Rave: Cooking

[TheoSqua]

So now that I kind of live on my own a bit and have an open kitchen i've been taking a crack at cooking stuff.

Before the last 3 months I was basically limited to the microwave, frozen pizzas, and my specialty: scrambled eggs and bacon.

Now i've totally got down the whole dump some noodles/rice in a thing of boiling water and flip some sort of meat on a frying pan for 10 minutes and whala! meal!

Best part about it is it's cheap. Last night I made peppercorn chicken and rice and made enough for 2 dinners and 2 lunches and it cost me about $8 to make.

[TabascoElvis]

There's a whole new world out there for ya, TS. Enjoy the trip.

[Radbird]

They made this on the Today Show this morning. It's the first one I've seen on TV for awhile that I might try, although I'd probably substitute real garlic and ginger for the jar stuff.

http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/28894455/

Hoisin slivered beef with green beans and basmati rice
From Sandi Richard’s Dinner Survival
Serves 4-6

INGREDIENTS
• 1 1/2 cups basmati rice
• 3 cups water
• 1 tsp olive oil, extra-virgin
• 1 1/2 lbs or 675 g flank steak, trimmed
• 2 tsp fresh garlic [from a jar]
• 1 Tbsp fresh ginger [from a jar]
• 1/4 cup soy sauce, reduced-sodium
• 1 Tbsp rice vinegar
• 2 Tbsp fish sauce
• 2 Tbsp sweet Thai chili sauce
• 2 Tbsp hoisin sauce
• 1/2 tsp Sambal Oelek (crushed chili paste) [optional]
• 1 lb or 450 g frozen green beans

DIRECTIONS
Combine rice and water in a large microwave-safe pot with lid. Microwave at high for 10 minutes, then medium for 10 minutes.

Heat oil in a large nonstick fry pan or wok at medium-high. Cut beef into thin short strips, against the grain, adding to pan as you cut. Toss and sauté slightly. Add garlic and ginger to pan.

Reduce heat to medium-low. Add soy sauce, rice vinegar, fish sauce, sweet chili sauce, hoisin sauce and chili paste. Stir to combine.

When timer rings for rice, lift rice with a fork and let rest for 5 minutes.

Rinse beans in a colander under cold water. Add to meat pan and stir. When beans are hot and tender, but still crunchy, they are ready.

[omaha_red]

if you ever need help making awesome gravy.. let me know..

[haltz]

I'm about to grill four chicken leg quarters that I bought for less than $2.

When I lived with an actual chef, he'd cook these huge casserole dishes for next to nothing that were delicious and fed us for days.

[Molly]

Hubby loves to cook and I love to let him.

He makes excellent lasagna. It takes him all day and we usually refrigerate it and eat it the next day. Overnight in the fridge gives all those flavors time to sink in.