April Cooking & Baking Project

[hippywife]

Poll question: April Cooking & Baking Project

Well, the March challenge is under most of our belts. Everyone did a great job with the crepes.

The second runner up in our March poll was potato casserole and, at the time, it was suggested that we do that the following month.

Do you all want to do that or something else?

[Lucinda]

1. I'm good with casseroles, but I'd rather have more options than just potato

I really could use some new main dish casserole recipes. :)

[troubleinwinter]

7. I think casseroles would be fun.

I have to make an easy buffet lunch for a dozen folks (who I don't know) in two weeks & whipped out a favorite old casserole recipe and a coordinating salad & coordinating muffins. Easy to prepare and to serve.

My dad had a party recently for 10, and he used another of my favorite casserole recipes. Two of the ladies just HAD to have the recipe. One said, "OMG. I want to serve this for Xmas brunch!" I told her that's just what I've done for years. It's a make-ahead to sit in fridge overnight before baking... a great thing.

Casseroles are so versatile, and can usually be made ahead, great for a crowd, low hassle serving & always make great leftovers, and can be absolutely delicious... lasagna, for instance!

So, I voted "other", but meant casseroles, in general.

[eridani]

2. I'd like other options too

Maybe there should be some restrictions so the category isn't too broad, though.

[hippywife]

3. Here is the link to last month's poll.

that listed all the things people nominated. What would you like to make? Is there anything not on that poll that would interest you more?


http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=236&topic_id=59529

I'm looking for everyone who doesn't want to make potato casserole, to suggest what the something else they do want to make. Maybe we could alternate and do a baking project? This is open to any and all suggestions.

[wryter2000]

6. Other options

I'd like to add fritatta and quiche and see if they're popular.

[eridani]

9. Actually, I've never made a fritttata

Never had made a crepe before either, which make the whole exercise more useful and challenging.

[Tesha]

4. Well, Easter is coming...

how about an egg dish?

quiche, souffle, or omelet...

[Arkansas Granny]

5. I like the idea of the potato casserole. The savory crepes was a pretty

broad category and I was surprised at the wide variety of crepes that were prepared. I think it would be interesting to see how many different types of casserole we could come up with using potatoes as the main ingredient.

Whatever challenge is decided upon, I'm in. I really enjoyed the first one and got more ideas from DUers that I did with my recipe search online.

[sazemisery]

8. I'm gonna let everyone else decide this month.

Being self employed, April is a hectic month for me because of the tax deadline and quarterly reports due, etc. Whatever is decided is OK with me. I'll be participating, I just have no brain power left and it is only the 2nd.x(

[cbayer]

10. I made a casserole last night with potatoes, broccoli and some leftover alfredo sauce.

It was scrumptious and I would love to work on it further!

:hi:

[The empressof all]

11. How about a nice Cake

I'm making a Hummingbird Cake with banana dulche filling and coconut cream cheese frosting for Easter.

I use this recipe pretty much...

http://find.myrecipes.com/recipes/recipefinder.dyn?action=displayRecipe&recipe_id=387218

I boil a can of sweetened condensed milk to make the dulche and use that as the filling between the layers. I layer lots of sliced bananas along with the filling. I also cover the frosted cake with lightly toasted coconut.

I'm going to serve it with some wet nuts on the side...Just a drizzle over the top of the cut slice for those who enjoy nuts. I've also served it in the past with some pineapple sauteed up with a little brown sugar and rum. It's over the top good

[hippywife]

12. Personally, I'm all for alternating

between cooking and baking projects and wouldn't mind doing cakes at all. Even if we just say it's cake and let everyone contribute a different recipe that suits them. :hi:

[Tesha]

13. Cake works for me...

nice broad category, there are flour-less cakes and not-too-sweet cakes and glorious over-the-top cakes....

[Tesha]

16. maybe this?

Kitty Litter Cake?

[hippywife]

17. LOL

Living in a three cat household, I think I'll pass. :rofl:

[Tesha]

18. then maybe this one?

[hippywife]

19. That's pretty creative.

As we all know, tho, I'm good with taste and lacking in presentation. ;)

I think if we did cakes it would be fun to see if anyone does anything like that.

[eridani]

25. The version with the Tootsie rolls is seriously unappetizing n/t

[Tab]

14. I don't know how much I can participate

given my yet-undetermined schedule, but assuming I live to the end of the month, I'd like to try something very foreign - literally. Like a particular dish of Indian cuisine perhaps. As much as I love Indian food, and GOOD (which isn't always easy to find) Chinese food, and Thai, plus Korean, Vietnamese, yada yada, I'm not really sure how to wield the spices. So this month, or maybe a month quite soon, I'd like to see us try to break the secrets to cooking this stuff. I doubt it's hard, and you can get a lot of the spices - particularly for Indian - but I'm not exactly sure how to leverage them.

[troubleinwinter]

15. One tning about the idea of Indian food....

those of us that have been baking Ain5 bread already have the makings on hand for naan to go along side!!!

[Tesha]

20. Maybe a Curry?

There are thousands of ways to do a curry, and I'll bet it would be a new experience for lots of us.

[troubleinwinter]

22. Also chutneys along side. Maybe some would try chutney.

My grandmother in Hawaii made the best mango chutney in the world. During 'mango season' neighbors would leave shopping bags full of mangoes on peoples' doorsteps, ring the doorbell and RUN, folks had so many.

She'd make about 100 1/2 pt. jars of chutney in a season, and many loaves of wonderful sweet mango bread. We had chutney for curry for the year and sometimes had it spooned over cream cheese on crackers.

I don't have her recipe, but it sure had lotsa ginger in it!!! Of course, these days, on the mainland, her coupla bags of mangoes would cost a coupla hundred dollars, and they are shipped green from Mexico.... not at all like ripe ones from the Hawaiian trees.

[troubleinwinter]

21. Ain5 instructions for naan bread

From the Mother Earth news article:

NAAN

1/4 pound (peach­sized portion) of pre-mixed boule dough
1 tablespoon ghee (commercial or homemade), or neutral-flavored oil or butter

Dust the surface of the refrigerated dough with flour and cut off a 1/4-pound piece. Dust the piece with more flour and quickly shape it into a ball by stretching the surface of the dough around to the bottom on all four sides, rotating the ball a quarter-turn as you go. Using your hands and a rolling pin, and minimal flour, roll out to a uniform thickness of 1/8-inch and a diameter of 8 to 9 inches.

Heat a heavy 12-inch cast­iron skillet over high heat on the stovetop. When water droplets flicked into the pan skitter across the surface and evaporate quickly the pan is ready. Add the ghee or oil.

Drop the rolled dough into the skillet, decrease the heat to medium, and cover the skillet to trap the steam and heat.

Check for doneness with a spatula at about 3 minutes, or sooner if you smell overly quick browning. Adjust the heat as needed. Flip the naan when the underside is richly browned.

Continue cooking another 2 to 6 minutes, or until the naan feels firm, even at the edges, and the second side is browned. If you’ve rolled a thicker naan, or if you’re using dough with whole grains, you’ll need more pan time.
Remove the naan from the pan, brush with butter, and serve.

http://www.motherearthnews.com/Real-Food/Artisan-Bread-In-Five-Minutes-A-Day.aspx?page=7

[hippywife]

23. Okay, we're neck and neck on this project.

Not as many votes as last time so I'll let it run til tonight and then we can decide for sure tomorrow. :hi:

[hippywife]

24. Kicking for the evening crowd. n/t