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Delbert Ealy

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So while I was waiting for some of the aspects that involve just waiting, I took some of the smaller pieces of AEB-L and made a paring knife. 68-70MM blade, 170-173mm overall.
The prize for this contest will be a finished paring knife out of AEB-L or out of O-1.
Here is the contest;
Post a dinner recipe for me to make for my family.
Sounds easy right? Now come the rules, and you will see why its not.

The recipe must feed 6 adults and cost less that $25
The only protiens allowed are chicken, turkey, pork and beef, no organ meat, no seafood. No grilling(its too cold for grilling now)
No pepper, cinnamon, or mint and minimal salt.
A little heat(spicy heat) is ok, but not a lot.
No worstershire, and no teryaki.
No mushrooms, brussells sprouts, sweet potatoes.
Also please keep in mind that my primary experience is as a home cook, I was taught to cook by my mom, so go easy on any fancy cooking techniques.

All recipes will be reviewed by my wife, and the finalist recipes will be made by me and judged by her as well. Her favorite will be the winner of the paring knife.

I would like to say thanks in advance, I have 20 or so dinner recipes that we run through rotation, but I have not added a new one in 6 months or so.
Del

paring.jpg
 
Great prize and excellent way to come up with new recipes to use, hopefully you'll find a few suggestions worth trying out for the family.
 
Here's a recipe that's been in my family for over 25 years. Not sure where it came from, but it's usually a crowd pleaser. There are many variation that can be made from this with different garnishes, but I'll stick to the original.

Potato Soup:

1 Large Carrot Diced
1 Sweet Onion Diced
3 Stalks of Celery Diced
5-6 Russet Potatoes Cubed
4 Tablespoons of Vegetable Oil
Salt to taste
2 Spoonfulls of Sour Cream (equivalent of 6 measured Tablespoons)
2 Spoonfulls of "Chunky" Peanut Butter
4 Bay Leaves

In a 5-6 quart stock pot, heat oil to medium heat. Add Carrots and when they start to color, add onions. Once the onions start to turn translucent, add the celery, and cook until there is nice carmelization in the onions. Once the veggies have been cooked accordingly, add the peeled diced potatoes, Bay Leaves, and cover with water. Simmer until the potatoes are fork tender, and remove the bay leaves. Now, add the sour cream, and blend with a stick blender, or regular blender, until smooth. Then add salt to taste. Last, add the peanut butter, and stir until it has dissolved. Keep heated on low until ready to serve. Serve with Garlic bread.

Not the fanciest thing in the world, but it's a great soup for the cold days ahead. I probably won't win with all the fantastic cooks/chefs here, but I still hope your family tries/enjoys this.
 
As a teaching aid I have passed this to my daughter so she can learn recipe testing and budgeting, if she wins she gets another custom knife to add to Butch's gyuto :p (yes I will be jealous)
 
From an old southern living magazine, Chunky Potato Soup.
6 tablespoons butter.
1/2 cup AP flour
8 cups milk
4 cups peeled, chopped baking potato
1 cup minced onion
1.5 teaspoon salt
Optional garnishes - chives, cheddar cheese, crispy bacon.

Instructions -
Melt butter in a heavy saucepan over low heat; add flour, stirring until smooth. Cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Gradually stir in milk. Stir in potato and next 3 ingredients. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, 30 minutes or until mixture is thickened and potato is done. Garnish, if desired.
 
Here is one I do many variations of. Its always good. and I think your family will enjoy it.

HHH Cheesy chicken and rice casserole.

2 cups wild rice can substitute with white rice.
4 chicken breasts
1 lrg can cream of mushroom soup
1 jar cedar cheese sauce.
1/2 bag frozen veggies.
1 cup shredded cheddar
Minced onions
Italian seasoning
dried basil
salt

cook wild rice, by simmering in about 6 cups Seasoned water water for about 15 minutes. till soft. Season water with a pinch of dried basil, Italian seasoning, minced onions, and whatever else looks good at the moment. seasoned well. Then drain excess water off the rice.

cook chicken breasts, seasoned lightly with salt and Italian seasoning. Pan fried till juice runs clear. Remove from pan and cube then return to pan, added 1/2 cup warm water/ Stir and deglaze the pan making a thin sauce from the drippings.

stir in cream of mushroom soup, cedar cheese sauce. and frozen veggies.
Put this mix into a a 8X12 baking pan and cook in a 350* oven for 35 minutes then added the shredded cheddar cheese and cooked another 10 minutes.

