Homemade foods

[Timbuk2]

I suppose it would be, yes.

Strangely though, pancake batter only has, what, 3 primary ingredients? Milk, plain flour, & eggs? Pinch of salt? Not sure how packet stuff could be so different. But if your tastes prefer it, then all good.

Everyone has their way of doing things. For me, generally, I prefer mixing up stuff and evolving my favourite recipes over time. Other people trust the pre-made stuff more, or don't have the time/inclination to make up stuff from scratch. Or prefer the taste.

Foody tastes are utterly subjective.

What is more objective though is what is healthy and what isn't. Which is why I said if one goes for the pre-made stuff, avoid the added nasties, which usually means buying higher quality/more expensive.

[Catgrrl]

Most of what I cook would be semi-homemade. I use canned tomato sauce and paste when putting together my spaghetti sauce. I don't make my own pasta. I think most people fall in this category.

I did make my own veggie stock last week, and it turned out pretty well. Though it smelled like Thanksgiving as a result and I had no turkey, so that was a little disappointing.

[Aimless]

Pancakes can be complicated:

http://www.cookscountry.com/recipes/...Country/17870/

Mixing flours and adding powdered milk and the like can take baking to another level

[GGT]

True about the pancake batter. I've never really understood the flour thing. Many recipes call for certain types of flour, or sifting. Not sure what that means when buying all-purpose or pre-sifted flours. The best homemade cake I've ever had was made using hand-sifted flour. But I don't know if that meant sifting pre-sifted all-purpose flour, or what.



It's difficult to find a flour sifter today. My mom and grandmas used to keep one in their kitchens.
They also used the flour sifter to shake powdered sugar over cookies and cakes.
But it's hard to find one today...outside of antique shops selling them as decorative ornaments.

[Aimless]

Next up home-roasted coffee

[Catgrrl]

In attempts to eat (and drink) better, I started making my own almond milk. Surprisingly easy and tasty. I still prefer 2% milk but this has less calories so I'll give it a try for awhile.

Been on a granola kick, so have been making homemade versions of it as well. And granola bars.

[GGT]

Do oatmeal cookies count as granola?


I've been experimenting with bread and cracker crumbs, trying to replicate Japanese Panko. Harder than it seemed.

[Catgrrl]

Haven't tried to make Panko but I do make my own breadcrumbs out of leftover bread. Unlike my childhood, now it takes us a week to go through a loaf of sandwich bread so it's nice to have a use for it. I grind it in the food processor and then freeze what I don't use.

I'm becoming one of those people I used to make fun of.

[GGT]

Haven't tried to make Panko but I do make my own breadcrumbs out of leftover bread. Unlike my childhood, now it takes us a week to go through a loaf of sandwich bread so it's nice to have a use for it. I grind it in the food processor and then freeze what I don't use.

I'm becoming one of those people I used to make fun of.

Bread has so many secondary uses! Heels/crusts make great homemade salad croutons, too. I haven't figured out the tortilla or pita leftovers just yet....but until then, the birds love it just the same.

[Catgrrl]

There are no leftovers of pita bread or tortillas in my house I eat every last bit!

[GGT]

I tend to "cook for an army" and end up with lots of leftovers.

[earthJoker]

Speaking of breadcrumbs, I do one of my favorites to day, Wiener Schnitzel with potato salad.

[Catgrrl]

Mmmmm I love Schnitzel. Never made it myself though.

[GGT]

Speaking of breadcrumbs, I do one of my favorites to day, Wiener Schnitzel with potato salad.

Yum, please share your recipes!

[Aimless]

So it turns out it's possible to make mayonnaise using milk and oil (and salt, lemon, pepper etc of course) and an immersion blender. Really nice. However it also turns out that extra virgin olive oil turns into a ridiculously bitter and utterly vile substance when blended in such a way. Something about polyphenols becoming exposed? I don't know, but whatever the reason I strongly recommend against blending olive oil for more than a little while.

[Dreadnaught]

Good thing about blending olive oil, I heard they were about to make that illegal over there.

Is the texture substantially different or is it just taste? Now I want to try putting olive oil in a blender just to experience this. But I sure as hell don't want to clean it.

Also, why would you want to make mayo with milk? Does it have any particular advantage?

[earthJoker]

Yum, please share your recipes!

