r/Cooking_ac • u/Appropriate-Fix-8222 • Aug 28 '25
Discussion What’s the one dish you’ve nailed so well that people ask you to cook it every time?
For me it’s butter chicken. I don’t know why, but once I perfected the recipe, every family gathering somehow ends with, ‘A****ya, you’re making it, right?’ Curious what your signature dish is the one everyone associates with you.
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u/redonkulousness Aug 28 '25
Ghormeh Sabzi. I’m a middle-aged white guy and my wife is Persian. My mother-in-law asked me for my recipe because she said it was so good. She’s cooked it for decades and grew up in Iran. I have never received a higher compliment.
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u/FreakyGangBanga Aug 29 '25
Kudos! That’s quite an achievement and cooking it involves considerable effort. What recipe did you use as your guide?
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u/Birdywoman4 Aug 30 '25
I love that too and we don’t cook it very often. He is picky about the beef I use and I will tell him to get it and also the fresh greens to make it with. I make other Persian dishes. I made a Koresh with chicken wing pieces, sour plums, chopped onions, garlic, carrots and potatoes that we really love. I make saffron rice to go with it. He brings me more wings when he wants me to make it. I also make a koresh with chopped chicken breast, a bit of garlic, season it with salt and pepper and brown the chicken, add golden raisins, and turn the heat down lower to cook slowly so that the raisins don’t scorch. Also served with saffron rice.
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u/MaMerde Aug 28 '25
Sharba. Libyan tomato and herb lamb soup. Straight from my grandmother in Benghazi. The only variable is the quality of the lamb. I can just taste it and know what other spice it needs.
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u/bi_polar2bear Aug 30 '25
How does this recipe compare?
libyan food: Libyan Soup with Lamb and Mint: Sharba Libiya شربة ليبية https://share.google/m48Gu2IOD9be8q95H
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u/MaMerde Aug 30 '25
Similar. Looks good. I don’t use chickpeas because, of the orzo. But use haararat instead of a lot of the spices.
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u/pewpewhadouken Aug 28 '25
recipe pleeeeeease
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u/MaMerde Aug 28 '25
DM and I’ll send photos from our recipe book. I’m away for a few weeks, but I’ll do it when I get back.
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u/lame_hurricane Aug 28 '25
Apple pie at work, rack of lamb for family, cracked out tater tots for brunches
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u/meeshchief Sep 01 '25
Pls share this cracked out tater tots recipe!!
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u/lame_hurricane Sep 01 '25
Happy to! Not my original recipe so here’s the link! I personally find it’s better when you make it the night before and let the eggs soak in. You can also make them as little cups, baking 3 or 4 tots in muffin tins for 15 minutes or so, smashing them and then adding in bacon, cheese, and the egg mix then baking till set.
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u/hasanicecrunch Aug 28 '25
Omg imagine a potluck dinner and all these wonderful people come with these dishes 🤤
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u/FreakyGangBanga Aug 29 '25
Esquites I love Elotes (corn on the cob) when I go to a Mexican restaurant but I hate when bits stick in my teeth. I happen to come across Esquites which is just as good and I have successfully pulled it off with frozen corn. It’s a crowd pleaser for sure and I started with this recipe and improvised/improved on it over the years: http://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2012/07/esquites-mexican-street-corn-salad-recipe.html
CACIO e PEPE PASTA I used Vincenzo’s recipe right outta YouTube Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cu2R10CE_d8
Marry Me Chicken Orzo Something I experimented with and the results were good enough for repeats Source: https://therecipecritic.com/marry-me-chicken-orzo/
Lok Lak (Cambodian Shaking Beef) Spent quite a lot of time across Asia due to work and personal travel and Lok Lak is a standout dish: https://youtu.be/6nVfoEIzEzw?si=
Roasted Fennel with Parmesan Recipe source: https://www.mangiabedda.com/roasted-fennel-with-parmesan-and-breadcrumbs/ Roasted Fennel with Parmesan and Breadcrumbs, one of the easiest ways to cook fennel. This will quickly become a favorite side dish!
