The Rory Gilmore Book Club discussion
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The Recipe Thread
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Seriously, I think this is great. The problem with me is I'm a total creative cook (which actually is the right-brain thing - detailed, articulate instructions is left-brained-type thinking). I create recipes as I go or pull them up from memory and alter them to what I have... like that. So it might be harder for me to contribute. But as I go I might be able to pull some up.
I did a Lemon Chicken Rice Soup last week. It was pretty darned good. If you're interested, let me know.
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Left brain functions--sequential, analytical, logical, linear algorithmic processing
Right brain functions--intuitive, simultaneous, holistic, perception of shapes/motions
I've been saying it wrong for years!!!! All this reading is getting me nowhere!! :)
Yeah...I would have to be highly medicated to cook without a recipe. It would REALLY stress me out.
Okay -- has Meghan shown up yet? Hee-hee-hee.
Michele, my recipes are generally the same. So be prepared for like a handful of this and a dash of that. Plus it will be a good exercise to save some fabulous delights. Where is Meghan? I am ready to run to Target for an ice cream machine if only I had a recipe.
So now I am watching "Knocked Up" as I unpack. I am astonished how funny it is. I expected stupid, but rather witty. The moment at the bar when they talk about Munich was SO drunk at the bar me (sadly, loser guy is the one talking, lol).
Courtney -- let's hope there's a sale on ice cream machines because i'm going to be right behind you!
You guys are so funny. I know for a fact that Meghan wasn't home all day yesterday. I don't know where she is today but don't forget she has an 18-month-old! Hee. I will text her and tell her how much you're all dying for her to come post.
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Being left-handed AND an artist (as well as creative writer), I definitely know I'm right-brain dominant.
Alton Brown from the Food Network actually did a show that included how to make your own version of Pop Tarts. (yep really) Although IMO I thought it was far too much work and defeated the point of Pop Tarts. But I love that man, so I watched it anyway.
Here I am! Sorry - was out Memorial Daying it up this weekend.Anyway, here's the recipe Courtney for some truly DELICIOUS homemade ice cream. Forget that grainy, kind of tastes like weird eggs, old school flavor. This is as good as store bought "gourmet" as you can find. (I made homemade cashew brittle instead, which was just as tasty though.) I know it's not from the show, but come on...you know Taylor had to have this flavor in his shoppe! heh
Brown Butter and Peanut Brittle Ice cream
http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/foo...
Buttery Peanut Brittle
http://www.cooks.com/rec/view/0,1832,...
Hope you had a wonderful holiday weekend, Meghan. Thank you, thank you for the recipe links! Sounded so yummy -- and I really am going to go get a machine just to try this out -- now how do I convince my husband this is NECESSARY not frivolous? Have to think about that one a bit.
My father used to say, no matter how full you are, there is always room for ice cream. It just slides between the cracks! So in our family, ice cream was serious business. heh
Oh yeah. Here's the link for the homemade "pop tarts"...you have to scroll down towards the middle to get to the toaster pastry part.http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recip...
I found a website with Polish cuisine recipes in English - http://www.magma.ca/~pfeiffer/sharon/...But there is small problem with cabbage parcels (Gołąbki - pidgeons). It's not completely vegetable dish. You have to mix the uncooked rice with meat and this mass put into the cabbage leaves. And stuff called side dish like potato pancakes or little hooves also can be used as a main course.
I was watching the first season of gilmore girls the other day, and Emily made Lorelai mashed banana on toast. I couldnt resist myself and made it, and it actually was really good, even though in the episode they hated it!
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It had in it tomatoes, potato, Italian eggplant, zucchini, caramelized onion, thick bacon for flavor, and in this case, ground turkey (lamb is best, beef good). Some salt, cracked pepper, little oil here and butter (mostly for the caramelizing) there, garlic for me (mum's having surgery and was told not to have it), and oh, just a bit of sugar to cut the acidity of the tomatoes like a good Italian chef. I meant to add a bit of marsala wine, but forgot. I assure you it did not suffer! The whole thing was topped off with good grated cheddar. So delish!!
I usually create good food, but this was really lovely. And you know, even though it was all from scratch, it honestly didn't take all that long! So if anyone wants to know how to put it together, let me know. I'd give you a taste first... but I'm not exactly sure how that would turn out.
I almost want seconds, it was so good... but I'm just too darned full!
Oh that sounds yummy. I love ragu! Have you tried anything of Giada's? She has the best mushroom ragu, which is super easy. I made it with penne pasta, but I was just thinking how good it would be over egg noodles.
