Secrets of the Kitchen

[le_meow]

I was just sitting here thinking of all the wonderful meals I have made in the past month. For some reason I have been making great stuff that I came up with. So I have decided to share with you all one of my fave ones. I know a lot of people do not like to give out thier secrets but I want to share mine. Why not right? It is a wonderful carrot cake that my family says is better than grandma's. WOW, I know! I think this thread can bring ideas home. I would love to hear if anyone has great asian recipes. ???

<CONCORDANCE-BEGIN />

• 3 cups grated carrots
• 4 eggs
• 1 1/4 cups vegetable oil
• 2 cups white sugar
• 2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 cup golden raisins
• 1 1/4 cups confectioners sugar
• 1 (3 ounce) package cream cheese
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

<CONCORDANCE-BEGIN />

1. Beat together the eggs, oil, and white sugar. Blend mixture for thirty seconds.
2. Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda and spices. Add the carrots and raisins. Pour egg mixture into dry ingredients, and mix well.
3. Pour batter into well greased 10 inch tube or bundt pan. Bake at 350 degrees F for 60 to 70 minutes. Cool cake and then refrigerate until completely cooled.
4. To make Cream Cheese Glaze: Blend together confectioners sugar, cream cheese, and vanilla. Spread over cooled cake.

<CONCORDANCE-END />

If any of you all are willing to reveal your secrets or faves then please go ahead. Sweets, dinners, snacks etc.... So lets here em' folks!
Here is a great one for the kids that Steve makes for games.............. Pancake battered chicken fingers (or any part of chicken) with a little hot sauce mixed in the batter, just deep fry them. Served with carrots celery and ranch dressing.

[MaripositaII]

Great idea. I'll come back with some of my favourites later on. Right time for these cakes and other goodies because of the holidays.

[le_meow]

you are so right. My mother-in-law is Sicilian and I bet I can get one of her cookie recipes.

[TAPPY]

Dont know if this is really considered Asian.. but it is one of my favorite ways to cook shrimp.

Asian Almond Shrimp

1 lb. of 31-40 count shrimp
2 eggs
1/4 c. cream
1/2 c. flour
2 minced cloves garlic (or garlic powder)
1/2 t. ginger
a few dashes hot pepper & soy sauce
1 c. crushed blanched almonds
cooking oil

Mix together in a bowl eggs, cream, flour, garlic, ginger and hot pepper sauce.
Peel, devein and butterfly shrimp.
Dip shrimp in batter to coat and place on a piece of wax paper.
Spread crushed almonds on plate and roll shrimp in almonds.
Fry shrimp in deep fryer until golden in color.
(I make a spicey orange marmalade sauce for dipping)

[JoanieBlon]

Our secret of the kitchen is ROUX! (Roo)

[alwaysmissinpdc]

Originally Posted by le_meow

I was just sitting here thinking of all the wonderful meals I have made in the past month. For some reason I have been making great stuff that I came up with. So I have decided to share with you all one of my fave ones. I know a lot of people do not like to give out thier secrets but I want to share mine. Why not right? It is a wonderful carrot cake that my family says is better than grandma's. WOW, I know! I think this thread can bring ideas home. I would love to hear if anyone has great asian recipes. ???

Recipe exchange is a great idea! When I asked for an Asian inspired recipe for a pork loin some time ago, Roni posted this

http://www.playa.info/playa-del-carm...-post1353.html

It turned out really well. He recommends allowing the marinade to marry up for awhile before applying to the meat. I missed that and made a notation to do so next time. I had to use a substitution, as I couldn't find chile infused sesame oil. I used regular sesame oil and added Asian chile sauce to the mix.

Tappy's shrimp recipe looks like a great option for Asian inspired too. I'm going to have to try it.

[Softy57]

Makin' me hungry...I'm going to get a snack,will post a good fall soup recipe soon.

[his girl friday]

Ooh, I love carrot cake! Might have to try that over Thanksgiving.

This is an easy creamed spinach recipe. Ask James how many times a week we have this... The boys like it, too.

Chop 1/2 onion and sautee in about 2 T olive oil. When it's almost translucent, add about 1 t minced garlic. Then add a box of frozen chopped spinach (you can pop from box and thaw in microwave on high about 6 minutes).

Cook, stirring every now and then, until liquid is almost all reduced. (If you're in a hurry, you can squeeze the liquid out in a clean dish towel before you add to onion.)

Add about 2T cream cheese and about 1/2 cup shredded mozzerella. Stir; add salt and pepper to taste.

Voila!

[roni]

Was another thread doing recipe exchange some time back. Some good ones, too. Do a search

[BonnyW]

I suppose we could do a thread with only holiday recipes? It would be different than the recipe exchange thread. I have a lot of those...

But then again, I have a lot of recipes

[Babaloo]

Originally Posted by JoanieBlon

Our secret of the kitchen is ROUX! (Roo)

Flour and butter is a secret?? I've been makin' lumpy gravy for years and didn't know it was a secret.

[BonnyW]

Originally Posted by Babaloo

Flour and butter is a secret?? I've been makin' lumpy gravy for years and didn't know it was a secret.

Invest in a whisk...the greatest invention since...yes, bread slicers.

[mofi]

Haha its only lumpy gravy if you don't make/mix the roux properly!!!! I knew this food and beverage class would come in handy sooner or later! haha

[JoanieBlon]

Originally Posted by Babaloo

Flour and butter is a secret?? I've been makin' lumpy gravy for years and didn't know it was a secret.

Naaah...you have to use oil and flour at about 50/50 proportions and then cook it until it's the color of a Hershey's Kiss, stirring CONSTANTLY and DO NOT BURN!!! (If it does, throw it out and start over) The aroma of dark brown ROUX is HEAVENLY! Then dump in "The Holy Trinity" ~ chopped green pepper, onion and celery (as well as a good portion of minced garlic) and smother those down. Then add homemade (or canned) chicken stock, a chopped up (and skinned if you wish) cooking hen (labeled as a gallina in stores in our neighborhood) and some sliced up, spicy smoked andouille sausage (any rather dry, smoked spicy sausage can be substituted). Add Emeril's or any decent Creole style seasoning (we make our own from scratch) to taste and simmer until the chicken is tender. We also add 1 can of spicy Rotel tomatoes. You can't tell that they're in there, but they add to the taste. Adjust the amount of liquid so that the broth remains rather soup-like. Before serving, add a good quantity of chopped up green onions and parsley to the pot. Place in bowls with a scoop or two or steamed white rice on top and top dress with chopped green onions. Serve with fresh French bread and potato salad.

You've just made hen and sausage GUMBO! Served Cajun style with the potato salad which is dipped in the broth before eating ....

Originally Posted by BonnyW

Invest in a whisk...the greatest invention since...yes, bread slicers.

When making roux for gumbo, we use a flat edged, oriental bamboo kichen tool that you can find almost anywhere that sells kitchen stuff. It has a long handle and the bottom is sort of wedge shaped. It's a VERY good substitute for the traditional Cajun roux stick. We generally use the smaller iron pot when cooking gumbo at home and the BIG aluminum pot when cooking outdoors over a propane burner for a crowd....

[TAPPY]

Originally Posted by BonnyW

I suppose we could do a thread with only holiday recipes? It would be different than the recipe exchange thread. I have a lot of those...

But then again, I have a lot of recipes

Please share some of your good veggie ones !!!