Cookbook Project

[Pumpkin]

So I added a challenge to my 1000 things to do, which is to cook everything in my cookbook. I thought it might be fun to have a thread here where I post every recipe when I do cook it, and that way I can also link to it once I've cooked them all and completed the challenge!

Some notes:
*I didn't name these, so if it turns out to be incorrectly named, don't blame me
*I've already made some of these, but I'll cook them again for the sake of the challenge
*Feel free to ask me for any recipes
*I'll post pictures when I can
*I'll link to the completed recipes
*I'll add a difficulty rating of up to 5 stars

Recipes:


Asparagus Roll-ups
Baby Burgers on Baguettes (http://home.eyesonff.com/showthread.php/162182-Cookbook-Project?p=3531209&viewfull=1#post3531209)
Barbecue Nachos
Beef Croquettes
Beet and Feta Bruschetta
Bite-Sized Bacon Quiches
BLT Chicken Salad Stuffed Tomatoes
Cheddar Bacon Ranch Pulls
Cheese and Bacon Potato Rounds
Cheese Popovers
Cheese Wedges
Crab and Tomato Stack
Crab Cucumber Bites
Creamy Dill Cucumber Toasties
Deviled Eggs w/ Bacon
Flank Steak Crostini
Fruit Salsa and Cinnamon Chips
Garlic Chicken Bites (http://home.eyesonff.com/showthread.php/162182-Cookbook-Project?p=3529825&viewfull=1#post3529825)
Gruyene & Prosciutto Strara
Ham Pinwheels
Huevos Rancheros (http://home.eyesonff.com/showthread.php/162182-Cookbook-Project?p=3528166&viewfull=1#post3528166)
Italian Nachos
Maple Glazed Meatballs
Mini Chicken & Chipotle Quesadillas
Mushrooms Smetana
Savory Meatballs in Dill Sauce
Savory Veggie Tarts
Small Stuffed Tomatoes
South-of-the-Border Nachos
Southwestern Couscous
Southwestern Eggrolls
Spanish Hors' D'Oevres
Spinach Dipped Stuffed Mushrooms
Toasted Cream Cheese Canapes
Tomato and Cheese Canapes
Tomato and Mozzarella Bites
Tomato and Ricotta Bruschetta
Tomato Grill w/ Cheese and Bacon
Tortilla Spirals

American Frittata
Bacon Omelet Roll
Baked Ham & Cheese Omelet Roll
Breakfast Casserole
Breakfast Egg Mess
Breakfast Shepherd’s Pie
Breakfast Tacos
Breakfast Wraps
Country Omelet
Epicure Omelet au Gratin
Fried Eggs and Potatoes
Ham and Eggs
Hashbrown Quiche
Italian Sausage and Mozzarella Frittata
Mushroom Frittata
Overnight Brunch Casserole
Potato and Ham Mini Frittatas
Quick Breakfast Quiche
Ricotta Frittata
Scottish Eggs
Spicy Hashbrowns
Tomato and Salsa Frittata

Apple Beef Panini
Asian Lettuce Wraps
Calla Lily Tea Sandwiches
Chicken Salad Sandwiches
Cucumber Tea Sandwiches
Hawaiian Sandwiches
Jersey Style Hot Dogs
Meatball Sandwiches
Pizza Sub Sandwich
Santa Fe Wraps (http://home.eyesonff.com/showthread.php/162182-Cookbook-Project?p=3533064&viewfull=1#post3533064)
Veggie Sandwich

Asian Style Grilled Chicken Salad
BLT Pasta Salad
Broccoli Salad
Chicken Taco Salad
Creamy Potato Salad
Fresh Tomato Farfalle w/ Sweet Corn and Basil
Fresh Vegetable Salad (http://home.eyesonff.com/showthread.php/162182-Cookbook-Project?p=3528161&viewfull=1#post3528161)
Garden Pasta Salad w/ Brocconcini
Grilled Vegetable Orzo Salad
Loaded Baked Potato Salad
Long Beach Coleslaw
Mozzarella, Tomato, and Basil Salad
Pear Waldorf Salad
Salad Milano (http://home.eyesonff.com/showthread.php/162182-Cookbook-Project?p=3531210&viewfull=1#post3531210)
Shepherd’s Salad
Spring Salad
Taco Salad
Tarragon Chicken Romaine Salad
Tuna Macaroni Salad
Watermelon Salad w/ Jalapeno and Lime

Bacon and Tomato Stew w/ Sage
Beef Stew
Celery Soup
Cheese and Broccoli Soup
Chicken and Sausage Gumbo
Chicken Noodle Soup
Chicken Tortilla Soup
Chicken, Mushroom, and Wild Rice Stew
Cream Cheese Potato Soup
Cream of Tomato Soup
Cream of Watercress Soup
Duchesse Cream Soup
Garden Soup
Irish Stew
Mexican Soup
Minestrone Soup
Soljanka
Spicy Chicken Soup
Spicy Chipotle Chili
Spring Thyme Chicken Stew
Tuscan Soup
Venetian Soup
Vichyssoise

Broiled Salmon w/ Lentils
Herb Crusted Tilapia w/ Tomato Salsa
Herbed Trout w/ Wine Sauce
Roasted Striped Bass
Tuna Casserole
Trout au Saveur (http://home.eyesonff.com/showthread.php/162182-Cookbook-Project?p=3527779&viewfull=1#post3527779)

Anniversary Chicken
Baked and Boiled Ham
Beef Stroganoff
Brisket with Mushrooms
Chicken Breasts w/ Lemon Sage Butter
Chicken Kiev
Chicken Parmigiano w/ Tomato Cream Sauce
Chicken Piccata
Chicken Tikka Marsala
Filet of Pork with Mushrooms
Fried Chicken
Garlic and Mint Chicken (http://home.eyesonff.com/showthread.php/162182-Cookbook-Project?p=3526451&viewfull=1#post3526451)
Glazed Boiled Ham
Glazed Ham with Dijon Pineapple Sauce
Grilled Steaks w/ Cilantro Sauce
Italian Lemon Butter Chicken
Molasses-Glazed Duck breasts
Pepper Steak
Pork Chops Nicoise (http://home.eyesonff.com/showthread.php/162182-Cookbook-Project?p=3531616&viewfull=1#post3531616)
Pork Milanese
Pork Tenderloin
Roast Loin of Pork Normandy
Salisbury Steak
Sesame Beef
Spareribs
Spiced Citrus Chicken (http://home.eyesonff.com/showthread.php/162182-Cookbook-Project?p=3523908&viewfull=1#post3523908)
Steak Chasseur (http://home.eyesonff.com/showthread.php/162182-Cookbook-Project?p=3526027&viewfull=1#post3526027)
Steak Diane
Steak with Red Wine Sauce
Zippy Sirloin Steak

