For Casual Non-Pro Cooks That Sometimes Cook At Home

[Jingthing]

My theory is that most people who cook at home have some "regular" dishes that they typically cook. That way it is easier to stock a kitchen to be ready to cook those usual dishes most any time.

In that spirit, I would like people to share some of their regular rotation dishes. It may gave other people good ideas on new dishes to add, or for just plain curiosity value.

I think most at home cooks are not pro chefs, so the intent here is for average home cooks to list their regular dishes. Of course, pro chefs can comment also.

Those who merely open a can of beans or put in a frozen entree, well I don't think that is too interesting to hear about.

Open of course to expats and everyone. You may want to say where you generally live. For example, if you live in France, it may be hard for expats in Thailand to cook your dishes. Within Thailand, if you live in deepest Isaan, you won't have a Villa market, so limitations there also.

I live in Pattaya --

My regular dishes.

Pasta with fancy sauce. For the sauce, I sautee vegetables in olive oil (onions, shitake shroooms, red pepper, hot peppers, garlic, sometimes brocolli or baby brocolli), usually some protein (crisped tofu in olive oil, roasted chicken, cooked beefsteak pieces), then use Nana basic Italian sauce. Finish with parmagiana cheese. Variety, different kinds of pasta.

Mexican delight. A base of canned refried Mexican beans. Microwave. Make a frittata type dish of beaten eggs, combined with red peppers, shitake shrooms, jalapeno peppers, meat (roasted chicken, beef or pork) fried in corn oil. Plate the egg dish over the heated beans. Top with bottled Mexican salsa. Serve with corn tortillas, sometimes sliced avocado. Sometimes no frittata; instead just fried eggs and some meat heated with the beans, same finish.

Asian soup/stew. I cook a long simmering Asian noodle soup using tom yum spices and other chile type additions thickened with split yellow mung beans. Throw in roasted chicken to make the broth. Finish with vegetables like napa cabbage, green beans, shitake shrooms, mung bean noodles, rice noodles, sometimes an egg. Lime at the table.

Szechuan chicken noodle salad with spicy peanut butter garlic/peppercorn sauce. I posted the recipe for this on this site before.

Tuna surprise. Basically a jazzed up American style tuna salad served on a fresh French baguette. Best when celery is used. Sometimes substitute roast chicken.

Of course within those basics, ingredients and variations are often made for variety.

Edited June 21, 2010 by Jingthing

[Jimi007]

I cooked a pot of pasta sauce last night. Kind or the same as you, extra virgin olive oil, saute a diced onion, add a bunch of diced or pressed garlic, ground beef, Italian seasoning mix, tomato paste and tomato sauce. A baguette with butter, olive oil and garlic., toasted in the broiler on my microwave. It has an electric browning element.

I also BBQ burgers, chicken breast or ground beef. Sometimes BBQ pork ribs, also fresh fish. Once in while a tenderloin steak. With leftover steak, I slice thin, heat up some beef bouillon then heat the beef in the bouillon and serve on a toasted baguette with a bit of mayo and dip in the bouillon. French dip sandwich. Yum.

I make a stir fry with chicken marinated in soy sauce, garlic and ginger, snow peas, asparagus, broccoli, shitake mushrooms, bean sprouts, napa cabbage and oyster sauce, a few thai peppers.

Black beans, soak over night, cook until tender. Spice them up a bit. You can put them in a blender and make refried beans or leave them whole. Saute chicken breast with chili powder and garlic. Get some flour tortillas. Make fresh salsa: tomatoes, onions (spring and regular), cilantro, Thai peppers to taste, salt, garlic and vinegar, coriander and cumin, if you can find them. Some cheddar cheese, sour cream and an avocado, yellow lemon, chili powder and garlic, mixed together and you have guacamole. Heat up the tortilla put everything in and you have a super burrito.

Tuna melt sandwich. Just mix tuna with some mayo, and ground black pepper. Toast the bread, put the tuna on, some sliced cheddar cheese on top. Into the broiler until the cheese melts.

Dam_n, now I'm hungry!

Edited June 21, 2010 by Jimi007

[Jingthing]

Thanks for that!

I forget one of the newer dishes in my rotation.

Chicken black bean sauce thick rice noodles. It's really yummy.

Mash diced fresh ginger, whole salted black beans, and garlic into a paste. Use lots if you like strong flavor, as I do.

Sautee some veg, onions, hot peppers (jalapenos are great), red peppers in a generous amount of neutral oil, later add snow peas or green beans, and shitake shrooms. In the same pan throw in the spice paste and get it cooking. Then add some water/chicken broth/soy sauce and mix it all around. Add cooked roasted chicken. Add the cooked rice noodles (a little al dente). I rinse the cooked noodles in cold water before adding to the pan. Stir it all around and add some chopped Napa cabbage. This last part on HIGH HEAT and you get a little bit of chi of the wok, even with no wok! Cook until the cabbage looks cooked. Other meats can be used of course, but chicken is great.