Oh, I didn't saw this post. Well it's quite easy. Prepare your Schnitzel form veal, it needs to be large and flat. Different styles to do that, I use a hammer and hammer it flat.

Then you but it both ways into flour then egg (raw and mixed) and then breadcrumbs. After that for 30 seconds each side in a pan with hot oil. You need enough oil otherwise the breadcrumbs will get black.

Serve it with a lemon slice and cowberry jam.

[Catgrrl]

Just made my own almond butter. I roasted raw almonds before blending them, and I think I had them in the oven a bit too long. Doesn't taste too bad to me, but the kid will be the real test. This attempt has made me want to roast my almonds more often though. They are so delicious straight out of the oven! (Cooled a bit of course)

[GGT]

Did you mean almond milk?

Fresh-roasted warm almonds are delicious! My Greek-in-laws-by-marriage do a lot of home nut roasting. Some taste better than others. (I can't remember if it was hazel nuts or what, but they roast some dark-shelled nut whole, watching it carefully like a souffle, then crack the shell to eat the meat. I found it bitter, mushy and gross, but they absolutely love it.)

[Aimless]

Almond butter is delicious. Almond milk is all right

[Catgrrl]

I make both, actually. Almond milk I don't drink by itself; I use it when I eat cereal and granola. I added a bit of vanilla to the last batch of almond milk, and it was pretty good. Almond butter is basically like peanut butter; the kid seems to like it better than peanut butter. I personally LOVE PB, but almond butter is pretty good too.

Yikes, I'm starting to sound like some of my family members who I find pretentious.

[GGT]

ooohhh I was thinking along the lines of garlic butter PS, it's not pretentious to try, and make, new and different things. Especially with kids that can be picky eaters. We got a dehydrator as a gift a long time ago, and had a phase of making beef jerky, banana chips, dried cranberries, dehydrating almost anything (even flowers). Kindofa pain in the ass really, and the phase passed, but it was fun for a while.

[Aimless]

Cat, are you suoitneterp? be honest

[GGT]

Oh, I didn't saw this post. Well it's quite easy. Prepare your Schnitzel form veal, it needs to be large and flat. Different styles to do that, I use a hammer and hammer it flat.

Then you but it both ways into flour then egg (raw and mixed) and then breadcrumbs. After that for 30 seconds each side in a pan with hot oil. You need enough oil otherwise the breadcrumbs will get black.

Serve it with a lemon slice and cowberry jam.

Wait, you dredge the meat in flour first, THEN raw egg, and THEN breadcrumbs? Or is this language barrier confusion? Do I even want to know what cowberry jam means?

[GGT]

Where are the grillers? This Memorial weekend holiday is a good time to prepare for 4th of July....both big grilling seasons. I'm not very good at (outdoor) grilling, but have learned some nice recipes for marinating meats and some BBQ sauces. I still suck at getting meats thoroughly cooked on the inside, without losing moistness, or charring the outside. Great grilling is definitely a learned skill.

Any tips?

[earthJoker]

Try horse, it's awesome!

[Aimless]

Wait, you dredge the meat in flour first, THEN raw egg, and THEN breadcrumbs? Or is this language barrier confusion? Do I even want to know what cowberry jam means?

That is how you make it, helps keep the meat more moist. Cowberry is another name for lingonberry and it's delicious with meat... Didn't know it was popular anywhere outside Sweden!

[earthJoker]

Wait, you dredge the meat in flour first, THEN raw egg, and THEN breadcrumbs?

Yes, in this order. I always use three simple plates, and arrange them next to each other. I put the flat meat in the flour first, both sides, then the egg, both sides and then the breadcrumbs.

Or is this language barrier confusion? Do I even want to know what cowberry jam means?

No GGT, since we started to discuss about food, it has never been the language barrier that stood between us, you just need more fantasy in cooking.


Cowberry is the red thing on the table. Also known as lingonberry, lowbush cranberry, mountain cranberry.

[Catgrrl]

Cat, are you suoitneterp? be honest

Maybe



Flour, then egg (or buttermilk), and then breadcrumbs is how I do baked chicken.


Man, now I really want schnitzel. I'm going to have to make hubby take me to the German restaurant in a nearby town.

[earthJoker]

Man, now I really want schnitzel. I'm going to have to make hubby take me to the German restaurant in a nearby town.

Austrian