The Great BFO Food, Recipe, & Eating Thread

[Otis Day]

Go dplank. I try to challenge myself when it comes to eating, not eating. This month I am giving up treats (candy, cookies, ice cream, cake brownies), bread (not pizza) and fruit. Someone said it is like a keto thing. I don't follow that stuff so not sure. I go to the gym about 4-5x a week and mix machines with cardio (rowing machine, recumbent and treadmill). We will see what happens after a month.

Do the roast in the over today for the father in law. Threw in the usual carrots and potatoes.

[wab]

Warning - healthy food alert...

I've been utterly addicted to Avocado Toast lately. I get this Nature's Own Keto Bread, 35 cal per slice, toast up 2 slices. Mash up one Hass Avocado and mix in just a touch of Everything Bagel seasoning, and spread a generous layer on top of the toast. Then I switch it up every other day, one day I'll fry two eggs and lay them on top, the next day I'll put a slice of tomato on top instead.

I do this about 10:30/11 AM every day, and it holds me all the way to dinner cause it's high fiber. Between this and 3 HIIT workouts a week, and 3 light jogs a week, I'm feeling tip top!

Dude, I love avocado toast. I eat it almost every morning.

[LacertineForest]

Warning - healthy food alert...

I've been utterly addicted to Avocado Toast lately. I get this Nature's Own Keto Bread, 35 cal per slice, toast up 2 slices. Mash up one Hass Avocado and mix in just a touch of Everything Bagel seasoning, and spread a generous layer on top of the toast. Then I switch it up every other day, one day I'll fry two eggs and lay them on top, the next day I'll put a slice of tomato on top instead.

I do this about 10:30/11 AM every day, and it holds me all the way to dinner cause it's high fiber. Between this and 3 HIIT workouts a week, and 3 light jogs a week, I'm feeling tip top!

Avocado toast/avocado on a WW bagel are staples for me, too. Delicious, a decent amount of protein, high in fiber. Love it! I'm usually too lazy to mash up the avocado - I just slice it (if they're still a bit firm) or spread it if they're more ripe and put some salt and red pepper flakes on them.

[The Marshall Plan]

Warning - healthy food alert...

I've been utterly addicted to Avocado Toast lately. I get this Nature's Own Keto Bread, 35 cal per slice, toast up 2 slices. Mash up one Hass Avocado and mix in just a touch of Everything Bagel seasoning, and spread a generous layer on top of the toast. Then I switch it up every other day, one day I'll fry two eggs and lay them on top, the next day I'll put a slice of tomato on top instead.

I do this about 10:30/11 AM every day, and it holds me all the way to dinner cause it's high fiber. Between this and 3 HIIT workouts a week, and 3 light jogs a week, I'm feeling tip top!

Avocado toast/avocado on a WW bagel are staples for me, too. Delicious, a decent amount of protein, high in fiber. Love it! I'm usually too lazy to mash up the avocado - I just slice it (if they're still a bit firm) or spread it if they're more ripe and put some salt and red pepper flakes on them.

I like avocado slices on turkey sandwiches.

[thunderspirit]

Avocado toast/avocado on a WW bagel are staples for me, too. Delicious, a decent amount of protein, high in fiber. Love it! I'm usually too lazy to mash up the avocado - I just slice it (if they're still a bit firm) or spread it if they're more ripe and put some salt and red pepper flakes on them.

I like avocado slices on turkey sandwiches.

Indeed.

Burgers too.

[The Marshall Plan]

Really excited about this dinner tonight. I'm making beef stew which is something I only make this time of the year.

Stew meat
3 carrots
3 large potatoes
1 whole onion
2 bay leaves
1 cup of red wine (I actually had an old bottle in the house somehow.)
beef broth
freshly chopped garlic
spoonful of black pepper

Bring to a boil then simmer on the stove.

[dplank]

Really excited about this dinner tonight. I'm making beef stew which is something I only make this time of the year.

Stew meat
3 carrots
3 large potatoes
1 whole onion
2 bay leaves
1 cup of red wine (I actually had an old bottle in the house somehow.)
beef broth
freshly chopped garlic
spoonful of black pepper

Bring to a boil then simmer on the stove.

Nice, how'd it turn out?

I'm making a Tourtiere today...very excited...

https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/26198 ... -meat-pie/

[The Marshall Plan]

Really excited about this dinner tonight. I'm making beef stew which is something I only make this time of the year.