Serve with bread and butter. and cold milk!! :) Enjoy.
 
I was cool, but restricted...until you got to the "fancy techniques" part. My meals are nothing if not overcomplicated.
 
I was cool, but restricted...until you got to the "fancy techniques" part. My meals are nothing if not overcomplicated.

John,
Post it anyway, as long as you aren't using liquid nitrogen, that stuff is only for the shop :viking:


You guys can see that my wifes list of restrictions is odd, neither of us have any real allergies(well, I can't do ranch dressing, but that stuff is evil anyway) but for some reason pepper and cinnamon give her real upset. Peppermint just pisses her off ;) It really makes it hard to go out to eat, in fact at our second anniversary, she asks me not to take her out anymore, but for me to cook for her. I took this as a compliment of my ability, but it also means that I have to cook on our anniversary, or eat her idea of spaghetti.
Del
 
Del, what type of food do you guys typically like? I have a few things in mind, but they range from Moroccan or Middle Eastern inspired to more "American".
 
Hmm, I have to admit I never really thought about how often I use cinnamon until reading this. Turns out it's quite a lot.

Del, should the recipes be a 1-dish dinner type of thing, or can we create a dinner by putting together a couple of smaller dishes, so long as they meet all the other requirements?
 
Mine:

Pork chops (2 kg) - fry em lightly in a pan, and cut them into half size. Put it in a cast iron pot (I use this one: http://www.heals.co.uk/oven-to-tabl...serole-dish-assorted-colours/invt/roundmulti/) put a layer of large pieces of carrots and onion. Pour some broth over and set in oven 150 celcius for 3 hours. Boil some potatoes in own casserole and serve :)

Ingridiens: prorkchops, carrots and onion + potetoes. Salt and spice of own taste :)
Takes 5 minutes to make the pot, then you can hang around doing whatever you want for 3 hours .)

Any leftover can be warmed up later with even more great taste :)
 
Ok, my entry comes from Food&Wine and it is quick (about 20 minutes). A few years back the magazine had a 30th anniversary issue and listed their 30 best fast recipes from their three decades of issues. It is nothing particularly fancy, but it has become my go-to recipe when I want something quick and tasty. The recipe is from Nigel Slater.

I often dial up or down the heat if I serve this for people who can't handle the heat. You can replace hot italian sausage with sweet or mild italian and adjust the crushed red peppers -- but I like the heat. Here is the recipe link, and I have reproduced it below too.

1 pound penne or medium shells
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
8 hot Italian sausages, meat removed from casings and crumbled (about 1 1/2 pounds)
3/4 cup dry white wine
3/4 cup heavy cream
3 tablespoons grainy mustard
Pinch of crushed red pepper
1 cup thinly sliced basil

Cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until al dente; drain. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large, deep skillet. Add the sausage meat and brown over moderately high heat, about 5 minutes. Add the wine and simmer, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom, until reduced by half, about 5 minutes. Add the cream, mustard and crushed red pepper and simmer for 2 minutes. Remove the skillet from the heat, add the pasta and basil and toss to coat. Serve at once.

k.
 
Hmm, I have to admit I never really thought about how often I use cinnamon until reading this. Turns out it's quite a lot.

Del, should the recipes be a 1-dish dinner type of thing, or can we create a dinner by putting together a couple of smaller dishes, so long as they meet all the other requirements?

Either one would be OK, I do a lot of 1-dish, but have a few multi-dishes.
Del
 
Del, what type of food do you guys typically like? I have a few things in mind, but they range from Moroccan or Middle Eastern inspired to more "American".

My wife leans toward italian-american, but I would love some more variety. I would love to see some middle eastern or moroccan food,but most of the recipes I have seen have lamb or mutton, which is a no for my wife. I grew up on meat and potatoes, but the meals I typically make contain meat, but it is not the main focus.
Del
 
:hungry:Beef(or chicken) Korean Bulgogi lettuce wraps.:knife:


OK, cant decide between the two so I'm going with both! chicken or beef whichever you prefer.