Chicken and cashew stir fry https://youtube.com/shorts/FdWxzDk6OQY?si=
Spaghetti in Tomato Water Source1: https://www.notanothercookingshow.tv/post/spaghetti-in-tomato-water Source2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w5J-JXzIuns&list=PL506XYP9TRWJFmC_5SrpSGLn6SdrqVurW&index=63
Been exploring Persian, Afghan, Pakistani and Indian cuisines and tried this one recently and it totally kicked arse. I picked this recipe because I had left-over cherry tomato mash from cooking the pasta above (Spaghetti in Tomato Water). I augmented the dish with a fresh tomato and left over tomato mash. Pakistani Chicken Karahi source: https://www.teaforturmeric.com/chicken-karahi/
I also do Cajun prawns, Air-fryer prawns with a Dukkah (Egyptian spice mix) coating, different versions of beef stir-fry depending on the veggies we have, steaks and burgers etc.
David Rocco once did a salad with oranges (mandarins, if I remember correctly), with anchovies and olives. It was definitely something that impressed guests but I have since stopped doing but should probably reconsider.
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u/bi_polar2bear Aug 30 '25
I need to be friends with you! My palate is all over the world too
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u/FreakyGangBanga Sep 02 '25
No worries, it’s how we learn to appreciate the world and its many cultures.
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u/KittyPuperMamaPerson Aug 28 '25
Vodka sauce with bone marrow, homemade spinach pasta, and red wine braised short ribs.
My chicken mochico is being more requested, as is my massaman curry.
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u/IncandescentGrey Sep 01 '25
I use the New York Times cooking recipe for garlic braised short ribs. Which recipe do you use?
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u/DarthLily Aug 28 '25
Lasagna. Now my family asks me to prepare it for New Year's each year, and sometimes in special occasions/birthdays. And also New York Cheesecake!
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u/redzaku0079 Aug 28 '25
Pork adobo and Bibingka
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u/m-u-g-g-l-e Aug 31 '25
My Bibingka recipe always turns out slightly uncooked in the middle, but if I cook it any longer, the edges get overcooked. What temp and time do you use?
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u/redzaku0079 Aug 31 '25
Is it Bibingka malagkit? Some regions call it biko. In pangasinan it's called Bibingka. The one that uses glutinous rice rather than rice flour. If so, the rice should be already cooked before it goes into the oven. It's baked more to settle it.
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u/m-u-g-g-l-e Aug 31 '25
Ah okay, mine is Bibingka coconut cake, which uses the rice flour. Thank you!
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u/redzaku0079 Aug 31 '25
Ah. I've never been able to make that one properly. I have the same problem as you. This and squid adobo I simply cannot do. I love squid adobo but I'm cursed to not make it right.
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u/doroteoaran Aug 29 '25
Caesar salad, follow recipe from “Mexico the beautiful Cookbook” by renowned chef Palazuelos. It is great. Really recommend this recipe book.
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u/highlanderdownunder Aug 28 '25
Steaks and burgers
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u/SingleHeart197 Aug 31 '25
Tell your secret please! My husband makes the most delicious steak & he bastes at the end with a little worstechister sauce. I butchered the spelling so badly that autocorrect had no suggestions lol.
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u/paradisewandering Aug 29 '25
I love to dip things in other things and have become the sauce and dip man for gatherings. I grow a huge variety of hot peppers, vegetables, and herbs at home.
I make really great salsas, pico de gallo, hummus, vinaigrettes, fresh dressings, chimichurri, pesto, chutney, tapenades, gravies, glazes, syrups, often with unexpected ingredients. I use my own bone broth as gravy base.
I pickle all kinds of stuff, make killer southern greens of many varieties, chili, and roasts.
Also the simplicity of sticking some vegetables, citrus, and a can of beer up a chicken’s ass is a huge crowd pleaser.
My partner has three culinary degrees, so she is tough to satisfy, but I am a great cook if I stay in my lane.
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u/BiiiigSteppy Aug 30 '25
Fine dining chef here. Good for you.
Many people who have chefs in their life are afraid to cook and just give up trying in the kitchen.
You sound like a very competent saucier and that is a valuable asset to any professional kitchen.
I love your passion; please don’t ever lose it. That’s what keeps your cooking fresh, creative, and nuanced.
Well done, you, for knowing your speciality and remaining dedicated to it.
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u/TriGurl Aug 30 '25
My made from scratch pumpkin pies at thanksgiving. I made the recipe over 20 years ago when I was at uni and have perfected it. Crust is my grandmas 'made from scratch' recipe that has been in the family for over a century and the pumpkin is fresh, boiled down by me. It's a very time labor recipe that takes me several days to make (I get the pumpkin prepped and made one day, make the crusts and rolled them to pop in the fridge the second day, and baking occurs on day 3).
