Cooking with Croc

[ocnblu]

I'm still waiting for a picture of a bowl of Cheerios.

[NOS2006]

lmao Who changed the name of the thread?

[Satty]

$5 says the person's screenname starts with F and ends with lyBrian.

[NOS2006]

$5 says the person's screenname starts with F and ends with lyBrian.

f@#kinUglyBrian? Who's that?

[Flybrian]

f@#kinUglyBrian? Who's that?

Wow. That's just rude.

[NOS2006]

Wow. That's just rude.

I's a bastard.

But I was kidding.

[Satty]

I'm still waiting for a picture of a bowl of Cheerios.

[ocnblu]

Uh, ew. What's with the sliced sheep nads in the Cheerios?

[Croc]

Uh, ew.  What's with the sliced sheep nads in the Cheerios?

I believe those are called "strawberries" by the normal people.

[ocnblu]

So... what do you call them, honey tip? Edited July 2, 2006 by ocnblu

[Croc]

So... what do you call them, honey tip?

Strawberries, of course.

[Satty]

aaaantoine's not-so-famous hamburgers

Ingredients:

1 lb ground beef

2 slices american cheese

Make two or three separate patties out of the ground beef. Put on grill. Add salt & pepper. Flip when top-side begins to turn brown. Poke with fork to check for remaining blood. Add cheese 1 minute before taking off grill. Serves 1 or 2, depending on hunger levels.

Mines better

1lb Ground Beef

2 slices pepperjack cheese

Form patties, throw 'em on a hot cast iron skillet, flip once, throw cheese on, enjoy.

[Croc]

Wow, I'm so honored one of my threads has been resurrected by our resident necromancer.

I think it's time for some new recipes from Cooking with Croc:

Truly the best hamburgers:

1lb Ground Beef

Lipton Onion dried soup packets to taste (1-2)

1-2T water

Mix soup mix and ground beef VERY THOROUGHLY in a bowl. Add only enough water to moisten, do not saturate. Form patties, grill, and top with your choice of toppings.

[Croc]

Amazing Sugar Cream Pie

Ingredients:

1 C sugar

1 dash salt

¼ C flour

1 P whipping cream

1 unbaked deep-dish pie shell

Cinnamon to taste

Nutmeg to taste

Directions:

Combine sugar, salt and flour. Scald the whipping cream. Add a little cream to the dry ingredients and stir to dissolve, then add and mix the remainder of the cream. Pour into unbaked pie shell. Sprinkle cinnamon on top. Bake at 450°F for 10 minutes, then reduce heat to 350°F and bake for 35-40 minutes.

Edited February 2, 2009 by Croc

[ocnblu]

Cream pie, eh?

[Croc]

Get a grip. Seriously.

[Paolino]

What do you mean "scald" the cream--like, put it at high and burn it? Or just high til it starts boiling and then remove? I've never heard the term "scald" with cooking.

[trinacriabob]

Any good recipes on artichoke type dips or salads with heart of palm? I can't cook to save my life but, if I could, this is where I would start.

I also like those cream based pasta sauces that have ingredients like asparagus, sun-dried tomatoes, pancetta and artichokes.

[Croc]

What do you mean "scald" the cream--like, put it at high and burn it? Or just high til it starts boiling and then remove? I've never heard the term "scald" with cooking.

No no no..."scalding" means to put the cream/milk/what have you over a slow fire (low heat), stirring as often as necessary to prevent a skin from forming, and then removing from heat when it is just about to boil (little bubbles form around the edges).

http://baking.about.com/library/info/bltermsp.htm

It's a fairly common term to encounter when making custards.

[Croc]

Any good recipes on artichoke type dips or salads with heart of palm? I can't cook to save my life but, if I could, this is where I would start.

I also like those cream based pasta sauces that have ingredients like asparagus, sun-dried tomatoes, pancetta and artichokes.

Won't have any from me...I try to avoid pasta. Low carb thing.

[Oracle of Delphi]

Won't have any from me...I try to avoid pasta. Low carb thing.

I've been low carbing for years, how about a few good low carb recipes then?

[Croc]

I've been low carbing for years, how about a few good low carb recipes then?