Alfredo Ham
Amish Casserole
Baked Chicken Enchiladas
Baked Porkchops
Baked Swiss Steak
Braciole
Chicken and Rice Veggie Casserole (http://home.eyesonff.com/showthread.php/162182-Cookbook-Project?p=3527981&viewfull=1#post3527981)
Chicken Cacciatore
Chicken Cordon Bleu
Chicken Divan
Chicken Pot Pie
Chicken, Mushroom, and Swiss Quiche
Coq au Vin
Creamy Burrito Casserole (http://home.eyesonff.com/showthread.php/162182-Cookbook-Project?p=3524039#post3524039)
Grillades
Madeira Ham
Pecan-Crushed Pork-Medallions with Spicy Peach Chutney
Polenta and Sausage Casserole
Pot Roast
Ravioli
Roast Pork Tenderloin
Shepherd’s Pie (http://home.eyesonff.com/showthread.php/162182-Cookbook-Project?p=3527534&viewfull=1#post3527534)
Steak San Marino
Stir Fry Beef and Broccoli
Turkey Enchilada Stack
Turkey Marsala w/ Mushrooms
Turkey Tetrazzini

Amatriciana
Baked Macaroni
Baked Macaroni w/ Tomatoes
Beef Macaroni & Cheese
Broccoli Fettucine au Gratin
Carbonara
Cheesey Spaghetti Casserole
Chicken Noodle Casserole
Chicken Pasta Skillet
Creamy Baked Macaroni & Cheese
Creamy Cajun Chicken Pasta
Fettuccine Alfredo
Four Cheese Baked Spaghetti
Garlicky Beef and Tomatoes with Pasta
Linguini w/ Veggies
Milanese Macaroni
Mousseline Macaroni
Pasta Carbonara w/ Saffron
Pasta Carbonara Antico-Torre
Pasta Fagoli w/ Sausage
Pasta Primavera
Pasta w/ Sausage, Tomatoes, and Cream
Penne Beef Bake
Penne with Sausage (http://home.eyesonff.com/showthread.php/162182-Cookbook-Project?p=3526985&viewfull=1#post3526985)
Sienna Spaghetti
Southwestern Spaghetti with Broccoli (http://home.eyesonff.com/showthread.php/162182-Cookbook-Project?p=3523073#post3523073)
Spicy Sausage Ragu
Tomato Macaroni

Chicken and Rice Skillet
Curried Rice
Fiesta Chicken and Rice
Fried Rice
German Rice
Mexican Rice
Pork w/ Spinach Rice
Rice Pilaf
Tomato Rice with Cheese and Mushrooms
Wild Rice w/ Mushrooms

Broccoli Casserole
Broccoli Marinara (http://home.eyesonff.com/showthread.php/162182-Cookbook-Project?p=3523909&viewfull=1#post3523909)
Broccoli, Corn, and Green Bean Saute
Brussels Sprouts in Garlic Butter
Carrots Sicilian Style
Cauliflower a la Parmigiana
Corn Fritters
Creamed Broccoli with Breadcrumbs & Cheese (http://home.eyesonff.com/showthread.php/162182-Cookbook-Project?p=3527777&viewfull=1#post3527777)
Creamed Carrots au Gratin (http://home.eyesonff.com/showthread.php/162182-Cookbook-Project?p=3526023&viewfull=1#post3526023)
Creamed Cucumber
Creamed Potatoes and Peas
Curried Tomatoes (http://home.eyesonff.com/showthread.php/162182-Cookbook-Project?p=3531618&viewfull=1#post3531618)
Deluxe Mashed Potatoes (http://home.eyesonff.com/showthread.php/162182-Cookbook-Project?p=3526452&viewfull=1#post3526452)
East-West Marinated Asparagus
German Potato Pancakes
Greek Potatoes (http://home.eyesonff.com/showthread.php/162182-Cookbook-Project?p=3529826&viewfull=1#post3529826)
Herb Carrots
Herbed Butternut Squash
Potato Volcano
Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes
Scalloped Potatoes
Spicy Green Beans and Tomatoes (http://home.eyesonff.com/showthread.php/162182-Cookbook-Project?p=3523018&viewfull=1#post3523018)
Stuffed Green Peppers
Summer Succotash
Sweet and Hot Baked Beans
Swiss Mushrooms
Tomatoes Creole
Vegetable Ribbons

Angel Food Cake
Apple Butter Spice Cake
Apricot Spice Cake
Carrot Cake
Cheesecake w/ Whipped Cream
Chocolate Cake
Chocolate Souffle
Hot Pink Raspberry and Cream Cake
Key Lime Cheesecake Squares
Lemon Pound Cake w/ Whipped Cream & Berries
Molten Chocolate Cakes
Neapolitan Cupcakes
Orange Cake
Raspberry Almond Coffee Cake
Sponge Cake
Vanilla Chiffon Cake
White Chocolate Raspberry Cake

Chocolate Chip Cookies
Double Chocolate Mint Cookies
Ginger Cookies
Lemon Cookies
Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
Peanut Butter Cookies
Snickerdoodles
Soft Chocolate Chip Cookies
Sugar Cookies

Apple Pie
Banana Cream Pie
Blueberry Pie
Caramelized Apple Hand Pies
Cherry Pie
Festive Peach Pear Tarte
Fresh Berry and Almond Tartes
Fresh Berry Tarte with Toasted Nut Crust
Holiday Apricot Tarte
Lemon Berry Tartlets
Lemon Meringue Pie
Lemon Meringue Tartes
Pecan Pie
Pie Crust
Pumpkin Pie

Almond Roca
Apple C.ler
Apple Crisp
Bananas Foster
Brownies
Candy Brownies
Chocolate Truffles
Cinnamon Buns
Dark Chocolate Orange Mousse
Grilled Raspberry C.ler
Hazelnut Tiramisu
Jelly Roll
Peanut Butter Banana Pudding
S'mores Brownies (http://home.eyesonff.com/showthread.php/162182-Cookbook-Project?p=3527982&viewfull=1#post3527982)

Apple Walnut Bread
Banana Bread
Basic Dough for Rolls
Cheese Biscuits
Cinnamon Raisin Roll Bread
Italian Peasant Bread
Mexican Cornbread (http://home.eyesonff.com/showthread.php/162182-Cookbook-Project?p=3523910&viewfull=1#post3523910)
Oregano and Asiago Focaccia
Pumpkin Bread
White Bread
Zucchini Bread

Baked Crab and Artichoke Dip
Basic Cheese Fondue
Creamy Polenta w/ Sausage and Mushrooms
Guacamole
Salsa

Apple Danish
Baked Banana Boats
Banana Muffins
Blueberry Muffins
Brioche
Chocolate Chip Muffins
Chocolate Pancakes
Dutch Baked Pancake w/ Strawberry-Almond Compote
Gingerbread
Ham, Asparagus, and Mushroom Bread Pudding (http://home.eyesonff.com/showthread.php/162182-Cookbook-Project?p=3529311&viewfull=1#post3529311)
Lemon Bars
Maple Cream Pancakes
Pizza Dough
Reuben Strudel
Surprise French Toast

[Pumpkin]

Time for le first recipe!

