To fuck or to cook?

[Greedy,Greedy,Greedy]

Originally posted by Shape Shifter
If so, I vote Fuck.

"Or" is such an ugly word.

Why is this all an "or"?

[notcasesensitive]

Originally posted by Pretty Little Flower
I clean mine with a handful of kosher salt and water. Wipes off in a second. Then I put it in the oven to dry it.

LOL! :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

[Fugee]

I bought two new kitchen tools this past year and can't believe I ever baked without them.

First up was a KitchenAid stand mixer. I got the 4-1/2 quart Artisan model because my cabinets are too low for the 5 or 6 quart Professional model. Love it love it love it. This mixer makes me want to bake which is a good thing because next week is my church's annual cookie sale. I've been making one or two different kinds every evening since last Thursday and just took the 11th batch out of the oven.

Then I upgraded my food processor to an 11 qt. KitchenAid. Amazing difference in power.

[bold_n_brazen]

Bn'B's Onion Tart

Tart:

8 ounces flour (about 1 1/2 cups plus 2 tablespoons)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 stick cold butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
2 tablespoons solid vegetable shortening
3 tablespoons ice water

Sift the flour and salt into a large bowl.
Add the butter pieces and shortening and work them into the flour by hand until the dough starts to come together and form small pebbles.
Work the ice water into the dough 1 tablespoon at a time with your fingers until it just comes together, being careful not to over mix. If you cannot make up your mind if you need more water, you don't. Err on the side of dryness.
Form the crust into a disk, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and place in the refrigerator to rest for at least 30 minutes before rolling out.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Roll the dough into an 11-inch circle.
Transfer to a tart pan or pie dish and press the dough up to the top of the sides, trimming any excess.
Cover the tart crust with a sheet of parchment paper and place a layer of uncooked beans in the bottom or use those pie weights someone gave you for Christmas that you don't know what to do with.
Bake in the preheated oven for 10 minutes, then remove the parchment and beans and cook for an additional 10 minutes until the crust has colored lightly.
Remove the crust from the oven and let cool.

The filling:

1 tablespoon butter
2 cups julienne onions (I like Vidalias, but use whatever tickles your fancy)
Salt
Freshly ground pepper
1/4 cup roasted garlic (can substitute minced garlic)
1/4 cup Gruyere Cheese
1/4 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
Drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil

In a saute pan, over medium heat, melt the butter.
Add the onions.
Season with salt and pepper.
Saute until caramelized.
Remove from the heat.
Spread the roasted garlic evenly over the crust.
Spread the caramelized onions over the garlic mixture.
Grate the Gruyere cheese over the onion mixture.
Sprinkle with the Parmesan cheese.
Drizzle with the olive oil.
Bake until golden brown, about 8 minutes.

[taxwonk]

Originally posted by Sidd Finch
Better than the cast-iron grill pan? My cast-iron grill pan rocks.

It's a bitch to clean though.

Then you need to season the pan better. Other than that, a cast iron grill pan is also an excellent thing. They just weigh about twice as much as the All-Clad.

[robustpuppy]

Originally posted by bold_n_brazen
Bn'B's Onion Tart

Tart:

I am droooooling. I really MUST buy cookware soon. (Still undecided. All Clad MC2 or LTD? What size saucepans? Should I get a set, or do open stock? What to do????)

[taxwonk]

Originally posted by robustpuppy
I am droooooling. I really MUST buy cookware soon. (Still undecided. All Clad MC2 or LTD? What size saucepans? Should I get a set, or do open stock? What to do????)

I would recommend getting a set, because open stock is much more expensive. And I would definitely recommend MC2 because there is really very little for which a nonstick surface is better than a traditional surface.

[Mmmm, Burger (C.J.)]

Originally posted by greatwhitenorthchick
just this week?

eta thanks for all the suggestions.

Another option:

Bag o' Turkey

[NotFromHere]

Originally posted by Mmmm, Burger (C.J.)
Another option:

Bag o' Turkey

I saw the commercials for that. But the bag looks too small. Suspiciously small. Chicken small.
And they're pushing the hell out of it. I guess if you can market it like hell and if it's a failure, you've gotten your money's worth.

[Fugee]

I reserved my turkey this week but will have to go back and put in for a smaller one as the Fugee Brother's large family has Thanksgiving with the SIL's family this year.

I get a fresh free range turkey from a local chi-chi grocery store and they are amazingly good. (Getting a fresh one means I can pick it up on Wed. and not have to thaw it out. But you have to reserve to make sure you don't get there on Wed. and find only frozen ones left.) Gwinky, my store offered them as small as 10 lbs. so that wouldn't be too much for your group -- you could send the leftovers home with the guests. I'm getting a much larger turkey than the size of my company would dictate because everyone wants to take some turkey home for sandwiches the next day.

As others have mentioned, I brine my turkey and then set it on a tray uncovered in the fridge for the skin to dry out a little, as recommended by Cooks Illustrated so you get juicy inside and crispy skin. I also start the turkey breast side down as Cooks suggests and then flip it over so the breast skin crisps. Turning a large very hot turkey is somewhat fraught with peril but it worth it as it keeps the breast meat from getting overdone while waiting for the dark meat to finish.

[Mmmm, Burger (C.J.)]

