Poll of the Day > I really enjoy cooking now!

(+) Yeah! (+)

I think back to my undergraduate days when I would cycle through cooking routinely-seasoned chicken breasts, tilapia filets, and penne pasta on my stovetop...thank goodness my cuisine skill set has grown since then. Got a growing recipe book now :]

Everything I make turns out tasting p dang good, and I've grown more confident in preparing meals for family and friends to enjoy. Also, my demeanor turns for the worst if I don't have meals to prep at home during the week; I get too hangry and end up wasting money to sustain myself throughout the day. I'm going to get back on my regular Sunday meal prep routine to prevent this: freezer breakfast burritos and rotating lunches for my containers.

Cooking is great, y'all, and it isn't that complicated. Pro-tip: follow the recipe as it is written.
---

in my experience food tastes better when you cook it yourself unless you really fucked up but I guess its a "pride" thing because you did it yourself, worked for it etc. but then again I get all my recipes from my mom and she gives idiot proof instructions usually.

but forewarning if you are trying out new things out of a recipe book there will be some misses. that probably goes with out saying but my mom is a great cook but as shes getting older she seems to have tried branching out and trying new things, and she has her misses definitely where it didn't come out like it should have.

but yeah quick food is great, it really is but nothing beats home cooked meals in the long run.
---

I dunno, I go out of my way to find new recipes to try out. The meal's final plating may not look as pretty as these bloggers' photo presentations, but it always end up tasting as it should: delicious and satisfying.

Forgot to mention that tonight's meal was teriyaki chicken served on hot Jasmine rice with a side salad with sesame ginger dressing :3
---

RCtheWSBC posted...

I dunno, I go out of my way to find new recipes to try out. The meal's final plating may not look as pretty as these bloggers' photo presentations, but it always end up tasting as it should: delicious and satisfying.

Forgot to mention that tonight's meal was teriyaki chicken served on hot Jasmine rice with a side salad with sesame ginger dressing :3

that sounds horrible, but i'm a somewhat picky eater. don't care for teriyaki, and I hate any rice other than white rice.

but you have to understand with my mom I guess, she grew up mostly on southern cooking, so that was the majority of what she knew how to cook. and now shes in her 50s and out of no where trying to branch out, so its a completely new field in a way for her. but she rarely makes it un eatable. its usually at wort "meh" but about half the time she gets it perfect when trying something new, the other half she has to make an attempt or two before nailing it.
---

mooreandrew58 posted...

don't care for teriyaki, and I hate any rice other than white rice.

Jasmine rice is white rice >___>

I don't have to understand your mom, sorry lol. I grew up in the south, too, (Mom's from FL, dad's from AL) and my parents have no problem learning to cook new things. They also enjoy it.
---

3 large egg whites
2 cups confectioners sugar
cup regular cocoa powder
cup black cocoa powder
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp espresso powder
1 cup (6 oz) chocolate chips
Preheat the oven to 350F. Place greased parchment paper onto two
baking sheets.
Mix all of the ingredients except the chips until well-blended. Slowly
stir in the chips, then scoop the dough onto the baking sheets. Make
1-2 inch cookie dough lumps, but give them 4 inches of room to spread.
I recommend four rows of two cookies on each baking sheet.
Bake 8-9 minutes, then remove from the oven and let cool on the
sheets.
Makes 16 cookies.
---

RCtheWSBC posted...

mooreandrew58 posted...

don't care for teriyaki, and I hate any rice other than white rice.

Jasmine rice is white rice >___>

I don't have to understand your mom, sorry lol. I grew up in the south, too, (Mom's from FL, dad's from AL) and my parents have no problem learning to cook new things. They also enjoy it.

oh well i'm not a food expert, i've always just heard it called white rice, and I don't really like it either, I can just tolerate it. and I never said she had a problem learning it. just she doesn't nail it the first time everytime. that being said though she cooks for a tough crowd, I said I was a picky eater, but i'm nothing compared to the ass she married and his kids.

edit: probably doesn't help some of the recipes she tries out, aren't from a published book. its something a friend or something like that gave to her.
---

Miroku_of_Nite1 posted...

