Weirddave's recipe of the week

Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
1

I had an idea today, and before it dies of lonelieness, I thought I’d share it with y’all. I am an acomplished amateur cook. I know that I am not in the same league as those who make their living doing this, but I enjoy it and am fairly good at it. One of the biggest problems I face, however, is getting into a rut, if you know what I mean. You fall into the pattern of making the same set of dishes over and over again. I am willing to bet that I am not the only one that this happens to, either. What I propose is this. Each Monday, I will post a recipe that I have enjoyed making and eating. Anyone who wishes to can then go make it for themselves. This thread will be devoted to me posting the recipes, and all of us commenting on them. I propose a few ground rules.

  1. No posting your own recipes here. It is not that I don’t want to try new things, it is just that I want to keep this thread focused. If something I post reminds you of your great aunt Matilda’s recipe for stuffed gopher anus, DON’T post it. If you wish to e-mail it to me, and I try it and like it, I may post it for a future week, with full credit given to the source. You can start your own recipe sharing thread also. ( one exception- if you actualy DO have a recipe for stuffed gopher anus, by all means post it.Along with a place where we can buy gopher anus to try.)

  2. I will try to keep things simple. One of the beauties of cooking, to me, is being able to make something you’re interested in without a trip to Kitchen Bazarre to load up on $100 worth of specialty tools, or a desperite search through the phone book to find that one market that stocks bat ears. I heartily encourage young dopers to try their hand at these recipes. I realized as a teen that I could either eat at McDonalds a lot, or learn to cook and eat better for less. I’ve never regretted chosing the later. It’s also a great way to impress the opposite sex. Men will be more enchanted with a good cook( hey, if this works out, I could eat this well all the time!) and women impressed( hey, this guy can cook! If we get together, maybe I won’t have to!). It is also the one of the best ways I know to have an elegent date, without spending a fortune.( Provide you clean up first. men-put down the toilet seat and stash the Juggs magazenes under the couch. Women-put all that makeup in the cabinet.)

  3. Don’t be afraid to experiment. Nothing I post here was handed down from on high, engraved on two tablets. Part of the fun is seeing how different ingredients go together. Just be prepaired when the maccaroni and head cheese casarole dosen’t go over real well.

So, is anyone interested? Or am I just frought with delusions of adiquacy?

2

Can I be the designated critic??? You can Overnight a plate to me. Keep it in one of those warmer thingies. Then I will give my expert opinion and rate it. Like “Bear gives this dish 5 Daves”. I can judge on taste and stuff like that. And you can rate it on how easy to prepare and clean up afterwards. Together we will have an awesome rating system.
Otherwise, you will have posters messing up your recipes and just thinking your recipe sucks. You dont want those awful cooks out there bringing your name into the dirt do ya? I can see it now “Hmmmmm 250 degrees for an hour. 500 degrees ought to have that baby done in 30 minutes”
Then they will get on here and say, “Weirddaves dish was hard and tasted like charcoal. Dont eat it! He sucks!!”
Then there is the 'ole “Baking powder? All I have is Baking Soda…”

ok ok, so I am just trying to get a free meal out of this, But I still think it is a pretty good idea.

3

Oh, come on Dave, my Aunt Martha makes a great stuffed gopher anus, not to mention her pickled pigs nuts.
Rose

4

Good plan! Go for it! I promise to try some of your ideas.

5

I found myself wondering, “Should I trust a recipe from someone who calls himself ‘weirddave’?” But then I realized, “Hey, I trust someone called Fanny Farmer, and she’s not even a real person.” Neither is Betty Crocker, come to that. Martha Stewart–the jury is still out. Personally, I think she’s a giant Muppet, but I could be wrong.

Go for it, Dave. I probably won’t ever cook any of it, but it’s always fascinating to watch an expert at work, whether it’s cooking or horseshoeing or basket weaving.

6

Great idea! Will you be starting a new thread with each week’s recipe?

Thanks in advance for not using exotic ingredients.

Although here in Iowa, mushrooms and fresh garlic are considered exotic. :wink:

7

Any recipe tastes wonderful, if… you know the one secret of great chefs.

You must shout the word “BAM!!” frequently during the cooking process.

Dats good eatin’! :slight_smile:

8

Yeah it’s Monday!
So what’s our first recipe?

9

OK, feedback seems mostly positive, so look for the first recipe tonite.

10

Ok I’ll bite but if you want my most excellent recipe for Baked Potato Salad then you’ll have to ask. After all you are the guy that said “you” get in a rut.

Needs2know

11

OK. Sorry this is so late, but here’s the first recipe:
*CHICKEN CORDON BLU
This recipe is a good one because it is super simple to make, yet it seems to impress people when you serve it. I think it’s because it has a french name.

First, take 4 boneless chicken breasts. Whack them with a hammer until they are fairly flat, 1/4 to 1/2 inch. It is best to use a kitchen hammer, like the side of a meat tenderizer, for this, but in a pinch a Craftsman hammer will do. Next, lay a slice of ham and a slice of swiss cheese on the breasts. Any ham will do, in a pinch I’ve used several slices of lunchmeat.

Next, roll the chicken breasts up, with the ham and cheese inside. Beat 1 egg in a bowl. Dip the rolled breasts in the egg, then roll them in bread crumbs until coated.

