Attention home cooks! Do you have an old family favourite recipe that has been passed down from generation to generation? Or maybe a traditional ethnic dish that you think we would love? Let's share some good food.

Mel's Beef Stew

1/2 lb stew beef
flour, salt, pepper for dredging
few tbsp vegetable oil
2 large carrots, cut into small dice
1 large onion, cut into small dice
half bottle good red wine, any Cabernet is good
1/2 lb small new potatoes, cut in half
1 cup assorted mushrooms (porcini, white, cremini, portabella)
1 packet beef powder
enough water to cover

1. Heat the oil in a large dutch oven. Dredge the beef in the flour, salt, pepper. Brown beef (in batches) in oil.

2. Add diced carrots and onions to pot and cook til they start to soften. Add the wine and stir up the bits from the bottom of the pot. Heat til bubbly. Return beef to pot and cook for 1-2 hours til beef starts getting tender.

3. Add potatoes to beef/veg mixture, stir to combine. Add beef powder. If pot looks a little dry, add a bit of water, maybe upto a cup, enough to cook the potatoes. Cook for an additional 30 minutes, add mushrooms. Cook til potatoes and beef are tender. Total cooking time should be approximately 2.5-3 hours.

4. Serve with nice rolls (to sop up the gravy).

what a good thread i only wish i could cook, allways ends up as dog food thats why she loves me

OOOooooOO Touchy subject. I'll be suprised if you find much of anyone who want to give away family secrets.

Spanky's Special Chocolate Nutty Caramel Apples

2 tbsp. water
chopped nuts
4 firm apples
Baking sheets
Microwave-safe Bowls
chocolates
4 popsicle sticks
14-oz. bag caramels

Step 1) Wash apples, remove stems and dry with a kitchen towel.

Step 2) Push one stick into the centre of each apple. Push into the top of the apple, where the stem would be. Set apples aside.

Step 3) Unwrap caramels and place with the water in a large microwaveable bowl.

Step 4) Microwave on High until caramels are melted, stirring every minute.

Step 5) Remove caramel mixture from microwave.

Step 6) Hold each apple by the stick and dip into hot caramel sauce, turning to coat. Let excess drip back into pan. Scrape caramel off the bottom of the apple with a knife, or use the edge of the bowl.

Step 7) While the caramel is still warm, roll the apple in chopped nuts.

Step 8) Place coated apples on a greased baking sheet and put in refrigerator for 15 minutes or more, until caramel is set.

Step 9) After the caramel has set, drizzle the apple with melted chocolate for a special treat.

Yummy! The chocolate sounds like a good touch. I never had mine dipped in chocolate before.

Mine is really bad for you, but my kids, their friends and my family LOVE these...

Make a jam sandwich - no butter (that's English jam, I think Americans call jam something else, is it jelly?)

Cut off crusts.

Cut into 4 triangles

Dip in batter (flour, egg and water mix, no salt)

Deep fry

Sprinkle in sugar.

et voila!

Delicious. This is on old recipe used by the Army to keep the troups topped up on energy.

Here's a yummy one for this time of year:

Pumpkin Pancakes
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 tbsp canola oil
1 cup nonfat milk
1/3 cup pure pumpkin

Whisk flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg together in a medium bowl. Combine egg, oil, milk and pumpkin in a small bowl. Stir pumpkin mixture into dry ingredients. Leave to stand for five minutes.
For each pancake, scoop 1/4 cup of batter on to a hot griddle or nonstick skillet sprayed with cooking spray.
Turn pancakes when bubbles appear and edges are cooked, after about 2 minutes. Cook for 1 1/2 minutes on second side.

Oh my goodness...I'm drooling lol. Anything with pumpkin gets my vote .

This is an Indonesian cuisine from West Sumatra, Padang. It's a spicy beef cutlets. I like this very much and you can measure yourself the spicyness to taste by reducing or ading the amount of the red chilli pepper. Best to eat with Rice, or you can also try to mix this with Risotto.

