Totseans

Tag: IRC

  • Make Ranch Dressing

    Our new contributor Psychotogen, the angry Sous Chef, loves ranch dressing so much, I figured I would post a method. I do all our salad dressings and dips from scratch at work, and the real product is usually much better than store bought, except for Asian Sesame, just can’t figure that one out for some reason. I know I am in a kitchen full of talentless shmucks if they are buying things like cocktail sauce, and chipotle mayo, both of which can be made in under a minute, by a monkey, a handicapped monkey.

    Lets start with Ranch dressing.

    You will need;
    1 cup mayo, not Miracle Whip, it’s too sweet.
    1/2 cup sour cream.
    2/3 cup buttermilk.
    dash of salt, might not need this depending on how salty the mayo you use is.
    black pepper, fresh ground, to taste
    1 teaspoon minced parsley.
    1/2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice.
    optional; 1/8 tsp fine minced shallot, 1/8 tsp fine minced red pepper.

    Mix it, taste it, tweak it, serve it to inbreds, use as suntan lotion, or to soothe ass chafe, it is very multi purpose.

    Feel free to post salad dressing and dip recipe’s here, I will bump the thread with a new addition now and then. If anyone has a good Asian Sesame dressing recipe, I would really appreciate it.

    C/O
    “asian sesame, I’m stumped, nothing I make tastes right, I attribute it to a lack of polysyllabic food additives”

    Discuss http://www.totse.info/bbs/showthread.php?t=16759

  • Spiced Chocolate

    This is a slightly more traditional version of hot chocolate.

    Spiced Chocolate

    Basic Recipe:

    • 5 Squares 90+% Chocolate
    • 1.5 Cups Almond Milk (unsweetened)
    • 1Tbls Vanilla Powder
    • 1Tbls Sugar
    • 1/2t Cayenne
    • 1/4t Black Pepper
    • 1/4t Nutmeg
    • 1/4t Ginger
    • 1/4t Cloves
    • 1/4t Cinnamon
    • 1/8t Cumin

    This is not to be boiled, just get it hot and whisk it all together. All of the ingredients should be considered on a to taste basis, experiment for yourself and try new things, but this is a recipe I can get behind. It can be drank hot or room temp. This is powerful stuff and can get you wired so be forewarned.

    Discuss http://www.totse.info/bbs/showthread.php?t=16725

  • Make a Tandoor in a Few Minutes

    I have always wanted a tandoor (an Indian oven they make naan breads and kebabs and tandoor style food in) and had planned to make one when I make my ‘outdoor kitchen’ – a plan for a fixed BBQ, wood fired pizza oven and tandoor – but this will have to wait until I get my patio down.

    Whilst out today, I came across two 14″ terracotta pots that were pretty cheap – £15 for both, and I thought I would have a little experiment.

    This is one of the pots – you can just make out where I have marked a square up for cutting. The cuts were done at 45 degrees or as near as with a 5″ angle grinder and a stone cutting disk. The 45 degree angle is so the cut out can be put back in place without danger of it falling through.

    I also had some 1/4″ rebar lying around – I sharpened the ends of it with the grinder and a metal disk. These will be the skewers – an added benefit of rebar is it is ribbed so it should hold the food better.

    Here you can see the cuts made to both pots. The bottom pot has had the lip cut off so the upper pot will sit on it and a small hole cut in it to let air in and poke the fire if need be – the upper pot has the square cut out.

    Rather than burn my hands moving the skewers around, they were near enough the right size so they would fit into a bit of bamboo cane – this did split but I whipped the handle with the string I use for tying up my tomatoes.

    And this is the tandoor heating up – I lit some charcoal in the bottom of it and almost as soon as I put the upper pot on, it started to roar – the chimney action of the pot helping draw air through the hole I cut in the bottom.

    Discuss http://www.totse.info/bbs/showthread.php?t=16429

  • Making Corn Chips From Corn Meal

    How to make chips from corn meal.

