Quarantine Cooking
- Thread starter GreenDragon
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Love White Castle sliders. I do get Krystal burgers when travelling, and while they are similar, the White Castles have better grilled onion flavor and softer buns. Put me on team White Castle.Krystal versus White Castle taste test comparison
Krystal versus White Castle taste test comparison
A travel and photography blog featuring the tales of Joe and Theresa Flowers as they travel across the United States and the world.www.flowerstales.com
Bob
GreenDragon
Well-Known Member
This thread needs some love! Tasha agreed - she helped me write this post!
Tonight I made southern fried chicken. I broke down a whole chicken this morning and let it marinate all day in buttermilk, paprika, chipotle powder, salt and black pepper, garlic and onion powder, thyme and rosemary flakes. Tossed in a 2-1 mixture of flour and corn starch with some of the same spices added to the dredge. Let set 30 minutes while the oil heated. Fried at 325F till GBD (golden brown and delicious).
While the chicken was marinating I made a roux with equal parts peanut oil and flour. Slow cooked for 1.5 hours until the color of peanut butter.
Used some of the roux with some chicken stock for gravy to go with mashed potatoes. Also made some cole slaw for a token veg. It was GREAT! Already planning on raiding the leftovers for a midnight snack.
Tonight I made southern fried chicken. I broke down a whole chicken this morning and let it marinate all day in buttermilk, paprika, chipotle powder, salt and black pepper, garlic and onion powder, thyme and rosemary flakes. Tossed in a 2-1 mixture of flour and corn starch with some of the same spices added to the dredge. Let set 30 minutes while the oil heated. Fried at 325F till GBD (golden brown and delicious).
While the chicken was marinating I made a roux with equal parts peanut oil and flour. Slow cooked for 1.5 hours until the color of peanut butter.
Used some of the roux with some chicken stock for gravy to go with mashed potatoes. Also made some cole slaw for a token veg. It was GREAT! Already planning on raiding the leftovers for a midnight snack.
MadFarmer
Well-Known Member
Wow! What cigar would you pair with that?
GreenDragon
Well-Known Member
Heavy meal dictates a heavy cigar. Lots of Ligero, dark wrapper. Early to bed 
Homegrowngoodnes
Well-Known Member
Maybe a good beer or glass of whiskey or wine?
Stuffed Squash Leaf
The leaves of all manner of squash plants are edible. But the leaves tend to have stiff, prickly hairs on the underside, especially on the leaf stalks and heavier veins. So, for cooking, I trim away the stalk/central vein and the thicker vein junctions.
This recipe works with any ground meat (or no meat at all—replaced with veggies). It is a cigar roller's take on Greek dolmades (or Turkish yaprak), which are stuffed grape leaves. For dolmades, the grape leaf that you purchase is first pickled in citric acid. For my stuffed squash leaf, I'm using fresh leaf from the garden. A single large leaf, with the beans and sauce (and any leftover meatballs), make two generous servings.
When making dolma, I weigh down the rows of dolmades inside the pot with a heavy, china plate, to keep them from floating, and falling apart. These stuffed squash bundles seem to hold together even when they float to the top of the sauce. For both, it really doesn't matter, except for the esthetics of what you serve.
Serve with a sprinkle of lemon juice, if desired.
Bob
The leaves of all manner of squash plants are edible. But the leaves tend to have stiff, prickly hairs on the underside, especially on the leaf stalks and heavier veins. So, for cooking, I trim away the stalk/central vein and the thicker vein junctions.
This recipe works with any ground meat (or no meat at all—replaced with veggies). It is a cigar roller's take on Greek dolmades (or Turkish yaprak), which are stuffed grape leaves. For dolmades, the grape leaf that you purchase is first pickled in citric acid. For my stuffed squash leaf, I'm using fresh leaf from the garden. A single large leaf, with the beans and sauce (and any leftover meatballs), make two generous servings.
When making dolma, I weigh down the rows of dolmades inside the pot with a heavy, china plate, to keep them from floating, and falling apart. These stuffed squash bundles seem to hold together even when they float to the top of the sauce. For both, it really doesn't matter, except for the esthetics of what you serve.
Serve with a sprinkle of lemon juice, if desired.
Bob
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GreenDragon
Well-Known Member
What a great idea - I love Dolmades. And never seem to have any grape leaves on hand.
A squash leaf had begun to shade one of my Chilhuacle Negro pepper plants. Being merciless, I pulled out my penknife, and cut it off. As I was about to toss the amputated leaf away, I happened to be staring at my nearby grape vines. Dolmades!
