megaelim's Reviews
65 recipes reviewed. Showing 1 to 50Sort by: Book Title | Date 
| Rating | Recipe Title
Plenty
By Yotam Ottolenghi, Jonathan Lovekin
Ebury Press - 2010
Really delicious and easy to make. I don't know if the Greek yogurt we get is just that much thinner than European Greek yogurt, but my sauce was much thinner than the picture on the cover. And do get the pomegranate seeds - the sweet contrast does make the dish better.
useful (0)
In the Kitchen with A Good Appetite: 150 Recipes and Stories About the Food You Love
By Melissa Clark
Hyperion - 2010
The best thing about this recipe was how easy it was to prepare. It was probably harder timing the rice to be done at the same time as this came out of the oven than to actually make this.
The flavor was really nice - the other reviewer noted she'd used some cheaper gin - I snuck some of hubby's good gin, and it worked really nicely with the rest of the flavors. I would have liked a little more sauce, but MC was upfront up the fact that this isn't a very saucy dish.
useful (0)
Cook This Now: 120 Easy and Delectable Dishes You Can't Wait to Make
By Melissa Clark
Hyperion - 2011
This was really lovely - the ribs were fall off the bone tender, and the marinade made a lovely sauce.
A word of warning - this is not what you'd probably think of when you think ribs (my BF was very confused when I brought this out after I told him we were having ribs) - it's definitely a moist braise. Super yummy though.
useful (0)
I happened to have exactly the vegetables needed to make this in my last CSA box (which matched pretty perfectly to the September placement in the book). It was super easy to make, and quick enough for a weeknight.
If I made it again, I think I'd amp up the garlic, and get few more hardy herbs in while it's roasting. Still, it was pretty good comfort food.
useful (0)
Serving Up the Harvest: Celebrating the Goodness of Fresh Vegetables
By Andrea Chesman
Storey Publishing, LLC - 2007
Not bad - had good flavor.
I had way more filling than I needed, so I cooked that off at the same time in a casserole, and had it available for topping off the eggplant.
useful (0)
Plenty
By Yotam Ottolenghi, Jonathan Lovekin
Ebury Press - 2010
Really great way to use eggplant if you're not into eggplant parmesan. The combo of flavors is really delicious - pretty much ideal summer food.
The recipe has you make it at least an hour ahead of eating, but since it is a soba noodle dish, I made it about three hours ahead of time (and could have done more). The flavors definitely meld better with some time to stand.
useful (4)
Real Fast Food: 350 Recipes Ready-to-Eat in 30 Minutes
By Nigel Slater, Nigella Lawson
Overlook TP - 2008
Quick to make - had good flavor. I'd probably spice it up a smidge more next time, but it was already much better off than a lot of recipes I try and need to fix later.
useful (0)
The Food Matters Cookbook: 500 Revolutionary Recipes for Better Living
By Mark Bittman
Simon & Schuster - 2010
Don't make this with dried beans. That's all I'm saying.
useful (0)
Not a bad soup, but I'd definitely be upping the seasoning and herbage combination if I made it again.
useful (0)
I really like this version of tuna salad - it's got a great freshness to it, and you'd never in billion years guess there were beans it. It's a nice alternative if you're sick of regular tuna salad.
useful (0)
I really liked the concept of this dish - the flavors are good, and the shredded sweet potatoes were an interesting way of preparing those.
But, it really needed more beef. I know the whole point of this book is a diet that advocates less meat, but there just really wasn't enough meat in this recipe. I'm not a big "MEEEEEAAAAT" person by any means, but there's no way you can parcel out 8 ounces of meat between servings
useful (0)
This was really good with salmon, and it's nice and light, which is not something I'd expect from a bean dish.
useful (0)
Really great flavor - the quick preserved lemons give it a nice zing.
useful (0)
This dish inspired a new rule in my house - I am never again allowed to prepare a meal with Brussels sprouts that aren't roasted.
