Welcome to Juan's Kitchen!

[#juan]

Our KFC disappeared a long time ago, and we don't have one 'at all' in the comox valley.
I know it is terribly unhealthy, but for a treat once in awhile, it is delicious, just the
chicken though, I wouldn't buy anything else there.
We thought another one would open somewhere around here, but, never did.

That sort of thing is probably decided in some boardroom in Kentucky or somewhere. We have KFC maybe once or twice a year so the two stores in Nanaimo are more than enough.
We only order the ordinary fried chicken. The popcorn chicken is mainly batter and grease.

 

[Outta here]

The noble Yam. Cook it, skin it, blenderize that sucker. Mix it with a little cream cheese and add some Taco seasoning to taste. Monkey around with it until you find the right mix for your taste and look out. It's a healthy alternative to dips and it's killer.

oh I must try this! Sounds delish.

The noble yam indeed. Another way is to peal them and cut them into French fry like chips and deep fry them. Of course the old standby is to peel, cook, and mash them with a bit of butter and a touch of brown sugar.

... adding a pinch of nutmeg with the brown sugar to those mashed yams is a nice touch
(same with mashed turnips)

 

[#juan]

oh I must try this! Sounds delish.



... adding a pinch of nutmeg with the brown sugar to those mashed yams is a nice touch
(same with mashed turnips)

Or even parsnips.......:smile:

 

[#juan]

Here is a weekend breakfast that is fairly easy to put together.

Monkey Bread is fun to make and even more fun to eat. First you need a batch of bread dough.(if you don't have a breadmaker, ordinary bread dough is fairly easy to come up with.) Mix together one and a half cups of beer or water, one and a half teaspoons of salt, one tablespoon of sugar, two tablespoons of melted butter or margarine, four and a quarter cups of all purpose flour, and three teaspoons of yeast. When it is well mixed together, let it rise for an hour. and you have your bread dough.) We have a breadmaker and there are many different recipes for an ordinary white bread dough. Let the bread dough rise once. Pound it down and form it into a dozen walnut sized balls at a time......it will make 5 or 6 dozen......Roll the dough balls in a mixture of a cup of melted butter, three tablespoons of cinnamon, and three quarters of a cup of brown sugar. Use all of the bread dough, and all of the butter/sugar mixture. Pile the coated dough balls into/onto a fourteen inch square pan. Let rise for forty five minutes and bake in a 350 degree oven for twenty five minutes

Everyone just sits around the table and pigs out on the monkey bread....It pulls apart very easily and six people can demolish a batch of monkey bread in twenty five minutes. Serve it with real butter to add to the general decadence.

 

[#juan]

Does anyone do Fondue? I'm talking about the fondue where you cook your own bits of beef tenderloin or seafood on a long, skinny fork in a little pot of hot oil. We have a Fondue pot with the alcohol burner and I don't think we've used it in twenty years. I think it is time we did this again. The fondue, a nice salad, a loaf of French bread, and a bottle of your favourite wine. I think we'll do it this weekend......:smile:

 

[shadowshiv]

I expect good things from this place!

That, and the occasional treat passed my way.;-):lol:

 

[#juan]

Btw, that monkey bread can be made from the frozen/uncooked loaves of bread from the supermarket................A little less mucking around for those without a breadmaker.....:smile:

 

[#juan]

My wife and I eat out not much more than once a week, usually lunch and we go out for dinner probably twice a month. I have yet to find a good fish and chip place in Nanaimo although the pub on Protection Island serves pretty good fish and chips, you have to buy a ferry ticket to get there. I tend only to order food that a particular restaurant does a particularly good job at.

 

[#juan]

A neighbor just told me about this pub where they do great fish and chips. We'll check it out.

http://www.foxandhoundsnanaimo.com/menu.html

 

[darkbeaver]

I'm in the middle of making chicken stock, but I have a problem, the chicken was a little burnt, not much just enough so that you can taste it. So is there any way to get the burnt taste out of the gravey for instance which I need to do right now. Maybe the burnt flavour won't carry to far in the soup stock but I'd really like to improve the gravey, I got an hour or so, if it's not fixed I'm going to get hell from the crew.

