# GimmeAnother1 Food Thread



## GimmeAnother1 (Nov 20, 2019)

Starting a general thread of all of the foods I am baking/cooking/etc.  If anyone likes any of them and wants the recipe just reply and I will post it.  



My 1st post will be today's dinner:


Rosemary/Thyme chicken breast w/bacon and sharp cheddar cheese.
Baked Idaho potato with bacon juice rub crust, sour cream, green onions, bacon, and melted butter.


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## GimmeAnother1 (Nov 20, 2019)

*Lemon Pound Cake*

Lemon pound cake examples I have been making lately.


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## GimmeAnother1 (Nov 20, 2019)

*Burnt Cheesecake*

Burnt Cheesecake


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## GimmeAnother1 (Nov 20, 2019)

*Hungarian Goulash*

Hungarian Goulash


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## GimmeAnother1 (Nov 20, 2019)

*Banana Bread Pudding*

Banana Bread Pudding 2 different ways (traditional and magnolia style)


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## GimmeAnother1 (Nov 20, 2019)

*Canele*

Canele (Italian Pastry)


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## GimmeAnother1 (Nov 20, 2019)

*Lemon Bars*

Lemon Bars


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## GimmeAnother1 (Nov 20, 2019)

*Creme Puff*

Creme Puff


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## GimmeAnother1 (Nov 20, 2019)

*Pizza*

Pizza (baking sheet grandma style)


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## GimmeAnother1 (Nov 20, 2019)

*Pot Roast - Instant Pot*

Instant Pot


Pot Roast w/dry rub and liquid sauce, onions, carrots, mini potatoes, peas, garlic sauteed string beans, bisket


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## Chief Longwind Of The North (Nov 21, 2019)

GimmeAnorher1;  Can I call you GA1 for short?  I appkaude your thread.  This is what we do here at DC..  We share what we know and do.  I wish I could give everyone access to my laptop, so that all would have access to all of my tecipes, some of my own crrations, some from family, and some from yeats of freindship here on DC.  I would love for eeryone to have samplrd my turkeys  smokrd on the Webber kettle, or my best Nre York style, or even my Hollywood cheesecake


We share our brst for two reasons, that we are hppy with what we have made., and feel a bit pf pride, and lett us be honest  look for a bit of recognition fot our efforts, and more importantly, because we want everyone to have the same joyful vullinary experiences that we have had.  So thank you for this thtrad and welcome to DC.

Seeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North


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## GimmeAnother1 (Nov 24, 2019)

Thank you Chief.  Indeed you are correct.  Started cooking this year and have been on quite the culinary experience since.  Looking forward to making as many dishes as possible and experiencing food from all over the world in my home!




Chief Longwind Of The North said:


> GimmeAnorher1;  Can I call you GA1 for short?  I appkaude your thread.  This is what we do here at DC..  We share what we know and do.  I wish I could give everyone access to my laptop, so that all would have access to all of my tecipes, some of my own crrations, some from family, and some from yeats of freindship here on DC.  I would love for eeryone to have samplrd my turkeys  smokrd on the Webber kettle, or my best Nre York style, or even my Hollywood cheesecake
> 
> 
> We share our brst for two reasons, that we are hppy with what we have made., and feel a bit pf pride, and lett us be honest  look for a bit of recognition fot our efforts, and more importantly, because we want everyone to have the same joyful vullinary experiences that we have had.  So thank you for this thtrad and welcome to DC.
> ...


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## GimmeAnother1 (Nov 24, 2019)

*Chicken Noodle Soup*

can't take the credit on this one.  My niece started this one and i finished it.  she is incredibly gifted for culinary and i learn a lot from her as i progress on my own journey.
 made from scratch with various soup greens, broths, boiled and pulled chicken, seasonings.


lesson learned: not quite learned but i did the noodles and came out mushy.  need more experience on cooking noodles properly.  all in all the chicken/broth came out awesome so no one even notice the noodles.  once i put noodles in servings i just spread out in liquid in spoon and no one noticed/tasted the difference.  still i need to learn cooking noodles better.


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## GimmeAnother1 (Nov 24, 2019)

*Potato Salad (Puerto Rican Style)*

PR styled Potato Salad
peeled, diced potatoes boiled and mashed
hard boiled eggs
mayo
red peppers
onion diced
adobo
 salt/pepper


lesson learned: never cooked hard boiled eggs before.  not much too it but went through the experience.  when adding mayo i use 1 tbsp at a time and mix in because if you put too much u can't go back.  also best served cold.  my initial mix is warm as i boil the potatoes and cook the eggs.


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## GimmeAnother1 (Nov 24, 2019)

*Arroz Con Pollo*

fried chicken breast, red peppers, seasonings (sazon, adobo, salt, pepper, chicken bullion, bay leaf), chicken broth/water, long grain white rice


lesson learned: 1. mine came out very dark.  i think because i fried my chicken breast ahead of time and deglazed.  deglaze bits i think made the liquid darker than it should be.  also maybe too much sazon? 2. i decided to use dutch oven and start mine on top but finish baking in the oven.  the rice had a bit of a crunch to them.  not sure if it was because of this and also it is not typical to bake rice in oven from what i see.
all in all the taste was very good.  the coloring threw some people off who were expecting more yellow or orange looking rice as opposed to maroon/dark.


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## GimmeAnother1 (Nov 24, 2019)

*Lomo Saltado*

beef, orange peppers, tomato, red onions, cilantro, french fries, red wine vinegar, soy sauce
season meat with salt/pepper/cumin



lessons learned: 1. i like to cook beef 1st separately.  i use cast iron skillet not wok.  make sure skillet hot and smoking.  just want to sear the meat.  then remove meat and cook veg.  when ready put meat back in for final steps and mix all together. 2. i like ratio of 1:1 for vinegar/soy sauce.  3. i like tamari soy sauce. 4. i like steak fries and try to fry them separately in deep fryer otherwise bake them separately.


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## GimmeAnother1 (Nov 24, 2019)

*Chili*

ground meat, onion, dice tomatoes, tomato sauce, water, kidney beans, pinto beans, sometimes parsley.
spices: chili powder, cumin, dark brown sugar, salt, pepper, hot sauce, white vinegar, cayenne pepper, hot or smoked paprika, liquid smoke


lessons learned: 1. white vinegar only towards end (10 min before finish).  2. tried once with bacon and bacon fat.  too heavy of flavor for many people that tried it.  without it was great they said.  3. liquid smoke probably has the most flavor impact.  4. even better the next day or two as it has time to marinade and come together.  5. sour cream and sharp cheddar cheese from block are great with it.  6. cornbread excellent side.  7.  can get kidney and pinto in 1 can.  don't need to buy separately.  and yes i like mine with beans.  seems there is a lot of debate on this.


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## GimmeAnother1 (Nov 24, 2019)

*Cornbread*

flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, salt, eggs, heavy cream, veg oil, honey


lessons learned: 1. sometimes i use agave instead of honey.  works out well imo.  2. can be made quickly (10 min prep/20-30 bake), 3. best served initially and hot.  can get hard next day, 4. butter a must have with it imo.  hard to spread so room temp or slightly microwave to soften, 5. like all baked goods light sprinkle of sugar on top to get brown crust on cook (brown crust best part imo), 6. great with chili or chicken wings


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## GimmeAnother1 (Nov 24, 2019)

*chocolate chip cookies*

chocolate chip cookies


ingredients: butter, white/brown sugar, eggs, flour, baking powder, salt
choc chips (have tried semi, milk choc, white choc, bittersweet)


lessons learned: 1. keep an eye on them cooking; don't over bake or they get hard.  as soon as they start turning golden brown get them out. 2. use ice cream scooper for consistent results when scooping batter to tray for cooking.


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## GimmeAnother1 (Nov 24, 2019)

*shepherd's pie*

shepherd's pie


ingredients: beef, onion, oil, flour, salt, pepper, rosemary, thyme, tomato paste, beef broth, carrots, peas, plantains, cheddar cheese, eggs, potatoes, butter.


lessons learned: 1. like to use cast iron skillet for initial cooking.  cooks the beef and other portions well.  2. drag a fork over potato topping for better crusting.  3. tastes even better a day or 2 later.  4. long term baking i like to use rectangular Pyrex.  cooks well in this and layers nicely.


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## GimmeAnother1 (Nov 24, 2019)

*poffertjes - ebelskiver*

poffertjes - ebelskiver



ingredients: flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, eggs/yolks, milk butter
fillings: red raspberry jam, nutella


lessons learned: 1. u need the special pan.  2. for flipping the sticks work great or use toothpick. 3. red raspberry jam or nutella are great fillings.  tried grape, strawberry, and red raspberry.  everyone liked red raspberry the best.  3. grease little divots in pan with butter for each batter.


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## larry_stewart (Nov 24, 2019)

Ebelskiver's are great.
My daughter and I make them as a team when ever she is in town.
Its like a tradition.


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## taxlady (Nov 25, 2019)

You guys are making me crazy. They are æbleskiver. I will accept aebleskiver as an alternative spelling for those who can't type an "æ". Æbleskive is the singular and æbleskiver is the plural.


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## larry_stewart (Nov 25, 2019)

taxlady said:


> You guys are making me crazy. They are æbleskiver. I will accept aebleskiver as an alternative spelling for those who can't type an "æ". Æbleskive is the singular and æbleskiver is the plural.



Ebelskiver Ebelskiver Ebelskiver Ebelskiver Ebelskiver 

Im the worst speller in the world, I was just copying what I saw.  Looked good to me


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## taxlady (Nov 25, 2019)

And as to pronunciation, here's how the syllables split up: æ-ble-ski-ve and æ-ble-ski-ver.


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## dragnlaw (Nov 25, 2019)

taxlady said:


> You guys are making me crazy. They are æbleskiver. I will accept aebleskiver as an alternative spelling for those who can't type an "æ". Æbleskive is the singular and æbleskiver is the plural.



LOL    well said  and the accent is on???  the 'ski' ve??

nice, interesting thread GimmeAnother1


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## taxlady (Nov 25, 2019)

dragnlaw said:


> LOL    well said  and the accent is on???  the 'ski' ve??
> 
> nice, interesting thread GimmeAnother1



I would say the accent is on the "æ".

Here, click the picture of the tiny microphone on this page: https://ordnet.dk/ddo/ordbog?query=æbleskive


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## dragnlaw (Nov 26, 2019)

must have run it 5 or 6 times.  There is no accentuation in particular - they all seem to be said equally although I agree it does seem to be a little more on the first. 

btw, mine shows a speaker rather than a microphone.  

Do you have one of those pans?  I remember seeing it talked about elsewhere and was thinking of getting one but it would only be used once or twice (if even that) per year. 

 I guess it could be used for making desserts as well, in which case I would use it more....  so I just might have to rethink that!  

Love my toys...


