college cookbook part 3 post

blogContent/posts/other/college-cookbook-part-3.md

@@ -0,0 +1,125 @@
+Woah, I'm making part three!!  They say good things come in threes--
+unless it's a Disney franchise. This continues my last
+[post](https://jrtechs.net/other/college-cookbook) and goes over some
+easy-to-prepared and palatable foods that I have cooked.  
+
+# Pork Chops
+
+When done right, pork chops are probably the best meat you can cook --
+I enjoy pork chops more than steak. I start by seasoning the chops in
+a rub consisting of salt, pepper, garlic, onion powder, paprika,
+cayenne powder. 
+
+![seasoning for pork chops](media/cooking/part3/pork_chop_seasoning.jpg)
+
+After I sear one side in butter on medium heat, I flipped it and added
+my marinade sauce consisting of honey, brown sugar, dijon mustard, and
+balsamic vinegar. 
+
+![pork chops cooking](media/cooking/part3/pork_chop_cooking.jpg)
+
+Using a thermometer, I cook it to just 150 degrees to keep them juicy.
+This is important because overcooking pork chops can quickly dry them
+out. 
+
+![final pork chops on a plate](media/cooking/part3/pork_chop.jpg)
+
+# French Onion Soup
+
+Not everyone is a fan of french onion soup; however, if you are, this
+is an easy soup to make. You start by sauteing onions in salt, and
+pepper, sugar, and olive oil until they just begin to brown. Yep,
+that's right: sugar. Not all recipes call for it, but adding sugar
+will help the onions carmelize. 
+
+![browning onions on the stove](media/cooking/part3/onions.jpg)
+
+Combine the onions and some chicken broth in a crockpot and cook on
+low for about 4-6 hours. To flavor the soup, I usually add minced
+garlic and a small amount of soy sauce. Don't cook too long because
+the onions will get mushy. 
+
+When serving this soup, just add some shredded cheese and pepper to
+the top.  If you're like me and are out of shredded cheese, just hack
+some chunks of cheese on top of it.  
+
+![onion soup topped with pepper](media/cooking/part3/soup.jpg)
+
+
+# Casserole
+
+This is a dish that I wish I started making earlier. It is
+straightforward to make, cheap, and tastes delicious. I was first
+inspired to make this after watching Charlie Berens video on
+mid-western "hot-dishes." 
+
+<youtube src="FdpoQww4oVc" />
+
+This hot dish is straightforward: meat + vegetable + creamy soup +
+crunchy thing on top = hot dish. I've experimented with this dish a
+lot; for vegetables, I find that green beans, corn, and carrots work
+pretty well together. For meat, you can use just about anything but, I
+usually stick to either ground meat or chicken. You can do tater-tots,
+french onions, frosted flakes, or crushed up roman noodles for
+toppings. Personally, I really enjoy the frosted flakes and tater-tots
+on the casserole. You can add some flavor to the vegetables by adding
+minced garlic, pepper, salt, and onion powder 
+
+![browning meat](media/cooking/part3/browning.jpg)
+
+When browning the meat in general, it is essential to keep the meat in
+larger chunks until almost finished cooking. This will lock in the
+juiciness and gives it a good texture. After browning is nearly done
+cooking, break up the meat and de-glaze the pan with either soy sauce,
+balsamic vinegar, or red wine. This step will add some flavor to the
+meat and help brown it. 
+
+
+![Casserole preparation](media/cooking/part3/casserole_prep.jpg)
+
+Combine the meat and vegetables in the casserole pan and then top with
+toppings a starch. Cover with aluminum foil and cook in the oven for
+about 50 minutes at 375. Remove the aluminum and bake for an
+additional 10 minutes until the top starts to get brown. 
+
+
+![Casserole Roman on top](media/cooking/part3/casserole.jpg)
+
+![frosted flakes and french onion](media/cooking/part3/casserole_frenchOnions.jpg)
+
+And there you have it: the infamous hot dish. Depending on what you
+put on it, it is pretty healthy and only costs about $5-6 to make. 
+
+# Home Fries
+
+I love homefries! I haven't made them a lot since I gravitate towards
+making one-dish meals, but this creates a fantastic side dish. 
+
+To make homefries, you wash and dice potatoes and then coat them in
+seasoning and oil before frying in a pan Pretty self-explanatory. 
+
+For my seasoning, I typically use salt, pepper, garlic, onion powder,
+and paprika. But, you can experiment with this and add other spices
+like mustard powder and chili powder.  
+
+![home fries](media/cooking/part3/hash.jpg)
+
+If you fry the homefries with some eggs and cheese, it makes a great
+breakfast. 
+
+![home fries cooking in eggs](media/cooking/part3/eggs.jpg)
+
+![left over home fries in eggs and cheese](media/cooking/part3/eggsFinal.jpg)
+
+
+# Other Posts
+
+Be sure to check out my two previous "college cookbook posts": [part
+1](https://jrtechs.net/other/college-cookbook), [part
+2](https://jrtechs.net/other/college-cookbook-part-2). I hope that
+this series helps other people to learn how to cook dishes without
+using a recipe. Although using recipes can produce predictable
+results, cooking is about trying new spices and finding a flavor
+pallet that you enjoy. Cooking is also looking into your cabinets'
+depths and the back of your freezer and figuring out what you can
+throw together in 15 minutes.