Michele, I am OBSESSED with Nigella Lawson. 75% of my recipes are from her. Plus I think she's gorgeous.
In Poland there is someone like Nigella but in male version. The guy's name is Robert Makłowicz. Always when I watch his programme I feel hungry. He mostly promotor of slow food
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I Luh-uv Nigella. Love her. Love her. Love her. I heard her on NPR once on my way between law school and home and nearly died. She gave me the best way to make raw red onions palatable to a sensitive stomach and palate. Ach! She rules and she is stunning!
Well my younger daughter loves Lawson's cookbooks and cooks from them regularly -- and I can say the most wonderful Thanksgiving and Christmas meals I've had were full of her recipes -- oh my goodness. And yet it all seems laid out so logically and simple that it's not difficult. Watching her as she does a cooking show tells me she knows what she's saying and doing.
Being compared to Nigella is one of the highest compliments you could ever pay me, Michele! A woman in my book club said I remind her of Nigella too. I'll take it!!Nigella taught me to cook.
Whenever the topic of girl crushes comes up, she's first on my list.
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:D
I aspire to be saucy.
Michele, it's fascinating. You've had a business at EVERYTHING! LOL.
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I don't even think my family ever gave it a name, but do try before you knock it.Ingredients:
Saltines
Creamy Peanut Butter
Marshmallows (Big)
Maraschino (sp) cherries
Directions:
Spread peanut butter on saltine, pinch off half a marshmallow and place on top of peanut butter. Add cherry if desired. It is not necessary if you do not like cherries. Place on cookie sheet and bake at 350 until marshmallow is lightly golden.
You can make as many as you want or just to or three.
I think it's so funny that this thread is here... and appropriate... I think I gained 30 pounds watching the Girls because i always get hungry!!! I have been watching from the beginning again and I'm on season 2 and now I want cider ice cream because I just saw the ice cream machine episode!
I was very upset that they didn't like the banana on toast thing because I make that whenever my tummy isn't feeling well!
Greg hates Giada from the food network.. he calls her show food porn!
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Said murmuring under my breath:
.....food shows are porn to me..... heh, classic......
karin,My husband calls it Everyday Cleavage! I like her, but don't watch the show when my husband is home....the conversations turn crude.
These are my snow day cookies, I make them whenever school is closed. Make them with peanut butter chips and it is amazing. The recipe is from my Nestle Toll House cookbook.Double Chocolate Dream Cookies
·2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
·1/2 cup Baking Cocoa
·1 teaspoon baking soda
·1/2 teaspoon salt
·1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
·1 cup packed brown sugar
·3/4 cup granulated sugar
·1 teaspoon vanilla extract
·2 large eggs
·2 cups (12-oz pkg) Semi-Sweet Chocolate Morsels
(If you are daring use peanut butter morsels)
Directions:
PREHEAT oven to 375° F.
COMBINE flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt in a small bowl. Beat butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar and vanilla extract in a large mixing bowl until creamy. Beat in eggs for about 2 minutes or until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in morsels. Drop by rounded tablespoon onto ungreased baking sheets.
BAKE for 8 to 10 minutes or until cookies are puffed. Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely.
Those cookies sound delicious! We shall have to try them. 
Thought this might be fun to revive with the holidays coming up. I've been enjoying browsing Giving Thanks: Thanksgiving Recipes and History, from Pilgrims to Pumpkin Pie
and look forward to trying some of the recipes. Enjoyable both for the recipes and the history; I felt all warm-and-fuzzy reading about all the Thanksgiving recipes and traditions that Americans have kept over the years, and the newer ones that have been added by more recent immigrants (i.e., many have found lasagna to be a staple for their Thanksgiving menu!) (Though the authors do make thoughtful nods to the Native Americans, even including a few details on their National Day of Mourning which is observed the same day as Thanksgiving.) The recipes look marvelous and I'm eager to try some for our Thanksgiving table this year. (Especially entertaining are the recipes from 1622, copied word-for-word, unique spellings and all!)
Yay, a thread for recipes : )
I ALWAYS make up recipes of my own and it drives my Mom crazy. She says she could never cook like that because she's just too afraid that something might go wrong.
Ok, something really nice I made up last week:
A Tomato-Mozzarella-Casserole
For 2, you need:
6 Tomatoes
2 packs of Mozzarella
1 Broccoli
1 pack of cream
Basil/other herbs to flavor, salt, pepper
First you should steam the Broccoli in some water with lots of salt (so that it gets some flavor). While it steams, slice the tomatoes and put one level on the ground of the casserole, flavor them. As soon as the Broccoli is done, cut it up (actually, it should fall apart after it is cooked thoroughly) and put it over the tomatoes. Pour the cream over it and then add levels of tomato and Mozzarella until everything is in the casserole (on top, there should be a last level of Mozzarella). Put in the oven and let it bake until the Mozzarella is melted.