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## taxlady (Nov 26, 2019)

dragnlaw said:


> must have run it 5 or 6 times.  There is no accentuation in particular - they all seem to be said equally although I agree it does seem to be a little more on the first.
> 
> *btw, mine shows a speaker rather than a microphone.*
> 
> ...


D'oh! I meant speaker.

No, I don't have one of those pans. I have never made æbleskiver. I have eaten them in Denmark.

BTW, æbleskiver are a dessert or an accompaniment to coffee or tea, like pastries or coffee cake.


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## dragnlaw (Nov 26, 2019)

taxlady said:


> BTW, æbleskiver are a dessert or an accompaniment to coffee or tea, like pastries or coffee cake.



  oops, I think I actually knew that but somehow got breakfast pancakes in my head.

tarnation!  does this mean I have to get one?


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## GimmeAnother1 (Nov 27, 2019)

sorry for the misspelling!  they are great however.  taste so good too....


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## GimmeAnother1 (Nov 27, 2019)

*french onion roast beef sandwich*

french onion roast beef sandwich


ingredients: sliced roast beef, white onion, swiss cheese, beef broth, butter, rye bread


lessons learned: 1. do not cook the roast beef.  keep cold on the side and add to prep at end of cooking. get sliced from deli at store.  2. onions cook first for awhile until translucent.  3. cook low and slow for bread so u don't burn it.  use plenty of butter to lubricate pan.


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## GimmeAnother1 (Nov 27, 2019)

*pina colada*

pina colada


ingredients: pineapple, cream of coconut, unsweetened coconut milk, lime juice


lessons learned: 1. cut pineapple into 1 inch chunks and put in freezer for a bit first.  u can use plastic freeze bag to hold them.  2. taste until to your liking as you mix.


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## GimmeAnother1 (Nov 27, 2019)

*homemade ice cream*

homemade ice cream


ingredients: whole milk, half/half, heavy cream, sugar, vanilla extract, salt, ice


lessons learned: 1. ice required to get the liquid cold enough on churning to solidify.  2. after churn i come out with about double what i put in for output.  i.e. i put in 3 quarts liquid i get 6 quarts ice cream when done churning.  3. i use white mountain ice cream maker in this case.


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## GimmeAnother1 (Nov 27, 2019)

*yogurt gateau sponge cake*

yogurt gateau sponge cake


ingredients: eggs, sugar, oil, yogurt, mascarpone, cake flour, baking powder, lemon juice/zest, water, powdered sugar


lessons learned: 1. poke holes after baked and lemon drizzle.


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## GimmeAnother1 (Dec 7, 2019)

*lemon curd pudding*

lemon curd pudding


ingredients: powered sugar, butter, flow, baking powder, eggs, lemon, vanilla extract


lessons learned: 1. the pudding is like a soft bread consistency. 2. basically mix the curd with the bread when cooking.  3. extra curd can be used for anything lemon curd.  tastes great as a bread spread. 4. tricky part of the steam heating eggs and lemon mix.  kind of like a mix of doing a roux and melting choc.  steam cook the egg/lemon mixture and stir until the right consistency.  be careful not to over cook.  5. make sure you strain to get out eggs chunks.


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## GimmeAnother1 (Dec 7, 2019)

*puerto rican surullito dessert*

puerto rican surullito dessert


ingredients: cornmeal, sugar, butter, salt, water, powered sugar.


lessons learned: 1. wet your finger a little to work the dough into the finger shape. 2. cut slits after fried and lather with butter. 3. powder sugar them afterwards.


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## Cheryl J (Dec 7, 2019)

Thank you for taking the time to share your dishes, Gimme.  They all look great.


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## GimmeAnother1 (Dec 7, 2019)

Cheryl J said:


> Thank you for taking the time to share your dishes, Gimme.  They all look great.




Thanks Cheryl!  Enjoying the culinary journey.


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## GimmeAnother1 (Dec 16, 2019)

*Madeleine Cookie*

Madeleine Cookie


ingredients: eggs, sugar, flour, baking soda, unsalted butter, lemon zest


lessons learned: 1. great with milk or coffee. 2. batter rises a lot. fill tins about 1/3 and they will fill out (i filled my about 80-100% and u can see how oversized they are).  3. let batter sit overnight in fridge for best results.  4. try not to eat all in 1 sitting! 


tastes like a lemon sponge cake with a crusty bottom.  very cakey.  dense on outside, fluffy on inside.


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## GimmeAnother1 (Dec 16, 2019)

*Vanilla Sponge Cake*

Vanilla Sponge Cake


ingredients: eggs, powdered sugar, all purpose flour, baking powder, salt, melted butter, vanilla extract


lessons learned:  1. smelled very eggy. did not like the smell as it turned out.  wound up not eating after a couple of bites.  2. be careful your pour size versus your pan.  my square pan was large and there was not much height to the cake.


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## GimmeAnother1 (Dec 16, 2019)

*Pretzels*

Pretzels


ingredients: water, yeast, brown sugar, high protein self rising all purpose flour, bread flour, baking soda, salt, melted butter


lessons learned: 1. must butter baste right away after taking out from baking in oven.  2. i put salt on after butter baste.  you could sprinkle on before baking if you want also. 3. taste so good!  4. mix of flours really helped i think.  5. once u do a couple of loops of the dough it becomes easier to make the pretzel shape.  6. let do rest properly and have dough at room temp so it doesn't try to spring back to original shape when rolling.  7. when rolling don't just roll up and down; roll out as well to spread out the dough.  8.  baking soda was a must before cooking.  make the pretzel design and then just before putting in oven drop them in baking soda water bath and completely cover.  9.  not sure how to not burn the bottom a little.  i put double liner on pan and it still burned a little on bottom.  not that you taste it but u can see it when you flip them over.


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## GimmeAnother1 (Dec 16, 2019)

*Cast Iron Skillet Lasagna w/ sauteed garlic butter green beans*

Cast Iron Skillet Lasagna w/ sauteed garlic butter green beans



ingredients: ground beef, sausage, egg, maggie sauce, salt, pepper, yellow onions, shallots, spinach, lasagna pasta (pre cooked/oven ready), ricotta cheese, parmesian reggiano cheese (use block and shred your own), mozzarella cheese (same use ball and shred your own), oregano, basil, diced tomatoes, tomato sauce


lessons learned: 1. cook onions in separate pan low and slow (like 4 on dial) to caramelize them.  u can add them into main dish towards the end.  i like to sprinkle some brown sugar on them about 30 min into cooking in small oil in pan.  2. i like premio sweet sausage for mix with 85/15 ground beef.  2.5 brown the meat first in cast iron skillet since you are doing onions in separate pan.  3. spinach will shrink quickly so add in batches. 4. u will need about 15-20 on med-hi heat to cook the lasagna pasta this way.  5. add ricotta, parmesian about 5 min towards the end.  just stir in and mix.  6. add mozz at very end on top and put top on pan until it melts.  then it's ready to serve.  7. from start to finish about 1 hour.


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## cookieee (Dec 16, 2019)

GimmeAnother1, a question here.  Why don't you add the amount of each ingredient?  If someone tried to make any of your recipes, the chances are they would not use the same amounts as you and the end results would be different than what you had.  I would like to make some of your recipes, but I'm not very good at winging it. lol

I do love the lessons learned part.  Keep up the good work.


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## dragnlaw (Dec 16, 2019)

cookieee said:


> GimmeAnother1, a question here.  Why don't you add the amount of each ingredient?  If someone tried to make any of your recipes, the chances are they would not use the same amounts as you and the end results would be different than what you had.  I would like to make some of your recipes, but I'm not very good at winging it. lol
> 
> I do love the lessons learned part.  Keep up the good work.



*cookieee*, it is best to ask for the individual recipes you are interested in.  This way they can be posted on a thread specifically created for that recipe.  When looking for a recipe on this site there are classifications, sub-categories, etc. This way anyone can find a certain recipe they are looking for.  

Here *GimmeAnother1* is showcasing his experiences, good and bad.  It's great because it has gotten me to hunker down and dig into some recipes that are on my "been-meaning-to-try-it" list.


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## GimmeAnother1 (Dec 16, 2019)

cookieee said:


> GimmeAnother1, a question here.  Why don't you add the amount of each ingredient?  If someone tried to make any of your recipes, the chances are they would not use the same amounts as you and the end results would be different than what you had.  I would like to make some of your recipes, but I'm not very good at winging it. lol
> 
> 
> 
> I do love the lessons learned part.  Keep up the good work.





Cookieee - the very 1st paragraph of my post “Starting a general thread of all of the foods I am baking/cooking/etc.  If anyone likes any of them and wants the recipe just reply and I will post it.”

If u like something let me know which one(s) and I will be happy to post the full recipe. 
Thank you for perusing my thread and hopefully I am stirring up some ideas for others like yourself.


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## GimmeAnother1 (Dec 17, 2019)

*Portuguese Custard Tarts (Pasteis de Nata)*

Portuguese Custard Tarts (Pasteis de Nata)


ingredients: all purpose flour, kosher salt, water, unsalted butter, sugar, cinnamon, lemon zest, milk, egg yolks, vanilla extract


lessons learned: 1. lot of work.  between making the pastry dough from scratch to having to make 2 different liquid mixes and mixing it all together it took about 2 hours for a newbie like me.  2. make sure to refrigerate butter dough between folds otherwise butter tends to melt around the dough instead of fuse into it.  3. preheat oven.  you need really high temp for short period of time on these.  don't be afraid if they look like they are burning.  it is caramelizing.  4. on liquid side you are kind of making a roux and lemon curd a little.  other side of liquid side is milk and cinnamon.  5. next day or once cold you can warm up for 5-7 seconds in microwave on high but be careful as pastry outside may be only warm but egg/liquid inside center can become very hot quickly and burn your mouth.  6. i prefer them warm however a lot of people eat them cold or room temp also.


taste: delicious.  flaky pastry outside with cinnamon milk inside and lemon curd.  what could go wrong.  i like them hot but people eat them cold/room temp also.  would recommend. +++


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## GimmeAnother1 (Dec 17, 2019)

*bacon egg cheese egg mcmuffin sheet pan*

bacon egg cheese egg mcmuffin sheet pan


did this one for a small brunch.  



ingredients: egg, bacon, sharp cheddar cheese, egg mcmuffin




lessons learned: 1. you can just scramble eggs and bake them on baking sheet to make a pan of scrambled eggs.  use sheet to flip them as need to get mcmuffin on both sides.  2.  just layer each piece like a conveyor strip.  did the eggs first then picked up with the baking sheet to slide mcmuffin underneath.  3. cook bacon separately and add when time.  4. slice into mcmuffin square once everything loaded on.


taste result:  your basic bacon egg and cheese on mcmuffin but larger scale.  eggs came out great baking on a sheet (as good as cooking in a pan)


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## GimmeAnother1 (Dec 17, 2019)

*chocolate dipped macaroons*

chocolate dipped macaroons


ingredients: sweetened condensed milk, almond extract, vanilla extract, sea salt, egg white, unsweetened shredded coconut flakes , melted chocolate



lessons learned: 1. must use unsweetened shredded coconut flakes.  i tried 2 batches.  1 unsweetened and 1 sweetened flakes.  sweetened was too much as sweetened condensed milk water plenty of sweetness.  2. watch when baking.  as soon as they start turning golden brown pull them out.  don't overcook but u do want some starting of burning/browning on them.  3. chocolate your can just double pot steam melt or u can try tempering (cheat method with microwave).  i just did double pot steam melt since i was going to eat right away.  came out fine.  4. i don't remember which chocolate i used.  i think it was milk chocolate or bittersweet.  



taste/result: came out great.  would recommend.  just don't use sweetened flakes.  sweetened condensed milk more than enough sweetness.