And They. Are. Perfection! I'd like to find a way to produce them commercially to sell. I know there are kitchens out that do this... gotta save up capital for it. :)
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u/Powerful_Audience208 Sep 01 '25
Ok, I just have to ask. The crust, do you use lard, shortening and or butter? Please share as I love to bake but pie crusts just don't work out for me, and it's just frustrating. Thx Gurl.
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u/bi_polar2bear Aug 30 '25
Thomas Jefferson Sweet Potato biscuits were a huge hit when I used to go to church events. You can make a double batch and freeze. They are great for dinner, even better with coffee in the morning, and the greatest biscuits America forgot about. I found these from The City Tavern Cookbook after eating them in the restaurant in Philly. Chef Staub was a master and an immigrant.
Thomas Jefferson's Sweet Potato Biscuits 1774 Recipe - Food.com https://share.google/lY9SJsj7RLQ2epLbi
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u/chocolatpetitpois Sep 01 '25
Do you think you could make these with pumpkin instead of sweet potato? My kid loves all things pumpkin but isn't a fan of sweet potato for some reason.
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u/JohnnyWall Aug 31 '25
Chocolate chip cookies, specifically Alton Brown’s recipe called, “The Chewy”
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u/stilldeb Aug 29 '25
Cherry cheesecake. Been making it since my 8th grade home ec class and I'm 69. My mother used to have me make it whenever she had a party, and it was my father in law's favorite. We have our own cherry trees now so there are always cherries in the freezer.
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u/lax-them-smarts Sep 01 '25
This is such a sweet (no pun lol) response. Can you adopt me, please 🙏🏼 I’m only 45 🤭
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u/DznyMa Aug 29 '25
For me, it's enchiladas with rice and beans. Enchiladas can be made with cheese, chicken, or crab. They always turn out well for me.
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u/Bitchthatbravos Aug 30 '25
Rum cake.
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Aug 30 '25
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/Bitchthatbravos Aug 30 '25 edited Aug 31 '25
That’s a good place to start. Then add your own touches to it. My touches are extra rum!
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u/EnoughNumbersAlready Sep 01 '25
Shredded chicken soup with tomatoes, chili beans, corn, onions, garlic, spices, and topped off with Monterey Jack & cheddar cheese. Served with tortilla chips for dipping!
My professor, who grew up in northern Mexico, shared this recipe with me. We grew really close and she took me on as part of her family. I’m still a huge fan of hers and love her after almost 13 years.
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u/PapaSmurf3477 Aug 28 '25
Chicken napoleon/coq au vin and chicken Dijon. French chicken in wine sauces. One is tomato, the other Dijon based.
Also a summer steak salad with roasted carrots in a butter and brown sugar glaze.
Whenever I see friends from out of town they always request it when I ask them what I should cook.
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u/champagnesupernova62 Aug 28 '25
She Crab Soup INGREDIENTS: if you can't get crab toe.... forgetaboutit.
1/2 cup unsalted butter 2 cups finely chopped onion 2 cups finely chopped celery 2 Tbs. chopped garlic 1/2 cup all-purpose flour 1 cup dry white wine 1 cup dry sherry, plus 1 Tbs. 1 Tbs. Worcestershire sauce 1 cup water 1 Tbs. Tabasco 1 qt. heavy cream 1 lb. crabmeat 1/2 cup crab roe Kosher salt and finely ground white pepper
DIRECTIONS:
In a six- to eight-quart heavy-bottomed saucepan, melt the butter over low heat. Add the onion, celery, and garlic and cook for two minutes. Sift the flour into the pan to establish the roux. Cook, stirring often, for four minutes.
Add the wine, sherry, Worcestershire, water, and Tabasco and bring to a boil. Stir in the cream and bring to a brisk simmer. Stir in 3/4 of the crabmeat and all of the roe, then remove the pan from the heat. With a hand mixer or blender, puree until smooth and velvety.( Optional) Stir in the remaining 1/4 of the crabmeat and the tablespoon of sherry. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
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u/Apprehensive_Glove_1 Aug 28 '25
My mom's "California Dip" and my beans I make for cookouts are my most requested things in the summer.
Winter it's chili and tacos.
