Beaker's cooking laboratory

[[AK]Sonic Boom]

It was my Dad's B-Day yesterday and we decided to do garlic bread along with the steaks on the grill. (BTW, my Dad showed up last night with a SIXTEEN POUND strip loin, which I carved up into two-inch thick New York steaks.)

We simply took a bunch of garlic and ran it through my Zyliss press and put it in a small sauce pan with some extra virgin olive oil, butter and diced shallots and let it steep on very low heat for a few hours while we were having cocktails and B.S.ing about the ways of the world.

After the steaks were grilled and while they were resting, I took some crusty bread that I got down the street at the Pike Place Market and dipped both sides in the oil/butter concoction and put 'em on the grill.

I know this isn't rocket science, but I'd never left the garlic and shallots over low heat for hours before and it really seemed to make a hell of a difference. Good stuff.

[[AK]Squidly]

Shallots = culinary heaven. Very under appreciated and under utilized in American kitchens.

[[AK]Bribo]

Shallots = culinary heaven. Very under appreciated and under utilized in American kitchens.

Agreed.

[[AK]StitchJones]

Shallots

Shazbots?

[[AK]Beaker]

MMMM!

This sounds so good that my mouth is watering already.

Too bad I have pot roast planned for tonight or Clay might be having garlic toast for supper.

[[AK]Beaker]

it's Christmas cookie time or close to it. So what is everyone's favorite? Pecan or walnut divinity is a fan favorite as well as chocolate dipped butter ribbon cookies. I try to do some different ones each year so suggestions would be appreciated.

[[AK]Brorlis]

My homemade Chocolate covered cherries and chocolate covered peanut butter balls.

Been making them for years .... Its almost that time !

I also have a homemade yeast roll receipe that I only make on Thanksgiving and Christmas. Its one that has been passed down for generations. Not sweet but reminds me of the holidays just the same !

[[AK]Sonic Boom]

A few years ago, back when Food Network didn't suck and actually had real chefs (not "personalities") and real cooking shows, I saw an interesting technique for sugar cookies.

Whoever the guy was, he melted sugar in a saucepan like he was making candy or caramel and poured it onto a silicone baking sheet liner and let it harden. Then he flipped it over and peeled the silicone away and ended up with what was essentially a thin pane of perfectly clear sugar glass.

He then took the sugar cookies he'd baked and laid them out closely in a grid and put an edible flower on each cookie. Then he laid the pane of sugar over all the cookies and flamed over everything with a propane torch.

The torch melted the sugar almost instantly, encasing the edible flowers onto the cookies under a shiny clear shellac.

The effect was pretty cool and it looked really easy to do. I've been meaning to try it for a few years now.

[[AK]Squidly]

I made this:

Veal Scallopini with brown butter and capers, and fettucini alfredo.