Rendang
Ingredients: 2 lb of beef, 20 pieces of shallots, 10 pieces of garlic, 150 gram red chilli pepper, 50 gram ginger, 10 pieces of clove leaves, 60 gr turmeric, 300 gr candle nut, 5 bay (laurel) leaves, 8 cups of thick coconut milk, 8 cups of thin coconut milk.
Direction:

Cut beef into several-bite sized pieces, and boil until half done
Skin shallots, garlic, and mix with chili, ...
Brown this spice mix for a few minutes
Boil beef and this spice mix in the thin coconut milk
Put in bay(laurel) leaves
Boil until dry
Add thick coconut milk, boil until coconut milk dries while mixing it occassionally

Enjoy!

I love recipes. I hope more people add some. I would but when I cook I never measure and I add + delete stuff each time. I only follow a recipe the first time then change it there after. I guess I could try to explain one. Beef roast with Dill sour cream gravy. Brown a beef roast, add a little water and about a tbl spoon vinegar, some dill weed and whatever sounds good. Cook in oven or crock pot till almost done then add carrots, potatoes, onions, turnips, whatever you like. Strain the juices out and add some sour cream, more dill, and a thickener to make gravy. mmmmm

OMG - This is sooooooooo easy and sooooooooo good.

Take a box of instant stuffing mix.
Mix in bowl with a can of chicken broth.
Add a stick of melted butter.
Brown a pound of crumbled mild sausage and add.
Add a cup of crushed pecans.
Whip three eggs and stir in.
Spray baking dish and pour in.
Bake at 350 degrees until brown on top, about 20 to 30 minutes depending on how soupy mixture was.

Melt apple or apricot jelly and use brush to put a light glaze on the top.

2 salmon filets (approx. 1/2 lb each)
olive oil
tartar sauce
A quick and easy dish that requires very little effort. It works best with fresh salmon purchased the same day you plan to eat it.

Put salmon filets in a glass baking dish. Drizzle a little olive oil over the filets and flip them over a couple of times to spread the oil and get a little oil on the bottom of the baking dish and the under side of the filets.

Bake in a 350 degree oven for 15-30 minutes depending on the thickness of the filets. You want them to be cooked until they start to flake and become opaque inside, but don't dry them out.

Serve with tartar sauce and carrot salad.

we won the war so it must be good

In the UK we have apple sauce with pork, horseradish with beef, mint sauce with lamb, etc. would this be the norm in other countries?

In Japanese restaurant, of course you can have a horseradish with beef, and when I was in the Netherlands, my host family's favorite food is whatever cooked with apple sauce.

I think that's fairly traditional everywhere. I LOVE horseradish with my roast beef. I don't like lamb, though. It has a rank odour..ick.

Melly my sweet I love the thread and I would love to come over to cook for you any day.
I love cooking fresh prawns; I marinate them with hot sweet chilly and garlic, and then throw them on the Barbie.
I follow up with Lobster mornay, I steam the lobster, slice in half, marinate the meat with a mornay sauce, then repack the shell, and put on shredded extra tasty cheese on top as well as granula parmesans cheese placed under the grill, till it is a nice golden brown.

I usually cook this every Friday or Saturday anyway, so if anyone wants they came come around they can, unless I am am skydiving, sorry, better check first.

*drools* You had me at prawns......

Wow...I completely forgot what I was going to say....oh yeh!! Roast Beef and Gravy:

Simple, yet yummy way to make your next roast with special gravy. Brown your roast in a dutch oven, round would do nicely, in a few tablespoons of vegetable oil. Roughly chop 2-3 carrots and a large onion, not too small of a chop, make it chunky. Pour in a bottle of your favourite red wine. Again, I like Merlot or Cabernet. Add a bay leaf, touch of salt and pepper. Cook the roast for a good 2-3 hours, turning it around every so often. Once the roast is done, remove the meat and let it rest, reserving the cooking liquid and veggies. Pour some of the liquid into a blender along with the carrots and onion. Puree until smooth. Add more liquid if carrot mixture is too thick, you want it slightly pourable. Once pureed to perfection, return it to remaining liquid and stir. You have a smooth, lump free gravy, no thickening required. Serve with your favourite sides.