I make a very similar rice noodle stir fry with bottled Chinese XO sauce. With that I usually use crisped tofu mixed with chopped pepper ham that you get at 7-11!

Edited June 21, 2010 by Jingthing

[Pdaz]

I really like to eat a very varied diet. It reflects the fact that I have live in many places. I enjoy Thai food and either buy ready made dishes or visit the market and prepare my own at home. As you say most 'cooks' tend to keep a base of ingredients in their kitchen so that they are prepared for most eventualities. Along with main dishes I also bake bread and make cakes and desserts. Because there is only myself and my GF I often cook large amounts of basics and freeze them in portion sized packs.

Examples of dishes I prepare most Months.

casserole of chicken or rabbit.

Saute sliced onion and smoled bacon to soft and golden. Remove from pan and lightly brown chix/rabbit portions in a little oil and the bacon fat. B4 frying dredge the meat in seasoned flour. Once browned add the onion and bacon again. Deglaze the pan with dry white wine and top up the level with a good chicken stock. Add a bayleaf and tablespoon of english mustard powder and season to taste. Cook covered either in the oven or on the hob until tender. remove the lid and reduce the sauce to a good consistancy adjust the seasoning and serve with mashed potatoes and steamed veg.

Pasta - Spaghetti, Penne or linguini

Either with oil, anchovy and garlic. Basic tomato or a pork/beef ragu (Italian style - I hate pasta drenched in sauce and even worse when the pasta hasn't been added into the saucepan)

Rib eye steak

marinade the steak in a little olive oil, salt, black pepper,garlic and some mustard.

Cook to rare on grill pan and let rest. fry off a clove of garlic in butter/olive oil and add sliced mushrooms. Make a simple green salad with homemade honey/balsamic dressing.

Roast lamb

shoulder or leg oven roasted. served with roasted potatoes and carrots.. (I sometimes make a Yorky pudding too) I used the roasting pan to make a good rich gravy.. Every Thai who has tried it has loved it - despite thinking they didn't like lamb....

''Shake and Bake' pork chops

I make my own crumb mix. with jap bread crumbs, salt, pepper, cayenne, dried herbs and some 'rot dee I crumb the pork (usually neck chops or country ribs) and bake for 40 mins in a medium oven. at the same time I bake jacket potatoes. I usually eat this along with sweetcorn 'niblets' in a white sauce.

Boiled chicken (pot a feu or whatever the frogs call it)

Fresh whole chicken in a heavy pan ( Le Cresset is perfect) with root veg and onions.. seasoned well with salt, pepper and bay leaf.. then add a cupfull of white wine. Bake in the oven for an hour.. Serve off the bone with the veg and a reduced gravy.'

These are mostly UK/Euro dishes but I also make some American and Aussie dishes. My other favourite is Indian and Singaporean food.. But too complex for a short post like this..

Happy eating

[Jimi007]

This email was from a friend near where I live in Phuket, about last nights menu:

Pork filets, 3" thick, 4" long marinated for 8 hours in a coating of pressed garlic, fresh cracked green peppercorns, shredded rosemary and a thin coating of extra-virgin olive oil. Pan-seared to an outter golden crisp texture then slow-cooked to perfection.

Fresh corn on the cob, stripped from the cob, a sprinkling of Lowrey's seasoned salt, ground green peppercorns and razor-thin slices of red onion.

Perfect Tossed Salad perfectly dressed in a homemade balsamic vinegarette dressing topped with fresh ground BLACK peppercorns.

Dessert...a thin delectible slice of Les Anges chocolate mousse cake topped with a generous portion of freshly shaved white chocolate!

Edited June 21, 2010 by Jimi007

[sbk]

I made a fab pesto sauce from my bushes of sweet basil grown from seed I had brought from the US (before the staff failed to water when I was gone last summer and they all died).

So,

in a blender, mix up as many sweet basil leaves as you can stuff in there, olive oil, lots of garlic (i love garlic) some salt and roasted cashews. (no pine nuts and wont' bother to search them out). blend until pesto-y. add parmesan cheese to taste. more garlic if necessary.

Then I make some pasta, usually elbow macaroni as its the easiest to get but other roly poly types of pasta will do. Add the pesto, a drained can of tuna, chopped green olives (you can do black, I just prefer green is all) and chopped granny smith apples (I like it tart) and refrigerate. It usually tastes better on the second or third day in the fridge.