Shoot, my mother's meatloaf would be the perfect low-carb recipe, but I don't have it. I'll have to ask for it...but it's like ground beef, egg, bacon, chopped red and green peppers, tomatoes, and some ketchup I think? She may or may not have crushed Ritz crackers in it, but that isn't low-carb, and I guarantee she won't be making it that way anymore what with the High-Fructose Corn Syrup mercury scandal (Ritz crackers contain HFCS).

Give me a cuisine and I can do more to help you out. Chinese can be pretty low-carb. I have an authentic beef with broccoli recipe I've made that is fantastic:

Ingredients :

1 1/2 lb Chinese broccoli (gai lan)

1 lb Flank steak

3 tbl Vegetable oil

1 x Garlic clove minced

1 tsp Minced fresh ginger

1 bunch Scallion, green and white parts minced

1 tbl Dark soy sauce

1/4 cup Unsalted or low-sodium chicken stock or water

1 tbl Brandy

1/2 tsp Sugar

2 tsp Roasted sesame oil

1 can Bamboo

1 pkg Mung bean sprouts

MARINADE

1 tbl Dark soy sauce

1 tbl Cornstarch

2 tsp Dry white wine

Directions:

• Wash the broccoli well in cold water, separating the leaves and tender hearts and the stalks. Peel the thicker stalks, if necessary. Set aside.

• Make the marinade: Mix the soy sauce, cornstarch, and wine in a bowl. Slice the beef across the grain into 1/4-inch-thick pieces, each about 1 1/2 inches long. Combine with the marinade and let stand at least 10 minutes.

• Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a wok and stir-fry the broccoli stalks, sprouts and bamboo, about 30 seconds to 1 minute, then add the broccoli leaves and hearts and stir-fry another 30 seconds, tossing frequently. Remove to a bowl and set aside.

• Return wok to the heat and add the remaining 2 tablespoons oil. Over medium-high heat, stir-fry the garlic, ginger, and scallion for 30 seconds, or until aromatic. Add the beef and stir-fry until browned, tossing frequently. Add the soy sauce, stock, brandy, and sugar, then the broccoli, tossing to blend and heating the broccoli. Turn off heat, drizzle with sesame oil, and serve.

• This recipe yields 2 to 4 servings.

• Comments: Although beef with broccoli appears on most North American Chinese restaurant menus, very few customers have tasted the authentic dish. You must use Chinese broccoli (gai lan). Chinese broccoli has tiny white flowers on the central stalk, so the dish does not even look like the run-of-the-mill take-out beef with broccoli !

To make this more low-carb, eliminate the cornstarch. I really don't see its necessity in the recipe, especially since everything gets stir-fried together in the end and the little amount of liquid can be evaporated/reduced by minimal additional stir-frying.

Edited February 3, 2009 by Croc

[Justin Bimmer]

How about some "croc" pot recipes. . .

I love the crock pot.

[Croc]

I own one, but I haven't made enough use of it. It just takes so damn long to make things that way.

I'd love to have some solid, healthful recipes where I can prep and throw everything into the Crock Pot, then come back from class 3 hours later and have a wonderful meal. But I'm leary of leaving the apartment with something cooking, and I just don't have any great, must-eat recipes for the damn thing.

[pow]

Shoot, my mother's meatloaf would be the perfect low-carb recipe, but I don't have it. I'll have to ask for it...but it's like ground beef, egg, bacon, chopped red and green peppers, tomatoes, and some ketchup I think? She may or may not have crushed Ritz crackers in it, but that isn't low-carb, and I guarantee she won't be making it that way anymore what with the High-Fructose Corn Syrup mercury scandal (Ritz crackers contain HFCS).

Give me a cuisine and I can do more to help you out. Chinese can be pretty low-carb. I have an authentic beef with broccoli recipe I've made that is fantastic:

Ingredients :

1 1/2 lb Chinese broccoli (gai lan)

1 lb Flank steak

3 tbl Vegetable oil

1 x Garlic clove minced

1 tsp Minced fresh ginger

1 bunch Scallion, green and white parts minced

1 tbl Dark soy sauce

1/4 cup Unsalted or low-sodium chicken stock or water

1 tbl Brandy

1/2 tsp Sugar

2 tsp Roasted sesame oil

1 can Bamboo

1 pkg Mung bean sprouts

MARINADE

1 tbl Dark soy sauce

1 tbl Cornstarch

2 tsp Dry white wine

Directions:

• Wash the broccoli well in cold water, separating the leaves and tender hearts and the stalks. Peel the thicker stalks, if necessary. Set aside.