This isn't a set recipe : ) The first time I used it, I didn't use cream to cook it (I always try to be low-fat). I only spread some olive oil on the bottom of the casserole. Neither did I use the Broccoli, it was only tomatoes and mozzarella and it tasted fine as well. My Mom though of the version with the cream and Broccoli and that's also really good. You can also add other veggies or do whatever you want : )
It's also really nice with some Balsamico vinegar spread over it before eating.
Goes well with pasta, rice & potatoes.
(I hope the recipe is understandable.. Funny thing, I am writing research papers in English, but the hardest thing I ever did was writing this recipe ; ) Please tell me if you'd say something differently in idiomatic English.)
I ALWAYS make up recipes of my own and it drives my Mom crazy. She says she could never cook like that because she's just too afraid that something might go wrong.
Ok, something really nice I made up last week:
A Tomato-Mozzarella-Casserole
For 2, you need:
6 Tomatoes
2 packs of Mozzarella
1 Broccoli
1 pack of cream
Basil/other herbs to flavor, salt, pepper
First you should steam the Broccoli in some water with lots of salt (so that it gets some flavor). While it steams, slice the tomatoes and put one level on the ground of the casserole, flavor them. As soon as the Broccoli is done, cut it up (actually, it should fall apart after it is cooked thoroughly) and put it over the tomatoes. Pour the cream over it and then add levels of tomato and Mozzarella until everything is in the casserole (on top, there should be a last level of Mozzarella). Put in the oven and let it bake until the Mozzarella is melted.
This isn't a set recipe : ) The first time I used it, I didn't use cream to cook it (I always try to be low-fat). I only spread some olive oil on the bottom of the casserole. Neither did I use the Broccoli, it was only tomatoes and mozzarella and it tasted fine as well. My Mom though of the version with the cream and Broccoli and that's also really good. You can also add other veggies or do whatever you want : )
It's also really nice with some Balsamico vinegar spread over it before eating.
Goes well with pasta, rice & potatoes.
(I hope the recipe is understandable.. Funny thing, I am writing research papers in English, but the hardest thing I ever did was writing this recipe ; ) Please tell me if you'd say something differently in idiomatic English.)
so somehow I missed this thread when it was posted. and I had no idea who Nigella Lawson was, so i did a google search on her. first, in the results google says: "did you mean Nigella Lawson breasts?" LOL and then I clicked on the Wikipedia result and...holy smokes! she's the spitting image of Sarah! it's eerie. anyway just wanted to share my googling adventure with you all.It is a great thread idea, I have to agree. Here's one of my favorite recipes for pumpkin bread from marthastewart.com if anyone's interested. I usually add a cup of walnuts to it.
Oh and Michele, I would love to hear that Lemon Chicken Rice Soup recipe if you still have it...
Marion, your recipe sounds delicious! I thought you presented it really well. I guess the only thing I would ask for clarification on would be how much cheese do you use (i.e., we have different sized packages of mozarella in the US) and also do you mean cream like liquid cream (not cream cheese) in which case we would list how many cups of cream to use. However, it also seems like the kind of recipe it would be easy enough to figure out as one goes along (i.e., use enough mozzarella to fill the layers in the cassarole dish!) I've seen many recipes written by English speakers that are much more vague than yours, so kudos and thanks for sharing!!! :-)
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Haha, thanks Kathryn : )
I guess the Mozzarella packs around here normally contain 250 g. The cream would be liquid cream as you use it for the sauce, depending on the size of your casserole you need about 1/2 to 1 cup.
But as I said in the recipe, you can vary everything according to your taste : )
I guess the Mozzarella packs around here normally contain 250 g. The cream would be liquid cream as you use it for the sauce, depending on the size of your casserole you need about 1/2 to 1 cup.
But as I said in the recipe, you can vary everything according to your taste : )
Sounds wonderful, Marion. Thank you! I love all the ingredients in your recipe so I'm looking forward to making it! :-)
Please tell me if you liked it. It's a new favorite in my family as it is very easy and quick to make and easy to reheat.
(I am SO going to post some of the other recipes I've made up as soon as my AP French exam is over tomorrow... So check back ; ))
Ok everyone, here is a new recipe.
It's for apple cake.