I was planning to make a spicy chicken recipe as well, but I forgot to check the recipe and it had me freezing the chicken overnight in spices. For the sake of this project, I'll be following all recipes as closely as possible. I'm also short on groceries because we're going out of town tomorrow for 4 days and again for a week the Saturday after that.

Anywho!

Spicy Green Beans and Tomatoes

Recipe:
2 cans drained green beans
1 can diced tomatoes with liquid
1/2 tspn red pepper
1/8 tspn garlic
1/8 tspn salt

Combine ingredients and cook over medium heat, 5-10 minutes

63694

Difficulty: *

Changes I made:
It wasn't spicy enough for me personally so I upped the spices to about 1 tbsp each.

Thoughts:
It was quite good. There was a lot of liquid leftover, which was okay because it kind of served as a sauce to the chicken. If you don't want that, you might want to be more careful about the liquid. It tasted pretty good and made a generous serving.

Verdict:
I wouldn't eat it all the time, because it's got a rather strong and unique flavour for a side-dish, but I'd certainly have it again!

[Freya]

Ooo pictures! Please continue with pictures because then I can see exactly what some of these look like. That looks/sounds yummy!

[Pumpkin]

It's very easy to make, so it's worth trying if it looks interesting. Might be another dish to enjoy sometimes!

[Freya]

Yah it looks super easy and I think I have all that, I may make it tonight! I was needing a side dish to go with my hamsteak!

[noxious.sunshine]

You need to try and make Nashville Hot Chicken.

It's soooooooooooo yummy. My boyfriend is so obsessed with it I've made it 3 times in the last 2 weeks.

I have literally over 100 cookbooks on my phone. I've made -maybe- a handful of the recipes. Lol

[Pumpkin]

Southwestern Spaghetti with Broccoli

Recipe:
8 oz spaghetti
1/2 cup milk
1 egg
1 lb ground beef
1/2 cup broccoli
2 minced garlic cloves
1 tspn chili powder
1/2 tspn cumin
1/2 tspn oregano
1/2 tspn salt
16 oz can tomato sauce
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Cook spaghetti. Brown ground beef. Boil broccoli. Combine egg and milk, mix well. Add seasonings to ground beef and cook 2 minutes. Stir in tomato sauce and cook another 2 minutes. Drain spaghetti and mix with egg and milk. Pour in to buttered baking dish. Top with broccoli. Spread ground beef mixture on top. Sprinkle with shredded cheese. Bake 425 degrees F for 10 minutes.

http://i.imgur.com/lPSrSiE.jpghttp://i.imgur.com/jSfKUyf.jpg

Difficulty: **

Changes I made:
I added macaroni noodles because the box was almost empty to get it used.

Thoughts:
Could have used more seasoning and more broccoli. I would say maybe 1 cup of broccoli instead of half a cup. There was a lot of liquid leftover, so I'd try a thicker tomato sauce next time. Overall it was good and made a large serving. Enough for 4-5 people, so now I have some leftovers.

Verdict:
Good. A bit of a twist on classic spaghetti and get some broccoli in there too. Would eat again.

[Leigh]

Carbonara will be delicious, but you can't eat anything else all day since it has like the calorific equivalent of 3 full meals. =P

[Pumpkin]

Lots of recipes today! I'll post them up separately for easy linking in the original post.

Spiced Citrus Chicken

Recipe:
2 tbsp olive oil
2-4 chicken breasts
2 tbsp orange juice
2 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp lime juice
2 tbsp chili powder
2 tbsp paprika
2 tbsp cayenne pepper
1 tspn salt
1/2 tspn pepper

Combine olive oil, juices, and spices in freezer bag. Add chicken. Shake well. Freeze overnight and thaw day of use in refrigerator. Bake at 350 degrees F for 30 minutes.

http://i.imgur.com/qV8wmG9.jpg

Difficulty: **

Changes I made:
I added extra pepper from what was specified.

Thoughts:
It was pretty good, although the spices could be a little uneven. So you'd have one bite with more curry for example and another bite was mostly citrus. The hardest thing about this recipe was remembering to start it the night before, or I would have made it last week.

Verdict:
Good. Would definitely make it again. Not too hard and pretty tasty.

[Pumpkin]

Broccoli Marinara

Recipe:
2 tbsp olive oil
14 oz diced tomatoes with liquid
balsamic vinegar
olive oil
basil
1 lb broccoli
2 minced garlic cloves
salt
pepper

Heat olive oil over medium heat. Add garlic and cook, stirring constantly for a few minutes. Pour in tomatoes, olive oil, vinegar, and basil and simmer until liquid is reduced by 1/3. Place broccoli on top of tomatoes and season with salt and pepper. Cover and simmer 10 minutes. Mix and serve.

http://i.imgur.com/fg6RiOO.jpg

Difficulty: **

Changes I made:
Totally forgot the basil. It also didn't specify how much olive oil and balsamic vinegar, so I kind of had to wing it.

Thoughts:
Since it didn't specify two of the sauces, I gave it 2 stars because you have to be able to guess how much would go well. Other than that it's pretty easy. It was a bit different than what I was expecting, I was expecting more to use a jar of marinara instead of a can of tomatoes.

Verdict:
It was pretty good, but not my favourite recipe. I'd have it once in a while.

[Pumpkin]

Mexican Cornbread

Recipe:
2 tbsp butter
1 cup corn
3/4 cup chopped green onion
3/4 cup chopped red bell pepper
vegetable shortening
2 cups self-rising cornmeal mix
1/2 cup self-rising flour
2 tspn sugar
1 tspn salt
3/4 cup grated cheddar cheese
2 cups buttermilk
4 tbsp melted butter
1 egg, lightly beaten

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Heat 2 tbsp butter over medium. Add corn, onion, and bell pepper. Cook 6 minutes. Remove from heat. Coat sides and bottom of pan with shortening. Place in oven 5 minutes to melt shortening. Combine cornmeal, flour, sugar, and salt. Mix well. Add vegetables and cheese. In separate bowl, combine buttermilk, 4 tbsp melted butter, and egg. Combine two mixtures, mix well. Spoon batter in to pan. Bake 35-40 minutes.

http://i.imgur.com/YL8GraP.jpghttp://i.imgur.com/FvgyEEj.jpg

Difficulty: ***

Changes I made:
None

Thoughts:
This recipe was for my boyfriend, not for me. I don't like the taste of onion and I'm not a huge fan of bell pepper. I tried a piece and it was way too oniony. It wasn't super hard to make, but not the easiest either. I wasn't sure if I was making any mistakes because I've never made cornbread before. It was cooked well on the outsides but a bit soft on the insides, so I'd try a little longer or at a lower temp.

