Cooking Fun for the GB Community: Recipe-Sharing for all Skill Levels

EDIT: Thanks to the terrific Giant Bomb community, this has become a general thread for people to share recipes! Check the thread out, find something you're interested in cooking, and give it a shot! Don't be afraid to ask for help or advice! And if you've got a recipe you'd like to share, then by all means, go for it!

Hi folks! I didn't know what to get the Beastcast guys for the holidays, so I emailed them my family's recipe for jambalaya, a Cajun standby. I want to share it with the GB community at large, too! Jambalaya is a mixed rice dish, with chicken, ham, and sausage. (You could make it vegetarian by swapping in beans and using a storebought vegetable stock, if you want.) It's a step-by-step recipe for any skill level. Make it when it's cold outside, and serve it with beers. Maybe you’re having people over, or you’re visiting your parents for the holidays, or you want to impress a very hungry date. This recipe is delicious, and it’s really easy! It just involves being able to manage a couple of things at once. You can do it. I love you, and I believe in you. Let’s get started.

Jambalaya

30 minutes prep, 30 minutes to cook

serves 6-8

Ingredients:

• Chicken (2 lb boneless skinless thighs, or a whole broiler if you’re adventurous)

• 2 cups rice (Jasmine or Basmati would be good, since you don’t need to rinse it)

• 1 lb Polish or Andouille sausage

• 1 lb ham steak

• ½ stick (¼ cup) butter

• 1 decent-sized yellow onion

• 1 green bell pepper

• 1 6-ounce can of tomato paste

• ¼ teaspoon of thyme

• ½ teaspoon of Tabasco

• 2 teaspoons of salt

• ½ teaspoon of black pepper

1. Boil the chicken. While that’s going, slice the sausage into thin coin-shaped pieces and dice the ham.

2. Remove the chicken (debone if necessary, you overachiever, you). You’ve got a boiling pot of basic chicken stock. Scoop out maybe a cup of that stock and set it aside. Stir two cups of rice into the pot, turn the heat down as low as it will go, cover the pot, and set a timer for 25 minutes.

3. At this point, you’ve got a lot of sliced sausage and diced ham. Put that in a big (big) pan, Dutch oven, or skillet over low heat. Dice an onion and a green bell pepper, turning around occasionally to stir the gently-sizzling pork. If you want to feel smart, you can grab a little bowl and put all your measured seasonings in it at this time. ¼ teaspoon of thyme, 2 teaspoons of salt, ½ teaspoon of pepper. Make sure the pork doesn’t burn! It’s on low heat, so it won’t, as long as you stir occasionally. We’re nearly there!

4. Shred, chop, dice, or otherwise dismantle the chicken from earlier. Once you’re done, or after the pork’s been going for 6-7 minutes, stir the diced vegetables into the pan. Add half a stick of butter and stir everything until the butter’s all melted. Won’t take long. Keep an eye on this pan and stir occasionally. You’re waiting for the onions to become translucent. Try not to grab a spoon and start digging in, no matter how good it smells. Grab the can opener, instead, and open the little can of tomato paste. Make sure the shredded chicken and Tabasco are nearby. While you’re waiting for the rice to finish and the onions to cook, go ahead and wash the cutting board and any dishes you might have in the sink. This way you’ll have minimal dishes getting in the way of your nap once you’re done.

5. All right! The timer goes off for the rice. Check and see if it’s done- all the stock will have been absorbed into the rice. It might need a few more minutes. If it’s ready, turn the heat off. Your onions should be translucent-to-slightly-brown at this time, and the pan with the pork and fat and onions and peppers will smell good enough to bring neighbors to your door. Turn them away. Go back to the stove.

6. We’re going to do a few things pretty quickly here. First, scoop all of the tomato paste into the pan. A butter knife will help a great deal. Stir this all together. If you’re having a hard time getting the tomato to coat everything, add tiny bits of the chicken stock you set aside. Next, stir your seasonings in. Hopefully, you put them all in a bowl, so there’s no measuring or fussing around. Add about a half a teaspoon of Tabasco. Now, mix in the chicken. There will be a lot, so it’ll be a lot of stirring.

7. Once everything in the pan (pork, vegetables, tomato paste, seasonings, Tabasco, and chicken) is thoroughly mixed, take a step back. Quickly size up this pan compared to the pot with the rice. Put everything into whichever dish has more room (this might necessitate a third dish). Either add the rice to the mixture in the pan, or shovel the whole operation into the rice pot. Stir everything together until there’s no more white rice visible, even in the bottom of the dish. Serve immediately with cold beer.

Fantastic. Thanks a lot for this!

@dudeglove: It is definitely cool to post that! I'll try and make it sometime. I would love for people to post recipes for the community!

Thanks for this duder! What a great idea for a forum Christmas gift! You've got a great writing style for recipes too. I will try this, sounds great!

I've been baking a lot as of late, as it's incredibly easy and impressive for people who've never tried. The ladies in the office all love my stuff.

