The TFP Cookbook
 

Everyone contribute one recipe, try to do something that no one else has... something realistic for moderate level cook but still something special...


??


Im going to go away and think about my contribution!

You never know, it might get published!

This is a great idea.

This is a recipe of Gordon Ramsay's that I use on a regular basis. It creates a creamy tomato sauce base that is quite simple to make. Although the recipe doesn't call for it, I like to slice all the cherry tomatoes in half to speed the release of their juices. You can also vary it by adding some sauteed onions at the beginning or some calamata olives at the end. Play with flavours. The only part I would leave alone is the tomatoes and cream. Just remember to season it and taste it before you serve to make sure it's right.

Huevos Rancheros. Easy, fast, and good.

Refried beans. You can use the canned ones. I like the ones with green chiles mixed in. Put a small dollop of bacon fat on top and heat them in the microwave. Stir when they're warm.

Cook an egg, over hard (also in bacon fat so you get the edges nice and crispy)

Place a corn tortilla on the plate. Cover with a layer of beans. Put the egg on top of that. Add shredded cheddar cheese. Put in microwave, heat until the cheese is melted. Top with salsa. That's it. Serve some beans on the side. Also a strip or two of bacon. The whole thing takes maybe 10 minutes to do.

Cornish Game Hen in Apricot Preserves

1 cornish game hen, thawed or fresh
apricot preserves
honey
olive oil
kosher salt
pepper

Preheat the oven at 375. Clean your bird, rub it down with olive oil, and put a pinch of salt and pepper on it. Put it in the oven for about 40 minutes. At the 40 minute mark, pull it out and cover the hen liberally in the preserves. Try to get most of the bird covered. Put a bit of honey on there, too. I know people like having specific amounts, but no two people like the same amount of sweet to savory ratio. You'll have to figure out your favorite amount. Put it back in the oven for about 20 minutes. Let it cool for about 15 minutes and then eat it with your hands.

Yes, your hands. You've not lived until you've had cornish game hen sans silverware. Just have a second plate for bones and a few paper towels.

my fall back lentil dish - easy, cheap, healthy, what more could you want in a meal?

fry up a diced red onion, 2 cloves garlic, and about an inch of ginger in olive oil (all measurements are to taste. if you want more of one thing, add it, if you want less, use less). (if you are not a vegetarian, you could start with a strip of diced bacon, fry till crispy, then add the onion, garlic, and ginger. pork always goes good with lentils, but for vegetarians, you don't need it)

add scant 1/2 cup of lentils (i like the orange ones, they tend to come out sweeter, but you can use brown), turmeric, and chile powder, sautee for a minute.

add 1 1/4 cup water (or chicken stock if you arnt a vegetarian and you happen to have it) and salt to taste.

Simmer about 40 minutes, until lentils are tender and liquid is absorbed. if they are still a bit "al dente" add more liquid.

you could also add some chopped spinach if you want to buff it out a bit.

its a great side (or main if you serve with

mmmmmmmmm I love lentils. I need to try this one. Thanks for adapting the recipe for veggie-friendliness :thumbsup:

Seems I don't have to worry anymore about starting that thread we talked about, eh genuinegirly; I knew if I waited long enough, someone else would land upon my idea.


Well, to give this one a bit new life in this nice 'n fresh thread, here's a dessert I adore: verbatim.

Super easy recipe here - no excuse for you not to try it!

This is a DELICIOUS spread you can use on salmon, pork chops, portobello mushrooms - anything really:

3 oz. - cream cheese, softened
3/4 c - crumbled feta cheese
1/2 c - chopped spinach (I use baby spinach)
handful of shredded mozzarella cheese

Mix cream cheese, feta and spinach together, carefully mixing in spinach last (otherwise spread will turn green.) You can then do pretty much whatever you want with it:

- Fry pork chops. Spread on chop and top with mozzarella. Put in oven until mozz is melted.
- Spread on pork chops. Top with mozz and bake until chops are done.
- Spread on salmon. Top with mozz and bake until salmon is done.
- Spread in portobello. Top with mozz and bake until cheese is melted.