 

[darkbeaver]

The gravey thickened nicely it's dark but not too dark, I tasted it and it does have a very slight burnt taste, I'm thinking somekind of subtle spice would mask the taste enough for me to be saved.

 

[#juan]

There is not much you can do if the burned taste is already in the stock. Sometimes a burnt taste can be covered a bit by adding another flavour. An onion or two (just quartered so you can take them out easily) and a few carrots cooked in the stock might help a bit. Good luck...:smile:

 

[#juan]

Sage is the only spice I can think of that might mask a bit of the burnt taste. Sage is also a common chicken spice.

 

[darkbeaver]

There is not much you can do if the burned taste is already in the stock. Sometimes a burnt taste can be covered a bit by adding another flavour. An onion or two (just quartered so you can take them out easily) and a few carrots cooked in the stock might help a bit. Good luck...:smile:

I'll try the carrots but I really have a hate for onions in chicken soup, I'v just tasted everything again and it really isn't too bad, it's just that it isn't perfect like I said it would be.Thanks Juan.

 

[talloola]

My wife and I eat out not much more than once a week, usually lunch and we go out for dinner probably twice a month. I have yet to find a good fish and chip place in Nanaimo although the pub on Protection Island serves pretty good fish and chips, you have to buy a ferry ticket to get there. I tend only to order food that a particular restaurant does a particularly good job at.

Shady Rest on the ocean in Qualicum

 

[#juan]

Shady Rest on the ocean in Qualicum

Thanks Talloola
We get up to the Qualicum, Comox area fairly often. We will try it.

 

[Kreskin]

We had perhaps the mother of all brunches today at Painter's Lodge in Campbell River. For selection, quality and price it can't be beat. And the view is awesome on a beautiful day.

 

[wallyj]

Juan,and others. I have a great,EASY,recipe for curries that I will share. Pick up a jar of 'Patak's' curry paste and a bottle of decent red wine.. The hot paste isn't too bad,vindaloo is for the experienced... You will need the paste,wine,aboot a 1 1/2 lbs. of onions,a large can of diced tomatoes,pound or two of potatoes,garlic,and did I mention wine. You also need a couple pounds of chicken,beef,lamb or hard vegetables. I prefer lamb,sometimes you can buy shank or shoulder cheap.... here it goes....Melt a bunch of butter and saute the onions(chopped) for about 3 minutes.Pour a glass of wine,sip wine. Chop as much garlic as you can stand and add. Once this becomes fragrant,add a half a jar of the curry paste. Stir and wait for another 3 minutes.Drink the wine. Add the canned tomatoes,stir and pour yourself another glass of wine.Let this simmer for a few and then add a couple cups of water. Coconut milk is ok for one cup,but I don't use it.Bring to a boil. Add the meat or veggies(including potatoes),turn down to a simmer and drink the rest of the wine.In about 2 hours you will have a pot of curry that will be better than most restaurants(if not all). Serve over rice or with any Indian bread. Open another bottle and enjoy. Trust me on this,I used to bartend above one of the top East Indian restaurants in Calgary,and my curry was better,as judged by my patrons who I was serving large amounts of alcohol . If anyone tries this,let me know what you think. It is easy and tasty.

 

[#juan]

That is an impressive recipe Wally. I generally like recipes that don't depend entirely on precision and exactitude I have made a fair number of curries over the years and I've found that straying too far from the original recipe can be dangerous. . Was that cooking wine or wine for the cook?.....:smile: I will try a smaller, cut down version of your recipe since there is just the two of us and your recipe would appear to feed about eight. I'll let you know how it turned out.

 

[wallyj]

The wine is for the cook. If wine is not available,you can substitute almost anything.Vodka,rum,beer,as long as there is not an umbrella you should be OK... It is a good recipe,'PATAK'S" is the key.