185 always hit Recipes

butter or 1/2 cup margarine, cocoa (you can use 1 more if you want them really chocolatey), sugar, eggs, flour, vanilla (i always use , butter and nut for a better flavor)

shortening (i always use butter) or 1/2 cup butter (i always use butter), white sugar, all-purpose flour, baking soda, salt, ripe bananas, pecans or 1/2 cup walnuts, unsweetened coconut

how to estimate food quantities, source : catering handbook by edith weiss, all good quantity cook books will indicate the size of the portions, and all packaged food items indicate the total weight of the package. ultimately, it is for the caterer to determine if the portions indicated are what he wishes to serve, if not, then he must make the necessary adjustments. the size of the portion should be determined by, occasion, time of service, age and sex of guests (young, old , all men, etc.), appearance of the portion on the plate (or in the package)., teenagers eat more than any other age group. they eat practically anything and everything, and the spicier the better., people from their mid-twenties to mid-fifties have sophisticated tastes. they are apt to eat in moderation and good taste., people past sixty eat much the same as the middle group , except for a lessening of the sharp and spicy foods., when hors d oeuvres are to be served, the following outline suggests a suitable number, all of which are considered generous servings, at a four-hour reception , regardless of the starting time - 12 per guest., cocktail hour , to be followed by dinner - four per guest., wedding reception , from 2:30 to 5:30 - eight per guest., cocktail reception , from 3:00 to 6:00 - eight to ten per guest., all other occasions , estimate four per guest per hour for the first two hours, and two per hour after that., these figures include both hot and cold hors d oeuvres and canapes., do not include relishes and dips., self-service vs. served, sometimes when guests serve themselves they tend to be very generous; at other times they may be very timid. for a self-service buffet allow slightly more than if the same buffet is to be served by waiters. guests do not al ways take more themselves, but since they do not always know how to serve properly, more food is wasted., hors d oeuvres, when calculating quantities for an hors d oeuvres only cocktail party, figure approximately 12 pieces per person for the first hour (8 hot, 4 cold) and 6 pieces per person every hour past the first hour., hors d oeuvre only cocktail party : number of people x 12 hdv for first hour number of people x 6 hdv for every hour there after., example, hour cocktail party for 25 guests you will need approximately 450 pieces of hors d oeuvres, guests x 12 hors d oeuvres = 300 pieces hors d oeuvres for the first hour, guests x 6 hors d oeuvres = 150 pieces hors d oeuvres for the second hour, hors d oeuvre before dinner : number of people x 6 hdv for 1 to 1 and a half hour service, example, hour cocktail service before dinner for 25 guests you will need approximately 150 pieces, salads and side dishes, when calculating quantities for salads and side dishes, please figure approximately 5 oz per person if you are serving multiple salads and / or side dishes. if you are serving only 1 salad or side dish, please figure approximately 1/2 a lb per person. use the following chart to figure out quantities., side dish or salad, number of guests x .50 = number of lb needed, example : 10 guests x .50 = 5 lb needed, multiple side dishes or salads: number of guests x .30 = number of lb needed, example : 10 guests x .30 = 3 lb needed, entrees and first courses, when calculating quantities for a first course, please estimate 2-4 oz of protein per person., example : you are serving 10 guests salmon for an entree., x 1/2 lb = 5 lb salmon needed, example : you are serving 10 guests salmon for a first course., x 1/4 lb = 2.5 lb salmon needed, source : cook s fresh market

here are the basics of making an excellent cheese fondue , the proper way (or at least the lindysez way)., use good cheese , i use half emmental swiss and gruyere, grate them up and toss them with some salt and a good amount of pepper. let them sit out at room temp so they melt better . cut your bread (good french bread, but not sourdough) into bite sized pieces making sure to have crust on each piece. let those sit out for a while too so they aren tsp too soft., cheese that you use , you are going to use 1 3/4 cups of a dry white wine, such as a fume blanc, a california sauv blanc (don tsp use a new zealand 1 as most are too grassy) or a pouilly-fume. when you are ready to make the fondue, rub the pot with a clove of garlic (we like garlic, so we leave the clove in, but you don tsp need to); then place over a medium heat and add the wine. when the wine comes to a simmer, start slowly adding the cheese, sprinkling in a handful at a time, allowing each addition to melt (my dad said you always have to stir in the same direction, in a figure 8 motion, it works. if you stir in a circle you will end up with a big glop of cheese in the middle of a pot of wine, the figure 8 is key); keep adding until you have a nice thick sauce, then add a splash of kirsch and a pinch of nutmeg. put over a burner to keep it bubbling, and stir often when you dip your bread., a lb of cheese is enough for 4 people; or more if you are serving other things. and the amounts are guesstimates. i almost always grate too much cheese, so only add as much as you need to get the right consistency ; when you dip a piece of bread into the fondue, you want a nice coating of cheese and for the bread to absorb the wine. that s what it s all about, cheese, wine and bread. so use the best you can of each ingredient. and any left over cheese makes for a mighty good ham and cheese omelet.

