• You are currently viewing our forum as a guest, which gives you limited access to view most discussions and access our other features. By joining our free community, you will have access to additional post topics, communicate privately with other members (PM), view blogs, respond to polls, upload content, and access many other special features. Registration is fast, simple and absolutely free, so please join our community today! Just click here to register. You should turn your Ad Blocker off for this site or certain features may not work properly. If you have any problems with the registration process or your account login, please contact us by clicking here.

Ask Malia: Cooking advice

maliafee

Active member
Joined
Feb 10, 2009
Messages
1,127
Hehe... I love to cook!

If you have any cooking questions or want the BEST recipe for something, ask me -- chances are, I can tell you. Very often I have the recipe that beats the competition and can warn you against cooking pitfalls. I read cooking magazines and try many different recipes for many varieties and styles of dishes.

If you are trying something for the first time and don't want to mess up, or if you want to improve on something you never get right, I want to help.

JUST ASK ME! :smile:
 

Jive A Turkey

New member
Joined
Dec 12, 2007
Messages
151
MBTI Type
INFP
Hey Malia,

I have to come up with and prepare food this afternoon that has anything to do with rabbits. What are your suggestions?
 

spirilis

Senior Membrane
Joined
Jul 5, 2007
Messages
2,687
MBTI Type
INTP
Enneagram
9w1
Instinctual Variant
sp/sx
What kind of things do you make for lunch during the work week? Especially those "make a ton of it on sunday and eat it all week" dishes :D
 

maliafee

Active member
Joined
Feb 10, 2009
Messages
1,127
Hey Malia,

I have to come up with and prepare food this afternoon that has anything to do with rabbits. What are your suggestions?

I suggest you stop right there. Rabbits are adorable and not for your consumption.

Just kidding. They ARE adorable (and tasty), but here's a rabbit recipe that's great (if it's too simple, just ask me for my rabbit stew or pot pie recipe):

Sweet, Tender Rabbit
=============

1 boneless rabbit
Pot of salted, boiling water (just eyeball - pot should be a soup kettle or something you might boil pasta in)
2-3 large onions, chopped
2-3 cloves of garlic, minced
apple juice, preferably the fresh, organic variety
2-3 apples, cored and quartered
salt and pepper, to taste

Bring water in pot to a boil and add salt. Add rabbit, and boil for 30 minutes.

Remove rabbit from boiling water (be careful, it's hot) and place rabbit parts in a casserole dish (*optional: grease dish with cooking spray or better yet, butter).

Salt and pepper rabbit, to taste.

Add onions and garlic to the pan, all around the rabbit. Assemble apple quarters around the rabbit, as well.

Pour apple juice over rabbit, until just covered.

Place in preheated 325 F oven, until meat is tender (about 2 hours). Occasionally check rabbit and move pieces around if necessary and if liquid is almost gone add some more apple juice.

This is delicious served over buttered rice or with mashed potatoes (or boiled/roasted red potatoes). For a treat, make mashed sweet potatoes as a side.
 

maliafee

Active member
Joined
Feb 10, 2009
Messages
1,127
What kind of things do you make for lunch during the work week? Especially those "make a ton of it on sunday and eat it all week" dishes :D

Oh, easy. Casseroles, casseroles, casseroles. But damn good casseroles. Nothing gross or bland. :D

Do you have any diet limitations? I can give you some recipes for standbys that you'll love. Examples:

Chicken pot pie (make it in a giant casserole dish and then eat it through the week, and to save time don't make it with a bottom crust, just add biscuits on top)

Italian sausage spinach pie

Greek lemon chicken pie with phyllo

Shepherd's (or cottage) pie (this one is the fastest to make)

Arroz con pollo (Mexican chicken and rice with olives and mushrooms and spicy sauce)

And there are, of course, more. Just let me know which catch your fancy.

If you don't want casseroles, I suggest something like lasagne (another casserole haha) or manicotti/stuffed shells. VERY EASY.

Recipes coming if asked for!:blush:
 

spirilis

Senior Membrane
Joined
Jul 5, 2007
Messages
2,687
MBTI Type
INTP
Enneagram
9w1
Instinctual Variant
sp/sx
Oh, easy. Casseroles, casseroles, casseroles. But damn good casseroles. Nothing gross or bland. :D

Do you have any diet limitations? I can give you some recipes for standbys that you'll love. Examples:

Chicken pot pie (make it in a giant casserole dish and then eat it through the week, and to save time don't make it with a bottom crust, just add biscuits on top)

Italian sausage spinach pie

Greek lemon chicken pie with phyllo

Shepherd's (or cottage) pie (this one is the fastest to make)

Arroz con pollo (Mexican chicken and rice with olives and mushrooms and spicy sauce)

And there are, of course, more. Just let me know which catch your fancy.