Place the breasts, seem side down ( in a pinch, a tooth pick can be used to secure the rolls from opening. This should not be necessary if you flatten them sufficiently. If you use a pick, DO NOT USE PLASTIC, and remember it’s there before you eat it.) in a baking pan. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes. As always, make sure the chicken is cooked through before serving, this time should do it. Remove from the pan with a spatula, and serve hot. These go well with your favorte steamed veggies, a fresh salad and:

TWICE BAKED POTATOS

One hour before you are ready to cook the chicken, bake 4 large potatos at 400 degrees for 1 hour. Remove them from the oven,turn the oven down to 350 and cut a slit in the tops of the potatos, and scoop out all the guts into a bowl, retaining the empty skins. In the bowl, mix 1/4 milk, 2 tablespoons butter or margarine( if you eat margarine on potatos, you’re a communist ), and 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese, salt and pepper. ( here’s where you can add other ingredents- salsa, fresh cut chives, whatever you like )Mix and mash the above with the potatos, then spoon the mixture back into the skins. It should protrude slightly from the slit in each of the potatos. Sprinkle the exposed mixture with more shredded cheese, and bake them 20 more minutes, along with the chicken. They will be ready at the same time as the main dish.
There, that’s it. Y’all enjoy, and let me know what you think.

12

Hey weirddave,

This is a great idea. I’ve put the recipe into a word doc and will print it out. I’m going to try it some time this week (maybe tomorrow?). Chicken Cordon Blu is one of my favorite chicken dishes, but I didn’t know how to make it.

Thanks for the tip… i’ll be looking forward to next monday.

-niggle

13

Just re-read the recipe and have decided that in a pinch I use the phrase “in a pinch” too much. Also, for the potatos, that should be 1/4 cup milk.

14

That sounds good weirddave. I didn’t know Chicken Cordon Blu was so easy to make and it was a good recipe to start with. Twice baked potatos sound good also. I will definately be making that one this week. Thanks! :slight_smile:

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Has anyone tried this yet?

16

Hi Dave…Just a little suggestion…while I love lasagna and twice baked potatoes…and even though I did do a gratin this week (because it’s been cool and rainy here for several days)…I consider these dishes to be “Winter” foods. I live in VA and am usually rather reluctant to turn on the oven from May thru most of September, even with air conditioning. I do during the warm weather months usually seem to also crave light fare, like salads and things you can do on the grill. Do you have any new and different ideas for these?

Needs2know

17

Ok, well, there is not as much interest here as I had hoped, but I’ll give it another shot. For week two we go south of the border and make a:

Mexican Lasagna
AKA Green Chili Casarole

Brown 1-1 1/2 lbs ground beef, drain.
In a large mixing bowl, mix 1 can Cream of Chicken soup,1 can Cream of Mushroom soup, ( just the condensed soups, DO NOT add water or milk to the cans) 1 can Diced Tomatos and Green Chilis,( Rotel is the brand name of the most common type, but others are available also. You can find them in mild, med. or hot. Use the potency that suits your taste.)and 1 can evaporated milk. ( NOT condensed ).

Add the browned Ground beef to the sauce.

Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a pan, add 2 tablespoons water, dice 1 med - large onion ( Valencia is a good choice) and saute` the onion until it’s translucent. Add the onion to the mixing bowl. Mix well.

Cover the bottom of a lasagna pan with tortilla chips, ( crunble them if you have to to keep the corners flat ) cover the chips with 1/2 of the sauce mixture, place another layer of chips, then the rest of the sauce, and cover the whole thing with 3/4 lb shredded colby cheese. Sprinkle lightly with chili powder.

Bake the pan at 325 for 20 minutes. Let sit for 10-20 mins then serve. This goes well with:
Garlic Green Beans
Get 1/2-3/4 lb fresh green beans. Snip off the ends, rinse and break in half.
Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a frying pan on high heat until it ripples. Mince 2 garlic cloves and add them to the hot oil along with the beans. Stir continuously for 4-5 minutes. Transfer beans to a serving dish, top with fresh ground pepper and slivered almonds and serve.

If you really want to go whole hog, try:

Simple Salsa Rice
Boil 2/3 cup rice with 1 1/3 cup water, covered, until water is absorbed, about 20 minutes. Add 1 1/2 cups fresh salsa, stir well, and cook 5 more minutes. Serve hot.

That’s it, a Mexican feast. Now, a few other things:
I am happy to continue to submit new recipes each week, as I love to cook and enjoy sharing my recipes. If you do try one, please respond. A professional can at least look out the kitchen window to gage the crowds reaction. I have nothing but your replies to go by, So good or bad, if you try something, tell me.

Also, Needs2know said:

This is an excellent point, one which I didn’t consider because I cook the same year round. ( and yes, I do grill in the winter ) I posted the above recipe, because I had promised it, but next week stay tuned as we move outside for:
Teriaki-Tarragon Pork Tenderloin, Lightly Grilled Portabella Mushrooms, and Roasted Corn on the Cob. Ladies, if your husband prides himself on working the grill, get ready to relax, because the entire meal is made on the grill. Let him do ALL the work! I thought the following week we could do another dish on the grill, ( actually under it )but one the kids can cook and enjoy( with your supervision, of course )- **Hobo Stew **

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dave, I am going to make the Mexican Lasagna for dinner tomorrow night–that sounds great! I’ll let you know!

19

Keep it up Dave!

I am drooling here…

20

Might know I’d ask for grilled stuff and end up getting almost two weeks of overcast skies and off and on rain! Me and my big mouth. The Mexican Lasagna looks good. Garlic Green Beans are already one of my daughter’s favorites. We use chopped onion during cooking and garnish with chopped fresh tomato before serving.

Needs2know