Originally posted by Fugee
I also start the turkey breast side down as Cooks suggests and then flip it over so the breast skin crisps. Turning a large very hot turkey is somewhat fraught with peril but it worth it as it keeps the breast meat from getting overdone while waiting for the dark meat to finish.

This is an excellent approach for chicken as well. 450 upside down for 30 minutes; flip and cook at 350 until done (i.e., meat therm. at 160)

[tmdiva]

Originally posted by Mmmm, Burger (C.J.)
This is an excellent approach for chicken as well. 450 upside down for 30 minutes; flip and cook at 350 until done (i.e., meat therm. at 160)

I've had great luck with both methods described in The Cooks' Bible. They both involve easy preparation: rinse chicken and pat dry, brush with a little melted butter, then sprinkle with kosher salt and fresh-ground pepper. The quicker method involves a preheated pan and 375 degrees for about an hour, and two turns: start out on one side, flip to the other, and finish on the back. The other method involves a half-hour at 375, an hour at 200, and 15 minutes at 400 to crisp the skin, then a 15-minute rest, and no turning. I LOVE this method. It is incredible easy, absolutely fail-safe, and the chicken turns out better than any supermarket roast chicken I have ever tasted.

Anyone got good recipes for Thanksgiving side dishes? I'm doing sides and desserts for dinner chez mon frere. I'm already planning on mashed sweet potatoes (using the Cooks' Illustrated recipe, which rocks). Something green? I'm feeding a number of picky kids as well as at least four grownups.

tm

[Sparklehorse]

Originally posted by tmdiva
Anyone got good recipes for Thanksgiving side dishes? I'm doing sides and desserts for dinner chez mon frere. I'm already planning on mashed sweet potatoes (using the Cooks' Illustrated recipe, which rocks). Something green? I'm feeding a number of picky kids as well as at least four grownups.

tm

The recipe below is something I've been making for my family's Thanksgiving (and often Christmas, due to popular demand) since I was a kid. I originally made it in 4H when I was 10. Little kids and adults alike love this and it's pretty forgiving (can be made in advance and reheated) despite being a souffle. I usually make a double batch for 10-12 people and there's never much left over.

BROCCOLI SOUFFLÉ

3 T. butter
3 T. flour
1 c. milk
½ tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
½ c. chopped onion
3 eggs, separated
1 (10 oz) pkg. frozen broccoli, partially thawed
½ lb. Velveeta, cubed

Melt butter in saucepan. Stir in flour to make a smooth paste. Add milk, salt and pepper. Cook until the sauce begins to thicken, about 5 minutes.

Add cheese and stir until melted. Fold in onion and broccoli.

Fold in well-beaten egg yolks. Lightly fold in egg whites (beaten until stiff but not dry). You will still see some white pieces.

Bake in a buttered 2 quart dish (preferably a porcelain round dish) set in a pan of hot water in 350° oven for 1 hour.

[ltl/fb]

Originally posted by tmdiva
I've had great luck with both methods described in The Cooks' Bible. They both involve easy preparation: rinse chicken and pat dry, brush with a little melted butter, then sprinkle with kosher salt and fresh-ground pepper. The quicker method involves a preheated pan and 375 degrees for about an hour, and two turns: start out on one side, flip to the other, and finish on the back. The other method involves a half-hour at 375, an hour at 200, and 15 minutes at 400 to crisp the skin, then a 15-minute rest, and no turning. I LOVE this method. It is incredible easy, absolutely fail-safe, and the chicken turns out better than any supermarket roast chicken I have ever tasted.

Anyone got good recipes for Thanksgiving side dishes? I'm doing sides and desserts for dinner chez mon frere. I'm already planning on mashed sweet potatoes (using the Cooks' Illustrated recipe, which rocks). Something green? I'm feeding a number of picky kids as well as at least four grownups.

tm

People who do not like zucchini (this would include me, to an extent) seem to like this -- I think it might be that most people like tomatoes, and the tomato makes it palatable. The measurements are approximate b/c the cookbook is unavailable to me until after Thanksgiving, but I don't think exactness is that critical in this kind of recipe . . .

olive oil
1/2 cup chopped onion (or sliced)
1 14 (15?) oz can chopped tomatoes (or use fresh, but I don't think good ones are readily available right now), partially drained
1/2 t dried oregano (or equivalent fresh amount)
2 small zuccini, sliced (not too thin)
1 largeish clove garlic, minced
1/4 t dried rosemary, crushed (or does it come in powdery form sometimes?) or equivalent fresh amount
parmesan cheese

cook onions over medium heat in olive oil until softened some, but not translucent. add tomatoes and oregano and cook until warm (longer with fresh, I'd think).

cook garlic in olive oil for 2-3 min, then add zucchini and rosemary and cook until zucchini has softened, but is not translucent.

oil baking dish and 1/2 of zucchini mixture in the bottom, top with 1/2 tomato mixture, then spread remainder of zucchini on tomato and remainder of tomato on second layer of zucchini. Grate parmesan cheese over top (however much you want). Bake in 350 oven until slightly bubbly.

Can obviously easily be doubled or tripled, and can be assembled and kept in the refrigerator for a day or so and then shoved in the oven at the last minute.

Since oven time can be problematic at t-giving, I'd bet you could assemble it w/o the cheese, heat it in the microwave, then add the cheese and shove it under the broiler or in the top of the oven for a bit to melt/brown the cheese and it would be fine. It's very forgiving.

[NotFromHere]

Are there NO recipes without onions or eggs?