Verdict:
The boyfriend really liked it and went back for seconds and has asked me to make it again sometime, so it's good if you like all of the ingredients!

[sharkythesharkdogg]

All of the recipes have been pretty tasty, but the cornbread is definitely the winner.

The citrus chicken is nice though, it's a nice blend of curry spice and citrus.

[noxious.sunshine]

WIth the chicken, I find it odd that they would tell you to freeze it over night and then re-thaw it.

With the odd flavor distribution it could be due to the chicken sitting in one position for so long and the marinade not being well blended. Just an observation (:

[Pumpkin]

Was just following directions~

[Colonel Angus]

That Citrus Chicken looks awesome.

Also, Green Onions are the bee's knees, Pumpkin. Sharky knows what he's talking about.

[Pumpkin]

I hate onions. If I can taste them. If they're broken down in a stew or something it doesn't really bother me.

I'm glad sharky liked it at least x)

[sharkythesharkdogg]

It's an interesting point about it being frozen.

I thought it just sat in the fridge over night. We could try that next time.

Also, that whole cornbread recipe is the bees knees.

[noxious.sunshine]

Yeah.. I mean, with it sitting in the freezer, then everything freezes.. THe spices don't really get a chance to marinate the chicken other than the initial X amount of minutes until it's all actually frozen and like I said, it's all just sitting in one position. That's just what I imagine happened. I could be wrong entirely.

The only legitimate explanation I can think of for putting it in the freezer is to keep the citrus from breaking down the chicken some and making it mealy. But I don't think that amount of citrus juice would cause this to happen if it's just sitting overnight. Hell, I've made jerk chicken marinade that calls for lime juice and it sat in the marinade for like 3 days.. lol It turned out fine.

[Pumpkin]

Don't know what to tell you noxy, it wasn't exactly fun for me x). I kept forgetting to do it the night before so I'd have to plan something else short notice

Creamy Burrito Casserole

Recipe:
1 lb ground beef
1 pkg taco seasoning
6 tortillas
3 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 can cream of mushroom soup
4 oz sour cream
4 oz salsa

Brown ground beef and drain. Add taco seasoning. Mix soup and sour cream. Spread half on bottom of oven dish. Tear up 3 tortillas and spread over sour cream mixture. Put 1/2 meat mixture on top. Add 1/2 cheese and salsa. Make a second layer. Bake at 350 degrees F for 20-30 minutes.

http://i.imgur.com/byqcmxd.jpg

Difficulty: *

Changes I made:
I used less tortilla than recommended and more salsa.

Thoughts:
I used mini-tortillas and I only needed 2 per layer to be proportional with the rest of the ingredients, so I wouldn't use 6 full sized tortillas.

Verdict:
It was pretty good. I'd have it once in a while, although it isn't my favourite dish. But it is pretty easy to make and I don't really have any complaints.

[Pheesh]

Which cookbook are these dishes from?

[Pumpkin]

My own cookbook. I found recipes from different cookbooks and online recipes and recipes given to me by others and such

Basically it's a mishmash of recipes from a bunch of different sources that sounded good or that sharky wanted

[Night Fury]

Seconding the weirdness of the chicken freezing. It's not something I would do. Definitely would try a 'shake n bake' technique to marinade but yeah - I can't see the benefit of freezing it, personally.

Also, a tip for you to make your sauces less 'watery' which you have mentioned on a couple of recipes is to cook down your tomatoes beforehand to let them thicken and to really release the flavour before you add it to stuff!

[Pumpkin]

Thanks for the tip, I'll make sure to remember that when I recook some of these recipes

[noxious.sunshine]

I'm just making an observation and giving you a tip. Not really sure where the "I don't know what to tell you" is coming from or what the point of it is.

[Pumpkin]

It's just you mentioned it 3 times about the frozen, so it felt like you were blaming me or something when I was just following the recipe xD I'm certainly not going to freeze it first next time

[noxious.sunshine]

I mentioned it once.

And then I elaborated on it.

SO that's only 2 times. Not 3.

I'm not "blaming you" for whatever cooking mishap you may have had because you followed a recipe. Like I said, it was just an observation.

[Freya]

ANYWAY

That burrito casserole looks good. I'm all about casseroles and crockpot stuff. I hope you have some crockpot recipes too!

[Pumpkin]

I appreciate the advice noxy and I will certainly keep it in mind for the future. It's a shame I spent the time freeing it overnight when I was tired and just wanted to sleep because of race weekend >.> Darn chicken recipe

I don't think I have any crockpot recipes. Maybe one or two. I do have some stews which I imagine can be easily modified for crockpot. The casserole was pretty good.

Also, I'm going out of town next week and we still have leftovers to eat before we leave, so this won't be updated until I return~

Recipes planned for that week:
Penne with Sausage
Steak Chasseur
Deluxe Mashed Potatoes
Sauteed Broccoli with Butter & Garlic
The rest to be determined

I never realized how much I like broccoli before this challenge

[Psychotic]

Steak ChasseurYou have my attention. I don't know what a chasseur is (NO SPOILERS GUYS JEEZ) but I'm all aboard the steak train.

[Freya]

I was thinking the same thing! I have no idea what a chasseur is and I don't want to google because I want to find out.

[sharkythesharkdogg]

It means we found some dry-aged steaks cut from this guy (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geoffrey_Chaucer) that have been curing for a very long time.

It's kinda gamey.

[Pumpkin]

I'm pretty interested to see how it turns out because it usually has some sort of wine and this recipe does not, so I'm quite excited to see how it turns out

But because this is a less traditional Steak Chasseur recipe, I would look up a different one from what I'll end up posting if you want the more traditional dish

[Psychotic]

I don't even know what the traditional dish is so no worries there xD

[Pumpkin]

Menu update!

