redjanet's Reviews
205 recipes reviewed. Showing 1 to 50Sort by: Book Title 
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Vegan Under Pressure
By Jill Nussinow
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt - 2016
I love making risotto in the instant pot! It is so ridiculously easy and comes out well every time. The author gives instructions for the basic risotto recipe and then different variations. This mushroom variation worked well and I really liked the inclusion of chopped rehydrated sun-dried tomatoes. I do think it could have done maybe with a little bit of extra flavour, maybe in the form of a splash of white wine or some vegan butter (or both?), but I will definitely be making this again. Leftovers reheated well for lunch the next day.
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Website: Tracey's Culinary Adventures
Easy and flavourful pasta dish that invokes the tastes of one of my favourite Italian American restaurant dishes. Makes plenty and I'm looking forward to the leftovers. My only small criticism is that I thought the sauce would be a bit thicker.
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Website: So Vegan
I have to admit straight up here, I ended up not making 'fishcakes' out of this as the mix didn't bind enough for me to be able to form any semblance of patties without it falling apart. HOWEVER, I am still giving the recipe four stars as when I mixed it with vegan mayonnaise (using the recipe from Forks Over Knives - see separate review), it made the perfect chickpea tuna! I actually found it hard to stop eating and it was perfect for lunch on a bagel. I only used one nori sheet instead of the four the recipe specified, mainly because my hands were getting tired from snipping it, but in my opinion, one sheet was enough. Really delicious!
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Snowflakes and Schnapps
By Jane Lawson
Murdoch Books - 2010
This was a pleasant enough dish to serve on a cold wintry Sunday. I didn't have any lingonberry preserves, as suggested, to go with it, and I thought it was a tad bland. The vodka added at the last minute made the sauce a bit too strong, but the sauce was nice and thick and overall a filling, hearty meal.
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Website: Smitten Kitchen
I'd never used vodka in cooking before so I was really intrigued as to how this would taste. It ended up being a very flavourful sauce which went very well with pasta. I didn't have fresh basil unfortunately, but I used dried and added lots of black pepper, which gave it a nice kick. My only minor complaint is that I ended up halving the ingredients as I was only serving my OH and myself and there was still way too much sauce for just the two of us. However, I would definitely make this again as the sauce itself was delicious and it was a quick and easy midweek meal.
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Website: Smitten Kitchen
I made this last night and as I was only serving two I halved the ingredients and it still worked really well. I probably didn't marinate the chicken for as long as I should/could have due to lack of time, but it was still very flavourful and I would definitely make this again as a tasty weekday dinner. It went very well with basmati rice on the side.
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Website: Smitten Kitchen
So this cake seems very popular right now, but as British strawberries are having a good season and I needed something to take to a family dinner, I thought it would be ideal. It was very easy to put together and came out beautifully. I used a 9 inch springform tin as suggested as a possibility in the recipe, which worked perfectly. I also quartered the strawberries instead of just halving them as they were quite huge. The juice from the strawberries seeped nicely into the cake making it very moist, but not too mushy and everyone seemed to really enjoy it and were coming back for seconds. It went very well with cream poured on top, but was also moist enough on its own. I will definitely make this again and may try it with other fruit, such as blueberries or raspberries.
Edit: Forgot to add earlier that I only used plain flour as I had loads of it in my cupboard (and no barley flour) and it tasted really good.
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Website: The Slimming Foodie
Easy to make and went well with a salad and new potatoes, though most vegetables would go well with this. I found the sauce slightly too sweet and will probably use less sweetener if I make it again (which is likely considering my OH really enjoyed it), but overall it was a pleasing combination of flavours. Note, I used bacon medallions which didn't wrap around the chicken, resulting in the sauce messily leaking out all over the baking tray.