Stew meat
3 carrots
3 large potatoes
1 whole onion
2 bay leaves
1 cup of red wine (I actually had an old bottle in the house somehow.)
beef broth
freshly chopped garlic
spoonful of black pepper

Bring to a boil then simmer on the stove.

Nice, how'd it turn out?

I'm making a Tourtiere today...very excited...

https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/26198 ... -meat-pie/

It turned out really good. The flavor was great, but I should have used a bit less beef broth because it wasn't as thick as I usually make it. I don't like using flour though because it takes away from the flavor sometimes.

That meat pie looks awesome. Let us know how it turns out.

[The Marshall Plan]

I like avocado slices on turkey sandwiches.

Indeed.

Burgers too.

Today's game time lunch was a cheeseburger (cheddar) with sliced avocado, unsweetened ketchup and mustard.

I recently switched from regular ketchup to unsweetened and unsweetened is way better.

[The Marshall Plan]

This is the weirdest thing. I love making tender chuck roasts in the crock pot. I do it every week. I’ve tried all different kinds of variations.

The one I just made was as simple as it gets. Four pound tender chuck roast. Some beef broth that gets up to almost half the depth of the roast. A spoonful of the Beef Base flavor of Better Than Bouillon.

Low for six or seven hours. Thats it.

Best damn roast I’ve made. TBH I don’t think I’ve ever made a bad one even though I’ve tried who knows how many different variations. But the simplest one has been the best one.

New contender for Best Roast just recently.

4 pound tender chuck roast
1 medium white onion chopped up
A lot of garlic. Like 6 or 7 cloves. Shredded.
3 spoonfulls of Worchester sauce
3 large baking potatoes stabbed with a fork
3 tablespoons of butter
1 large spoonful of Better Than Bouillon Roasted Beef Base

Put all that in a plastic storage container and fill it half full with beef broth

Let it soak overnight

Then put all of that, including the beef broth, into a crock pot.

Low for six hours.

The beef just broke apart and the potatoes absorbed the flavor of it all.

@Grizzled I have made a couple with beans after your suggestion. They were outstanding.

[southdakbearfan]

Going to break out the smoker again for the next family get together, at least that’s what the wife told me. Seems everyone loved the pulled pork at the wedding so I need a big batch for Christmas.

This time I will get pictures through the process.

Also, I have never tried “over the top” smoked chili, but that’s going to happen soon as well.

[southdakbearfan]

Smoked “over the top chili” has been started.

2-2.5 hours with some hickory smoke, then crumble the meat into the chili.

[southdakbearfan]

Well, I forgot to take a picture when I was done but holy hell, I have always been told my chili was really good but I will never make chili again without doing this. 3 hours at 275, pulled when the giant burger loaf hit 150. Crumbled the burger into the pot and finished on the stove in about 10 minutes.

I ate 3 bowls and had to stop. Not an overpowering Smokey flavor but a good one. I used hickory chips in one of my electrics, smoke was on for about 2.5 hours.

I think you could just smoke the meat over a catch tray, then crumble and combine both into the chili and come out pretty close to the same.

If you want to try something different I highly recommend it. Just google over the top chili, they are all pretty close as far as cooking instructions.

[Arkansasbear]

Thank you for rescuing TMP, I rescued this fine fellow from a puppy mill raid in Ohio. Meet Bernie!

Tell Bernie that Uncle Marshall says he’s awesome.

Rescue Dog (Chop) has such a different personality. He’s thankful and appreciative of things. He’s just different. He likes hanging out. He genuinely misses us when we leave the house. He’s glued to us for the rest of the day. He watches movies with us.

He’s a male Rott that is my wife’s dog technically. We got him a solid 20 pounds underweight. You could see the ribs through the fur. He was kept in a crate a lot so he had behavior issues (high energy and a bit out of control) for a while. Never aggressive.

My wife worked with him and turned him around. Took a class. Gave lessons at home. Got him a bunch of toys in the backyard and just let him run around.

Now he knows what the packages for bacon, deli meat and cheese look like. He knows Starbucks gives him a Pup Cup. He’s become the Gym Dog and hangs with us while we lift. Chop is the man.

That's awesome. My wife is clean freak so we have to have a dog that doesn't shed. For first is Tiko who is a maltipoo. Got a second, Miles, one a few years later but stomach cancer got him. One of the hardest days of my life when I had to put him down. They were polar opposites. Tiko has always been an old gentle soul and Miles acts like he's on crack.