• Make the marinade: Mix the soy sauce, cornstarch, and wine in a bowl. Slice the beef across the grain into 1/4-inch-thick pieces, each about 1 1/2 inches long. Combine with the marinade and let stand at least 10 minutes.

• Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a wok and stir-fry the broccoli stalks, sprouts and bamboo, about 30 seconds to 1 minute, then add the broccoli leaves and hearts and stir-fry another 30 seconds, tossing frequently. Remove to a bowl and set aside.

• Return wok to the heat and add the remaining 2 tablespoons oil. Over medium-high heat, stir-fry the garlic, ginger, and scallion for 30 seconds, or until aromatic. Add the beef and stir-fry until browned, tossing frequently. Add the soy sauce, stock, brandy, and sugar, then the broccoli, tossing to blend and heating the broccoli. Turn off heat, drizzle with sesame oil, and serve.

• This recipe yields 2 to 4 servings.

• Comments: Although beef with broccoli appears on most North American Chinese restaurant menus, very few customers have tasted the authentic dish. You must use Chinese broccoli (gai lan). Chinese broccoli has tiny white flowers on the central stalk, so the dish does not even look like the run-of-the-mill take-out beef with broccoli !

To make this more low-carb, eliminate the cornstarch. I really don't see its necessity in the recipe, especially since everything gets stir-fried together in the end and the little amount of liquid can be evaporated/reduced by minimal additional stir-frying.

God I love gai lan. I've heard the corn starch marinade has more to do with texture than the actual amount of remaining liquid. To "da heen" (thicken a sauce), Chinese cooks usually pour in a mixture corn starch and water (just a bit) towards the end of the cooking, as a sort of reverse roux, I suppose.

[Croc]

God I love gai lan. I've heard the corn starch marinade has more to do with texture than the actual amount of remaining liquid. To "da heen" (thicken a sauce), Chinese cooks usually pour in a mixture corn starch and water (just a bit) towards the end of the cooking, as a sort of reverse roux, I suppose.

I know, right? Gai lan is sooooooo good. This beef and broccoli recipe blows any American facsimile thereof out of the water with an atomic bomb.

I know stir-frying sliced flank steak with a cornstarch mixture gives the beef that semi-gelatinous texture that is so ubiquitous to an Americanized-Chinese palate, but it really isn't essential flavor-wise, and just stir-fried flank steak without it added isn't really too much different, honestly.

Dude, are you still out in LA? As often as we talk restaurants and good food on here, we should meet up sometime.

[The O.C.]

Hmmm....I just saw the title to this thread.....

"Cooking with Croc?"

:gay:

It's like a dream come true! You know what they say....."Don't tempt my tummy with the taste o' nuts n' honey!"

[Oracle of Delphi]

Hmmm....I just saw the title to this thread.....

"Cooking with Croc?"

:gay:

It's like a dream come true! You know what they say....."Don't tempt my tummy with the taste o' nuts n' honey!"

Oh my!

[The O.C.]

Oh my!

:AH-HA_wink:

He knows I'm only kidding.....but Croc is so non-homophobic, I figured he'd get a good laugh out of this.....

[trinacriabob]

Won't have any from me...I try to avoid pasta. Low carb thing.

It's ok to "cheat" and do the trash thing every now and then - a pig trough dessert, a highly caloric pasta dish, and stuff like that. It makes it easier to keep the healthy regimen in check. I'm now within 10 lbs. of my chart height/weight and I look forward to "cheat day" or a Lake Tahoe buffet every couple of months.

[Satty]

OH MY GOD! I just made some hamburgers, they were massive and absolutely perfect. Nothing in them but the meat and some pepperjack on top. Toasted the buns. Fantastic.

[Croc]

:AH-HA_wink:

He knows I'm only kidding.....but Croc is so non-homophobic, I figured he'd get a good laugh out of this.....

[Satty]

I just had the greatest t-bone steak ever.

[ocnblu]

I am sitting here dreaming of a juicy burger, hot off my Gawge Fawman greell.

[Intrepidation]

The other day I bought ground buffalo meat and decided to try different way of cooking it.