Ingredients:
1.5 lbs, Rib eye or eye of round(fattier cuts any will do.)
or 4 chicken breast

4 tbl sp, soy sauce(light colored soy)

peanut oil(required for cooking)

1 tbl sp, sesame oil

2 limes

1 tbl sp, 2 tea sp brown sugar

1 tbl sp, garlic, minced

2 tea sp, ginger minced

1 tbl sp, sake(or white wine if you prefer)

salt to taste

Sides:
Jasmine rice, maybe 2 cups?

Bibb lettuce

Kimchi if you want

1. Trim exterior fat from beef(Or get all the blood spots off the chicken) slice of VERY thin strips on a bias of the protiene you chose.
2. Pat the brown sugar onto the beef(or chicken) let sit in the fridge for 20 minutes.
3. mix together soy sauce, sesame oil, garlic, ginger, sake, limes and as much salt as you prefer.
4. drain the liquid from the beef(or chicken) and add to the Marinate made in step 3, don't worry about the sugar on the beef just yet. let marinate for 20 minutes. When you add the beef kind of massage it in a little so it all gets homogenized etc...
5. dry off as much as the marinate as you can, if need be use a tiny bit of water, if you leave too much of the marinate on they will char because of the high sugar content.
6. Flip over your favorite cast iron skillet and scrub it till its clean as a whistle. place it on the burner upside down and let it get screaming hot. get a paper town and brush on peanut oil an add the protein 3-4 at a time, they cook in about 15 seconds per side tops(remember they are super thin). Also scrub the crap out of your skillet in between the raw and cooked Bulgogi because it will pick up the char from the previous session.
7. once all is made serve with jasmine rice and bibb lettuce, also if you want(I know you said not a lot of spicy) you can serve with kimchi as well, its spicy fermented nappa cabbage, sounds nasty but its delicious. you may have to go to a korean market for it.


Well, this is my entry, healthy Korean wraps. I doubt its too complicated for you! If you got any questions just PM me.:razz:
 
Ok I'll offer this, despite the fact that I kinda hate recipes:

Burgers!

This is a favorite at my house. We serve them with French Fried Russets(friend twice, of course, in corn oil), and Apple Cider.

-------------------------------------------------

Chuck Eye Steaks, whole
Buns--My favorite is an onion bun, but any bun you like will do, just don't get the Mrs. Bairds stuff that turns to glue in your mouth.
celery
red onion
McClure's pickles
a little cilantro
mushroom salt(my local grocer carries bulk porcini salt, but it's whatever)
condiment(s).

1. Finely chop up tomato, pickle, red onion, cilantro and celery. Scoop into a bowl, keep it in the fridge.
1. Let the meat reach room temp on the counter, in the package. Do not be afraid. If you are bold enough to leave it open in the fridge for 2 days to age, more power to you.
2. Slice the chuck steaks as thin as you possible can. Then cut them into strips as thin as you possibly can. Then chop them as thin as you possibly can. Then mince the meat, on the board with your knife. Do not trim off fat, connective tissue, etc.
3. You don't want to smash the patties! But by mincing the beef, you won't be able to, so you can kinda treat them normally, and be rougher than I usually advocate.
4. Get a skillet going, preferably cast iron, about 6 out of ten. Not ripping hot, but not medium.
5. While holding the burger patty in one hand, sprinkle mushroom salt on the patty at the very last second.
6. slap it on the griddle. Don't smash, move, or touch it. Do the others that fit.
7. When it's browned about 3/4 of the way up and looks stable to flip, sprinkle salt on that uncooked side, and flip gently. Now is time for cheese, if you like. Aged Cheddar.
8. When they are done, put them on a plate to rest in the oven, just to avoid drafts. They are resting, not cooling.
9. Toast the buns in the skillet the burgers were in(after draining the fat, of course), put your mustard or whatever you like on the bun to keep moisture out. Patty on bottom, then the relish, then the top bun.
 
How about some thai food?

