home cooking blog...brainstorming!

[Machi]

you should put up some pictures of the dishes

[sadora]

Originally Posted by Machi

you should put up some pictures of the dishes

I know. I plan to but I'm waiting for wedding season to be over so that my friend who's a photographer can help me out with that aspect.

[yyc]

Originally Posted by sadora

I know. I plan to but I'm waiting for wedding season to be over so that my friend who's a photographer can help me out with that aspect.

Hey sadora, cant give you any cooking tips off hand but if you are really interested in making this blog i have a book recommendation that you cant skip.

On food and cooking, by Harold Mcgee. new edition.

this is not a recipe book, but a book on the science of cooking. It helps you understand why taste, textures and so on happen. Basically it will teach you how and why the end result of cooking happens so you can make your own dishes,down to the basics of why salt alters taste and why a cooked steak has to sit for a few minutes to release its stored juices. If you understand grade 9 science, this book should/will improve your cooking and your blog 10 times over. I have the book on my shelf so if you have a few questions on it i can look it up and give you a sample before you buy it.

[4X4]

Originally Posted by chid

In regards to veggies, I LOVE asparagus but can never seem to find a good mix of seasoning and cooking techniques to make them taste amazing!
So for me, Im definitely interested in just some asparagus dishes, cooking techniques, suggested seasonings etc.

I cuss, you cuss, we all cuss for asparagus!

[Dion]

Originally Posted by sadora

Thanks for all the great ideas. Here is the link, I finally got it up and running, and though it's only two recipes at the moment, I definitely want to include a lot of the ideas thrown out here like vegie options and toaster oven meals for those looking for a quick fix.

http://onhomecooking.blogspot.com/

Thanks again!

Looks good so far!

Hopefully a few recipies of mine will be posted

[missdpuck]

I like to grill asparagus on my panini grill with a little olive oil and Italian spices. Cream sauce is good too but too fattening for me right now. you can make it while the asparagus is grilling. Also if you marinate nectarine halves and pineapple slices in a mixture of amaretto and a little honey (the honey really isn't necessary it just thickens the liquid a bit) and then put them on the panini grill--or your outdoor grill--it's yummy.......

[sadora]

Originally Posted by yyc

Hey sadora, cant give you any cooking tips off hand but if you are really interested in making this blog i have a book recommendation that you cant skip.

On food and cooking, by Harold Mcgee. new edition.

this is not a recipe book, but a book on the science of cooking. It helps you understand why taste, textures and so on happen. Basically it will teach you how and why the end result of cooking happens so you can make your own dishes,down to the basics of why salt alters taste and why a cooked steak has to sit for a few minutes to release its stored juices. If you understand grade 9 science, this book should/will improve your cooking and your blog 10 times over. I have the book on my shelf so if you have a few questions on it i can look it up and give you a sample before you buy it.

Thanks for the suggestion, one of my Chefs at SAIT recommended it as well. Since I started cooking years ago I was always interested in the molecular gastronomy aspect. As I get things rolling more consistently I intend to add notes that will help people make sense of the cooking process.

[chid]

Originally Posted by missdpuck

I like to grill asparagus on my panini grill with a little olive oil and Italian spices. Cream sauce is good too but too fattening for me right now. you can make it while the asparagus is grilling. Also if you marinate nectarine halves and pineapple slices in a mixture of amaretto and a little honey (the honey really isn't necessary it just thickens the liquid a bit) and then put them on the panini grill--or your outdoor grill--it's yummy.......

Didnt even think of using a panini grill! Thanks!!! Yeah the olive oil and Italian spices sounds more like the light flavour I'm interested in.

[redforever]

If you want your blog to address the needs of those who have perhaps just moved out or those just entering the cooking field, you should really include some basic soup dishes that include all the food groups.

So many buy soup in a can and they have no idea how easy it is to prepare home made soups and how much tastier they are and more nutritious as well.

Here is something along the lines of what I am thinking of.