We'll be doing groceries tonight, I think, but after the trip we have a smaller budget and so I'll be using a lot of the same ingredients for a lot of dishes. But if everything goes according to plan, this will be the recipes for the week (not including things I'm going to cook that don't pertain to this project):

Tonight: Steak Chassuer / Creamed Carrots au Gratin
Tuesday: Garlic and Mint Chicken / Deluxe Mashed Potatoes
Wednesday: Penne w/ Sausage
Thursday: Shepherd's Pie
Friday: Sauteed Broccoli w/ Butter and Garlic
Saturday: Trout au Saveur (it sounds funnier because of the filter this forum has)
Sunday: Chicken and Rice Veggie Casserole

[Pumpkin]

Creamed Carrots au Gratin

Recipe:
2 cups diced carrots
bread crumbs
butter
cheese
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp flour
1 cup hot milk
1/4 tspn salt
1/4 tspn pepper

Melt 2 tbsp butter over low heat. Add flour and blend. Stir milk in slowly. Season with salt and pepper. Stir until smooth and boiling. Cook carrots. Add milk sauce to carrots. Place in greased baking dish and cover with cheese and breadcrumbs. Dot with butter. Bake at 400 degrees F until crumbs are brown.

http://i.imgur.com/29ROVhf.jpg

Difficulty: **

Changes I made:
I used round crinkle carrots because it's what I had

Thoughts:
Could definitely use more salt and pepper for my tatses, but otherwise I wouldn't change much about the recipe. It didn't specify what type of cheese to use so I used mozzarella, because it's what I have the most of, but cheddar would work well too.

Verdict:
Pretty good, I'd have it again. Not the healthiest side dish, though.

[Pumpkin]

Steak Chassuer

Recipe:
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp all-purpose flour
steak
3/4 cup consomme
3 tbsp tomato paste
2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 tspn grape jelly
salt
pepper

Lightly brown the butter, add flour, and stir over low heat, 2-3 minutes or until sauce is brown. Add tomato paste and consomme. Stir until smooth. Cook over low heat for 1 hour, stir twice. Cook steak. Add vinegar and jelly to the tomato and consomme mix and salt and pepper. Add cooked steak.

http://i.imgur.com/O1PYHXo.jpg

Difficulty: **

Changes I made:
None

Thoughts:
It didn't specify what type of steak to use, oddly enough, so I used chuck tender steak, which worked well with it. It wasn't super sour, but I don't much like sour foods and it was a bit too much for me. I'd try more jelly or substitute apple cidar vinegar for apple juice maybe. But that's more personal taste than a problem with the recipe.

Verdict:
I think I'd like it with the adjustments but it wasn't great for tonight. Sharky liked it and said he's definitely have it again.

[Night Fury]

I find the whole concept of a steak chassuer very odd indeed, since I think the original is cooked with chicken and is chicken chassuer - or 'hunters chicken'. A Steak chassuer should definitely have mushrooms too!

Personally, I would cut the apple cider vinegar out since apple is more associated as a flavour with pork, and I'd definitely add mushrooms and garlic. Maybe it is an American 'translation' thing, but what was the grape jelly? I would have thought a red currant jelly would have added the right kind of tartness that wouldn't be too sweet like a grape jelly is, and is more suited for being cooked into dishes. What kind of consommé did you use?

[Pumpkin]

Thanks for the tips. It was a premade beef consomme, Grape jelly is jelly made from grapes?

[Pumpkin]

Garlic and Mint Chicken

Recipe:
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 tbsp mint leaves
1 tbsp crushed garlic
1/4 tspn black pepper
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp lemon juice

Place chicken in glass dish. Combine mint, garlic, pepper, oil, and lemon juice. Run over chicken. Cover and refrigerate 2 hours. Bake chicken at 375 degrees F for 25 minutes.

http://i.imgur.com/ZxQJiZI.jpg

Difficulty: *

Changes I made:
The chicken wasn't fully cooked, so I cooked instead for 30 minutes.

Thoughts:
Was pretty good. The mint tasted really good on the chicken. There was barely any garlic taste to it though, so I would increase the amount of garlic.

Verdict:
Good. I'd definitely make it again with more garlic added to it. Easy to make as well.

[Pumpkin]

Deluxe Mashed Potatoes

Recipe:
2 lbs mashed potatoes
2 oz sour cream
2 tbsp butter
2 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
1/2 of a red bell pepper, sliced
1/2 of a green bell pepper, sliced
1/8 tspn salt
1/8 tspn pepper
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
2 oz parmesan cheese

Cook and mash potatoes. Mix potatoes with sour cream and butter. Stir in bacon, peppers, and salt and pepper. Stir in 1/3 cup cheddar and 1/3 cup mozzarella cheese. Transfer to buttered baking dish and sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake 350 degrees F for 20-25 minutes.

http://i.imgur.com/kEvJFhx.jpg

Difficulty: **

Changes I made:
Potatoes were dry so I added a small amount of milk.

Thoughts:
I'm not huge on bell peppers, so in the future I would use less or just put them on sharky's half of the dish. Also would add more pepper for personal taste. There was a good amount of cheese and bacon and some very yummy bites when there wasn't too much bell pepper.

Verdict:
I think with the changes it will be excellent, and I quite enjoyed it tonight!

[Pumpkin]

We will be able to do a big enough grocery this weekend, and I need to go to get trout anyways, so if there are any requests of recipes you'd like to see this weekend, feel free to post them

[Freya]

SO THAT"S WHAT A STEAK CHASSUER IS

[Pumpkin]

Not really xD It's not the traditional dish anyway, but I wanted to try it because it has grape jelly, so I added it to my cookbook. Like 3 years ago

[sharkythesharkdogg]

Everything has been pretty tasty so far.

The apple/tomato flavor in the steak chassuer actually worked pretty well together. The grape jelly worked fine. Red currant would probably work well too, but I had also thought about blackberry jelly. Truthfully, the flavor isn't strong enough to change the dish much no matter which option you tried.

[Pumpkin]

Time for a recipe starring one of my favourite meats, Italian sausage!!

Also, we just decided to go out yesterday because I was pretty tired from playing catch up after the trip. So the recipes have been a bit delayed~

Penne with Sausage

Recipe:
8 oz Italian sausage, casings removed
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 lb sliced mushrooms
1 28oz can plum tomatoes
1 tspn sugar
3/4 tspn salt
16 oz penne

Cook sausage, breaking up, and add garlic over medium heat. Heat about 5 minutes. Add mushrooms and cook another 3-5 minutes. Stir in tomatoes, with juice, sugar, and salt, breaking up the tomatoes. Cook pasta. Heat sausage mix to boiling. Reduce heat and simmer 8 minutes. Drain pasta and toss with sauce.

63905

Difficulty: **

Changes I made:
When grocery shopping, I mistakenly thought it said plum tomatoes and not a can of plum tomatoes. So I had fresh plum tomatoes which I squashed and tore and added a little bit of water to. I also added cheese and pepper to my dish after tasting it.

