Post by nybirder on Sept 30, 2016 8:12:02 GMT -5
Cooking for Two
2014 July Recipes
1. Coffee in recipes (discussion)
2. Baking One Biscuit
3. Easy Dumplings for One or Two
4. Rett's Citrus Fruit Sauce
5. Tarragon Shrimp Pasta Salad
Coffee in Recipes
Beema
As many regulars to this forum know, I like to use brewed coffee in many of my recipes and in different ways, either to enhance a flavor, eliminate a flavor or to make the end result more mellow. For example:
1. In a beef and vegetable soup, I may use a can of tomato soup, which tends to be rather sweet.. instead of adding 1/2 can of water I will add 1/2 can of coffee, which tones down the sweetness, and enhances the depth of the beef flavor.
2. In making a tomato based spaghetti sauce, again I will use coffee to diffuse the sweetness, adding whatever amount of coffee that is needed to get the desired results.
3. When I sauté, I often use coffee instead of an oil, and I find that the flavor of whatever I am cooking has become more mellow, and I have eliminated the fats. Add more coffee as needed during the process, and cook on a lower heat than you would if you were using an oil. I have done this same thing with cooking wine, cranberry juice and beer. The end results are amazing.
4. Doing a pot roast in the slow cooker, or any other meat or poultry for that matter, I have often used coffee instead of any called for water, which always deepens the flavors.
YOU WILL NOT TASTE THE COFFEE when you eat the end the product. Rather, you will enjoy a more mellow, deeper, richer flavor of whatever it is you are cooking, be it beef, turkey, chicken, pork.. I have even used it when making a shrimp jambalaya.. but never with fish.
Re: Coffee in recipes
Motorhomegal
I always use it in a beef roast. Heloise gave that suggestion about 40 years ago....lol ! I also put instant coffee granules in each batch of brownies I make. Tablespoon or two of decaf, depending on my mood. I'll have to try some of your other suggestions in the tomato-based recipes, Beema.
Re: Coffee in recipes
Beema
I neglected to mention that when I am cooking ground beef or bulk sausage I will add just a little coffee to the fry pan to (1) keep the meat from sticking initially, (2) it seems to help the fats that come from these meats to render more quickly, and (3) adds a bit more flavor to these meats.
PS, I have never read a Heloise column.. just came up with this on my own.
Re: Coffee in recipes
jmtgrama
Made stew in the crockpot over the weekend using coffee,and it was delicious. Everyone said it had great flavor. Thanks Beema. :)
Re: Coffee in recipes
Beema
Oh, I meant to point out that there is a difference between adding unbrewed instant coffee to a recipe and adding cold brewed coffee.
Adding just a 1/4 teaspoon of instant coffee crystals to a chocolate recipe for example, is not the same as adding a cup or more of the brewed liquids to a soup, stew or sauce.
Baking Part of a Package of Complete Biscuit Mix
NYBirder
The small packets of biscuit mix that make just 6 biscuits are wonderful for small households but for those of us cooking for one person even that can be more than we want for a meal. I figured out the proportions for one biscuit using Bisquick Complete mix for myself--I can easily multiply it by the number I want to make at any one time. Since this mix has everything in it, all you need to add is water. There are other similar brands out there, too, although the proportions are different.
This isn't an ad but I do have to say that I've tried the Bisquick Complete with flavors like cheese and garlic, etc., and they are really good. Geema recently posted this comment:
"I sliced them (little zukes) up and chopped them finely in my Pampered Chef chopper, put in a bowl, added an egg and stirred them up adding some "Bisquick Complete cheese garlic biscuit mix" (7.75 oz pkg - makes 6 biscuits) and made 6 butter fried patties (ate 3 - have 3 to warm up). They were really GOOD!! I had not tried the Bisquick for 6 biscuits before - I have another package "Bisquick Complete three cheese biscuit mix" to use. For those of us needing smaller package of mixes these sounded good. Glad I had them as they made the bestest patties!!"
The whole mix makes six 3-inch biscuits. If you want, you could make the whole mix, bake them half way, and then freeze them. Out of the freezer, you can brown them in the toaster oven as you need them.
I’m thinking that these mixes would make tasty dumplings, too. Just mix like a biscuit and drop on top of your stew, etc.
For one biscuit:
1 ⅓ Tbs water (or so)
1 ¼ oz Bisquick Complete--Regular, Cheese and Garlic, or Three Cheese (each biscuit is a slightly scant 1/3 cup mix or weigh it out)
Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Stir biscuit mix and water until soft dough forms. Lightly grease (or spray with cooking spray) cookie sheet. Drop dough onto cookie sheet.
Bake 8 to 11 minutes or until golden brown.
Easy Dumplings for One or Two
NYBirder
Leftover dumplings are just not good as far as I’m concerned. They need to be eaten fresh. So when I’m cooking for myself, I have used these proportions for years for just enough for a meal. This makes a really generous serving for one person so it’s easy to cut down if you want. Also, you might have to adjust the liquid a bit if it seems too dry. I think those flavored complete mixes would be interesting on top of stew or maybe even chili.