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## dragnlaw (Dec 17, 2019)

GimmeAnother1 said:


> chocolate dipped macaroons
> 
> ...  3. chocolate your can just double pot steam melt or u can try tempering (cheat method with microwave).
> ...



  Melting in the microwave is called "melting in the microwave" - not "tempering".  

Tempering is a more specific way of melting. It can be quite complicated and there are several steps and/or methods.  Which one is correct? I don't know. 

but like you, I prefer to simply melt 2/3 of the quantity of chocolate in a double boiler til 'almost' melted then stir in the last 1/3 and keep stirring til melted. 

LOL, your double pot steam melt is closer to tempering than the microwave.

*Thanks* for the tip on the sweetened coconut vs unsweetened.  I never really thought about whether or not coconut was sweetened.  I guess I believed it was all sweetened.   Don't cook much with it but will start double checking now that I know.  Thanks again!


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## GimmeAnother1 (Dec 17, 2019)

Tempering in a microwave example

https://youtu.be/7MwjSUdcFI0


Yea double pan is double boiler for me. It was late last night when writing and was tired. 

Defo unsweetened flakes is the way to go. Tried both batches on same group of people and they all agreed. 

I find the alchemy of baking/cooking to be the most challenging (and rewarding) in my 6 months or so of cooking so far. Tempering chocolate, making a roux, emulsifying, etc.


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## dragnlaw (Dec 17, 2019)

Aha! I stand corrected!  good video  

So she is actually using their commercial chocolate that is already tempered.  Now-a-days one has to read the labels carefully to find out what you have.  Things change.  

Thanks for the info!


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## GimmeAnother1 (Dec 18, 2019)

*Baked Wings w/ Avocado Creme Sauce*

Baked Wings w/ Avocado Creme Sauce


ingredients: winglettes, rosemary, thyme, kosher salt, avocado, full fat sour cream, cumin, butter, hot sauce, soy sauce, brown sugar, honey, cornstarch, water


summary: baked wings and make a buffalo sauce, terriaki sauce, parmesian cheese and parsley sauce.  basic wings are rosemary/thyme/kosher salt.  avocado creme sauce instead of blue cheese.



lessons learned: 1. bake wings instead of frying.  2. after baking broil on each side (move rack to top of oven) for 5 min to crispy them.  3. 1:1 ratio of hot sauce to butter for buffalo sauce or little less butter to hot sauce than that ratio is good 4. terriaki sauce lasts a long time in fridge.  5. avocado, sour cream, and cumin in a food processor works fine to blend. 6. wash wings and dry pat them before cooking for better crisp.



result/taste: baking tastes just as good as frying if you broil at the end to crispy them up.  just plain rosemary/thyme/salt are popular although i like the buffalo sauce.  terriaki was easy to make and tastes good with the salty taste also.  avocado creme sauce is a great taste alternative to blue cheese if so inclined.


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## GimmeAnother1 (Dec 18, 2019)

*Chocolate Babka Bread*

Chocolate Babka Bread (Brioche style)



ingredients: all purpose flour, sugar, yeast, water, eggs, unsalted butter, sea salt, oil, dark chocolate, powdered sugar, cocoa powder, nutmeg


lessons learned: 1. was one of my early dough recipes so handling dough in general was a learning curve.  still is smile.  2. as always let dough rest/rise appropriately.



taste/result: awesome!  so good fresh out of oven and warm!!  everyone who had it loved it and wanted more.


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## GimmeAnother1 (Dec 18, 2019)

*Dutch Babies (German Pancakes)*

Dutch Babies (German Pancakes)


ingredients: eggs, milk, all purpose flour, vanilla extract, salt, clarified butter, powdered sugar, lemon juice


lessons learned: 1. use a cast iron skillet.  start on stove and finish in the oven.  



taste/result: tastes kind of like funnel cake.  hit or miss with people.  was trying to serve at breakfast and people felt it was more a dessert.  overall i would recommend trying at least once.


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## GotGarlic (Dec 18, 2019)

I love making a Dutch baby for special breakfasts. I make apples sautéed in butter with cinnamon for a topping and serve with sausage.


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## GimmeAnother1 (Dec 18, 2019)

GotGarlic said:


> I love making a Dutch baby for special breakfasts. I make apples sautéed in butter with cinnamon for a topping and serve with sausage.





Interesting. Thank you for this. Will have to try.


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## GimmeAnother1 (Dec 18, 2019)

*Meatball Parm Sliders*

Meatball Parm Sliders


ingredients: ground beef, parmesian reggiano cheese, egg, salt, pepper, parsley, oregano, mozzarella



lessons learned: 1. just mix by hand.  trying to mix with paddle, spoons, etc. is painful at best.  2. egg helps bind ingredients.


taste/result: typical meatball parm on potato bread roll.


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## GimmeAnother1 (Dec 18, 2019)

*Caramel*

Caramel


ingredients: sugar, salt, water, heavy cream butter


lessons learned: 1. when adding heavy cream it will bubble up temporarily quickly.  just be prepared and wait it out.  2. reheat in microwave to loosen up whenever it gets cold.


results/taste: yummy.  didn't realize it was so easy to make.  made to compliment my homemade ice cream.


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## GimmeAnother1 (Dec 18, 2019)

*Chimichurri Sauce*

Chimichurri Sauce


ingredients: olive oil, garlic, parsley, oregano, cilantro, black pepper, cumin, salt, red pepper flakes, honey


lessons learned: 1. honey for me really makes it on this version.  2. pulse not blend when combining.  3. oil is the main liquid so add as you go to get the right consistency.  



taste/result: good version with the honey giving and added flavor imo.  also have substituted agave and works well too.


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## GimmeAnother1 (Dec 18, 2019)

*Roux White Sauce*

Roux White Sauce


ingredients: butter, all purpose flour, milk


lessons learned: 1. whisk whisk whisk....just keep whisking.  when you think your done whisk a little more smile. 



taste/result: awesome!  gonna use this instead of ricotta on lasagna and see how it goes.  very versatile sauce especially on pastas.  add cheese like cheddar for added flavor.


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## GimmeAnother1 (Dec 19, 2019)

*Bagels*

Bagels



ingredients: bread flour, sugar, yeast, salt, water, egg wash, poppy seeds


lessons learned: 1. should let proof before refrigerating.  i put mine in fridge right away after making dough and after cooking was a bit chewy.  proof up to 2 hours before putting in fridge.  fridge up to 8 hours is good.  so basically make the night before you want to cook.  2. couple different styles to forming bagel.  i did the basic poke your finger through middle and work the hole.  prof typically roll long like pretzel and wrap around to make circle.  3. i did egg wash many prof places don't do that.  they just use water.  water good enough to stick on poppy seeds.  4. some places boil and then bake and some places just bake in oven with steam.


taste/result: came out great although my bottoms were brown/over cooked. the same thing happened on my pretzels.  have to figure it out at some point.  also it was a little chewy.  brought to bagel place and we determined it was because i didn't proof long enough before putting in fridge overnight.  other than those small things it came out just like the bagel shops.  in fact i think the egg wash was a little step up from just watering.


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## taxlady (Dec 20, 2019)

GimmeAnother1 said:


> Tempering in a microwave example
> 
> https://youtu.be/7MwjSUdcFI0
> 
> ...



Funny that I saw another video today about tempering chocolate in the microwave. But, to my surprise, it talks about getting to a different temperature, not 34 degrees, but 93 degrees. Eventually the penny dropped. The Brit was talking about degrees Celsius and the Yank was talking about degrees Fahrenheit. 34°C = 93°F.  The part about tempering chocolate starts at about 5:42.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WV_FT9ACA4U&t=331s


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## GimmeAnother1 (Dec 20, 2019)

taxlady said:


> Funny that I saw another video today about tempering chocolate in the microwave. But, to my surprise, it talks about getting to a different temperature, not 34 degrees, but 93 degrees. Eventually the penny dropped. The Brit was talking about degrees Celsius and the Yank was talking about degrees Fahrenheit. 34°C = 93°F.  The part about tempering chocolate starts at about 5:42.
> 
> 
> 
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WV_FT9ACA4U&t=331s





Yea tempering chocolate is one of the areas I have nowhere near mastered yet. In fact if it works for me I believe it is more like accident than on purposes. Gotta keep trying though!!!!


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## taxlady (Dec 21, 2019)

GimmeAnother1 said:


> Yea tempering chocolate is one of the areas I have nowhere near mastered yet. In fact if it works for me I believe it is more like accident than on purposes. Gotta keep trying though!!!!



Have you tried the microwave method? Both of those videos make it sound like the science is there to make it work every time, if you just follow the instructions carefully.


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## bbqcoder (Dec 21, 2019)

Lots of mouth watering dishes in this thread, Gimme!  I'm impressed!


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## GimmeAnother1 (Dec 22, 2019)

taxlady said:


> Have you tried the microwave method? Both of those videos make it sound like the science is there to make it work every time, if you just follow the instructions carefully.





I have but not successfully. 
I will keep trying though because the full way of doing it is very labor intensive imo. 
If I do successfully  I will post back here and let u know how I was able to pull it off


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## GimmeAnother1 (Dec 22, 2019)

bbqcoder said:


> Lots of mouth watering dishes in this thread, Gimme!  I'm impressed!




Thank you bbqcoder! Loving the culinary journey...amazing to make all the things we take for granted eating on a daily basis and even more amazing to be able to make the things we wouldn’t normally come across in our region of the world to eat.


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## GimmeAnother1 (Dec 29, 2019)

*Bombolini (Italian Donuts)*

Bombolini (Italian Donuts)


ingredients: milk, yeast, eggs/egg yolk, lemon zest, sugar, kosher salt, ap flour, butter, frying oil, nutella, red rasberry jam, grape concord jam.  drizzle - melted butter, powdered sugar, vanilla extract, heavy cream, whole milk.


lessons learned: 1. dough rises twice.  once for main dough and 2nd after you cut/shape the donut balls. 2. this type is a little more doughy than regular american doughnuts.  slightly more dense and chewy.  3. glaze right away after frying.  let them cool a little in glaze before transferring to baking sheet/rack for drying.  4. poke holes with knife before filling with nozzle.  makes it easier.  5. fill by feel.  the donut will blow up if you put too much in and start cracking.  better to fill by feel and pull out as you go to fill.  wipe when done. 6. while i used red rasberry and concord grape jam as well as nutella, many people use a pastry creme for this type of donut/filling.  all taste equally good in their own way!


