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USCHO Cooks: Open Your Mystery Basket.

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Re: USCHO Cooks: Open Your Mystery Basket.

Just bought the <a href="http://www.liddabitsweets.com/cookbook/">Liddabit Sweets Cookbook</a> after getting a copy from the library. Looking forward to some candy adventures. But who is going to eat all this candy? I think the people at work are getting tired of treats (I know, I didn't think it was possible).
 
Re: USCHO Cooks: Open Your Mystery Basket.

jen said:
Just bought the <a href="http://www.liddabitsweets.com/cookbook/">Liddabit Sweets Cookbook</a> after getting a copy from the library. Looking forward to some candy adventures. But who is going to eat all this candy? I think the people at work are getting tired of treats (I know, I didn't think it was possible).
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People at my place of employment would be happy to indulge. Throw a few crumbs on a counter and it's like the hogs are stampeding to the trough.
 
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Re: USCHO Cooks: Open Your Mystery Basket.

XYZ said:
People at my place of employment would be happy to indulge. Through a few crumbs on a counter and it's like the hogs are stampeding to the trough.
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I'm tired of people telling me what a horrible person I am for bringing unhealthy food as they're taking 3 pieces of cake. I think the answer may be to put the treats in the break room (75% of our floor is people I don't know), and send the usual email. That way the regulars know that I brought it (some people won't eat things of unknown origin) and I can get a little feedback (not that I need people to compliment me, but it's nice to know if it sucked or was great), but the treats aren't located near anyone's cube AND they're guaranteed to disappear.

Just got the cookbook yesterday and already marked the recipes I'm interested in, which is, oh, over half of them. :) Thinking I may try fruity candy first, as I've never done that before, and I have a lot of frozen berries.
 
Re: USCHO Cooks: Open Your Mystery Basket.

jen said:
I'm tired of people telling me what a horrible person I am for bringing unhealthy food as they're taking 3 pieces of cake.
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Wow. That would drive me nuts. I'd flat out tell them no one is forcing them to stuff any of it into the gaping hole they call a face.
 
Re: USCHO Cooks: Open Your Mystery Basket.

XYZ said:
Wow. That would drive me nuts. I'd flat out tell them no one is forcing them to stuff any of it into the gaping hole they call a face.
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At that point, I'd be punching people in the face.

I have some beef shanks coming to me this weekend. I'm thinking I can braise them in some beef stock and red wine, serve them over some cheesy mashed potatoes and a seasonal vegetable, and call it good.
 
Re: USCHO Cooks: Open Your Mystery Basket.

ShirtlessBob said:
At that point, I'd be punching people in the face.

I have some beef shanks coming to me this weekend. I'm thinking I can braise them in some beef stock and red wine, serve them over some cheesy mashed potatoes and a seasonal vegetable, and call it good.
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I would like to call it on my table
 
Re: USCHO Cooks: Open Your Mystery Basket.

leswp1 said:
I would like to call it on my table
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We'll find out about the beef shanks tomorrow night.

And the dough for the oatmeal-cranberry-chocolate-walnut cookies is made; I put it in the refrigerator to chill overnight and will bake it off tomorrow morning before church.
 
Re: USCHO Cooks: Open Your Mystery Basket.

ShirtlessBob said:
We'll find out about the beef shanks tomorrow night.

And the dough for the oatmeal-cranberry-chocolate-walnut cookies is made; I put it in the refrigerator to chill overnight and will bake it off tomorrow morning before church.
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Beef shanks are coming tomorrow. And what I'll do after pulling the shanks out of the braising liquid is adding some butter and creating a nice sauce.

The oatmeal-cranberry-dark chocolate-walnut cookies turned out fantastic... ended up eating like 6 of them.
 
Re: USCHO Cooks: Open Your Mystery Basket.

Spit roasted a 50 pound pig over labor day. 7ish hours of slow cooked goodness after an overnight brine with a crap-ton of bay leaves and sage. Holy crap was that tasty.
 
Re: USCHO Cooks: Open Your Mystery Basket.

The shanks were nice and tender, though they lacked seasoning. Problem was with the mashed potatoes... added too much dairy.
 
Re: USCHO Cooks: Open Your Mystery Basket.

Whole roasted pig? Braised beef shanks? My filet mignon w/ Bearnaise sauce on Sunday might as well be a Big Mac. :p

I hadn't made a 'mother sauce' in a couple years, so I sort of threw caution into the wind and figured if it broke, at least the steak would be good. It survived, as I remembered to first temper the mixture of the yolks, vinegar, lemon juice, and herbs with the hot, melted butter & onion, before easing it all in the double-boiler. I later realized that I did it in reverse of chef protocol (warm the egg mixture first, then whisk in the butter in increments), but filet heaven resulted anyway.
 