If you don't want casseroles, I suggest something like lasagne (another casserole haha) or manicotti/stuffed shells. VERY EASY.

Recipes coming if asked for!:blush:

Oooh good idea! I usually eat some variation of brown rice w/ stir fried veggies and fish or chicken. Do you have any recipes that make use of fish & brown rice?
 

Haight

Doesn't Read Your Posts
Joined
Apr 18, 2007
Messages
6,232
MBTI Type
INTj
Hi Malia.

The people here in Maryland think I'm nuts when I tell them that mama used to make a German meal that was sausage, sauerkraut, and a brown bread that came from a can.

I swear the canned bread exists, but no one believes me.

Have you ever head of it?
 

Jeffster

veteran attention whore
Joined
Jun 7, 2008
Messages
6,743
MBTI Type
ESFP
Enneagram
7w6
Instinctual Variant
sx
Italian sausage spinach pie

Greek lemon chicken pie with phyllo

Arroz con pollo (Mexican chicken and rice with olives and mushrooms and spicy sauce)

I'm interested in the recipes for those. :)
 

maliafee

Active member
Joined
Feb 10, 2009
Messages
1,127
Hi Malia.

The people here in Maryland think I'm nuts when I tell them that mama used to make a German meal that was sausage, sauerkraut, and a brown bread that came from a can.

I swear the canned bread exists, but no one believes me.

Have you ever head of it?

Yes, I have. Here's a link to where you can buy it. I've seen it with raisins or none.

LINK:
Brown Bread in a Can available at The Vermont Country Store


RECIPE (I found this online and it passes my "gross vs. good" test, but I haven't tried this one. Also I couldn't find a recipe with sauerkraut and sausage with the canned bread, but maybe this'll do?):

German Sausage and Sauerkraut

Serves 4

Sausage is tucked into this seasoned sauerkraut and baked until the flavors are blended. Serve with pumpernickel bread and spicy applesauce, followed by ginger snaps for dessert.


1 jar (16 ounces) sauerkraut, rinsed and drained
1/2 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1/2 cup chopped red onion
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1 teaspoon caraway seeds
1 tablespoon firmly packed brown sugar
1 pound smoked German sausage of your choice, sliced


Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place all ingredients in a 2-1/2-quart casserole dish lightly coated with cooking spray or oil and mix well. Cover the sausage with sauerkraut.

Cover the dish and bake until heated through, 35 to 40 minutes.
 

maliafee

Active member
Joined
Feb 10, 2009
Messages
1,127
Oooh good idea! I usually eat some variation of brown rice w/ stir fried veggies and fish or chicken. Do you have any recipes that make use of fish & brown rice?

Easy pan sauteed fish and a delicious rice pilaf is my favorite, but there are very good stir fry recipes with fish, rice, and veggies. You can make a fish casserole, too. I can give you a recipe for that if you like. Just let me know.

RECIPES

Simple, pan sauteed fish (this works for almost any kind of fish you want, but I love the taste of salmon the most, personally)
==============

2 boneless fish filets
salt and pepper, to taste
1/2 - 1 lemon, cut into large wedges (for squeezing over fish)
olive oil
butter

Pat boneless filets dry with paper towels. Optionally melt butter in large dish and dip fish in butter (both sides). Salt and pepper both sides of filets, squeeze lemon juice over each side. Set fish aside on plate to await sauteing.

Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a cast iron, heavy-bottomed aluminum or nonstick skillet on medium-high heat until shimmering but not smoking (>>>if your oil starts to smoke, quickly remove pan from heat for a few minutes and add a tiny bit of room temp. oil to pan. Return to heat and start cooking fish right away).

Place filets on pan and in about 30 seconds immediately turn heat slightly down, to medium.

Cook fish about 3-4 minutes on each side, or until cooked throughout but not dry (unless you like it dry!).

Serve immediately over a bed of rice, and/or with roasted/steamed/stir-fried (your choice) vegetables.


Easy Basmati Rice
============

1/4 cup butter or olive oil (you can reduce this amount if you want to lower the fat content a bit)
2 cups basmati rice (brown or white - see instructions for the difference in cooking times)
2 teaspoons salt
3 1/4 cups boiling chicken/vegetable broth or water*

British-American seasoning option:
1 1/2 teaspoons dried thyme
1 teaspoon fresh chopped parsley (or scant 1/2 teaspoon dried)

Indian seasoning option:
2 teaspoons turmeric
2 bay leaves
8 green cardamom pods (or 3/4 teaspoon ground cardamom)
8 whole cloves
1 teaspoon whole fennel seed

Melt butter in a saucepan (or just add and heat the oil).

Stir in the rice until it is coated in oil/butter.

Stir in spices and salt.

Add the boiling broth or water.

