Tuesday, August 24, 2021

Buscuits


Occasionally I make biscuits.  It is clear that the "Grands!" style biscuits, which Walmart has their own cheaper brand of "Jumbo" biscuits, are the best tasting, and I do like them, but it is no wonder they taste good since they have 5 grams of sugar per biscuit.  This might not be an issue for most people, but I want to avoid too much sugar.  So I looked for alternatives.  The smaller biscuits are cheaper overall, not that cost is an issue, and they have 40% less sugar.  It takes 3 small biscuits to equal the weight of one large one, and the label confirms this by listing 3 biscuits as one serving, which has 40% less sugar.

It is the smaller size that is the problem.  The instructions say to "cook until golden brown", but if you do that then the entire biscuit wants to turn golden brown and they can come out too dry.  You can undercook them, in which case they come out white and soft and pretty edible, but I don't like the small size for putting jam or peanut butter on them.  

So this got me thinking.  Since it is just dough, I can make whatever size biscuit I want with them.  I tried combining pairs of biscuits into balls and these turned out like little dinner rolls.  The first batch I overcooked and they were slightly crispy on the outside but soft on the inside, and this was interesting.  In the second batch, I cooked them less and they came out like soft dinner rolls and these were pretty good.

On my third batch, I didn't want to go to the trouble of combining pairs of biscuits into balls, so I just baked the biscuits with one on top of another.  I combined two cans of ten biscuits to get ten double-height biscuits.  Not only was this easier, but I felt like this was my best result yet.  I had to cook them for 20 minutes, but they came out like slightly smaller versions of the Grands biscuits, and they were pretty good.  They aren't quite as good as the high sugar biscuits, but it is a tradeoff.

Even though the instructions tell you to use an ungreased cooking pan, I find it better to use cooking spray to keep them from sticking.  I also tried smearing a small amount of olive oil on the bottom of the pan and this works too.

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Wednesday, August 11, 2021

Great

Chicken sandwich

I think this is a pretty good chicken sandwich from Sam's Club.  It is also convenient because you can take it out of the freezer and microwave it.  The procedure is to microwave the bun and patty separately for different lengths of time.  What I found easier is to microwave the patty for 90 seconds and then add the bun and microwave the entire sandwich for an additional 30 seconds.  It might be good to let it cool for a minute or two.

It is not super cheap, but it is no more than half the cost of a fast-food chicken sandwich with about the same number of calories.

I think that the chicken patty has a really good texture.  It is very satisfying to bite into it.  The flavor is spicy, and this put me off a little bit at first, but I got used to it.  It is also a little greasy, but not really any different from a comparable fast food sandwich.

The bun is slightly different than I expected.  It is a little smaller, denser, and sweet.  But it tastes really good.


Salad

Bacon Wrapped Onion Rings

v>

French Fries

Baked chicken with green beans and potatoes

The original recipe reads, "In a 9x13 pan, cut 3 chicken breasts in half, add 2 cans green beans on one side and cut up red skin potatoes on the other. Sprinkle a packet of zesty Italian dressing mix over the top. Drizzle a stick of melted butter over it. Cover it with aluminum foil and bake at 350 for 1 hour.".

I cut the chicken into slightly smaller pieces. My mother likes to use a cup of liquid Italian dressing instead of zesty Italian Seasoning Mix and the stick of melted butter, so I tried that. I also added some Beer Can Seasoning.

I probably went overboard on the potatoes. I also cooked crescent rolls at the same time.

This is a winner. The food was fully cooked. Because my chicken wasn't fully thawed before I started cooking, I cooked it an extra 15 minutes. The end result was mostly moist but just a touch dry. I only ate 40% of it, but it was very satisfying.

However, I think that the liquid Italian dressing gave it a slightly sour taste, probably because of the vinegar in the dressing. It is not very noticeable, but next time I might stick to the original recipe that calls for seasoning mix and butter.

  



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Baked Chicken with Green Beans and Potatoes

On my previous try, I used Italian Salad Dressing, but this time I stuck with the recipe that calls for Italian Seasoning mix, and a stick of melted butter. However, I did add extra potatoes, extra chicken, and extra green beans. I got the pan pretty full, but it looks like I am going to get 4 meals out of it.

