What are y'all cooking nowadays?

[rufuspaul]

When the pandemic first hit last Spring people here went on a buying frenzy which resulted in a shortage of toilet paper and, this being the South, bread. I don't know why but every time there's a threat of snow or a panic of any kind Southerners immediately go out and buy bread and milk.

So since there was no bread at the store I decided to try and make some myself. I couldn't believe how easy it is. My favorite kind to make is a basic Italian round loaf. I now make one of these every Sunday and it's our bread for the week. I hardly ever buy bread anymore. Here's how I do it:

3 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp kosher salt
2 tsp active yeast
1 1/2 cups warm water (100-115 degrees)

Mix the dry ingredients together in a large bowl and then stir in the water until it forms a sticky dough. Cover with a towel and let it rise for 2-3 hours. Then place dough on a floured surface, sprinkle some flour on top and form it into a round shape with your hands. No kneading is necessary because you want the bread to come out with a hard crust but soft and airy inside. Kneading stretches the gluten and results in a more dense bread.

So now you let the dough rest while you get the oven ready. I take a pizza stone and put it on the middle shelf of the oven and pre-heat at 450 for 20 minutes. I then place the dough on parchment paper (make sure your parchment paper is good for high temps) and transfer the dough onto the pizza stone. Then I place a baking pan with 2 cups of water in it on the bottom shelf. This creates humidity in the oven which promotes rising and crust formation. Bake for 30 minutes or until crust is a golden brown.

This is a great bread to have as a side with meals or for sandwiches. If I'm feeling adventurous this also is great for making muffuletta sandwiches. I'll post that recipe later.

[Jasper]

I have been on a Taco binge for a while (at least 2-3 x's a week)

[rufuspaul]

I have been on a Taco binge for a while (at least 2-3 x's a week)

It is the perfect food. That and pizza.

[highwhey]

I have been on a Taco binge for a while (at least 2-3 x's a week)

Highwhey?

[highwhey]

I’ve been making a healthy but delicious dish:
Chuck beef, cut thinly
White onion Julianne slice
Tomatoes diced fresh
Potatoe is optional but am watching carbs so no go for me
Knerr beef bullion to season instead of salt
Chopped serrano peppers

Cook everything together, ideally you drop in stuff like tomatoes last bc they cook quicker. I think you’re supposed to let the tomatoes release their juice so it can reduce and combine all the flavors together. Idk much about cooking so I am ok with it tasting good. Usually just look for the onions to get some color and the serranos and tomatoes to wilt.

Served with pinto beans on the side and queso fresco as a garnish for the beans. Taste pretty damn good. I’d replace the serranos with jalapeños instead of you don’t like spicy .

[~primetime~]

I've leveled up my culinary skills tremendously over the last year...and I'm sure I'm not the only one. I think I've pretty much mastered the iron skillet...just like anything else it takes practice to really perfect. Lots of trial and error along the way. Some meats sear well, some things don't or are tricky. I can create amazing glazes, sauces, etc for meat. Sear a steak with some seared veggies and a nice marsala sauce over it all.

I'm an okay baker but making my own dough, bread?...I have not gotten to that yet. I did make a seafood pot pie that was amazing. Shrimp, lobster meat, crab meat, scallops in a cream sauce with peas and onions. But the dough I used was premade.



YouTube is an amazing tool for cooking...it is a lot easier to watch a chef create something step by step than it is to read a recipe and follow. Reading allows for misinterpretation, watching it in action, there is nothing to confuse. I've watched a lot of Gordon Ramsay.

simple tips for steak:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YIjWwZwlHQg

[rufuspaul]

I’ve been making a healthy but delicious dish:
Chuck beef, cut thinly
White onion Julianne slice
Tomatoes diced fresh
Potatoe is optional but am watching carbs so no go for me
Knerr beef bullion to season instead of salt
Chopped serrano peppers

Cook everything together, ideally you drop in stuff like tomatoes last bc they cook quicker. I think you’re supposed to let the tomatoes release their juice so it can reduce and combine all the flavors together. Idk much about cooking so I am ok with it tasting good. Usually just look for the onions to get some color and the serranos and tomatoes to wilt.

Served with pinto beans on the side and queso fresco as a garnish for the beans. Taste pretty damn good. I’d replace the serranos with jalapeños instead of you don’t like spicy .

So it's like a beef stew?

[rufuspaul]

I've leveled up my culinary skills tremendously over the last year...and I'm sure I'm not the only one. I think I've pretty much mastered the iron skillet...just like anything else it takes practice to really perfect. Lots of trial and error along the way. Some meats sear well, some things don't or are tricky. I can create amazing glazes, sauces, etc for meat. Sear a steak with some seared veggies and a nice marsala sauce over it all.