What I used:

• 1lb Ground buffalo meat
• Bacon
• Provolone Cheese
• Mild Cheddar Cheese
• Worcestershire sauce
• Cooking Circle Raspberry Chipotle grilling and marinating sauce
• Cooking Circle Peppercorn Garlic and Tomato grilling and marinating sauce
• Cooking Circle Applewood Honey Mustard grilling and marinating sauce
• Olde Cape Cod Sweet and Bold BBQ Sauce
• Ketchup
• Salt
• Pepper
• Butter
• Hamburger Buns

Put ground buffalo in a large bowl

Add 2 teaspoons off Worcestershire sauce

Add 2 tablespoons of Peppercorn Garlic and Tomato sauce

Combine ingredients

Shape into 2-4 patties (depending on desired size)

Heat skillet enough to melt 1 tablespoon of butter on and cover the surface.

Place patties on skillet over medium heat.

As soon as they are placed, lightly baste top side with Raspberry Chipotle sauce

Lightly season with salt and pepper

When about half the patties has begun to brown, flip over and lightly baste top side with Raspberry Chipotle sauce

Continue cooking, watching the patties carefully as they are easy to overcook since they have very little fat

When they look nearly done, poke the top side and see if the juice runs clear. Try not to let too much juice run out or it will dry the patties

Towards the end, flip the patties and baste the top side Peppercorn Garlic and Tomato sauce. I like a fair amount of this stuff, so probably a tablespoon or so for each patty

Place bacon on the sides of the skillet and cook until desired crispness

Place cheeses on the patties and place bacon on top

Put hamburger buns in the toaster for about 30 seconds. Just enough to warm them up and lightly toast them

Remove burgers from skillet and place on buns

Apply a small about of ketchup, then BBQ sauce, and finally the Honey Mustard. This stuff is kind of thin so be careful not to let it all come out.

Place top bun half on burgers

[Croc]

You put ALL THAT in those patties?? Did you taste any meat at the end of it?

[Intrepidation]

You put ALL THAT in those patties?? Did you taste any meat at the end of it?

You don't put a lot on it.

[Oracle of Delphi]

I just had a Angus Steak and Bleu cheese salad, the steak was slowly grilled over Mesquite wood (Prosopis genus). MMMMM ...

[Intrepidation]

I'm gonna try Ribeye Steak tomorrow. I haven't done steak before, any suggestions?

[usonia]

I was hoping I'd get to grill this weekend for the first time since last fall, but the weather was totally crappy with rain mixed with snow. I guess it will have to wait. I just love the first bbq of the season.

[Oracle of Delphi]

I was hoping I'd get to grill this weekend for the first time since last fall, but the weather was totally crappy with rain mixed with snow. I guess it will have to wait. I just love the first bbq of the season.

Where are you, Canada?

[Satty]

We had 70 degree temps today, going to be 40 tomorrow. Spring doesn't want to stick around.

[Croc]

You don't put a lot on it.

Eh...I'm of the school of thought that sauces and seasonings should enhance the natural flavors of the main ingredients, not overpower them. Maybe it isn't a large amount, but you did list 6 different sauces (including the ketchup) in that recipe.

When I do burgers, it's pretty simple, and they taste amazing--it's my mother's recipe, and as long as I have remembered, they have been showered with compliments at every BBQ we've had.

Depending on how much meat you use (when we prepare these, it's for a large cookout, so we make like 70 patties), we use the Lipton Onion Soup mix (# packets varies) and enough water to moisten. Turns out perfect every time, and the burgers don't need anything else added to them to taste great, though I add cheese.

[Intrepidation]

I'm always open to trying different recipes. Any idea how to do it for a pound of meat?

[pow]

Basic Italian today... basically a crapload of antipasti, plus a starch, a salad, and a meat.

Antipasti --

Crostini #1 - ciabatta + burrata, chili, EVOO, basil

Crostini #2 - ciabatta + chopped cherry tomatoes w/ olives, EVOO, balsamic, dried chili

Crostini #3 - ciabatta + mashed cannellini w/ rosemary, garlic, red wine vinegar, mint

Prosciutto, salami, mortadella, one other cold cut I forgot, chicken liver pate

Olives, bean salad ($1.09, Trader Joe's), jarred roasted peppers

Marinated mozzarella and cherry tomatoes, more ciabatta...

