cooking/baking contest (jan feb 2021)

I wanna have akorns but cooking isn't for me

Are you judging on the quality of the final product (in which case I'd have no chance) or the effort that went into cooking it (in which case I have no chance) or the ability to heat things up in a microwave (I'm an expert on that one :) )

Real Q: what's the judging criteria

oooooh, fun. i'm in. i haven't baked in a while. my family will be happy!

Easy

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Ingredients:

• Pumpkin (Butternut or Hokkaido)
• Butter/margerine
• salt/peper
• Herbs
• Tofu (I personaly preffer smoked tofu)
• Milk or whipped cream

1. First wash the pumkin, than cut it open and get all the strings and seats out with a spoon till it is a smooth surface than cut the pumpkin into small pieces and cook them with vegetable poweder in enough water to have 2x more water than pumpkin
2. As soon the pumkin is soft and most water evaporated you need a tool to make mashed potatos to mash the pumpkins. If you have a stickblender use this instead. If it's not creamy enough ad milk or whiped cream till it is creamy enough and for some extra flavor ad a spoon full of margerine/butter
3. Than use salt/peper and herbs you like as for example dried basil or nutmeg till you like the taste of it
4. Depending on your preferences you now cut a block of tofu and eighter put it directly into the soup or you fry it a bit to get it more crispy

THE END

Mango Habanero Beef Jerky

The inspiration for this recipe is from a blind taste test review of store bought Beef Jerky. To duplicate taste and texture. Did exchanged a few ingredients with what I had available. Used Balsamic vinegar in place of Apple Cider vinegar and Sherry. Parsley in place of coriander. Added some leftover fruit to use it up and taste experiment.

Ingredients

2 - Top Round London broil Steak.

Marinade

1 - Mango, chopped

1 - Red Onion, chopped

4 cloves - Garlic, chopped

1 in(3cm) - Ginger root, chopped

6 - Habanero peppers - remove stem

1/2 tsp(2Ml) - Cumin

1/2 tsp(2Ml) - Turmeric

1/2 tsp(2Ml) - Parsley flakes

1 tsp(4Ml) - Honey

1 1/2 cup(350Ml) - Balsamic vinegar

Optional - use up left over fruit pieces. I used some Pineapple chunks.

Smoker - Fruit woods

Directions

• To firm up the Steak for slicing into strips. Put in the Freezer for thirty minutes.
• Saute the Ginger, Garlic and Onion for 5-10 minutes.
• In a Blender mix to puree consistency the Mango, Habaneo peppers and sauteed onion,ginger,garlic.
• Add the spices and vinegar in the blender mix.
• Trim fat and silver skin off the Steaks. For chewy jerky slice with grain. For more tender slice cross grain.
• Slice Steak 1/4 - 3/8"(6-10mm) strips. Thicker is more chewy and easier not to dry out.
• Put all the slices in a large plastic seal-able bag. Pour all the Marinade in the bag and seal tight.
• Mix the marinade around the slices. Refrigerate overnight.
• Pat excess marinade off slices before arranging them on racks.

Oven - 175F 80C temperature. Lay strips on a rack in a cookie sheet. If available use convection heat. Check 3,3 1/2, 4 and 4 1/2 hours for desired texture. Check interior meat in the slice for doness. Can remove thinner slices and leave thicker during these checks . Experience can try to get drier jerky but for a beginner just look for interior doness. Doness = that transition between medium to well done, its noticeable.

Dehydrator - Same as Oven process but without the cookie sheet.

Smoker - I used this method in a wood pellet smoker. Used Fruit wood pellets at 180F 80C. Spread the strips on silicon mats. Checked at 3, 3 1/2, 4, 4 1/2 hours.

AllKpop note on Smoker rack with Mango Habanero Jerky.

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Thank you..

Priorities understood.

Was going to post my Rock Road Candy next. Made with Hershey chocolate bars and walnuts.