Let's Play Stump the Cook- In Pictures!

Whoh! I'll certainly have to wait for someone to come up with a recipe for this. The one vegetable I hate is beets. But, if it's mixed maybe I would like it. Am willing to try a recipe to see. Good morning, Shannon.

Dinner- Beet Salad

Extra Ingredient #1- Ranch Dressing (or your favorite)
Extra Ingredient #2- spinach leaves
Extra Ingredient #3- Swiss cheese

Just before serving, toss spinach and beets. Serve salad topping with dressing, a handful of shelled pistachios and cheese.

Dessert- Jamaican Style Pumpkin Rice Pudding

Cook rice. Mix in pumpkin and seasoning blend. Top with shelled pistachios. Bake til bubbly.

Lynn, Matt and I LOVE beets. We could each eat a whole can to ourselves.

Do you think you would like beets in pasta? I have a great recipe, which also includes walnuts.

Oh, and good morning!

LOL.

I made the mistake of reading Shannon's ideas first.

I hate beets.

I'll have to think about this one after breakfast and see what I can do.

LOL! Beets are one of those things you either love or hate, I think.

I am stumped...I would need a recipe card LOL

How did you come to love cooking so much, Shannon? Did you go to cullinary school?

It's from my mom, Tara. She always cooked homemade meals and desserts for us.

It's also a big family deal too. When we get together, we always have a feast.

We eat well!

Pumpkin Congee (congee is made by boiling the rice until it is porridge like)

Jamaican Chicken (extra ingredient ~ boneless chicken breast)

Beets with Orange & Pistachios (extra ingredient ~ Orange & Butter)

That is perfect, Renda!

I think I need to post these recipe ideas...

Maybe it's because I am such a picky eater that I find it more difficult to really enjoy cooking. My mother always told me, when I was little, what I would or wouldn't like...let's just say there are a lot of things that I have never tried that maybe I would like, but I have it in my mind that I don't.

I've been better about trying things and know that my taste buds continue to change as well...but some things have really become mind over matter. You seem to like pretty much everything...I'm kind of jealous of that...LOL

STUMPED!!

I was a lot pickier when I was a kid, Tara. I never liked bleu cheese, for example. Now I love it! And there are MANY things I don't like. I just pick 'em out of stuff. Like green pepper. I like its flavoring, but I don't actually eat the stuff.

LOL, Denise!

Thanks, Shannon. The beet recipe is usually made with orange & almonds, but hey...had to use what was in the cupboard :)

These ideas are fun but I am no match for this game. I need a recipe card in front of my nose. Always have.

From what I've seen so far on Gather, Shannon, you take the prize for posting the most creative recipes.

I think that is really the point of this, Renda. Improvisation is a great kitchen tool!

Wow, Marianne. I appreciate your kind words. Sincerely.

I'll just take the beets and some vinegar please.

LOL!

Rice pudding was my guess. The salad sound good. I love beets.

Me too, Arlene! I can eat 'em any which way!

I'm stumped. I've never cooked with beets in my life and wouldn't have any idea what to do with them lol!

I made this before a few years ago.It tastes better than it sounds.
Red Rice
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 teaspoon dried basil, crumbled
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 cup converted white rice
1 (15 ounce) can sliced beets, drained, reserve liquid,cut julienne style
1 (14 ounce) can chicken broth
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Cook onion with basil in hot oil in saucepan over medium heat until onion is soft. Add rice; cook 2 minutes.

Drain beets reserving liquid; set beets aside. Pour chicken broth into 3-cup measuring cup; add reserved beet liquid to measuring cup to equal 2 1/4 cups total liquid. Add to rice mixture. Cover; bring to boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer 20 to 25 minutes or until liquid is absorbed. Gently stir in beets and cheese.

Ja'Nelle, they are great roasted or boiled.

Oh yeah, Patti! We would LOVE that! I would probably toss in some nuts just for grins ;)

How about the rest of the ingredients though, Patti?

Okay, ewwwwww, I have no idea what you could make with all of that!! Beets!?!? Yuckers!!

I do not do beets ever so I am at a disadvantage. My three extra ingredients are, chicken breast (sliced), pie crust (if its sincerely homemade -flour and butter) and Tabasco sauce (omit Tabasco sauce if going with truly home made) I would make Jamaican jerk chicken over a bed of rice and pistachio pumpkin pie. . I would poke holes in the chicken and create a marinade from jerk seasoning (lots), oil and hot sauce and water (shake well) Pour over chicken until covered, cover with saran wrap and let sit in the fridge for 3 or more hours. Bake in marinade for an hour at 350. Serve over stemmed rice (I would add coconut milk to the rice but I am out of ingredients.) I would pour pumpkin filling into pie crust and topped with crushed pistachios and bake in the oven for 45 min at 350 or until done.