Seafood Pasta Salad

~1 bx. of dry pasta
~Green onions/Scallions
~Grape or Roma tomatoes
~Shrimp
~Crabmeat
~Lobster
~Parsley
~Onion Powder
~Garlic Powder
~Salt/Pepper
~Mayonaise

Boil the pasta, drain and set aside. Chop the parsley, tomatoes, scallions and the seafood up and add to the pasta. Add the seasonings and maynaise to your taste. Let chill completely through or even better overnight.

DELICIOUS!

I cook for a living so giving away recipes is generally frowned apon, however I will be checking back on this thread regularly so I guess I had best contribute something.
With Summer apon us in the Southern hemisphere and the festive season begining it's warm up period I have the perfect recipe for entertaining friends.

Fresh fruit/ served with a Baileys cream dip. (contains alcohol)

Easy as... Take equal portions of
cream
cream cheese
and
Baileys (or other Irish coffee liquor)
Mix through chill over night and serve with fresh fruit. Partcularly citrus fruits and firm melons.
Mangoes and Canteloup are my favorite but Mandarines, Pineapple and Strawberries are just as delicous. Can also be served with Chocolate Buttons for that really naughty taste sensation.
Variations include adding mint or a dash of Galiano.

Enjoy and Merry Festive Season to you all.

American Thanksgiving is tomorrow...I've been cooking all day! I've made: 2 pumpkin pies, 2 Dutch Apple pies, a double batch of home made dark chocolate with orange essence brownies, and a double batch of oatmeal raisin cookies....Phew! Tomorrow I do the whole turkey dinner thing! After all this I'm not so sure I'll ever want to cook again!

Here's a sure fire crowd pleaser, Pumpkin Custard Pie

Make your favorite crust (bottom only, I do a whole wheat variety)

Heat the oven to 450 F

In a large bowl mix the following:

1 can solid pack pumpkin

1 pint of cream or 1 can of condensed milk (for those who need to watch their fats)

1 cup of sugar

3 whole eggs or 3/4 cup Egg Beaters (once again for the fats issue)

2 Tablespoons vanilla extract

2 teaspoons of cinnamon (nutmeg as well if you like the stuff...I really don't!)

Mix it all until smooth, pour into pie shell and bake for 15 minutes at the 450 F. After the 15 minutes decrease the temp to 350 F and continue to cook for about 40 to 45 minutes more.

Cool and serve with whipped cream...it's heaven on Earth!

Hello.
Get some steak.
It can be frying stk, sirloin stk, stewing stk....it doesn"t matter, it"s the flavour that counts!
Some extra virgin olive oil.
Some french mustard.
Some White Wine Vinegar.
Some Black Pepper.
Some Salt.

Right, are ya ready ?

Ingredients & their ammounts are up to your own personal tastes.

Grab everything except the steak.
Chuck it in your blender.
Whiz it around untill it"s all sloppy.
Put the sloppy stuff & the steak into a plastic bag & give it a good shaking!!!
Let it marinate for about 4 hours.
Put it on BbQ sticks & cook till you"re happy with it.
Sit back and go uuuuuummmmmmm

This is one I always get asked the recipe for.

Broccoli Cornbread
2 stks butter or margarine
16 oz cottage cheese
8 eggs
1 onion chopped (optional)
1 bag of broccoli florets cut into smaller pieces
2 bx jiffy mix
Pre heat oven 375.
Mix all ingredients together pour into greased pan.
Bake for 1 hr.

Enjoy!!

http://www.straitscafe.com/recipes/337.htm

whatever it tastes good with bread too

.Aussie Damper. "That Nan Built"
Tis basic but tasty with the right toppings.

1 1/4 Selfraising flour
1/4 of a cup of sugar
Generous pinch of salt (add salt only if using butter)
1 leval tblsp of butter or margarine
Give or take 1 1/3 of a cup of water,
Splash of milk

* Stift flour, rub butter/marg in then add the liquids.
Must be sticky and placed on a greased pan as a whole clump, dont airate to much.
Cook for about awww, 25 to 35 mins, till golden.
(Keep your eye on it, when it smells good Its done)


Serve with any sort of Jam, syrup, must have cream(yum) or can be used "like" corn bread to be dipped in soups or stews.
-------
.My Makeshift Gravy, throw it all in.

