Favorite Foods?

[Anna Hart]

What is the meal that you are most proud of? What I mean is what is your go to meal that tastes awesome every time?

[IshbelRobertson]

Smoked mackerel pate or smoked salmon with a dill sauce, Haunch of venison,studded with juniper berries, with redcurrant jelly, game chips, buttered spring greens and roast potatoes followed by something like cranachan or tipsy laird. That's the meal I make for overseas visitors who think that Scottish food is stodgy, heavy or not very tasty!

[Hattie]

Caesar salad, plank grilled salmon, herb-nut rice and cheesecake for dessert. YUM!!!

[Greg44]

Our name sake is "Danish" and I grew up in a community with many Danish immigrants. So one of our favorite meals are Danish Abelskivers -- basically little pancake balls that you put in a dab of apple sauce or jam and sprinkle with powdered sugar. Very good. We eat them with fresh fruit and for the meat eaters bacon.

Kind of a novelty - and our guest seem to really like them.

[Anna Hart]

I would love your recipes. Whenever I make fish it just turns out kind of soggy - I haven't mastered it. I am a huge fan of breakfast for supper so the little pancake balls sound lovely. Recipes please.

[Hattie]

Plank Grilled Salmon


4 Salmon Fillets (about 1 inch thick)
4 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
4 tbsp. finely chopped red onion
Coarsely crushed black peppercorns
Fresh dill sprigs
2 lemons, cut in half
Coarse salt

Soak 2 cedar planks overnight in water (you will have to weight them down to keep them under the water).

The next day, preheat barbecue grill on high. Rub salmon fillets all over with olive oil. Top salmon with a light sprinkling of finely chopped red onion and coarsely crushed black peppercorns. Top each fillet with a few sprigs of fresh dill and squeeze a little fresh lemon juice over all. Place the cedar planks on the preheated grill and sprinkle the planks with coarse salt. Heat the planks with the barbecue lid down for 2 to 3 minutes or until the top of the planks is nearly dry. Place the salmon fillets on top of the heated cedar planks. Turn the heat to the lowest setting. Cook salmon with the cover down for about 15 - 20 minutes or just until cooked through. Squeeze some more fresh lemon over the salmon and serve. Serves 4.

[Hattie]

Herbed Nut Rice


2 tbsp. butter
2 med. onions chopped
2 med. carrots peeled, grated
2 cans 10oz (284ml) chicken broth
1 tsp. EACH of : dried thyme and rosemary leaves
2 ½ cups minute rice
½ cup chopped cashews
4 tbsp. chopped fresh parsley

Heat butter in large frypan over medium-high heat. Saute onion and carrot until tender crisp.

Add chicken broth and herbs; bring to boil.

Add rice, cover and remove from heat. Let stand 5 minutes.

Add nuts and parsley. Heat through. Serve with salmon.

[Mrs-M]

Awesome recipes! My favourite go-to meal is pasta with my homemade tomato sauce. Always tasty!

[redfox]

Chicken baked in a great italian tomato sauce, over rice, with a salad & steamed broccoli on the side. Garlic bread & red wine are a bonus.

Or, sliced root veggies (potatoes, carrots, beets, etc.), squash, garlic, and onions tossed with olive oil, S&P, and paprika and baked on a cookie sheet till tender. Serve with a combo of quality ketchup & salsa half-n-half, and salad.

[Merski]

Homemade pizza with our own sauce & crust with whatever we have for extras on it.

[Sad Eyed Lady]

My first thought is pasta because we like it and make it often, but otherwise I would say a very adaptable chicken dish that I alter depending on what I have. I start with boneless skinless chicken breasts or chicken tenders. I lightly dip these in flour and saute them on each side just a few minutes, sprinkle with salt, pepper & sweet basil. Then I pour over the chicken whatever type of juice I have (orange juice usually), then throw in a few potatoes and/or carrots, cover and simmered 20-25 minutes, or until chicken is tender. Can be done alone and served with rice, or just throw in the veggies you want for a one pot dish. It has always turned out well, and I use whatever juice is on hand. Very adaptable and quick.

[Bastelmutti]

My wow meal that almost always does the trick for guests is bibimbap, a Korean beef, vegetable and rice dish. To give you an idea what it entails, here's a photo from a food blog (not mine, but I make it similarly):

http://www.closetcooking.com/2007/05/bibimbap.html

Otherwise a nice taco bar spread is always yummy, easy, foolproof & pleases everyone, plus easy to make for a crowd. When we get together with DH's family, it is about 15 people at each meal, so we have this once or twice each visit.

[iris lily]

Last night I made mushroom risotto and that was pretty damn good, I will tell you!

I make good lemon chicken when I am careful to not burn the chicken. Sometimes I can do lovely stir fries.

I have two Indian dishes I like to make, a tomatoe/chickpea dish and a chicken dish.

The two desserts I make are

1) rum cake
2) mint bars

neither complicated, both lovely

[iris lily]

Bastelmutti, now that is interesting. I may have to remember this thread. My food group keeps talking about having a Korean dinner and I don't relaly know what to make for it if that happens.

[Rosemary]

Bastelmutti, that is one of my favorites! I usually make it vegetarian. I made it for some friends once and they said it was the best meal they'd ever eaten. Not too difficult to make, either. Do you make your own gochujang, or do you buy it?

[Tiam]

What I LOVE is fresh corn tortillas, grilled on a comal till they are smokin' and then filling with marinated grilled chicken/pork/beef (any) fresh peppers, onions, jalapenos, cilantro and lime. And mexican or fresh mozzarella....YUM!!! In the spring and summer when the cilantro and peppers are from the garden? Even yummier!!!

[JaneV2.0]

Singapore noodles (rice or shirataki) with pork and chicken
Asian-inspired lettuce wraps with ground chicken
Chicken gumbo soup
Peanut sauce noodles
Twice-fried green beans