The TRF Cookbook

[prfesser]

John's Buttermilk Biscuits

Preheat your oven to 450F (Don't ask me what that is in Celsius. Don't know and don't care. This is a Southern recipe, y'all.)

1 Cup all-purpose flour
1 Cup bread flour
2 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/3 cup (1 stick) butter, cold
3/4 cup buttermilk

Mix the dry ingredients together. You can sift them, if you'd like. I just usually stick my hand in and swirl them around a bit. Using a knife or a pastry blade (aka "bench scraper'), cut your butter up into smaller pieces. Then, using either a fork or a pastry blender, cut the cold butter into the dry ingredients until well blended. Add the buttermilk and mix until all the flour is wetted out and you have a slightly sticky ball of dough. Knead the dough for about a minute or two. Too much kneading makes the biscuits tougher. Not enough, and they'll fall apart when you try to spread butter and/or preserves on them. You'll have to experiment to figure out how long to knead based on how you want your biscuits. Once you're done kneading, roll the dough out to about 3/4" thick and cut into biscuit rounds with either a glass (jelly jars work great, after you're done with the jelly) or a biscuit cutter.

Bake for 10 minutes, or until lightly golden. Spread with butter and your favorite preserves, or sandwich a patty of breakfast sausage between the halves. Or, you can make the next recipe, and pour it over the biscuits:

I'm going to try this recipe! And I just got some fresh buttermilk! One minor suggestion: freeze the butter good and solid, and shred it into the flour mixture. Toss lightly for a minute. (At times my fingers are no longer happy with me.)

Freezing and shredding butter, shortening, lard, or whatever fat you use for pastry makes that job a fair bit easier too.

 

[prfesser]

John's Buttermilk Biscuits

Preheat your oven to 450F (Don't ask me what that is in Celsius. Don't know and don't care. This is a Southern recipe, y'all.)

1 Cup all-purpose flour
1 Cup bread flour
2 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/3 cup (1 stick) butter, cold
3/4 cup buttermilk

Mix the dry ingredients together. You can sift them, if you'd like. I just usually stick my hand in and swirl them around a bit. Using a knife or a pastry blade (aka "bench scraper'), cut your butter up into smaller pieces. Then, using either a fork or a pastry blender, cut the cold butter into the dry ingredients until well blended. Add the buttermilk and mix until all the flour is wetted out and you have a slightly sticky ball of dough. Knead the dough for about a minute or two. Too much kneading makes the biscuits tougher. Not enough, and they'll fall apart when you try to spread butter and/or preserves on them. You'll have to experiment to figure out how long to knead based on how you want your biscuits. Once you're done kneading, roll the dough out to about 3/4" thick and cut into biscuit rounds with either a glass (jelly jars work great, after you're done with the jelly) or a biscuit cutter.

Bake for 10 minutes, or until lightly golden. Spread with butter and your favorite preserves, or sandwich a patty of breakfast sausage between the halves. Or, you can make the next recipe, and pour it over the biscuits:

I'm going to try this recipe! And I just got some fresh buttermilk! One minor suggestion: freeze the butter good and solid, and shred it into the flour mixture. Toss lightly for a minute. (At times my fingers are no longer happy with me.)

Freezing and shredding butter, shortening, lard, or whatever fat you use for pastry makes that job a fair bit easier too.

 

[John Kemker]

I'm going to try this recipe! And I just got some fresh buttermilk! One minor suggestion: freeze the butter good and solid, and shred it into the flour mixture. Toss lightly for a minute. (At times my fingers are no longer happy with me.)

Freezing and shredding butter, shortening, lard, or whatever fat you use for pastry makes that job a fair bit easier too.

Well, I tried it a couple of times when I was working the kinks out of this recipe and using lard, instead of butter. Big mess to clean up the grater and didn't seem to work as well as using the pastry blender. YMMV.

 

[kuririn]

@kuririn HAve you made this yet? If so, how was it?

The first batch stuck to the pan.
I realized that I forgot to add the mayo.
Second batch came out better, but not as good as the video.

Tastes OK.
I would adjust the seasonings to give it more "kick".
Laters.

 

[Hobie1dog]

a chili like dish made in a pot like chili is made in:

 

[boatgeek]

Home made applesauce, approximately 9 times better than store bought. It’s the secret Big Applesauce doesn’t want you to know!

