Maison Rustique
06-26-2007, 03:34 PM
- - (http://www.otwa.com/community/showthread.php?t=15931)
fraidycat Aug-05-04 05:56 PM
Calling cooks! Food processor use?
It seemed like I was always seeing recipes that called for a food processor, and since I didn't have one, I never saved any (but I got the itch to get one). So the Kitchen Aid food processor arrives, and I don't know what to do with it. It's huge and heavy! If you have one, what do you use it for? What is it really great at doing? What makes it better for mixing some things than a stand mixer? Do you ever figure out all the disks/attachment things, or do you have to look at the manual all the time?
Thanks for any help...I want to play but don't know where to start!
Whitey Ford Aug-05-04 06:24 PM
Salad dressing: Throw a clove of garlic, salt, pepper, spices (oregano, thyme) and some vinegar into the processor; while running it slowly pour a stream of olive oil through the top. Emulsifies nicely.
Pastry dough: Roughly chop up a cold stick of butter in 4 or 5 pieces and toss it in, add flour and salt and other ingredients in your pastry recipe. Pulse it a few times, so that the butter gets a granular consistency. While running the machine, pour a couple of tablespoons of cold water in. Gather it up with your hands, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready for use.
Cole Slaw: Make mayonnaise; put a couple of egg yolks and a teaspoon of mustard into processor along with salt, pepper, a couple of teaspoons sugar. While running the machine pour in slowly a half a cup of olive oil--Instant mayo! Then chop a few wedges of cabbage into chunks along with a carrot, stalk of celery, half an onion, celery seed and throw them in on top of mayo. Pulse a few times and you got coleslaw.
Spaghetti Sauce: Saute some diced onions and green peppers and garlic in olive oil. Add a can or two of whole plum tomatoes with liquid. Bring to boil and let simmer for a while. (1/2 hour) Pour about 2/3 of sauce into processor and puree. Return to pot with the chunkier sauce.
Hamburger meat; If a decent cut of beef is on sale, like a roast, chop into 2-3 inch cubes and process for hamburger meat. Add salt, pepper, dash of worchester (sp?) sauce and have great grilled burgers.
maison rustique Aug-05-04 06:37 PM
For bulk chopping and slicing, you can't beat a FP!!
I think I use mine most often for chopping meat to make chili. Chopped meat (I mix pork and beef) makes a much better chili than ground meat!
I've got a great salad recipe that calls for paper-thin sliced mushrooms and celery with shaved parmesan over it--everyone always loves it. I'll try to remember to hunt it up and post it for you. If I forget, PM or EM me!!
magna5 Aug-05-04 06:39 PM
After Whitey's post I'm ashamed to admit mine only gets used for making snow cones. :p
jakbat Aug-05-04 09:23 PM
You can use it for snow cones?
Cassie Aug-05-04 09:29 PM
You can use it for snowcones but the ice will dull the blades.
Another common use is chopping onions tear free. Just slice up onion into chunks and toss em in. Pulse them two or three times for diced onions or more for minced onions, tear free
EDITED TO ADD: food processors are a neat kitchen toy if you're a hard core chef. But you can do it all with the proper knives
fraidycat Aug-06-04 02:49 AM
Thanks, I appreciate the ideas! I'm heading to the store this a.m. and will be looking for choppable/sliceable items! I think I'll have to have company, this thing is large - and for much of my personal cooking a paring knife does the job.
Whitey, Maison & Cassie - those are great ideas (and normal stuff). I was overlooking the regular type tasks. I have a Cuisinart baby that I chop onion and peppers in, but this has a mini bowl so probably can substitute since it takes up so much counter real estate anyway.
Magna5 - Sno cones? Mmm - I haven't had one in years, but it sounds good!
Momelie Aug-06-04 04:03 AM
Piemento cheese, chicken, ham and turkey salad, grating cheese, slicing potatoes for au gratin - if I think of others, I'll post them.
gingertreedotcom Aug-06-04 04:13 AM
Pesto!
