How many of you actually cook your own food? I just thought I'd make this thread for the folks who cook so we can share some recipes, as well as give some advice to the people who want to learn. So what's the best stuff you can cook?
I can make a lot of simple stuff such as steak, pork chops, and just about any meat/chicken chops that can be cooked on a pan/grill. I always throw some seasoning, garlic, and onions in with it on the frying pan. I'm not too fond of pressure cooking, but I know how to make some stew that consists of potatoes and meat chunks with veggies and some chicken w/ rice and pork w/ rice, but that's something I don't do often. I also used to do a slow pressure cooking thing for a big piece of cow meat with soy sauce but I kind of forgot how to make it properly...
I can make some pasta and ground meat(not meatballs, I'm lazy, and besides I'll end up breaking them up anyway) with little effort, plenty of spices in the meat though(red pepper, tomato sauce, oregano, powdered/chopped garlic, crushed onions, and maybe olives but I don't like that).
Chicken in the oven with an assload of spices.(bear with the names I give to my specialties. :wacko: )
As for oven stuff, I'm pretty good at it. I cook a lot of chicken(parts, like thighs, legs, etc., not whole chickens) with my own mix of spices and it never ceases to amaze people. Basically after washing the parts I apply the following:
-Very little seasoning salt on both sides of the chicken parts.
-Garlic powder on both sides(a little more than seasoning salt).
-Tiny bit of black pepper(but I usually forget, so ignore this).
-Red pepper(the crushed dried kind) on both sides, a little more on the top(too much and you'll be shittin' fire. :wacko: )
-A little bit of oregano on the top.
I usually smear a very small amount of olive oil on the surface of the oven tray I use, it prevents the chicken from sticking to it unless you bought very greasy chicken, so it might not be necessary.
If you want to be fancy, add some peeled purple onions, peeled carrots, peeled garlic bits all over the place, and throw in some (small) salted potatoes. Add some spices on to that if you'd like.
Set the tempature on 350 F(let it heat for 10 min then put the tray in the oven) and cook for one hour, take one piece out and cut it to see if it's fully cooked, then put it back in for an additional 10-15 min. at 375 F or 400 F(use your own discretion) so it ends up crispy and golden on the outside.
Oven Pork
Another thing I cook in the oven is pork, usually a 9 lb.(like 4 kg) slab. Basically after washing it, you have to cut the top thick skin off so it's seperate from the red meat, but not completely, just cut enough of it so it hinges over the meat. With a knife make small holes/slits on the top(under the skin) that you can stick your pinky in about 2/3 of an inch deep(2 cm deep) and make them 1 inch apart(like 3 cm apart). Also make some on the bottom and sides of the slab.
Now I make a paste with a bunch of spices. Namely powdered or crushed raw garlic, oregano, red pepper, black pepper, and I mix it all together into a paste with the help of olive oil. If you use crushed chunky spices instead of powdered ones, that's even better. Unfortunately I don't remember the exact quantities of each right now but I'll find out and post them if anyone's interested.
I smear the paste all over the meat and make sure to get some into each of those holes I made with a knife. Make sure you get plenty underneath the tough layer of skin you cut back, then fold it neatly back on to the meat. Cut the top layer of meat with a very sharp knife and make like 1 inch squares on it so it splits apart nicely in the oven, not very deep though, you don't need to cut through the whole thing. Add some salt on the top of the skin.
Set the oven on 350 F, wait 10 minutes then stick the pork inside(on a tray of course). Check back in 4-4.5 hours and make a deep cut to the core of the meat and check if it's still raw. It shouldn't be, but if it's still not completely grey it doesn't matter. Now put it back in for an additional 25-30 min. at 375 F. Then take it out again and wait 10-20 min. before cutting. Excellent for big celebrations like x-mas or something, but I do it on occasion so I have food for like 5 days. :D It actually tastes much better on the 2nd day... The top is crunchy just like those pork chips, a bit greasier though.
By the way, I usually cook plain white rice with just about everything, otherwise I serve it with bread and/or garlic bread, which I make myself.
I also make some chili/red beans thing from time to time when I feel like destroying my digestive tract, but it's always pre-cooked beans with some chili spice packets and bits of veggies, so it's nothing complicated. I can also make pancakes, but I never have yeast around so they end up tasting like ass.
So... what stuff do you folks cook?