You need:
-for the dough:
250 g flour
100 g sugar
100 g butter (not salted)
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 eggs
Mix dough. If it isn't creamy enough (should look like plain old good dough ; )), you can add some milk, if it's too runny, add some flour.
-for the apple filling:
200-300 g apples
2 tablespoons of honey
a handful of raisins
a cup Cidre or apple juice
Cut the apples into little cubes, cook them with the honey, raisins and Cidre/juice until they are soft. Put the dough in your baking pan, put the apple mixture on top of it and bake it 45 minutes to 1 hour at about 150°Celsius (just your normal baking temperature.. I'm sorry that I can't provide any handy Fahrenheit degrees or your normal measures instead of gram. I'm European, I only function within the metric system ; ). Honestly, I really can't imagine how much a mile might be or how fast miles per hour are.).
Variation for the apple mixture: You can put it in the mixer if you don't like the pieces. If you like cinnamon, you can dust the top with cinnamon before baking.
If you like crumbles, you can add crumbles to the top.
For those of you who don't know how to make crumbles:
Put sugar, butter (not salted, again) and flour in a bowl. You should have a lot more flour and sugar than butter, just start with some butter (100 g or so) and add some more if the crumbles are too dry. Use your hands or a mixer to knead the ingredients until you have little crumbles. Then just add to the cake and bake normally.
Hope you are going to like that cake, as well : )
It's a really quick and nice fruit cake that almost everyone likes. Not too sweet for those who don't like sweet cakes and also not too fat.
It's for apple cake.
You need:
-for the dough:
250 g flour
100 g sugar
100 g butter (not salted)
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 eggs
Mix dough. If it isn't creamy enough (should look like plain old good dough ; )), you can add some milk, if it's too runny, add some flour.
-for the apple filling:
200-300 g apples
2 tablespoons of honey
a handful of raisins
a cup Cidre or apple juice
Cut the apples into little cubes, cook them with the honey, raisins and Cidre/juice until they are soft. Put the dough in your baking pan, put the apple mixture on top of it and bake it 45 minutes to 1 hour at about 150°Celsius (just your normal baking temperature.. I'm sorry that I can't provide any handy Fahrenheit degrees or your normal measures instead of gram. I'm European, I only function within the metric system ; ). Honestly, I really can't imagine how much a mile might be or how fast miles per hour are.).
Variation for the apple mixture: You can put it in the mixer if you don't like the pieces. If you like cinnamon, you can dust the top with cinnamon before baking.
If you like crumbles, you can add crumbles to the top.
For those of you who don't know how to make crumbles:
Put sugar, butter (not salted, again) and flour in a bowl. You should have a lot more flour and sugar than butter, just start with some butter (100 g or so) and add some more if the crumbles are too dry. Use your hands or a mixer to knead the ingredients until you have little crumbles. Then just add to the cake and bake normally.
Hope you are going to like that cake, as well : )
It's a really quick and nice fruit cake that almost everyone likes. Not too sweet for those who don't like sweet cakes and also not too fat.
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Mirin Glazed Salmon
Ingredients
1/4 C Mirin Sweet Japanese Rice Wine
1/4 C light brown sugar
1/4 C soy sauce
4 four ounce-ish pieces salmon, cut from the thick part of the fillet so that they are narrow but tall rather than wide and flat (though I use what we have depending)
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1–2 green onions, finely sliced (I usually go with 2)
Serving Size : Serves 4
Instructions:
1. Mix the Mirin, brown sugar and soy sauce in a shallow dish that will take all 4 pieces of salmon, and marinate the salmon in it for 3 minutes on the first side and 2 minutes on the second. Meanwhile heat a large non-stick frying pan.
2. Cook the salmon in the hot, dry pan for 2 minutes and then turn the salmon over, add the marinade and cook for another 2 minutes.
3. Remove the salmon to whatever plate you’re serving it on, add the rice vinegar to the hot pan, and warm through.
4. Pour the dark, sweet, salty glaze over the salmon and top with the green onion.
Personal Notes:
My twist is that a bit of grated fresh ginger is amazing in the sauce. Also, the salmon fillets we have still have the skin on one side, so I marinate it the same, but then put the skin side on the hot pan first for one minute, take it off and quickly rip off the skin (hot but super easy at this point) then continue cooking as per the directions, finishing out the cooking on that side first. Lastly, may I say that the green onions (scallions) are vital because otherwise it is just too, too sweet. It's the perfect balance with a healthy portion of them sprinkled over the top.