3 large egg whites
2 cups confectioners sugar
cup regular cocoa powder
cup black cocoa powder
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp espresso powder
1 cup (6 oz) chocolate chips
Preheat the oven to 350F. Place greased parchment paper onto two
baking sheets.
Mix all of the ingredients except the chips until well-blended. Slowly
stir in the chips, then scoop the dough onto the baking sheets. Make
1-2 inch cookie dough lumps, but give them 4 inches of room to spread.
I recommend four rows of two cookies on each baking sheet.
Bake 8-9 minutes, then remove from the oven and let cool on the
sheets.
Makes 16 cookies.

ooooh, sounds promising. Baking from scratch is a whole 'nother beast. I managed to bake three loaves of bread on my own earlier this year!
---

1 lb ground beef
cup chopped onion
1 large egg
1 8oz can diced tomatoes in juice
cup quick-cooking oats
1 tsp salt
tsp ground black pepper
1/3 cup chili or barbeque sauce
Preheat oven to 375F.
In a large bowl, mix all of the ingredients (except the sauce). You
should use your hands to make sure everything is well mixed. Shape
it into a loaf and place in a deep baking dish. Top it with the sauce, and
bake for one hour.
Makes 4-6 servings.
---

Cooking is the best. I've been cooking for a long time and these last 3 months I've learned so much.

Have you ever tried cooking rice and lentils together? You get a bunch of extra protein and fiber, and a more earthy taste. It's pretty great.

Pinterest has been a great help to save things to try later.
---

The internet exists. With so many recipes available for free plus tons of video tutorials on even the most basic of cooking techniques, there really is no excuse. Cooking is easier than it has ever been thanks to that.

And about online recipes, I have only had a few turn out bad. I've been surprised at how 99% of the time they are super delicious and look just like the picture if you follow directions.
---

Cornbread muffins.

Dry ingredients
1 cup yellow cornmeal
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tbsp baking powder
cup sugar
1 tsp salt
Wet ingredients
1 cup milk
2 large eggs
cup
( stick)
butter, melted
cup honey
cup corn kernels (optional)
Preheat oven to 400F. Grease mini muffin tins, enough for 24-36
muffins.
In one bowl, mix all of the dry ingredients. In another, mix all of the
wet ingredients. Pout the wet mixture onto the dry mixture, and stir
until they are just mixed (there may be lumps). Pour into the greased
muffin tins and bake for 11-13 minutes, until just browned.
Makes 24-36 mini muffins.
---

Miroku_of_Nite1 posted...

1 lb ground beef
cup chopped onion
1 large egg
1 8oz can diced tomatoes in juice
cup quick-cooking oats
1 tsp salt
tsp ground black pepper
1/3 cup chili or barbeque sauce
Preheat oven to 375F.
In a large bowl, mix all of the ingredients (except the sauce). You
should use your hands to make sure everything is well mixed. Shape
it into a loaf and place in a deep baking dish. Top it with the sauce, and
bake for one hour.
Makes 4-6 servings.

This is meatloaf ya? My mom makes a yummy one, but this also looks promising.
Doctor Foxx posted...

Cooking is the best. I've been cooking for a long time and these last 3 months I've learned so much.

Have you ever tried cooking rice and lentils together? You get a bunch of extra protein and fiber, and a more earthy taste. It's pretty great.

Pinterest has been a great help to save things to try later.

I haven't tried out lentils yet. I just started using Pinterest for recipe-saving; usually it's for hairstyles and makeup crap lol.
---

RCtheWSBC posted...

This is meatloaf ya? My mom makes a yummy one, but this also looks promising.