***Depending on what I'm making, I just eyeball my ingredients - don't bother measuring. If you do make too much (I don't think it's possible lol because this stuff is SO good,) just put in fridge to use later on a salad or something.

Okay, so my sister is using her severance package (yes she worked at the GM truck plant in Oshawa Ontario) to start her own business. She is opening a Cafe (selling coffee and baked goods, breakfasts, sandwiches and trying to become a destination location for organic and celiac diets) on the Old Scugog road, just south of Port Perry - for those who have local geo - knowledge.

In order to start up, she sent out a Survey Monkey questionaire as to what baked goods to create & sell.

Can anybody guess what the number one response was?

BUTTER TARTS.
Yup.

Apparantly distinctly Canadian: Butter tart - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia



So, I said I would try my hand at this, found a recipe out of the Best of Bridge cook book (note: the Joy of Cooking has no recipe for butter tarts!! Scandal!!) and cooked some up last night. I found them to be a bit on the sweet side, so may reduce the sugar content by 1 third for my next attempt. Also, the filling was not quite as runny as I prefer, so I may reduce the eggs by one as well. I'll try fiddling with one ingrediant at a time.


Here's the (dead simple) recipe. Please try for a tastey, addictive treat:

1/3 cup butter
1 1/2 cups of brown sugar
3 eggs
1 tsp grated lemon rind
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup raisins (or cranberries - but raisins are better - next time I will soak the raisins in rum first)

- cream sugar & butter in a mixer bowl
- add eggs one at a time while still mixing
- when creamy smooth, add lemon rind, raisins and vanilla and mix in.

For ease of use, buy frozen tart shells. the recipe says enough for 36, but I only filled 24 (2 boxes) tart shells

- bake in a 375 (F) degree oven for 12 to 15 minutes



The mark of a classic butter tart is a home-made pastry shell. this is beyond my ability at the moment.

Some varients include the addition of distinctly Canadian items as: shredded coconut, macadamia nuts, pecans (pronounced Pee-Cans in the local dialect) drizzled chocolate.



TRY THESE! YOU WONT REGRET IT! You may even end up buying a toque and a 2-4 after this....




I realize that a picture is worth a thousand words. Voila:

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d1...ts2_thumb2.jpg


http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d1...ts-noflash.jpg

Love Butter Tarts. You just don't get them here. My daughter's school does a UN week and the kids are bring food and dress as they would in the various nations they all come from... I made butter tarts for her to bring in for the class.

I will have to try this recipe.

Oh, thank you Leto. That was one of perhaps three desserts I was thinking of late last night, but I just couldn't quite put a name to them.

I think one of the others was dulce de leche, and the last sweet treat might haunt my dreams tonight, but in a good way (but ultimately wrack my mind trying to recall the name).

Here's an after dinner drink/dessert we made at a restaurant I worked in another lifetime ago:
3 scoops vanilla ice cream
1 oz. each kahlua, dark creme de cacoa and brandy.
Blend all together and enjoy.
The name of the drink is a Whaler but can be called a Keoke shake.

Southwest Style Meatloaf
 

Southwest Style Meatloaf

3 eggs
1/2 cup ketchup
2 tbsp. mustard
1 tbsp. worchestershire sauce
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. basil
1/4 cup beef broth

1 cup green bell pepper, diced
1/2 cup tomato, diced
1/2 cup yellow onion, diced

1/3 cup seasoned breadcrumbs
2 lbs. lean ground beef

Start by mixing together everything except tomato, onion, pepper, breadcrumbs and beef. When thoroughly mixed it should appear vaguely like barbeque sauce. Next add the tomato, pepper and onion followed by the beef and breadcrumbs. mix everything together very thoroughly and form into a loaf. Place backing dish in preheated oven at 350 for 80 minutes. I usually put mine on a roasting pan to let the grease drain off.