toni Vaughn's Profile
Best and Worst Recipes You Made From a Cooking Show
I made Giada's banana muffins. Delicious!!!
Tyler Florence is always hit and miss.
I made Paula's chicken and dumpling's. Horrible!!!
To Brine or Not to Brine?
I dote on brining. I had great results and meat was tender and juicy.
I can make gravy with a roux and chicken broth.
They have brining bags now and it is easier than the bucket thing or nonreactive pots.
By the way, I looked up the word nonreactive and it does not exist. Reactive but not nonreactive.
Please help me cook fish at home
With the cod I use lemongrass, red onions, and olive oil as a marinade and then broil after they have marinated for an hour. Of course salt and cracked black pepper.
Catfish I love deep fried. I soak in buttermilk with hot sauce and then roll in cornmeal mixed with corn starch for a light batter.
Whole Tilapia-What Would You Do?
I have 3 whole tilapia fish that I bought at sam's club. I intend to stuff it with slices of red onion and baste them with hoisin sauce. Garnish with lemon slices
Bean soups
Market Pantry sells a 16-bean soup mix with ham-flavored seasoning which can found at Target. I think there is a Target everywhere.
There are actually 16 dried beans and peas in the package. You can always add your own celery, carrots, etc. I use a chicken broth from Penzey's spice store. They have pork, shrimp, beef, and chicken bouillon that comes in a jar and is to "live" for. It makes the best stock without all the fuss.
The cooking directions on the package suggests adding a chopped onion, green chilies, garlic and a can of chopped tomatoes.
I am making this soup today and adding some smoked turkey butts. I cook them in a pressure cooker and add them to the soup after it is done cooking. Turkey butts are fatty but impart a nice smokey flavor.
"Best" beans also sell the 16 bean soup mix but I have not found in my grocers.
Enjoy!!!!
Favo(u)rite Stuffing (aka Dressing) Recipe
Cornbread dressing is the only kind my mom and grandma made. You must have had a bad recipe.
They never used a loaf of bread but homemade biscuits. A skillet of cornbread should not be cooked till it is dry. I take mine from the oven as soon as iit is firm to touch and gets just a little golden on the top. I use buttermilk in place of whole milk which makes it moist and the homemade biscuits gives it body. Add good chicken stock along with your sauteed onions and celery. Some people even used diced green peppers. My son does not like them so I make two batches. Fresh sage and poultry seasoning, cracked black pepper. Salt is in the cornbread and biscuits so be careful. You can even add a can of cream of chicken soup if you want moisture. Or Jimmy Dean's sage sausage.
1 skillet cornbread and about 5 biscuits crumbled real fine. Try it you, might like it.
Food Network "Down Home with the Neely's"
Rachel, Paula, and Gina are not chefs but if you want to hear annoying voices put the three together and you could blow a fuse.
In Gina's defense I can say that she is just new to the game and was probably prompted to act a certain way by the FN producers.
When you think about it, Paula and Rachel seem to be strong women who are real go-getters.
Paula talks to her husband and sons quite bossy in my opinion. Rachel acts like she's on speed.
GIna made a tape when FN decided to give them a show and if you saw it you would know that she was terrified. I think she just needs time to get her bearings. Perhaps that loud pitch in her voice is a mask for her not being used to being a television personality.
And more importantly, I can afford some of the food items that the Neely's use far better than Ina, DeLaurentis and a few others. Who can afford beef tenderloin? I think some chefs really do not realize that their audience cannot cook these expensive meals everyday like they do.
Give me a chef who cooks a pot of pinto beans and cornbread. I can afford those.
Oh and Alton is not a chef either, but he sure does know his stuff. I just love him.
Food Network "Down Home with the Neely's"
I thought I was the only one who noticed the Big Head!!! Are we talking about GDe????So funny!!!
Strange Pairings that Taste Uncommonly Good
I had that sandwich without the mustard. Yummy! I also like canned smoked sardines mashed with dijon mustard and mayo with a thick slice of red onion on a ritz cracker.
Strange Pairings that Taste Uncommonly Good
My son's favorite was similar. He liked apples with peanut butter and a slice of bacon. I tried it and it was tasty. However, I liked when my grandma put cheddar cheese in vanilla wafers.
Cole Slaw Trouble-shooting
Buy a bottle of Henri's salad dressingnad toss it with pre-packaged broccoli slaw. What a quick and easy slaw and good for you. This is how I get my husband to eat raw veggies.
Experiment with different bottled dressings. Another favorite is the asian ginger dressing.
Since you like heat (and I do,too) toss some minced jalapena or red pepper flakes to the dressing before tossing.
Thanksgiving at home
If you log on to foodnetwork.com there are restaurants that feature all-ready cooked turkeys.
Last year around this time, I saw fried turkeys that looked absolutely divine.
I cannot remember the restaurant but I do know that they deliver anywhere in the world.
So try going to a website that features cooked turkey that can be delivered right to your door.