The latest use for mine--throw in a couple bulbs' worth of peeled garlic, a handful of basil (okay three handfuls), walnuts, pine nuts (expensive, so I use walnuts also), parmesan cheese; chop until mixed and fine, add lots more of parmesan cheese, and then olive oil to the right consistency. A pinch of salt, and voila! Better pesto than you could ever buy!
gingertreedotcom Aug-06-04 04:14 AM
Slicing Apples for Pie
Easy, quick. Also, reduces crackers and bread to crumbs very quickly.
gingertreedotcom Aug-06-04 04:15 AM
This is my favorite subject, can't you tell?
:) I have a Bosch food processor--went through a couple Black and Deckers and decided to splurge. The Bosch company makes woodworking tools, and the motor on this one is powerful. Nothing gets hung up.
gingertreedotcom Aug-06-04 04:17 AM
Chicken Salad!
Throw in leftover chicken deboned--fried chicken from KFC works really well! Or chicken from Boston Market--add some pickles, an onion, celery, maybe some rasins and walnuts, some miracle whip, dried parsley--just process and you are done. I take it to work all the time. It is really the only way I can eat chicken.
gingertreedotcom Aug-06-04 04:19 AM
I'll Stop Now
After this one--;)
A pound of feta cheese, a cup of walnuts, a handful of really good black olives pitted, a couple drops of Tabasco sauce (to taste). Great on crackers.
cin131 Aug-06-04 04:38 AM
wow, I feel so humbled. I have a cuisinart. I guess it would do all that....I use mine during the berry season to make jam, and then put it away until the next spring. Maybe I'll print this thread out and pull the cuisinart out and see what's cookin'!!!!!!!!
tedsky Aug-06-04 04:39 AM
More...more keep them coming. I have a cusinart pro and it has never been used. Its been sitting on my counter for 10 months now just waiting to be used. (previous to the 10 months it was in it's box sitting on a shelf for 3 years.)
Debbie Aug-06-04 09:04 AM
I received a Cuisinart for Christmas and am still learning. I use the dough hook (Do you have one of those?) fairly often and, in fact, have some pizza dough rising as I type this. I also really like the julienne blade I purchased for when I do a stir fry.
I checked a food processor reference/cookbook out of the library then ended up buying it on eBay (actually Half.com, I think) for $5.00. Process This! by Jean Anderson can be found here:
http://half.ebay.com/cat/buy/prod.cg...1856&meta_id=1
http://search.ebay.com/process-this_...mZR6QQnojsprZy
I can't really comment on the recipes in the book because I haven't tried too many, but they seem pretty basic. What I really like about the book is the section on different types of foods and what blades/attachments work best. It also shows yields of foods, how to look at recipes and figure out how to go about making them using the most logical steps when using a processor (they can be very different than the steps in a "traditional" recipe), and offers tips and advice from the author's experience. The book has helped me a lot in getting to know my machine. I recommend it!
toystover Aug-06-04 09:13 AM
Quote:
Originally Posted by gingertreedotcom
A pound of feta cheese, a cup of walnuts, a handful of really good black olives pitted, a couple drops of Tabasco sauce (to taste). Great on crackers.
That sounds delicious! I've been considering buying a food processor since this last weekend. Made some coleslaw and used my old time grater, what a mess, cabbage everywhere and took forever!
Sandy Aug-06-04 09:14 AM
<hanging head in shame> I use mine as a dust collector :( Works great :D
fraidycat Aug-06-04 01:41 PM
Wow - getting hungry as I read! What really great ideas. I love the apple one, I love to make the pie I put in the OTWA cookbook, but slicing apples is boring! Maybe I can do a bunch and freeze them! The pesto sounds great, and the chicken salad, and um, everything! I think I'll check on the book, too! I may get more use out of this thing than I expected - :)
deanawo Aug-07-04 12:14 PM
Use it to take advantage of fresh (cheap) Summer produce. Buy some of those teeny ziplock bags & put things in the freezer.
In the Summer bell peppers cost me about $2 for a dozen at the farmer's market. In the winter they cost $1.39 each at the grocer. I chop up a bunch, divide into recipe size amounts, put in the bags mentioned above, & freeze to use in recipes all year. I do the same for onions, chop a bunch at once. I chop tomatoes & put in quart bags & freeze for soups in the winter & do pecans for cookies, etc - you get the idea.
Use the slicing blade to make salad stuff - easy & quick.