Cover with a tight fitting lid and simmer on the lowest heat for 40 minutes for brown or 15 minutes for white rice (do not stir or open the lid in the meantime).

Turn off the heat and let rest for 5 minutes.

Fluff and serve.


*If it is a dry day, add about 1/4 cup more broth or water. Also, if using broth instead of water, lower the salt to 1 1/4 teaspoons.

--
I love eating fish and rice with some roasted potatoes or veggies. Ask if you want instructions for either.
 

spirilis

Senior Membrane
Joined
Jul 5, 2007
Messages
2,687
MBTI Type
INTP
Enneagram
9w1
Instinctual Variant
sp/sx
Easy pan sauteed fish and a delicious rice pilaf is my favorite, but there are very good stir fry recipes with fish, rice, and veggies. You can make a fish casserole, too. I can give you a recipe for that if you like. Just let me know.

Awesome, thanks! I'd love to see the fish casserole recipe too :D
 

Haight

Doesn't Read Your Posts
Joined
Apr 18, 2007
Messages
6,232
MBTI Type
INTj
That one gets a little stinky right around Thursday morning.
 

Laurie

Was E.laur
Joined
Jan 3, 2009
Messages
6,072
MBTI Type
ENFP
Enneagram
7w6
I need some healthy "just my four year old and I are home during the day" lunches.
 

maliafee

Active member
Joined
Feb 10, 2009
Messages
1,127
Favorite Casseroles

Here are some great casseroles. Ask if anything is unclear. :D

Greek Chicken Pie
(you can double this if you want for a big casserole dish, but the regular recipe makes enough for an 8"x8" square pan or an 8" or 9" pie pan)
=============

INGREDIENTS

4 chicken breasts, poached (see below directions)
1 carton chicken broth OR 2 cans

3 T butter
1 T olive oil
1/2 small yellow onion, chopped
1/2 small red onion, chopped
6-8 mushrooms (button or crimini or any other you like), sliced
4 cloves garlic, minced

1/3 cup fresh mint, chopped
1 teaspoon fresh oregano, chopped
2 teaspoons lemon zest
***optional: 10-15 kalamata olives, pitted and sliced in half
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

2 eggs
3 T milk
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper

1/2 cup feta cheese, crumbled
1/2 cup goat cheese, crumbled
OR 1 cup feta cheese, only, crumbled
OR 1 cup goat cheese, only, crumbled

8 phyllo sheets (just buy a package in the frozen dessert section of the grocery store)
1/2 cup olive oil or more (pour some in a dish, and use a pastry brush to apply)


COOKING INSTRUCTIONS

Thaw your package of frozen phyllo dough overnight in the fridge.

Preheat oven to 350 F.

Grease your pie pan with nonstick spray or oil.

CHICKEN:
Place chicken breasts in a deep-sided pan. Cover with broth, and make sure it's covered completely, but only just. If you need to add some water, that's fine. Cook chicken on medium heat, until you see it start to simmer. Stir once. As soon as the mixture barely begins to boil, turn off heat and cover with a lid. Let chicken sit 45 minutes on the burner but with heat turned off. After that, you can remove chicken, save broth for another recipe, and shred the chicken. Measure 2 cups of shredded chicken for the Greek Chicken Pie recipe.

ONION MIXTURE:
In cast iron pan, melt 3 T butter and 1 T olive oil on medium heat. Add onions and mushrooms, and saute until golden. Add garlic and saute briefly. Turn off heat and mix onion mixture with mint, oregano, zest, olives, and 1/4 each salt and pepper. Stir in shredded chicken.

EGG & MILK MIXTURE:
Beat eggs and milk with a wire whisk or electric mixture until light and fluffy, add salt and pepper and mix a bit more. Add crumbled feta/ goat cheeses and mix once or twice to combine.

ASSEMBLY:
In greased pie pan, layer phyllo sheets one at a time, brushing each sheet entirely with olive oil before adding another sheet. Layer with at least 8 sheets. When the last sheet is brushed with oil, fill pan with onion/chicken mixture. Pour egg/cheese mixture over the top of the onion/chicken base. Fold phyllo edges over to surround pie filling.

BAKING:
Bake for 45-50 minutes, but check frequently. Pie is done when phyllo is deep golden brown and cheesy topping is golden.

--


Sausage Spinach Cheese Pie
==================

INGREDIENTS:
1 pound hot Italian sausage, chopped (TJs makes a really good hot sausage)
6 eggs
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
dash nutmeg
half a bag of fresh baby spinach (can't remember ounces, but it's the size of a regular salad bag from any grocery store)
8 oz. (1 cup) mascarpone OR cream cheese
8 oz. (1 cup) ricotta OR sour cream
1 cup mozzarella, swiss or cheddar cheese, OR a blend, shredded
3 Roma tomatoes, or other smallish, low-on-seed variety, sliced thin
1/2 cup goat cheese, crumbled into large pieces
1 medium onion, chopped
1 bell pepper, chopped
6 cloves garlic, sliced thin
salt and pepper, to taste
basil and oregano, to taste
Pastry for two-crust pie (ask for recipe if needed, or buy pre-baked)

PREPARATION:
Preheat oven to 375 F. Prepare pastry for a two-crust pie and line bottom of a pie pan with pastry. Refrigerate until you are ready to use.