Thoughts:
It was a little bit on the bland side, so I added cheese and pepper and it tasted much better. I would use more seasonings in the future as the recipe didn't call for many. I was unsure about the mushroom, but it worked really well in this dish, which was a pleasant surprise. I like mushrooms but I'm picky about in which dishes. The dish also smelled nice while cooking, at least to me, because of the sausage.

Verdict:
Really good. I think with the added seasonings and the cheese it will become a dish I make pretty often!

[Night Fury]

That looks yum! I love simple pasta dishes like that and italian sausage is amazing in pretty much anything!

[Pumpkin]

Okay so this one is a pretty standard Shepherd's Pie recipe and it's the way I grew up cooking it (instead of it being something I found in a cook book or online and am just now trying), so because of that the portions are less specific.

Shepherd's Pie

Recipe:
1 lb ground beef
2-3 lbs potatoes
1 can corn
salt
pepper
4-6 tbsp butter
1/4-1/2 cup milk
red pepper
Italian seasoning

Peel, chop, and boil potatoes until cooked. Cook ground beef. Add salt, pepper, red pepper, and Italian seasoning to taste. Drain potatoes and mash. Add butter, salt, pepper, and red pepper to taste. Add enough milk so potatoes aren't dry. Mix well. In baking dish, add corn to bottom, followed by ground beef, followed by potatoes, making layers. Top with a little bit of black and red pepper. Bake at 350 degrees F for 25-30 minutes.

63911

Difficulty: **

Changes I made:
None

Thoughts:
I like Sherpherd's Pie a lot and I like spicy so I add a good bit of seasonings and red pepper for my taste to make it have a bit of a kick. But you can season it to the amount you like or take out the red pepper. Some people use creamed corn but I always preferred regular corn.

Verdict:
I make this often enough because I like it. It's filling and there are usually leftovers

[Pumpkin]

Alrighty, tonight we are doing trout au saveur with creamed broccoli w/ breadcrumbs and cheese (or something like that)

Monday: S'Mores Brownies, Chicken and Rice Veggie Casserole
Tuesday: Huevos Rancheros, Fresh Vegetable Salad
Wednesday: Filet of Pork w Mushrooms, Greek Potatoes
Thursday: Ham and Asparagus Bread Pudding

sharky is gone for the weekend after that, but those are the expected dishes for the week

[Pumpkin]

Creamed Broccoli w/ Breadcrumbs & Cheese

Recipe:
2 lbs broccoli
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp flour
1 cup milk
1/4 tspn salt
1/8 tspn paprika
bread crumbs
grated cheddar cheese

Cook broccoli and drain. Melt butter and stir in flour. Stir in milk slowly. Add salt and paprika. Add the broccoli and beat until light. Place in baking dish and top with cheese and breadcrumbs. Bate at 425 degrees F until hot.

http://i.imgur.com/blqa9qO.jpg

Difficulty: **

Changes I made:
I made much less than the recipe, because two people don't really need 2 lbs of broccoli as a side dish.

Thoughts:
Could have used some pepper. Other than that it was pretty good, and not super hard to make.

Verdict:
Good. Doesn't stand out as the best, but I'd definitely have it again.

[Pumpkin]

Trout au Saveur

Recipe:
4 green onions
2 trout filets
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp orange juice
1 tbsp parsley
salt
pepper

Slice white ends off of onions and saute in butter. Add lemon juice, orange juice, parsley, salt, and pepper. Place trout in skillet. Cover, simmering, until thickest part of trout turns opaque. Place sauce from skillet over the trout when serving.

http://i.imgur.com/TKE7CeF.jpg

Difficulty:**

Changes I made:
Totally forgot the parsley by accident,

Thoughts:
I opted out of this one because I don't like fish, so it was made for sharky. He said he liked it plenty and didn't have much feedback. Will probably be better with the parsley! Also, the recipe said until the trout turned opaque, so I kind of deferred to sharky's judgement (I've never cooked fish other than canned tuna) and it cooked pretty quickly. Maybe 10 minutes.

Verdict:
He liked it, so there you go.

[Night Fury]

:o Where is the gravy in the Shepherds pie? AKA THE BEST BIT?

Don't you Americans add gravy?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?! MY LIFE

[Pumpkin]

I've never added gravy, no

Sorry :(

Might be interesting to try one day though :D

[Colonel Angus]

Pumpkin's Canadian.

Americans top all their pies, meat & otherwise, w/ whipped cream.

[noxious.sunshine]

SHepherd's Pie typically has lamb and veggies rather than ground beef anyway, dunnit?

The recipes I've seen like shion's that call for ground beef have never had any kind of gravy in it iirc.

[Pumpkin]

I've always heard it called a Shepherd's Pie, but not too long ago someone told me that they call that a cottage pie and something else is a shepherd's pie so :shrug:

Different terms different areas

[Pumpkin]

Chicken and Rice Veggie Casserole

Recipe:
4-6 chicken breasts
2 15 oz cans cream of mushroom soup
30 oz water
8 oz frozen mixed peas and broccoli
2 cups rice
1 tspn paprika
1/4 tspn pepper

Mix together everything except the chicken and spices. Put in baking dish. Place chicken on top. Sprinkle with paprika and pepper. Bake at 375 degrees F for 1 hour to 1 hour and 10 minutes.

http://i.imgur.com/44CQAY8.jpg

Difficulty: *

Changes I made:
I added salt and pepper after tasting. I also halved the recipe (halving it made more than enough for both of us, plus leftovers), but I did use 4 chicken breasts.

Thoughts:
It was absurdly plain. I had to salt and pepper it after tasting it because it was very bland. With the salt and pepper though it tasted pretty good, it wasn't too liquidy, the chicken was good, and the vegetables worked well. Would add more seasonings next time.

Verdict:
Good with some tweaks, very easy to make, and doesn't require a side dish. It takes over an hour to cook, but it only takes 5 minutes to throw together, which is convenient.

[Pumpkin]

S'Mores Brownies

Recipe:
1 box brownie mix
10 graham cracker squares, broken
2 cups mini marshmallows
1 cup milk chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 325-350 degrees F (check brownie mix box). Mix brownie mix according to directions. Pour in to pan and cook 18 minutes. Remove from oven. Sprinkle with graham cracker pieces and press down lightly. Top with marshmallows and chocolate chips. Bake 12 minutes.

http://i.imgur.com/Byztjvg.jpg

Difficulty: **

Changes I made:
I thought my recipe said mint chocolate chips, but I misunderstood my own handwriting! Luckily for me, I found no mint chocolate chips in the store and instead used milk chocolate chips, which is what the recipe actually said. No changes there. Do note that the amount of time to cook brownie mix will vary based on the pan you use, so I had to bake longer than specified in the recipe.