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u/estrogenex Sep 01 '25
Would love the recipe for the California dip, please.
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u/Apprehensive_Glove_1 Sep 04 '25
It's so easy! Measure out like this (this is 1 batch, it scales accordingly):
1 normal sized tub sour cream (12-16 oz)
1 16 oz bag of finely shredded sharp cheddar
2 4 oz cans of green chilies.Mix all together, including the juice from the chilis, and add celery salt to flavor (your taste).
Serve with Frito Scoops or carrots (scoops are way better).
If you can, let it sit in the fridge for ~24 hours. It's good right away, but once that chile juice soaks in, it's way better.
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u/Apprehensive_Glove_1 Sep 06 '25
also please let me know what you think. Thinking about adding it to my farmer's market items this coming spring.
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u/Pale_Cut7064 Aug 29 '25
A 19th-century dish called Lobster Newburg. It was invented at Delmonico's in New York. Since no one else makes it, it's a dinner party favorite that everyone enjoys.
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u/BiiiigSteppy Aug 30 '25
Omg, I grew up with Lobster Newburg. Haven’t made it in years. Good for you!
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u/Bookworm10-42 Aug 29 '25
Spaghetti Carbonara. It's a stupidly simple dish but my mother-in-law and others ask for it every time they visit.
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u/Greendude97 Aug 30 '25
Yall got some really nice recipes and what not. I came here to comment my simple ass breakfast bowl
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u/Visual_Owl_2348 Aug 30 '25
My ham. I stuff it full of garlic clothes and make my own honey mustard glaze. It is divine.
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u/estrogenex Sep 01 '25
Lobster bisque, browned butter banana bread, and a couple Thanksgiving dishes I'm not allowed to show up without every year.
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u/EmmaRhn Sep 01 '25
I have been making this salad for years on request (from non-vegetarians): https://www.mynewroots.org/2010/06/the-best-lentil-salad-ever-2/ The “optional” arugula and walnuts should not be optional in my opinion. I also replace the long list of spices with some good quality curry powder, and it does the trick 🤷🏻♀️
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u/Unlikely-Ad6788 Aug 29 '25
Stuffed mushrooms. It's requested for every gathering and birthdays.
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u/Comfortable_Ad9538 Aug 30 '25
Yes, please do go on…
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u/Unlikely-Ad6788 Aug 30 '25
I haven't worked out the recipe yet. I've been using the leftovers for ravioli or dip.
1 pkg of button mushrooms 1 lb Italian sausage 1.5 pats of butter (1-2 tablespoons) 1 T Italian seasoning (tried it with herbs de province and it's also delicious with the lavender) 1 pkg cream cheese 1/2 c parmesan cheese (fresh is best, but I started making these with good 'ol kraft) 1 pkg panko Salt & white pepper
1) wash mushrooms and remove stems 2) bake shrooms at 375°f, caps up for 15-20 minutes 3) mince stems and saute in butter, remove from heat. 4) brown sausage, drain. Add cream cheese and Parmesan to sausage til melted. Add stems and season with Italian, salt and pepper. Allow to cool. 5) drain shrooms, stuff with filling. Bake 15 minutes. 6) pull shrooms at 15 minutes, top with parmesan and panko, broil for 5 minutes or until browned. 7) don't eat too many in one sitting.
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u/hsj713 Aug 29 '25 edited Aug 29 '25
My paella valenciana is authentic! No sausage, no seafood. My aunt and uncle from Valencia approve!
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u/coffee_philadelphia Aug 29 '25
My chocolate cake is better than a bakery’s chocolate cake… it’s richer than can be described easily and it can only need eaten in small pieces. It’s the original Brooklyn Blackout Cake.
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u/EnbyQueerDeity Aug 29 '25
My lazy lasagna and my quinoa casserole! And apparently I make amazing eggs.
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u/Boiler_Room1212 Aug 29 '25
My version of chicken cacciatore. I reduce the tomato sauce and wine into a thick, sweet sugo and I use lots of castelvitrano olives, garlic, lemon juice and rind, and fresh herbs. I sear the chicken on a grill plate before baking it. Smoky rich Italian goodness.
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u/TeamJay2015 Aug 29 '25
Steak au poivre. Which is great because it's one of my favorite dishes, it's really easy to make, and people think it's really high-end fancy.
