Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with food and recipes

Lung-Health Measures

moorooka — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 18:54:34 -0800

Why doesn't my cannabutter work? Actually it's not mine... it's a friend's.

Anyway, there's lots of recipes out there, but this friend needs some reliable instructions. First time, he just chucked it in the pot, let it simmer, and then poured it into a dish and let it settle in the fridge overnight, leading to the most unexpectedly potent stonage of all time! But when trying to replicate this using the exact same simple procedure, the butter was a dud (I mean, tasted equally shite, but no effect). What happened? Is there a certain temperature that kills the active ingredients, or a certain length of time or what? It can be pretty annoying when you waste a big bagfull like this. Or so I've heard. Any special cannabutter secrets, or directions to fail-safe, idiot-proof recipes, will be appreciated.

Anyone have some vegetarian Tagine recipes?

mizike — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 13:24:29 -0800

Hi all; so my parents bought be a nice le creuset tagine for xmas, but I'm not quite sure what to use it for as a vegetarian. I'm sure I could make something like ratatouille but I'd really like to try some recipes that are specifically meant for a tagine and am getting the impression that lamb and chicken are going to feature prominantly in most of the recipes I find online. To that end, can anyone recommend some vegetarian tagine cookbooks?

Recommend a cookbook that features recipes with many different grains and legumes.

gregb1007 — Sun, 20 Dec 2009 08:04:07 -0800

Recommend a cookbook that features recipes with many different grains and legumes. I am looking for a cookbook whose recipes make use of many different grains beyond rice, legumes, and vegetables as well. (Reason: When I buy a grain, I want specific recipes for it instead of referring to rice recipes and using it as a substitute.)

However, to clarify, it doesn't have to be vegetarian since I am not looking to exclude meat from my recipes. But it would be great if the cookbook did have a vegetarian slant to it, focusing more on legumes than on meats. (Example: I'd prefer a recipe that calls for chickpeas rather than for chicken.)

All I want for Christmas is...two butt cheeks

bilabial — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 21:01:56 -0800

Ravenously hungry in the middle of the night, lazy, and bored with my known options. Also: eating plenty in the daylight. Bonus round: I'm poor. I've been adding some physical activity to my life. 10 - 20 minutes of bike riding, 2-4 days a week. I got the brilliant idea that building some upper body strength would improve my confidence, so I went to a rock climbing gym. Which I love. I'll be going back (the confidence? I brought some of it home from the gym! It doesn't even smell bad!).

But. I'm already to small for the regular adult harness. I eat nearly all day long - nuts, fruit, cheese ravioli, ice cream when it's BOGO at Publix. I try to drink juice instead of water (again, I stock up at sales) and I just started making alcoholic drinks with I syrup, limes, and seltzer.

Oatmeal with whole milk for breakfast. Eggs. Plenty of bacon (on sale a lot! I have 2 packs in the freezer!), fruit, and fresh veggies in my diet.

I carry candy bars everywhere when if remember to look for them cheap - bags of Baby Ruth bars were on sale last week.

I live alone, so buying bread is not cost effective, especially as even when toasted, previously frozen bread is...ick.
Protein shakes are expensive, the stuff made with powder requires lots of willpower (to be less polite, that shit is nasty) and I really think eating is fun. I don't want my unconceived children to ever see me choking down something I clearly don't enjoy.
Help me improve my lifestyle, not just find a quick fix. Exercise depletes my calories quickly. Before I added the climbing 2 days ago I was down 10 pounds below my comfort level. If I can't stem this tide, I'll have to quit climbing. (also, I got a package deal with a harness that's too big. If I keep going with this I need to sell it and buy one that fits, but I'm not investing until Im pretty sure I can sustain it.)

Metafilter, fatten me up. Delicious beans and rice recipes that feature
lard? Yes please. Websites for reaaly good grocery coupons on junk food I can eat at home? (I like doritoes, and ice cream, but sadly I often prefer more natural choices. Butter is natural though...) I'd like things I can prepare ahead, that might freeze well (or not), some things that require little prep - adding calories to a hot dog? I'm game.

My bloodwork is good, you are not my doctor, and I am not asking for medical advice.i

Spectacular Japanese Vegetarian Feast!