Dumplings for One or Two
Makes 3 large dumplings or 4 smaller
1/2 cup Bisquick (or use a complete biscuit mix)
2 Tbsp. and 2 tsp. milk (or water if using a complete mix)—depending on the weather you might need a tad more to make a moist dough
Thicken pan juices to a thin gravy. Dumplings will soak up some of the liquid.
With a fork mix Bisquick with milk or complete mix with water. Spoon dough in 3-4 mounds onto simmering gravy. Cook uncovered over low heat 10 minutes. Cover and cook 10 minutes longer until done.
Rett's Citrus Fruit Sauce
Beema
Citrus Fruit Sauce:
Juice and zest from each 1 lemon, I lime and 1 orange
1 cup sugar
1 egg, well-beaten
Combine and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Boil for one minute, stirring constantly. Cool before serving over fruit. Refrigerate leftovers.
Be sure egg is well beaten or you'll get bits of egg white. Rises quickly in the pan while boiling, so stand by to turn down heat at various intervals.
Tarragon Shrimp Pasta Salad
NYBirder
I had fresh tarragon from my garden for the first time this year. I decided to add it to a salad with shrimp. The slightly licorice flavor of the tarragon goes well with seafood. I had to estimate some of the amounts I used so you may want to adjust this to your own taste.
Tarragon Shrimp Pasta Salad
2 servings, 1 1/4 cup each
1 1/2 oz. macaroni, cooked according to package directions
2 tbsp. chopped sweet onion
2 tbsp. diced carrot
1/4 cup diced celery
10 small black olives, halved
3 oz. frozen salad shrimp, thawed
1 egg, hard boiled and diced
1/2 tsp. salt-free lemon pepper mix (Mrs. Dash)
1 tsp. chopped fresh tarragon
2-3 tbsp. canola mayonnaise (Helmann's)
Salt and pepper to taste
Toss macaroni, onion, carrot, celery, olives, shrimp, egg, lemon pepper, and tarragon in a medium bowl until well combined.
Mix with 2 tbsp. mayonnaise until creamy, adjusting the amount to your taste. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Refrigerate before serving.
Re: Tarragon Shrimp Pasta Salad
Beema
Oh HO, you discovered one of my secret ingredients. You know we eat a lot of shrimp here in my household, and I often add tarragon to the mix. I don't have the fresh stuff, but when I use the dry spice, I usually let is sit for a few minutes in either the oil or wine that I am using in the recipe to bring out the flavor before adding it.
I also use tarragon when broiling sweet white fish, sprinkled over the top.
2014 July Recipes
1. Coffee in recipes (discussion)
2. Baking One Biscuit
3. Easy Dumplings for One or Two
4. Rett's Citrus Fruit Sauce
5. Tarragon Shrimp Pasta Salad
Coffee in Recipes
Beema
As many regulars to this forum know, I like to use brewed coffee in many of my recipes and in different ways, either to enhance a flavor, eliminate a flavor or to make the end result more mellow. For example:
1. In a beef and vegetable soup, I may use a can of tomato soup, which tends to be rather sweet.. instead of adding 1/2 can of water I will add 1/2 can of coffee, which tones down the sweetness, and enhances the depth of the beef flavor.
2. In making a tomato based spaghetti sauce, again I will use coffee to diffuse the sweetness, adding whatever amount of coffee that is needed to get the desired results.
3. When I sauté, I often use coffee instead of an oil, and I find that the flavor of whatever I am cooking has become more mellow, and I have eliminated the fats. Add more coffee as needed during the process, and cook on a lower heat than you would if you were using an oil. I have done this same thing with cooking wine, cranberry juice and beer. The end results are amazing.
4. Doing a pot roast in the slow cooker, or any other meat or poultry for that matter, I have often used coffee instead of any called for water, which always deepens the flavors.
YOU WILL NOT TASTE THE COFFEE when you eat the end the product. Rather, you will enjoy a more mellow, deeper, richer flavor of whatever it is you are cooking, be it beef, turkey, chicken, pork.. I have even used it when making a shrimp jambalaya.. but never with fish.
Re: Coffee in recipes
Motorhomegal
I always use it in a beef roast. Heloise gave that suggestion about 40 years ago....lol ! I also put instant coffee granules in each batch of brownies I make. Tablespoon or two of decaf, depending on my mood. I'll have to try some of your other suggestions in the tomato-based recipes, Beema.
Re: Coffee in recipes
Beema
I neglected to mention that when I am cooking ground beef or bulk sausage I will add just a little coffee to the fry pan to (1) keep the meat from sticking initially, (2) it seems to help the fats that come from these meats to render more quickly, and (3) adds a bit more flavor to these meats.
PS, I have never read a Heloise column.. just came up with this on my own.
Re: Coffee in recipes
jmtgrama
Made stew in the crockpot over the weekend using coffee,and it was delicious. Everyone said it had great flavor. Thanks Beema. :)
Re: Coffee in recipes
Beema
Oh, I meant to point out that there is a difference between adding unbrewed instant coffee to a recipe and adding cold brewed coffee.