I'm an okay baker but making my own dough, bread?...I have not gotten to that yet. I did make a seafood pot pie that was amazing. Shrimp, lobster meat, crab meat, scallops in a cream sauce with peas and onions. But the dough I used was premade.



YouTube is an amazing tool for cooking...it is a lot easier to watch a chef create something step by step than it is to read a recipe and follow. Reading allows for misinterpretation, watching it in action, there is nothing to confuse. I've watched a lot of Gordon Ramsay.

simple tips for steak:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YIjWwZwlHQg


Nice. Got any tips for seasoning an iron skillet?

[~primetime~]

Nice. Got any tips for seasoning an iron skillet?

Not really, I just use flaxseed oil. Scrub it down with metal sponge, cover it in oil, bake the skillet at high temp for an hour.

[rawimpact]

The best method for making bread for me has been my wife's recipe (i'm sure she found it online somewhere) in the kitchenaid mixer with dough hook she throws in I believe equal parts of greek yogurt to self rising flour. Makes great pizza crust, bagels and dinner rolls and it couldn't be any easier.

[rufuspaul]

The best method for making bread for me has been my wife's recipe (i'm sure she found it online somewhere) in the kitchenaid mixer with dough hook she throws in I believe equal parts of greek yogurt to self rising flour. Makes great pizza crust, bagels and dinner rolls and it couldn't be any easier.

Cool. Gotta try that.

[rawimpact]

Cool. Gotta try that.

Best thing is that it doesnt take a day to prepare for it. No yeast = no proofing req.

[rufuspaul]

Best thing is that it doesnt take a day to prepare for it. No yeast = no proofing req.



https://thebigmansworld.com/2-ingredient-dough-recipe/


Looks good for bagels, pizza crust and flatbread.

[rufuspaul]

Not really, I just use flaxseed oil. Scrub it down with metal sponge, cover it in oil, bake the skillet at high temp for an hour.

Do you do that after each use or is that not necessary once it's initially seasoned?

[~primetime~]

Do you do that after each use or is that not necessary once it's initially seasoned?

I'd say I do that maybe once every couple months or so....I do rub a little flax oil on it with a paper towel after each use though

[highwhey]

So it's like a beef stew?

no...this is whatg its supposed to look like. it's called "bistec encebollado" except i add diced tomatoes to it and use beef bullion powder for seasoning instead of salt.

https://i.ytimg.com/vi/FSUbiTpJvGE/maxresdefault.jpg

[rufuspaul]

So here's the recipe for a muffuletta sandwich. The first time I had one of these bad boys was in New Orleans years ago. It's quite decadent but sometimes you gotta guild the lily.


1 round Italian loaf (recipe in the OP or buy one at the bakery)
olive salad (recipe below)
1/2 lb each Genoa salami, capicola, and mortadella. (get this from your supermarket deli)
sliced provolone cheese

For the olive salad:
1 cup each sliced green and kalamata olives
1/4 cup pickled vegetables, any kind, chopped
4 garlic cloves chopped
pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 cup roasted red peppers, chopped
2 tbs chopped fresh herbs (I use parsley and oregano)
2 tbs red wine vinegar
1/2 cup good olive oil

Mix all ingredients together and place in fridge for up to 3 weeks. Allow to come to room temp before assembling sandwich.


Cut the Italian loaf in half horizontally and pull out some of the soft interior with your hands to create room for the other ingredients.
On the bottom half spread an even layer of the olive salad.
Place a layer of provolone followed by a layer of salami and a layer of capicola.
One more layer of provolone followed by a layer of mortadella and finally top with another layer of the olive salad.
Place the other half of the Italian loaf on top and wrap with plastic wrap.

Now you want to weight the whole thing down for an hour. I use a cast iron skillet with a couple bricks or some heavy cans of tomatoes, etc.

After an hour unwrap the sandwich, cut into triangles and serve. You're welcome.

[AirBonner]

Usually just slow cook whatever. Today I’m doing a chuck roast with a spicy sauce I made out of chile guajillo, oregano, thyme, cinnamon and some other shit

[rufuspaul]

Usually just slow cook whatever. Today I’m doing a chuck roast with a spicy sauce I made out of chile guajillo, oregano, thyme, cinnamon and some other shit

Nice. Mississippi Pot Roast and Tortilla soup are the most common things I make in the slow cooker. I got an air fryer for Christmas and have had some fun with that lately.

[Street Hunger]

Pasta and bolognese sauce, with parmesan cheese sprinkled on top