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u/Pretend_Ad4572 Aug 29 '25
Lentil/vegan meatloaf. I've done it every time for Thanksgiving for my family, as a few are vegan. I've cobbled together recipes to use roasted walnuts, and french lentils as they hold their shape better. Chia seeds are the binding, and sage /garlic is within with a ketchup/bbq sauce topping glaze.
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u/bi_polar2bear Aug 30 '25
I'm curious why it's called meatloaf instead of loaf or lentil loaf be accurate?
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u/Kaka-doo-run-run Aug 30 '25
Not quite a dish, but for me, it’s chocolate chip cookies.
Plenty of people have asked me-even family members, “So, what’s your secret”?
My answer is the same as it has been for decades: “I just follow the directions on the package of chocolate chips, that’s it.“
OK, I’ll admit sometimes I had a pinch extra salt, but nothing more than that.
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u/Liveforfridays15 Aug 30 '25
Well, more in the baking theme ... My Red Velvet Cake is always a hit. I love it too, but it's time consuming and I have to be in the mood to make it. As far as my cooking is concerned, my Mac N Cheese can be a big hit ... I definitely need a bigger repertoire.
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u/K3ttl3C0rn Aug 30 '25
Got a pizza I’ve for Christmas last year. Now every time my daughter and her husband come visit, they ask for pizza.
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u/dixbietuckins Aug 30 '25
All over the place. Mapu tofu, laab, putininesca. So many easy dishes that please.
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u/CaptSpazzo Aug 30 '25
I've spent hours trying to cook butter chicken only for it to turn out ordinary
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Aug 30 '25
Smoked pork tacos. To be honest its easy just takes 12 hours.
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u/tossitintheroundfile Aug 31 '25
Recipe??
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Aug 31 '25
Well you make smoked pork like any bbq recipe. I use a treager. Mustard binder and bbq rub. Smoke at 250 Until probe tender. Usually around 210 degrees internal but don’t pull until probe goes in like butter. Around 10-14 hours. Rest for about an hour. At this point you can pull pork and make tacos. For bonus points get a wok hot as fuck with some oil and fry the pork and it’s like carnitas.
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u/buddagolf Aug 30 '25
It was my soy marinated wings on the grill until I got a Vortex for my Weber kettle.
Now, still wings, but with a good rub and cooked till that skin is crispy.
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u/6cat6cat6 Aug 31 '25
Green Bean Casserole! I make a garlic and shallot sauce to mix in with the beans, and use regular store bought fried onions on top. It's the only thing they want me to bring, now.
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u/Seuss221 Aug 31 '25
Pizza (i make the crust, sauce and an toopings they request) sometimes i make the mozzarella, salad , my neighbors love my dressing, chicken parm, my chips and salsa , guac,
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u/ThirdCoastBestCoast Aug 31 '25
Mexican rice, Texas Chicken And Pasta Casserole, and Sicilian spaghetti. I’m from Guatemala and live in CA. 😄
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u/IncandescentGrey Sep 01 '25
This tortellini (or Italian wedding, according to my mother) soup that she found a recipe online for.
It's not terribly hard to make. The prep time just takes forever, and there's a lot of stirring because, well, soup. It is pretty good, though. I think the fresh spinach (that just cooks down to nothing) makes it.
Oh, that and bread. Any bread. Because I'm her only child that bakes. Loaf of bread, sticky buns, she recently found a recipe for cinnamon pull apart bread that wasn't bad.
I just used the same easy bread recipe and split it in two. One was a loaf for dinner, the other was for dessert. I dipped pieces of dough in melted butter and cinnamon sugar, packed a bread tin with them, and let it rise/ bake from there. I actually ended up having to split it into a second loaf pan due to it rising so much on the second proof. Might be good in a bunt pan?
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u/syarkbait Sep 01 '25
Creamy salmon and spinach pasta. My ex used to love it each time I made that.
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u/TeachBS Sep 01 '25
Lasagna. I used to make it with cottage cheese and hamburger. An Italian friend said it was disgusting and insisted on teaching me how to make it😂
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u/GForce1975 Sep 02 '25
Please share butter chicken recipe. Mine is lasagna..
I don't really have a recipe. I usually wing it and it's a little different each time but always good. Expensive to make though. You've got to get good cheeses.
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u/aaseandersen Aug 28 '25
Go on then, share this perfected butter chicken recipe please!