# Foods that you found unexpectedly easy to make. **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 13, 2011, 3:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foods-that-you-found-unexpectedly-easy-to-make/588828 "2011-07-13T03:47:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Push\_You\_Down](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/push_you_down/32/9095_2.png) [@Push\_You\_Down](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Push_You_Down)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2011, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foods-that-you-found-unexpectedly-easy-to-make/588828/21 "2011-07-13T23:08:58Z")
> [@SeaDragonTattoo](#): > > Chana Masala. It’s my favorite Indian dish, and rarely order it (or get takeout or eat out) due to the expense. I finally looked up some recipes (they’re all a little different), devised my own take on it, bought the spices, soaked some beans, and presto! My own huge batch of Chana Masala. I’ve made it a couple times, it lasts a week, and is even delicious cold so is great to take to work and eat on the run. I see many more batches of this in my future. Um- THIS. My wife did the same thing- we loved Chana Masala at our local indian place and I found a vintage cook book that oddly enough had a recipe. I made it one night for her and she loved it. Now she makes it all the time. ---
**Author:** ![Shalmanese](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shalmanese](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shalmanese)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2011, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foods-that-you-found-unexpectedly-easy-to-make/588828/22 "2011-07-13T23:24:13Z")
> [@Mr.Excellent](#): > > Barbecued brisket. My recipe is as follows: > > 1.) Purchase brisket. > > 2.) Dump brisket in slow-cookers. > > 3.) Purchase barbecue sauce. > > 4.) Dump barbecue sauce in slow-cooker. > > 5.) Turn slow-cooker on, set to “low.” Go away for ten hours or so. > > 6.) Dinner! That’s uh… not barbecued brisket… ---
**Author:** ![Rhythmdvl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/85f322/32.png) [@Rhythmdvl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhythmdvl)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2011, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foods-that-you-found-unexpectedly-easy-to-make/588828/23 "2011-07-13T23:28:01Z")
Long pork. :eek: On a more jocular note, some things like Hollandaise or tortillas can be notoriously difficult, but with the right tools/setup and a threadbare hint of experience are standing-on-your-head easy. ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2011, 11:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foods-that-you-found-unexpectedly-easy-to-make/588828/24 "2011-07-13T23:29:48Z")
> [@Shalmanese](#): > > That’s uh… not barbecued brisket… But it’s pulled pork, except with beef. ---
**Author:** ![Flutterby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Flutterby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flutterby)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2011, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foods-that-you-found-unexpectedly-easy-to-make/588828/25 "2011-07-14T01:38:59Z")
Have to agree with the chicken and dumplings as well as lasagna. For some reason I always thought beef stroganoff was a hard dish to make, but I found a recipe that’s now our go to for days when we don’t feel like cooking or don’t have a lot of time. The noodles take the longest to cook! ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Girlfriend](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr.girlfriend/32/193_2.png) [@Dr.Girlfriend](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Girlfriend)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2011, 1:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foods-that-you-found-unexpectedly-easy-to-make/588828/26 "2011-07-14T01:47:37Z")
Cheesecake. Just gotta make sure the cream cheese is at room temperature and use a water bath in the oven so the top don’t crack! 😃 I’m trying to teach my sister to make a proper cheesecake, she’s one of those who think the Jello no-bake stuff is cheesecake. [food snob]Don’t get me wrong, the no-bake stuff is ok sometimes, but it’s not cheesecake! [/food snob] ---
**Author:** ![garygnu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garygnu/32/2924_2.png) [@garygnu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/garygnu)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2011, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foods-that-you-found-unexpectedly-easy-to-make/588828/27 "2011-07-14T01:54:01Z")
Fritatas are freaking easy. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2011, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foods-that-you-found-unexpectedly-easy-to-make/588828/28 "2011-07-14T02:41:39Z")
Pizza. Buy the dough, add sauce, mozzarella, and toppings and your first effort will be as good as many pizza restaurants (and better than any chain). ---
**Author:** ![Ponch8](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ponch8/32/9883_2.png) [@Ponch8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ponch8)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2011, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foods-that-you-found-unexpectedly-easy-to-make/588828/29 "2011-07-14T02:53:57Z")
Cranberry sauce is very easy. Pure, non-bastardized cranberry sauce has only three ingredients: cranberries, sugar, and water. You just throw them together and boil them for a few minutes. If you like that orange-peel cranberry relish or that jello-style cranberry sauce, I’m not going to give you any recipes for that crap. ---