Actual cooking is another hurdle I have to make. Def try out some of these recipes!

@billymaysrip:Go for it! Cooking is fun and rewarding.

@mjhwwbg: Thank you! What a nice compliment. Come back and post in this thread whenever you get around to making it, I'd love to hear what people think! Maybe I'll make a habit out of posting recipes if people like them.

@insidioustuna: I make jambalaya almost exactly the same way, but I use turkey kielbasa. It has less grease and I think it tastes better, too. I like the Hillshire Farms brand.

@mike: Cool. I'll have to try turkey kielbasa. I tend to default to Polish or smoked sausage. Thanks for the recommendation!

quick and easy cheese bread to accompany all your favorite meals.

1 Lb butter

3/4 Lb Cheddar

3 oz. Romano

1/2 Tsp. Dry Mustard

1/2 Tsp. Celery Salt

2 Tsp. Garlic Salt

4 Tablespoons Lemon Juice

2 Tsp. Tabasco

1 Tsp. Paprika

Shred/grate cheeses or buy pre grated/shredded .Mix all ingredients. Apply to your favorite bread (I prefer baguette slices about 1/2" to 1" thick) and put it in the oven. Use broiler to brown and crisp to finish.

I tend to make the entire amount in the recipe and store it in my fridge just like butter but you could always reduce the amounts by half to make a smaller quantity.

I LOVE JAMBALAYA but rarely have it. But now I have no excuse! Thanks for taking the time for writing this out step by step for cooking amateurs like me, that's really wonderful.

@cwniles: cool! I'll have to try it, thanks for sharing!

@paulmako: awesome! I'd love for amateurs to try it. If you give it a shot, please bookmark this topic and report back!

That sounds delicious! I'll have to keep this on file. Thanks!

I bake a lot of cookies (https://www.facebook.com/TBNBG/ and I mean a lot) and I thought I'd share the recipe I use all the time. Here's a larger version in case anyone wants it http://i.imgur.com/tWVIOd4.png

I fucking love this thread and its potential.

I made Jambalaya once. It was tasty but also a lot of work. Thanks for the recipe though. It looks good. (Thankfully it doesn't contain tuna.)

Potato Pablano Soup:

6 tbsp butter

4 tbsp flour (maybe)

1 diced onion

2-4 pablano peppers (depends on how much you like em)

however much cheddar cheese you want to use

however much garlic you want to use

2 lbs of potatoes, whichever kind you like, cut into sizes you'd want to eat in a soup.

2 cups water or stock

1 cup milk or cream

cumin, coriander, salt and pepper to taste

1.Take the pablanos and put em under the broiler, turning until the skin turns black on all sides. Take out peppers and put em in a paper bag to steam (Not 100% necessary, but makes skins come off easier). Pull off the charred skin, core and chop peppers.

2. Toss two tbsp of butter into a dutch oven or big ol pot. cook onions and chopped pablanos for about 5 minutes or until the onion starts to carmelize. Toss in chopped garlic and cook for another minute.

3. Add the potatoes, milk/cream and water/stock. Add cumin, coriander, salt and pepper. Stir together, bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cook until potatoes are tender.

Now we have a little soup thickening choose your own adventure, based on whether you have a blender or not. Step 4 for blenders, Step 5 for no blender

4. Take about half of the soup, puree, and return to pot.

5. In a sauce pan, make a simple roux with 4 tbsp of butter and 4 tbsp of flour. Cook until flour is golden brown, mix in to soup.

6. Mix in a little or a lot of cheese, and there you go.

This recipe could easily go from vegetarian to vegan by omitting the milk for veggie stock, using olive oil instead of butter, and using the puree thickening method.

Unrelated tip: Making some homemade dough for pizza or a savory something or other? Maybe try some splashes of balsamic vinegar to the mix, see how that goes.

@sparky_buzzsaw: :D

@insidioustuna: Thanks, this looks great! I'm not very cooking savvy though, how long would you say I should boil the chicken?

Brundle Burgers

Brundle Burgers are incredibly easy to make, cheap, filling, and most of all delicious. Here's what you'll need:

4 eggs, or more if you're a hungry man.

1 hamburger bun, seedless. Or, 1 hot dog bun, also seedless.

1. Crack the eggs into a bowl and whisk them until they're good and yellow, then pour them into a pre-heated pan. Scramble those eggs up, scramble them real good.

2. Transfer eggs from pan to hamburger bun or hot dog bun.

3. Add salt to taste. Pepper is also acceptable.

If you want to be fancy about it, you could butter each side of the bun and toast it a bit. But beyond that, no additives. Don't go throwing bacon on this thing, that's not in the spirit of the Brundle! No cheese either. At that point you might as well be eating a breakfast burrito.

Brundle Burgers are great for those cold rainy Sunday mornings when all you want is some scrambled eggs, but don't want to deal with all the trouble of pushing eggs all over your plate while struggling to get it onto your fork.

OP: Thanks for starting this. I'm gonna give that Jambalaya recipe a go.