I didn't overcook it this time. I cooked it for one hour at 350 degrees. One hour seems to be the perfect cooking time, where nothing comes out too dry.

What is my verdict? This is darn near perfect. Everything tasted like it was coated lightly with butter, which it probably is. I expect baked chicken to be a little dry, but this was pretty moist, with maybe just parts of it being a little dry. The potatoes weren't dry at all.




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How To Make Bacon in the Oven: The Simplest, Easiest Recipe

Is Cooked Honey TOXIC? (and other honey myths)

Why Rare Steak is Safe — but NOT Rare Chicken

https://youtu.be/cL9RyGqwcbA


Best wishes,

John Coffey

The DASH diet is more than half carbs, and experts say it's one of the healthiest ways to eat,

Coconut Oil Ups LDL Cholesterol Compared With Other Fats: Meta-analysis

Old-fashioned rice cookers are extremely clever

Salted vs unsalted butter

Re: How to Cook Steak Perfectly Every Time | The Stay At Home Chef - YouTube



If Every Famous Diet Idea Was Honest - Honest Ads

They Sent The World's Biggest Doritos Chip...

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The Real Reason Steakhouses are closing.

Whoa!


12 Ways to Help Prevent Alzheimer’s Disease – ActiveBeat

Steak 101: How to choose a steak and cook it in a pan (no thermometer)

Which would you choose?

Hypothetically...


What exactly are mushrooms? What are they made of? They're not vegetables?

I am not thrilled with the idea of eating a fungus.  They are pretty good on pizza.  While I was in college I would occasionally eat deep-fried mushrooms, but it has been at least 35 years since I last did that.  Why eat deep-fried mushrooms when you could eat french fries or onion rings?

The bulk of the information is in the first half of the video.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gkaJoIIBAVA

The Terrifying Truth About Bananas

Why are Restaurant Burritos Better than Homemade?

Denny's

It took me 3.5 days to drive to Salt Lake City in 1993.  I would stop at restaurants that were familiar to me, especially, Denny's, because I had a pretty good idea of what I was going to get.  So I used to really like them and associated them with a good dining experience, but I went to one in Fort Union, Utah around 2014 and I was disappointed.  I had fried chicken tenders and french fries, but this seemed to be the typical type of thing on their menu.  Plus the booths were small and crowded together.  

Irish Stew From 1900 & The Irish Potato Famine

This video provides some interesting facts about the Irish Potato famine, but also the Irish Stew recipe looks like something that I would want to try.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S8KpFs1CHgw

Why a Hass Avocado Seed Does Not Give Us a Hass Avocado Tree

A bit of trivia, but I think that this is interesting.

Root Beer Coney Recipe from Facebook

Okay, here we go all you Sammy's Root Beer Coney Dog lovers!
INGREDIENTS :
1 sm. onion (finely chopped),
1 green pepper (finely chopped)
1 1/2 cup of ketchup
1/2 cup of brown sugar
1 lb. ground beef (browned and drained)
2 tsp. of chili powder
1 tsp. of salt
1/8 cup of water
PREP :
Brown and drain ground beef
Add pepper, onion, ketchup, salt, chilli powder, brown sugar, and water.
Simmer for for 15-25 minutes and remember Sammy only used Echrich hot dogs!
8
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  • John Dunlap
     don't cook the meat first. Cook everything together, then drain the grease off as much as possible. It makes all the difference.
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  • Sue Ballard
     I cook mine altogether, makes a huge difference.


Feed Your Family Meat and Potatoes for .78¢ - Eating on a Budget - The Wolfe Pit

This guy makes some interesting videos.  I'm not a fan of processed meats, but this looks like an interesting recipe to try.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qQf5pvNWKnY

Re: Koreans Try American BBQ For the FIRST TIME! Pork Ribs, Pulled Pork & Brisket

Speaking of which, I went to a BBQ place in Salt Lake City that had breaded french fries.  I have never seen breaded french fries anywhere else, but they were delicious.