[Jingthing]

Regarding the pasta comment. Yes, of course, the cooked pasta should be put into the sauce pan and finished in the pan. A basic and easy technique that really helps flavor, and I wonder how many home cooks don't know about it?

[thaigerd]

Nice topic, I love it!

Gerd

[bkkjames]

I made a fab pesto sauce from my bushes of sweet basil grown from seed I had brought from the US (before the staff failed to water when I was gone last summer and they all died).

So,

in a blender, mix up as many sweet basil leaves as you can stuff in there, olive oil, lots of garlic (i love garlic) some salt and roasted cashews. (no pine nuts and wont' bother to search them out). blend until pesto-y. add parmesan cheese to taste. more garlic if necessary.

Then I make some pasta, usually elbow macaroni as its the easiest to get but other roly poly types of pasta will do. Add the pesto, a drained can of tuna, chopped green olives (you can do black, I just prefer green is all) and chopped granny smith apples (I like it tart)  and refrigerate. It usually tastes better on the second or third day in the fridge.

Pesto without pine nuts is just garlic and basil 

OP I am a bit disappointed and surprised that there is no poll attached to this topic?

[sbk]

cashews are tastier, easier to come by. necessity is the mother of invention as they say, and those who must go by a specific recipe when cooking are pretty dull cooks

[bkkjames]

cashews are tastier, easier to come by. necessity is the mother of invention as they say, and those who must go by a specific recipe when cooking are pretty dull cooks

necessity may be the mother of invention, but I am the father. 

Those who ignore tried and true recipes do so at that their peril. Like having Cesar salad without the garlic.

"Honey, do you mind if I use pork n the boulibase instead of fish?"

she replies, "How can it be boulibase without the fish?

"Ok, i will thrown in one cube of fish stock bouillon and cut the pork up like the shape of lil fishies" 

[sbk]

who knew you were so uncreative? How disappointing

[Forkinhades]

I am in Pattaya

I make the pesto too, but use walnuts, they are available from Macro.

Fish pie - prawns, white fish fillet, spinach, onion, carrot, mash potato, with cheese grated on top, into the oven for 30 mins! the misses loves it.

Roast beef cooked in the slow cooker for 10 hours with rosemary red wine and garlic - usual veg

Mushroom soup - all the different kinds of mushrooms I can get from the market, chicken stock, thyme, rosemary, zest of lemon, and juice of half of one, salt and pepper

The list is big, but I will leave it there for now

[bkkjames]

who knew you were so uncreative? How disappointing

nothing wrong with being adaptable and using what is in the fridge to say make a stir fry, omelet etc, but you cannot make peanut butter and jam sandwiches without the jam. It just doesnt cut it!  

[Patsycat]

I have a haggis in my freezer - but none of my friends want to come and eat it.

Pasta is the best fast food. I make a mean carbonara with lots of cheese and garlic. It actually tastes better the next day.

Or buy a cheap margarita pizza and add your own toppings - But no PINEAPPLE.

When i have mates over i go all out and make a Patsy special lasagna. Takes quite a while to make, but always comes out tops. Served with a nice salad and garlic bread. And copious glasses of cheap italian wine.

[StreetCowboy]

I have a haggis in my freezer - but none of my friends want to come and eat it.

Pasta is the best fast food. I make a mean carbonara with lots of cheese and garlic. It actually tastes better the next day.

Or buy a cheap margarita pizza and add your own toppings - But no PINEAPPLE.

When i have mates over i go all out and make a Patsy special lasagna. Takes quite a while to make, but always comes out tops. Served with a nice salad and garlic bread. And copious glasses of cheap italian wine.

A haggis pining to be eaten. Oh, now that is distressing.

I used to love a Scotmid 99p haggis sliced and grilled on toast with cheese on top. (I suppose grilled on bread, to begin with)

SC

[Forkinhades]

I have a haggis in my freezer - but none of my friends want to come and eat it.

Pasta is the best fast food. I make a mean carbonara with lots of cheese and garlic. It actually tastes better the next day.

Or buy a cheap margarita pizza and add your own toppings - But no PINEAPPLE.

When i have mates over i go all out and make a Patsy special lasagna. Takes quite a while to make, but always comes out tops. Served with a nice salad and garlic bread. And copious glasses of cheap italian wine.

I find any dishes here that involve minced beef, tend to come out with poor results, as the minced beef is not very good. In fact I stay away from cooking anything with mince beef. Unless people have some secrets

[thaigerd]

I have a haggis in my freezer - but none of my friends want to come and eat it.

Pasta is the best fast food. I make a mean carbonara with lots of cheese and garlic. It actually tastes better the next day.

Or buy a cheap margarita pizza and add your own toppings - But no PINEAPPLE.