My go to recipe, for ease and utter deliciousness has to be braised short ribs. It's not an exact recipe, but here's the rough outline. It looks and sounds more complicated than it is. It's literally a one-pot meal, but it does take a long time, so plan ahead. Play around with it, and make it your own. I don't think it's possible to really screw it up.

Ingredients:

• 2 - 2 1/2 lbs beef short ribs (bone-in preferable)
• 1/2 large white onion
• 2 large carrots
• 2 stalks celery
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 Tbsp tomato paste
• 1 cup red wine (use something you would drink, not the cheapest swill; a Côte du Rhône is usually a solid, inexpensive option)
• Beef stock
• 1 tsp oregano
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• salt & pepper
• 2 bay leaves
• Vegetable oil

Instructions:

1. Get a large, heavy, oven-safe pan, with a lid. A cast iron dutch oven is an excellent choice. Toss in enough vegetable oil to coat the bottom evenly, but not deep. Maybe two tablespoons at most. Heat it on medium-high until the oil is shimmering, but not smoking. Preheat your oven to 325 degrees.
2. Thoroughly pat the short ribs dry with a paper towels, trim any huge bits of fat (there's quite a bit on them, which is part of what makes this recipe so good, so be sort of judicious with your choice of what to trim), and evenly season with salt, pepper, oregano, and garlic powder.
3. Sear the ribs on all sides, working in batches if necessary. Don't crowd the pan, because you'll lose heat and not get as good a sear. You want a deep brown on each side. Set aside seared ribs. Use a bowl so you can collect any drippings. Turn heat down to medium after ribs are done.
4. While the ribs are searing, chop up your veg. Do a uniform, medium, dice on the onion. The carrot and celery should be bite sized, but larger than the onion. Mince your garlic thoroughly.
5. Throw the onion in the hot pan. There should be no need to add any more oil, because a lot of the fat from the ribs will have rendered. Sweat the onion for 3 - 5 minutes until soft and translucent. Add the carrot and celery, and cook for 5 more minutes. Add garlic, and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Don't let it burn. Also, don't forget to add a pinch of salt and pepper to your veg. Seasoning is important!
6. Add tomato paste, and cook for 1 - 2 minutes.
7. Pour in the wine. Scrape the bottom of the pan firmly to release any stuck on bits (fond). Lots of flavor in that stuff. Don't waste it! Reduce the wine by 1/2.
8. Return ribs to the pan, meat side down, if you're using bone-in. With a bit of nestling, they should all fit in in a single layer. Pour in any drippings from the ribs that are in the bowl they've been hanging out in for the last 10 - 15 mins.
9. Pour in enough beef stock to just cover the ribs. Toss in the bay leaves.
10. Cover, bring to a simmer, and put the covered pot in the oven. Cook in the oven for 3 - 3 1/2 hours.
11. After that interminable wait, remove the ribs (careful, they will be very tender, and can fall apart easily) and vegetables. Set them aside and cover with foil to keep warm. Remove and discard the bay leaves.
12. Put the pan on a burner set to high, and reduce the braising liquid by at least 1/2. It should take about 5-10 minutes.
13. Serve a couple ribs per person with some of the vegetables, and a starch of your preference (mashed potatoes or egg noodles are my usual choices), with reduced braising liquid as a sauce. Drink the remaining wine with your dinner. Because you deserve it.

Pro-tip: if you've never had short ribs, there is a thick connective tissue between the bone and the meat. Once braised, the meat will separate easily from this, but it also comes off the bone easily, and may actually stick to the meat more readily than the bone. It's edible, but not the most pleasant texture. You can remove the meat from the connective tissue and bone before serving, or just make sure you and your fellow diners are aware of it, so it can be properly avoided during consumption. Enjoy, duders!

@genericbrotagonist: 25 minutes, maybe? Grab a piece of it with a fork and see if it's cooked all the way through. There will be a foam forming on top of the water, too.

Oh I have one more.

PB&C Sandwiches

PB&C stands for Peanut Butter and Chocolate, and it's a really simple desert that will impress your family and friends. What you'll need:

1/2 Hersey's bar

Peanut Butter, chunky or non-chunky, go nuts (or don't! har har)

Two slices of bread. (I prefer whole wheat for a healthier snack)

1. Slather some peanut butter on one slice of bread.

2. Break up the 1/2 Hersey's bar and lay it out so it covers the surface of the other slice of bread.

3. Join the two slices of bread together to complete the sandwich.

LOVING THIS TOPIC!

