Your Favorite Secret Recipe

[UltraBudgie]

I've never considered orange juice but this sound like it might be a good idea. The only recipe I can think of where I use orange juice is an orange vanilla frostie which goes something like this:

-1/2 can orange juice dehydrated
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- salt, yes salt
- 2 cups milk
- 16 oz cubed ice
- 1 cup white sugar

Blend until smooth.

---

I'm having this problem with milk. I've always been "lactose intolerant" but lately I get downright sick if I eat a bowl of cereal with milk. Like wake up at 3am with the shits sick.

Yes you wouldn't think orange and lemon juice in beans especially with cumin but it works really well! I think its about it being acid and a little sweet oh you should only add like a half cup or so depending and since it boils down its mostly flavor. That smooth sounds very good although maybe lots of sugar which reminds me another orange juice combo is to make a smoothe with orange juice a bananna and spinach yes spinach sounds gross but its sooo good. Just use a handful and it cuts the sweetness of the banana and orange very well makes it taste healthy like vitamins ha.

I have the same problem with milk too in the last year or two! pretty sure its not lactose because i eat tonnes of cheese although only european cheese so maybe its american dairy thing? I get the milk that says organic and its better tasty but ooh my gut doesnt like it in 2020s! Although sometimes i try again and recently got a half gallon that is no problem at all! so perhaps it depends on the batch or whatevery theyre feeding the cows organic or not. Havent tried raw milk.

Likewise with the european cheese no problem is pasta which i thought i couldnt eat any more because it makes me a bit guthurt and fall asleep like a log a half hour later but guess what i tried pasta made in italy and no problem at all! not tired or anything just energy. so maybe american wheat and im not glutine allergic either.

[l0st]

Yes you wouldn't think orange and lemon juice in beans especially with cumin but it works really well! I think its about it being acid and a little sweet oh you should only add like a half cup or so depending and since it boils down its mostly flavor. That smooth sounds very good although maybe lots of sugar which reminds me another orange juice combo is to make a smoothe with orange juice a bananna and spinach yes spinach sounds gross but its sooo good. Just use a handful and it cuts the sweetness of the banana and orange very well makes it taste healthy like vitamins ha.

I have the same problem with milk too in the last year or two! pretty sure its not lactose because i eat tonnes of cheese although only european cheese so maybe its american dairy thing? I get the milk that says organic and its better tasty but ooh my gut doesnt like it in 2020s! Although sometimes i try again and recently got a half gallon that is no problem at all! so perhaps it depends on the batch or whatevery theyre feeding the cows organic or not. Havent tried raw milk.

Likewise with the european cheese no problem is pasta which i thought i couldnt eat any more because it makes me a bit guthurt and fall asleep like a log a half hour later but guess what i tried pasta made in italy and no problem at all! not tired or anything just energy. so maybe american wheat and im not glutine allergic either.

I think I'm going to try with the cumin. On the outset, tbius sounds gross, but then I'm thinking of the flavor and.... Hmmmm maybe... Kinda like salt and watermelon or mangoes and paprika or hot sauce...

So... I had no problems drinking milk until I was maybe 14. It was the same time they added the shots and hormones to the cows (or at leased, admitted to it). BUT my best friends mom suggested I try lactaid and sure enough, that worked. This was only pills back then. When I was older and made decent money I bought the milk but later switched to almond milk.

Almond milk isn't avai!able here now. Its easy to make, but believe it or not I had several problems with batches of almonds coming in infested with these almond bugs (no kiddingf!) so I've stopped doing it and just buy 2%. If I'm very moderate, which isn't diffiucult with my typical menu, I can get by.

[Velvet Elvis]

Okay, I have to put in a good word for one of my favorite and most versatile dishes, Shakshuka. Its great for any meals breakfast, lunch or dinner. You only need a few basic ingredients, it takes A few minutes and only one pan to prepare and leftovers reheat really well. Its a middle eastern dish of spicy poached eggs in tomato sauce. Here's my basic recipe

​​​​​prepare your sauce
1 - 2 cans of diced or whole peeled tomatoes  ( I like to cut up the whole one bc it makes a better texture)
2-3 chopped jalapeno peppers ( green or Anaheim peppers can be substituted if you're a.wussy)
Crushed garlic to taste
One small- medium chopped.onion
Salt, pepper, cumin,  paprika, chili powder and red pepper to taste and personal spice level

Add your protein
Poach 3- 6 eggs to your preferred  cooking level ( I like mine a little runny)

Serve with.pita bread and hummus

You can also fancy this up by adding other meat or vegetables.
I normally like to add hot Italian sausage but I've also used shrimp and chorizo
fresh spinach feta cheese and olives are also great additions.

This is so yummy and easy to make its crazy. I highly recommend trying it at least once.