Save the heels to your loaves of bread in a bag in the freezer. When you get enough chop to use in dressing/stuffing mix.
joyjoy Aug-07-04 10:25 PM
Make Homemade Chicken and Egg Noodles. Just like Grandma's, only easier. Boil a chicken in a large stew pot. Remove the chicken and pull the meat from the bones when cool. Return the meat to the broth. I always "enrich" my broth with chicken boullion paste (or cubes). Remember that boullion is salty. For the noodles, crack 8 or so eggs into the FP, add salt (or more boullion paste), then start adding in flour a cup at a time or so until the dough forms a stiff ball. Knead once or twice on a floured board and roll out thin. Cut noodles with a pizza cutter and gather them up with more flour. Drop into the boiling broth a few at a time and stir frequently until the flour and noodles are mixed in. You can always add more water if it gets too thick. Cook for a few minutes and serve with mashed potatoes or over turkey and dressing.
Just be aware that if you make this for your big family get-togethers, you will be asked to make it EVERY time. :eek:
piquezn Aug-08-04 07:18 AM
I've had an old Sunbeam FP for probably almost 30 years. I swear I got it in the late 70's! OH MY! I didn't realize it was that long!
So you know I don't use it all the time. :D But I do use it for grinding beef.
I buy chuck roasts and cut them in chunks and grind em up. Makes the best ground beef you can get.
I've thought of getting rid of it several times when I'm cleaning out the cabinets, but always at the last minute it gets a reprieve.
This thread has made me want to go pull it out and get cooking. I'm definitely gonna try that chicken salad soon.
Great thread.
Pat
ladybug Aug-08-04 07:46 AM
Quote:
Originally Posted by gingertreedotcom
Throw in leftover chicken deboned--fried chicken from KFC works really well! Or chicken from Boston Market--add some pickles, an onion, celery, maybe some rasins and walnuts, some miracle whip, dried parsley--just process and you are done. I take it to work all the time. It is really the only way I can eat chicken.
Leftover KFC?? Not in my house!! :D
tedsky Aug-08-04 09:01 AM
All of these recipes sound great! Okay here's my chance to finally use the FP :)
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fraidycat Aug-05-04 05:56 PM
Calling cooks! Food processor use?
It seemed like I was always seeing recipes that called for a food processor, and since I didn't have one, I never saved any (but I got the itch to get one). So the Kitchen Aid food processor arrives, and I don't know what to do with it. It's huge and heavy! If you have one, what do you use it for? What is it really great at doing? What makes it better for mixing some things than a stand mixer? Do you ever figure out all the disks/attachment things, or do you have to look at the manual all the time?
Thanks for any help...I want to play but don't know where to start!
Whitey Ford Aug-05-04 06:24 PM
Salad dressing: Throw a clove of garlic, salt, pepper, spices (oregano, thyme) and some vinegar into the processor; while running it slowly pour a stream of olive oil through the top. Emulsifies nicely.
Pastry dough: Roughly chop up a cold stick of butter in 4 or 5 pieces and toss it in, add flour and salt and other ingredients in your pastry recipe. Pulse it a few times, so that the butter gets a granular consistency. While running the machine, pour a couple of tablespoons of cold water in. Gather it up with your hands, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready for use.
Cole Slaw: Make mayonnaise; put a couple of egg yolks and a teaspoon of mustard into processor along with salt, pepper, a couple of teaspoons sugar. While running the machine pour in slowly a half a cup of olive oil--Instant mayo! Then chop a few wedges of cabbage into chunks along with a carrot, stalk of celery, half an onion, celery seed and throw them in on top of mayo. Pulse a few times and you got coleslaw.
Spaghetti Sauce: Saute some diced onions and green peppers and garlic in olive oil. Add a can or two of whole plum tomatoes with liquid. Bring to boil and let simmer for a while. (1/2 hour) Pour about 2/3 of sauce into processor and puree. Return to pot with the chunkier sauce.
Hamburger meat; If a decent cut of beef is on sale, like a roast, chop into 2-3 inch cubes and process for hamburger meat. Add salt, pepper, dash of worchester (sp?) sauce and have great grilled burgers.
maison rustique Aug-05-04 06:37 PM
For bulk chopping and slicing, you can't beat a FP!!