Adding just a 1/4 teaspoon of instant coffee crystals to a chocolate recipe for example, is not the same as adding a cup or more of the brewed liquids to a soup, stew or sauce.
Baking Part of a Package of Complete Biscuit Mix
NYBirder
The small packets of biscuit mix that make just 6 biscuits are wonderful for small households but for those of us cooking for one person even that can be more than we want for a meal. I figured out the proportions for one biscuit using Bisquick Complete mix for myself--I can easily multiply it by the number I want to make at any one time. Since this mix has everything in it, all you need to add is water. There are other similar brands out there, too, although the proportions are different.
This isn't an ad but I do have to say that I've tried the Bisquick Complete with flavors like cheese and garlic, etc., and they are really good. Geema recently posted this comment:
"I sliced them (little zukes) up and chopped them finely in my Pampered Chef chopper, put in a bowl, added an egg and stirred them up adding some "Bisquick Complete cheese garlic biscuit mix" (7.75 oz pkg - makes 6 biscuits) and made 6 butter fried patties (ate 3 - have 3 to warm up). They were really GOOD!! I had not tried the Bisquick for 6 biscuits before - I have another package "Bisquick Complete three cheese biscuit mix" to use. For those of us needing smaller package of mixes these sounded good. Glad I had them as they made the bestest patties!!"
The whole mix makes six 3-inch biscuits. If you want, you could make the whole mix, bake them half way, and then freeze them. Out of the freezer, you can brown them in the toaster oven as you need them.
I’m thinking that these mixes would make tasty dumplings, too. Just mix like a biscuit and drop on top of your stew, etc.
For one biscuit:
1 ⅓ Tbs water (or so)
1 ¼ oz Bisquick Complete--Regular, Cheese and Garlic, or Three Cheese (each biscuit is a slightly scant 1/3 cup mix or weigh it out)
Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Stir biscuit mix and water until soft dough forms. Lightly grease (or spray with cooking spray) cookie sheet. Drop dough onto cookie sheet.
Bake 8 to 11 minutes or until golden brown.
Easy Dumplings for One or Two
NYBirder
Leftover dumplings are just not good as far as I’m concerned. They need to be eaten fresh. So when I’m cooking for myself, I have used these proportions for years for just enough for a meal. This makes a really generous serving for one person so it’s easy to cut down if you want. Also, you might have to adjust the liquid a bit if it seems too dry. I think those flavored complete mixes would be interesting on top of stew or maybe even chili.
Dumplings for One or Two
Makes 3 large dumplings or 4 smaller
1/2 cup Bisquick (or use a complete biscuit mix)
2 Tbsp. and 2 tsp. milk (or water if using a complete mix)—depending on the weather you might need a tad more to make a moist dough
Thicken pan juices to a thin gravy. Dumplings will soak up some of the liquid.
With a fork mix Bisquick with milk or complete mix with water. Spoon dough in 3-4 mounds onto simmering gravy. Cook uncovered over low heat 10 minutes. Cover and cook 10 minutes longer until done.
Rett's Citrus Fruit Sauce
Beema
Citrus Fruit Sauce:
Juice and zest from each 1 lemon, I lime and 1 orange
1 cup sugar
1 egg, well-beaten
Combine and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Boil for one minute, stirring constantly. Cool before serving over fruit. Refrigerate leftovers.
Be sure egg is well beaten or you'll get bits of egg white. Rises quickly in the pan while boiling, so stand by to turn down heat at various intervals.
Tarragon Shrimp Pasta Salad
NYBirder
I had fresh tarragon from my garden for the first time this year. I decided to add it to a salad with shrimp. The slightly licorice flavor of the tarragon goes well with seafood. I had to estimate some of the amounts I used so you may want to adjust this to your own taste.
Tarragon Shrimp Pasta Salad
2 servings, 1 1/4 cup each
1 1/2 oz. macaroni, cooked according to package directions
2 tbsp. chopped sweet onion
2 tbsp. diced carrot
1/4 cup diced celery
10 small black olives, halved
3 oz. frozen salad shrimp, thawed
1 egg, hard boiled and diced
1/2 tsp. salt-free lemon pepper mix (Mrs. Dash)
1 tsp. chopped fresh tarragon
2-3 tbsp. canola mayonnaise (Helmann's)
Salt and pepper to taste
Toss macaroni, onion, carrot, celery, olives, shrimp, egg, lemon pepper, and tarragon in a medium bowl until well combined.
Mix with 2 tbsp. mayonnaise until creamy, adjusting the amount to your taste. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Refrigerate before serving.
Re: Tarragon Shrimp Pasta Salad
Beema
Oh HO, you discovered one of my secret ingredients. You know we eat a lot of shrimp here in my household, and I often add tarragon to the mix. I don't have the fresh stuff, but when I use the dry spice, I usually let is sit for a few minutes in either the oil or wine that I am using in the recipe to bring out the flavor before adding it.
I also use tarragon when broiling sweet white fish, sprinkled over the top.