SPICY SHRIMP & BOK CHOY NOODLE BOWL

3 Tbsp oil
2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 inches ginger root, peeled and grated or cut into very thin matchsticks
3/4 pound sheetake mushrooms, cleaned, stems removed, sliced
1 medium bok choy, trimmed, cut into 3-inch pieces, then cut sticks lengthwise
Salt and pepper to taste
6 cups chicken broth
1 1/2 cup seafood stock or 1 cup clam juice
1 1/2 pounds medium peeled and deveined shrimp
1/3 pound rice vermicelli, presoaked in hot water if dry variety
6 scallions, white and green parts, sliced medium in thickness
1 Tbsp fish sauce
1 Tbsp lime juice
1 Tbsp each chopped cilantro and basil

Heat a medium sized soup pot over medium heat. Add oil and swirl to coat the pan. Add the crushed red pepper flakes, garlic, ginger, mushrooms and cook and stir for 3 to 5 minutes. Add chicken broth and seafood stock or clam juice and season with salt and pepper. Bring soup to a boil. Cover and turn down heat and simmer for 8 to 10 minutes. Add the boy choy and bring to a quick boil. Add noodles and cook 3 minutes. Add the shrimp and scallions and bring to a quick boil. Turn off the heat, cover and let sit for 3 minutes. Add the fish sauce. Adjust the taste for salt if necessary. Add the lime juice, chopped cilantro and basil. Stir in and let sit for 2 minutes.

This serves 6 to 8 adequately.

Note: I have substituted thickly sliced cabbage and it worked very well.

[sadora]

Originally Posted by redforever

If you want your blog to address the needs of those who have perhaps just moved out or those just entering the cooking field, you should really include some basic soup dishes that include all the food groups.

So many buy soup in a can and they have no idea how easy it is to prepare home made soups and how much tastier they are and more nutritious as well.

Here is something along the lines of what I am thinking of.


SPICY SHRIMP & BOK CHOY NOODLE BOWL

3 Tbsp oil
2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 inches ginger root, peeled and grated or cut into very thin matchsticks
3/4 pound ake mushrooms, cleaned, stems removed, sliced
1 medium bok choy, trimmed, cut into 3-inch pieces, then cut sticks lengthwise
Salt and pepper to taste
6 cups chicken broth
1 1/2 cup seafood stock or 1 cup clam juice
1 1/2 pounds medium peeled and deveined shrimp
1/3 pound rice vermicelli, presoaked in hot water if dry variety
6 scallions, white and green parts, sliced medium in thickness
1 Tbsp fish sauce
1 Tbsp lime juice
1 Tbsp each chopped cilantro and basil

Heat a medium sized soup pot over medium heat. Add oil and swirl to coat the pan. Add the crushed red pepper flakes, garlic, ginger, mushrooms and cook and stir for 3 to 5 minutes. Add chicken broth and seafood stock or clam juice and season with salt and pepper. Bring soup to a boil. Cover and turn down heat and simmer for 8 to 10 minutes. Add the boy choy and bring to a quick boil. Add noodles and cook 3 minutes. Add the shrimp and scallions and bring to a quick boil. Turn off the heat, cover and let sit for 3 minutes. Add the fish sauce. Adjust the taste for salt if necessary. Add the lime juice, chopped cilantro and basil. Stir in and let sit for 2 minutes.

This serves 6 to 8 adequately.

Note: I have substituted thickly sliced cabbage for the bok choy and it works well.

My cousin definitely fits into that category, just doesn't have an idea about how to make a soup from scratch. He's a big reason why I started thinking about this idea. I'm working on some pasta dishes for my next entry and something about stocks and soups would be good to talk about for the next one. Thanks for your suggestion.

[sadora]

Taking a suggestion from 4x4 I've just posted some pasta recipes

http://onhomecooking.blogspot.com/

[Tron_fdc]

Uncle ben's microwave rice (1 package)
Clover leaf tuna packet (I use the mild curry type)

Nuke the rice for 45 seconds in its packet, pour into a bowl
Pour the tuna over top
Microwave an additional 45 seconds

In less than 2 minutes you have a mild curry tuna and rice dish. I eat it all the time...