Yeah, even though I am not a fan of meatloaf I've always gotten good complements on mine.
---

RCtheWSBC posted...

I haven't tried out lentils yet. I just started using Pinterest for recipe-saving; usually it's for hairstyles and makeup crap lol.

Ahh! They're one of the cheapest ways to eat well.

https://www.lettyskitchen.com/lentil-very-brown-rice/

I make this now instead of plain brown rice and I do the browning in coconut oil.

Let the extras cool off for other meals and they're full of resistant starch
---

Oh, one thing I want to recommend: the Instant Pot is awesome. It's the best thing ever when you're feeling lazy. You can throw a bunch of things in there and most likely have it done faster than you could in the oven or on the stove.

My favorite thing was making kalua pork (basically Hawaiian style pulled pork) in it. Took 90 minutes in the Instant Pot instead of like 16 hours in a slow cooker.
---

All of these have been saved to my recipes! Thanks for sharing, you guys. Dang, I love cooking. Hate the clean up, though.
---

Nice. I used to cook a little more but working full time while being lazy to begin with I don't have the energy to cook much of anything (especially cleaning the pots and pans afterwards) so I mostly make frozen stuff or stuff that requires no cooking like greek yogurt
---

ShadowRisae posted...

Oh, one thing I want to recommend: the Instant Pot is awesome. It's the best thing ever when you're feeling lazy. You can throw a bunch of things in there and most likely have it done faster than you could in the oven or on the stove.

I just got a new crockpot (thanks to my sugar momma @Jen0125 ) a few months ago. I hear that pressure cookers are the better bet but I'm good with what I got.
---

I like cooking too. I started teaching my kids to cook since they were three, so now they help with the cooking.
---

Wii3Kings posted...

I like cooking too. I started teaching my kids to cook since they were three, so now they help with the cooking.

You've always sounded like such a great dad, man. That's awesome!
---

Death chicken

What's in that pot?
---

ShadowRisae posted...

Oh, one thing I want to recommend: the Instant Pot is awesome. It's the best thing ever when you're feeling lazy. You can throw a bunch of things in there and most likely have it done faster than you could in the oven or on the stove.

Seconding this and it functions as a slow cooker. After I got mine I gave my slow cooker away. It's the only way I've been able to cook a variety of food without a kitchen.

Sorry I quoted the whole wrong thing
---

Chicken marinated in hot sauce with Cajun spices and red pepper flakes

"Hottie mix" peppers (habanero, Serrano, and datil)

Little oil

Little red hot

Pour that shit over rice and you've got some death chicken

RCtheWSBC posted...

Wii3Kings posted...

I like cooking too. I started teaching my kids to cook since they were three, so now they help with the cooking.

You've always sounded like such a great dad, man. That's awesome!

Thank you.
---

Doctor Foxx posted...

GhostGiblet posted...

Nice. I used to cook a little more but working full time while being lazy to begin with I don't have the energy to cook much of anything (especially cleaning the pots and pans afterwards) so I mostly make frozen stuff or stuff that requires no cooking like greek yogurt

Seconding this and it functions as a slow cooker. After I got mine I gave my slow cooker away. It's the only way I've been able to cook a variety of food without a kitchen.

Sorry, got your what?
---

SmokeMassTree2 posted...

Chicken marinated in hot sauce with Cajun spices and red pepper flakes

"Hottie mix" peppers (habanero, Serrano, and datil)

Little oil

Little red hot

Pour that shit over rice and you've got some death chicken

ooooh my dad and I need to get on this. We're the spice lovers in the family.
---

GhostGiblet posted...

Sorry, got your what?

Instant pot I messed it up
---

Do it

Just make sure your cooking area is well ventilated. Frying up those peppers makes a pepper spray effect. My son gags every time I cook with them

Doctor Foxx posted...

GhostGiblet posted...

Sorry, got your what?

