Peckish Sister's Profile

From: Central, FL USA

Joined: December 11th, 2010

About me: I have always liked to cook, particularly breads, fruits, vegetables, vegetarian, poultry and lamb dishes. After marriage we cooked together progressively more difficult dishes with him doing the meat, grilling and frying, and I did the "dough" and the same type of things I had before. After children we started cooking more simply. After discovering the cause of my frequent migraines was an evolving long list of chemicals and odd ingredients, I began getting back to cooking from basic ingredients, and found I could be well again. I also try to cooking from what I can get in season at the ever present fruit and vegetable stands.

Favorite cookbook: America's Test Kitchen / Cooks Illustrated Books


Latest review:

May 20th, 2020

Manchester Stew from Skinny Instant Pot & Slow Cooker Cookbook

I switched up the vegetables and canned beans to reflect what I had on hand. It was my very first use of the Insta pot and I was skeptical of the 3 minute cooking time since I had increased the amounts... read more >


recipe reviews (465)
book reviews (18)
useful review votes (420)

Peckish Sister's Reviews


Search Reviews:

19 recipe(s) reviewed. Showing 1 to 19Sort by: Title | Date | Rating

Website: Smitten Kitchen

www.smittenkitchen.com
 

16th April 2011

Apple and Cheddar Scones

I was looking for something special to whip up for breakfast. This looked a little intensive, but encouraged by AHJ12475’s review I plunged in. Without a stand mixer (Yes, I think this is finally on my wish list), it took me 1 hour of prep time and she had good directions on how to do it by hand. But I must admit, as I peeled, cut and dried the apples, grated the cheddar (I used orange) and shaped these coffee-shop worthy giant scones (the rolling pin abandoned as I lovingly patted these into the right shape). I was shocked that this recipe only made 6 scones! We enjoyed these by themselves so we could savor their buttery tenderness, concentrated apple flavor and bits of sharp cheddar. Although white cheddar was called for, the orange cheddar color enhanced the golden color of the scones. The sugar topping did not clash with the cheese but added some welcome extra sweetness.

useful (2)  


4th May 2011

Arroz Con Leche

This turned out too mushy and way too much pudding. The next time I would only make half a batch (use the rest of that can of condensed milk for your tea or coffee), I would use long brown rice to stand up to all that boiling and I would start with ½ cup of less liquid (you can always add more at the end). I took Quezzle Sister’s advice and doubled the raisins, and that was just right. Yes the flavor was very delicious, but I would prefer a slighly sweeter pudding, and the texture was off with the overcooked rice and overblown raisins.

useful (0)  


26th April 2011 (edited: 4th May 2011)

Asparagus, Goat Cheese and Lemon Pasta

This really satisfies. If you have all of the ingredients on hand, you must make this! My only deviation from the recipe was to use dried tarragon (I am not a fan). It was very easy and quick to make. I also added lemon juice at the end and it was just the right touch. I was hesitant about adding much of the pasta water back in at the end, but next time I will be more bold; the sauce was very thick, and I think with more pasta water would have been creamier. It did look just like the picture and there were no leftovers!

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23rd March 2012

Baked Kale Chips

These turned out perfectly the first time. It is crazy how thin they turn out. I used my non-stick sheet pans and they worked fabulously. Where the kale touched the surface they turned out mirror thin. I ground up my sea salt before dusting just a little on top. The flavor of the kale is really intensified. My husband and I loved them, but the teenager did not. I understand we will be getting a lot of kale from our CSA and look forward to more prepared like this.

useful (0)  


27th April 2011

Baked Tomato Sauce

This was a fun, fast, simple and fresh tasting pasta dish. My cherry tomatoes were quite acidic and this was not really cut by the bread crumb topping. It would taste even better with the grape tomatoes we usually have available. I would not really call it a sauce; it was more like pasta topped with miniature baked tomatoes.

useful (2)  


9th May 2011

Braided Lemon Bread

The creamy very lemony filling was so luscious, and fun to eat by pulling off small pieces. I baked mine at 375 ºF for the lesser amount of time and it also turned out overly browned just like hers. I recommend using 350ºF and watching it closely. I dislike lumps of bread without filling and so instead of braiding towards one end and folding the extra dough under, I braided each end towards the middle, weaving the ends together and it looked perfect. Smooth the cream cheese filling after filling and it will make applying the lemon curd easier. I choose this recipe as I had a jar of lemon curd, and it made the process a little quicker. The cream cheese and lemon curd taste like one layer, not two and I don’t know why you could not mix them together before spreading. It is not as hard as it looks and it makes a spectacular presentation for special occasions.

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9th May 2011 (edited: 10th April 2012)

Cabbage and Mushroom Galette

This was very reminiscent of Vegetarian Epicure’s Russian Vegetable Pie, but less fussy to make. I could not bear the thought of another very buttery crust, especially when the original recipe she mentioned called for a yeast version. I was able to find that recipe: http://www.publicradio.org/columns/splendid-table/recipes/bread_thanksgiving.html
I successfully used resuscitated dried mushrooms for the 4 ounces of fresh. I made this again the same way and even remembered the outstanding and simple horseradish sauce, it added a lot. I did not brush the outside of the galette with egg this time, but would the next time, it makes it more substantial and also looks even more beautiful.

useful (1)  


This was so quick to whip up, it made an excellent meal on a night when you do not think you have time to cook. The critical part is taking the time to cook each one perfectly so it is very hot inside and crisp outside. I substituted whole wheat tortillas, They would have been even better if we had had the cilantro on hand, but have that taste delight to look forward to the next time we make it. Be sure you scoop the slaw carefully; apparently the person who got the last one made by pouring the slaw out got an overdose of lime juice. Incredibly delicious and the meat was not missed!