Tiko watches TV with us a well. He barks at dogs, cat, horse and tigers. Most other animals don't phase him. But I swear he can figure out who the bad guy in movies are. About half way through a movie he'll start barking when they come on the screen.

[Arkansasbear]

Stumbled across the Primal Kitchen brand of products.

Their unsweetened ketchup and Chipotle Lime Mayo with Avocado are both great.

Is Primal Kitchen a "natural" or "healthy" brand? I think that's what one of my kids buys and everything I've tried of theirs was horrible.

[Arkansasbear]

I am curious why some people just won't deal with leftovers ... perfectly good food that some simply don't want to be bothered with ... I think one of the issues is folks are expecting to be able to just microwave their leftovers and it will magically be the same as it was in the restaurant, and that doesn't necessarily work ... I tend to use the leftovers simply as a base to make a new meal ... leftover meat gets chopped or shredded ... leftover veggies get blended with a touch of heavy cream and then mixed in with some rice or mashed potatoes ... and as long as you have flour tortillas and cheese on hand, you always have a perfect base to put your leftovers in ... leftovers can be a nice base to start a fresh meal from with a little creativity ... plus I hate wasting food

so how about the rest of you? do you get creative with leftovers? just nuke 'em and consume? not bother?

I'm a huge fan of leftovers. Mainly because I do 95% of the cooking and I like the break. For the most part, nuking isn't an options. Recreate it into something "new" or cook it how it was made. If I have left over chicken, I put it back in the oven or toaster oven to heat up. I hate the microwave.

[Arkansasbear]

My wife won’t eat leftovers unless it’s pizza or chili.

A couple we use to be super close to (why we aren't is LONG story for another day) not only didn't believe in eat leftovers, they wouldn't keep any condiments more than A WEEK after they opened them. So basically every week their grocery list had ketchup, mustard, mayo, jelly. salad dressing. I can't imagine what their shopping bill was. At one point they would go to restaurant supply store and buy all of it in small packets.

[Arkansasbear]

I am curious why some people just won't deal with leftovers ... perfectly good food that some simply don't want to be bothered with ... I think one of the issues is folks are expecting to be able to just microwave their leftovers and it will magically be the same as it was in the restaurant, and that doesn't necessarily work ... I tend to use the leftovers simply as a base to make a new meal ... leftover meat gets chopped or shredded ... leftover veggies get blended with a touch of heavy cream and then mixed in with some rice or mashed potatoes ... and as long as you have flour tortillas and cheese on hand, you always have a perfect base to put your leftovers in ... leftovers can be a nice base to start a fresh meal from with a little creativity ... plus I hate wasting food

so how about the rest of you? do you get creative with leftovers? just nuke 'em and consume? not bother?

My grandmother was an off the boat immigrant from Germany who would grow up during the Great Depression and then raise a family during World War II.

She would bring home everything from the restaurant including the bread and cracker packets.

Nothing was ever wasted. She also hoarded things that were "luxury" items during the Great Depression. Various paper products. Cosmetics. Stuff like that.

I absolutely loved that woman and still visit her grave multiple times per year. She taught this to me. I still bring home the bread (not cracker packets) every time.

So our leftovers are consumed and usually as-is. If I make a 4 pound roast, even if there are only 2 adults in the home, I've got my lunches or snacks set. Fish doesn't keep well as a leftover so I only buy enough for one meal. Everything else is bought in bigger quantities and then my lunches or snacks are set. I'd rather snack on pork chops or ground beef (I cook 2 pounds of extra lean ground beef every week for snacks/meals.) than bullshit like potato chips.

I'm the same way. But I tend to bring home the cracker packets. I keep them at the office as emergency rations when hearing end up running longer than they should.

[Arkansasbear]

I made some ribs yesterday… I made way too much

Said no man ever!!!!

[The Marshall Plan]

Stumbled across the Primal Kitchen brand of products.

Their unsweetened ketchup and Chipotle Lime Mayo with Avocado are both great.

Is Primal Kitchen a "natural" or "healthy" brand? I think that's what one of my kids buys and everything I've tried of theirs was horrible.

I think so yes.

That mayo and the unsweetened ketchup are great.

[The Marshall Plan]

I've achieved what I consider to be perfection with beef stew the other day.