Instant pot I messed it up

Ah. I haven't seen this thing before, I wonder how well it really does with all these different functions (like rice cooker/ steamer). I thought about getting a rice cooker before but still haven't used my crockpot yet either. Maybe one weekend I'll have enough time to make something

This looks good

https://recipes.instantpot.com/recipe/smokey-sweet-potato-and-black-bean-chili/
---

RCtheWSBC posted...

Cooking is great, y'all, and it isn't that complicated. Pro-tip: follow the recipe as it is written.

This is true, though I'm sure you deviate here and there on the recipes sometimes, or season things differently/add your own spices...

Or do you? Cause I have like a few go-to seasonings I would use for different foods. I might use a bit much sometimes but I just like the extra flavor.
---

RIP_Supa posted...

RCtheWSBC posted...

Cooking is great, y'all, and it isn't that complicated. Pro-tip: follow the recipe as it is written.

This is true, though I'm sure you deviate here and there on the recipes sometimes, or season things differently/add your own spices...

Or do you? Cause I have like a few go-to seasonings I would use for different foods. I might use a bit much sometimes but I just like the extra flavor.

Recipes are as much art as they are science. It's helpful to follow the recipes when you're starting out, but after you get experienced in an area you should consider customizing the recipes to your own specific desires. Of course some people are just bad at art, and if that's you perhaps you should just follow the recipe to the t.

sveksii posted...

RIP_Supa posted...

RCtheWSBC posted...

Cooking is great, y'all, and it isn't that complicated. Pro-tip: follow the recipe as it is written.

This is true, though I'm sure you deviate here and there on the recipes sometimes, or season things differently/add your own spices...

Or do you? Cause I have like a few go-to seasonings I would use for different foods. I might use a bit much sometimes but I just like the extra flavor.

Recipes are as much art as they are science. It's helpful to follow the recipes when you're starting out, but after you get experienced in an area you should consider customizing the recipes to your own specific desires. Of course some people are just bad at art, and if that's you perhaps you should just follow the recipe to the t.

Haha, I agree with this. I have taken slight liberties with recipes I've prepared many times over to achieve a taste I know I'd prefer more over the original ingredients. Shit like, red bell peppers over green, 1/2 tablespoon additional cayenne pepper than called for--again, slight but it makes the end result more my taste.
---

dont post too much I need to get in on this

I made homemade mozz sticks tonight, breaded in italian bread crumbs, flour and egg. All I needed was marinara but shit was delicious.

would you guys watch video's of RC cooking if she released a cooking with RC channel?
---

BlazeAndBlade posted...

would you guys watch video's of RC cooking if she released a cooking with RC channel?

If we said yes, would she do it?
---

RCtheWSBC posted...

What's in that pot?

a lot of grease, it looks like.

jesus.
---

Crock Pot Chicken and dumplings:

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts (can be frozen)
1/2 package of frozen mixed veggies (or chop up some fresh veggies)
1/2 onion chopped finely
1 can of cream of chicken soup (or use Homemade Cream of Chicken Soup)
2 cups of water (or milk)
2 cups of chicken broth
1tsp of garlic salt
1tsp poultry seasoning
salt and pepper to taste (be liberal on the salt)
1 10 ct canned biscuits (cheap kind, not grands)

Place the chicken and veggies in the crock pot.
Add in the cream of chicken soup and seasonings.
Pour water and broth on top.
Cook on low for 6 hours, or high for 3.
Once cooked through shred the chicken and place back into the crockpot. (Protip: you can just shred the chicken in the pot with a pair of forks)
Cut up the biscuits and place on top.
Let cook on high for one hour or low for 2. Stir twice during that time.
Serve with salt and pepper.

A good cheap base recipie with a lot of room to improvise. I like to add fresh garlic, paprika, celery, and sometimes ocra or chickpeas. Obligatory crock pots are magical post, but I know we've had that discussion before.

If I can figure out where my crock chili recipe ran off to I'll post that as well.