Primo --

Risotto - normal risotto "bianco" with pesto (blitzed basil, EVOO, toasted almonds, garlic) dumped on top

Secondi --

Roasted rack of lamb - pre-Frenched, S&P + rosemary, thrown into a 375F oven

Contorni --

Boiled and EVOO'ed multicolored chard (pre-washed, Trader Joe's)

Butter leaf and radicchio salad + mixed herb salad ($1.99 ea, again at TJ's)

Dolci --

Apple tart (frozen, TJ's), mochi ice cream

With all the antipasti, you can mix 'n match as you please... using the bread or salad as a blank slate.

Edited April 5, 2009 by empowah

[Croc]

I'm always open to trying different recipes. Any idea how to do it for a pound of meat?

No clue. I'll find out within the next few days.

Edited: I definitely posted this a few pages back 2 months ago. I don't even remember doing this haha

Truly the best hamburgers:

1lb Ground Beef

Lipton Onion dried soup packets to taste (1-2)

1-2T water

Mix soup mix and ground beef VERY THOROUGHLY in a bowl. Add only enough water to moisten, do not saturate. Form patties, grill, and top with your choice of toppings.

Edited April 5, 2009 by Croc

[Croc]

Basic Italian today... basically a crapload of antipasti, plus a starch, a salad, and a meat.

Antipasti --

Crostini #1 - ciabatta + burrata, chili, EVOO, basil

Crostini #2 - ciabatta + chopped cherry tomatoes w/ olives, EVOO, balsamic, dried chili

Crostini #3 - ciabatta + mashed cannellini w/ rosemary, garlic, red wine vinegar, mint

Prosciutto, salami, mortadella, one other cold cut I forgot, chicken liver pate

Olives, bean salad ($1.09, Trader Joe's), jarred roasted peppers

Marinated mozzarella and cherry tomatoes, more ciabatta...

Primo --

Risotto - normal risotto "bianco" with pesto (blitzed basil, EVOO, toasted almonds, garlic) dumped on top

Secondi --

Roasted rack of lamb - pre-Frenched, S&P + rosemary, thrown into a 375F oven

Contorni --

Boiled and EVOO'ed multicolored chard (pre-washed, Trader Joe's)

Butter leaf and radicchio salad + mixed herb salad ($1.99 ea, again at TJ's)

Dolci --

Apple tart (frozen, TJ's), mochi ice cream

With all the antipasti, you can mix 'n match as you please... using the bread or salad as a blank slate.

I'm not a fan of Italian (generally), but this sounds really good! I love Ciabatta, though it's too calorie-dense for me to allow myself to eat

BTW--Have you ever been to La Dijonaise in Culver City? It's at the corner of Washington and Helms. Decent French Bistro, but the real stars are the croissants. Huge and perfectly flaky/soft...FOR ONLY $1.50!! They also have decent baguettes for $2, but sometimes they are a little on the soft side for me. Still though, how many places can you get 2 consistently amazing croissants and 1 variably good baguette for $5 to the cent?

Edited April 5, 2009 by Croc

[pow]

I'm not a fan of Italian (generally), but this sounds really good! I love Ciabatta, though it's too calorie-dense for me to allow myself to eat

BTW--Have you ever been to La Dijonaise in Culver City? It's at the corner of Washington and Helms. Decent French Bistro, but the real stars are the croissants. Huge and perfectly flaky/soft...FOR ONLY $1.50!! They also have decent baguettes for $2, but sometimes they are a little on the soft side for me. Still though, how many places can you get 2 consistently amazing croissants and 1 variably good baguette for $5 to the cent?

Empty carbs? For cheap? Really? I gotta try that!

If you like baguettes, look to Vietnam - banh minhs are perfect for student budgets like mine. $2 and you get a baguette with cold cuts, pate, jalapenos, pickled veg... or grilled mystery meat meatballs, or BBQ pork...

Subway, eat your heart out!

Edited April 5, 2009 by empowah

[2005 EquinoxLS]

Mom decided to get one of those Ronco rotisseries. I thought it was a silly idea at first but I tried a few different things and they turned out wonderfully. The Chicken drumsticks with Lawrys seasoning salt were to die for. Better yet the Lawrys seasoning salt with cracked pepper.

[deftonesfan867]

Empty carbs? For cheap? Really? I gotta try that!

If you like baguettes, look to Vietnam - banh minhs are perfect for student budgets like mine. $2 and you get a baguette with cold cuts, pate, jalapenos, pickled veg... or grilled mystery meat meatballs, or BBQ pork...

Subway, eat your heart out!

You said Vietnam and mystery meat in the same sentence....no ty