Home Cooking - Humanities Message Board

One reason I like making those at home is that they are easy and quick to make.
I sometimes do homemade popcorn too. It's easy to make and cooked in olive oil with salt it tastes gorgeous.

Reply #1. Feb 03 18, 2:55 AM

I have a favourite home made pizza recipe too. It's quite thick crust from home made dough, spread with squashed tinned tomatoes, oregano, black pepper, fried onions, mushrooms, and bell pepper, all covered with cheddar cheese and sprinkled with olive oil.
You'll have noticed it's a vegetarian one. I've gone off meat on pizza except for ham occasionally. I think I ate too many pepperoni pizzas when younger. Can't look at them now.

I'd love to hear about other people's home cooking favourites.

Sometimes it makes me hungry just reading posts on the hobbies page.

Reply #2. Feb 03 18, 3:03 AM

I myself am no cook, but I'm lucky my family has some great cooks!

My grandma made me awesome chicken paprikash, one of the best homemade foods I've ever had.
My sister makes great artichoke dip we dip tortilla chips in. She's queen of dips, as she makes a cheese/hot sauce/cream cheese one and one with meat, cheese, and salsa. She also makes dynamite cookie bars.
Another sister just made us these raspberry bars with shortbread cookie. She doesn't have a lot of time to cook, but when she does... let me tell you! She makes this pretzel-cream cheese-strawberry stuff, jello cake (YUM), and this zucchini hash that actually makes vegetables delicious, haha.
I've got a third sister who makes wonderful no-bake cookies. She also makes her own granola with berries. She just started making overnight oats with yogurt and chia seeds and berries.
Where did they get their skills? From my mom. I grew up dining on wonderful homemade recipes, from wonderfully seasoned catfish, italian chicken, chicken tetrazzini, etc. to her own homemade desserts. Lucky me!

Reply #3. Feb 06 18, 11:13 AM

Skyflyerjen. This all sounds very delicious. Guests at your family gatherings must be spoilt for choice with delicious food. My daughter likes cooking and she's just been cooking some puff pastry cakes with home made custards fillings topped with strawberries. They look good enough to have come from a French patisserie. Sadly I have to limit myself to little tastes as I am diabetic.

Reply #4. May 26 18, 11:06 AM

Yesterday I baked a Parkin cake which is traditionally from the Yorkshire region of the UK. However I changed the spice components as it required 1oz of Mixed Spice. I didn't have any so looked up via google how to make it. I realised a large component of the spice is nutmeg. Then I read that nutmeg is a toxin and as much as 2 teaspoons of it can kill you. I don't know if that's accurate. It seems like a small amount to be lethal, but I threw away the ingredients and my nutmeg spice and started again without nutmeg, adding more cinnammon and ginger. Now I'm enjoying a nice slice of cake.

Reply #5. Dec 16 18, 2:11 AM

I had no idea about nutmeg. Scary! I hope you love your well-seasoned cake!

Reply #6. Dec 17 18, 1:02 PM

Yes, It was fab.

Reply #7. Dec 19 18, 5:02 PM

UmberWunFayun

My favourite things to make are actually homemade dog treats. I bake biscuits (cookies) little crunchy meatballs, and all kinds of treats, even crackers and dip/spread. About four years ago I organized a 'Pug Party' for charity, and along with lots of games and competitions for the Pugs and their owners, my friend and I made a huge buffet table of homemade doggie snacks. Everything went down very well, I'm pleased to say!

Other than that, I love to cook and bake for humans, too! My husband's favourite is my rabbit stew, which I made yesterday. It takes an entire day, at least, to cook properly, but the real secret is using the right kind of beer.....

Reply #8. Jan 12 19, 2:57 PM

If I got invited to a “Pug Party” I would cry! I would bring a presents for everyone and then delight in watching them all interact! Too much cuteness!
That’s very admirable you know how to cook homemade dog treats! I’m sure your dogs love ‘em.

Reply #9. Jan 15 19, 12:23 PM

My mom made chocolate chip cookies and dropped them off at work so I could take them home to share with my sister. Sadly, a coworker saw the container…
Now there’s only four cookies left because I had to share. First world problems. (Side note: they’re amazing)

Reply #10. Jan 15 19, 12:24 PM

UmberWunFayun

You'd have loved our Pug Party, we had games like Pug Bowling, where the winner was the dog that knocked over the most skittles. The owners had to come up with inventive ways to get the Pugs to win, because most of them were trying to avoid knocking things over! They were being enticed with treats thrown between the pins, laser pens, children lying in the floor, all sorts of funny things! We had a fancy dress costume competition, a doggy ball pit with toys and treats buried under the balls, Cutest Trick, Scavenger Hunt, Musical Sits, everything we could think of. It was so much fun!

For Christmas this year, I had my mum over for dinner, and she wanted to bring something, so I said she could bake us a cake. She turned up with Banana Bread, a Vanilla Sponge, Cranberry Cookies, Salted Caramel Muffins, Florentines, and a Chocolate Yule Log! I think maybe I know where I get my love of feeding people from.........

Reply #11. Jan 15 19, 1:05 PM

Maybe it’s best I didn’t get to go to that Pug Party… the cuteness overload might have fried my circuits and you would find me in a ball, only moving to pet any pug who came near me, sobbing in a crazed state… I love puggies…
Seriously, though, that sounds incredible! I love the effort people put into it!