Most Important Part: Do not pre-cook or brown anything first. Everything goes into the pot at the same time.

In a large cooking pot:

2 pounds of stew meat
3 carrots peeled and cut
1 large potato diced up small (I used to include more, but having fewer potatoes worked better.)
1 large stick of celery cut small
1/2 of an onion cut small
2 bay leaves
1/2 cup of red wine vinegar
5 cloves of garlic shredded. I like garlic so if you don't cut this down.
1 large pot mixing spoonfull (that big ass spoon) of Zatarain's Creole Seasoning. (This stuff is great BTW.)
3 normal spoonfulls of Worchester sauce
1 normal spoonfull of Better Than Bouillon Roasted Beef Base

Submerge this with beef broth. I did this with low sodium because that's how I roll, but whatever works for you.

Then put the pot in fridge over night so that everything can soak. 4 hours before cooking, take the pot out of the fridge so the mixture gets to room temperature.

Bring to a boil on the stove and then turn the heat way down to a slow simmer. Simmer it covered for a solid 90 minutes. Stir this from time to time while cooking.

[The Marshall Plan]

After an untold amount of permutations I have perfected chili for myself.

I do not add heat in the recipe because my family has varying tastes here. I manage that with hot sauce afterwards.

Do not precook anything.

In a large pot to be stored in overnight in the refrigerator mix the following:

Ground hot Italian sausage - 1 pound
80 / 20 ground beef - 1 pound
Bush’s Chili Beans - 1 can. Bush’s beans. These are the best.
Bush’s Black Beans - 1 can. Again Bush’s beans.
Orange Pepper - 1 diced (I take the seeds out.)
Green Pepper - 1 diced
Red Pepper - 1 diced
White Onion - 1 diced
Bay Leaf - 1
Cumin - 1 large mixing spoonful
Cajun Seasoning - 1 large mixing spoonful
Garlic - 5 cloves shredded
Better Than Bouillon Beef Base - 1 normal spoonful
Worcester Sauce - 3 normal spoonfuls

Mix this together in the large pot then look at the consistency.

Now, slowly add and stir in Red Gold Crushed Tomatoes until you achieve the desired consistency you like. I use half of a 28 oz can so 14 ounces. Red Gold Tomatoes are the best I’ve found.

Keep all that together in the large pot and place in the fridge overnight.

In the morning take out the pot and leave it out so it gets to room temperature. Then I cook that in a crock pot on low until done which is a little over half a day. Stir it every hour or so.

Serve in a bowl with cornbread.

[Grizzled]

After an untold amount of permutations I have perfected chili for myself.

I do not add heat in the recipe because my family has varying tastes here. I manage that with hot sauce afterwards.

Do not precook anything.

In a large pot to be stored in overnight in the refrigerator mix the following:

Ground hot Italian sausage - 1 pound
80 / 20 ground beef - 1 pound
Bush’s Chili Beans - 1 can. Bush’s beans. These are the best.
Bush’s Black Beans - 1 can. Again Bush’s beans.
Orange Pepper - 1 diced (I take the seeds out.)
Green Pepper - 1 diced
Red Pepper - 1 diced
White Onion - 1 diced
Bay Leaf - 1
Cumin - 1 large mixing spoonful
Cajun Seasoning - 1 large mixing spoonful
Garlic - 5 cloves shredded
Better Than Bouillon Beef Base - 1 normal spoonful
Worcester Sauce - 3 normal spoonfuls

Mix this together in the large pot then look at the consistency.

Now, slowly add and stir in Red Gold Crushed Tomatoes until you achieve the desired consistency you like. I use half of a 28 oz can so 14 ounces. Red Gold Tomatoes are the best I’ve found.

Keep all that together in the large pot and place in the fridge overnight.

In the morning take out the pot and leave it out so it gets to room temperature. Then I cook that in a crock pot on low until done which is a little over half a day. Stir it every hour or so.

Serve in a bowl with cornbread.

Looks danged good, TMP, going to try it out. I don't put heat in my chili either. If I so much as wave the jar of hot peppers over the pot, people complain it's too hot so I let them add the heat they want afterwards. Bush's are pretty darned good. I also recommend Ranch Style Pintos and Ranch Style Chili Beans, I think they're actually better than Bush's.