A Little butter, olive oil so as to not burn the minced garlic, sautee.
Gravox, mix well and half thicken.
Add chopped mushrooms, slightly simmer till softened.
Then add the cracked pepper, simmer some more then add the cream. *droolz*

I will share with you my fathers recipe for Irish stew.

Take 2lb. potatoes
4 large carrots
3 small onions
2 Pints Guinness
1 bottle Jameson Irish whiskey

Carefully place the onions and carrots along with the potatoes in the cuboard where the wife can find them. Now place the pints on the table next to the whiskey.
And then pick up the phone and order a pizza.
Sit back and enjoy.

All The Best
Irish

mmm sounds good! lol

Pancakes

1 3/4 cup milk
2 eggs
1/4cup veg oil
1 3/4 cup flour
4 tsp baking powder
2 tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt

Whisk together first three ingredients (milk, eggs, oil). Add dry ingredients to milk mixture, lightly whisk together til most of the lumps are gone. It's ok to have a few lumps, just don't beat it to death or you'll get tough pancakes.

Drop by laddle-fulls on to hot pan, non-stick is best. Cook 2-3 minutes till bubbles start forming and popping. Flip cakes and cook another minute or two. Continue with remaining batter. Makes between 10-15 pancakes, depending on the size of your scoop. Serve hot with lots of butter and syrup.

2lb potatoes? that must be a typo, did you mean 20lb or is your da on a diet

I love it.

Corn Soup

This is a popular soup in Native culture. Back home, it is made for big feasts and large gatherings like Pow-Wows where it is sold at refreshment booths. It's also comfort food for me. Everyone's recipe is different, this is how I make it. It is made with Hominy corn or white corn. This might be hard to find in your area but well worth the search. It looks like regular corn kernals but much larger and chewier. The trick to this soup is that it needs to be a little on the salty side. Adding a bit of salt pork will also do the trick.

2-3 meaty pork hocks (the feet, less the toes)
1 onion, small dice
2 cans Hominy corn or white corn
1 can red kidney beans
water
salt, pepper
1 grated carrot (optional)

1 cup water
2 tbsp. flour
salt, pepper
Place pork in a large soup pot (5 quart pot should be sufficient) and add enough water to cover. Bring to a boil and cook pork until meat is falling off the bone, about an hour to an hour and a half.

Remove pork and shred meat from the bone and return to pot. Add onion, corn, beans, and carrot if you're using (it's only for colour). Season with salt and pepper and return to a boil for an additional 20-30 minutes.

This step is optional. In a cup or bowl, mix flour, water and salt and pepper to make a thickener. Add thickener to soup. It should only thicken slightly, not so it's stiff, just not watery. This step isn't necessary, but it also makes it a little more salty and it holds everything together. Return to boil and turn off the heat. Serve with homemade bread or tea biscuits.

Melly, this sounds wonderfull. I love recipes, and cooking. I am definatley trying this one also. Thanks for sharing.

Okay, Ive been hearing about corn bread, looks tasty, and they say Its easy to make. What ya'll eat it with just na?

I love Corn Bread with a big bowl of Ham hocks and Beans. 1 bag dry beans cleaned and soaked in water over night. Some ham hocks, a large chopped onion, about 6 cloves garlic minced, a bay leaf, some salt and pepper and oregano. Put it all in a dutch oven, or crock pot. Half cover with water put on lid and cook all day. mmmm

I've had this, but instead of Pigs feet, cubed ham was used. Never the less It was very tasty!

okay 5 minute oyster soup. you need only one can of oysters a can of whole milk and 5-8 slices of american cheese. salt and pepper to tastes. take the can of oysters and dump in a bowl or cup then fill the can with whole milk, put milk in pan heat on a medium heat for 1 minute add cheese slices and stir until melted. dont let the milk boil as this will ruin the sauce. once the cheese is melted add the oysters and let it heat for the last minute. salt and pepper to taste. you can add shrimp or scallops to this soup, or crab as well but it isnt as tastey with the crab so wifee and i think anyways. it is very good with the waverly crackers or similar types.

