Hotdog Octopus » Laptop in the Kitchen Cooking!

Cop-Outs and Sandwiches

I’m sorry I haven’t posted any new recipes. I’m sorry that I’m about to tender some excuses at the register of reasoning and hope that you don’t realize they’re kind of cop-outs. I’ve been sick the past week and before that I began the current stress I’m experiencing over moving. Lastly, the lack of feedback …

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Perfect Potatoes

Let’s make some potatoes! They’re simple and if you’re like me then you like to make them but sometimes simply deciding how is difficult. You should be able to make them delicious and whenever you want without sweat! First. Wash your potatoes. Those things are covered in dirt and you don’t know what nonsense that dirt …

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Hookah do’s/don’ts

A ‘hookah’ is in short a water-filtered pipe device used for smoking ‘shisha’. Shisha is in short tobacco soaked in flavored molasses. Even though this is not food related it directly relates to the sensation of taste and therefore falls into my realm of epicure. Do: Change the water in the vase regularly. Don’t: Use milk …

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The bright colors will not be effective in warning you away.

Baked Baja Shrimp Tacos

Well, as the temperature begins to rise and the seasons become more pleasurable, you’ll want to make food that reflects these things all the while being fresh and refreshing. And that’s why we’re making these Baja Shrimp Tacos. And we’re going to do them in the oven for all you people who don’t have time …

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Imagine your patties are at the hot-tub.

Salisbury Steak

Alright, Salisbury Steak. Another meal that the urchins anywhere in America are like to eat. A good divining rod for whether someone will eat a meal made from scratch is the question, “Can I get it in a box or TV dinner?”. If the answer is yes than indubitably people who are afraid of new …

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Low-Temp Oven Steak

Cooking steak is actually a two-part process which most people try to do at one time. That makes it difficult to achieve phenomenal results because it requires almost perfect timing. It is much easier to tackle the steps of cooking the interior and the exterior separately and achieve perfect results. Cooking the inside of the …

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That tomato was delicious after this photo.

Hummus Among Us.

Whether you’re someone in the running for the lifetime hippie award or you’re some deplorable yuppie wearing skinny jeans and buddy holly glasses right now in a coffee house near your local college campus you probably enjoy Hummus. As does any respectable human being of discerning taste. As such you should probably learn how to …

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Oven Roasted Red Pepper – D.C.

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Feed the Masses. Make My Red Beans and Rice.

This makes about 16 to 20 servings so feel free to halve the ingredient amounts. What you’ll need as far as ingredients: – 2 lb. of dry Red Kidney Beans – 4 t. of Garlic Salt – 2 t. Worcestershire Sauce – 1 T. Picante Sauce or Pepper Sauce (I use Tapatio) – 2 Quarts …

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Baked Toaster-Oven Salmon

The toaster oven is one of the best kitchen utensils my family has ever owned. It universally gets used more than the regular oven and is perfect for small jobs. As I learned from modernist cuisine at home you can us a toaster oven to make salmon nearly perfectly. They were not lying. You’re going to …

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Cop-Outs and Sandwiches Perfect Potatoes Hookah do’s/don’ts Baked Baja Shrimp Tacos Salisbury Steak Low-Temp Oven Steak Hummus Among Us.Oven Roasted Red Pepper – D.C.Feed the Masses. Make My Red Beans and Rice.Baked Toaster-Oven Salmon

Feb 21

A loaf of meat.

Categories:

Recipes

by He.Who.Wakes

If you don’t like meatloaf then you might as well just go buy a cheeseburger.

What you’ll need:
- 3lb. of ground beef
- 3 eggs
- A sleeve of saltine crackers
- 1 medium onion (finely chopped, about 2 cups)
- A 15oz. Can of Tomato Sauce
- 1 T. Salt
- 1 t. Garlic Salt
- 1 t. Ground Black Pepper
- 2 t. Paprika
- about 6 T. Worcestershire Sauce (not pictured)
- about 3 C. of Ketchup (or Catsup if you like)
And a large shallow pan like a 9″x13″ baking dish

After you’ve crushed your crackers into a fine powder you’ll take that and the rest of your ingredients (excluding the ketchup and 4 T. of the worcestershire sauce) and mash them all together. You’ll end up breaking down and using your hands so just be sure to get an even mix all the way through. Start pre-heating your oven up to 400° F.