Amazing Hot Chorizo Cheese Dip Recipe

Ingredients:

• about 12 ounces (1 pound) of pork chorizo or linguica
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil (optional), depending on the fat content of the chorizo.
• 1 cup minced onion (about 1 small onion)
• 1 cup mayo
• 1 package cream cheese
• 1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan
• fresh jalapeno or serrano chili pepper, seeded and diced
• fresh chopped cilantro (super optional)

Directions:

1. In large skillet, heat oil (if needed). Remove chorizo from casing and break-up into the pan. Cook for about 1 minute until fat is released. Add minced onion and chili peppers. Gently stir and cook for about 5 minutes or until chorizo and onions are cooked.
2. Add mayo, cream cheese and freshly grated parmesan cheese. Continue cooking until all the cheese is melted and mixed well into the chorizo.
3. If there is excess fat grease, soak up with paper towels. (but the fat is what makes it good!). Top with fresh chopped cilantro or cilantro sprig and serve with crunchy tortilla chips
   
   

How about something incredibly simple for the slow cooker? This is seriously one of the easiest recipes I know. Can you open a few cans of vegetables? Can you shred chicken with two forks? Can you turn on a slow cooker? That's the skill set that is involved.

Fiesta Chicken

• Up to 4 lbs of of chicken breast/thighs (minimum 2 lbs.)
• 2 16 oz. cans of diced tomatoes
• 1 16 oz. can of corn
• 1 16 oz can of black beans (can be any kind, I personally like black beans with this recipe)

1. Put the cans of diced tomatoes and the liquid that's in it into slow cooker.
2. Drain corn, then put into slow cooker.
3. Drain and rinse the beans, then put into slow cooker.
4. Put a decent amount of salt, pepper, and any other kinds of seasonings in there. Paprika, cayenne pepper, hot sauce, an onion, anything to you liking.
5. Stir thoroughly
6. Place chicken into slow cooker.
7. Set to low for 8 hours or high for about 4 hours.
8. With an hour to go for cook time, take chicken out, shred chicken, then put chicken back in (make sure the chicken is cooked all the way through first) and stir.
9. Serve and enjoy!

This meal is very versatile. You can do this for burritos, as a dip (if the chicken is shredded enough), tacos, over rice, or just by itself. This also keeps for a couple weeks too and is a hearty, healthy meal.

@theblacknerd: These look fun. I goof around a lot cooking, but get intimidated baking. Thanks!

My family makes these cookies around Christmas every year and I love them:

Raspberry Meringue Cookies

• 3 Egg Whites
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 3 and 1/2 tablespoons raspberry gelatin
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon vinegar
• 1 cup mini semisweet chocolate chips

Using an electric mixer on a high speed, beat egg whites and salt until foamy. Add raspberry gelatin and sugar gradually. I like to sprinkle a little bit in, make sure it is all dissolved, and then repeat until it is all in. Beat until stiff peaks form (lift up the beaters and the peaks should stand upright, and if you tilt the bowl the mixture shouldn't move) and sugar is dissolved. Mix in vinegar; fold in chocolate chips. Spoon them onto parchment paper-covered cookie sheets. They don't really expand much so you can put them close to each other. Bake at 250 degrees for 25 minutes, turn the oven off, and leave them in the oven for 20 more minutes.

The only picture of them I currently have is this snapchat I sent my sister today:

i like this

I stole this one from a local contest winner so you know it's good. Also I know it's good because it's absolutely delicious. I'm making a super huge batch of it for Christmas.

Green Bean Casserole

Here's what you'll need:

• 2 - 10.5 Oz cans of French cut-style Green Beans (Normal Green beans would work just fine though)
• 1 Medium Sized Red Onion (To be cut into rings)
• 8 Strips of Bacon (To be fried)
• 1/2 Cup of Slivered Almonds (Find them in your baking aisle!)
• 6 Tablespoons of Sugar
• 2 Teaspoons of White Vinegar

1. Drain those beans and throw them into a 1 1/2 Quart Casserole dish. Spread it evenly.
2. Cut your red onions into thin rings. (Do this by slicing down the length of it, nothing fancy, then pull them apart.)
3. Fry up that bacon. SAVE THE DRIPPINGS in a separate measuring cup, preferably those taller glass ones.
4. Cut that bacon into chunks. I'm talking chunks, none of that home-made bacon bits nonsense. Throw the chunks over your onion rings.
5. Lay down the slivered almonds over top of the bacon
6. Add the sugar at the white vinegar to your bacon drippings, and mix them pretty good.
7. Pour that into a sauce pan and heat it up until it's all bubbly and the sugar is totally dissolved
8. Pour THAT all over your green beans, and let it marinate for several hours (Or if you're anything like me, go all night)
9. Bake it at 350(f) for 45 Minutes (I do the last 15 minutes uncovered to give the almonds a nice roast quality)

There you have it! The best compliment to whatever you're cooking up this Christmas. It almost tastes like candy.

My Kentucky Beer Cheese Recipe:

• 1 Lb Sharp cheddar cheese(shredded)
• 1 cup of beer(I have found that an ale works best for me)
• A couple of cloves of minced garlic
• 1/2 teaspoon of ground pepper
• A Heavy 1/2 teaspoon of cayenne pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon salt(I use a ghost pepper salt)
• 1/4 teaspoon hot sauce(ex.tabasco)
• 1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 teaspoon dry mustard

Flatten the beer by whisking it a few times while you are measuring everything else out. Then throw everything in a food processor or blender.(I use a Vitamix) Then blend until you cannot blend any longer.(The smoother, the better) Refrigerate and let it set up overnite.

