The Cooking Thread

[scotty022]

Eating 6000 calories a day sucks when they're not delicious. What are your favorite ways to make things easier/tastier?

I like slow cooking. I have a crockpot, so it's really easy, and slow-cooked food tastes better when reheated--you've already cooked it for hours on low heat, so another ten minutes on low heat won't change the flavor.

For those who don't know, the basic idea is: season the meat and sear it in a saute pan, then throw it in an oven dish with coarsely chopped carrots, onions, and celery; cheap red wine; and enough broth to partially cover the meat. Cook on low heat (but high enough to not be stupid) for a long-ass time. Reduce the braising liquid down to a sauce. Simple. For more detailed instructions, look for braising recipes on google.

And I like using an electronic meat thermometer (for sauteeing/roasting, not braising). I can get my steaks medium-rare every time without thinking about it. Burnt meat sucks, and a good cheap electronic meat thermometer is only 15-20 bucks. A chef recommended this to me, and it's been awesome.

Also olive oil. Four tablespoons = 480 calories. Easy, and good for recovery.

And lately I've been hitting the seafood sales at the supermarket. It's a nice way to mix things up from chicken/beef/pork.

Anyone else have favorites or good shortcuts?

[knkavo]

There's already a thread called "Recipes" and another called "The Food Thread" here on Ends & Pieces.

[StLRPh]

pulled pork
whole milk
marie callender's (sp?) pot pies

[scotty022]

This is what I get for posting late at night. At least I'm not the only one. Mah bad.

[78704]

She also wrote the Ice Cream Diet. I love her. ;-)

Fifty peanut butter recipes, quick, easy, nutritious, delicious. She wrote it as a fat loss diet, but if you can eat more than a heaping tablespoon of peanut butter at a time such an intention is easily subverted.

Wikipedia says, in part: Peanut butter may protect against a high risk of cardiovascular disease due to high levels of monounsaturated fats and resveratrol; butter prepared with the skin of the peanuts has a greater level of resveratrol and other health-aiding agents.[3] Peanut butter (and peanuts) provide protein, vitamins B3 and E, magnesium, folate, dietary fiber, arginine,[4] and high levels of the antioxidant p-coumaric acid.

[knkavo]

This is what I get for posting late at night. At least I'm not the only one. Mah bad.

I may collect all the recipes together at some point and try to make a definitive food thread ;-)

[Sgsolberg]

Rather than do that, we could just post them here. "The cooking thread" sounds like a definitive thread title to me...

[78704]

Pour it over meat, veggies, pasta, rice, whatever; adds calories and flavor.

In a blender:
1 cup peanut butter
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup lemon juice
3+ cloves garlic
1 tsp red pepper flakes
1 tsp sugar
1 1/2 cups hot water

[stef]

There's already a thread called "Recipes" and another called "The Food Thread" here on Ends & Pieces

It is not possible to talk about food too much.

Last night I was promised a baby pig for roasting.
Quite possibly the Best Present Ever.

s.

[scotty022]

Suckling pigs are everything you've heard of and more. Slow roasted with marinades and spice rubs... oh my God.

Speaking of pork, can I just talk about how much I love my crock pot? I bought a pork tenderloin for $2.13/lb, threw the thing in the crock pot with chicken stock and barbecue sauce, and came home from my workout to find my whole apartment smelling like pepper, molasses and porky goodness. And it tastes as good as it smells.

Seriously--couldn't get any cheaper or easier. I cook like a destitute moron, and it's awesome.

[Platus]

While we're on the subject of pork: pork shoulder + coconut milk + mushrooms + veggies + spices + crock pot = awesome.

Last fall, our fridge died just after we purchased 20lbs. of pork shoulder, so we put out 4 big pots (one for each burner), and made pork shoulder 4 ways. I think my fastest weight gain ever happened that week.

Also, my girlfriend is Filipino and she has introduced me to new porcine wonders I had never dreamed of. If you ever get the chance, try some crispy pata or some lechon. OMG.

Lechon:

http://janssenmorados.files.wordpress.com/2009/06/lechon.jpg