I think I use mine most often for chopping meat to make chili. Chopped meat (I mix pork and beef) makes a much better chili than ground meat!
I've got a great salad recipe that calls for paper-thin sliced mushrooms and celery with shaved parmesan over it--everyone always loves it. I'll try to remember to hunt it up and post it for you. If I forget, PM or EM me!!
magna5 Aug-05-04 06:39 PM
After Whitey's post I'm ashamed to admit mine only gets used for making snow cones. :p
jakbat Aug-05-04 09:23 PM
You can use it for snow cones?
Cassie Aug-05-04 09:29 PM
You can use it for snowcones but the ice will dull the blades.
Another common use is chopping onions tear free. Just slice up onion into chunks and toss em in. Pulse them two or three times for diced onions or more for minced onions, tear free
EDITED TO ADD: food processors are a neat kitchen toy if you're a hard core chef. But you can do it all with the proper knives
fraidycat Aug-06-04 02:49 AM
Thanks, I appreciate the ideas! I'm heading to the store this a.m. and will be looking for choppable/sliceable items! I think I'll have to have company, this thing is large - and for much of my personal cooking a paring knife does the job.
Whitey, Maison & Cassie - those are great ideas (and normal stuff). I was overlooking the regular type tasks. I have a Cuisinart baby that I chop onion and peppers in, but this has a mini bowl so probably can substitute since it takes up so much counter real estate anyway.
Magna5 - Sno cones? Mmm - I haven't had one in years, but it sounds good!
Momelie Aug-06-04 04:03 AM
Piemento cheese, chicken, ham and turkey salad, grating cheese, slicing potatoes for au gratin - if I think of others, I'll post them.
gingertreedotcom Aug-06-04 04:13 AM
Pesto!
The latest use for mine--throw in a couple bulbs' worth of peeled garlic, a handful of basil (okay three handfuls), walnuts, pine nuts (expensive, so I use walnuts also), parmesan cheese; chop until mixed and fine, add lots more of parmesan cheese, and then olive oil to the right consistency. A pinch of salt, and voila! Better pesto than you could ever buy!
gingertreedotcom Aug-06-04 04:14 AM
Slicing Apples for Pie
Easy, quick. Also, reduces crackers and bread to crumbs very quickly.
gingertreedotcom Aug-06-04 04:15 AM
This is my favorite subject, can't you tell?
:) I have a Bosch food processor--went through a couple Black and Deckers and decided to splurge. The Bosch company makes woodworking tools, and the motor on this one is powerful. Nothing gets hung up.
gingertreedotcom Aug-06-04 04:17 AM
Chicken Salad!
Throw in leftover chicken deboned--fried chicken from KFC works really well! Or chicken from Boston Market--add some pickles, an onion, celery, maybe some rasins and walnuts, some miracle whip, dried parsley--just process and you are done. I take it to work all the time. It is really the only way I can eat chicken.
gingertreedotcom Aug-06-04 04:19 AM
I'll Stop Now
After this one--;)
A pound of feta cheese, a cup of walnuts, a handful of really good black olives pitted, a couple drops of Tabasco sauce (to taste). Great on crackers.
cin131 Aug-06-04 04:38 AM
wow, I feel so humbled. I have a cuisinart. I guess it would do all that....I use mine during the berry season to make jam, and then put it away until the next spring. Maybe I'll print this thread out and pull the cuisinart out and see what's cookin'!!!!!!!!
tedsky Aug-06-04 04:39 AM
More...more keep them coming. I have a cusinart pro and it has never been used. Its been sitting on my counter for 10 months now just waiting to be used. (previous to the 10 months it was in it's box sitting on a shelf for 3 years.)
Debbie Aug-06-04 09:04 AM
I received a Cuisinart for Christmas and am still learning. I use the dough hook (Do you have one of those?) fairly often and, in fact, have some pizza dough rising as I type this. I also really like the julienne blade I purchased for when I do a stir fry.