[Atkins&Rebel]

I just did a chili also:
2lbs of ground
1 yellow onion diced
2 jalapeños diced no seeds
2 large (not the huge ones on the bottom shelf, but the bigger ones), cans crushed tomatoes
1 can dark red kidney beans (1/2 drained of liquid)

I pre cooked the beef in some olive oil, and seasoned heavy with salt, pepper, Granulated garlic and chili powder
when mostly done, I added the peppers and onion until they were translucent.

In a large pot I poured in the crushed tomatoes, added chili powder, cumin, pepper and garlic to that as well.
Rinsed the cans with ~1/4 can of water between the two and dumped that into the pot as well
added the beans and some of the juice
dumped in the meat and veggies along all the grease/oil leftover in the pan

put a lid on brought to boil and then simmered for about 2 hours stirring every 15-20
just enough heat for the whole family to say there was a kick without reaching for milk (though we did all need to blow our noses after dinner)

[wab]

My chili recipe is pretty simple and has won not only the hearts of family and friends, but countless chili cook off contests.

2lb ground beef
1lb sausage
2 cups ketchup
1 can rotel
1 can northern beans
1 can black beans
2 cans chili beans
3 packages chili seasoning
1 diced onion
2 diced bell peppers (whatever color you want)
1 can beef stock
1 Hershey bar

To taste: Franks red hot, paprika, cumin, coriander, nutmeg, garlic salt.

I don’t drain the beans or the meat. I just throw it all in the crockpot and let it roll for 5-6 hours or so. Basically until the beans are the consistency that you like.

[Grizzled]

All of my chilis are pretty much impromptu. I have made some with a can/bottle of beer added. Dark is better. Also, if there's no cumin in the chili powder, I add some in. Minced garlic and yellow onions after the ground beef has been cooked to remove most (but not all) of the fat.

[The Marshall Plan]

My chili recipe is pretty simple and has won not only the hearts of family and friends, but countless chili cook off contests.

2lb ground beef
1lb sausage
2 cups ketchup
1 can rotel
1 can northern beans
1 can black beans
2 cans chili beans
3 packages chili seasoning
1 diced onion
2 diced bell peppers (whatever color you want)
1 can beef stock
1 Hershey bar

To taste: Franks red hot, paprika, cumin, coriander, nutmeg, garlic salt.

I don’t drain the beans or the meat. I just throw it all in the crockpot and let it roll for 5-6 hours or so. Basically until the beans are the consistency that you like.

Thanks!

Why the Hershey bar?

[wab]

My chili recipe is pretty simple and has won not only the hearts of family and friends, but countless chili cook off contests.

2lb ground beef
1lb sausage
2 cups ketchup
1 can rotel
1 can northern beans
1 can black beans
2 cans chili beans
3 packages chili seasoning
1 diced onion
2 diced bell peppers (whatever color you want)
1 can beef stock
1 Hershey bar

To taste: Franks red hot, paprika, cumin, coriander, nutmeg, garlic salt.

I don’t drain the beans or the meat. I just throw it all in the crockpot and let it roll for 5-6 hours or so. Basically until the beans are the consistency that you like.

Thanks!

Why the Hershey bar?

It's how my grandmother used to make it and my mom has always made it. And when I have chili made by other people, it's absence is really noticeable. Not that other people's chili is bad (although I've had really bad chili before). Your recipe sounds great.

Honestly, as simple as a plain old Hershey bar is, it adds a lot of depth and richness to chili. It's not overly sweet, really subtle. It just nicely balances out the acidity.

[The Marshall Plan]

Thanks!

Why the Hershey bar?

It's how my grandmother used to make it and my mom has always made it. And when I have chili made by other people, it's absence is really noticeable. Not that other people's chili is bad (although I've had really bad chili before). Your recipe sounds great.

Honestly, as simple as a plain old Hershey bar is, it adds a lot of depth and richness to chili. It's not overly sweet, really subtle. It just nicely balances out the acidity.

Cool. Recipes from grandma are always good. I’ll try adding a Hershey bar to mine.

[Grizzled]

It's how my grandmother used to make it and my mom has always made it. And when I have chili made by other people, it's absence is really noticeable. Not that other people's chili is bad (although I've had really bad chili before). Your recipe sounds great.

Honestly, as simple as a plain old Hershey bar is, it adds a lot of depth and richness to chili. It's not overly sweet, really subtle. It just nicely balances out the acidity.

Cool. Recipes from grandma are always good. I’ll try adding a Hershey bar to mine.

Throw in cinnamon a la Cincinatti chili.