieces for under ten dollars.  There was plenty of marinade to roll some asparagus around it and we BBQ’d both.  We served with salad and corn.  Mmmmm!

Fabulous authentic Indian Curry at home.

We love a great curry and this method is the best I have found for at home.  I have given these packets and these directions to many of our friends who all report excellent success.  It might be a bit of a scavenger hunt in that you have to venture into Tustin, but that is part of the fun, the first time. 

The Place Go to India Sweets and Spices :  http://tupalo.com/spot/3431-india-sweets-and-spices-tustin-ca-usa

14441 Newport Blvd
Tustin, CA 92780
+1 7147312910

The Curry Sauce Get a packet of Parampara “Ready to Cook” sauce.  I recommend the “Butter Chicken”  as a safe bet for a first time pleaser:  http://www.paramparamix.com/product.htm

FYI, click on that link and look at the “ Ready to Cook” section.  There are about 20 varieties of curry and all are supposed to be true to their regions and spices.  I have tried about 8 so far and have not been disappointed.  In addition to the Butter Chicken packet, our family really enjoys the Chicken Hyderbadi for a spicier nite.  India Sweets and Spices has at least a dozen of these packets to choose from.

You can follow the recipe directions from the packet and have good success.  However, these are a few rules of thumb that I have collected after having cooked and served this kind of curry/mix on many occasions.
Use one third of a stick of butter and brown 1 pound of cut up chicken breasts.  When the chicken is browned, add the curry spices with water.  Cook until gravy is thick.

Cook’s Notes

For each packet of paramparamix, it serves approximately 3 servings.  For eight adults, I use three packets of the mix.

Use approximately one pound of cut up chicken breast for each packet.  I use 3 pounds for 8 adults.  I use a whole stick of butter when cooking three pounds of chicken.

For each packet/1lb chicken, you can also add one can of drained garbanzo beans and the recipe will be just fine.  You can use 3 cans of garbanzo beans when cooking for 8 people.

Always use a little less water than suggested.  I usually use 1/4 cup of water less per spice packet.

Bring all to a rapid boil.  Stir and turn down heat.  Cook uncovered and on med/low for approximately 40 minutes.

Serve over Basmati Rice.  It is approximately 1 cup dry Basmati rice to 1 1/2 cups of water.  Add a little salt and oil to water.  Do NOT rinse before cooking.  Basmati is very aromatic and cooks perfectly in a rice cooker. 

I owed someone the Dutch Baby Pancake recipe, but I can’t remember who it was. 

Here ya go:

Serves 4 (in theory)

Ingredients:

4 eggs
1 cup milk
1 cup all purpose flour (if anyone uses cake flour, please let me know how it turns out, as I am curious)
1/2 stick butter (4 tbsp)
1 apple sliced into 1/4 inch to 1/2 inch slices (I like Granny Smith, but ymmv)
cinnamon
powdered (confectioner’s) sugar
lemon juice

Directions:

Pre-heat oven to 450 degrees F

Add eggs, flour, and milk to a blender.  Whirl to combine.

Add butter to a 12” cast iron skillet (you can get pre-seasoned Lodge at Bed, Bath & Beyond for about $15), and place in oven until melted.

Once butter is melted, pull the skillet out of the oven and add the contents of the blender to the skillet all at once.  Top with apples and cinnamon.

Put the pan back in the oven (center rack) and bake for 20 minutes.

When the timer goes off, remove the pan from the oven and top with powdered sugar and lemon juice to taste.

NoWowway - 28 June 2008 05:47 AM

Trader Joes has an excellent Tuna/Ahi that is marinated in the frozen section.  We got four decent sized pieces for under ten dollars.  There was plenty of marinade to roll some asparagus around it and we BBQ’d both.  We served with salad and corn.  Mmmmm!

I get that all the time, it’s so easy to defrost and sear in a pan, you dont need to do a thing to it! Their frozen salmon is very good also

Recently switched from Salmon to Tilapia.
The recipe I use is a bit spicy with an olive oil, lime, and red pepper flake marinade.
Usually like to make sautéed spinach or asparagus tips along with it.

Cornbread muffins (recipie link below)
http://www.verybestbaking.com/recipes/detail.aspx?ID=29582

If you have some home grown tomatoes this pasta is awesome. I left out the almonds. Hubby enjoyed it so much that he requested it again this week.

Sicilian pasta with shrimp and almond cream