[UltraBudgie]

Hello I am making beans and onions and rice again today and it made me think about this thread. I have no garlic this time so I may just use a sprinkle of garlic powder does anyone have strong opinions on that? Also I had to return a bag of rice to the grocery store because I got sustainable non-gmo white basmati rice instead of organic sustainable non-gmo white basmati rice, hahaha such a hippy; I found it in the bulk section much cheaper! Bulk foods are great at the fancy grocery stores because they are much cheaper than the preweighed but they are not recommended at the cheap grocery stores because they are low quality. For example I just got two pounds of granola at like half the price of the boxes on the shelf! Also I have a lemon to add this time.

That is all, I am just ranting pro forma performa because I want to hear some more secret recipes!

[argentus]

Stew(ed) Beef with Rice and Peas (beans), and Cho-cho (chayote) 

I like to use a beef roast, but whatever cut you choose, use one which doesn't have a lot of gristle, or be prepared to cut around the gristle. 

Two pound beef roast cut into 3/4" or 1" cubes.  
I onion
four cloves garlic
2 tsp.  browning sauce
2 cups long-grained white rice
1 cup dried red beans, or kidney beans
two scotch bonnet peppers, or six canned Serrano peppers
1 thumb-sized chunk of fresh ginger
6 sprigs of fresh thyme
sea salt and pepper to taste (this is something you have to wing on your own)
Avocado oil, or whatever high temp oil you use
Seasoning peppers, or green and red bell peppers.   Seasoning peppers have no heat, but a wonderful nutty taste.
Six or so stalks of scallions. 
Pick-a-peppa sauce, or Worchestershire sauce,  1/2 cup.
1/2 cup A/P flour
2 cups beef stock
1 can coconut milk. 

Start by soaking the beans overnight in enough water to cover 1".   

Cut  beef into 3/4"/2cm cubes.   Put into a ziplock bag.   Dice the onion and add to the bag.   Pull the thyme leaves off the stem, and add three stems and leaves to the bag.   Shred the ginger thumb  and add it to the bag.   Add the two tsp. of browning sauce to the bag.   Add the Pick-a-peppa or Worchestershire sauce.   Mince the garlic and add to the bag.  Chop the scallions and add to the bag.  Marinate overnight. 

Drain the beans, and save the bean water.     Start boiling the beans in water with a splash of salt.    There is a belief that salt in water in which beans are boiling causes them to be tough.   I have not found that to be my experience.   I think that salt in the water enhances their flavor.   Use a good sea salt.   I like Redmond Pure Salt from  Redmond, Utah.   It's a sea salt that is mined and it has all the minerals it should, minus the microplastics you might find in other sea salts. 

Take the beef from the bag and shake off the most of the marinade, and retain the contents of the bag.  Dust the beef in flour.   Splash two tbsp. oil in your pan, and get it to above medium heat.   Brown the beef cubes, and set them aside.   Remove the solids from the marinade, and caramelize the onions, and the rest.    Add the beef stock, and the contents of the bag and everything else and set it to simmer.   

Rice formula is Tuda.   Tuda one.   Two-to-one.   Two parts water, to one part rice.   Use the bean water, and add coconut milk to make four cups.  You want to use the bean water, because rice and peas have to be pink.  Nobody knows why.   Add three stems of fresh thyme, 1 tsp salt and 1 tbsp. oil.   Add rice, get to a boil, reduce heat and cover.   If you have a Scotch Bonnet pepper or other very hot, fresh pepper, put it whole on top of the simmering mixture.   It's fine without it, but that background heat is wonderful.

The stew(ed) beef will make its own gravy.   If you want it thicker, add some water to corn starch to make a slurry, and pour it into the pan, stirring.   

Take the Cho-Cho (can substitute nearly any squash or even pumpkin)  Slice 1/4" thick and dust it in flour with salt, pepper and paprika.    Fry in oil.   

I make this at least once a week.   This recipe for the three of us yields one meal for each of us left over.   Everything here listed freezes well, except for the chayote.    Also, don't let your rice sit out for too long, as rice develops bacterial growth rapidly.   If you put it in the refrigerator, eat it before three days.   If you choose to freeze it, put it in the freezer before it is fully cooled.   Bacteria that are frozen are inert, but will revive once thawed out.   When dealing with rice, you want to get it frozen as quickly as possible.

[UltraBudgie]

Stew(ed) Beef with Rice and Peas (beans), and Cho-cho (chayote) 

That sounds great, like you've really refined the recipe! I like the idea of mixing coconut milk to balance/complement the heat of the Scotch Bonnets. I like to soak beans initially for 1-2 hours, then discard that bean water, then soak them again with new water, and use that to reserve and add to the recipe. I've found the beans are kinder that way; my theory is that it removes any fertilizer dust or preservatives that simple rinsing might not clear.

You've also made me realize that, to my chagrin, I've not been fully utilizing the thyme stems. I usually go leaf-only.

[argentus]

That sounds great, like you've really refined the recipe! I like the idea of mixing coconut milk to balance/complement the heat of the Scotch Bonnets. I like to soak beans initially for 1-2 hours, then discard that bean water, then soak them again with new water, and use that to reserve and add to the recipe. I've found the beans are kinder that way; my theory is that it removes any fertilizer dust or preservatives that simple rinsing might not clear.