I checked a food processor reference/cookbook out of the library then ended up buying it on eBay (actually Half.com, I think) for $5.00. Process This! by Jean Anderson can be found here:
http://half.ebay.com/cat/buy/prod.cg...1856&meta_id=1
http://search.ebay.com/process-this_...mZR6QQnojsprZy
I can't really comment on the recipes in the book because I haven't tried too many, but they seem pretty basic. What I really like about the book is the section on different types of foods and what blades/attachments work best. It also shows yields of foods, how to look at recipes and figure out how to go about making them using the most logical steps when using a processor (they can be very different than the steps in a "traditional" recipe), and offers tips and advice from the author's experience. The book has helped me a lot in getting to know my machine. I recommend it!
toystover Aug-06-04 09:13 AM
Quote:
Originally Posted by gingertreedotcom
A pound of feta cheese, a cup of walnuts, a handful of really good black olives pitted, a couple drops of Tabasco sauce (to taste). Great on crackers.
That sounds delicious! I've been considering buying a food processor since this last weekend. Made some coleslaw and used my old time grater, what a mess, cabbage everywhere and took forever!
Sandy Aug-06-04 09:14 AM
<hanging head in shame> I use mine as a dust collector :( Works great :D
fraidycat Aug-06-04 01:41 PM
Wow - getting hungry as I read! What really great ideas. I love the apple one, I love to make the pie I put in the OTWA cookbook, but slicing apples is boring! Maybe I can do a bunch and freeze them! The pesto sounds great, and the chicken salad, and um, everything! I think I'll check on the book, too! I may get more use out of this thing than I expected - :)
deanawo Aug-07-04 12:14 PM
Use it to take advantage of fresh (cheap) Summer produce. Buy some of those teeny ziplock bags & put things in the freezer.
In the Summer bell peppers cost me about $2 for a dozen at the farmer's market. In the winter they cost $1.39 each at the grocer. I chop up a bunch, divide into recipe size amounts, put in the bags mentioned above, & freeze to use in recipes all year. I do the same for onions, chop a bunch at once. I chop tomatoes & put in quart bags & freeze for soups in the winter & do pecans for cookies, etc - you get the idea.
Use the slicing blade to make salad stuff - easy & quick.
Save the heels to your loaves of bread in a bag in the freezer. When you get enough chop to use in dressing/stuffing mix.
joyjoy Aug-07-04 10:25 PM
Make Homemade Chicken and Egg Noodles. Just like Grandma's, only easier. Boil a chicken in a large stew pot. Remove the chicken and pull the meat from the bones when cool. Return the meat to the broth. I always "enrich" my broth with chicken boullion paste (or cubes). Remember that boullion is salty. For the noodles, crack 8 or so eggs into the FP, add salt (or more boullion paste), then start adding in flour a cup at a time or so until the dough forms a stiff ball. Knead once or twice on a floured board and roll out thin. Cut noodles with a pizza cutter and gather them up with more flour. Drop into the boiling broth a few at a time and stir frequently until the flour and noodles are mixed in. You can always add more water if it gets too thick. Cook for a few minutes and serve with mashed potatoes or over turkey and dressing.
Just be aware that if you make this for your big family get-togethers, you will be asked to make it EVERY time. :eek:
piquezn Aug-08-04 07:18 AM
I've had an old Sunbeam FP for probably almost 30 years. I swear I got it in the late 70's! OH MY! I didn't realize it was that long!
So you know I don't use it all the time. :D But I do use it for grinding beef.
I buy chuck roasts and cut them in chunks and grind em up. Makes the best ground beef you can get.
I've thought of getting rid of it several times when I'm cleaning out the cabinets, but always at the last minute it gets a reprieve.
This thread has made me want to go pull it out and get cooking. I'm definitely gonna try that chicken salad soon.
Great thread.
Pat
ladybug Aug-08-04 07:46 AM
Quote:
Originally Posted by gingertreedotcom
Throw in leftover chicken deboned--fried chicken from KFC works really well! Or chicken from Boston Market--add some pickles, an onion, celery, maybe some rasins and walnuts, some miracle whip, dried parsley--just process and you are done. I take it to work all the time. It is really the only way I can eat chicken.
Leftover KFC?? Not in my house!! :D
tedsky Aug-08-04 09:01 AM
All of these recipes sound great! Okay here's my chance to finally use the FP :)
All times are GMT -7. The time now is 02:33 PM.
To adjust your timezone, visit your MyOTWA Control Panel.
Forums powered by vBulletin, Copyright ©2000 - 2007, Jelsoft Enterprises Limited.