**Author:** ![Miss\_Woodhouse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/838e76/32.png) [@Miss\_Woodhouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miss_Woodhouse)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2011, 2:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foods-that-you-found-unexpectedly-easy-to-make/588828/30 "2011-07-14T02:57:06Z")
I’ll third risotto. Since I found an inexpensive source for arborio rice, it’s been a part of the regular dinner rotations. I make my own broth and can it so it’s pretty cheap to make when you get the rice in the bulk section at Win-Co. (I love Win-Co.) Pie crust is fiddly still because I think the crust isn’t worth eating if it doesn’t have at least half butter for the fat, but the fillings are super easy. grilling. There are books and tv shows all talking about the “fine art” of well grilled food. What art? Slap it on. Flip it once. Pull it off when it’s the right temp. Get an instant read thermometer and the whole “art” part is laughable. Rubs and marinades are fun, but nothing even approaching difficult. I even grill boneless, skinless chicken breast cutlets and they come out gorgeous and juicy (and cook super fast.) Of course, my idea of it being difficult may have come from the fact that my father can not grill anything without burning it. I had no idea it was possible to grill chicken without charring the outside or cook a hamburger without turning it into a hockey puck. Now that all his kids are adults, we tend to volunteer to run the grill for family get togethers. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Lacunae\_Matata](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8491ac/32.png) [@Lacunae\_Matata](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lacunae_Matata)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2011, 3:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foods-that-you-found-unexpectedly-easy-to-make/588828/31 "2011-07-14T03:20:00Z")
Heh. When I was a young newlywed umpteen years ago, I decided that I should learn to cook something other than what I grew up watching and eventually helping to prepare. I was a decently competent Southern cook, but thought I should refine my skills and broaden my culinary horizons… … So I dutifully obtained a copy of “The Joy of Cooking.” I knew enough to know that, for classic (French) cuisine, proper sauces were the hallmark of a competent chef, so I started with that section. And I started reading recipes… and getting a little bit confused: “What? Bechamel? Heck, that’s just cream gravy made with butter instead of drippings! And alfredo is just gravy with some parmesan and garlic? Really? Don’t tell me that veloute is gravy too?!” Turns out that if you’ve watched mamas and grandmas cook up a zillion pans of gravy, and you’ve learned through observation, doing, and a little osmosis, the “mother sauces” and their variations are dead easy! (Oh yeah: Polenta = grits. Yep, turns out I could already cook that too!) And I agree with others, that risotto, lasagna, and quiche are shockingly simple. Bread? Kind of depends, for me: I can bake yeast breads with the best of them, and most quick breads - my cornbread is amazing, if I do say so myself. But in spite of all of my efforts and generations of Southern cooks in my bloodlines, my biscuits are only passable… My husband says they’re perfectly fine, but (a) he grew up with a bad cook as a mom, and a non-cooking grandmother, so his standards are low, and (b) I grew up with a mother who effortlessly produced endless supplies of the best. damned. biscuits known to man, so my standards are high. Three ingredients for Mom’s biscuits, and I know them all, but I just don’t have the “touch.” ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2011, 3:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foods-that-you-found-unexpectedly-easy-to-make/588828/32 "2011-07-14T03:24:34Z")
> [@Weedy](#): > > Choux pastry. I concur but Esther on \*MasterChef \*would disagree. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2011, 3:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foods-that-you-found-unexpectedly-easy-to-make/588828/33 "2011-07-14T03:32:04Z")
> [@dropzone](#): > > But it’s pulled pork, except with beef. :eek: That’s all I have to say about “barbecue brisket” and “pulled pork” done in a crockpot. You people are funny. 😉 To answer the OP, bread is probably the one. Way back when, it was difficult for me to make. Once I kind of figured out how everything went together, I discovered it’s quite easy. I don’t even use exact measurements, weigh flour, or anything. I just add liquid to the flour until it feels about right and go from there. Granted, if you want absolutely consistent bread, you should track things religiously, but people have been making bread for eons without scales or exact measuring tools. Bread is actually quite forgiving–you’ll get a different crumb depending on the hydration of your dough, but it’s all still going to turn out pretty well, as long as you get a good rise out of it and properly develop the gluten (whether through kneading, pulling and folding, or a long wet dough rest.) ---