Form the meat into loaves and put them in an appropriately sized baking dish. Then throw (by throw I mean set gently) into the oven you heated to 400° F for 15 minutes so that the loaves set. While the loaves are in the oven we’re going to do something I forgot to take pictures of. Take the ketchup and the rest of the worcestershire sauce and mix it together in a bowl. This is what we’re going to goat the tops of these loaves with when they come out of the oven.

After fifteen minutes you’ll pull the loaves out of the oven and spread the mixture of ketchup and worcestershire sauce on top.

Lower the temperature of the oven to 350° F and put the loaves with sauce back into the oven for 60 minutes.

After 60 minutes pull the loaves out of the oven and serve. One loaf serves 4-6 people and the other loaf can be frozen and saved for later.

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Feb 05

Oven Roasted Red Pepper – D.C.

Categories:

Food Knowledge, General Epicure

by He.Who.Wakes

The week before last I was in Washington D.C. and while there I visited a couple of the Smithsonian museums. At the American History Museum there was an entire section called “Food: Transforming the American Table” that went over the evolution/history of food and food cultures in America. As somewhat of a food enthusiast I found it quite interesting. From barbecue culture’s introduction and growth in the states to the how wine world wide and at home was shaped by the the great depression and science.

Pictured Below: Julia Child’s Kitchen

After my trip is was knocked down with sickness for a week so let’s fire things back up with how to roast red pepper in your standard electric oven. Roasted Red Pepper yields delicious oils and tender flesh that are excellent to put in many things such as spaghetti sauce or hummus. It is by far one of the easiest ways to add an exciting and delicious flavor to your meal.

You’ll need at least red pepper, an oven-safe tray or plate, a fine-mesh sieve, and a bowl.

Turn your oven on to broil and put your red pepper in the oven on a rack near the top heating elements. You’re going to leave the door of the oven open a bit for this process. That way your oven doesn’t turn off the heating element as the oven gets warm enough. It will constantly think it needs to be on as the heat escapes through the open door.

As the pepper sit the side nearest the element will blacken. Once it has you will turn it so as to blacken all of the sides (be careful, it’s hot).

Once you have roasted the outside of the pepper you will put it in the sieve which you will put in your bowl. There you will let it cool to a temperature you can work with. So as not to burn your hands. You want it in the sieve so that any oil that drips while it cools or during preparation will be separate from that which you will not be keeping.

After the pepper has appropriately cooled you will remove all of the blackened skin, the core, the seeds and the white membrane of the pepper. Everything that is removed should be placed in the sieve in the bowl so as to gather the oils. The flesh and oil of the pepper sans seeds, membrane and skin are now ready for consumption or adding in any way you like to any food.

Enjoy!

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Jan 17

Simple Yellow Cake

Categories:

Baking, Food Knowledge, Recipes

by He.Who.Wakes

So when you find yourself in need of a cake, be it for a birthday or a sweet tooth, you can make this easy yellow cake from scratch. Provided you have these ingredients:

-2 1/4 C. Flour (Cake Flour is best but if you sift and aerate regular it’ll work just as well)
-1 1/4 C. Sugar
-2 t. Baking Powder
-1 t. Salt
-1 C. Milk
-1/2 C. Vegetable Oil
-2 t. Vanilla
-2 Eggs
Some butter and extra flour for your cake pans (pans because this makes two cakes).

First pre-heat your oven to 350° F. Next you’re going to lightly coat the inside of your cake pans with butter and then you’re going to give the entire inside surfaces a light dusting of flour. This will make it so your cake does not stick to the inside of the cake pans.

Now take all of your dry ingredients and sift them together. Take your oil and milk and add them to your dry ingredients. Beat for 2 min.

Next you’ll add your two eggs.

Pour the mixture evenly into two cake pans (I don’t have two) and bake for 20-30 minutes at 350° F.

How does one tell if the cake is actually done? Grab a wooden toothpick, wooden skewer, or wooden spear

Insert the spear to the center and remove.

If the spear comes out clean it is ready to serve. Coat with icing or eat plain but enjoy either way. You’ve just made cake from scratch.