I live in a house with four other students for the majority of the year. However every Sunday we take it turns to cook for everyone and have a nice sit down meal together.

I was first with my Roast Pork (reared at home) along with lots of vegetables (also grown at home).

The second time I had to cook I did toad in the hole. A very english dish. I'd never cooked it before but it all came out good. Here's the reciepe I used.

This serves four people.

You need:

• 8 pork sausages
• 110g (4oz) Plain White Flour
• 300ml (½ pint) Milk
• 2 Small Eggs
• ½ tsp Salt

Place the flour in a bowl, then make a well in the centre and break in the egg.
Mix in half the milk using a wooden spoon, work the mixture until smooth then add the remaining milk.
Beat or whisk until fully combined and the surface is covered with tiny bubbles.
Allow to rest for 15 to 30 minutes, whisk again before use.
Preheat the oven to 230°C; 450°F: Gas 8
Fry the sausages in a pan to lightly colour and remove excess fat, reserve the fat.
Place the fat in a small roasting tin adding a little oil, if needed, to bring the amount of fat up to about 4 tbsp.
Heat the fat until smoking hot then pour in the batter.
Add the sausage chunks and place into the hot oven.
Bake for about 5-10 minutes at 230°C; 450°F: Gas 8, then reduce to 200°C; 400°F: Gas 6 and bake 20 to 30 minutes or until the batter around the sausages has risen and is a deep golden brown.
Serve immediately or the pudding will deflate.

Its rather yummy. Anyone who hasn't tried it should give it a go.

At Mellys request:

Take 10-12 whole globes of garlic..peel (but don't separate) the globes and carefully chop off the tops (not the 'root' end) so just the tops of the individual cloves are cut..

Place all, root side down in a small but deep baking pan..drizzel olive oil on the tops..

Cover with aluminum foil and bake in a slow oven (275-300f) for 2 hours (or till very soft). Remove and cool.

Remove and squeeze garlic pulp and mix with small amount of warm butter..

Salt and pepper to taste.

Spread on crusty bread and wash down with red wine..

Magnifico!

some kind of Nasi Goreng (an indonesian fried rice dish) -- it may sound difficult but if i can do it anyone can

ingrediants
boil up say 4 cups of rice (i use a rice cooker)
250 grams diced pork
100 grams diced bacon
2 onions
sambal (indonesian chilli paste)
mayam curry powder (indonesian curry powder)
3-4 eggs
sweet soy sauce
peanut butter


method
dice all the meat, chop the onion, just prepare all the stuff
throw those eggs into the pan and make a scrambled omlette, then just throw that in a bowl for now
righto, oil up the pan again and cook the meat and the onion
when browned throw in about 1+1/2 teaspoon of the sambal
add about 1/2 teaspoon of the curry powder
mix it all and yell at it (the yelling is important)
cook it a little further
righto, now make a hole in the middle of it and throw in a tablespoon or 2 of peanut butter so it melts on the hotplate
i use the spatula to kinda smoosh it around till it melts
keep the Pbutter in the middle and on the hotplate untill it melts or you're gonna have a problem
when melted, mix it all together
your rice ought to be done about now..
throw some rice in a bit at a time and mix it untill you got the ratio/consistancy you want
pour in about 2 or 3 (or more) tablespoons of sweet soy and mix, mix, mix
turn down heat, throw that egg in and mix some more
done!

oh yeah, some pickled cucumber slices with this are [drool noises]

conclusion
don't blame me when your family throws everything else you make on the floor

I love roasted garlic!!! This also good to spread on a loaf of Italian bread, sprinkle on some Italian seasoning and parmesan if you like and put under the broiler. Serve with spaghetti, lasagna etc. YUMMMM

hey guys n gals.
has anyone of you gota great bbq sauce recipie.