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Simply Nigella: Feel Good Food
By Nigella Lawson
Chatto & Windus - 2015
I'll admit straight away that although I like it, I am not generally the biggest fan of macaroni and cheese as I generally find it to be too heavy. That said, I was intrigued enough to give this recipe a try for the interesting combination of sweet potatoes and feta cheese in the mix. Although this, like other mac and cheeses, was rather heavy and a big laggy, the contrast of the sharp feta to the sweet potatoes was very good and there was an overall more creaminess to the texture which I liked. I think it could have used a bit more English mustard or paprika (or a bit more of both) as it still felt a little lacking in taste, but still was quite enjoyable. It also made for a hefty amount of leftovers for lunch the next couple of days and was quite good eaten cold.
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I never thought I would say this about a Nigella baking recipe, but I was so disappointed with these brownies. The idea of a Nutella brownie sounded amazing, and what was even more amazing that the only ingredients were Nutella and eggs (and a bit of sea salt). I followed the instructions and weight measurements exactly, but these ended up tasting mostly just of chewy eggs.
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Save with Jamie: Shop Smart, Cook Clever, Waste Less
By Jamie Oliver
Michael Joseph - 2013
Easy, tasty and healthy dish. Great flavours for summer or anytime. I wouldn't quite say it is "hit 'n' run" as between the chopping and cooking it takes over an hour, but it is easy to do and once you're finished prepping you can relax while it is cooking away in the oven and making your house smell nice.
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Real Food
By Nigel Slater
Fourth Estate Ltd - 2000
This was very quick and easy to prepare, and the combination of the parmesan and butter with the breadcrumbs on top of the plaice, which has a very distinctive taste, was very nice. I prefer baking breaded fish in the oven to frying as it tends to fall apart less. However, my plaice fillets were probably a bit thinner than Nigel would have suggested (the fault of my grocery delivery, not his), and the fish came out a bit mushy and fell apart quite easily when dishing up, despite my reducing the cooking time. Still, it did taste good still and went well with the baked potato wedges I did at the same time, as well as with a green salad.
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The Pioneer Woman Cooks: Recipes from an Accidental Country Girl
By Ree Drummond
William Morrow Cookbooks - 2009
I was really excited about getting the Pioneer Woman book and this was the first (and so far, only) recipe I tried. Unfortunately I found this to be very disappointing. Good meatloaf is one of my favourite comfort foods, but this version uses bread and milk as binders for the loaf and when I made it, it came out way too soggy and wet for my liking. I've concluded that I much prefer using dried breadcrumbs and eggs. I also don't think baking it on a grill as suggested is the best idea as it makes it incredibly hard to slice and serve.
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This was simple and straightforward to make and overall I quite liked it. I'd never eaten clams before so I thought I'd give it a go, even if they were only from a tin. The sauce was nice and creamy and the texture of the clams with the freshness of the parsley went very well with the linguine. It was a nice Saturday night meal with a glass of wine. My only complaint was that the clams didn't have a very strong flavour, so aside from the texture they gave the sauce, which I liked, they didn't add very much to the dish. Maybe a stronger, bolder seafood in here would be better. Still, not too bad at all.
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This couldn't be simpler. I love fried bread and I love eggs, so this is a perfect quick cooked breakfast for me.
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The Pioneer Woman Cooks: Dinnertime: Comfort Classics, Freezer Food, 16-Minute Meals, and Other Delicious Ways to Solve Supper!
By Ree Drummond
William Morrow Cookbooks - 2015
This was a resounding success. The combination of flavours (the sauce is incredible) and textures was perfect and I would be very happy if a dish I ordered in a Chinese restaurant tasted as good as that. This also reheated very well for lunch the next day. I will definitely be making this again.
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Another excellent stir-fry from this book with a delicious sauce. Also, surprisingly healthy for PW! I think next time I may substitute broccoli florets for the snow peas as suggested as I think the textures would work better, but overall this was another hit I will be making again.
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The Philadelphia Cookbook: Heavenly Recipes Using Philadelphia
By Philadelphia UK
Ebury Press - 2008
This is an easy way to incorporate salmon into weekday cooking. You basically spread garlic and herb philly onto salmon fillets and top with breadcrumbs that have been mixed with lemon zest and chives and just bake it in the oven for about 20 minutes. It comes out juicy and flavourful and goes well with new potatoes and veg of your choice.