I was ok with it, but certainly couldn't stick out eating all the leftovers myself, and will therefore probably never be able to eat it again.
useful (0)
Canning for a New Generation: Bold, Fresh Flavors for the Modern Pantry
By Liana Krissoff, Rinne Allen
Stewart, Tabori & Chang - 2010
These were good - simple to make, and kept well. Once I fished out the garlic, made a good sub for the canned ones.
useful (0)
In the Kitchen with A Good Appetite: 150 Recipes and Stories About the Food You Love
By Melissa Clark
Hyperion - 2010
Great soup - easy to make, with lots of down time once it's actually cooking.
I actually wouldn't have minded a bit more seasoning, this was probably the least developed flavors I've ever gotten from this author. Not that was bad, just not quite as good as I usually expect. I would probably amp up the spices a bit if I made it again. That said, the overall recipe is great.
useful (0)
Not Your Mother's Casseroles
By Faith Durand
Harvard Common Press - 2011
Very simple to prepare - I did cook it immediately, so can't speak to how it works after sitting overnight.
Portions are generous, and it reheats well. The coconut and steel cut oats give it nice texture. I did add a little extra spice.
useful (1)
Cook This Now: 120 Easy and Delectable Dishes You Can't Wait to Make
By Melissa Clark
Hyperion - 2011
Really excellent flavor, and so easy to make since you can make it the night before. The chicken was really moist.
I left out the jalapeno seeds, and there was barely any heat to the dish, though YMMV depending on the jalapeno.
useful (0)
Long Nights and Log Fires: Warming Comfort Food for Family and Friends
By Ryland Peters & Small
Ryland Peters & Small - 2009
This is really flavorful, and pretty simple to make. Once you've done all your chopping, and done a quick browning of the ingredients, you can pretty much leave it alone for the rest of the cooking time. The leftovers are good too, since the flavor has some more time to develop.
useful (0)
The Complete Book of Year-Round Small-Batch Preserving: Over 300 Delicious Recipes
By Ellie Topp, Margaret Howard
Firefly Books - 2001
I ended up with caramel, and I was watching this pretty closely as it cooked. I think it's too small a batch to easily pull off.
useful (2)
Not Your Mother's Casseroles
By Faith Durand
Harvard Common Press - 2011
I really enjoyed this - the nuts gave it great texture, and the leftovers reheated well. It did make way more than four servings.
useful (0)
Good, different way to use oatmeal. It makes way more than four servings worth, but it's good reheated, so I was ok with that.
useful (1)
Cook This Now: 120 Easy and Delectable Dishes You Can't Wait to Make
By Melissa Clark
Hyperion - 2011
This is a really good stick to your ribs winter soup. The crispy onions are fabulous. It's also pretty easy to prepare as soups go.
Like most soups, it's better the next day, and the crispy onions actually hold up surprisingly well if you just stir them into the leftovers like she recommends.
useful (0)
Canning for a New Generation: Bold, Fresh Flavors for the Modern Pantry
By Liana Krissoff, Rinne Allen
Stewart, Tabori & Chang - 2010
This has been a really big hit with everyone that's tried it. It's not too hot, and the apple gives it a nice tang.
I used cranberries for color, and it is a nice red.
useful (1)
This is a really lovely jam - I really enjoy the touch of cardamom, but if you don't like it, don't make this recipe.
