Anyone ever experiments in cooking?

[Caffienated_Caramel]

I'm a little curious does anyone here just throw stuff/leftovers together and make a dish? And what was it if it was a success?

I know I like experimenting

[Exaspera]

Admittedly I have, whenever I have really messed up what I had intended to do. ("Honey it's not burnt, it's just blackened a little!") Mr. Exaspera is still alive after 10 years, though.

Although sometimes, after I have admitted that the particular evening's experiment hadn't worked, he'll just say, "Let's not have this again for awhile, okay?"

I once did make some pork chops in the frying pan with a bunch of mustard and honey that worked well, though.

[Caffienated_Caramel]

I've been experimenting in making the ultimate vegetable pizza. Which was based based off a Jenny Craig Thai pizza.

So far all have been success's for the most part. The only thing that goes wrong is it gets kinda soggy. I don't know if its from using fresh veggies or the sauce. I'm planning to use (hopefully) a pizza sauce and not a spaghetti sauce. If there is a diff, cuz they both come in a jar =/

[Whiskey]

Everything I can't turn into something becomes part of an omelette

[Caffienated_Caramel]

even failed pasta dishes?

Omelettes are good =)

[Teysa]

I do a lot of just throw together whatever is in the fridge type dishes. I just cooked one of those spiral sliced hams we've had in the freezer way too long so most of the meals for the next couple of weeks will have ham. Today I cooked a couple packs of Ramen, drained the water, added a bit of butter, and some diced up ham. It didn't turn out too bad. I may toss in a canned veggie next time.

Something else that is really easy, is to take some frozen catfish put it in a casserole dish, pour a bag of your favorite frozen veggies over the top, add whatever seasonings you like, and stick it in the oven. Cook at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes or until the fish flakes easily with a fork. (can't really take credit for this one. It's a dish I used to have growing up.)

[Nurian]

I always experiment. Sometimes it's a little thing: instead of traditional, I use chorizo (or a mix). Sometimes, I take a pre-existing idea, and change things so you get the same idea but a different taste.

[Jester]

I'm a little curious does anyone here just throw stuff/leftovers together and make a dish? And what was it if it was a success?

Yes. And no.

I love the creative process, and sometimes it takes me down odd culinary roads, often resulting in cooking disasters that are best not mentioned withing 500 yards of churches or schools. But other times what started out as an experiment morphs into one of my greatest triumphs, or at least a damn good dish. Great example: Jester's Famous German Stew. It is fantastic, it takes two days to make, and it really started out as a simple experiment....and grew....and grew....and grew.

The only thing that goes wrong is it gets kinda soggy. I don't know if its from using fresh veggies or the sauce.

A lot depends on what fresh veggies you are using and how you prepare them before tossing them on the pizza. Care to elaborate?

[Caffienated_Caramel]

The vegetables I use is cabbage, onions, green onions, carrots and spinach (if available)

I know some if not all contain a lot of moisture. Normally I chop up the vegetables (cabbage, onions green onions), peel the carrots and cut the stems off the spinach.

This time I went crazy with the fine chopping machine and all the vegetables are finely chopped and in a bowl. Here's link (The image would be HUGE if I posted it here ><) I did throw in cilantro

http://s839.photobucket.com/albums/z...2.jpg&newest=1

I still want to use them for the pizza, but maybe like half? Cuz there are plenty of uses I see already that I can do with it

Vegetable turkey burgers
Stuffed omelette
my own rendition of yakisoba with beef (or whatever meat I choose)

But anyway, how would I get most of the water/moisture if not all, out? Pat it dry with paper towels?

[Jester]

If you have it very moist after you chop it all, the best way to get rid of the moisture is to toss the veggies in a colander and let them just naturally drain. Also, adding a little salt to the mix might help take some of the natural moisture OUT of the veggies, and drain them further. Salt and a colander should do more than all the patting you could muster.

[Caffienated_Caramel]

Oooh I should do that next time. No sooner did make my last post mom was like. "Make pizza naow!" So I was like "fiiiiinnaahhh"

We patted it dry like crazy and piled on only like a 1/4 of it.

This is how it turned out.

http://s839.photobucket.com/albums/z...urrent=006.jpg

We stuck brown paper bags underneath to soak up grease and excess moisture.

It was FREAKING DELICIOOUUUSS XD

[Exaspera]

^^That looks pretty!^^

Here's something that will be fun! Especially if you're a guy.

[Caffienated_Caramel]

Best fruit salad recipe ever!

[RecoveringKinkoid]

Yeah, all the time.

If you don't experiment, you will never discover new amazing recipes.

Heck, just the other night with the chilis in the chocolate. I mean, evidently that is a thing, but I didn't know about it.

[jnd4rusty]

I make different dishes out of leftovers all the time..the best is using leftover meat and potatoes, then add chopped onions, frozen veggies and a gravy of some type, toss in the oven and bake until heated through and then place biscuits on top and let cook..the end result is a delicious pot pie.

You can also throw leftover in a pot and add boulion cubes any extra veggies and make a nice soup. When I have left over chicken I will cut it up and make chicken salad...I add onions, seasonings, celery and mayo, makes for some yummy sandwhiches! I also chop up left over chicken, pork, bacon or hamburger and add it to a large lettuce salad..also very tasty.

Leftover hamburger makes a very tasty hamburger stew and cheaper because stew meat is spendy. If you want a tasty goulash try using undiluted tomato soup instead of tomato sauce, the soup clings to the macaroni better and gives it a nice flavor.

For a dessert..left over chocolate cake or brownies taste fantastic in chocolate pudding..I call it chocolate explosion!! Another tasty dessert or breakfast food is biscuit dough formed into balls and rolled in cinnamon sugar mix and then placed in a small cake pan or pie tin, bake and you have "monkey bread", very yummy also.