Re: USCHO Cooks: Open Your Mystery Basket.

Berry overload continues.

<a href="http://www.bakedbyrachel.com/2013/06/strawberry-oatmeal-crumb-bars/">Strawberry Oatmeal Crumb Bars</a> (added pecans to the topping). I thought these were just OK (not very exciting - that's why I added pecans. I would add raspberries or blueberries to the filling next time so there's more of it, and a different flavor), but they've gotten good reviews.

and a Blueberry and Cream Cheese Cake that was in my KAF Baking Sheet issue, but isn't on the website yet. This was really, really good and I can post it if anyone wants it.

All the magazines have Fall Baking recipes out, and I can't wait to make them, but it feels wrong to start Pumpkin/Maple/Apple stuff this early. And why is maple considered a fall flavor, anyway? Maple syrup season is in Spring.
 
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I kind of have a cookbook obsession (and limited space for them), so I've started checking them out from the library before I buy them. Looked over a couple cookbooks - <a href="http://www.amazon.com/United-States-Pie-Regional-Favorites/dp/006206407X">The United States of Pie</a> and <a href="http://www.amazon.com/United-Cakes-America-Recipes-Celebrating/dp/1584798394/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1378900258&sr=1-3&keywords=cakes+cakelove">United Cakes of America</a> - both regional favorites of each category. Interesting to read, but I am definitely still a cake person.

Also got <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Baked-Elements-Our-Favorite-Ingredients/dp/1584799854/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1378900386&sr=1-1&keywords=baked+elements">Baked Elements</a> from the boys at Brooklyn's Baked - excellent, as always. Tons of great stuff... the <a href="http://sweetthingsnyc.com/2012/12/17/crunchy-peanut-butter-banana-bread/">Crunchy Peanut Butter Banana Bread</a> is tops on the list of recipes to try. I'm imagining it with maple peanut butter.

And I got the <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Bouchon-Bakery-Thomas-Keller/dp/1579654355/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1378900478&sr=1-1&keywords=bouchon+bakery">Bouchon Bakery</a> cookbook too, but haven't looked it over (it's HUGE). I expect I will want to buy it, because everything Thomas Keller does is magic.

Any cookbook recommendations (not just for baking)?
 
Re: USCHO Cooks: Open Your Mystery Basket.

jen said:
I kind of have a cookbook obsession (and limited space for them), so I've started checking them out from the library before I buy them. Looked over a couple cookbooks - <a href="http://www.amazon.com/United-States-Pie-Regional-Favorites/dp/006206407X">The United States of Pie</a> and <a href="http://www.amazon.com/United-Cakes-America-Recipes-Celebrating/dp/1584798394/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1378900258&sr=1-3&keywords=cakes+cakelove">United Cakes of America</a> - both regional favorites of each category. Interesting to read, but I am definitely still a cake person.

Also got <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Baked-Elements-Our-Favorite-Ingredients/dp/1584799854/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1378900386&sr=1-1&keywords=baked+elements">Baked Elements</a> from the boys at Brooklyn's Baked - excellent, as always. Tons of great stuff... the <a href="http://sweetthingsnyc.com/2012/12/17/crunchy-peanut-butter-banana-bread/">Crunchy Peanut Butter Banana Bread</a> is tops on the list of recipes to try. I'm imagining it with maple peanut butter.

And I got the <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Bouchon-Bakery-Thomas-Keller/dp/1579654355/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1378900478&sr=1-1&keywords=bouchon+bakery">Bouchon Bakery</a> cookbook too, but haven't looked it over (it's HUGE). I expect I will want to buy it, because everything Thomas Keller does is magic.

Any cookbook recommendations (not just for baking)?
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I'm the same way. I've been checking out cookbooks from the library, then deciding if I want to buy it or not. I'm a huge fan of America's Test Kitchen, and The New Best Recipe is pretty good, as is Baking Illustrated.

If you want to start writing recipes, Ratio by Michael Ruhlman and The Flavor Thesaurus by Niki Segnit will help. I've already started writing cookie recipes, and will start writing cake recipes after my birthday.

I've got 2 lbs of pork liver coming to me this weekend, and I'm wondering if I can treat it like beef liver.
 
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Re: USCHO Cooks: Open Your Mystery Basket.

I don't know where to put this but,

I was called for jury duty today, and the case was the kid who stole Guy Fieri's Lamborghini. Story

Unfortunately it was a long trial that I wouldn't be able to sit for, so I missed out on the fun.
 
Re: USCHO Cooks: Open Your Mystery Basket.

My birthday is later this week, and I plan on making a bacon-chocolate sheet cake to celebrate. I've got that part figured out. I plan on topping it with a chocolate ganache,and the recipe in Joy of Cooking says to add 1 tablespoon of liqueur to the melted chocolate and cream. What kind of booze should I add?
 
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