Peel and quarter 5-6 apples, remove cores and cut crosswise in 1/8” thick pieces (actual size isn’t that important). Put in saucepan, add 1/2 cup water, and simmer until apples are soft and water boils off. Season to taste—cinnamon, cardamom, and ginger are all good.

 

[cwbullet]

Cook it ll day, add a little sugar and cinnamon and you have apple butter.

Home made applesauce, approximately 9 times better than store bought. It’s the secret Big Applesauce doesn’t want you to know!

Peel and quarter 5-6 apples, remove cores and cut crosswise in 1/8” thick pieces (actual size isn’t that important). Put in saucepan, add 1/2 cup water, and simmer until apples are soft and water boils off. Season to taste—cinnamon, cardamom, and ginger are all good.

 

[kuririn]

Thoughts on what to cook and how to eat it for the holidays:

 

[John Kemker]

UPDATED RECIPE:

John's Buttermilk Biscuits

Preheat your oven to 450F (Don't ask me what that is in Celsius. Don't know and don't care. This is a Southern recipe, y'all.)

1 Cup all-purpose flour
1 Cup bread flour
1 Tbs baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/3 cup (1 stick) butter, cold
2 Tbs Soy Lecithin
3/4 cup buttermilk

Mix the dry ingredients together. You can sift them, if you'd like. I just usually stick my hand in and swirl them around a bit. Using a knife or a pastry blade (aka "bench scraper'), cut your butter up into smaller pieces. Then, using either a fork or a pastry blender, cut the cold butter into the dry ingredients until well blended. Halfway through cutting the butter in, add the Lecithin and continue cutting into the dry ingredients. Once the butter and Lecithin are cut into the dry ingredients, add the buttermilk and mix until all the flour is wetted out and you have a slightly sticky ball of dough. Knead the dough for about a minute or two. Too much kneading makes the biscuits tougher. Not enough, and they'll fall apart when you try to spread butter and/or preserves on them. You'll have to experiment to figure out how long to knead based on how you want your biscuits. Once you're done kneading, roll the dough out to about 3/4" thick and cut into biscuit rounds with either a glass (jelly jars work great, after you're done with the jelly) or a biscuit cutter.

Bake for 10 minutes, or until lightly golden. Spread with butter and your favorite preserves, or sandwich a patty of breakfast sausage or slice of country ham between the halves.

 

[jadebox]

Prfesser's Chili Soup

Real chili is best described as a stew. This isn't chili, it's a low-calorie, low-fat mixture with chili flavor.eds more salt, add more beef base instead.

That's very similar to the chili recipe that my family and I have used for decades. We don't use the tomato sauce or beef base, though. I will probably try that.

The result is a bit soupy, but really good. It can be frozen and reheated later which makes it thicker and still really good (if not better.) When I lived alone, I would make up a batch to freeze and dine one for a month.

We will also mix some tomato paste into the left over chili which will thicken it and make it a little sweeter then serve it on top of pasta like spaghetti. This is a favorite of my wife.

 

[John Kemker]

Prfesser's Chili Soup

Real chili is best described as a stew. This isn't chili, it's a low-calorie, low-fat mixture with chili flavor. (Ever looked at the nutrition label of canned chili? Ye gods and little fishes, the fat!!) Add some good sourdough or hard rolls with olive oil (saute minced garlic in the oil! You're welcome!), and a salad, for a meal.

Ingredients

1 lb lean (85% or 90%) ground beef
1 large onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp paprika
2-4 tbsp chili powder
1 tsp cumin
2 or 3 15-oz. cans chili hot beans, undrained
1 15-oz can diced tomatoes
1 15-oz can tomato sauce
Beef base to taste

Saute beef until nicely browned---for best flavor it should not be burnt but should have a nice hard crust over a lot of the surface. Add the onion, paprika, chili powder, and cumin a couple of minutes before browning is complete. Just before it's done, scrape a small part of the pan clean with a spatula and add the garlic, mixing it about for around 30 seconds. Do not burn the garlic. (May want to blot up any excess fat with paper towels.)

Add remaining ingredients. I use at least a heaping tablespoon of beef base. More expensive than boullion cubes but far, far more flavorful.

Bring to a boil, turn down to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes up to 3-4 hours. I've not done this but a few tbsp of masa harina mixed with water is said to be a good thickener. Of course you can top it with cheese, chives, sour cream, cilantro, tortilla chips, what-have-you. If it needs more salt, add more beef base instead.

You're right. It's not chili. It has beans in it.

