Posted August 8th, 2016 by Chris
Hey Kats and Kits,
Cooking army is back again with a fistful of taste for your language makers. This week’s cooking army is inspired by the man, the legend, Gaurang Bhide. Gaurang graces our Chicagoan soil by way of one of the bigger cities in the biggest nation on this little blue dot: Mumbai. Before I met him, I knew very little of the cuisine from that region of India. And now, honestly, I can still hardly call myself more than a novice in the ways of this amazing regional fare. I do, however, know one thing: every time Gaurang cooks I gorge myself so much that I practically have to be carted home in a hearse. This week, we vainly try to make food half that good for you sorry souls.
Items!
When: This Wednesday, August 10th. Cooking at 6:30, food ready by 7:30 or earlier.
What: Biryani Chicken, Paneer Masala, Chana Somethinggoodsounding and Shira for dessert.
Trust me, if we cook half as well as the mighty, mighty Bhide your mouths are in for a treat. I’ll also point out that my fridge is woefully bare of beer (and other alliterations thereof). If you wish to cool your throat or destroy your liver, please bring whatever you’d normally use to accomplish such. So bring your friends, bring your overstimulated taste buds and bring your appetite. It’s time to eat.
-Jeremy
Posted May 19th, 2016 by Chris
Hey All You Crazy Kids,
I’ve moved to a larger place and (far more importantly) a much better kitchen. To celebrate, I’m going to chain my cooking army minions to their assigned prep station and force them to make Filipino food. Come and cackle at us as we attempt to use 2 sets of burners, one flat top grill and one gas grill at the exact same time. Shenanigans (and likely 2nd degree burns) shall occur forthwith.
When: Next Wednesday, May 25th. Cooking at 6:30, food ready by 7:30
What: Filipino Grilled Chicken Skewers, Pancit (both vegetarian and real), Vegetarian Filipino Rice Stew, Lumpia
I am utterly beerless due to the recent move. So, if you crave liver destruction, please bring whatever you’d like to drink. And, especially if you have bad taste in beer, bring anyone you’d like to share said drinks with. It’s time to eat.
-Jeremy
Posted April 11th, 2016 by Chris
While it may be Spring according to the calendar, the temperatures outside seem to vigorously disagree. We here at the Cooking Army are going to pretend like it’s warmer out and do some grilling with the hope that Mother Nature will catch on. We also have some recipes from closer to the equator that would be warmer in general anyway. Can you tell we can’t wait for Summer?
Planning!
When: Wednesday, April 13th. Some food ready by 6:30. The rest should be ready by 8ish.
What: Homemade Guacamole, Cuban Black Bean and Potato Soup, Caribbean Fish With Mango Salsa, Jerk Chicken
I’m pulling some recipes that we did a few years ago to see if we can improve upon them. We are relatively low on beverages, so any drinkables you may be inclined to imbibe would be appreciated. Bring your friends, bring your bellies, it’s time to eat.
/Chris
Posted February 1st, 2016 by Chris
Nín hǎo!
After a stalled beginning, we’re starting Cooking Army back up for 2016 with Chinese that doesn’t make your house smell. By that, I mean, no deep fried food. While undoubtedly healthier for you, I understand if a few people will be a little sad we’re not attempting to kill you this time. I assure you these recipes are also tasty and have the added benefit of not going home like last year and having the following quote the next day, “I smell like fried Chinese food today. At least my jacket does!”.
Shípǐn!
When: This Wednesday, February 3rd. Food could be ready by 7:30.
What: Vegetable Chow Mein, Chop Suey, Beef and Broccoli, Cashew Chicken
We are entirely out of beer at the moment, so feel free to bring a six pack of whatever you like. Or wine if that’s your thing. As always, bring your friends, bring your bellies, it’s time to eat.
/Chris
Posted February 1st, 2016 by Chris
Finally getting this out as it’s about 3 months old.
Smoked Pork Sausage with Hard-Cider Sauce – http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/smoked-pork-sausage-with-hard-cider-sauce
This was really stinking good. The hard cider sauce could be used on a bunch of things other than this too.
Mom’s Thanksgiving Stuffing
2 bags of Brownberry sage and onion stuffing
½ to 1 stick of Land o’ Lakes real lightly salted butter
1 to 2 cups of milk
3 to 5 sliced to taste stalks of celery
1 diced onion
1/3 to ½ package of Jimmy Dean’s pork sausage original or to taste
This cannot be stored overnight in the fridge. Empty the 2 bags of stuffing into the biggest bowl that you own. Place butter in a pan to melt. Start to pour milk over bread crumbs. Let soak. When the butter is melted, pour over bread crumbs. Slice or dice celery. Dice onion. By now, the bread crumbs should be stirred or make sure that they all have absorbed milk and butter. If not, add more milk.
This is the really important part…use your hands, like meatloaf to mix all ingredients together. To add the sausage, pinch off pieces and cover the top of the bowl with little plops of them. When it is all mixed together, you can insert into bird, or put into a covered ceramic container to cook separately in the oven. It is best when cooked in the bird, but for extra dressing, it works.
Jason “accidentally” doubling the amount of sausage in the stuffing was appreciated by all.
