chefs, bakers?

[Beckie]

I avidly believe that food is an art form so I wanted to start a thread dedicated to talking about stuff we baked and cooked because it can truly be beautiful or cute or fun!
I also wanted to create an advice/recipe thread for aspiring chefs and bakers! So to start it off:
I'm going to be cooking all night tonight! I'll be making Mexican bananas and ranchero skillet potatoes! I'm excited.
Also searching for a great gluten free and lactose free cookie recipe!

 

Soooooooooo, share your creations and discuss away!

Edited July 22, 2015 by LittleBec

[Beckie]

Yess! I am totally interested! Thank you!!!!

[Guest curious-babydoll]

I'm sure i'll post here a bunch but here is one that looks good (not gluten or dairy free hope that's okay)

1 box of fudge brownie mix (and ingredients to make them)

1 bag of large marshmallows

1/4 cup plus 2 table spoons/hot fudge sauce

8 graham crackers

 

Preheat oven to 375

Spray a 9x3 cake pan with cooking spray

Prepare brownie batter

Bake 20-22 minutes/until cooked through

Turn oven to brill

Place marshmallows on top of brownies

Leaving oven door ajar place under broiler 1 1/2- 2 minutes watch closely so marshmallows don't burn

Drizzle hot fudge sauce over top the toasted marshmallows

Cut half the gram crackers into planks and crush the other half

Sprinkle crushed graham crackers over top

Place planks randomly on marshmallows

 

SERVE IMMEDIATELY

[Beckie]

I love to snack but have to be careful due to my allergies but here are some of my favorite quick and easy little snacks!!

 

Cucumber Sushi!

Slice up a cucumber really thin and basically put anything you want inside of the laid out slices: lunch meat, veggies and dressing, rice and crab.

 

Cucumber vegetable maki rolls: This one is a bit tricky

You cut the cucumber in quarter lengthwise and the scoop out the seeds

cook veggies (red pepper, asparagus, scallions, mushrooms)

Add sri racha and soy sauce to veggies

Add rice and mix up!

Put rice and veggies in seperate bowl and add rice vinegar and mix. Leave to cool

(now comes the tricky part!)

Lay nori on flat surface and add about 1/2 cup of rice/veggie mixture and spread easily

(tip add water to  edges to make nori stick) Twist  nori together and then twist it into the hole. Cut and serve!

 

I have a few more to share later though! Gotta try them first!

[ManaLaanah]

I've made an eclair cake both with the regular flour and I've made it gluten free for Mana's brother (he has CD). Eclairs are his favorite food ever, and he loves the cake enough to make it a marvel premier tradition. The only noticeable difference of the GF flour (I use red mill general baking flour) was that the crust didn't fluff and pocket as much, but it still got nice and airy.

 

I haven't tried this recipe as lactose free, but I have used vegan butters and the green valley lactose free cream cheese to bake before and they've behaved. If you've got the time to make your own, Veganbaking dot net has a great article/recipes on butters for cooking and baking here.

 

There are a lot of lactose free pudding recipes (instant and homemade) that are really tasty, I imagine they'd work fine, which would take out the three cups of milk needed for the filling. The whipped cream can easily be substituted with vegan whipped cream too. (Sorry for lack of definite recipe here, I've never made it, but I've had some amazing whipped cream at a local vegan restaurant so I know it can be done without loss of flavor or volume).

 

This is the recipe I use (@ food dot com)

 

My only warning is that we haven't found a 'neat' way to eat this cake. Just. everywhere. 

[The Perennial Princess]

I do (almost) all of the cooking in our household. I love to both bake and cook, particularly in the winter. I just made a simple enough shrimp fried rice tonight. It's very simple to make...all you really need is teriyaki sauce and or soy sauce. I mix in a little djon mustard as well in lieu of ginger. Other things I love to make are sausage macaroni and cheese, chili, brie grilled cheeses, cream of chicken, mayonnaise chicken, chicken salad with some lemon sauce thrown in, etc.

 

For the chicken salad, I just half the mayo content and replace it with a lemon garlic glaze sauce that comes bottled...it's a bit of a healthier altenative if I'm eating alongside papa bear.  If it's a cheat day, well, I'll throw in some bacon instead.  

 

For the brie grilled cheese, all you need is sourdough bread, to caramelize some onions, and some bacon...if you're feeling REALLY naughty, fry up the sandwich in the bacon grease. Deadly, but amazingly yummy. 