Bob
Bob
A candela wrapper dinner!
"All that glistens is not gold"
Squash leaf is a leafy green vegetable, rather than a poisonous, broadleaf weed.
Bob
So…..it’s better for pipe blends?
GreenDragon
Well-Known Member
What better way to celebrate the 4th than by holding a BBQ with a dozen friends and family?? I’m cooking ribs and a brisket this year.
The first challenge was to find one here in the Carolinas. I eventually found a single specimen lurking in the back corner of the meat counter. They had the audacity to label it a “whole brisket” when in reality it was only 1/3 of one (the tip end). That was ok as I usually only cook a 1/3 of one at a time, but it’s the principle is the thing. Anyway, I digress.
Prep: Apply dry rub and let sit at room temp for two hours. Kosher salt, course ground black pepper, and spices. (No, I’m not sharing my secret recipe, but you can surmise some of it from the picture.) While that sits prepare your smoker. Don’t have a smoker? No problem - I don’t either! Place wood pellets or chips in a smoke box or wrap in aluminum foil with holes punched across it. Place over a side burner and light the burner. Place your brisket on the opposite side of the grill and close the lid. Take crumpled aluminum foil and stuff it into the rear vent behind the lit burner. This forces the heat and smoke to gently flow through the grill and over the meat. Let smoke at 225F for 4-5 hours.
Now if you are a die hard you will continue to add fresh chips and keep cooking for another 12 hours. I’ve found this to be an unnecessary waste of time and sleep. After the initial smoking I take the brisket out and wrap it in butcher paper then tightly in aluminum foil, place on a sheet pan and cook in the oven set at 195F for 12 hours. Unwrap and enjoy!!
The first challenge was to find one here in the Carolinas. I eventually found a single specimen lurking in the back corner of the meat counter. They had the audacity to label it a “whole brisket” when in reality it was only 1/3 of one (the tip end). That was ok as I usually only cook a 1/3 of one at a time, but it’s the principle is the thing. Anyway, I digress.
Prep: Apply dry rub and let sit at room temp for two hours. Kosher salt, course ground black pepper, and spices. (No, I’m not sharing my secret recipe, but you can surmise some of it from the picture.) While that sits prepare your smoker. Don’t have a smoker? No problem - I don’t either! Place wood pellets or chips in a smoke box or wrap in aluminum foil with holes punched across it. Place over a side burner and light the burner. Place your brisket on the opposite side of the grill and close the lid. Take crumpled aluminum foil and stuff it into the rear vent behind the lit burner. This forces the heat and smoke to gently flow through the grill and over the meat. Let smoke at 225F for 4-5 hours.
Now if you are a die hard you will continue to add fresh chips and keep cooking for another 12 hours. I’ve found this to be an unnecessary waste of time and sleep. After the initial smoking I take the brisket out and wrap it in butcher paper then tightly in aluminum foil, place on a sheet pan and cook in the oven set at 195F for 12 hours. Unwrap and enjoy!!
This is breaded, fried slices of cucumber. Because cukes contain more water and less fiber than squash, they take a little bit longer to brown in the oil. There is no aroma or taste of cucumber remaining after being fried. The thinner the slices, the crunchier the result.
Bob
For dinner tonight, I ate my very first tomato sandwich of 2023. ½"-thick slices of beefsteak (Big Beef) tomato on whole wheat toast slathered with mayo, seasoned with only salt and pepper. Since this was my first fully ripe beefsteak tomato, chilled in the fridge, it felt like a celebration.
My next deeply anticipated event will be the dripping deliciousness of eating my one and only pear (from two trees!) this season. I'll know it is ready to pick when gently lifting it to a horizontal position causes it to separate from the branch. Then it will need to complete ripening.
Bob
My next deeply anticipated event will be the dripping deliciousness of eating my one and only pear (from two trees!) this season. I'll know it is ready to pick when gently lifting it to a horizontal position causes it to separate from the branch. Then it will need to complete ripening.
Bob
You are my guest!
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Lovely pears. My two trees seem to give me a large crop about once every 3 years.
Bob
Bob
Homegrowngoodnes
Well-Known Member
Our false spring this year really took its toll on Georgia and Alabama peaches...they budded n froze off! Lol
GreenDragon
Well-Known Member
Yes, same here. Got about a 5 gallon bucket of peaches last year… this year not one.
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