Butternut squash soup – http://www.food.com/recipe/creamy-roasted-butternut-squash-soup-188978
Always popular and for good reason. Tasty.
Cinnamon Toast mixed drink –http://www.delish.com/cooking/recipe-ideas/recipes/a3139/cinnamon-toast-drink-recipes/
Because of this, we had a lot of leftover beer. And we had to buy more cinnamon!
Posted October 12th, 2015 by Chris
It’s started to cool off in Chicago and a few leaves have fallen off the trees we stack between lanes in the road, so that means it’s time for Fall comfort food! We’ve got some warm, toasty foods (and mixed drink!) planned for you this Wednesday!
When: October 14th. Cooking at 6:30. Food by 8pm-ish
What: Smoked Pork Sausage with Hard-Cider Sauce, Mom’s Thanksgiving Stuffing, Butternut squash soup, Cinnamon Toast mixed drink
As usual, beer is always encouraged (hooray Fall beers!), but with the mixed drink options, if you would like, you are always welcome to bring cookies or pie or some other dessert-like dish. Bring your friends, bring your bellies, it’s time to eat.
/Chris
Posted October 12th, 2015 by Chris
Jeremy had a good birthday with ~18 people showing up. Woo!
Chicken & Waffles – http://allrecipes.com/recipe/22180/waffles-i/
The waffles came out pretty good, had a ton left over, even with how many people showed up. The chicken was Harold’s, so it was, of course, awesome.
Biscuits and Gravy – http://prepared-housewives.com/easy-country-biscuits-from-scratch/ , http://allrecipes.com/recipe/65104/moms-country-gravy/
I only had the meat gravy, but the biscuits came out perfect.
Bacon – it’s bacon…
Everybody liked it and there were no leftovers.
Molten chocolate cookies -Sarah’s secret recipe
Sarah made these and they were fantastic.
Lemon Cream Cheese Pound Cake -Sarah’s secret recipe
Another Sarah specialty, it was great as always.
Ice Cream Bar with Homemade Salted Caramel -Sarah’s secret recipe
Homemade whip cream and salted caramel sauce, what’s not to like?
Homemade Whipped Cream -Sarah’s secret recipe
Used with the ice cream sundae bar, mmmmm…
Posted September 28th, 2015 by Chris
Hi Kids,
No matter how hard I try to avoid it, I somehow manage to age every year. This year that will occur during cooking army. And therefore, because I am greedy and largely disbelieving that other people actually have souls, we are doing food I want this week. What I want is some savory breakfasts and some nice sweet desserts. In America one of the things we actually do better than everyone else is breakfast. However, we never feel the need to have dessert with this meal A) because it’s always so large that doing so would be absurd and B) because we have enough breakfast dishes that are actually desserts in disguise that even we can’t be that hedonistic. Well, I say balderdash and harrumph to that notion. Hedonism for all; long lives for none.
Items!
When: This Wednesday, September 30th. Cooking at 6:30, stuff available as soon as 7
What: Biscuits and Gravy, Chicken and Waffles, Molten Chocolate Cookies, Pound Cake, Ice Cream Bar with Homemade Salted Caramel, Homemade Whipped Cream and all other type things.
Staring at this menu, I can’t really make any specific recommendations on what to bring for drinks, but I’m sure your livers will whisper the answer to you at some point. And, as usual, feel free to drag any of your friends, especially if they aren’t American, to stare at the spectacle of our overindulgence. It’s time to eat.
-Jeremy
Posted September 14th, 2015 by Chris
Are you ready for some football? I’m not. I think it should die a death as violent as the game itself. There is, however, an upside to the ritualistic clashing of 300 pound men and the inevitable concussions that follow and that’s the ritualistic gathering of friends to eat grilled meats and over consume beer in anticipation of watching grow men hurt themselves. This ritual is called tailgating. And it’s coming to Cooking Army.
The warm days of 2015 are slowly drawing to a close so this also gives us an excuse to fire up the grill one last time for the year. How very sad.
Details!
When: Wednesday, September 16th, cooking starts at 6:30, dinner by 7:30
What: MEATS!, potato salad, pasta salad
Bring your cooler full of beer, bring your parka and long johns, bring your friends. It’s time to eat!
Posted July 29th, 2015 by Chris
Had a good turn out and there were no bad recipes. Win!
Poutine – http://www.food.com/recipe/real-canadian-poutine-113388, http://allrecipes.com/recipe/vegetarian-gravy/
This was a little rough, the gravy turned out great, but the “fries” took forever and we probably made way too much of them. Next time, a single sack of potatoes is plenty.
Maple-Glazed Salmon – http://www.canadianliving.com/food/maple_glazed_salmon.php
This was simple and AWESOME! So good…
Canadian Bacon in Wine Sauce – http://www.cooks.com/recipe/cs1t271q/canadian-bacon-in-wine-sauce.html
Everybody liked it and there were no leftovers.
Apple Snow with Preserved Ginger – http://www.canadianliving.com/food/baking_and_desserts/apple_snow_with_preserved_ginger.php
Basically homemade apple sauce with some extra stuff in it, turned out pretty tasty.