Cygnet — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 12:21:47 -0800

My family isn't doing presents this year. Instead, each of us will cook a spectacular feast for the others during the upcoming holiday break. I want to cook a Japanese feast!! Difficulty: must be vegetarian. I'm really really excited about this. I have some experience attempting traditional Japanese food - I've done pickled cabbage, carrots and plums, onigiri, vegetarian soba broth (with kombu), sushi, and hand-made udon noodles. I'm looking for more suggestions of awesome vegetarian Japanese food that will be totally delicious and beautiful to look at.

I'd enjoy trying to make my feast as traditional as possible (I know it's impossible to make it 100% authentic). What makes for a complete Japanese meal? Should I serve green tea with dinner, and if so, what kind? Table decorations? Any other suggestions?

I will have lots of free time to prepare the food, so, short of recipes that take days to ferment or pickle or whatever, I'm up for anything. I have access to a great co-op that sells some Asian vegetables and condiments, but I may not be able to purchase something that's really only grown in Asia - I don't know of any Asian markets in rural VT where my family lives!

Lastly, I know that dashi containing bonito flakes is much-used in Japanese cooking, and no, I will not be using it, or any other product containing fish (or any other meat). Sorry!

What are some local specialties that I don't know about?

achmorrison — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 13:22:19 -0800

I am looking for foods (dishes, sandwiches, entrees, desserts, salads, whatever...) that are unique to a particular region. For example, many people have heard of Philly cheese steaks, Maryland crab cakes, and Chicago-style deep dish pizza. But, I'm interested in learning about lesser known (or well known to some, but not me) dishes.

For example, in central Illinois there is a sandwich called the horseshoe which made with the bottom of hamburger bun, then a meat (usually hamburger patty, ham or turkey) topped with french fries and slathered in nacho cheese sauce.

Another example is the "loose meat sandwich" which is popular in certain parts of Iowa. The most well known example of this sandwich is made by a restaurant chain called Maid-Rite.

I really want to know about the dish itself and the region that it is popular in.

Thanks!

Rabbit recipes?

biffa — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 10:13:25 -0800

My very local farmer's market has started to sell cheap rabbits. Please recommend your most delicious recipes. They come skinned put in one piece. I welcome all suggestions but would be particularly delighted to see recipes outside the casserole and stew paradigm.

Spam fried rice, egg fried rice, sausage fried rice...

arianell — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 19:43:06 -0800

What are some recipes I can make with leftover jasmine rice? So, for reasons too complex to elaborate on, I have a TON of leftover white rice in my refrigerator (~12 cups). I know I can make many, many kinds of fried rice with it, but what other dishes make good use of cold cooked rice? I'd appreciate specific recipes, as well as ideas for general techniques.

Great dish for a Thanksgiving potluck?

miskatonic — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 18:34:13 -0800

Help me think of something delicious to bring to a Thanksgiving potluck. As you might expect, there are a few limitations. This will be for a fairly sizable group - let's say 40 to be safe - so it needs to be something that's easy to make in large quantities. Additionally, and probably most problematically, I can't guarantee I'll be able to heat anything or keep it cold on site, and we won't be eating until we've been at the venue for at least three or four hours. Other people mostly have the sweets and desserts covered, so I'd like to avoid those.

So I need something savory I can make a lot of and which will be tasty and safe to serve at room temperature. So far the only idea I have is something bready, but straight-up cornbread seems too dull. Any other suggestions?

help me use my cranberry sauce

acidic — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 12:41:51 -0800

What can I make using a can of jellied cranberry sauce that not only doesn't involve a turkey, but doesn't involve an oven or (most) cheese? I have two cans that are expiring in a few days. Turkey is hard to come by in my country and I don't have an oven. I can find mediocre cheese: cheddar, grated white pizza, brie, camembert. I can make ricotta and goat cheese. I have pots, pans, a grill, and a blender. I looked at this question but most recipes didn't fit my constraints. However, the smoothie idea was intriguing-- what flavors would it pair well with? I do have a loaf of pumpkin bread, so I'd appreciate non-turkey sandwich ingredients.

Momma always told me food tastes better when someone else makes it...

coppermoss — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 17:25:46 -0800

Help me get my head straight about cooking! It's not that I don't like it, per se... I'm not exactly wild about it, though. I have a very few recipes I'm comfortable making, because I know they're going to turn out well. These include spaghetti sauce (for real, not from a jar), macaroni and cheese (again, for real, not from a box), salade nicoise, roast chicken, bean burritos, pasta carbonara, and risotto. I don't like trying new recipes because I don't know if they're going to be good, and it seems like a waste to spend all that time cooking only to discover that your efforts have been in vain. I'm afraid to cook without a recipe, because I totally lack creativity when it comes to food. I don't know what tastes go well together, for example.

