Food convo thread #1

So here's the caramel popcorn that I make every year for christmas. But my uncle requested a batch for his superbowl party so I had to make some today.

The recipe:

1 cup popcorn kernels, popped in 2 batches
2 sticks butter
2 cups packed brown sugar
1/2 cup dark corn syrup
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
chopped or whole pecans

Pop popcorn and set aside.
Melt next 4 ingredients over medium heat and bring to a boil. Boil for 5 minutes, and remove from heat. Stir in baking soda, and pour over popcorn. Stir in pecans. Using tongs to coat in a large roasting pan. Bake in preheated 200 degree oven for 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes.

It's really delicious, and obviously always requested. My uncle told me that he's "eaten this stuff all over the country, and mine is the best he's ever had!"

 

^MMM that sounds amazing. And so unhealthy lol.

 

lol well if eaten in moderation I'm sure it's not too bad for you. That's why I give it away as gifts lol.

 

How much does one cup of kernals turn into?

 

id rather have fake cheese popcorn anyday, like in those cans of popcorn you get at christmas, with the 3 kinds of popcorn, and the cardboard partition that separates them. i never liked the caramel, only the classic and cheese.

 

Tonight I made dinner for a few friends. it was fantabulous:

Meatloaf

1.5lbs ground beef
1 small onion (chopped)
1 piece of bread (cut up in tiny pieces)
1 egg
10oz of canned tomato with juice
Oregano
Dash of allspice
Salt
Pepper

Then you make it into a loaf in a pan, put ketchup and brown sugar on top and cook it for an hour at 375. Yummm

Then:
Garlic and Sour Cream Mashed Potatoes
Asian Broccoli (Sauteed with ginger and soy sauce)

MmMMmMmM

 

Hmm I'm not exactly sure. I just know that it fills a turkey roasting pan. I have to pop the kernels into 2 large bowls first. And I have enough popcorn after it's done, for 2 normal sized decorative tins.

 

Sounds good. I was thinking of making a meatloaf tomorrow since I took some frozen beef out of the freezer yesterday.

I use ritz cracker crumbs in place of bread to bind the meatloaf, and I place 2 slices of bread under the meatloaf to absorb the grease though.
I also make a nice little sauce to baste on top throughout the cooking process. I've never been big on meatloaf, but it's nice once in awhile.

Your broccoli sounds great!

 

well.. i was pretty disappointed with the wine.. had a slight syrupy texture to it. kinda turned me off

.5 as in half mill

 

I just made the best meatloaf that I've ever had in my life tonight!!!

1 1/2 lbs ground beef
1 cup crushed ritz cracker crumbs
1/2 cup sour cream
1 cup grated cheddar cheese
1 green bell pepper, diced
1 medium onion, diced
1 tsp garlic powder
2 TB worcestershire sauce
salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 350

Combine everything and form into a loaf, and place on top of 2 slices of bread in a casserole dish. (To absorb the grease.) Bake for about 50 minutes.

I couldn't get over the delicious taste, the incredible moistness, and the tenderness. It was insanely good. I used to hate meatloaf, and I'll definitely not be making it any other old fashioned grandma way again!!!!!! Never using ketchup again!

 

Okay ressurecting this thread since it's a good distraction for me. I'm dieting now, and going to the gym so I'm not really eating any of this stuff, except for the healthy recipes, but I still want to share them.

Last night I made rissoto, roasted carrots, and spinach pie that I had made the previous night.

Here's my rissoto recipe. It's a labor of love really!! Also it's vegetarian cause I made it for my mom. All this means is that instead of chicken stock I used vegetable broth.

olive oil
2 cups arborio rice
1 small onion or shallot, chopped
1 garlic clove, pressed
salt and pepper
1/2 cup dry white wine
6 cups vegetable broth, (but normally you would use chicken stock)
1/2 cup parmesan cheese
2 tb butter

In a large deep pan ( I use stainless steel) heat olive oil over medium heat and cook onion and garlic until softened. Add the rice, salt and pepper, and stir constantly for 2 to 3 minutes being careful not to brown the rice. Then add a ladle full of stock and stir constantly until all the liquid is absorbed. If using the wine you should add it earlier rather than later. If not using wine add 1/2 cup of broth to the amount.
So basically all you do is stir constantly and add a ladle full of stock everytime the liquid is absorbed. After about 25 minutes you'll end up with an al dente rice which has gone from 2 cups of rice to about 6 cups. Remove from the heat, and stir in parmesan and butter. Serve immediately.

 

And here's the spinach pie recipe that I made the night before last. I kind of used another recipe from a caterer and adapted it to make it my own. I also made it a lot less fattening.

phyllo dough, about 15 sheets. Thawed out, and covered with plastic wrap and a damp towel until ready for use.
1 stick butter, melted
1 small onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, pressed
2 boxes frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeeze dried
2 tsps grated nutmeg, if you don't have fresh don't use it!
1 cup parmesan cheese
1 package crumbled feta
3 eggs
3 tablespoons bread crumbs
freshly ground black pepper

Saute onion and garlic in olive oil until softened. Let cool while you prepare the phyllo. Butter a 13x9 inch pan, and lay out 1 sheet of phyllo. Brush with melted butter, and repeat until you have about 5 or 6 sheets down. Have your filling ready- combine onions,spinach, eggs, cheeses, pepper, and breadcrumbs and spread over phyllo. Then top with the rest of the phyllo sheets and brush butter generously over top. Bake in a preheated 375 oven for about 40 minutes? Just until the top is a nice golden brown. The original recipe called for pignoli nuts, but I didn't use them to save calories.

 

I like pumpkin pie

 

lol that's cool jake. I usually don't make pumpkin pie until thanksgiving time.

 

so here is the latest creation.. guys.. if ya make these they will make any girl melt in your hands.. its like an orgasm to a girl.. girls disagree?

 

Chocolate dipped strawberry...on whip cream?

Yeah she'll melt in your hands for something that took not but 3 minutes to make

 

its all about the simple things in life... if ya wanna waste your money on a diamond or on dozens of flowers that die days later.. feel free.. but strawberries and chocolate are both [size=-1]aphrodisiacs... plus.. making things actually kinda show that you're willing to put forth some effort besides picking out a box of chocolates and paying for them[/size]

 

Well I've never been a real fruit fanatic, or a real chocolate fantatic for that matter. BUT if a man actually made a chocolate dipped strawberry for me I would be totally smitten.

That's awesome jokerman!

 

diamonds last almost forever. They are the sharpest objects around on earth...I think its a pretty good gift to say the least. Strawberries and chocolate both go bad after a few days so I think flowers that last a week would be more romantic. You might get some finally if you try to be more romantic to woman

 

Well speaking as a girl who had a 1 carat diamond ring and who has real diamond earings.. they are overrated. If I ever get a diamond ring again I want it to be special and HUGE.. or maybe another kind of HUGE precious gem. I have this big solid silver ring with a nice hunk of blue topaz in it, and i loved itmore than my diamond. But i don't have that diamond anymore.

If i have a boyfriend next valentines i hope he gives me something that he made himself. And strawberrys and chocolates would do just fine.. or a poem, or a song, or something sentimental. I'm not a big jewelry girl. I'm extremely picky about it, and I have to pick it out myself.