Inspiration du Jour

[Jax]

What is your current concoction? Do you follow a recipe or make it up as you go along? Is it something your mother showed you?

Tonight for my evening meal I had some pork so I decided I would make something with rice. Usually I make a sweet'n'sour with a vaguely-remembered recipe of my mother's but I didn't have the right veg to go in it tonight, just frozen mixed veg. So instead I decided I'd make honey soy.

I squeezed a bunch of runny honey out (no measuring for me!) added some soy sauce and some garlic puree. Then a bit more honey as it tasted too much like soy to me, and a tiny bit of tomato sauce and a tiny amount of chinese 5 spice. Cooked up the meat and left it in the sauce to simmer and marinate while I cooked the rice. When the rice was half done I added the frozen veg, and then when the rice was almost done I added some sugar snap peas as well because I love those. Then I mixed the rice into the mixture. Unfortunately I've been having a lot of trouble making my rice come out perfect lately, so it was a bit sticky this time around but mixed in with everything else it was delicious! :drool:

It may have needed a little less honey but was scrummy all the same! :good:

So, what are you making tonight?

[Weyrwoman Kalina]

I'm not making anything tonight, but I do have to say that yours sounds really good! :knifefork:

[Brenda]

MAN I miss cooking. Back in the dorms at SEMO right now :(

[mawofone]

I was going to mix some browned hamburger with some rice & seasoning, but Kibby wanted hamburger helper. She was willing to make so that is what we had.

[Faren]

We had turkey burgers with green beans and black beans/rice/onions.

As for inspiration...I call him Ed. :whistle: He can cook like you do Jax. He very seldom will use a recipe and makes the best stuff. When I cook, I will follow a recipe pretty closely.

[Jax]

:erm: I don't really think I'm very good at it, but sometimes it can taste good!

[celticdragonsong]

I don't know what I will be cooking tonight.

Last night was a quick spaghetti sauce done my way, which means I browned the meat (a mix of hamburger/turkey), added in some dried onions (didn't have fresh onions), and various spices including cumin, italian spice blend, and Mrs. Dash. Added in two cans of tomatoes (diced tomatoes with additions, one had green peppers, onions, and balsamic vinegar and the other was onion, basil, oregano). I let that simmer for about an hour and then cooked whole wheat pasta to serve it with.

[celticdragonsong]

Oh, yeah, and even if I have a recipe, I change it anyway. (added mushrooms to my stuffed florentine shells the other night.)

[Weyrwoman Kalina]

Depending on WHAT I'm making, I will take liberties with the recipe. It's fun to experiment.

[Nurianna]

spaghetti and meat sauce tonight.. pretty easy.. will make garlic bread with a loaf of what ever we have handy~ lol~ nothing too fancy, I always add stuff to the sauce~ even when the advertizers tell me I wont need/want too... :goodevil:

[edith]

erm...
Jacket spud with cheese, a pepper roasted with a little paprika sprinkled on it and a garic mushroom.

[Cherlyn]

I will get a recipe and then wing it from there - when baking I follow pretty close to the recipe, but a main dish is fair game!

[Nurianna]

if you like cottage cheese and you need a veggie/chip dip for a party, do this:

take the cottage cheese and stir into it herbs from the cupboard or garden~ We like the Italian mix~ Oregano, Rosemary, garlic powder, onion salt, a bit of pepper and sometimes parsley ~~ or I have used the garlic and onion and gone with Cajun spice and basil~ ummm be careful with the garlic and onion salts, it's why we use one as a powder and the other as the salt.. :saltydog:

anyway, season to taste and serve with chips, crackers, pretzels or veggies~ yummm

[celticdragonsong]

I'm going home to steam some asparagus and instead of salt on it, use lemon juice.