My Favorite Recipes, Cooking Hacks, Cook Books, etc ...


I want to say that it was my former LAPD instructor at Woodbury that shared this story, to always have a secret shared between 2 people, in case of a death, the other person will know.

So, Imma share it all; perhaps my kids will see this and say, Oh yea ..... I remember that.

Here are my bible cookbooks:


This is a 2 volume set and no other books are better; everything is in here including conversions, and ways to alter the base recipe, and substitutions. They are like a cooking class in print. Mal and Mack were in these all the time; adult and kid user friendly.


This not a bread machine cookbook. Gotta use your hands, kneed, & let it rise twice cookbook. Using a bread machine is not cooking, sorry it's not. Do Mal and Mack know how to make bread from scratch, with their hands? Yep. I insisted they learn. I literally would have to make 3 loaves, one for each of the kids and Mike #Truth 
The two best recipes from this book are: English Muffin bread & Cheese Braid Loaves

and this bad boy


OMG this book
If you love Mexican Street food you'll love this

***

Dishes and / or recipes

Lasagne
Stuffed Mushroom caps
Garlic Bread
Cheese & Jalapeno Braided Loaves
Polenta
Pizza

Ceviche
Tacos de Lengue
Salsa Verde
Guacamole
Fruita con chili
Pico de gallo
Nopales y juevos
Chorizo y juevos

Tabouleh
Hummus
Matza Ball Soup
Falafel
Bagels
Minestrone soup
Tahini
Challah

Potatoes, cooked anyway [ask Mack]

Chicken Kiev
Pierogi
Gołąbki
Chrusciki 

Stuffed Lamb Chops with chervil
Stuffed Cornish game hens with wild rice

chocolate upside down cake
quiche
souffles
breads
donuts

jambalaya
onion soup
beignets
dirty rice
beer biscuits
Sweet potato pie
Grits
Pecan pie
corn bread
gumbo

Favorite Spices and such:

Garlic
Olive oil
Butter
Cilantro
Lime
Pico de Gallo
Herdez salsa verde
Cumin

Cooking Hacks

Beat in eggs to ricotta cheese when making lasagna, it gives it more body and holds the noodles better

Add a layer of mayo over the butter when making garlic bread [like so many Polish recipes have sour cream, it adds a tang no one will be able to figure out what it is

Towards the end of my cooking tour I started cooking everything slowly, on a cookie sheet in the oven. So fish, vegetables, chicken. I just used olive oil, lemon, and garlic [Mack actually preferred it because it was much healthier]

Rub the inside of the salad bowl with olive oil and a garlic clove.

Add a pinch of sugar to an olive oil and vinegar vinaigrette [jesus]

When boiling corn on the cob add sugar and milk [jesus]

Follow Martha Stewart's methodology for steaming artichokes

Try adding citrus to foods, like oranges, limes, lemon on salads and veggies

.... a work in progress

Cooking Confessions:

I can't make pie crust to save my life [obviously, though, right]

I am afraid to make Asian food and Chicken Mole [out of respect I \'ve never made attempt]

I suck at frying food 

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