Thoughts:
It was pretty easy because the recipe didn't have me making my own brownies, which would have been more time consuming and a bit more difficult. If you'd rather make your own brownies, I'm sure the recipe would work just fine, if not better.

Verdict:
Tasty but very rich. Also makes a large portions, so I'd recommend making sure you have others who can help you eat it. I'm trying to eat a little bit better, so this will definitely be shared. I liked it a lot, but it is very heavy and rich, so I could only eat a small piece anyway.

[Pumpkin]

Fresh Vegetable Salad

Recipe:
1 lb asparagus, cut
8 oz green beans, trimmed
2 cups broccoli, cut
3 ears corn, cut off cob
2 cups grape tomatoes, halved
2 large carrots, shredded
8 oz mushrooms, sliced
2/3 cup lemon juice
1/2 cup parmesan
4 tspn dijon mustard
1 tspn garlic
1/2 tspn salt
1/2 tspn pepper
3/4 cup olive oil

Combine veggies. Combine lemon juice, parmesan, mustard, garlic, salt, and pepper. Add oil and combine well. Add to veggies and toss.

http://i.imgur.com/My0X8JB.jpg

Difficulty: *

Changes I made:
I halved the recipe, which made more than enough, plus leftovers for lunch. I also omitted the Parmesan, but that was personal taste.

Thoughts:
There's a lot of ingredients and fresh veggies, so if you make the whole portion, it's good for dinner parties or for having leftovers for lunches and stuff. Not the most affordable for one meal I suppose. Other than that it was actually really good. I hate my crappy camera phone, but it looks pretty nice too. I especially liked the grape tomatoes.

Verdict:
It's very good! I'm glad I have some for lunch tomorrow and it's something I would be happy to bring to a family dinner or to serve at a barbecue or something. Would certainly have again.

[Pumpkin]

You'll see some broccoli and stuff in the picture, but that's just it served on the plate next to the salad (see recipe above).

Huevos Rancheros

Recipe:
2 tbsp vegetable oil
4 corn tortillas
1 tspn butter
1 cup refried beans w/ green chilies
4 eggs
1 cup shredded cheese
8 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
1/2 cup salsa

Heat oil on medium-high. Fry the tortillas one at a time until firm, not crisp. Drain. Combine beans, chilies, and butter. Microwave until heated. Fry eggs over easy. Add oil if necessary. Place tortillas on plate, spread layer of beans and chilies, cheese, egg, bacon, and salsa.

http://i.imgur.com/6szhsST.jpg

Difficulty:***

Changes I made:
I used mini-tortillas. I couldn't find a can of refried beans with chilies, so I bought a can of refriend beans and a separate can of green chilies and mixed them.

Thoughts:
Oh boy. This has a higher difficulty because I've never cooked eggs over easy. sharky helped me do it since I was making the salad and prepping the other stuff. If you're good at it, the recipe is a good deal easier. The recipe was for him as I'm not a fan of eggs over easy or of beans. To suit my personal tastes, I would maybe try a different type of egg and less beans.

Verdict:
I liked it more than I thought I would, but I wouldn't eat it again. Sharky really liked it and said he would definitely eat it again.

[sharkythesharkdogg]

These dishes were both pretty tasty, and they actually worked pretty well together too.

The salad does seem like it would work pretty well for a summer time cook-out or picnic.

If I were to make the huevos rancheros again, I'd make the eggs over medium (a little less runny yolk for this dish) and maybe jalapeno instead of green chiles (If I felt like a little extra kick). Other than that, I liked it a good bit. I'd still eat it just the way it was.

[Freya]

Creamed Broccoli w/ Breadcrumbs & Cheese

Recipe:
2 lbs broccoli
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp flour
1 cup milk
1/4 tspn salt
1/8 tspn paprika
bread crumbs
grated cheddar cheese

Cook broccoli and drain. Melt butter and stir in flour. Stir in milk slowly. Add salt and paprika. Add the broccoli and beat until light. Place in baking dish and top with cheese and breadcrumbs. Bate at 425 degrees F until hot.

http://i.imgur.com/blqa9qO.jpg

Difficulty: **

Changes I made:
I made much less than the recipe, because two people don't really need 2 lbs of broccoli as a side dish.

Thoughts:
Could have used some pepper. Other than that it was pretty good, and not super hard to make.

Verdict:
Good. Doesn't stand out as the best, but I'd definitely have it again.
I'll probably try this one. I love Broccoli and cheese anything.

[Pumpkin]

Sorry it's been a little while, life has been a bit busy with stuff. But I am back today and in a few more days I'll have some more recipes. I'm busy again tomorrow though

Ham, asparagus, and mushroom bread pudding

Recipe:
1/4 cup + 1 tbsp butter, divided
8 oz sliced mushrooms
1 tbsp garlic
8 croissants, torn in to 1 inch pieces
1/2 cup melted butter
3 cups diced ham
3 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 lb asparagus, cut
2 cups milk
2 cups cream
1 1/2 tspn salt
1/4 tspn nutmeg
8 eggs, lightly beaten

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Grease dish with 1 tbsp butter. Melt butter over medium heat. Add mushrooms and garlic, cook stirring occasionally for 10 minutes. Toss croissant with 1/2 cup melted butter. Add ham, cheese, asparagus, and mushrooms. Toss. Combine milk, cream, cheese, salt, pepper and nutmeg. Heat over medium-low until milk is barely simmering, stirring frequently. Whisk until smooth. Slowly add eggs and whisk. our over bread mixture, let stand 10 minutes. Spoon mixture in to baking dish. Pour hot water in to dish to reach halfway up. Bake 1 hour.

http://i.imgur.com/suhjPVp.jpg

Difficulty: ***

Changes I made:
I halved the recipe, except spices, and it still made plenty.

Thoughts:
So next time, I would avoid adding nearly as much water because the thing took closer to 3 hours to cook, basically took all night, because it was too liquidy. I don't know. Less water added next time.

Verdict:
This was another one for sharky, just the smell of it made me want to gag. But he really liked it and had 3 servings. Just a shame it took so long.

[sharkythesharkdogg]

It'll cooked up fine. Just less water next time.

You could substitute okra for the asparagus or bacon/sausage for the ham to change things up a little. It's a tasty dish that you can also modify easily. I like it.