@insidioustuna: Thanks! I'll have to try this out soon.

Does anyone have a recipe for an easily-made banana cream pie? I'm always disappointed there's never a banana cream pie at our family gatherings, but the family's usual cooks say it's too much work to bother with.

@mikelemmer: a banana cream pie IS kind of a lot of work. Make some banana pudding instead! Make a batch of plain vanilla pudding, like a box of Jello from the store. Stir in a container of cool whip. Spoon some into a bowl. Layer in slices of banana and Vanilla Wafer cookies! Voilà! Banana pudding is nearly as delicious as a banana cream pie, will impress the family, and is easy as hell!

My wife and I really REALLY love this recipe for balsamic glazed pork. We generally serve it with maple brussels sprouts and whatever other seasonal veggies we happen to find. It's even better the next day on some Hawaiian rolls as sliders!

• 1teaspoon ground sage
• 1/2teaspoon salt
• 1/4teaspoon pepper
• 1clove garlic, crushed
• 1/2cup water
• 2pounds pork tenderloin
• 1/2cup brown sugar
• 1tablespoon cornstarch
• 1/4cup balsamic vinegar
• 1/2cup water
• 2tablespoons soy sauce

1. Mix together the seasonings : sage, salt, pepper and garlic, and rub over the tenderloin.
2. Place 1/2 cup water in slow cooker, followed by the tenderloin, and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours.
3. 1 hour before the roast is finished, mix together the ingredients for the glaze in a small saucepan : brown sugar, cornstarch, balsamic vinegar, water, and soy sauce.
4. Heat over medium and stir until mixture thickens, about 4 minutes.
5. Brush roast with glaze 2 or 3 times during the last hour of cooking. (For a more caramelized crust, remove from crock pot and place on aluminum lined sheet pan, glaze, and set under broiler for 1 to 2 minutes, until bubbly and caramelized. Repeat 2 to 3 more times until desired crust is achieved.)
6. Serve with remaining glaze on the side.

@pickledscoot: This sounds delicious! I am a little confused, though. How do you serve/use it?

@jordanxjordan: So the traditional way would be to serve it as a dip. Accompany it with crackers, bread, cured meats and/or cut vegetables(carrots, broccoli, peppers, etc.) Also I have found it great to slather on some bread or buns for sandwiches/burgers.

Hey Duders. This is my 'special' recipe for Basil Sriracha Chicken that people seem to really dig. It takes a little bit of prep time.

This is a brined, then grilled chicken. If you've never brined something before, it is not tough. After the first time it will seem really simple.

Tools Required:

A good knife.

A hammer (this can be a special tenderizing hammer, or just a regular hammer. If it's the latter, make sure you clean it real well before & after).

A stove

A BBQ (I guess you could do this w/ a pan instead)

INGREDIENTS:

1-6 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts (you can use any kind of chicken, but you're not going to be able to hammer it flat, which will make the grilling more complicated. The sauce & brine will work fine.)

BRINE:

• 8 cups water
• 1/4 cup Soy Sauce
• 1/4 cup Kosher Salt
• 1/4 cup Sugar
• 1 sliced or diced onion (optional)
• 1 sliced or diced apple (optional)

SAUCE (TO TASTE):

• butter
• sriracha
• garlic
• basil
• pepper

1. Prepare the brine: Pour everything in a medium-sized pot, then heat it up, stirring occasionally, until all the salt and sugar is totally dissolved. Then let it cool to room temperature (this might take about an hour). While you're waiting:
2. Cut the chicken. You want to flip the chicken over and make cuts in the connective tissues (the weird white bits) with your knife: just a little cut so that the chicken goes 'slack' there. This is a little hard to explain. You can skip this step for now, but it helps with the next step: try playing around with it. You'll get a good sense for it pretty fast.
3. Hammer the chicken until it's flat. With the chicken 'right-side up', start out gently and increase the force as necessary: if you hit it too hard right off the bat, you'll punch weird holes in it. This is fine, but looks strange. You want the chicken to be an even thickness so that it cooks evenly.
4. Stick the chicken in the brine, put a lid on it, and put them both in the fridge for an hour.
5. Take the chicken out of the fridge and pour out the brine. You can toss out the be-chickened onion and apple, or you can cook them (throughly!) on the grill and have them as snacks: they're actually pretty delicious.
6. Get the sauce ready. Melt the butter medium-high, then put in the garlic and let it cook for a minute. Put in the basil and let it cook for another minute. Then put in the pepper and sriracha and mix them as throughly as you can: the sriracha's not going to mix completely with the butter and that's OK:.
7. Cover the chicken completely with a light coating of sauce.
8. Toss the chicken on the grill. Preheat the grill to about ~350 and try and keep it there, but use your own judgement. IMO, I'd cook it about a minute less than you "generally" would, then take it off the grill and cover ASAP with aluminum foil. Let sit five minutes, then serve.It's hard to give too specific advice about grilling because everyone's grill is different: they all have different hot spots, etc. As usual, futz around and you'll figure out the details.
9. Enjoy!
   Note: I normally slice up some onions, red peppers, and portabello mushrooms and grill those too on a little pan. All you need to do is put them all in a tupperware or freezer bag, pour some soy sauce, diced garlic, pepper, and canola oil in there, and shake it around for a minute or two. Pour out the excess liquid, shake it around again to make sure you've distributed it all evenly, then you can grill or fry the veggies and they'll taste great. The picture is an 'in-progress' meal: steak not included.