My roommate is a total foodie, and he does most to all of our cooking. On nights that I cook, he usually comes up with the meal plan. Most days, he'll ask me what I want for dinner, and I can't even begin to think of anything.

In the next couple of years, I'm planning on moving in with my boyfriend, who also likes to cook but isn't as fond of it as my current roommate is. I want to expand my repertoire and boost my cooking confidence by the time we move in together, so the labor is more equally divided. (Yes, I know I'm thinking about this waaaay far in advance, but it's also not the sort of thing that resolves itself overnight, is it?)

How do I become more creative in the kitchen? Since I think a large part of my mental block about cooking is a confidence issue ("But what if it's gross?"), how do I become more confident about cooking? For you people who know by 2 PM what you want to eat in 6 or 7 hours, how do you know? What's the thought process that accompanies that realization? Most of all, how do I get over this enormous reluctance to cook anything more complicated than a fried egg for dinner?

Thanks, guys.

What is delicious in a cold tortilla wrap?

Lorc — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 13:19:53 -0800

What is delicious in a cold tortilla wrap? Other than chicken. I've discovered that tortilla wraps make for a great sandwich alternative for a packed lunch. So far my ideas have all been chicken-centric and I think I've run that particular meat into the ground.

What else could I do? Duck might be tasty , but it's such a pain to cook. Would strips of steak work (and if so what with)? I'm open to vegetarian options too.

porco eccittato just does not sound tasty delicous

Wavelet — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 22:10:37 -0800

So, we have been invited to a party which celebrates 100 years of Italian Futurism... and I am not sure what kind of food to bring. Guests have been charged with bringing something from (or inspired by) the Futurist Cookbook. I've read this synopsis of the Futurist Cookbook recipes, and to be honest, nothing is jumping out as particularly yummy. What are your suggestions for futuristic Italian food which don't involve stuffing a chicken with ball bearings?

Where can I find a database of cookbook indexes?

chefscotticus — Sat, 03 Oct 2009 09:13:28 -0800

Where can I find a database of cookbook indexes? Is there a website that contains a recipe directory for printed cookbooks?

I own lots of cookbooks. It's annoying to have to look through each individiual index, however, when I'm looking for a recipe for a common dish. Is there a website, or other service, that has a searchable collection of what recipes can be found in what cookbooks? (Note, I'm not looking for the recipes themselves, but instead a collective, searchable index.)

NOTE: I posed this question to the internet two years ago and didn't get any responses. Now, with my recent discovery of the AMAZING Delicious Library media cataloging tool, I'm inspired to find a new solution. Bonus if it can plug-in with my Delicious Library catalog of cookbooks. (Fat chance, I know...)

Bali Ha'i

netbros — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 17:27:21 -0800

Every time I go to a Polynesian restaurant [all too rarely] I love the food. Please help me prepare some of these dishes at home. Unfortunately where I live now there aren't any Polynesian restaurants. So, if I want to enjoy these fabulous tastes and flavors I will have to do it myself. Please share your favorite Polynesian recipes with me, or recommend good Polynesian cookbooks. Thank you in advance. My palate will love you.

Why do even the most banal grocery staples have suggested recipes on them?

dmd — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 17:17:22 -0800

Why do even the most banal grocery staples have suggested recipes on them? Even things like sugar, salt, butter, etc. always seem to have a 'suggested recipe' printed on it. Is this just lack of anything else to fill the space, or might there be some law/taxation-status issue?

Beyond pumpkin pie, cider and turkey - your favorite autumn party recipes?

librarianamy — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 06:26:17 -0800

Autumn is almost here where I live! Tell me your favorite autumn party recipes, with some restrictions listed inside. I will be the hostess of a small (less than 15) gathering of friends in a few weeks. By then, autumn will be in full swing here (Western PA in late Oct-early Nov), and I'd like to have a seasonally themed and delicious menu.

Our monthly gatherings usually include one large main dish, a variety of finger-food-esque or salad-ish sides, some snacks, and at least one dessert. And drinks. Both alcoholic and non.

The restrictions are that one of the group has celiac's and at least two others are doing South Beach. So wheat is an issue, though I do have access to a great gluten free bakery, if I had to.