 

[John Kemker]

UPDATED RECIPE:

John's Buttermilk Biscuits

Preheat your oven to 450F (Don't ask me what that is in Celsius. Don't know and don't care. This is a Southern recipe, y'all.)

1 Cup all-purpose flour
1 Cup bread flour
1 Tbs baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/3 cup (1 stick) butter, cold
2 Tbs Soy Lecithin
3/4 cup buttermilk

Mix the dry ingredients together. You can sift them, if you'd like. I just usually stick my hand in and swirl them around a bit. Using a knife or a pastry blade (aka "bench scraper'), cut your butter up into smaller pieces. Then, using either a fork or a pastry blender, cut the cold butter into the dry ingredients until well blended. Halfway through cutting the butter in, add the Lecithin and continue cutting into the dry ingredients. Once the butter and Lecithin are cut into the dry ingredients, add the buttermilk and mix until all the flour is wetted out and you have a slightly sticky ball of dough. Knead the dough for about a minute or two. Too much kneading makes the biscuits tougher. Not enough, and they'll fall apart when you try to spread butter and/or preserves on them. You'll have to experiment to figure out how long to knead based on how you want your biscuits. Once you're done kneading, roll the dough out to about 3/4" thick and cut into biscuit rounds with either a glass (jelly jars work great, after you're done with the jelly) or a biscuit cutter.

Bake for 10 minutes, or until lightly golden. Spread with butter and your favorite preserves, or sandwich a patty of breakfast sausage or slice of country ham between the halves.

Have since reduced the lecithin to a teaspoon. Doesn't take a lot to help the biscuits, but too much makes it bitter.

 

[John Kemker]

Ancho Barbecue Sauce

A Texas-style barbecue sauce suitable for brisket, chicken, tofu, cabbage, or any other smoked food​

Ingredients

3 Dried Ancho chiles, stemmed and seeded

1 Tablespoon olive oil

2 cups diced onion

7 cloves garlic, minced

1 cup ketchup (Whataburger, if you can get it!)

½ cup Worcestershire sauce (if you can pronounce it!)

1/3 cup packed brown sugar (I prefer dark, you can use light, if you like.)

¼ cup cider vinegar

¼ cup lemon juice

1 ½ tablespoons mustard (Definitely use Whataburger mustard!)

2 teaspoons salt, or to taste

Mushroom stock (up to 2:1 sauce to stock ratio)


Directions

Soak the anchos in hot water for 30 minutes or until soft. Save the water you soak them in to make the mushroom stock. In a large, heavy saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat and add the onion and garlic. Saute’ until they begin to sweat, about 1 minute. Add the ketchup and anchos and continue to saute’ for 4 minutes. Add all the rest of the ingredients except the mushroom stock and reduce heat and simmer for 30 or 40 minutes.

While that’s simmering, make your mushroom stock using a mushroom base, such as “Better Than Bullion” mushroom base and the water saved from soaking the Ancho chiles.

When the sauce is done, add the stock and either serve immediately or save in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks.

If you would like, you can substitute beef stock for mushroom stock, but taste tests have found most folks prefer the mushroom stock.

 

[cwbullet]

Not my recipe, but low love this one:

https://www.triedandtruerecipe.com/buffalo-chicken-tenders/

 

[tsmith1315]

Making a Chicken Pot Pie today.


I started taking notes and pics shortly after beginning, so it can be approximated again and modified.



I'll translate it...





- 2 chicken quarters, roasted and cubed *
- 2½ cups cubed potatoes and carrots, blanched and cooled, loosely packed *
- ½ cup+ of peas, cooked
- ½Tbsp poultry-type seasoning, I used celery salt, celery seed, black pepper, rosemary, thyme, sage, parsley
equal amounts, probably ¼ tsp each and a pinch or two of cardamom.
* these were cooked a day or two ago, and left chilled for today.

I determined I'd need about 3 cups of creamed broth to make it the right depth in my pan.
Ingredients for that:

- 2 cups chicken broth,
- 1 cup ½ & ½, It's what I had- you could use cream or whole milk. I wouldn't use skim, but you can if you want.
- 1½ tsp chicken bouillon
- 3 or 4 T butter, I used plant-based because all the real butter had been eaten and that's what I had left.
- scant ½ cup flour

Take the crusts out before starting, so they will unroll easily without cracking.
Heat the broth.
Nuke the cream for 30 seconds or so to take the chill off.