Fettucini noodles for 2 or 3
1/2 cup chopped frozen brocolli
1/2 cup medium cooked frozen shrimp
1 can cream of mushroom soup

Cook noodles as directed. In another saucepan, while noodles cook, mix all other ingredients and simmer until brocolli is desired tenderness. Drain noodles and mix together with sauce.

I used 3/4 cup of the brocolli and shrimp, but that may be more than you like. You could also use chopped/cubed cooked chicken instead of shrimp.
This is super fast, easy and so tasty.

Hey! Called my mom (my teacher lol) and this is what she uses:

1 cup ketchup
1/4 cup white vinegar
1/2 cup brown sugar
about 1/4 of an onion, finely chopped
2 tsp lemon juice
splash of Worcestershire sauce (I guess to taste)
pinch of pepper
a sprinkle each (her recipe, 1/2 tsp?) of celery salt, allspice, and mustard powder

Combine all ingredients into a small sauce pan. Simmer for 5 minutes.

Hope you like it. She uses it on ribs and it's YUMMERS.

My Ex husband taught me to cook. When we got married I ruined Kraft Macoroni and cheese. I do pretty good now, so I'm told. ( Even by my ex who used to be a chef, till he tired of it) My biggest problem is baking. I hate dough. Kneading, rolling, etc. I have Carpal tunnel so it hurts my hands.

wow thats sweet..im sure that your ex husband is want to taste you cooking then....well me too i dont like baking i hate the when its rolling it made my arm and hands tierd....huhuhuhuh

Actually my ex and I are still good friends (we have 5 kids together so thats important) I sometimes take him samples of my cooking and ask what he thinks, is it good?, should I add more garlic etc? He is a great teacher. ( but NO baking, )

I love Melly's recipes, plus all those that I have put in my secret cooking book. Thanks everyone.

Got another one for you. Parmesan-style Pork Chops.

4 Large meaty chops, however cut you prefer. I prefer boneless.
1 can diced tomatoes
1 small can crushed tomatoes
1 tsp Italian seasoning or mixture of basil, oregano, garlic powder
bit of salt and pepper
flour for dredging
1 cup Italina style breadcrumbs
1/4 parmesan cheese
2 eggs
2-3 tbsp vegetable oil

Heat the oil in a skillet over med. heat.

Get two shallow dishes prepared. One will have the parmesan cheese and breadcrumbs the other will have the two eggs, beaten. Season the eggs with a bit of salt and pepper. Dip the chops, one at a time into the egg then coat with the crumb mixture. Place chops in hot oil and brown both sides. Should take a few minutes. Continue til all chops are browned. Place chops into a baking dish, like a lasagne pan or whatever is available.

Add the tomatoes to the chops, sprinkle with herbs. Cover with aluminum foil and bake in 350F oven for about an hour to an hour and a half or until meat is super tender, depending on thickness of chops. During the last 20 minutes, remove foil and allow top of dish to brown a little.

Sprinkle with additionall parmesan cheese if desired and serve with mashed potatoes. The sauce is good on the potatoes, no need for ketchup

Whats everyone have for christmas breakfast?

I have had requests for my recipe for alfredo sauce, I never could stomach the jarred stuff at the store so I made my own recipe. There arent many ingredients and it isnt very fancy but it sure is good. This recipe is enough for one box of pasta.

Ingredients
1 pint of half and half
1/2 block of cream cheese
1 parmesean cheese,you know the kraft kind in the plastic bottle
1 bag of an italian blend cheese, again i usually just pick up kraft

Directions
empty the half and half into a small pot, put on Medium Low Heat. As it is heating up, cut the 1/2 block of parmesean into cubes and add to the half and half. Stir often,when the cream cheese has dissolved in, add about 3/4 of the container of the parmesean cheese and stir in. Allow this to warm up for about 5 minutes then empty about 3/4 the bag of italian blend cheeseintoand mix well. Reduce the heat a bit and let it thicken up should take about 10 minutes to do and yes it will thicken on its own. Just stir it a few times.

When it is done just add it to your favorite pasta. I aslo like to add chicken and broccoli sometimes. It is also a great side for chicken parmesean. Anyways I hope you enjoy.

-Red-

I made 'em !!! they were YUMMY !! thanx Sassages