USCHO Cooks: Open Your Mystery Basket.

[DaveStPaul]

Re: USCHO Cooks: Open Your Mystery Basket.

This is hardly cooking but -- In a half-arsed attempt to get some protein with my breakfast, I put a thin slice of cheddar on a toasted cinnamon raisin bagel this morning. It was actually good! Have to think of a name for it now.

[MissThundercat]

Re: USCHO Cooks: Open Your Mystery Basket.

Last night, I cooked pork chops and rubbed them with Dijon mustard before cooking. Still feels like it was missing something... maybe next time I'll do a maple-mustard rub. Or a lemon-garlic marinade.

[walrus]

Re: USCHO Cooks: Open Your Mystery Basket.

Was going to smoke a whole chicken tonight but too windy and too cold, doubt I can get the grill very hot so I'm going to roast it in the oven instead.

[CarlS]

Re: USCHO Cooks: Open Your Mystery Basket.

Last night it was chicken tikka masala, followed by brunch today with my family for eggs Benedict casserole, homemade sourdough pancakes, and a nod to the day with corned beef. The eggs were good, but real eggs benedict is better; just can't makei individuals for the crowd.

Lots of bloody Mary's and champagne.

[leswp1]

Re: USCHO Cooks: Open Your Mystery Basket.

Roasting a chicken. Pot roast tomorrow. It is cold windy and it doesn't feel like Spring.

[FadeToBlack&Gold]

Re: USCHO Cooks: Open Your Mystery Basket.

Prime strip steak, broccoli, potato-kale-cheese casserole. Already had my corned beef at lunch last week.

[DaveStPaul]

Re: USCHO Cooks: Open Your Mystery Basket.

Roasted salmon, home-made soda bread, and peas with lemon and butter. Slainte!

[walrus]

Re: USCHO Cooks: Open Your Mystery Basket.

The chicken I roasted Sunday night turned into soup today, awesome meal on a snowy night

[MissThundercat]

Re: USCHO Cooks: Open Your Mystery Basket.

I'm cooking everything in bacon fat from here on out.

[FadeToBlack&Gold]

Re: USCHO Cooks: Open Your Mystery Basket.

I'm cooking everything in bacon fat from here on out.

Keep your mind open. I'm sure there are a number of chefs who would tell you that, while bacon fat is great, it's not suited for every application.

[MissThundercat]

Re: USCHO Cooks: Open Your Mystery Basket.

Keep your mind open. I'm sure there are a number of chefs who would tell you that, while bacon fat is great, it's not suited for every application.

Hey, according to Good Eats, prior to World War II, bacon fat was the fat of choice in America. I'm trying to move away from seed oils and focus more on olive oil, butter, and animal fats. Speaking of, I can't wait to get my hands on some duck fat and lard. A little fat goes a long way...

[FadeToBlack&Gold]

Re: USCHO Cooks: Open Your Mystery Basket.

Hey, according to Good Eats, prior to World War II, bacon fat was the fat of choice in America.

I believe Alton said it was America's favorite frying fat. Butter was consumed too.

You're right about the seed oils though - universal use of vegetable, canola, cottonseed, soybean oils, etc. has risen to prominence in the last 30 years. I personally believe, without concrete proof, that these oils are more processed and, in moderation, no healthier than butter, if not less so. But they are so prevalent that they are now difficult to avoid entirely.

Olive oil is the newest field entry, gaining most of its popularity in the past decade. You have to buy a good quality extra virgin though, or else there's little point to spending the money. It's kind of like the difference between blended scotch and single malt. I suspect the 'light' olive oils are heavily blended.

[walrus]

Re: USCHO Cooks: Open Your Mystery Basket.

I like Grape seed oil

[MissThundercat]

Re: USCHO Cooks: Open Your Mystery Basket.

I believe Alton said it was America's favorite frying fat. Butter was consumed too.

You're right about the seed oils though - universal use of vegetable, canola, cottonseed, soybean oils, etc. has risen to prominence in the last 30 years. I personally believe, without concrete proof, that these oils are more processed and, in moderation, no healthier than butter, if not less so. But they are so prevalent that they are now difficult to avoid entirely.

Olive oil is the newest field entry, gaining most of its popularity in the past decade. You have to buy a good quality extra virgin though, or else there's little point to spending the money. It's kind of like the difference between blended scotch and single malt. I suspect the 'light' olive oils are heavily blended.

Not only that, anything in a clear plastic or glass bottle has probably started turning rancid before you even purchase it. That's one of the downsides of poly-unsaturated fat; it goes bad very quickly.

[dxmnkd316]

Re: USCHO Cooks: Open Your Mystery Basket.

I don't know, I'd be hesitant to cook with added animal fats (much less any fat) that frequently.

Regarding the seed oils, I'm not sure how you define processed, but all fats are processed. ALL of them. That and the fact that you simply can't get a pan hot enough using the animal fats.