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## GimmeAnother1 (Dec 29, 2019)

*Spaghetti with Meatballs and Sausage*

Spaghetti with Meatballs and Sausage


ingredients: sauce - puree san marzano tomatoes, whole peeled san marzano tomatoes, tomato paste, sweet onions, bay leaves, oregano, parsley, olive oil.  meatballs - 85/15 ground beef, parmesian reggiano, parsley, italian seasoning, onion, egg.  sausage - premio sweet italian.


lessons learned: 1. takes a long time and a lot of work.  all in all about 4 hours of constant work start to finish.  1.5 when breaking down whole peeled tomatoes remove the stems.  2. meatballs were not solid 1st batch.  made them more compact for 2nd batch so they didn't break up as much.  wound up breaking some of 1st batch up and using as meat sauce.  use ice cream scooper to help consistent sizing.  3. brown all meat in cast iron skillet if you can.  great flavor for browning.  did this separate to sauce and added to sauce after cooked.  4. saute onions separate in some olive oil for 20+ min to break them down before adding to the sauce/meatballs.  5. after a couple of hours simmering feel free to add some water if sauce is reducing too much.


result/taste: Awesome!  took my grandmother's recipe and slightly modified but all in all just a great sauce and meat.


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## GotGarlic (Dec 29, 2019)

Looks really good. I've been roasting meatballs in the oven for years now. It's much easier not to have to babysit them on the stove and get all spattered with grease [emoji38] and you're free to do other things while they're cooking. 375F for 20 minutes.


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## GimmeAnother1 (Dec 29, 2019)

GotGarlic said:


> Looks really good. I've been roasting meatballs in the oven for years now. It's much easier not to have to babysit them on the stove and get all spattered with grease [emoji38] and you're free to do other things while they're cooking. 375F for 20 minutes.





Can I put them on a wire rack so the heat goes all around?


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## Kayelle (Dec 30, 2019)

GimmeAnother1 said:


> Chimichurri Sauce
> 
> 
> ingredients: *olive oil, garlic, parsley, oregano, cilantro, black pepper, cumin, salt, red pepper flakes, honey
> ...




Hi Gimme. I'm enjoying this thread a lot. 

I'm interested in adding honey to my Chimichurri Sauce but I don't see vinegar (or any acid) in your ingredient list. 

Would you mind posting your recipe please? TIA


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## GimmeAnother1 (Dec 30, 2019)

Sorry yes red wine vinegar was used. Forgot to list it. here is the original. I modified it a little by using cilantro as well as parsley. I add a small pinch oregano (just a few flakes) and a very small amount of cumin (these are optional. Try first without and then try with and see between the 2 which u favor). I also heat it up a little with red pepper flakes.  

Chimichurri   Sauce
1   bunch   Italian   parsley,   leaves   only   or   about   2   cups 
2   sprigs   rosemary,   leaves   only
6   cloves   garlic,   peeled
1⁄4   cup   red   wine   vinegar
1⁄2      teaspoon   kosher   salt 
1⁄4   teaspoon   black   pepper 
1   teaspoon   honey
3⁄4      cup   olive   oil

Put   parsley,   rosemary,   garlic,   red   wine   vinegar,   salt,   pepper   and   honey   in   the   food processor.   Pulse   until   herbs   are   chopped   coarsely.   While   on   a   continuous   pulse,   pour   olive oil   until   well   blended.      Check   seasoning   and   adjust   as   needed.


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## GotGarlic (Dec 30, 2019)

Interesting. The chimichurri recipe I use has more vinegar than olive oil in it. Since it was designed to be served with beef, I like the more acidic flavor better. I do like the idea of adding a little honey, to balance the acidity.


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## GimmeAnother1 (Dec 30, 2019)

GotGarlic said:


> Interesting. The chimichurri recipe I use has more vinegar than olive oil in it. Since it was designed to be served with beef, I like the more acidic flavor better. I do like the idea of adding a little honey, to balance the acidity.





While the red wine vinegar is a staple and a must I find the hidden secret is the honey addition. Brings a whole new depth of flavor imo.  I’ve substituted agave also and works fine as well.
And yes this is for steak. Change ratios to suite your taste.


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## GotGarlic (Dec 30, 2019)

GimmeAnother1 said:


> While the red wine vinegar is a staple and a must I find the hidden secret is the honey addition. Brings a whole new depth of flavor imo.  I’ve substituted agave also and works fine as well.


I'll give it a try next time we have steak. I have about five gallons of honey in the house right now. Always looking for more ways to use it [emoji38]


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## Kayelle (Dec 30, 2019)

Thanks for the recipe Gimme. Like GG, I use more red wine vinegar and the balance of honey sounds interesting. Instead of the pepper flakes, I use some diced fresh Serrano chili that has been deveined and seeded. I fell in love this condiment in Argentina.
Nothing like it with steak.


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## taxlady (Dec 30, 2019)

Shouldn't the chimichurri recipe have its own thread?


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## Kayelle (Dec 30, 2019)

taxlady said:


> Shouldn't the chimichurri recipe have its own thread?




Yes it should, so it doesn't get lost. Both GG and I have our chimi recipes posted under condiments..
Condiments - Discuss Cooking - Cooking Forums


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## GimmeAnother1 (Jan 1, 2020)

added thanks.





Kayelle said:


> Yes it should, so it doesn't get lost. Both GG and I have our chimi recipes posted under condiments..
> Condiments - Discuss Cooking - Cooking Forums


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## GimmeAnother1 (Jan 1, 2020)

*Bacon wrapped cheese tater tots*

Bacon wrapped cheese tater tots


ingredients: bacon, tater tots, cheddar cheese, brown sugar


lessons learned: 1. thaw the tater tots before trying to stick toothpick through.  save yourself a lot of headache.  use microwave to defrost if need be.  2. brown sugar is a must.  gives it a little extra taste/flavor that really combines it all together.  3. best to eat right away while warm. 4. i was sloppy and put them directly on pan while baking.  they wound up sticking.  next time i will try no stick parchment paper and see if that helps.



taste/result: with the brown sugar it all really comes together as a nice appetizer/snack.  would make again.


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## Kayelle (Jan 1, 2020)

That looks really good Gimme. ^


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## GimmeAnother1 (Jan 1, 2020)

*Cheesesteak*

Cheesesteak


ingredients: rib eye, onions, green peppers, pepper, ketchup, long roll bread


lessons learned:  1. there are different cuts for cheesestake meat.  at home i like rib eye.  chuck eye or even top round works well also.  2. if you have slicer or can get sliced/shaved it's more classic type.  otherwise cut as thin as you like.  3. i prefer provolone cheese.  this takes a bit longer to melt than other cheeses.  4. melt cheese right in pan on top of meat once meat is near finished cooking.  then if possible scoop right up into bread but placing bread upside down (open slit facing food) and scoop into the bread.  5. as with all meats i prefer to use cast iron skillet for cooking.  6. i like to brown onions and green peppers in separate pan until meat is ready. 



results/taste: rib eye makes for a great sandwich imo.  very tasty.  i can go either way on the thin shaved vs homemade cuts of meat.  both ways are tasty.  i think more importantly is to make sure the meat is cut down into manageable chunks so people are chewing on long pieces.


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## GimmeAnother1 (Jan 3, 2020)

*Smoked Brisket*

Smoked Brisket


ingredients: brisket, salt, pepper, mustard


lessons learned: 1. get at least coarse pepper if not size 16 otherwise the salt to pepper ratio is off and you want 50/50.  2. put salt/pepper in a single dispenser and shake to mix then sprinkle on.  3. use mustard (plain french) just as a sticker for the salt/pepper.  so mustard cover and then sprinkle on the salt/pepper so it sticks.  4. keep an eye on your wood when smoking.  neighbor had a blower on and blew out our smoker.  we were checking every 30min so we caught it but still it shows anything can happen.  also want to make sure water pan is not evaporated.  5. watch for the 'stall' around 165 degrees F.  you want to push past this so the meat loosens up again.  6. don't forget to wrap in butcher/wax type paper.  keeps the juices in and basically marinades in it's own juices.  this is a must imo for the best flavor.  7. stop cooking based on internal meat temp.  this is different depending on how many lbs your are cooking.  8. let rest so juices finish being sucked back in to the meat.  also you are looking for it to cool of to correct temp internally which takes a little while.  9. cut with a bread knife or something serrated if you can.  watch vids on cutting as there are 2 main parts/cuts for this type of meat.


results/taste: one of the best pieces of meat i have ever tasted.  had brisket once the week before this so i didn't have much to go on but wow was the flavor out of this world.  the meat was gone immediately.  so many flavor levels.  out of this world!


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## GimmeAnother1 (Jan 7, 2020)

*Roasted Tomatoes*

Roasted Tomatoes


ingredients: various tomatoes, olive oil, pepper, rosemary, thyme


 lessons learned: 1. careful on the olive oil.  i put a base down on the aluminum foil and then sprinkled on top and it was too much imo.  best to just sprinkle on top in the future.  2. cut out the seeds and insides so you just roast the dry tomato portions.  3. they are still very juicy after roasting so cut the way you want before.  after it just makes a mess to try to cut them more.


result/taste: surprisingly still very juicy after roasting.  not really dried out.  the skin shrivels and bakes but the juice is still retained.  i wound up using most of them in my lomo saltado recipe but wanted to try it and see how they tasted.  not sure if i would do in future by itself.  maybe with caprese salad or something.  maybe balsamic and fresh mozz with this would be good also.


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## GimmeAnother1 (Jan 7, 2020)

*Carmelized Onions*

Carmelized Onions


ingredients: onion, oil, salt, brown sugar


lessons learned: 1. i have tried this several times and did not get a good outcome.  this time it came out right.  the changes i noticed on this time which came out right a. i used yellow onions instead of white, b. i used a whole onion or more instead of a subset of an onion (critical mass), c. i used the burner which covers the whole pan, d. i stirred frequently enough until they became a mash.  2. i let this batch go for about 45min.



result/taste: just as they should be.  great depth of flavor and wound up being sweet.  used in my chorizo, onion, and dill pickle appetizer and everyone liked it.


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## GotGarlic (Jan 7, 2020)

I make caramelized onions with no sugar - if they're cooked long enough, they won't need it. I usually let them go for at least an hour, sometimes up to two if I'm making a lot. The water has to cook off before they can begin to brown, so I have the heat at medium to medium high for the first half hour or so.


