[SoccerDad]

Welcome to the Geeks To Go Cafe!! [Last update: 08/08/2005]

Operating and troubleshooting computers can be hard work. What better way to take the edge off than a good feast!!

GTG Cafe Mission: Basic cooking knowledge, recipe exchange, exploring frugal dining ideas, and spreading the joy of creating a fine meal for friends, family or yourself. We will also look at various areas of food handling safety and knifework.

About your host: My nick on the board is SoccerDad and I bring to this thread over 18 years experience in a wide variety of kitchen settings, from casual to fine, breakfast/lunch/dinner, restaurant/hotel/hospital/nursing home. The cool thing with cooking however (much like computers): one is always learning, and via this thread, I'm hoping to gain more culinary knowledge while at the same time sharing what I have with you.

How to participate: This thread is open to anyone who eats! Ask questions, share your knowledge with others by responding, post recipes, cooking tips and tricks and even restaurant reviews. I'm going to ask two guidelines pertaining to posting:

1) In order to get all the information across for successful completion of a recipe please observe the following format:

Dish Name: Apple Sausage Quiche
Recipe By: Chef Example
Serving Size: 8
Preparation Time: 0:15
Type: Main Course
Source: please give credit where due

*Amount [Measure][Ingredient -- Preparation Method]

Pastry for two 9-inch pies
*2 [cups][Cheddar cheese -- shredded]
*1 [pound][sausage -- cooked and crumbled]
*2 [cups][apples -- peeled and sliced (I combine different varieties like Ida Reds and Goldens)]
*1 [small can][mushrooms]
*4 [eggs][large]
*1 [tblspoon][flour]
*1 [teaspoon][salt]
*1 [cup][evaporated milk]
*1 [0.5][tblspoon][melted butter]

1) Put pastry in pie pans, trim and poke bottom and sides. Bake at 400
degrees for 8 to 10 minutes. Cool on rack.
2) Layer cheese, sausage, apples and mushrooms into pie shells.
3) Combine other ingredients and beat well. Pour half quiche mixture in each
pie shell.
4) Bake at 375º degrees for 45 minutes or until set. Let sit several minutes
before serving.

2) When posting a question pertaining to a previously posted recipe, always include the original posters NICK and the recipe name.

When do we start?: Don't wait for me, 1-2-3 go!

Happy munching!
Be well, SD

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Thank you SO much for getting this started, SoccerDad!! I'm very excited about this thread. I'm going to pin it for awhile while it gets going, so it doesn't get lost in the shuffle! I have a feeling this thread is going to go like gangbusters!!

I'll be back later with a fave recipie or two!

[Kat]

Thank you SO much for getting this started, SoccerDad!! I'm very excited about this thread. I'm going to pin it for awhile while it gets going, so it doesn't get lost in the shuffle! I have a feeling this thread is going to go like gangbusters!!

I'll be back later with a fave recipie or two!

[dsenette]

Dish Name: Patented Dave Senette Turtle Cheesecake (guaranteed to make you slap your mamma)
Recipe By: me
Serving Size: depends on how thin you slice it but around 8 - 10
Preparation Time: 0:30
Cooking Time: 0:45
Type: Mamma slaping desert
Source: an amalgam of standard cheesecake recipes from various places

Equipment:

large mixing bowl
8-9 inch springform cheesecake pan

*Amount [Measure][Ingredient -- Preparation Method]


Crust
2 [cups][Grahm cracker crumbs (also works with crumbled Oreos®]
1 [stick][soften unsalted butter]
2 [tsp] [cinnamon]
1 [cup][light brown sugar]

preheat oven to 400 degrees F

1) grease springform pan (sides and bottom) with butter
2) mix, by hand, remainder of butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, and grahm cracker crumbs untill you are able to "smoosh" the mixture into a stable clump
3) bake crust for 10 - 15 minutes

Filling

*2 [lbs][cream cheese (you can use lowfat but that would be stupid)]
*3 [shells full][eggs]
*2 [tsp][cinnamon]
*1 [tsp][nutmeg
*2 [tsp][vanilla]
*1 1/2 [cups][normal white sugar]
*1 [bag][giradelli (sp?) semi sweet chocolate]
*1 [jar][high quality caramel topping (i found one made by milky way that works the best..if it's low quality it will be too runny]
* 4 - 8 [oz][ chopped walnuts]
* 4 - 8 [oz][chopped hazelnuts]

Reduce heat to 375 degrees F

1) melt the giradelli (sp?) chocolate and pour into the bottom of your baked crust (don't ask for a measurement because i belive that there is no such thing as too much chocolate) spread 1/4 to 1/2 of the available chopped nuts ontop of the chocolate and place in the freezer
2) using an electric mixer mix the cream cheese, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla untill smooth
3) mix in one egg at a time untill incorporated (if you over mix it will be bad) when properly mixed the filling is slightly off white in color.
4) pour cream cheese mixture ontop of hardened chocolate
5) bake for 35 - 45 minutes checking frequently around 38 minutes. the cheesecake will be done when the edges are slightly golden and the cheesecake feels firm-ish in the center (not hard, not liquid, but firmish)
6) allow cheesecake to cool to room temperature
7) place a small bowl upside down in the center of the cheesecake
8) pour caramel topping around the bowl and up to the edges of your crust (not too much...unless you like it messy *i love it messy)
9) pour remaining nuts into caramel
10) remove bowl
11) place in fridge overnight
12) send me a slice

[HarryMay]

I've been working in kitchens now for over 15 yrs.I am not a chef I am a cook.There are probably only about three dozen chefs on this globe at any one time.Since you're from canada I have a question to ask,What exactly does moose taste like,eh?HA HA,just joking.I worked w/a waiter from toronto once and he said the cuisine was as good as anyplace else you'd find someone willing to do the impossible and make perfect what will never be perfect.Now about the moose,is it hard to get asphalt off the meat before cooking?