[noxious.sunshine]

I've done bread puddings like that. I believe I used breakfast sausage, caramelized onion and mushroom, tomato, and cheddar. I didn't use cream or water. Just egg and milk. On torn brioche

[Pumpkin]

Garlic Chicken Bites

Recipe:
2 chicken breasts
1/2 cup olive oil
4 minced garlic cloves
1/4 tspn pepper
1/2 cup breadcrumbs
1/4 tspn cayenne pepper

Cook chicken and cut in to bite sized pieces. Mix olive oil, garlic, and pepper. Pour over chicken. Cover and marinate 30 minutes. Mix bread crumbs and cayenne. Coat chicken. Arrange on cooking sheet. Bake at 475 degrees F for 10 minutes.

http://i.imgur.com/Rl8wLwg.jpg

Difficulty: *

Changes I made:
I used 3 chicken breasts

Thoughts:
These were really good and really easy to make. There were plenty of breadcrumbs, even with 3 chicken breasts, so I would use less if you're worried about wasting. They have a bit of a kick to them.

Verdict:
Delicious. And I like them being in little bite sized pieces. Would definitely have again

[Pumpkin]

Greek Potatoes

Recipe:
8 large potatoes, peeled and wedged.
4 minced garlic cloves
1/2 cup olive oil
1 cup water
1 tspn oregano
1 lemon
salt
pepper

Put all ingredients in buttered baking dish. Season generously with salt and pepper. Toss to mix. Bake 420 degrees F for 40 minutes. Stor potatoes and add 1/2 cup more water. Bake another 40 minutes.

http://i.imgur.com/slFAHbX.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/Qt5gnyD.jpg

Difficulty: **

Changes I made:
I quartered the recipe so I could have some carrots as another side dish and fill up more on those, trying to be a bit healthier. I also used lemon juice instead of just a lemon.

Thoughts:
I was a bit nervous about water because of the bread pudding, but there were no issues here. The most difficult thing about this recipe is that it's time consuming, so you have to remember to start it a good deal ahead of when you plan on serving dinner.

Verdict:
Really good and even quartering the recipe made decent serving sides. Would very much eat again.

[Pumpkin]

Baby Burgers on Baguettes

Recipe:
1 lb ground beef
6 leaves of romaine lettuce
salt
pepper
keptchup
12 cherry tomatoes, sliced
1 french baguette, sliced 1/4 inch thick
mustard

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Arrange baguette slices on baking sheet. Place in oven and lightly toast, about 5 minutes. Cool. Season ground beef and from small patties. Cook a few minutes per side. Place burger, lettuce, tomato, ketchip, mustard on baguette slice and top with another slice.

64088

Difficulty: **

Changes I made:
I cut the bread a bit thicker than recommended

Thoughts:
Sadly, our bread was a bit stale even though we just bought it. Don't know how long it was in the store for though.

Verdict:
Other than the bread it was actually pretty good.

[Pumpkin]

Salad Milano

Recipe:
1/2 lb cauliflower, cut
1/2 lb broccoli, cut
1/2 lb carrots, peeled and cut
2 cups spinach leaves
1/2 lb mozarella
1/8 lb prosciutto, thinly sliced
olive oil
lemon juice
salt
pepper

Heat cauliflower, broccoli, and carrots separately with salt and olive oil. Cook each until tender and then rinse in cold water. Drain. Toss all ingredients together.

http://i.imgur.com/p0zaMuC.jpg

Difficulty: **

Changes I made:
I made a smaller portion of the recipe and used baby carrots because it's what we have

Thoughts:
I wasn't sure what to expect because I'm not usually a fan of meat in my salad, and also the veggies are hot being mixed in with cold ingredients, since it doesn't say to cool them a whole lot, just to rinse them. So I wasn't too sure what I would think.

Verdict:
It was actually pretty good. It was warm enough to melt the cheese a little bit, but not too warm that it threw the dish off. The prosciutto was pretty good in there as well!

[Pumpkin]

Pork Chops Nicoise

Recipe:
6 pork chops
4 peeled tomatoes, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
1 tspn basil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tbsp sugar

Remove fat from pork chops and melt in pan. Place chops in melted fat and add remaining ingredients. Cover and cook over medium heat 25 to 30 minutes. Turn the pork chops once during cooking.

64115

Difficulty: **

Changes I made:
The pork chops I bought did not have much fat so I added butter. Also made 1/3 of the recipe.

Thoughts:
It got a bit too charred for my tastes, but sharky enjoyed it and said he liked the smokiness. I would cook it for much less time.

Verdict:
It was alright. Not the most to my taste.

[Pumpkin]

Curried Tomatoes

Recipe:
2 lbs tomatoes
2 tbsp butter
2 tspn curry
1 minced garlic clove
1 tspn salt
1 tspn sugar
1/4 cup water

Wash and quarter tomatoes. Heat the butter. Add curry and stir together until well blended. Add the rest of the ingredients except tomatoes and bring to a boil. Add tomatoes. Cover and boil over medium heat, about 15 minutes.

64116

Difficulty: **

Changes I made:
I made less than the recipe.

Thoughts:
Very spicy so keep that in mind if you don't like spicy foods. Very spicy. Could also have smaller bites of tomatoes if you prefer but cutting them more.

Verdict:
Really liked them, would have again.

[Colonel Angus]

I love meat in salads. I'd like to try a salad w/ just meat.

[Pumpkin]

Sorry guys, I made this a few days ago and have been too lazy to update. And we've been living on leftovers and car club meeting dinners and Mother's Day dinners since!

Santa Fe Wraps

Recipe:
12 oz ground beef
1 can diced tomatoes
1 tbsp chili powder
1/2 tspn cumin
1 can corn
1 pkg (3oz) cream cheese, cut
1 jalapeno pepper, finesly chopped
6 tortillas
shredded lettuce
shredded cheese
salsa

Brown ground beef and drain. Stir in undrained tomatoes, chili powder, and cumin. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes. Stir in corn., cream cheese, and jalapeno. Stir until cheese melts. Spoon mixture on to tortillas. Add lettuce, cheese, and salsa.

http://i.imgur.com/RHWZJaF.jpg

Difficulty: **

Changes I made:
I didn't shred the lettuce a whole bunch.

Thoughts:
This recipe had a lot of potential, but through no fault of its own, I used a type of tortilla that it turns out I don't really like. It also didn't stand up well under the mixture.

Verdict:
It would be good, the filling is very good, if I would use better tortillas!

[noxious.sunshine]

Are those corn tortillas?

You have to heat them up on a dry skillet in order for them to be pliable and taste okay. They're best if heated directly over a low gas flame. Yellow corn tortillas tend to fall apart a bit easier under soggy fillings than the white corn ones, I -think-. I can't remember entirely. I haven't used yellow corn tortillas in ages. I make tacos and chilaquiles and junk on the regular so I buy the big stack of white corn ones.

[Colonel Angus]

Yellow corn tortillas will hold up just fine, but as noxy said, they have to be heated.