When i have mates over i go all out and make a Patsy special lasagna. Takes quite a while to make, but always comes out tops. Served with a nice salad and garlic bread. And copious glasses of cheap italian wine.

I find any dishes here that involve minced beef, tend to come out with poor results, as the minced beef is not very good. In fact I stay away from cooking anything with mince beef. Unless people have some secrets

The "secret" is mince your imported beef to get the best results

Gerd

[Forkinhades]

@ Gerd,

hhhhmmmm

[Pushit]

My favourite is fresh prawns (peeled and de-veined) wrapped in thin zuchini slices, on skewers and lightly brushed with olive oil S+P. Grill gently until prawns opaque. Delicious!!

Choice of dipping sauce is yours but in fact these are so delicious no sauce needed.

Edited June 22, 2010 by Pushit

[Jingthing]

Want to keep this thread going, so here's another one.

You may call this lazy pasta. Easy, spicy, and delicious.

It uses a primitive pesto-like flavoring instead of a tomato sauce.

Boil your pasta, spaghetti, linguine, etc. best for this probably.

Make the primitive pesto --

Generous amount of good olive oil

Hungarian hot paprika

Minced fresh garlic (use a garlic tool)

Chopped Thai red pepper or dried red pepper flakes

Dijon mustard

Cheese, either parmagiana or ricotta (more decadent but harder to source)

Mix it all around

Microwave chopped western brocolli tops in a little bit of water, keep crisp

A few minutes before the pasta is done, throw in some slice shiitake shrooms to the water.

Drain the pasta/shrooms.

Mix in the primitive pesto well. Also add some protein such as sliced roasted chicken or pepper ham.

So easy, so tasty.

Of course substitute at will, green beans instead of brocolli, etc., crisped tofu instead of meat. etc.

[IanForbes]

I always have a big wok full of stir fry that I make once or twice a week. What I don't eat the first day goes into the fridge. Then, I use a portion of it to make what I call a "quick meal". I just cut up one Polish sausage and grate up some sharp chedder cheese.

Stir fry consists of chopped up red and green peppers, hot peppers, chopped broccoli, chopped Polish sausage (or other meat), sliced mushrooms, diced onion and grated garlic cloves...

I take a small portion of the stir fry and add 2 well beaten eggs, then gently mix it all together

Add sharp chedder cheese over top and cover for a few minutes until the cheese melts.

Once the stir fry is already made it only takes a few minutes to do the final part. the only thing that takes any time is cutting up the veggies. It's tasty, cheap and nutritious.

[tutsiwarrior]

looks good, Ian...I useta do the same with a big stir fry but useta just pour some scrambled egg mixture over the leftovers then heat a bit and serve with fresh corn tortillas and bottled salsa ranchera...me an' the ex back in CA useta love it and I made it once at her folks' house and her dad said 'ugh' when observing the preparation; then he tasted it and later I saw him messin' furtively about in de kitchen doin' the same thing ...

these days I've been gettin' used to using the microwave (no other cooking implement available) and now can do a respectable potato and cauli curry to last 3 days; also microwaved veges (cauli, broccoli, courgettes/zucchini separately or together) either with tofu or chicken breast (cook the breast separately then chop up and add to the veges)); just toss wid olive oil and lime/lemon juice, fresh ground pepper, etc...nice and lean and low on de glycemic index, good fiber too...here in Hanoi dey got nice sausages; just microwave then slather wid a nice dijon/american mustard mixture...

can't remember the last time that I ate inna restaurant...

Edited July 1, 2010 by tutsiwarrior

[IanForbes]

Yah, tutsiwarrior, I use my microwave all the time. It certainly cuts down on the preparation time when you have a meal half started. I like to make about 3 different things each week and keep the remainder in the fridge. Then I can rotate my meals, but not have to take much time preparing them. I'm a cheap charlie when it comes to eating, but I like to dine well on good food.

[mauGR1]

cashews are tastier, easier to come by. necessity is the mother of invention as they say, and those who must go by a specific recipe when cooking are pretty dull cooks

Wow, but that's exactly my recipe for a Thai Pesto ! But don't forget to roast the cashew nuts in advance!

It seems Pasta is quite pop these days, my ordinary quick and tasty meal is Spaghetti garlic oil and chillie fresh or dried,easy and simple .

Grated cheese is forbidden here, doesn't go well with spicy meals...But well, some people have the nerve to top a honest Pizza with Pineapple, so..

As JT said, it's convenient to throw the cooked pasta in the sauce pan, which imo must be almost red-hot.

I don't do that with Pesto anyway, it seems that an excessive heat destroys the Basil flavour.

[Skytrain2hell]

Ian, do you do delivery??

That looks tasty...I might try that out over the weekend. Thanks for that.

And thanks to OP for an awesome topic.