Make the roux, then add the liquids and seasonings:
Melt the buttery substance over med heat, let it brown a little and the add the flour a little at a time, stirring constantly with a wisk. It will be very thick. ( (sorry no pics of that, no spare hands)
Add a little of the broth at a time, whisking constantly to incorporate. By the time all of the broth is in, it should be smooth without lumps.
Add seasonings.
Add the cream slowly and incorporate it until smooth.
Cook until thickened, a few minutes.


Mix in the chicken, then fold in the veges. The filling is fairly thick, it wouldn't be hard to break up the veges while mixing. I put the chicken in last and had to be careful.


Grease the pan bottom and sides.
Stretch the bottom crust up the sides to the height the filling will go.
Add the filling, and then lay the top crust over it.
Pinch the crusts together where they meet, then trim the excess




Vent the crust to let steam escape and I can't help but snack on the leftover crust.






Bake at 350° for an hour or so. I forgot to set the timer until about halfway through, so I'm not sure how long.
The clear dish let me see through and be sure the bottom crust was done.
Obviously, I didn't do a decent job of pinching the crusts together. It'll be okay.




Posting while it cools, I'll report back with results.

 

[John Kemker]

Making a Chicken Pot Pie today.


I started taking notes and pics shortly after beginning, so it can be approximated again and modified.

View attachment 640427

I'll translate it...

View attachment 640426



- 2 chicken quarters, roasted and cubed *
- 2½ cups cubed potatoes and carrots, blanched and cooled, loosely packed *
- ½ cup+ of peas, cooked
- ½Tbsp poultry-type seasoning, I used celery salt, celery seed, black pepper, rosemary, thyme, sage, parsley
equal amounts, probably ¼ tsp each and a pinch or two of cardamom.
* these were cooked a day or two ago, and left chilled for today.

I determined I'd need about 3 cups of creamed broth to make it the right depth in my pan.
Ingredients for that:

- 2 cups chicken broth,
- 1 cup ½ & ½, It's what I had- you could use cream or whole milk. I wouldn't use skim, but you can if you want.
- 1½ tsp chicken bouillon
- 3 or 4 T butter, I used plant-based because all the real butter had been eaten and that's what I had left.
- scant ½ cup flour

Take the crusts out before starting, so they will unroll easily without cracking.
Heat the broth.
Nuke the cream for 30 seconds or so to take the chill off.

Make the roux, then add the liquids and seasonings:
Melt the buttery substance over med heat, let it brown a little and the add the flour a little at a time, stirring constantly with a wisk. It will be very thick. ( (sorry no pics of that, no spare hands)
Add a little of the broth at a time, whisking constantly to incorporate. By the time all of the broth is in, it should be smooth without lumps.
Add seasonings.
Add the cream slowly and incorporate it until smooth.
Cook until thickened, a few minutes.
View attachment 640432

Mix in the chicken, then fold in the veges. The filling is fairly thick, it wouldn't be hard to break up the veges while mixing. I put the chicken in last and had to be careful.
View attachment 640433

Grease the pan bottom and sides.
Stretch the bottom crust up the sides to the height the filling will go.
Add the filling, and then lay the top crust over it.
Pinch the crusts together where they meet, then trim the excess

View attachment 640434


Vent the crust to let steam escape and I can't help but snack on the leftover crust.


View attachment 640435



Bake at 350° for an hour or so. I forgot to set the timer until about halfway through, so I'm not sure how long.
The clear dish let me see through and be sure the bottom crust was done.
Obviously, I didn't do a decent job of pinching the crusts together. It'll be okay.

View attachment 640436


Posting while it cools, I'll report back with results.

 

[prfesser]

Lay the leftover pieces of dough on a cookie sheet, sprinkle with cinnamon sugar, bake until nicely browned.

I use a top crust only. Instead of mixing the chicken into the filling I sprinkle the chunks over the filling, then top with the crust; reduces soggy crust. Foil on the lower rack under the baking rack to catch drips.

Also: alternative topping instead of piecrust.

Biscuit topping for chicken pot pie
1½ cups all-purpose flour
1½ tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. salt
1 cup buttermilk
6 Tbsp. butter, melted and divided

Sift first four ingredients--run 'em through a sieve a couple of times if you don't have a sifter--then add half the melted butter and the buttermilk. Mix just until the dry ingredients are moistened. Filling into a 9x9" pan, drop portions onto the filling, about 3-4 Tbsp each with space between. Should make 7-9 biscuits. Drizzle the rest of the butter over each portion. Bake at 425 F around 20-30 minutes until the smoke alarm goes off Golden Brown and Delicious.