I made this today and liked it. Something easier for people that suck at cooking, like me.

- Cut up a sausage into inch portions.

- Put a tablespoon of olive oil in a medium-heat skillet.

- Throw in the sausage, some sliced peppers, and some mushrooms.

- Flip it around for 15 minutes, adding whatever seasonings you want.

- Get one of those 90 second Uncle Ben fried rice things on the side.

- And you got a quick and delicious meal!

My first post on the GB forums and it's contributing to a recipe thread. Welp! Here's another easy one-pot recipe for chicken ginger jook, aka rice porridge. It's really good for when you're sick, keeps pretty well in the fridge for a few days, and you can make a boatload of it at a time.

Ingredients:

• 4 cups chicken broth
• 6 cups water
• 1 cup uncooked white rice (brown rice also works, but will take a little longer to cook)
• 1 lb boneless and skinless chicken thighs (you could probably also use chicken breasts, but thighs taste better)
• Salt & pepper to taste (I usually use white pepper just so it's a little prettier to look at but tbh it's your call)
• Fresh ground ginger (my original recipe said about a tablespoon but I almost always add more)
• Sliced daikon radish (optional)
• For toppings: chopped green onion, chopped cilantro, fish sauce, or whatever else you might like (I typically stick to the first two.)

1. In a large pot, combine water, chicken broth, rice, chicken thighs, ginger, and some salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally.
2. Reduce heat to low, continuing to stir occasionally. After about ~30 mins or until the chicken seems cooked through, pull the chicken thighs out of the pot and shred with a fork on a cutting board. Return it to the pot, and add your daikon if you have it.
3. Continue to cook on low, stirring occasionally, until the rice has disintegrated a bit and the whole thing is about the consistency of watery oatmeal. Remove from heat, drop it in a bowl, top with green onion and/or cilantro or whatever other toppings you've chosen along with more salt and pepper to taste, if desired.

Weirdly enough, to add some texture to this I like eating it with Pringles or Cheezits, but it admittedly feels a little weird and blasephemous. Not exactly high cuisine, but it's easy, cheap, and good for when you've caught all the colds going around over the winter.

Cajun Chicken Pasta recipe we got from a friend of ours a while back:

2 Chicken breasts

1 tsp. Worcestershire

1/2 lb. smoked sausage, sliced

Dash of Tabasco sauce

3 green onions 2/3 lb. linguine

1 tsp. garlic, chopped

1 to 2 tsp. Creole spice mix (However spicy you want) - recipe 4 lines down

1 c. heavy cream

Creole Spice Mix:

1 Tbsp. onion powder 1 Tbsp. black pepper

2 1/2 Tbsp. Paprika 1 Tbsp. cayenne pepper

2 Tbsp. salt 1 Tbsp. dried leaf oregano

2 Tsbp. garlic powder 1 Tbsp. dried leaf thyme

Cook pasta. Saute sliced sausage until lightly browned and remove from pan: set aside. Cook chicken, onions, and garlic in same pan. Add remaning ingredients to chicken mixture, including sliced sausage. Mix with pasta. Serve

This reminds me of Sandwich night, I wish I had any recipes to share at this point, the following sandwich is not food.(it's 07.50 and I've just woke up for last work day of the year)

The stumbling block I always have is sauce, I've grown up with basic sauces, so I don't know how to make really make them, all the stuff above is really useful, I'm going to get a notepad out and takes some notes later.

This is a bit of an odd sandwich, but I think it's great. PB+fB+M+sH/C/T.Crunchy peanut butter, fake butter(ie unsalted olive based stuff) Marmite and smoked ham, chicken or turkey(sandwich meats, so slices)

1. Slather your bread in a reasonable amount of not-butter
2. layer copious amounts of peanut butter onto one side of the bread, so it folds into the butter, making a lighter colour peanut butter
3. Put about two peas worth of marmite on the other slice of the bread, spreading it into the butter, any more and it will be overkill(the trick with marmite is it goes with things, not to overpower them)
4. put a single slice of meat in the middle. slice, and done.

This is garbage food, but it's really nice garbage food. the savoury of the marmite goes with the meat, whilst the peanut butter butter creates a textured crunch, if you're trepidacious about going in, try some marmite on some meat, or some peanut butter on some meat.