On Mon, Mar 8, 2021 at 10:14 PM John Coffey wrote:
I find this amusing.  I've tried some different kinds of Asian foods, although I don't remember if Korean was one of them, although I think so.  I tried Vietnamese, but I wasn't thrilled with it.  I sometimes would eat at a couple of different Japanese restaurants, one of which had a lot of fried tempura, which tastes great.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0kEXWjMo3dY

As far as I am concerned, the best food I ever had was at a Persian restaurant in Salt Lake City.  The restaurant was in the back of a Persian grocery store.  I also really like beef brisket.


Koreans Try American BBQ For the FIRST TIME! Pork Ribs, Pulled Pork & Brisket

I find this amusing.  I've tried some different kinds of Asian foods, although I don't remember if Korean was one of them, although I think so.  I tried Vietnamese, but I wasn't thrilled with it.  I sometimes would eat at a couple of different Japanese restaurants, one of which had a lot of fried tempura, which tastes great.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0kEXWjMo3dY

As far as I am concerned, the best food I ever had was at a Persian restaurant in Salt Lake City.  The restaurant was in the back of a Persian grocery store.  I also really like beef brisket.

Will You Still Eat Raw Fish After Watching This Video?

Fwd: What is Paprika Actually Made Of? | Food Unwrapped

This is short and entertaining.  I personally don't remember what paprika tastes like, although I am pretty sure that I have had it.

This recipe looks interesting

I made the BURGER that changed History | Guga Foods

What is Thanksgiving stuffing, and why is it also 'dressing'?

Fwd: How to Carve a Turkey

This is interesting.

Air Fryer vs. Deep Fryer - Battle for the Best Fried Chicken Tenders

https://youtu.be/zOIrPjqeztk

What Did Medieval Peasants Eat?

Be glad you didn't live in the middle ages.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zKa5GRu4LwE

The Socialist Sausage That Changed the World (...and Schnitzel)

Hog Heaven



Where Brazil Nuts Come From - Weird Fruit Explorer Ep 207

Since I'm very particular about food and cleanliness, this video doesn't inspire confidence, but I would still like to try brazil nuts.  I don't know if I have ever had one.  I probably have but just don't remember.

Chicken Nuggets

I like chicken nuggets, but because of COVID, I resolved to cook them at home instead of making any unnecessary trips to fast-food restaurants. Store-bought nuggets aren't the same as fast-food nuggets, and part of that might just be the way they are cooked. I microwave mine, but I add vegetables to make the meal a little more healthy. Nuggets and vegetables are a tasty combination.

I have tried 3 types: Tyson, which is the most expensive, Walmart brand, which is the least expensive, and Banquet. The Tyson and Walmart brands are essentially the same, and I even saw an article that said that they might be made by the same company. The Walmart brand might have a little more flavor. What I don't like about them is the texture, which is a little more squishy, like a chicken sausage. So I strongly prefer the Banquet brand which seems closer to what you might get from a restaurant. I found it helpful to over-nuke them a little because this affects the texture.

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Is washing rice really still necessary?

WTF is shortening?

Ben & Jerry's almost shut down. A hidden message saved them.

Japanese meal for cats

Everything About Grain Bins (Farmers are Geniuses)

This is interesting.  I wouldn't want this job.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ywBV6M7VOFU


The Dirty Tricks of Fast Food Restaurants

https://youtu.be/NgrHyMecqHs

Do we still need iodized salt? (what even is it?)

What is panko, and why is it so much better than other breadcrumbs?

To Live Longer, Healthier, Avoid Saturated Fat in Meat and Dairy

It seems like there is much contradictory information about what constitutes a healthy diet.

https://thebeet.com/to-live-longer-and-healthier-give-up-sat-fat-and-dont-believe-other-studies/

Salads

I have been experimenting with making salads with store-bought shredded cabbage because it stays fresher much longer than lettuce. I could also see using a combination of the two.

My simple recipe is to use 20 to 50% of a package of shredded cabbage with a generous sprinkling of bacon bits and a generous amount of Italian dressing. This is very good by itself, but with tomato wedges, it is almost perfect.