    Ingredients:

    • 1/2 cup water (Next time I do this, I will add a bit more water, it seemed a little dry.)
    • 1 1/2 tablespoons butter
    • 1/4 teaspoon chili powder
    • 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder (I am using a clove of garlic I minced and crushed, will let you know how it goes!)
    • 1/8 teaspoon salt
    • 2/3 cup yellow corn meal

    Other things

    • Baking sheet
    • Glass
    • Measuring cups and spoons
    • Wax paper
    • Cooling rack
    • Mixing bowl

    Steps:

    1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
    2. Lightly grease a baking sheet. (I used some veggie oil and spread an even layer around.)
    3. Bring water, butter, seasonings to a boil.
    4. Remove pan from heat.
    5. Add the corn meal and stir well. (It will be a little dry and hard to make into balls, I suggest a little more water)
    6. Divide dough into 30 portions. (I didn’t get anywhere close to 30, maybe mine are just big :/)
    7. Roll out each portion about 3/4-inch diameter and place balls onto baking sheet.
    8. Top with a piece of wax paper and flatten each ball with the bottom of a glass. The balls of dough should be about 2 1/2-inches in diameter.
    9. Remove wax paper and bake until light brown, about 15 minutes.
    10. Cool on wire baking rack and store in an airtight container.
    11. Makes about 30 chips.

    I forgot to take pics when I started, and I will only have a pic of what it looks like coming out of the oven :/. If I have enough corn meal, I will make another batch tonight and will take and post pictures to go along with the guide dealy.

    Discuss http://www.totse.info/bbs/showthread.php?t=16128

  • Process a Rebate

    Everyone I talk to, in one way or another, has been ripped off with a rebate, in which the check never came. Many of these rebates are large ones at that (i.e. computer purchase). Many of my friends and family do not have the know-how, time, energy, or discipline in trying to get their rebate. Many are simply just lazy and figure it’s not worth the hassle. It is shocking that most people are willing to let a $100 rebate slip away.

    I have filled 100+ rebates in my life time (yes, I do keep track), with rebates totally around $3,000+. I know a thing or two about the subject and I want to educate you all in making sure you get what is rightfully yours. The thing to keep in mind about filling out rebates is, the companies DO NOT want you to get them! They will scrutinize and make it as difficult as possible for you to go about obtaining them; all to discourage you from taking the time. It amazes me how many people are willing to let $50 go unclaimed, just because they don’t want to mess with filling out a form. Here are some crucial reminders with each and every rebate:

    1) Make sure you copy everything pertaining to your rebate.

    2) 99% of the time, you are going to need to cut the barcode off from the packaging (an x-acto knife works best). You could also photograph it, import it to a PC and crop it off.

    3) 15% of the time, you will need to send in the original receipt. Make sure you do not have something else on the receipt, whereas you may need to return something down the line OR you might need it for warranty purposes. I like to make my rebate transactions as one transaction; being only one item on the receipt (the rebate item).

    4) The 85% of the time when the ask for a “copy” of the original receipt. DO NOT…and I repeat, DO NOT, give them the receipt marked “rebate receipt!” Best Buy loves to do this and some rebates will get rejected as a result.

    5) Make sure you know the deadline of when to submit the rebate. Many will give you 30 days from the date of purchase…on occasion, you might find one that only gives you 14 days. It is absolutely vital that you process your rebate ASAP, after your purchase! DON’T SIT ON IT! Take in notice the day it is also. Holidays may slow down the process; you want to make sure the rebate is mailed on a weekday.

    6) Make sure you follow all the rules down to the “T” on the rebate form! Sometimes rebates will require you to register online first and others will require you to send in a CD or manual (in the case of software) of a previous version or competitor’s version.

    7) Make sure that the date of purchase coincides with the dates the rebate is valid. Believe it or not, I have seen many times where a merchant advertises a product that is free after rebate, only to find that the rebate is not good during the advertised dates. Remember, the merchants are not experts in rebates…they want you to buy the product!

    8) Any rebate over $100, I would send it out with delivery confirmation, just to be on the safe side.

    9) Make sure you copy everything pertaining to your rebate (i.e. barcode, receipt, & rebate form). They do “get lost” (so they say), from time to time and your copies will suffice for you to get your rebate.
    *** Photograph everything that will be shipped. The receipt, barcode, everything!

    10) Remember, your rebate can take 2 weeks, up to 3 months. It took me once up to 2 months for the check to arrive!

    11) Also, keep calling to get an update on your rebate status. Sometimes paperwork gets “lost” or mishandled “accidentally.” Call every week or so to check up on it.

    The biggest one I’ve had totaled over $500. It was from an Epson 4880, and when I tried dialing the billing extension, there was no one there to give me support for the rebate. I had to phone their Seiko HQ which transferred me to some jap? phone extension and then to an English speaking man. After much talk, and over a two month wait, it was nice seeing a $500.00 check in my mailbox.

    Discuss http://www.totse.info/bbs/showthread.php?t=14615