 

For cream of chicken....take two chicken breasts, top with cheese, and then with cream of chicken canned soup. Sprinkle stuffing mix over the top, and drizzle with butter. Bake in the the oven at 350 for 30 minutes or so. So easy and so good. Really great with rice on the side. 

 

For ___ fried rice, chop up some onions, carrots, pineapple, and fry in some butter for a few minutes. Marinate chicken/beef/shrimp in a tablespoon of dijon mustard, soy sauce, and teriyaki sauce in the fridge for at least 20 minutes. Add this mixture to the veggies. Fry up an egg in the mixture. Make rice by following package instructions in a separate bowl. Create another cup of the mustard, soy sauce, teriyaki mixture, and add to your original pan. Spoon in the rice, bring to a boil, and voila!

 

Oh, and I must include my papa bear's ALL TIME FAVORITE dessert: http://allrecipes.com/recipe/outrageous-chocolate-chip-cookies/?mxt=t06dda 

He wants these made for him daily.  I keep the recipe as is except for the oatmeal amount which I double. The cookies turn out more consistent that way, in my opinion. 

[Guest Daddy's☆treasure]

I love to bake! A lot of what I do is either random recipes I find or from my baking book but I think now I could just do my own recipe. Here is some of what I have baked!

[Guest kittycandy's Daddy]

I'm no chef, but I do a lot of the cooking in the house as my parents both work and my siblings both go to school (I get home early from uni) 

So here's a recipe I wrote down from my Nanna's book, because I love her broth/soup and because they're all beginning to fade due to age. I hope you don't mind how large the post is >_<

Maltese Brodu (Broth) 
Ingredients
2 small whole chickens—deboned and skinless
Veal Shank
2 Potatoes
2 Carrots
2 Celery Sticks
1 Zucchini
1 Onion
3 cloves of garlic
3 Chicken Stock Cubes
Half Tablespoon of Vegeta Stock
Tablespoon of tomato paste
Salt
Pepper
Olive Oil
Pasta of choice


 

                                                               Method
 

o   Prepare large pot and put on low heat
 

o   Add olive oil, carrots, onions, celery, zucchini and garlic. Place lid on pot and “sweat” until onions slightly translucent.
 

o   Add chickens and veal to pot and fill with enough water to just cover.
 

o   Add herbs, and a generous amount of salt and pepper. Mix in with vegeta stock and tomato paste.
 

o   Bring to boil, cover and let simmer for at least an hour. Until chicken is very tender.
 

o   Add pasta to brodu and continue to simmer mixture until cooked
 

o   Serve in bowel with bread.


http://www.desktopcookbook.com/images-recipe/195391.jpg

[Guest Daddy's☆treasure]

Thank you so much Remi!!! Lol aw keep trying with your piping don't give up!

[Beckie]

Sooooooo much yummy looking/sounding food!!!

[CrossedWires]

Sooooo many noms. I've saved most of these to check on later, Haha.

[vivian]

I make cakes, mostly for family.  Self taught and have a TON of fun messin' around in the kitchen!

 

0http://i.imgur.com/P4E6eFP.jpghttp://i.imgur.com/KOJA33S.jpghttp://i.imgur.com/06Hb1eQ.jpghttp://i.imgur.com/JCSPoR8.jpghttp://i.imgur.com/8XplseN.jpg

[Beckie]

Those are beautiful!

[The Perennial Princess]

Vivian, that cupcake cake, Ariel cake, and castle cake are particularly gorgeous, wow! My birthday just passed and I wish I had a cake like that. 

[Trixie]

Vivian, i love the1st cake! You did a great job. You taught yourself...how amazing. http://www.emoticons.free.fr/smileys/Emotion-Happy/dance.gif

[Guest ( ಡ ͜ ʖ ಡ ) MrGentle]

Those cakes look amazing.

[vivian]

Aww thanks guys!

I have another batch of birthdays coming up.  Latest requests in the que A camping cake, (no idea how I'm going to do that, or what that even looks like...tents? campfire?)  A spa cake (I think I've figured out how to make bubbles and such,  and a "SUPER HERO MONSTER TRUCK TRANSFORMER" cake, complete with frantic arm movements every time he talks about it. 

 

It is so much fun.  The best part is that my "clients" (family) will be eating the cake and talking about next year's request.  

 

Food is love for this girlie girl,

Vivie