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## GimmeAnother1 (Jan 8, 2020)

GotGarlic said:


> I make caramelized onions with no sugar - if they're cooked long enough, they won't need it. I usually let them go for at least an hour, sometimes up to two if I'm making a lot. The water has to cook off before they can begin to brown, so I have the heat at medium to medium high for the first half hour or so.




sounds good.  will give it a shot without sugar next time and see which i like better


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## GimmeAnother1 (Jan 8, 2020)

*Nutella Pull Apart Bread*

Nutella Pull Apart Bread


ingredients: flour, sugar, warm milk, salt, melted butter, nutella


lessons learned: 1. sticky dough.  need a proper bendable scraper to work with sticky dough.  2. nutella tough to spread.  and with sticky dough rolled out thin you have to be sensitive when spreading that you don't rip the dough.


results/taste: awesome!  what's not to like about bread and nutella.  can't go wrong.  very chewy bread hence the 'pull apart'.  great with milk.  going to try with coffee tomorrow also.  i suspect it will be good also.


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## GimmeAnother1 (Jan 8, 2020)

*Banana Coconut Panna Cotta with Berries Vanilla and Nuts*

Banana Coconut Panna Cotta with Berries Vanilla and Nuts


ingredients: panna cotta - heavy cream, gelatin, sugar, coconut milk, vanilla extract, bananas.  toppings - homemade whip cream, berries, simple syrup, coconut flakes, almond flakes


lessons learned: 1. like proofing yeast let gelatin set on heavy cream before moving onto next part.  2. min 2 hours to set the creme in fridge.  3. i only had frozen berries so had to defrost while waiting.  came out fine though.  strawberry seems to go the best as compliment.  4. straining took me awhile as i only have a regular strainer not the one for liquids.  5. basically comes out like acai bowl once everything is done.  going to make it with acai next time and see. 6. going to try putting some nutella in also and see how it tastes.


results/taste: taste great!  like acai bowl.  fruity and creamy.  loving the homemade whip cream too!  would make again although beginning to end it was about 2 1/2-3 hours min.


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## GimmeAnother1 (Jan 9, 2020)

*Chicken and Chorizo Rice (Paella Style)*

Chicken and Chorizo Rice (Paella Style)


ingredients: boneless chicken, chorizo, chicken stock, saffron, yellow onion, tomato, red/yellow/orange pepper, white long grain rice, sweet peas, salt, pepper, avocado oil


lessons learned: 1. rice is tricky.  still learning how to cook it properly.  got about 80-90% there this time.  still a little crunchy and a bit mushy.  only my 2nd time cooking rice and 1st time i baked it (yes i baked it lol). 2. put a wet paper towel on the rice towards the end of cooking to keep top moist.  3. turn about every 10-15 min.  i did 3 turns.  4. brown the meats (put to side), fry the onions, peppers, tomato, put back in the meats and stir, add the rice, add the chicken stock, the rest is just cooking the rice and turning.  last 5 minutes add the peas that you already cooked separately and do a final stir. 5. for saffron boil chicken stock and add to that and set aside.  this will be the chicken stock to be added later on.  let the saffron infuse into the chicken stock.  use can add white wine here also if you want.


results/taste: loved it.  just need to get the rice cooking perfected.  other than that we all loved the dish and would definitely make it again.  rice has a different taste than say puerto rican or cuban style rice hence the paella style.


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## GimmeAnother1 (Jan 11, 2020)

*Pastelon (Puerto Rican Lasagna)*

Pastelon (Puerto Rican Lasagna)


ingredients: sweet onions (caramelized), carrots, ground beef, platanos maduros, hard boiled egg, liquid egg (for binding platanos), pepper, adobo, achiote, maggie sauce, ancho chili powder (small amount), mozzarella, parmigiana reggiano





lessons learned: 1. cook everything separate in individual parts to prep and then put together and do a final bake to basically melt the cheese and cook the egg to bind it all together.  2. if you can use a pan that holds it all tight.  i had a big lasagna pan and instead of square/rectangle it would up a bit humped like a rounded top.  not that it was bad or anything but presentation not as nice imo than a squared out one.  3. ripe platanos are key.  the rest you can make as you go.  sweet onions reduce down to even sweeter.  carrots are sweet as they are cooked.  cheese is a little sweet.  platanos you have to just wait or get the ripe and ready.


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## GimmeAnother1 (Jan 11, 2020)

*Fudgy Brownies*

Fudgy Brownies


ingredients: dark cocoa, espresso powder, eggs, ap flour, sugar, salt, butter


lessons learned: 1. i do them by hand.  lots of whisking/stirring in this process and portions are added in order and mixed together.  2. espresso powder is a nice addition imo.  also i prefer dark cocoa over regular.  3. not supposed to do this i'm sure but the batter before cooking 'is da best'! 4. have to be careful not to burn them.  the taste is deep/rich enough as it is burning them with the burnt flavor can take it a little to far.



results/taste: great.  prefer fudgy over cakey brownies and these come out great.


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## GimmeAnother1 (Jan 11, 2020)

*Strawberry Jam or Jelly*

Strawberry Jam or Jelly


ingredients: strawberries, apples, lemon, sugar, water


lessons learned: 1. use a candy thermometer or some kind of thermometer to know when the boiling is complete.  2. u will need pectin.  i made homemade via heating up apples and lemon.  3. keep stirring!  4. skim off top fuzz all throughout process.


results/taste: awesome!  this is one of those things though where i feel each batch will be different and it will be hard to replicate consistently.  a lot of variables.  that being said this batch came out great and everyone loved it.


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## GimmeAnother1 (Jan 11, 2020)

*Raspberry Coulis Sauce*

Raspberry Coulis Sauce


ingredients: raspberry, lemon, sugar, water


lessons learned: 1. careful with adding the water.  once you add too much u can't go back.


results/taste: i added too much water and it was a bit too runny for people.  i was making it for my crepes and it became too runny against the whip cream.  note for next time careful with how much water you add to the mix.  add a little at a time until right consistency.


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## GimmeAnother1 (Jan 11, 2020)

*Crepes with different toppings*

Crepes with different toppings


ingredients: 

crepe - ap flour, salt, eggs, milk, melted butter, 

sweet toppings - raspberry sauce (see my previous post), strawberry, red raspberry, and grape concord jelly/jam, whip cream

savory toppings - cheddar cheese, goat cheese with Italian seasoning, prosciutto, sweet cherry nub tomatoes





lessons learned: 1. use blender.  u want this batter as fine as possible.  almost straight liquid.  2. i just went straight for a crepe pan with the paddle attachment since i am new.  not really required but didn't hurt either imo.  3. easier to make whole batch of crepe batter and them serve them with toppings.  no time to stop on each one imo.  they make quickly.  4. you can make now and use for a couple of days.  great for fillings and roll up if you want also.


results/taste: i have only had sweet before so savory was a nice change.  all came out well.  can't really go wrong here.  a single batter wound up making like 30+ of the crepes so keep sizing in mind when making.  i tried all 3 kinds of jams and i like in order red raspberry, strawberry, grape concord.


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## GimmeAnother1 (Jan 11, 2020)

*BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwiches*

BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwiches


ingredients: pork shoulder (boneless in my case), homemade pork spice rub, homemade bbq sauce, apple cider vinegar, beef stock, hot sauce, kosher salt, avocado oil, potato rolls, dill pickles



lessons learned:  1. i did this twice.  Once in a dutch oven and in an Instant Pot.  Both came out good although i feel like Instant Pot makes it mushier because of all the steam cooking.  That being said both ways came out great.  2. no matter which method you use brown in the dutch oven.  i don't like how the browning comes out via saute function on instant pot. dutch oven browns them much better.  or use cast iron skillet.  just de-glaze at end and pour bits back into final pot.  2.5 cut into pieces to fit into dutch oven/instant pot.  i just had butcher do this when purchasing the pork shoulder.  3. dutch oven took me 2 hours whereas instant pot was 1 hour and 10min pressure release.  4. easiest pull apart method imo is just put on sheet pan and pull apart with forks.  u can also do a mixing bowl and forks or use bear claws and then forks to fine pull apart.  5. keep some of the bbq sauce to lather on individual sandwiches as well.  i made homemade bbq sauce so this is a consideration since it takes 45 min to make a batch.


results/taste:  awesome!  would recommend and will keep making.  great dish if you have a couple of hours to make a meal.  make in a batch and can store in bbw sauce for marinade for a few days also.  similar to chili.  gets better over time in marinade.


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## GimmeAnother1 (Jan 12, 2020)

*Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Buttercream Frosting*

Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Buttercream Frosting (and red raspberry/whip cream filling)


ingredients: cake - sour cream, buttermilk, eggs, espresso powder, vegetable oil, vanilla extract, ap flour, sugar, dark cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, salt.  buttercream frosting - powdered sugar, butter, heavy cream, dark cocoa powder, vanilla extract, espresso powder, salt, sem-sweet chocolate.  red raspberry - cheated.  store bought.  whip cream - heavy cream, vanilla extract, powdered sugar, honey.  nibs - parts of cake cut off and blended


lessons learned:  1. started this one off but quickly out of my league.  my niece came and helped me through this one.  2. used spring pans to bake.  cake came out depressed in the middle.  i did not use strips around outside.  will try that next time.  niece wound up trimming the top and we filled in the depression with red raspberry/whip cream (wasn't part of original idea) which worked out great.  we also flip over the other depressed cake to make the top and basically make an empty ball in the middle.  we filled the bottom half before putting the top half on.  once the top half was on and 1st coat of buttercream we decided to apple core out the middle top and pump in whip cream into the rest of the middle. then we just buttercream the opening and top looked solid.  didn't have no flavor floss so wound up cutting with a bread knife to flatten out a bit.  3. parts you cut you can grind up and crumb the sides to reuse.  4. biggest mess my kitchen has been yet on this one.  between the 2 of us we got to the point where we couldn't find things (like whip cream cone attachment lol).





results/taste: overall the cake was good.  not great because i didn't cook the cake part properly.  the buttercream frosting was spot on and the red raspberry/homemade whip cream was a nice addition.  just need to work on my cake baking skills and practice spinning the frosting on to decorate the cake.  thankfully my niece save me on this one.  considering i made it for her to begin with it all worked out well in the end smile.


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## GimmeAnother1 (Jan 13, 2020)

*Tomato and Ricotta Bruschetta*

Tomato and Ricotta Bruschetta


ingredients: toasted rustic bread, mozzarella, ricotta, roasted cherry tomatoes, basil, olive oil


lessons learned: 1. tried with drizzle of balsamic and just olive oil.  actually preferred just olive oil more.  2. it's a simple recipe but don't skimp as you need it all (since it is simple) in order to make it taste great.  i.e. toast the bread, roast the tomatoes, drizzle the olive oil, mash up the mozz to match the consistency of the ricotta, etc.


results/taste: simple yet full of flavor in every bite.  cheese mix worked out well.  some people did not like the heated tomatoes though. others loved it.  so hit or miss there.