Food to remember a father by

Kerasia — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 04:42:37 -0800

Since my FiL died, me and my good-cookin' fella have been reliving the Czech food of his childhood. While he remembers most of the dishes he has forgotten many of the recipes his old man used. Feed our imagination please and give us your best Czech recipes. Vaclav was from the north near the Polish border so southern Polish recipes are also welcome. Yum and thanks.

I love you, fresh egg

chalbe — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 08:34:01 -0800

What cooking secrets take your food to the almost-pro level? I love food; making it, reading about it, eating it. I already do a few basics, like shopping the NYC Union Square farmers' market, using fresh leafy herbs and garlic, squeezing lemon juice, cooking meat the right temperature, adding enough salt + pepper, grating Parmigiano-Reggiano, etc. Even so, my cooking still tastes a little flat and two-dimensional.

What practices or ingredients do you use to elevate your cooking? Spice mixes? Marinades? I prefer answers that skew towards the complex-but-tasty and avoid processed goods. Bonus points if you are a professional cook or culinary school student.

To get us started, here are some ideas I've been wanting to try:
- Making brown veal stock and remoullage, for braising and sauces
- Making yogurt from scratch milk + starter
- Making herbed butter and herb-infused oils

Eggplant ideas needed.

hilaritas — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 14:02:41 -0800

What are your favorite eggplant recipes? I have a bag of smallish purple eggplants, maybe slightly bigger than Thai eggplants. How should I cook them? Although I love eggplant parmesan, I'd like something slightly more interesting. I also love baigan bharta, but that seems hard to do well given my level of cooking expertise. I tend to prefer Asian flavors when I cook and I have access to a well stocked Asian market and a decent Indian one, too. What should I make?

I really need a lot more butter in my diet

martens — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 11:26:49 -0800

Tell me some simple, delicious recipes that are thickened by a roux. So, I was making a gravy from the pan drippings of a roasted chicken the other day, and I decided to use a roux instead of just flour to thicken it. I was stunned by the depth of flavor that the roux added to the sauce, and I basically wanted to ditch the chicken althogether and just eat a big bowl of gravy.

I am now very curious to find other dishes that employ this wonderful technique, preferabbly ones that involve slightly less commitment than a gumbo. Bonus points for cheap recipes that can be made in large batches and freeze well.

please give me your summer squash recipes

mustcatchmooseandsquirrel — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 17:57:54 -0800

I have 20 pounds (or more) of summer squash. What do I do with it? My CSA had extra summer squash (both crookneck and pattypan) that nobody else wanted, so I gave it a good home. Concurrently, my boyfriend acquired three giant zucchinis. Our refrigerator is about to burst. I need to cook something.

I read the askme thread on pickling it, which I'm not really into (kitchen has little enough room as it is), I made a squashy pasta sauce two nights ago, I made scrambled eggs and squash last night, am making zucchini bread tonight, making crookneck squash gratin tomorrow night, and after that I just don't know.

I have cast iron pans, a gas range and oven, and very little refrigerator space. Also, I am hosting an international potluck Saturday, so exotic globe-trotting recipes that would go over well at a potluck would be very useful.

What can I make with all of this squash?

PS: Anyone in the Syracuse area? I have some squash for you.

self medicating with Mexican food

nuclear_soup — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 10:52:05 -0800

My previously dormant love of guacamole has recently been reawakened. I. CAN'T. GET. ENOUGH. But what to do with it beside slathering on tortilla chips and burritos (and, ok, I admit, sometimes a spoon)? Any suggestions and recipes would be appreciated.

The food that defines your state is?

bigmusic — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 18:36:35 -0800

What is the one dish that is quintessential to your state? When I say [North Dakoda, New York...] you say?

What is this amazing eggplant dish?

shewhoeats — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 03:33:38 -0800

Tried an amazing eggplant dish on the weekend - no idea what it was. Help me find the recipe so I can make it at home! I went to a local market over the weekend and picked up some salads from the Lebanese/Morroccan/Turkish stand (there was no sign, so I'm not sure which particular region it was from). One of the salads was a room temperature eggplant mush of some kind, and it was absolutely amazing. It wasn't babaganoush, as it was too tomato-y. I couldn't pick out any other distinct flavours - there were spices, but I'm not sure what, and pureed/smushed eggplant and tomatoes.

Anyone have any idea what it might have been? It was absolutely amazing, and I can't get the taste of it out of my head!