pasta shells (i always make the full lb and reserve 1/2 for a cold pasta salad for lunch the next day), fresh tomatoes - chopped, lemon - squeezed, red onion - finely sliced, shallot - minced, fresh garlic - pressed, leaves of basil - julienned, reserve pasta water -1/4 cup or so, olive oil, butter, salt and pepper to taste, fresh shaves of parmigiano-reggiano, variations - can roast tomatoes and garlic, saute onions , shallot and garlic

your favorite diced tomatoes (add another can if feeding more than 4 people), frozen fish such as red snapper , cod, etc. or fresh fish of your choice., water (for four people), yellow or white onion, vegetables, chopped (see below ), chopped fresh parsley or italian flat leaf parsley, tb chopped garlic, season with salt and pepper before serving based on your personal taste., you can add as many or as few chopped vegetables as you like. you can also use more or less fish depending on how thick you like your chowder to be.), this recipe can also be made with leftover fish and leftover vegetables. i do not suggest using leftover fish sticks or any other fried fish unless you remove the breaded topping first. if you do use fish that has been cooked, just add it to the chowder about two minutes before serving to heat it to the temperature of the other ingredients in the pot., if you prefer a mexican flavor , add 1 tsp. cumin and 1/2 tsp oregano with a dash of cayenne pepper (or more for a hotter flavor), if you prefer an italian flavor , add 1/2 tsp of italian seasonings or 1 tsp oregano, vegetables to be added are based on your favorites and what you may or may not have in your pantry at the time. here are some of my favorite additions for your review, diced potatoes , celery, carrots, zucchini, leeks, mushrooms, cabbage, mild chile peppers, red onions, artichoke hearts, and green or red bell peppers. you can add a handful of fresh spinach or 1/4 cup of frozen spinach. you can always add a can of mixed vegetables and of course, you can use frozen vegetables. i do not suggest using broccoli. corn is also a good addition. you can add a can of drained corn, black beans and a few tbsp of salsa for a great mexican fish soup., use canned tomatoes that have additional vegs in them such as mexican-style with chilies and onions, italian-style with peppers or anything other blend you prefer.)

sugar pumpkin, chicken broth, heavy cream, salt and pepper to taste, ground nutmeg, seasoned croutons

chicken (various parts of choice), potatoes, quartered, chicken curry powder, coconut milk, onion, chopped, garlic, chopped, grated ginger, cinnamon stick, green chilies , slit and hit lightly, salt

ground beef, eggs, grated parmesan cheese, worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, ketchup, chopped parsley, garlic cloves, minced, dried oregano, dried basil, black pepper, chopped mushroom

beef , cut into pieces big like matchbox, sweet potatoes, peel and sliced them into cube, carrot (optional), white potatoes (optional), coconut milk, lemongrass , use a wooden hammer to hit the stems and then cut them into 2 inch long each pieces, yellow onions, peeled and sliced, white onion, peeled and thin sliced, tomato sauce, hot red peppers, pureed, fresh ginger, minced finely, garlic cloves, pureed, lemongrass, pureed, curry powder, chili paste (optional if you prefer more spicy ), cinnamon, salt, sugar, annatto oil, vegetable oil, lemon, stalks coriander (vietnamese coriander, called ngo gai), white bread, water or 2 cups coconut

eggs, granulated sugar, canola oil (this is my fav. oil to use), almond extract, vanilla extract, unbleached all-purpose flour, baking powder, salt (optional), special k cereal, sliced almonds (toasted is always nice) or 1 cup slivered almonds (toasted is always nice)

yucca root , i use goya frozen yucca, yautia, green bananas, plantains, sazon goya, use all 3 packet, salt, ground beef or 1/2 lb turkey, sazon goya , use the entire packet, sofrito seasoning , i use both frozen and bottled, instant minced garlic (i always use more), tomato sauce, dried oregano, spanish olives, diced (i always use more), green pepper, diced, capers, vegetable oil

all-purpose flour, dry mustard, salt (i leave this out ), beef boneless round steak, tip (i always use round) or 1 1/2 lbs chuck steaks, about 3/4 in thick. (i always use round), vegetable oil, whole tomatoes, undrained, minced garlic, water, onion, sliced, green bell pepper, sliced, worcestershire sauce

fruitcakes get an awful lot of bad press , especially the mass produced varieties, but a rich homemade version can be incredibly delicious., fruitcake is a mixture of fruits and nuts with just enough batter to hold them together. when wrapped in cloth and foil, saturated with alcoholic liquors regularly, and kept in in tightly closed tins, a fruitcake may be kept for months or even years, have it your way ..., if there are certain fruits you don tsp like , you can always include more of another, or some of your own favorites. dried fruits cooked in juice can take the place of candied fruits, and seeds can replace nuts. to convert a favorite dark fruitcake recipe to a light fruitcake, leave out the dark spices, use light colored fruits (golden raisins, dried apricots, etc.), and replace dark corn syrup or molasses with light corn syrup

sweet potatoes, fresh cranberries, brown sugar, butter, melted, orange juice, chopped walnuts, brown sugar, ground cinnamon, cold butter

head broccoli, washed and chopped, red onion, diced thin, golden raisin, dried cranberries, walnuts or 1 cup cashews, mayonnaise, regular, light (even made with olive oil is good), cider vinegar, celery seed, shallot salt, dried tarragon, fresh ground pepper , to taste

red potatoes, sliced, chicken stock, garlic, chopped, fresh basil, chopped, sea salt, lemon pepper, butter, sour cream, chives, chopped, parmesan cheese, shredded

water, olive oil, whole wheat couscous, chickpeas, drained, hard-boiled eggs, vidalia onion, ears cooked corn on the cob, stalks broccoli, peeled and bottom pared, fresh curly-leaf parsley, dill, prepared italian dressing, lemon , juice of, red wine vinegar, salt and pepper