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## GimmeAnother1 (Jan 21, 2020)

*mini lemon chiffon cakes*

mini lemon chiffon cakes


ingredients: eggs (yolks/white seperated), cream of tartar, sugar, cake flour, baking powder, salt, veg oil, lemon juice and zest.  glaze: sugar, lemon juice


lessons learned: 1. this is the whip whites to peaks and fold in type of recipe.  i prefer baking powder as i am still working on knowing exactly when peaks are properly stiff and not over or under whipped smile.  2. lot of folding batter and piping so getting experience there.  i know use a tall cup to put piping bag in before trying to fill.  works better for me that way.  3. first time i cooled cakes upside down in tins.  interesting concept.


results/taste:  we tried with and without glaze and actually preferred without glaze.  was not impressed with the way mine came out.  never had before so not sure what to compare it to but not inclined to make again.  probably something i did.


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## GimmeAnother1 (Jan 21, 2020)

*canoas de platanos maduros*

canoas de platanos maduros (platano canoes)


ingredients: picadillo (ground beef mix PR style), platanos maduros, mozz cheese, monterey jack cheese, bruschetta sauce


lessons learned: 1. i like to cut over the V shape before frying platanos so it fries all sides. i then take extra cut out, fry that, mush with fork and layer on top to reuse.  2. pre cook beef (i used picadillo i had left over from Pastelon), fry cut platanos, fill beef into canoes, layer mush leftover platano and cheese on top, bake in over until cheese melted.  



results/taste: well received.  i think i should have added cilantro other than sofrito.  or maybe mint or something.  bruschetta sauce was a hit also although i didn't make that from scratch.


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## GimmeAnother1 (Jan 21, 2020)

*Greek white bean soup Fasolada*

Greek white bean soup Fasolada


ingredients: white beans, salt, celery, carrots, onion, garlic, olive oil, tomato paste, rosemary, veg bouillon cube, apple, water.


lessons learned: 1. 2nd time i used an apple for pectin (1st was for strawberry jelly).  2.  i added some water as it cooked since some evaporated.  not sure if this watered it down a bit.  i mean it is soup but thinking doing this watered it down a bit.  3. you have to wash and soak the beans in salt water the night before.  4. i chopped the veg. i believe some places puree them.


results/taste: same like as in a restaurant.  came out pretty good.  overall great bean/veg soup.


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## GimmeAnother1 (Jan 21, 2020)

*crispy mongolian beef with coconut sticky rice*

crispy mongolian beef with coconut sticky rice


ingredients: Sauce: hoison sauce (made from scratch since i didn't have), sweet soy, regular soy, white vinegar, water.  Fried Beef: sliced ribeye (can use flank), salt, pepper, corn starch, veg oil, scallions (didn't have green onions so substituted), ginger, red chilis.  Coconut rice: jasmine rice (closest i could find to glutinous), coconut milk, sugar, salt, coconut shavings, instant pot


lessons learned: 1. I am new to Asian dishes but am finding that many are a combo of soy, brown sugar, sesame oil, rice wine vinegar.  the hoison added in peanut butter to the mix which was interesting change.  2. basically make sauce, bread sliced beef in corn starch, fry beef, put rest in pan and fry, add beef back in and mix.  serve with rice.  3. rice i did in instantpot.  came out decent.  debated on mixing coconut/sugar in pot or after it comes out.  did it right in pot instead of adding water.  came out good.


results/taste: everyone liked it.  one did not like the heat from the chili but other than that everything worked out really well for one of my 1st Asian dishes.  instantpot is great for rice.


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## GimmeAnother1 (Feb 6, 2020)

*Raspberry Oatmeal Bars*

Raspberry Oatmeal Bars


ingredients: oats, raspberries, light brown sugar, regular sugar, corn starch, salt, ap flour, vanilla extract, baking soda, cinnamon, butter, lemon zest


lessons learned: 1. get the raspberries room temp so they mush.  use microwave if frozen.  2. while my base oats came out solid my top was a little loose.  next time i will pack the top oats down harder.  not a biggie.  still came out fine.


result/taste: came out great.  1 person said it was a little too sweet for them.  everyone else liked them better than prepacked bars.  probably because the are fresh and not dried out.


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## GimmeAnother1 (Feb 9, 2020)

*Kaiser Rolls*

Kaiser Rolls


ingredients: bread flour, yeast, water, salt, egg wash, poppy seeds, sesame seeds


lessons learned: 1. if bread doesn't rise the tend to turn out like bagel dough consistency.  make sure yeast activates and rises.  use sugar to feed yeast and put some flour in on top of activated water and then the salt to create a barrier.  salt kills yeast.  then rest of flour on top of salt.  mix.  2. 2nd rise is important for sizing of individual rolls.  3. for shape,  you can roll into a ball, fold long ways into shape kind of like doing a pretzel, or u can buy stamp and stamp them.  see my pics for round ball and hand shaping.  didn't have stamp to stamp mine.  4. i like egg wash for crispy/crunchy tops.  also easier for seeds to grab onto with egg wash.  5. moist oven is key in baking dough.  and/or use water tray - hand sprayer to moisten oven and dough balls when in the oven.  6. to keep fresh freeze.  7. love them hot and fresh although about 30min after taken out is when they are best overall.



results/taste: perfect for a roll consistency.  people said mine were better than bagel shop/restaurants.  this batch came out spot on.  loved the crunchy top to them also.


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## Cheryl J (Feb 9, 2020)

Thank you for taking the time to share your recipes and beautiful pics, gimme!


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## GimmeAnother1 (Feb 10, 2020)

Cheryl J said:


> Thank you for taking the time to share your recipes and beautiful pics, gimme!





Thanks Cheryl! Loving the culinary journey 
Still less than a year baking/cooking so don’t consider myself a chef yet but I’m on my way! 
Lots still left to learn. So many different areas to choose from in culinary.


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## GimmeAnother1 (Feb 24, 2020)

*Homemade Sausage & Nduja*

Homemade Sausage & Nduja


ingredients: pork shoulder, sausage casings, different fillings


lessons learned: 1. u need fat in for sausage so do not discard the fatback.  you need 30% fat.  2. any pork wrapped from a store is already salted/liquid so take that into account when salting and weighing.  3. for casings make sure you grease the spout before trying to slip on.  4. get a foot pedal to connect to your machine so u can control the rate of flow.  they sell foot pedals that you can plug your machine into and then plug into the outlet.  this way you don't have to splice wires.  5. nduja 50% fat at least.  pass the meat through a 2nd time until it comes out like mush.  use the right chilis and grind them.  6. use a coffee or spice grinder to grind up spices.  7. don't let a lot of air get into casing as you fill.  fill it tight with meat.  otherwise it will spoil quickly.  8.  prick holes in casings when done.  9.  either smoke or seal in back and freeze to cook as needed.  you can also cure at this point if you want to take it further. 



results/taste: awesome.  such a great experience!  so much to learn in sausage making/curing/meats.  a whole other world.  loving it!


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## GimmeAnother1 (Feb 25, 2020)

*Popovers with Strawberry Buttercream frosting*

Popovers with Strawberry Buttercream frosting (in a muffin tin)



ingredients: eggs, milk, melted butter, flour, salt, oil.  frosting - strawberry jam, butter


lessons learned: 1. do not open the oven to check on them.  just let them go the full time and pull them out.  otherwise it deflates.  2. frosting - just whip the butter until creamed and mix in strawberry jam.  3. pretty straightforward mix of ingredients.


results/taste: croissant like base with buttercream and strawberry jam mix on top.  whats not to like!  these things are so awesome especially straight out of the oven.  the strawberry buttercream is a must to try imo if you make popovers.  i know they are used to sop up sauces in many cases but sweeten it and have like a dessert they are great too!


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## GimmeAnother1 (Feb 26, 2020)

*Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars*

Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars


ingredients: ap flour, baking soda, corn starch, salt, butter, light brown sugar, granulated sugar, eggs, vanilla extract, semi-sweet choc chips


lessons learned: 1. try to get the sugar to melt into the liquids as best as possible.  put a warm bowl under yours to help the melting/combining process.  2. use whisk until you get to cookie batter stage then switch to spatula to fold the rest in.  3. use baking sheets or parchment paper under otherwise it will stick and it gets are to hard to get out.


results/taste: chocolate chip cookie in brownie form.  what's not to like.  so good with a glass of milk. yummy!


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## GimmeAnother1 (Mar 1, 2020)

*Strawberry Cupcakes with Strawberry Buttercream Frosting*

Strawberry Cupcakes with Strawberry Buttercream Frosting


ingredients: ap flower, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, butter, milk, strawberry jam or preservatives, sour cream, vanilla extract, egg whites, lemon zest.  frosting - butter (creamed), strawberry jam or preservatives, powdered sugar


lessons learned: 1.  when using a lot of powdered sugar on a stand mixer use a towel over the top to keep down the powder spray as you incorporate the sugar.  2. not learned but question - while i liked the caramelized tops i think i may have cooked a little to much as some of the cupcakes separated from tops as i pulled the wrapper off.  not a major thing but still.  the based muffin part was soft and fluffy though.  cooked perfectly for the base.  and like i said i like the tops a little browned but not sure if that created the issue on a couple of the cupcakes.  3. piping is not my forte yet so i will keep at it.  need to learn the tips/sizes/shapes/etc. more so i know which to use for what occasion.  4. taste as you go on the buttercream frosting so sugar level is to your liking.  5. use a large apple corer to take out middle of muffin so u can fill the frosting in there also.  



results/taste: excellent.  microwaving the jam and straining into mix is the perfect way to incorporate strawberries.   tastes so natural in the mix as opposed to some flavoring like extract.  i find that while the buttercream frosting hardens a little over time the sugar is also more incorporated over time.  the muffin part stays fresh long periods of time with no preservatives.  loving learning this part about food.  i think preservatives are over rated (except for kosher/sea salt).


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## GimmeAnother1 (Mar 2, 2020)

*Hot Cherry Peppers Stuffed With Sharp Provolone Cheese & Prosciutto Dipped Olive Oil*

Hot Cherry Peppers Stuffed With Sharp Provolone Cheese & Prosciutto While Dipped In Olive Oil


ingredients: hot cherry peppers, sharp provolone cheese, prosciutto, olive oil


lessons learned: 1. when handling hot spices use gloves.  2. peppers are pretty flexible but if you can try to cut the cheese to comparable sizes or smaller to stuff without breaking.  3. wrap the prosciutto around the cheese before inserting otherwise you will be stuck trying to stuff it from the top which is not ideal.


results/taste: pretty good.  would do again.  the combination definitely goes well together.  i might swap out hot for medium or mild spicy peppers.  next day is a killer if you eat a lot of hot ones smile.