[fleamailman]

Porrage: just put in microwave with water and a bit of salt and then swich on, oh and don't forget to have a deep enough dish as it expands.

(wow, that was tuff trying to contribute to a thread I know next to nothing about but I did it, bully on me then)

who is next then?

[fleamailman]

Cheese fondue: open readymixed pack, pour contents into dish and put into microwave for about two minutes, cut bread into bits and serve with a none fizzy drink such as tea.

[starjax]

lol @ fleamailman.

ooh.... I've done everything from short order cook to chef (we're not talking executive chef, just head honcho in the kitchen). Thats how I put myself through college.

I'd put my chili recipe here, but I would have to kill everyone who read it. not that I make it the same way twice...

so I'll start with http://www.zestfest2005.com/
It's a great little festival that has lots of good hot food and hot sauces. WHen I come back this year I'll have a bunch of stuff to post here.

[starjax]

Dish Name: Poor Man's Goulash
Recipe By: myself
Serving Size: 8-12
Preparation Time: 0:15
Type: Main Course/cassarole
Source: mom's creation updated for my tex-mex tastes. probably could be called chili mac as well.

*Amount [Measure][Ingredient -- Preparation Method]

1-1.5 1lbs ground beef
2 cups macaroni
32 oz water
1 8oz can tomato sauce
1 tablespoon chili poweder (may need aditional during cooking)
1 tsp. cumin
celery salt (1tsp or to taste)
1 teaspon black pepper
1 teaspoon italinan seasoning
red pepper (to taste)
garlic (minced, crushed, powerd, whatever... to taste)
1 small onion diced
dash worchestire sauce
1 15oz can rotel
1 15oz can kidney beans
1 small box of peas or corn

Brown and drain ground beef. I like to cook my onion with the ground beef. add to large deep skillet. Add dry seasonings, worchestire, tomatoe sauce, garlic, macaroni and water. stir and bring to boil. Reduce to simmer. stir frequently to keep macaroni from sticking to bottom of pan. after about 15min you may need to add more water. At this time add rotel, beans and peas or corn. Continue cooking to macaroni is tender. taste while cooking to see if you need to adjust seasonings.

First time I've written this recipe down. your milage may vary. adjust seaonings to taste. I like mine spicey hot. I've tonned the recipe down just a bit for everyone's taste. Ever since moving to texas I like things HOT.

[admin]

I chili!

Especially, with football (American) season starting soon. I know what you mean about never making it the same way twice. I'm always trying something different. If it's just for the wife and I, it will be blazing hot. If we're having company I tame it down -- a lot. It's easy to make hot chili taste good, more difficult to get good flavor out of mild, IMO.

[fflowergirl]

JANIE'S BEEF STEW

1# lean beef (cut in small chunks)
1# fresh carrots, peeled and chunked or use baby carrots
1 1/2 cups celery, sliced
4 cups potatoes, chunked
1 1/2 cups slivered onions
3 cups cold water mixed with 3 tb. cornstarch, 1 tsp. brown gravy sauce, 2 tea. salt, 1/4 tea. pepper, 1/2 tea. garlic powder....

Stir together and put in big bowl, cover and heat in the microwave on high for 30 mins....Then put in covered crock pot for about 4 hours on high..

During the last 45 mins. add a 10 oz. box of frozen peas.
Approximately 180 calories for a 1 1/2 cup serving...

Edited by fflowergirl, 24 August 2005 - 09:01 AM.

[fflowergirl]

CREAM CHEESE FRUIT PIE

One~ 8 oz package of cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 cup powdered sugar

Cream together with a mixer until smooth.

Stir in an 8 oz container of cool whip. (Use low speed on mixer)

Pour into pre-baked pie crust or graham cracker crust.
Let chill for several hours and then place on top any
variety of pie filling. Such as:

Cherry
Blueberry
Peach
Pineapple

[fleamailman]

Cheese on toast
Cut bread, toast underside, turn over and put cheese slice on top, toast a bit more.

[dsenette]

which side is the underside?

[starjax]

lol.... flea you must be a batchlor.... lol.


at least you could have said one brick of velveta, one crockpot and 2 cans of rotel.

make taco meat (brown 1lb of ground beef, drain and season with taco seasoning) and add to it for a meal....



starjax

[fleamailman]

No, it's my wife who thinks I am a batchlor whereas most other women think I am having a overdue baby but I felt sorry for this lagging thead hence me to the rescue then, and although I admit that one might feel somewhat outgunned by the marit of the other posts, my contribution to the lower end of this thread, together with my own goal of microwave mastery, will continue.