You've also made me realize that, to my chagrin, I've not been fully utilizing the thyme stems. I usually go leaf-only.

Rice and peas don't look right to me if there aren't a few thyme stems in it, but more than that, I really believe that the stems make a difference in the flavor.   I used to discard the bean water, because I thought that water gave you the farts.  It may, I don't know, but it has the color that makes the rice and peas look right.   Coconut milk really belongs in rice and peas.   Down here in the Caribbean, it's the law.   I like to soak the beans overnight, and I skim off the white stuff that floats on the surface.   I imagine that is some sort of starch.    I think a long soak makes the beans more digestible.   

I love this recipe.   It was difficult for me to write it down, because I don't cook by measurements, so much of that was a guesstimate.   I love a tad of fresh ginger and fresh garlic in almost everything.   We also have something down here which we call "Jamaican Thyme", which is actually wide leaf oregano.   I like to cut it fine into the beef, and I like to chew the leaf because when I do, my chronic cough goes away.

[argentus]

Hello I am making beans and onions and rice again today and it made me think about this thread. I have no garlic this time so I may just use a sprinkle of garlic powder does anyone have strong opinions on that? Also I had to return a bag of rice to the grocery store because I got sustainable non-gmo white basmati rice instead of organic sustainable non-gmo white basmati rice, hahaha such a hippy; I found it in the bulk section much cheaper! Bulk foods are great at the fancy grocery stores because they are much cheaper than the preweighed but they are not recommended at the cheap grocery stores because they are low quality. For example I just got two pounds of granola at like half the price of the boxes on the shelf! Also I have a lemon to add this time.

That is all, I am just ranting pro forma performa because I want to hear some more secret recipes!

There are many occasions where I prefer garlic powder over fresh.   I usually only use fresh if I am carmelizing them with onions.    When you buy your rice, or dried beans, or flour or corn meal or corn starch, or dried pasta, put it into a ziplock and let it sit in your freezer for 24 hours.   That makes the onboard weevil eggs expand and kills them.   Products treated so will never develop flour or food weevils.   The weevils don't "find" your food, they are born into it.   Their eggs are a byproduct of food processing.   People who live in predominantly cold areas don't have to fuss with this.    Fortunately for us, weevil eggs are good healthy protein, because we've all been eating them all our lives.   I hope this insight hasn't been upsetting to anyone.

[l0st]

There are many occasions where I prefer garlic powder over fresh.   I usually only use fresh if I am carmelizing them with onions.    When you buy your rice, or dried beans, or flour or corn meal or corn starch, or dried pasta, put it into a ziplock and let it sit in your freezer for 24 hours.   That makes the onboard weevil eggs expand and kills them.   Products treated so will never develop flour or food weevils.   The weevils don't "find" your food, they are born into it.   Their eggs are a byproduct of food processing.   People who live in predominantly cold areas don't have to fuss with this.    Fortunately for us, weevil eggs are good healthy protein, because we've all been eating them all our lives.   I hope this insight hasn't been upsetting to anyone.

Not at all. At least where I grew up it was commonplace to sift all flour for weevils before use. These are/were extremely common and practically unavoidable where I grew up no matter what you do. Gross? Maybe. It is kinda gross but it is what it is. If you look at what USDA allows in most processed foods you don't even know is in there you'll puke. At any rate, they're crawling all over the plants as they grow anyways... These are just the facts of life IMHO.

I agree with you about powered garlic. Much stronger and easier to season with. Fresh garlic can be difficult to gauge flavor solely on quantity as cloves and bulbs vary in strength especially nowadays since "fresh" garlic is often factory grown and in my opinion much weaker than the stuff we used to get. I still prefer fress garlic but there are occasions where I don't feel it has the "punch" I'd like in the dish.

[l0st]

That sounds great, like you've really refined the recipe! I like the idea of mixing coconut milk to balance/complement the heat of the Scotch Bonnets. I like to soak beans initially for 1-2 hours, then discard that bean water, then soak them again with new water, and use that to reserve and add to the recipe. I've found the beans are kinder that way; my theory is that it removes any fertilizer dust or preservatives that simple rinsing might not clear.

You've also made me realize that, to my chagrin, I've not been fully utilizing the thyme stems. I usually go leaf-only.

I've seen some people using the raw bean water from the first soak. Hmm... There is a chemical in some beans that soaks out that causes severe gastro -intestinal distress and is theoretically poisonous (much like uncooked potatoes). I would never use first soak water for a recipe and have made this mistake myself - yeah, never again. Second soak is OK.

If you way to avoid an overnight soak, I use an electric pressure cooker. Cover beans with water and pressure cook for 2 minutes, drain them, then proceed as normal with cooked beans. Works very well if the beans aren't old.

If you're just making beans, while you have the 2 minute beans draining, add a splash of oil, a 1/4 tsp baking soda, 1/2 medium onion chopped, garlic to taste and s little salt to the cooker and fry until translucent, then re-add beans and cook as normal. Beans should come out nice and soft and tasty.