It also took a while for this to set, and it's still a little on the loose side, but not so much to be unusable.
useful (1)
I picked this pickled beet recipe because it was purposefully less sweet than regular recipes, but I actually find that I would like it to be a little sweeter. It's not bad, but not quite my cup of tea.
useful (1)
I wasn't sure what to expect from this jam, but it turned out to have great flavor. It's very good in sandwiches (I've been using in all my grilled cheeses.)
useful (1)
These beans have a nice, non-traditional pickle taste to them because of the Indian spices. My pickle-hating BF even liked them, and requested more. They're also very easy to make.
useful (1)
Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving
By Judi Kingry, Lauren Devine
Robert Rose - 2006
Easy to make, and great flavor. I've already been requested to make more next year.
useful (1)
This isn't a traditional chutney - there's onion or other savory component. (The rhubarb blends into the sweet background.) It was pretty easy to make, and I've been using a couple spoonfuls in my morning oatmeal. Very good!
useful (1)
In the Kitchen with A Good Appetite: 150 Recipes and Stories About the Food You Love
By Melissa Clark
Hyperion - 2010
I already knew I liked roasted eggplant - the texture is just so lovely and smooth. The dressing was a welcome extra touch - it complimented the eggplant beautifully.
useful (2)
Really great flavor, and super easy to make. I did use half the amount of chipotle called for (I'm somewhat of a heat wimp), but it was still plenty flavorful.
useful (3)
I made this with pasta instead of the breadcrumbs (after seeing it that way in a couple of blogs), which was a great way to turn this salad into a main dish.
The dressing is excellent, and I loved how well the kale stood up to wilting. And I would not recommend making this with any other type of kale except the lacinto - it has a different texture that's actually appetizing raw - other types of kale would not hold up in this recipe.
useful (2)
Mollie Katzen's Vegetable Heaven: Over 200 Recipes for Uncommon Soups, Tasty Bites, Side Dishes, and Too Many Desserts
By Mollie Katzen
Hyperion - 1997
I had some CSA eggplant to use up, and was immediately attracted to this recipe because you didn't have to precook any of the vegetables. In hindsight, that wasn't actually the best thing about the recipe. If I made it again, I'd precook the veggies. But I would consider making it again - the flavor combo was delicious.
useful (0)
Website: Better Homes & Gardens Recipes
This is my favorite application of gingerbread flavor. They're wonderfully moist, and good dipped in leftover lemon curd.
useful (1)
Website: The Food Network
The sauce was the best part of this recipe. It was plate licking good.
useful (0)
Website: The Food Network
Really wonderful cupcakes. Very moist and delicious.
useful (0)
Website: Eating Well
Really great flavor.
useful (0)
Website: My Recipes
Delicious, but expect to be covered by the filling by the time you're done eating.
useful (0)
Website: Serious Eats
This salad is the reason I can say I like Brussels sprouts. Roasted with the butternut squash, and mixed up bread and dressing, they're absolutely wonderful.
useful (0)
Website: Epicurious
I don't normally use a recipe for Caprese salad, except that I once came across this one, and noticed the English dry mustard in the dressing. I used it the next time I made a Caprese salad, and it's now my standard. The mustard adds great zing to the dressing.
useful (0)
Cooking Light
(April, 2003)
Great flavor - one of my favorite lazy winter recipes. I've made it in the crockpot several times successfully.
useful (1)
Website: Epicurious
Wonderful flavor. The hazelnuts are a bit fiddly, but the finished product is worth it. However, the gremolata does not store nearly as well as the soup does, so enjoy it quickly.
useful (0)
Cooking Light
(December, 2008)
Easy to make, and good flavor.
useful (1)
Cooking Light
(December, 2007)
Easy to make ground turkey chili. I actually like it a little bit better without the chocolate melted in at the end. Even though it's unsweetened, it makes the overall chili seem a bit too sweet.
useful (1)
Website: Epicurious
Great flavor.
useful (0)
Website: All Recipes
Due to bad planning, I ended up making this without chocolate chips, but it still had a lovely chocolate flavor to it. I'll probably repeat the mistake.
useful (0)
Website: My Recipes
The original cranberry version of this is good, but this has actually become my goto blueberry muffin recipe. It has a lightness to it that I really like for a breakfast muffin.
useful (0)
Website: All Recipes
Wonderfully moist muffin. Great with a cup of tea.
useful (0)
Website: Recipezaar
Simple preparation, and great taste. I've had repeated requests to bring this to parties.
useful (0)