I lovethis recipe from Carluccio, makes a ragu that's wonderful fresh or amazing as leftovers.

It's so simple as well.

Sorry for the European measurements!

80ml Olive Oil

1 Large Onion, peeled and finely chopped

500g Lean Minced Pork

500g Minced Veal

150ml Dry White Wine

1kg Canned Chopped Tomatoes

4 Tbsp Tomato Paste

So it's pretty simple -

Oil in the pan and add the onion. Don't fry, just let the onion soften and lightly brown.

Then add the meat and fry, so raise the heat, for about 8 minutes. Get the meat nice and browned and well mixed with that soft onion.

Now throw in the wine, let that burn off for two minutes, imparting the flavour not the alcohol.

Now the paste/puree and the canned tomatoes and just have it simmer uncovered.

Let it cook for at least 90 minutes and throw in some water if it sticks. Salt and pepper to season as you taste it.

Works great with freshly made Tagiatelle but make sure to use the white wine, not red. You want that subtle flavour to complement the meats. Red wine can really overpower the veal especially.

Let me know what you think if you give it a try, I'm always amazed how something so simple can produce a Ragu with such depth.

This is all fine and good, but look, you guys and gals, you haven't really tried dipping things into dips until you've dipped them into this insane pineapple-teriyaki-sake sauce. It is the bomb with wings, spring rolls and whatever the hell else you want to put into it. Just keep in mind you can't bite your finger and it will have a lot of germs if you stick that into it. So, you take the following:

• 50 grams (1/4 cup) of butter
• 4 cloves of garlic, chopped up (not smooshed)
• 1 tablespoon of grated ginger
• 1.2 dl (1/2 cup) of soy sauce
• 1.2 dl (1/2 cup) of sake
• 1.8 dl (3/4 cup) of pineapple juice
• 0.6 dl (1/4 cup) of rice vinegar (a lot of shops sell what's basically this as "sushi vinegar" or something akin to that)
• 2 tablespoons of brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch

Now then, throw the butter into a heated saucepan so it melts. Throw in the garlic and the ginger. Cook it until the garlic starts to brown. Add the soy sauce, sake, pineapple juice, rice vinegar and brown sugar. Boil it and let it simmer for 3 minutes. While this is happening, mix the water with the cornstarch and then whisk it into the sauce. Let it simmer for about 8 to 10 minutes, taking it off the heat when it's at the consistency you want. That's all. It'll be the greatest damn sauce of your life. If it turns out a bit too salty, cutting down on the soy sauce is an easy way to appropriate it. For me, these numbers were just perfect.

@vierastalo: Could I dip some soft pretzels in that? Soft pretzels such as these:

• 22 oz flour (about 5 cups, but, seriously, use weight measurements when baking) - I usually use 8 oz bread flour and the rest all-purpose, but no worries if you don't have bread flour, AP works fine
• 1 1/2 cups warm (about 110 degree) water
• 2 tsp kosher salt
• 2 oz butter - melted
• 1 Tbsp sugar
• 2 1/4 tsp (equals 1 packet) active dry yeast
• ~96 oz cold water
• 1/3 cup baking soda
• 1 egg
• 1 tbsp cold water
• kosher salt for topping

1. Dissolve sugar in warm water, and add yeast. Stir and let sit for about 10 minutes to activate the yeast.
2. While waiting, add flour and measured quantity of salt to the bowl of a stand mixer. You could knead this by hand if you really want a workout, I guess, though I've never tried it.
3. Pour in melted butter and yeast/sugar/water mixture.
4. Knead on low for 10 minutes. It should have formed a smooth ball that has pulled away from the sides of the bowl completely.
5. Transfer to a clean, large, bowl that you've sprayed with cooking spray or coated in oil. Roll the ball around to coat all sides with some of the spray/oil, then cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Let rise for 1 - 1 1/2 hours, until doubled in size. (A good tip for helping ensure active rise on breads is to turn on your oven to the lowest setting--mine goes down to 170 degrees--then shut it off as soon as it is preheated. When the dough is ready to rest for rising, toss it in the now-warm, turned-off, oven.)
6. Once risen, punch down dough and form back into a smooth ball. Cut the ball into eight approximately equal pieces. Roll each piece into a rope about 24 inches in length. Form each rope into a basic pretzel shape. Pinch the dough together gently where it overlaps, to help ensure it stays together. Place each completed pretzel on a baking sheet, lined with parchment paper (aluminum foil will probably be okay, too). You could alternatively cut each rope into 12 two-inch pieces to make pretzel bites. You may need to use more than one baking sheet.
7. Turn on oven to preheat oven to 450 degrees. Add cold water to a pot. Something you might cook soup or pasta in. Make sure it's not more than 2/3 full. Bring the water to a boil. Slowly add the baking soda. Adding it all at once will make it boil over. Return mixture to steady boil.
8. Add a pretzel or two (depending on size), or equivalent number of pieces if doing bites, to the pot. Boil for one minute total, flipping over halfway through boil. Watch this closely! There will be a lot of foam that comes up, and you will need to adjust the burner to avoid boil-overs. Return boiled pretzels to baking sheet(s).
9. Put the egg and tbsp of water in a small bowl, and mix together thoroughly. Brush each of the pretzels with the egg wash, and sprinkle kosher salt on top. Don't go crazy with the salt. Kosher salt will essentially dissolve into the surface, so you can't knock off the extra after baking like you could with pretzel salt. You can invest in pretzel salt if you really want to. They sell it on Amazon.
10. Bake for ~16 minutes, rotating baking sheet(s) halfway through bake time. You're looking for a deep golden brown on these guys. Remove and enjoy! You probably should let them cool on a cooling rack for a couple of minutes before eating, but they are best when still warm. These will be crispy on the outside immediately after coming out of the oven, but the crust will soften over the course of a day or two. If they last that long. Store at room temp, in a covered container or ziplock bag. To reheat, toss in the microwave for 10 - 15 seconds. I generally eat them dipped in some mustard or nacho cheese.