Also:
I agree with Nigella that Sushi rice is perfect with this... what I do since this is such a quick recipe is to start the Sushi rice first. Then as I'm marinating, I rinse and de-stem a bunch of spinach (or dump out a package) and place it in a large strainer. I have a faucet that has water one degree under boiling, but simply putting on a kettle will do the job as well. When things are ready to go, I blanch the spinach (meaning I pour the boiling water over it, then immediately put cold water over it, causing the leave to keep the nutrients better as well as their vivid green color). It's okay if the spinach turns out cold because once you serve it between a layer of rice and the salmon and accompanying sauce on top, it heats up again. It's a beautiful dish, looking (and tasting) like it's from a five star restaurant, and my dad's favorite way to have salmon now. He goes up every year to fish for salmon in Alaska, so you can imagine how big of a compliment that is when you consider we have it on hand year-round!
P.S. Heather, I will have to try to remember that Lemon Chicken Rice Soup recipe! It's been a while!
Since my parents are going to get a huge box full of different (home-made) cookies and treats, I am looking for new recipes at the moment. I found one that sounded absolutely lovely and fantastic (and it's even got American-style ingredients for you guys ; )):
White Chocolate Cherry Chunkies
Ingredients
* 1 stick butter, softened
* 1 cup packed brown sugar
* 1 cup granulated sugar
* 2 large eggs
* 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
* 3 cups all-purpose flour
* 1 teaspoon baking soda
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 2 tablespoons milk
* 1 cup chopped macadamia nuts
* 1/2 cup candied cherries
* 1 1/2 cups white chocolate chunks
Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
In a medium bowl, with electric mixer, cream butter and sugars together until light and fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla and beat until just combined. Set aside.
Sift together flour, soda, and salt. Add milk to the butter mixture and then add the flour mixture. Mix until just combined. Batter should be stiff.
In another bowl, combine nuts, cherries, and white chocolate. Then add to batter, stirring only to blend. Drop by heaping tablespoons onto a greased cookie sheet, 2 inches apart. Bake for approximately 11 to 13 minutes. Cool on wire rack.
Those cookies sound absolutely delicious to me, I'll try them some time during that week (probably on the weekend).
White Chocolate Cherry Chunkies
Ingredients
* 1 stick butter, softened
* 1 cup packed brown sugar
* 1 cup granulated sugar
* 2 large eggs
* 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
* 3 cups all-purpose flour
* 1 teaspoon baking soda
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 2 tablespoons milk
* 1 cup chopped macadamia nuts
* 1/2 cup candied cherries
* 1 1/2 cups white chocolate chunks
Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
In a medium bowl, with electric mixer, cream butter and sugars together until light and fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla and beat until just combined. Set aside.
Sift together flour, soda, and salt. Add milk to the butter mixture and then add the flour mixture. Mix until just combined. Batter should be stiff.
In another bowl, combine nuts, cherries, and white chocolate. Then add to batter, stirring only to blend. Drop by heaping tablespoons onto a greased cookie sheet, 2 inches apart. Bake for approximately 11 to 13 minutes. Cool on wire rack.
Those cookies sound absolutely delicious to me, I'll try them some time during that week (probably on the weekend).
You are right -- those sound delicious -- made my mouth water just to read the recipe -- I'm in a baking mood lately. Even made an apple pie -- "the" typically, traditional American apple pie -- which I haven't done for years -- many years, actually.
Mmmmh, I just love apple pie.
On Friday we'll have career day in school where alumni are invited to tell us something about their majors in college and what they are doing now and so on.
Our counselor asked us to bring cake to make it more comfy and I thought of doing a chocolate cheese cake.
I have got the recipe from Golden Girls, maybe you remember the show, I guess it was on during the 90s mainly. My Mom used to watch it and wrote down the recipe but never made it and I found it during the summer holidays. If you are interested, I can post it. It is a really great cheese cake but also very, very rich (one piece and you are full).
On Friday we'll have career day in school where alumni are invited to tell us something about their majors in college and what they are doing now and so on.
Our counselor asked us to bring cake to make it more comfy and I thought of doing a chocolate cheese cake.
I have got the recipe from Golden Girls, maybe you remember the show, I guess it was on during the 90s mainly. My Mom used to watch it and wrote down the recipe but never made it and I found it during the summer holidays. If you are interested, I can post it. It is a really great cheese cake but also very, very rich (one piece and you are full).
If anybody has a recipe for any of the Gilmore Girl's favorite treats (yeah, put away the "heart healthy" and "cooking light" cookbooks for now) or any of their own user-friendly delights (remember: we're
rightleft brained...we need thorough, articulate instructions :>) ...please share.Yes, I know this is a book site, and I know this is a recipe thread...if you mock us, we will not share our snacks. :)