My recipe for Pad Thai:

The sauce:

Thai Tamarind Paste 200 gm
Water 700 ml
Palm Sugar 225 gm
White Sugar 135 gm
Thai Fish Sauce (Nam Pla) 90 gm
Oil

1. Boil 1/2 of the the water and put the tamarind paste into the water. Remove from heat.
2. Stir and make sure the tamarind paste is completely dissolved, leaving only the seeds.
3. Strain and discard the seeds.
4. Add the palm sugar to the tamarind water. You can microwave the palm sugar slightly to make it softer and easier to dissolve.
5. Add the remaining ingredients and the water to cool the mixture down.
This is the sauce that you can use to fry your pad thai. Will keep for a week in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

For serving:

Flat rice noodles
Crushed peanuts
Chinese Chives
Coriander
Chilli Flakes
Eggs
Oil
Lime

1. Soak the flat rice noodles till they become opaque.
2. In a hot pan/wok add some oil and crack in 2 eggs, stirring quickly to break them up.
3. Without lowering the heat, add the rice noodles. ( Your pan/wok has to be hot or else the noodles WILL stick to it)
4. Tossing it around, add about 50 ml of the sauce that you have prepared. Make sure the noodles are well coated with the sauce and have absorbed it, becoming brownish in colour.
5. Add the Chinese chives, crushed peanuts, chilli flakes.
6. Serve, Garnished with coriander, more crushed peanuts, chilli flakes, 1/2 a lime (to squeeze onto into the noodle before eating) and some sugar.
~Time taken to fry the pad thai should not exceed 2-3 mins flat.
~Heat is always on high.
~Amount of sauce added is a rough estimate and should be adjusted according to taste and amount of noodles frying.
~Best if a wok is used.
~Chinese Chives can be replaced with the green part of scallions/spring onions
~Noodles should be soaked in room temperature water (about 30 Celsius)
~Some brands of palm sugar, especially those sold in plastic tubs, usually have a layer of wax on to which have to be scrapped off.
~All of the ingredients can be found in an Asian Supermarket.
~The above recipe is based on ingredients that I am using here in Singapore. Some ingredients may differ in taste/texture etc and can/should be adjusted to suit your palate.
~For any further questions, please feel free to PM me.

Cheers!!
 
Alright, here is a staff meal favorite of mine scaled down.

For the Chicken:
4ea Chicken thighs
2C white onion large dice
2ea Carrots, large dice
8ea Cloves of garlic, root end clipped off
1/2C picholine olives, pitted and chopped
1C White Wine
1TB Dijon Mustard
1/2C Chicken Stock
3ea Sprig of Thyme
1/2ts Crushed Red pepper
1TB whole butter

Method:
1. Season chicken with a little salt.
2.In a dutch oven or high sided skillet brown the chicken. Reserve the fat.
3.Add whole butter to pan and saute garlic and onion, and carrot for about 2 minutes.
4.Add wine, olives, mustard and crushed red pepper, reduce wine until almost dry.
5.Return chicken to pan, add stock, and thyme making sure to bury the chicken under veggies. Cover and place in a 325 oven for one hour.

For the Rice:

1C white rice
1C chicken stock
2ts salt(optional dependent on the stock)
1TB onion small dice

1. In the reserved fat from the chicken saute the onion in a small sauce pan
2. Add rice and toast for about 2 minutes stirring constantly
3.add stock and salt
4. bring to a boil, stir once, cover tightly, turn off heat and walk away
In an hour when the chicken is done the rice will be done take a fork and fluff it
Eat and enjoy.
 
Spent half an hour on my phone painfully entering in a recipe only to lose internet connection when I hit the post button. FML
 
Spent half an hour on my phone painfully entering in a recipe only to lose internet connection when I hit the post button. FML

Man that really sucks, I had that happen once here on the computer only it was a power outage, just a flicker. Now I save any long posts as files copy and paste.

Hermes7792,
I am planning to leave this open for a couple of weeks at least, and after discussing this with my wife we have decided to allow up to 3 entries per person.
Thanks,
Del
 
Hey del,

Do you do raw food? I made some killer ceveche today I may submit :biggrin: I can link a pic of it if you want, its a semi spicy tangy marinate.
 
Hey del,

Do you do raw food? I made some killer ceveche today I may submit :biggrin: I can link a pic of it if you want, its a semi spicy tangy marinate.

I like it,but the wife does not, she orders everything well done ;)
 
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