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## GimmeAnother1 (Mar 4, 2020)

*Sembali Revani Cake*

Sembali - Revani Cake


ingredients: sugar, milk, semolina flour, baking soda, (nuts-almonds/peanuts).  simple syrup (to drizzle)-sugar/water


lessons learned: 1. i had fine semolina flour and still feels like cornmeal to me more than regular flour.  mixes more like cornmeal too imo.


results/taste: deep caramel type of taste with sugar drizzle.  great with coffee imo.


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## GimmeAnother1 (Mar 9, 2020)

*Mozzarella From Scratch*

Mozzarella From Scratch


ingredients: whole milk (pasteurized all i could get), citric acid, rennet, water, kosher salt


lessons learned: 1. mix the citric acid and rennet first and have them ready for when they go into the process.  2. need a thermometer on this one for temp throughout.  3. see below question/note in results/taste.


results/taste:  when i watched the video i used, by the time i am straining the curd in the video it was stretchy.  mine was still cottage cheese consistency.  mine didn't really come together until the last stretching when you soak it in salted whey at certain temp.  after that it pulled together and became stretchy and sleek.  that being said my results/taste to me was bland and plasticy.  i have the base down.  it did work for me and i got a mozz as result but maybe i need to let it soak more in the salted whey to get some flavor.  it was pretty flavorless compared to what i am used to.  it is like the major store bought pre packaged stuff or the shredded cheese in flavor.  now that i have the base down though i can read up online and experiment until i get the flavor i want.  maybe at some point also i will put in a hint of something in the mix like coconut or something.  we'll see.  joy is in the journey right!


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## GimmeAnother1 (Mar 10, 2020)

*Strawberry Banana Muffins*

Strawberry Banana Muffins


ingredients: unsalted butter, eggs, vanilla extract, ripe bananas, strawberry jam, ap flour, lb sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, salt


lessons learned: 1. i did not have strawberries so tried microwaving S jam and stirring it in.  it probably would have worked however i don't think i put enough in so it was more like banana muffin in taste (actually like brown sugar/cinnamon/banana muffin).  next time use strawberries or more jam.  2. batter is thick.  i used an ice cream scooper to measure out and fill the batter in the tins.


results/taste:  overall they came out great for banana muffins.  for strawberry banana i need to get more strawberry in next time.  i also made cupcake size and mini cupcake size.  i prefer the cupcake size.  mini didn't have enough breading for my taste to really enjoy it.  bite sized not recommended for me.


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## GimmeAnother1 (Mar 12, 2020)

*Berry (Blueberry, Blackberry, Raspberry) Crumb Cake*

Berry (Blueberry, Blackberry, Raspberry) Crumb Cake


ingredients: butter, sugar, eggs, vanillla, ap flour, baking powder, salt, milk, berries.  topping - sugar, ap flour, cinnamon, butter.


lessons learned: 1. i used mix of frozen and unfrozen berries.  the frozen i defrosted in microwave which gave a lot of juice.  i added the juice in. you can see it in the dough of 1st pic as it is almost purple in color. not sure the affect but i have an issue i will show below.  not sure if contributed.  2. my batter was still very wet after 45 @ 350degrees.  not sure if the crumb on top was preventing the cooking or the juice from berries kept it too liquidy or what.  i wound up cooking it about 1:15 at 350 and even then i would poke through the top and pull out mush.  it dried up fine.  very light and fluffy.  not a lesson learned here but curious if it's supposed to be like this for a crumb cake.


results/taste: the taste was excellent.  best crumb cake i've ever had.  my issue is the texture.  it fell apart in my hands as i held or cut a piece.  the dough was extremely soft under the hard and heavy topping of the crumb and while the taste was so good holding it together was a sloppy job.  i need to work on this recipe a little and tweak.  has great promise though.  never had a berry crumb cake like this before.  great combo with milk or coffee.


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## GimmeAnother1 (Mar 17, 2020)

*Strawberry Shortcake*

Strawberry Shortcake


ingredients: strawberries, sugar, ap flour, baking powder, salt, egg, heavy cream, milk, shortening, vanilla extract


lessons learned: 1. i originally tried to do a recipe with eggs whites whipped except i couldn't get mine to whip.  even tried cream of tartar no luck.  tried both hand mixer and kitchenaid to no avail.  sugar, salt, etc. no help.  so 2 relatives came over and we wound up working on this all 3 of us.  2. whipped cream topping don't over whip or you'll make butter (yes we made butter on accident lol.  had to whip another batch).


results/taste: very good!  came out tasting just right.  would recommend.


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## GimmeAnother1 (Mar 25, 2020)

*Chicken Fried Rice*

Chicken Fried Rice


ingredients: chicken breast cut into pieces, corn starch, veg oil, soy sauce, baking soda, avocado oil, ginger, carrots, sweet peas, red onion, yellow onion, shallots, eggs, salt, pepper, white jasmine rice (cooked separately in instantpot and then add to wok for frying with soy sauces 'light/sweet and regular soy)


lessons learned: 1. instantpot cooks rice well and easy.  set and forget.  1:1 ratio cup of rice to cup of water.  good to go.  2. chicken pieces next time i will cut up smaller.  i chunked them and feel like i should get them to down to almost shredded or think strip consistency.  too bulky as chunks imo although still great to eat.  3. the corn starch/soy sauce/veg oil/baking soda marinade combo on the chicken creates a shiny coating on the chicken which is a bit disconcerting when initially looking at it.  had to use thermometer to poke pieces and make sure they were cooked to 165 degrees.  taste is great for this type of meal though as the coating/marinade.  4. asian or wok dishes tend to be cooked in batches.  eggs cook/chop up and put aside in bowl, chicken cook and set aside in another bowl, veg cook and set aside, cook rice and add soy sauces, finally add everything back in and mix.  method works well just takes some time.


results/taste: came out really good.  next day was still moist not dry/crunchy.  like i said above will do a better job on chicken slicing next time.  also i went light on the soy sauces when cooking and just brought it out as condiment for whoever wanted it heavy.  method worked out well.


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## GotGarlic (Mar 25, 2020)

I love a good stir-fry. If you have any oyster sauce, try adding a half teaspoon of that to the sauce mixture and reduce the soy sauce a little. I used to keep adding soy sauce to give it more flavor, but once I discovered oyster sauce, I started adding that. It's an umami bomb that tastes more savory and less salty to me than soy sauce. I also add a half teaspoon of chili-garlic sauce. And instead of veg oil in the sauce, I use a half teaspoon of toasted sesame oil.


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## GimmeAnother1 (Mar 25, 2020)

GotGarlic said:


> I love a good stir-fry. If you have any oyster sauce, try adding a half teaspoon of that to the sauce mixture and reduce the soy sauce a little. I used to keep adding soy sauce to give it more flavor, but once I discovered oyster sauce, I started adding that. It's an umami bomb that tastes more savory and less salty to me than soy sauce. I also add a half teaspoon of chili-garlic sauce. And instead of veg oil in the sauce, I use a half teaspoon of toasted sesame oil.




1. Someone has shellfish allergies eating it so wary of using oyster sauce. I did see it in another popular recipe vid so maybe sometime will be able to try it. Or is oyster sauce not from real oyster and shellfish allergy people ok?

2. Someone has garlic allergy eating it so can’t use garlic. U will hardly ever see any of my dishes have garlic in the ingredients. 

3. Agree on toasted sesame seed oil. At the end when I thought the soy taste was light I poured some on the rice while still in the wok and cooked a little more. I use it on the Mongolian crispy beef dish and thought maybe it would help here.  Thing is I used veg oil for chicken marinade. For wok I used avocado oil. So not sure if toasted sesame oil had much affect sprinkled in at end like that...


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## GimmeAnother1 (Mar 27, 2020)

*Berry (Blueberry, Blackberry, Raspberry) Crumb Cake*



GimmeAnother1 said:


> Berry (Blueberry, Blackberry, Raspberry) Crumb Cake
> 
> 
> ingredients: butter, sugar, eggs, vanillla, ap flour, baking powder, salt, milk, berries.  topping - sugar, ap flour, cinnamon, butter.
> ...




wound up doing this again but this time in muffin/cupcake form.  lesson learned for this method is that i need to push down the crumb topping into the batter right before cooking otherwise it doesn't stick as well and cracks off the top when pressure applied.  need to push the topping down into the batter right before baking so it sticks better i think.  also regular cupcake tins they tend to splooge over the sides.  if i get the basket parchment paper types they can bake up into them instead of over the sides.  either way so delicious


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## GimmeAnother1 (Mar 28, 2020)

GimmeAnother1 said:


> Spaghetti with Meatballs and Sausage
> 
> 
> ingredients: sauce - puree san marzano tomatoes, whole peeled san marzano tomatoes, tomato paste, sweet onions, bay leaves, oregano, parsley, olive oil.  meatballs - 85/15 ground beef, parmesian reggiano, parsley, italian seasoning, onion, egg.  sausage - premio sweet italian.
> ...






added bb ribs and left out olive oil this time.  also browned directly in the pot i made the sauce in as i had more time to do so.  bb ribs fell off the bone and fat rendered into the sauce. tastes great.  used 3 different sausages (1 type of which i made see previous posts). also went cheese ravioli this time however bought from local Italian deli that makes them; did not make my own.


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## GimmeAnother1 (Mar 31, 2020)

*Steak Tacos and Rice*

Steak Tacos and Rice


ingredients: steak, salt, pepper, red onions, tomato, lettuce, avocado oil, tortilla, jasmine white rice.  sauce - sour cream, worcestershire sauce, maggie sauce


lessons learned:  1. learned to cut protein into thin strips.  in my case i froze the meat a bit so firmer to handle when cutting into thin strips.  also i have seen 45 degree angle cuts to help keep the strips thin.  2. first time making the sour cream/steak sauce combo.  3. red onions perfect for this dish.  4. dish comes together quick so prep is key.


results taste:  strips worked out well.  sometimes i can see using strips and sometimes i would prefer thicker pieces.  both have their place i think.  sour cream steak sauce combo i liked but for some did not catch on.


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## GimmeAnother1 (Apr 20, 2020)

*Pan Sobao (Puerto Rican Bread)*

Pan Sobao (Puerto Rican Bread)


ingredients: warm water, yeast, sugar, lard/shortening, ap flour, salt


lessons learned: 1. i didn't make a full poolish but let the dough first rise overnight in fridge.  2. never worked with lard/shortening before.  this recipe had me microwave it in water which i did.  not sure if the consistency changed much.  have to research this more.  3. first time using the 'modified' straight dough method (yeast + water, mix in fat and sugar, _then _add flour and mix).  4. learning that with doughs and breads rise time is probably the most important thing behind not killing the yeast with salt.  5. learned a fold, tuck, and pinch method of shoehorning the rolled dough on the bottom to make a single connected loaf and not split on the bottom (you can see i split the top one on the left bottom side a little.  the other came out good.  even that one didn't split much but lesson learned.).  basically fitting the seam after rolling so no splits on the bottom of the bread.  also learned a pinch and fold method for ends of bread. 6. this bread type is very light and fluffy however as a result it can harden quickly.  usually only lasts 2-3 days.  7. didn't have a bread cutter so just used a regular knife to mark.  have to research more the affect of this as well as slicing angles for best result.



results/taste: came out very close to ones you will find in Panaderias in PR.  some liked it better even.