In the last couple of days, I have tried adding strawberries, chopped apple, and cashews. These don't necessarily make the salad taste better, but it is a good way to eat fruit and nuts. I especially like the apple in the salad.

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Best wishes,

John Coffey

http://www.entertainmentjourney.com

My salad last night

1/5 package of shredded cabbage. I would have used more but I was running out.
2/5 to 1/2 package of frozen corn, thawed.
One home grown tomato cut into 1/4ths
A generous sprinkling of bacon bits.
A generous amount of Italian dressing.

I mixed this all up and it was wonderful.

Next time I want to try more ingredients like some fruit. Some apple would be nice. I'm finding that I don't have to worry about measuring the ingredients. I just throw whatever I have available into a bowl and mix it up.

Best wishes,

John Coffey

Why Americans Eat Dessert for Breakfast

Steak 101: How to choose a steak and cook it in a pan (no thermometer)

George Washington Carver: Bigger than peanuts

What is nougat, and why is it in every candy bar?

MEXICAN COKE IS A LIE

Fwd: It’s Here: A $500 Burger King(R) gift card is up for grabs!

Make Perfect McDonald's French Fries at Home!

This is too labor-intensive for me...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0j9GGW6KsAo

Why You Should Never Put Tomatoes in the Fridge!

https://youtu.be/ajREreNcXAo

People are more dangerous than food! (COVID-19 food safety tips)

Microwave Pasta

I save salsa jars to reuse as sealable containers. A cooking experiment that I've tried before is to microwave pasta in them.

1. Fill the container half full of pasta. It is better to not use more than half because the pasta will expand.

2. Fill the container with pasta sauce. Replace the lid and shake it up. This will get rid of air bubbles that will want to expand and explode in the microwave.

3. Remove the lid and add a little water. This will help the pasta to cook.

4. Microwave to a full boil. This takes 2 to 2.5 minutes in my microwave.

5. It will be too hot to handle. Let it cool for 16 minutes. During this cooling period, the pasta will cook. This will make a delicious single serving that is just the right temperature for eating. You can eat out of the same container.

6. In theory, you could microwave multiple containers at the same time.







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You don't need knife skills — just walk, don't run

Do SAFE Steaks Taste Different than UNSAFE? | Sous Vide Everything

Rice has arsenic in it — don't freak out, here's the science

Why do doughnuts have holes? | Trivia Genius

http://www.triviagenius.com/why-do-doughnuts-have-holes/

Oven Fries — CRISPIER Than Deep-Fried

Every way to COOK A STEAK! (25 Methods) | GugaFoods

https://youtu.be/4oLnJiYN_GE

Frittata — The Perfect Egg Dish

https://youtu.be/-q8czZSQbbQ

My problem with metric recipes

https://youtu.be/TE8xg3d8dBg

The 'Modified' Powder that Makes Cakes Better

https://youtu.be/4Sjv3LRVubo

Does Alcohol Really Burn Off When Cooked?

https://youtu.be/nxqAGbJ3bSA

Why Homegrown Tomatoes Are SO MUCH BETTER

Is Soybean Oil Harmful For the Brain? New Study Examines Health Impact

The researchers concluded that certain genes in the mice that were given soybean oil weren't operating properly, identifying about 100 of them. They noticed one particular gene that produces oxytocin, also known as the "love hormone," seemed to be impaired in mice who ate soybean oil. Among those mice, oxytocin levels were lower than normal.

The weird reason 1% milk could be better for your health than 2% milk - MarketWatch

Why I Put White Wine In Basically Everything

Lately I've been watching cooking videos.

https://youtu.be/JbY8BtcchjU

Nonstick Pan Safety ANSWERS

A History of Ice Cream | A Recipe from 1789

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BR7fywQ-vUE

I liked watching the history of ice cream.  I have heard that two thousand years ago Greeks were pouring fruit juice over crushed ice and selling it in the marketplace.  They invented the snow cone.

People Try Salvadoran Food For the First Time

Somebody sent me this video...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tidV2tYAnVY

I don't know where I could try Salvadoran food, but I'll look into it.