useful (3)  


27th April 2011

Granola Bars

I choose this recipe as it had very few ingredients. I baked them for 30 minutes as indicated and after letting them cool for the 3 hours, I could cut the edges into squares without them falling apart, but not the central section. The honey was the only binding ingredient, so this was not the best choice for cutting into small squares and taking into serve at a meeting. It would have been better to serve them in cupcake cups as they were explosively crumbly. Even with tight wrapping by the second day, they had turned into granola. The taste was very good, but this recipe did not work in my humid environment. The next time I will try her other granola bar recipe.

useful (2)  


The lemony zucchini with slivers of basil hiding underneath and laying on top of a creamy layer of goat cheese mixed with lemon juice was very different from most pizzas in a very fresh tasting way. I made and used half of a batch of whole wheat pizza dough made in my bread machine. It would have been easier to brush the olive oil on top of the zucchini, rather than try to drizzle it and have great blobs on oil in just a few places, and then sprinkle the additional lemon juice on top. I do think that having a thin layer of oil and some coarse salt on top is critical for the success of this pizza. I did use Meyer lemon, but like conventional lemons just as well. This was a fun, quick recipe that was so delicious, there was just not enough of it.

useful (3)  


The sourness of the rice wine vinegar and lime juice was not countered by the sweetness of the mango. I am not familiar with Napa cabbage, and had a very large regular cabbage in my refrigerator, so used that. I did read later that it is sweet and so this dressing may have been perfect with the right cabbage. I loved all the other components and it was strikingly beautiful. Don’t use regular cabbage, you will regret it!

useful (1)  


27th April 2011

Mustard-roasted potatoes

I ruined a lovely small basket of new potatoes with this recipe. I may have had more potatoes as the amount of the coating was just right. I roasted them until they were a little charred as in the pictures, but they were still raw in the center. I think more oil would have helped. The flavors would have been great, so I will try this recipe again.

useful (1)  


20th April 2011 (edited: 20th April 2011)

Pear Crisps with Vanilla Brown Butter

This was a great fruity dessert and would be perfect in the autumn. I enjoyed cooking with a whole vanilla bean and filling the kitchen with its aroma. I did not care for the sand-like consistency of the topping; I would have liked it better if it had stuck together into clumps. I used Bartlett pears (my favorite) and had German pear brandy on hand, but substituted pecans for the almonds. I made 4 individual crisps (instead of 6) and they turned out perfectly, even baking just right in the allotted time! Each of the 4 was really 2 servings however.

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It tasted fresh, weird and a little bitter. My son, who does not eat asparagus, squeezed half a Meyer lemon and the rest of the dressing components on individual plates of the salad and then licked his plate clean after finishing it! I love shaved carrots in salads and I think this would be spectacular with half carrot and a then a little Dijon mustard in the dressing.

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If you are hungry for cooked tomatoes and eggs, this is good as part of a meal. A grapefruit spoon made quick work of removing the tomato innards. The pesto was interesting, visually appealing and the flavor was OK. I added a few cilantro leaves in with the parsley. I like that you can whip up a batch of pesto without having a great amount of basil on hand. I would like to try it with substituting basil for the parsley – an economical version of the classic. My tomatoes had nice flat bottoms and I had no fear of them tipping over. But I tried her suggestion of taking a sliver off the bottom of one tomato, and the juices that came out burned and that tomato deflated a little and I did not like that result. This is a great dish to use up large tomatoes. I liked this dish just fine, but probably will not make it again.

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The first bite was so sweet in a great onion way. The dish was savory and the large amount of curry powder did not dominate. Cooking the lentils with the lid on solved my usual problem of cardboard-like lentils. It will definitely be my lentil stew go-to recipe in the future. I used a can of diced tomatoes to take out the food processing stepand substituted Balsamic for red wine vinegar to brighten it at the end.

useful (1)  


19th April 2011 (edited: 25th February 2013)

Sweet Corn Spoonbread

The fresh sweet corn flavor really predominates this creamy spoon bread. If you like creamed corn (which I hate), this dish will probably make you swoon. I made it in a nine inch square pan (one of the options) instead of a soufflé dish and it was done in the suggested time and came out very nice with lots of the crispy bits against the side of the pan. This delicious dish is easily a half day project (even with all her labor saving steps). I poured the hot cornmeal mixture into another bowl to speed the cooling process as suggested, but even that step took longer than stated even with frequent mixing. Because of the time needed to make this dish, I will probably not attempt it again.

useful (2)  


I doubled the recipe (as it was one half a recipe) and let it chill overnight instead of for 30 minutes. It worked well to use a small metal ladle to scoop perfect-sized cookies. The first batch must have been too cold as they came out flat and a little gooey. The rest turned out perfect. I can't vouch for the taste as I can't eat oatmeal, but everyone else devoured them and they looked good.

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17th April 2011

Tomato and Corn Pie

This pie bursting with fresh tomato and corn and a contrasting crispy flaky crust tasted delicious. The smell of the fresh corn was noticeable while baking. I did skin and seed the tomatoes throwing in a third as my tomatoes were only medium large. I still had trouble with a watery bottom; parts of the bottom crust seemed to have dissolved. One possible solution would be to sprinkle flour with the tomatoes and corn, but that might take away from the freshness of the tomatoes and corn and hide somewhat the lovely bursts of flavor from the cheddar and lemon mayonnaise. I would probably opt to roll the top crust thicker and skip the bottom crust altogether.

useful (2)