www.foodtv.com actually has some GREAT recipies on it. I'm no gormet, but I love to cook. Not bad at it either, if I DO say so myself..lol.

just remembered one time I tried to cook something. it was a turkey quarter. i forgot to take those things that soak up the blood out until it was half cooked. best turkey i've ever tasted though. :)

I've always been told that if my career in academia doesn't pan out, I should become a pastry chef. I loooooove baking. They call me the Cookie Queen! Every Christmas I bake somewhere in the neighbourhood of 2-3000 cookies, not to mention breads and squares and so on. (I have a recipe for Kahlua espresso brownies that is to DIE for...)

I have a web-site with a lot of my favourite recipes on it; I won't post the link here because the site gives away too much about my identity for me to want to link it here, but if anyone wants some tried-and-true recipes or if you have recipes you want to share, PM me and I'll pass along the URL.

You don't have to be a culinary genius to cook well. When I babysit kids one of my favourite activities is to bake with them --- we make gingerbread, because the dough withstands lots of mucking about, and then while the cookies are cooling we walk to the store and buy some special candies to decorate them with. If a 4-year-old can do it, anyone can!

--- sweetstuff

p.s. In the spirit of Diva's popcorn chicken, I offer a modern practical-minded chef's version of the traditional Christmas cake recipe:

1 cup water
1 cup sugar
4 large eggs
2 cups dried fruit
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup brown sugar
lemon juice
nuts
1 gallon whiskey

Sample the whiskey to check for quality.
Take a large bowl.
Check the whiskey again to be sure it is of the highest quality.
Pour one level cup and drink.
Repeat.
Turn on the electric mixer; beat 1 cup butter in a large, fluffy bowl.
Add 1 teaspoon sugar and beat again.

Make sure the whiskey is still OK. Cry another tup. Turn off mixer.

Break 2 legs and add to the bowl and chuck in the cup of dried fruit.
Mix on the turner.
If the fried druit gets stuck in the beaterers, pry it loose with a drewscriver.
Sample the whiskey to check for tonsisticity.

Next, sift 2 cups of salt. Or something. Who cares?
Check the whiskey.
Now sift the lemon juice and strain your nuts.
Add one table. Spoon. Of sugar or something. Whatever you can find.
Grease the oven.

Turn the cake tin to 350 degrees.
Don't forget to beat off the turner.
Throw the bowl out of the window.
Check the whiskey again.
Go to bed.
Who the hell likes fruitcake anyway?

see, mistakes aren't that bad!!

Know your oven
Love your oven
Become your oven

LOL!!!

Seriously, cooking is easy! Just think of it as a sport!

Aeros- I will check it out! Thanks. Not a gourmet either, just like to experiment, and try new things. I have found that it usually takes only 15 minutes longer to have a decent, home made meal rather than a pre-packaged one.

Commedienne Rita Rudner says that men will cook if there's danger involved, lol! BTW, I AM the cook at our house... DW says, "...but you do it so well..." yeh right...

I am the main cook when I'm not on shift.

I go for stir fries, things like fried chicken pieces in Worcester

and cream, the simple stuff.

SO cooks well, but dirties 58 different pans and utensils doing it.

Simplicity rules!!!

Tonight, making curried tuna and potato mornay. (1 pot)

Main prob with the one pan dishes in my case is 4 picky eaters, hate having my culinary delights pushed away... check that, oldest only eats what doesn't eat him first... & that's why Pizza Hut catered our repast tonight...

I think tonight I'll make a pot of soup and perhaps a loaf of homemade (in the bread machine) bread.:D

Too bloody dangerous those bread machines. If I had access to one of them, I'd be over 120kg in months (about 265lb).

Barely holding my 100kg (220lb)

OF, I don't use it that often anymore. Only when I make soup.

Forgot to mention I'm also making Banana Cream Pie.....haven't the vaguest idea why I would have a taste for that????

Could it be those pudding baths over at Pixie's Nudist Colony???:D :D

Sadora- There's a dropdown menu on the main page to let you select a show. Look for "Hot Off The Grill With Bobby Flay" he makes some of the best stuff on there. The BBQ Chicken Quesedillas are to DIE for.

Looks like scotzoid and I have things in common. I've learned to split dishes into two mid-preparation. One that I love making (because it's quick and tasty) and is tonight's menu:

1 lb chicken breast, pork fillet or prawns
2 oz butter
6 oz mushrooms (not if using prawns)
Large onion
2 cloves garlic
Salt and pepper
Half to one pint creme fraiche or soured cream
Generous handful chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
Generous measure of brandy (use Cointreau with pork).

Slice chicken or pork into strips or rounds
Finely chop onion
Thickly slice mushrooms
Crush garlic using a press

Melt butter in pan
Add onions, mushrooms and garlic
Fry until onions and mushrooms soften

If using prawns, add prawns and brandy
Heat through gently for a couple of minutes
Season to taste
Stir in creme fraiche and bring to fast simmer for two minutes
Add parsley and serve immediately with rice

If using chicken or pork
Set mushrooms and onions aside
Fry chicken or pork in original pan until just cooked
Return onions and mushrooms to the pan
Add brandy or Cointreau
Heat through gently for a couple of minutes
Season to taste
Stir in creme fraiche and bring to fast simmer for two minutes
Add parsley and serve immediately with rice

Garnish with undressed herb salad. It's always yummy, takes 10 minutes to prepare and 10 minutes maximum to cook. Serves 4.

My son hates onion, mushrooms and brandy. So I simply divide the meat or seafood into two pans and cook accordingly. I also use a microwave to reheat prepared rice. With chicken, I often add a teaspoon of chopped taragon.

well i had a MacDonalds for my tea!! mind you i did cook roast chicken yesterday. and homemade salmon fishcakes the day before. i love cooking....and eating it after. i like to cook chicken balti or beef wellington. well i love food sorry but sometimes it can be as good as sex.

I'm actually trying to find a recipie for mini beef wellingtons...i had them at a wedding reception last summer and cannot find the recipie anywhere.

Recipie!!
 

Here is a recipie for beef wellington. i have another one but the recipie serves 8. the one below is for 2.


ingredients


2 x 150g beef filet steaks
250g puff pastry
100g stilton cheese
4 smoked cooked ham slices
2 dessert spoon wholegrain mustard
Salt and Pepper
Water
1 x egg


Step 1

Season your fillets on both sides with salt and pepper. put a frying pan on a medium heat,add two desert spoons of oil and a knob of butter. when hot add the steaks. brown for a minuite each side.

Step 2

Roll out the pastry. Flour a flat surface(table etc..) then chop the block in half. Roll each half out into a four pointed star until about 3mm thick.

Step 3

In the centre of each bit of pastry add: one dessert spoon of mustard, two slices of smoked ham, 50g of curmbles stilton. Place the steak on top. Moisten the edges of pastry with water and fold the pionts to the centre. seal and pat into a circular shape.

Step 4

With a knife score a criss-cross pattern on top of both parcels, brush with an egg. Place them onto a greased and floured baking tray and bake in the oven at gass mark 7, 220c, 420 f for 20 - 30 mins or until golden.


Then eat!! Hope you like it.