Perfect, La T! I never thought of pumpkin pie with pistachios, it sounds excellent to me!

Vic is another beet hater I see ;)

I wouldn't use the beets either, sorry. Out the window with them. I'd make Jamaican Jerk *shrimp* with rice, topped with the nuts, shelled and roasted first then chopped fine. Then we'd have pumpkin pie for desert, *pie crust from the frozen section*, and *whipped topping*. Before I threw out the beets, I saved the juice and used that to flavor and color the whipped topping. Well, I suppose I could save the beets and serve them on the side for Shannon and the others. lol

White Rice:

Jamaican Jerk Seasoning:

Canned Beets:

Pistachios:

Canned Pumpkin:

I love beets, so this is a good one!


Cook the rice, flavor with Jamaican Jerk Seasoning, sprinkle on the Pistachios.

Cook the beets with vinegar and a little brown sugar. Add pepper and a touch of salt to taste.

Serve the beets next to the rice. This should eventually turn some of the rice pink, as there will be delicious beet "juice" running all over!

Mix pumpkin with a little brown sugar. Add eggs and bake in individual custard forms for dessert. Add some whipped cream! That should please most anybody!

Stumped...but I'm not a cook so I don't think that counts.

OK here goes nothing haha!
The rice is cooked. Puree the canned pumpkin and beets in the food processor.
Add lightly sauteed ,in your olive oil~ onion, garlic, and add heavy cream to food processor (my 3 additions) . Add a handful of cooked rice per serving to the warmed cream of pumpin and beet puree soup . Finish each bowl with garnish of tablespoon of shelled, roasted pistachio nuts and sprinkle of jerk spices . Finish with S&P to taste. if needed ...and a sprig of parsley...OK I used all the stuff no substitutes like last time..am I forgiven?

Love how you did the rice, Gab! You too Cristina!

Well done, Lyla!

That's all right, Amanda :)

All is well, Sheila. Except the beet and pumpkin puree! I love both of them, but not together! HA!

Of course, I never said you had to actually EAT the stuff created!

You could make an interesting sort of Indian curry by adding curry powder, coconut milk, and raisins.

I just read where you said you didn't have to eat the stuff created. What is this all about? There's a few good recipes up there to try. I am not saying I am going to like beets, but there are enough good ideas to find out. Generally there is always a way to prepare something to make it taste good. I expect this to happen.

A 10 cause I'm stumped!

Rice, jerk seasoning, canned beets, pistachios and PUMPKIN? You must be kidding.

I adore beets and totally detest pumpkin. Both taste sweet, therefore, Jamaican jerk seasoning, something I consider good with meat, is hopelessly inappropriate with them. To add insult to injury, we are required to use canned rather than fresh (therefore far better-tasting) beets :-) and pumpkin >:-( so that limits the options. Once could make cubed beets and pumpkin together into something using fresh, but the canned puree is only good for soup or pie, neither if which I would end up eating. Yuck. Rice and pistachios are good with everything! This may end up stumping me with the limit of 3 added ingredients. Give me time!

I think this list represents a family snowed in by a blizzard for a week or more and so desperately low on groceries that they are reduced to this mess! Except if it were my family, only the rice and pistachios would be in the pantry! Not the other stuff and most certainly not the dreaded pumpkin!

Well, I'm not stumped after all, although not getting to add a few fresh gratings of whole nutmeg to the pumpkin soup makes is even less tasty than it already is! Here is the 2-course dinner I'd make if caught in this desperate situation:

Cream of Pumpkin Soup

Jerked Beef Ribs
Rice, beet and pistachio salad


The first course for this dinner is cream of pumpkin soup. Whisk half the can of pumpkin with a pint of half-and-half or light cream (1st added ingredient) and season to taste. Heat in the microwave and garnish the top of each serving with a few chopped pistachios.

For the second course, rub beef ribs with jerk seasoning and let rest at room temperature for at least an hour. Broil or grill until done. Serve on a bed of shredded greenleaf lettuce (2nd extra ingredient).

Steam the rice. Allow to cool. Toss with diced beets and halved pistachios. Toss in a vinaigrette of olive oil, champagne vinegar (3rd extra ingredient), salt and pepper. Serve on leaves of greenleaf lettuce (same 2nd ingredient).

Pass extra vinaigrette from the rice salad for those who want it.

Actually, if you looked a little closer, those are fresh canned beets, Dorine. And don't we all wish we could up to those lofty standards you set forth?

Pffft.