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## GimmeAnother1 (May 17, 2020)

*Deli Style Macaroni Salad*

Deli Style Macaroni Salad


ingredients: elbow macaroni, mayo, white sugar, white vinegar, dijon mustard, kosher salt, black pepper, cayenne pepper, hot Hungarian paprika, green onions, diced celery, red pepper, green pepper, carrot


lessons learned: like a lot of foods taste as u go.  for this type of food let it sit awhile and combine well for tasting as well.  for instance i put in cayenne and mixed but tasted right away.  not tasting any heat.  kept putting in.  later on when mixed and settled it was a bit hot.  i liked it but people did notice the heat.  i did not notice on initial tasting when i put it in however.


tastes/results: tasted just like the deli style.  came out well.  a bit on the hot side but overall just like a real deli style.  everyone enjoyed it.


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## GimmeAnother1 (May 17, 2020)

*Baked Ziti*

Baked Ziti


ingredients: ziti, spaghetti sauce, fresh mozzarella, low moisture mozzarella, whole milk ricotta, parmigiano reggiano, salt, olive oil, ground beef, sausage



lessons learned: use 2 different cheese types for different levels and textures of cheese.  regular mozz for melty/gooey and low moisture for that pully/stringy type.  cut cheese into blocks instead of shredding for internal.  top layer can be shredded.  cook pasta halfway through in hot water and the rest to bake.  mix extra sauce in as pasta will soak up the rest for the rest of cooking. use olive oil drizzle around top outside for extra browning/crusty edges.


results/taste:  came out good.  had to make a lot since i used a large lasagna pan.  u can reheat but this is best fresh imo.  u can never have enough cheese with this dish smile.  i got sloppy and forgot the parmesiano reggiano until last couple of minutes so sprinkled on top.  did not get enough time to melt but taste was fine.  didn't use shredded at all on top.  think i will next time to spread the top layer better.


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## DaveSoMD (May 17, 2020)

GimmeAnother1 said:


> Baked Ziti
> 
> 
> ingredients: ziti, spaghetti sauce, fresh mozzarella, low moisture mozzarella, whole milk ricotta, parmigiano reggiano, salt, olive oil, ground beef, sausage
> ...


That is the perfect comfort food!!


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## GimmeAnother1 (May 18, 2020)

DaveSoMD said:


> That is the perfect comfort food!!




can't go wrong with a nice baked ziti right!  also some good Italian bread and butter to go along with it never hurt.  i have a bread place by me that makes a double seeded semolina that is to die for.  that with butter and i won't even make it to the baked ziti


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## GimmeAnother1 (May 18, 2020)

*German Beef Rouladen (beef with pickles)*

German Beef Rouladen (beef with pickles)


ingredients: thin sliced beef, onion, bacon, marjoram, kosher salt, pepper, spicy deli mustard (like one with horseradish in it), dill pickles, carrots, celery, tomato sauce, beef stock, cooking oil, water, cornstarch, (red wine optional)



lessons learned: just general stuff with browning.  the meat is thin and sears quickly.  toothpicks to hold the rolled up meat together. i used 2 on each piece.  bacon was hit or miss.  traditionally as a kid i did not have bacon in mine and some commented about it this time.  bacon always changes the flavor pallet significantly imo on a dish.  u can leave it out if u want.  basically braise after browning in the beef stock and vegetables.  when done strain out the vegetables and thicken up the sauce with cornstarch slurry.  serve with the sauce.  usually served with potatoes as a side although we like string beans also for side and prefer mash potatoes.


results/taste:  always loved this dish.  came out great.  again for some bacon is hit or miss.  other than that i would highly recommend.  great dish if you like pickles.


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## Chief Longwind Of The North (May 28, 2020)

GimmeAnother1 said:


> wound up doing this again but this time in muffin/cupcake form.  lesson learned for this method is that i need to push down the crumb topping into the batter right before cooking otherwise it doesn't stick as well and cracks off the top when pressure applied.  need to push the topping down into the batter right before baking so it sticks better i think.  also regular cupcake tins they tend to splooge over the sides.  if i get the basket parchment paper types they can bake up into them instead of over the sides.  either way so delicious



To give the crumb cake a more cohesive texture, you will need to add 1 large egg for ever cup of flour. 

If making in muffin tins, papers reduce cleanup chores.  In any case, the papers, or tins, should not be filled more than 2/3rds to 3/4rs  full. To get the cake to bake properly, you need to butter, then flour the cake pan bottom and sides.  And the batter should be thick, with a little less water  in the batter, as the berries will release more water into the batter as the cake bakes.   Use 2/3's cup of water for every cup of flour. also, to keep the Cake/muffins moist, add 3 tbs. melted butter, or cooking oil to the batter for every cup of flour.

Another winning idea is to blend the berries into a puree, and add sugar to make 1 cup of berry puree.  Add apple juice to make two cups of berry mix. Pour this into a saucepan and bring to a simmer. Add 2 packets of KNox unflavored gelatin to the berry mix.  When the cake is done, poke holed all over it and drizzle the hot berry mix all over the top.  Chill in the fridge for at least two hours to set the gelatin into the cake.  It comes out moist and delicious with great berry flavor.

Seeeeeya; Cief Longwind of the North


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## GimmeAnother1 (Aug 17, 2020)

*Chicken Chow Mein*

Chicken Chow Mein


ingredients: boneless chicken breast, soy sauce, baking soda, black pepper, ginger, sesame oil, rice wine vinegar, chow mein noodles, carrots, celery, red cabbage, shredded salad, homemade hoisin sauce.


lessons learned: similar to most dishes in a wok ingredients put in as groups (protein, veggies, noodles, etc.).  



results/taste: came out good.  very enjoyable dish.  would make again.


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## GimmeAnother1 (Jan 9, 2022)

*Bizcocho de Novia*

Bizcocho de Novia (bridal cake).  Popular Puerto Rican cake in delis across PR.


ingredients: cake: unsalted butter, sugar, eggs, vanilla extract, evaporated milk, self rising flour.  frosting: crisco, butter, vanilla extract, confectioner sugar 10-x.


lessons learned: 1st time baking with crisco.  holds the frosting well this way.  1st time baking cake with evaporated milk as well.  used self rising flour instead of cake flour in this case.  not sure why yet.  have to research this more.  the edges brown and need to  be cut off.  best to do this after frosting for a cleaner cut and final look.  used egg whites to whip with a fold in for rising instead of baking powder/soda.



results: 80% there to the real thing.  find butter based frosting are finicky and hard to get consistent results with room temp butter.  bread is a bit lighter than a pound cake.


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## bbqcoder (Jan 9, 2022)

GimmeAnother1 said:


> Bizcocho de Novia (bridal cake).  Popular Puerto Rican cake in delis across PR.



Impressive! Very tasty looking!


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## GimmeAnother1 (Jan 13, 2022)

bbqcoder said:


> Impressive! Very tasty looking!


Thanks Bbqcoder! still going.  will have some more....


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## GimmeAnother1 (Jan 13, 2022)

*Zeppole*

Zeppole


ingredients: flour, yeast, salt, sugar, water.  confectioner sugar 10-x for dusting.



lessons learned:  can use a spoon or your hand to scoop portions out from side of bowl and put into the fryer.  slides off hand/spoon as glop and as it fries it puffs up into full shape.  dough should be loose enough to slide off your spoon into the fryer.  very loose dough.


results/taste: went very basic here (didn't add olive oil, extracts, shavings, etc.).  came out great.  wound up making a few batches they went so quick.


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## Chief Longwind Of The North (Jan 13, 2022)

GimmeAnother1 said:


> Chicken Chow Mein
> 
> 
> ingredients: boneless chicken breast, soy sauce, baking soda, black pepper, ginger, sesame oil, rice wine vinegar, chow mein noodles, carrots, celery, red cabbage, shredded salad, homemade hoisin sauce.
> ...



Chow means fried.  Lo means boiled.  Without noodles, the American/Chinese creation is called sukiyaki.   With crispy noodles added, it becomes Chow Mein.  With soft noodles, it's Lo Mein.

Seeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North


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## GimmeAnother1 (Jan 14, 2022)

Chief Longwind Of The North said:


> Chow means fried.  Lo means boiled.  Without noodles, the American/Chinese creation is called sukiyaki.   With crispy noodles added, it becomes Chow Mein.  With soft noodles, it's Lo Mein.
> 
> Seeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North




Good to know Chief.  Thanks!


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## GimmeAnother1 (Jan 30, 2022)

*Portuguese Style Chicken*

Portuguese Style Chicken


ingredients: chicken breasts, smoked/sweet paprika, cumin, ground coriander, oregano, onion powder, rosemary, thyme, bay leaves, chili powder, olive oil, lemon juice, salt, pepper


lessons learned: did a 24 hour marinade.  cut slits on the chicken breast pieces after cut up for marinade to seep into better.  can roast red peppers and slice them up to add in when cooking the chicken but forgot to this time.



results/taste: taste was great.  marinade always helps layer the flavors in.  very tasty.


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## GimmeAnother1 (Jan 30, 2022)

*Portuguese Style Rice*

Portuguese Style Rice


ingredients: long grain white rice, turmeric, cumin, ground anise seed, onion, red pepper, olive oil, chicken broth, peas, salt



lessons learned: rice was a bit mushy.  need to work on water to rice ratio.  turmeric is mostly the yellow coloring you see.  don't mix stir rice often.  once or twice during a cook is fine.



results/taste:  as said above a bit mushy but that was my fault.  taste was good.  would recommend.


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## Chief Longwind Of The North (Feb 1, 2022)

Chief Longwind Of The North said:


> Chow means fried.  Lo means boiled.  Without noodles, the American/Chinese creation is called sukiyaki.   With crispy noodles added, it becomes Chow Mein.  With soft noodles, it's Lo Mein.
> 
> Seeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North



I made an error.  Sukiyaki is a Japanese creation.  Chow Mein, and Lo Mein without noodles is chop suey, and was created by Chinese immigrants in the U.S.

Seeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North


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## Just Cooking (Feb 1, 2022)

Chief Longwind Of The North said:


> I made an error.  Sukiyaki is a Japanese creation.  *Chow Mein*, and Lo Mein *without noodles is chop suey,* and was created by Chinese immigrants in the U.S.
> 
> Seeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North



That's what has us frustrated here in Springfield, MO. Few places have Chow Mein on the menu and those who do, do not serve with crispy noodles. 

Ross


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