Wow, can I come over next Christmas? Sounds like you all ate well!!

Reply #12. Jan 18 19, 1:23 PM

Umber - I just read about all the "cakes" your mother made for your Christmas dinner. One of them was "cranberry cookies." I would love to know how they are made. The reason I'm asking is that my mother used to make a delicious oatmeal cookie that contained cranberries, walnuts, and white raisins. She called them "Ranger" cookies (don't ask me why) and they were wonderful. I haven't made them in a long, long time, but I just might give them a go again.

Anne

Reply #13. Jan 19 19, 6:27 PM

UmberWunFayun

Anne, I'm not sure mum goes by recipes, she just bakes mostly from memory. The cookies were delicious, they were basically oatmeal raisin cookies with cranberries substituted for the raisins. They were the perfect combination of crumbly and chewy, and they disappeared rather quickly!

Reply #14. Jan 20 19, 1:48 AM

Thanks, Umber! The cookies my mother and I made were basically the same, only we added chopped walnuts or pecans to the mix. Yummy! I tried another of my mom's recipes only today - Swiss Steak with tomato and mushroom gravy, and it was divine! I grew up eating this dish, but I haven't made it in years. Isn't it funny how certain memories involve food? I woke up this morning, thinking about my mother (today would have been her 96th birthday) and all at once Swiss Steak leaped into my mind. There are many ways to make it, so does anyone out there care to share theirs? Anne

Reply #15. Jan 20 19, 2:46 AM

I'm not sure how well known Swiss steak is. I'd never heard of it before. I do like pepper steak which is steak in a creamy pepper sauce but I've never made it myself, alas!

How do you make Swiss steak?

Reply #16. Jan 20 19, 5:07 PM

Mix, Here's what you need to get started:

Nice piece of flank steak, dredged in seasoned flour (salt, pepper, smoked paprika)

Saute mushrooms (fresh or canned) 2 cans, 1 medium onion, chopped coarsely, and 1 small green bell pepper, chopped coarsely, and 3-4 cloves of garlic, minced (optional). I use olive or canola oil for the saute.

1 29 oz. can of tomato sauce

Using large frying pan, cook seasoned flour-dredged steak until browned, in same type of oil, then drain excess oil from onion, garlic, and bell pepper mix and add to steak; cover with tomato sauce and season to taste with salt, pepper, and paprika. Cook on medium for about 10 minutes, then turn down heat and cover and let simmer on low for 20-30 minutes.

I like to use the sauce over mashed potatoes or rice. (I prefer the potatoes). So prepare these ahead. When you are ready to eat, use the tomato mixture as a gravy for the meat and potatoes. If you have leftovers (there weren't any when I was growing up) they freeze well. I'm not sure where this recipe originated. My grandmother used to make it, which is where my mother got it, and on down to me and my sister. I don't know how "Swiss" it is, but it sure is good! I'm going to have to look this up. Thanks for asking!

Anne

Reply #17. Jan 20 19, 7:16 PM

Back again! I forgot to mention that you can also use bottom round or chuck steak. (You might want to pound this first, depending on what kind of steak you use). Here in the South, this dish is sometimes called "smothered steak." Southern people usually prefer to use regular pan gravy, but my mother was from much further north, so we got the tomato version.

I noticed earlier that you mentioned pizza and that you don't care much for pepperoni anymore - me neither! I, too, am diabetic and am into portion control and have to watch the kinds of foods I eat. However, pizza is one of my weaknesses and for years I have used this "hack" to indulge in this delicious treat and limit the amount I consume. The beauty of this method of pizza prep is that you can use what is at hand and the veggie versions are as delicious as the ones that include meat. Here goes:

Pre-sliced English muffins (I usually only make 2 at a time, but you can use the whole package, depending on how many people you are feeding.)

1 slice of round Provolone cheese per slice of muffin
1 small can tomato sauce
Olive oil
Dried basil seasoning OR Paul Proudhomme's Pasta/Pizza Magic (or any equivalent you have over there)

Toppings: green onion, canned mushrooms, sliced Kalamata olives, anchovies (if that floats your boat), garlic powder. Feel free to add anything else that occurs to you. Every once in a blue moon, I'll add leftover sausage crumbled up and/or Italian roasted red peppers.

This recipe is great because prep time from start to finish is 10-12 minutes. First cover each split muffin with 1 TBSP. olive oil and place in a 400 degree oven to toast. 3-4 minutes. Meanwhile assemble your ingredients. Once the muffins have toasted, spoon 1 Tbsp tomato sauce over muffin, then add 1-2 slices of Provolone cheese. Top the cheese with 1 TBSP tomato sauce and add your desired toppings. Season with basil and/or pizza spice mix. Place back in oven until cheese is thoroughly melted. Take out and feast!

Anne

Reply #18. Jan 20 19, 7:50 PM

Thanks for those 2 fabulous recipes, Anne. My mouth is watering just reading them.

That's a great idea for pizza to cut down on the calories and the preparation and cooking time. I sometimes make home made pizza topped with vegetables. It's very filling and I daresay not slimming but it usually lasts us more than one day because the more filling the pizza, the smaller the slices we eat. It does take time though, needing the dough and allowing it to rise for an hour before assembly and cooking time.

Reply #19. Jan 21 19, 2:19 AM