You can also do this recipe as buns if you want to ratchet up your burger/sandwich game. If you do, score the tops of the buns with an X before baking, to ensure that they spread outward, not just up.

I should point out I cannot claim ownership of this recipe. I found it on some random blog via FoodGawker years ago, but I think it was originally from the food wizard Alton Brown.

ahhh, you jerks are killing me! these sound rad but I already got grocery shopping done and don't wanna face the holiday horde.

I'm trying a new cookie recipe tomorrow and will throw it up if it ends up worthwhile

happy whateveryourthingis y'all!

I'll add mine!

1 Rum

1 Coke

The perfect holiday treat. :)

Here you go:

In a standard shot glass (1.5 oz/44ml), pour:
.5 oz/15ml Jagermeister
.5 oz/15ml Rumple Minze peppermint schnapps
.5 oz/15ml Baileys Irish Creme

Measurements don't need to be exact.
Shoot, don't sip.
Tastes exactly like a Thin Mint cookie, but with the added bonus of using higher proof liqueurs than your standard BS creme de menthe and creme de cacao.
Seems like it would be best avoided by the faint-hearted, but it's surprisingly mild, despite using 100 proof peppermint schnapps.

I usually make homemade marshmallows for the holidays like these(I have credit Alton Brown for the recipe):

-3 packages unflavored gelatin

-1/2 cup ice cold water

-1/2 cup water(can be room temperature)

-12 ounces granulated sugar, approximately 1 1/2 cups

-1 cup light corn syrup

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

-1 teaspoon extract(vanilla, mint, etc.)

-Food coloring if desired

-1/4 cup confectioners' sugar

-1/4 cup cornstarch

Place the gelatin into the bowl of a stand mixer along with the 1/2 cup of cold water.

Combine the /2 cup water, sugar, corn syrup and salt in a small saucepan/saucier on medium high heat, cover and cook for 3 to 4 minutes. Uncover, and cook to 240 degrees F, (use a candy or probe thermometer) then immediately

Using a whisk start the mixer on low speed and slowly poor the sugar solution down the side of the bowl, then increase speed to high. Whip about 11 minutes until the mixture is very thick and lukewarm. Add the flavored extract and any food coloring and whip for 1 more minute,

While marshmallow's are being whipped: Combine the confectioners' sugar and cornstarch in a small bowl. Lightly spray a baking pan with nonstick cooking spray. Add the sugar /cornstarch mixture and shake the pan coat the inside of the pan. Return the remaining mixture to the bowl for later use.

Pour the marshmallow mixture into the pan, and spread evenly with a silicon spatula sprayed with nonstick spray. Dust the top with sugar/cornstarch mixture to lightly cover. Reserve the rest for later. Allow the marshmallows to sit uncovered overnight.

Flip the marshmallows out onto a cutting board and cut into 1-inch squares using a pizza wheel dusted with sugar/cornstarch mixture. Once cut, lightly dust all sides of each marshmallow with the remaining mixture, make additional if necessary.

@theidar: As soon as I read "homemade marshmallows", I hoped it would be Alton's recipe.

Almond Tarragon Chicken Salad

Chicken Tenderloin - (marination: 3 tbs salt,1 tbs garlic powder, 4 cups water)

1/2 Cup Real Mayo -

1/2 Cup Sliced Almonds -

2 teaspoons of dried Tarragon -

*1/2 cup halved grapes - (this is optional if you like a sweeter chicken salad)

Prepare about 4 chicken tenderloins - I marinade mine in a simple marination; 3 tablespoon salt, 1 tablespoon garlic powder, 4 cups of water, marinade in a ziplock bag overnight for 15 hours. Bake while wrapped in aluminum foil on 350 for 15 minutes. When cool, dice the chicken tenders.

Mix the diced chicken, mayo, almonds and tarragon in a bowl adding extra mayo if salad is too dry.

*If you like a sweeter chicken salad you can add halved grapes to the mix.