Remove sausage casings, and crumble into large pieces. Brown sausage; drain, and set aside.

In a food processor or blender, combine cream cheese, sour cream, eggs, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon pepper, and nutmeg. Blend until smooth, and set aside.

In a medium saute pan, saute onion and bell pepper on medium-high heat until limp and soft. Add a sprinkling of salt and pepper and combine with a wooden spoon. Add garlic and saute for about 1 more minute. Turn off heat and set aside onion mixture.

ASSEMBLY:
Into pie shell, pour 1/3 cheese-egg mixture and then add half the spinach, smoothing evenly on bottom of pie. Layer with half the sausage, half the goat cheese, all of the onion mixture, topping with half the tomato slices. Next, add the rest of the spinach, the rest of the sausage, goat cheese, and tomato slices. Pour the rest of the cheese-egg mixture on top and cover with mozzarella cheese, and oregano and basil, to taste. Close the pie with top crust, making a few slits with a sharp knife for steam to escape during cooking.

Bake 1 hour and 5-15 minutes.

Serves 6-8.
--

Arroz con Pollo
==========

aprox. 2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken (can be breast or thigh meat or both)

chicken broth or water, or a mixture, enough to completely cover chicken in a pot by about 1/2-1 inch (3-4 cups) (Optionally, reduce broth or water by about 1 cup and add 1 cup white wine or dry sherry)

2 cups rice, white or brown
1 1/2 tablespoons Caldo con Sabor de Pollo (by KNORR)<--(this is a kind of bouillon or stock reduction available in the ethnic aisle or in a Mexican grocery store. If you can't get this, just use chicken bouillon cubes)
Heinz or other basic brand of tomato sauce (16 oz.)

2 cups fresh mushrooms, diced
16 ounces sliced (or chopped) black olives

1-2 cups mild mexican cheese, to taste

16 ounces El Pato tomato sauce (this is also available in the ethnic aisle or a Mexican grocery store)


In a medium kettle, place chicken and cover with broth or water (or mixture with wine/sherry). Make sure liquid covers chicken fully by about 1/2-1 inch.
Heat on medium-high and just bring to a boil. Right as the water starts to boil, turn off the heat and cover chicken and set timer for 45 minutes.
After the time is up, chicken should be cooked through and ready to be shredded. Shred chicken and set aside for later casserole assembly.
(You may discard the broth/water it was cooked in, or save and use for cooking your rice.)

Cook rice according to package instructions, but additionally add the Caldo con Sabor de Pollo and Heinz tomato sauce.

Chop mushrooms and drain olives if necessary.

Grate cheese.

In a greased 9x13 casserole dish, layer:
1. chicken 2. rice 3. mushrooms and olives 4. cheese
Drizzle El Pato sauce over each layer successively, including the cheese layer.

Bake in a preheated 375 F oven until cheese is browned to preference, about 30 minutes or more.

--
 

Gamine

in-game
Joined
Nov 2, 2008
Messages
810
MBTI Type
ENTP
Enneagram
3w2
Hey Malia! Great thread idea!!

I've been given the assignment of a vegetarian dish for the next potluck with my friends. The theme for the night is Old Western Films, but someone already snagged the obvious spaghetti option. Do you have any ideas for a really tasty southwestern vegetarian addition? I'm pretty comfortable using Tofu, but exploring some legumes would be interesting to try.

:D Thanks!
 

Rangler

New member
Joined
Jan 19, 2009
Messages
319
MBTI Type
ENTJ
Enneagram
3w8
Do you cook with tofu? I've been experimenting with it for the past couple of weeks.
 

maliafee

Active member
Joined
Feb 10, 2009
Messages
1,127
Do you cook with tofu? I've been experimenting with it for the past couple of weeks.

I do, in fact. I used to be vegan* as well, and so during that year of my life I learned how to use it in many interesting ways. Any recipes you wanna share, or questions?

*For any vegetarians or vegans, I have some amazing recipes. I have a stuffed pasta recipe that fools ANY non-veg. that it's cheesy as all get out! Also, a great vegan pumpkin pie, amazing "cheese"cake, and really good lasagne. Lots and lots of others. Just tell me the kind of food you haven't been able to eat that maybe you miss and I'll give you the tasty substitution I developed while I was vegan.
 
Top