**Author:** ![Stoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stoid/32/272_2.png) [@Stoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stoid)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2011, 3:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foods-that-you-found-unexpectedly-easy-to-make/588828/34 "2011-07-14T03:52:22Z")
> [@Mr.Excellent](#): > > Barbecued brisket. My recipe is as follows: > > 1.) Purchase brisket. > > 2.) Dump brisket in slow-cookers. > > 3.) Purchase barbecue sauce. > > 4.) Dump barbecue sauce in slow-cooker. > > 5.) Turn slow-cooker on, set to “low.” Go away for ten hours or so. > > 6.) Dinner! > [@Shalmanese](#): > > That’s uh… not barbecued brisket… > [@pulykamell](#): > > :eek: > > That’s all I have to say about “barbecue brisket” and “pulled pork” done in a crockpot. You people are funny. 😉 Seconded! ---
**Author:** ![China\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/779978/32.png) [@China\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/China_Guy)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2011, 5:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foods-that-you-found-unexpectedly-easy-to-make/588828/35 "2011-07-14T05:00:45Z")
> [@Lacunae\_Matata](#): > > my cornbread is amazing Recipe and hints please. ---
**Author:** ![Indygrrl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/58f4c7/32.png) [@Indygrrl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Indygrrl)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2011, 5:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foods-that-you-found-unexpectedly-easy-to-make/588828/36 "2011-07-14T05:12:38Z")
I just made chicken salad from a whole chicken today and I had forgotten how easy it is. Just boil the chicken (I did mine last night so it would have time to chill), then use a combination of knife and hands to get all the meat off the bones. Cut into small pieces and you’re ready to make whatever type of chicken salad. I decided to do it curried, so I cut up about half an onion and a small granny smith apple, about 3/4 cup of mayo, and two tblsp curry powder, and a dash of cayenne. I did crock pot ribs yesterday that were ridiculously easy. Salt and pepper the ribs and broil for 20 min, then put into pot with an onion and a bottle of bbq. Cook on low for four hours or so. ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2011, 5:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foods-that-you-found-unexpectedly-easy-to-make/588828/37 "2011-07-14T05:16:40Z")
Considering how many people hate chicken breasts because they are supposedly dry and tasteless, I was surprised how easy it is to make them both tasty and moist. Turns out all you need to do is marinade them in something yummy like teriyaki sauce or parmesan peppercorn dressing, or coat them with a nice seasoning like Soul Food or Cajun, and make sure you wrap them in foil while cooking and they come out neither dry nor tasteless. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2011, 5:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foods-that-you-found-unexpectedly-easy-to-make/588828/38 "2011-07-14T05:16:57Z")
> [@Indygrrl](#): > > I just made chicken salad from a whole chicken today and I had forgotten how easy it is. Just boil the chicken (I did mine last night so it would have time to chill), then use a combination of knife and hands to get all the meat off the bones. Cut into small pieces and you’re ready to make whatever type of chicken salad. I decided to do it curried, so I cut up about half an onion and a small granny smith apple, about 3/4 cup of mayo, and two tblsp curry powder, and a dash of cayenne. Try the above with an addition of a good amount of apricot preserves (or mango chutney) in the mix, too. Add some nuts and raisins, and you’ve got Coronation chicken salad, my favorite chicken salad. ---
**Author:** ![Stoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stoid/32/272_2.png) [@Stoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stoid)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2011, 5:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foods-that-you-found-unexpectedly-easy-to-make/588828/39 "2011-07-14T05:41:15Z")
> [@elfkin477](#): > > Considering how many people hate chicken breasts because they are supposedly dry and tasteless, I was surprised how easy it is to make them both tasty and moist. Turns out all you need to do is marinade them in something yummy like teriyaki sauce or parmesan peppercorn dressing, or coat them with a nice seasoning like Soul Food or Cajun, and make sure you wrap them in foil while cooking and they come out neither dry nor tasteless. Even easier is just a straightforward salt brine, after which you can do whatever you like to the chicken. ---
**Author:** ![YogSothoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/8edcca/32.png) [@YogSothoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YogSothoth)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2011, 5:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foods-that-you-found-unexpectedly-easy-to-make/588828/40 "2011-07-14T05:55:23Z")
People might think I’m crazy or lying, but I found Beef Wellington surprisingly easy to make. My friend said Gordon Ramsey took years to perfect his version. I’m sure mine’s nowhere near that quality, however the one I do make is pretty easy and tasty. It helps that I don’t get a whole log of meat and only have used the medallion shaped filet mignon. The log would be tougher definitely [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foods-that-you-found-unexpectedly-easy-to-make/588828.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foods-that-you-found-unexpectedly-easy-to-make/588828.md?page=3)