 

[tsmith1315]

I'll report back with results.

Pretty good. Next time, I'll probably try leaving out the cardamom and the bouillon.

 

[kuririn]

Pretty good. Next time, I'll probably try leaving out the cardamom and the bouillon.

I usually mash up the crust and the filling together.
The liquid soaks into the crust and flavors it.
It all ends up in the same place anyway.

 

[Greg Furtman]

This looks delicious!

 

[kuririn]

This looks delicious!

Looks good.
But did you see all the dishes and pots he was washing at the end?

 

[Greg Furtman]

Looks good.
But did you see all the dishes and pots he was washing at the end?

Actually Claire was washing them. I wonder why Claire doesn't weigh 200#

 

[boatgeek]

Actually Claire was washing them. I wonder why Claire doesn't weigh 200#

My wife calls it man cooking, where the recipe is optimized to dirty every bowl and pan in the kitchen. Cook’s Illustrated is especially bad about that, where relatively minor mods could reduce the cleanup dramatically.

 

[Greg Furtman]

My wife calls it man cooking, where the recipe is optimized to dirty every bowl and pan in the kitchen. Cook’s Illustrated is especially bad about that, where relatively minor mods could reduce the cleanup dramatically.

I'm single and have to do my own cleanup. So I try to dirty as few dishes/cookware/utensils as possible. But the recipe really looks tasty.

 

[boatgeek]

I'm single and have to do my own cleanup. So I try to dirty as few dishes/cookware/utensils as possible. But the recipe really looks tasty.

I think a lot of it is experience and also doing your own cleanup. My wife is very good and also treats recipes as a rough guide.

This is also why I make better baking powder biscuits.

 

[Sandy H.]

Kind-of a random question, but I think this is the thread for it. What kind of glue should I. . . . just kidding.

Any ideas for an alternate to hotdogs? I like hotdogs, but the older I get, the less they like me. My wife and I are also trying to eat less processed stuff, so in general, hotdogs are a once or twice a year thing.

Bojangles released a new thing called the 'Bird-dog' (chicken tender in long bun, possibly some sauce or something - haven't tried it), which is what made me ponder this.

I feel like possibly a pork-loin in a bun with hotdog condiments might be good, but imagine there would need to be a somewhat specific marinade to get a little closer to the nitrate taste you get with a hot dog. Doubting a steak or chicken option is likely to work, but glad to be convinced otherwise.

So, what's a good alternate if you're in the mood for a hotdog, but don't feel like burping and having indigestion the rest of the day?

 

[terryg]

Pork tenderloin perhaps?

 

[bjphoenix]

So, what's a good alternate if you're in the mood for a hotdog, but don't feel like burping and having indigestion the rest of the day?

I don't know what part of it affects you but you can buy all beef hotdogs and turkey hotdogs.

 

[Sandy H.]

I don't know what part of it affects you but you can buy all beef hotdogs and turkey hotdogs.

You might be right. Maybe its the 'whatever is on-sale' mentality has ruined it for me. I remember getting Nathan's from Sam's Club quite often back in the day and they were both tasty and I don't remember feeling like a log afterwards. I'll report back once I do it.

Back to the regularly scheduled cool recipes!

 

[stealth6]

Not a recipe, but I figured this would be an appropriate thread to post this......

Taking my brothers (from back east) on a short river trip next week (I used to guide). "Upper" San Juan River in Utah. This is the menu I've planned (and will be cooking):

D1 Lunch -- Deli sandwiches, "gourmet" chips, clementine mandarins, bakery cookies

D1 Appetizer -- "Caprese on a Stick" (mozzarella balls, tomato, basil leaf, balsamic vinegar)

D1 Dinner -- Wagyu burgers with Pistachio/Pesto sauce, potato salad, "Mexican" cole slaw

D2 Breakfast -- Coconut French toast, breakfast sausage, strawberries, coffee/tea

D2 Lunch -- Mediterranean pita pockets with za'taar, sliced apples, rosemary marcona almonds

D2 Appetizer -- Brie, pears, crackers

D2 Dinner -- Fresh wild trout fillets with maple/balsamic glaze, roasted corn on the cob, lemon cake with berries (all these cooked in foil on the fire).

D3 Breakfast -- Shakshuka, bread with olive oil & dukkah, coffee/tea

D3 Lunch -- Mango/avocado/chicken salad with ginger/lime/mint dressing in wraps, seed crackers, medjool dates

Anyone hungry?

s6