If you're really lucky I'll go dig up my recipies for carrot cake and apple muffins.
---

helIy posted...

RCtheWSBC posted...

What's in that pot?

a lot of grease, it looks like.

jesus.

Turns out you fry food in oil

Crazy, I know

Been cooking a lot lately too, tomorrow I'm making Thai chicken with peanut sauce
---

GhostGiblet posted...

Doctor Foxx posted...

GhostGiblet posted...

Sorry, got your what?

Instant pot I messed it up

Ah. I haven't seen this thing before, I wonder how well it really does with all these different functions (like rice cooker/ steamer). I thought about getting a rice cooker before but still haven't used my crockpot yet either. Maybe one weekend I'll have enough time to make something

This looks good

https://recipes.instantpot.com/recipe/smokey-sweet-potato-and-black-bean-chili/

I've used my InstantPot for 4 years now. Perfect rice 100% of the time. Chili and curries are amazing in it. If you eat beans it makes cooking from dried, unsoaked beans a quick process. You can make stocks in short order that are clearer and more intensely flavored than you can get on a stove. Easy to make one pot pasta, you can steam things in it (works well), you can make cheesecake. The new models even have settings for yogurt making. It's super versatile. It goes on sale on Amazon with some frequency, it's a bargain on sale. I'd pay full if I needed to replace mine in a heartbeat.

(and it has a slow cooker function if you ever want to do that, but pressure is king, baby)
---

SmokeMassTree2 posted...

helIy posted...

RCtheWSBC posted...

What's in that pot?

a lot of grease, it looks like.

jesus.

Turns out you fry food in oil

Crazy, I know

that doesn't mean you need to leave the oil there when you add everything else
---

helIy posted...

SmokeMassTree2 posted...

helIy posted...

RCtheWSBC posted...

What's in that pot?

a lot of grease, it looks like.

jesus.

Turns out you fry food in oil

Crazy, I know

that doesn't mean you need to leave the oil there when you add everything else

the crazy thing is you don't even need to cook in oil to make good food, and definitely don't need to leave it pooled
---

Everything I make turns out tasting p dang good

When you say that I gotta ask...do you have that sense of ingredients? To have an idea what stuff mixed together will taste awesome or trial and error is the only way to learn?
---

helIy posted...

SmokeMassTree2 posted...

helIy posted...

RCtheWSBC posted...

What's in that pot?

a lot of grease, it looks like.

jesus.

Turns out you fry food in oil

Crazy, I know

that doesn't mean you need to leave the oil there when you add everything else

How would I fry it in oil if I remove the oil

Don't erikp me heliy

spooky96 posted...

Everything I make turns out tasting p dang good

When you say that I gotta ask...do you have that sense of ingredients? To have an idea what stuff mixed together will taste awesome or trial and error is the only way to learn?

Like I said, it's all following the original recipe as called for. I'll only make custom adjustments if I know a recipe well enough to know that substituting, adding or completing omitting an ingredient will not ruin the end result.

Usually when I look up a new meal to cook (say, chicken marsala) I'll look up up to 5 recipes and compare their ingredients list. I notice a pattern of what parts are necessary to get the main taste, and what additional ingredients I can add for extra flavoring.
---

Also, when you're cooking bacon via stovetop definitely do it while naked
---

Usually when I look up a new meal to cook (say, chicken marsala) I'll look up up to 5 recipes and compare their ingredients list. I notice a pattern of what parts are necessary to get the main taste

This actually makes sense, dunno why I never thought of it. Thanks a ton! I really like to add cream in the curries I make, it makes the curry smoother and definitely helps if you're not a fan of spicy food as most of the Indian food is fairly spicy.
---

You're welcome! You mean like heavy cream or whipping cream? They're usually an integral part to curry recipes (at least in the ones I've prepared). Greek yogurt or coconut milk are similar-ish alternatives for flavoring.
---