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Olive: 100 of the Very Best Chicken Recipes (Olive Magazine)
By Olive Magazine
Orion - 2016
Excellent quick and easy dish which is comforting and healthy and perfect for a simple weeknight meal for two. I turned the chicken thighs over halfway through the initial 10 minute poaching time as it didn't look as if they would cook the whole way through otherwise. I also left out the butter to cut down on the calories and the dish tasted fine.
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Website: Ocado
This is a quick and easy, but also elegant way to serve pasta mid-week. The lemon and parsley gives the dish a fresh flavour and using half fat creme fraiche keeps the calories down. I used spaghetti instead of linguine as it was what I had in the cupboard, and I also just used cooked prawns instead of a seafood mix and it was absolutely fine. I'll definitely be making this one again.
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Nigellissima: Instant Italian Inspiration
By Nigella Lawson
Chatto & Windus - 2012
This is a perfect recipe for when you don't have a lot of time on your hands but you need a dinner that is warm and soothing and easy to make. Similar to the flavours of a quick linguine recipe from Nigella Bites, this is easy to eat comfort food using orzo pasta instead of risotto rice.
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Nigella Express: Good Food, Fast
By Nigella Lawson
Hyperion - 2007
This was the first recipe I ever made from this book and it was a great introduction. It is very easy, especially with the gnocchi as a side dish. The uses of cider and mustard, along with the cream gives this a rich, creamy flavour.
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The preparation for this dish couldn't be simpler and the results are really delicious. Unlike in the photo in the book, I roasted the sweet potatoes and the poussins in separate trays in the oven (which is how Nigella instructs in the actual recipe). Although I find poussin a bit fiddly to eat, this was very juicy. I absolutely love the flavour of the sweet potatoes which is roasted in garlic oil and cumin (my favourite spice). This has become a regular way of preparing sweet potatoes even with other dishes.
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These are easy to make and come out chewy and delicious. The last time I made them I stored them in the "throwaway" foil tin I baked them in, a la Nigella, but as I was the only one in the house eating them they turned a bit hard and crumbly rather quickly. The next time I make them I'll store them in a more airtight container and see if they last any longer, as they're really worth making for a get up and go portable breakfast.
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This is Nigella's different take on the classic coq au vin, using a whole bottle of Riesling wine instead. This came out well but I have to admit it was a bit bland for my tastebuds.
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Not having an ice-cream maker, I was excited to try this way of making one of my favourite dessers, using only pomegranates, lime juice, icing sugar and double cream. This makes a very creamy ice-cream, which is simply mixed together and stored in the freezer in an air-tight container. I think the fruit flavourings could be a bit stronger here as I still tasted mostly cream, but if like me, you don't have and don't really want an ice-cream maker, it's an easy alternative.
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This recipe is exactly as described and is very easy. It is simply a combination of quickly-fried minute steaks with an accompanying mashed bean side. My OH and I weren't so keen on the mashed beans as we found them a bit bland and oily in texture.
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This is a quick and flavourful way to prepare chicken in the middle of the week. This recipe requires chicken escalopes, streaky bacon, garlic oil and white wine and goes very well with a green salad.
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This is a very quick way to make a tasty midweek meal. Gammon has a lot of flavour on its own but Nigella adds even more with garlic oil white wine vinegar, pepper, honey and parsley. This is ridiculously easy and goes well with potato and vegetable sides of your choice.
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I really wanted to like this as salmon is one of my favourite foods and the idea of a sticky glaze with it sounded great. Unfortunately I actually found the mirin glaze a bit too sickly sweet and was disappointed both times I attempted this recipe.
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This is a different twist on the traditional stir-fry, using cannellini beans as the starch base rather than rice or noodles. It is easy to make and very filling, but unfortunately I found it to be a bit bland.
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This is a fun dessert to make and bring to parties. It is rich and very filling and it's really delicious. I didn't bother adding the icing sugar to the top as I think the bars are sugary enough without them. These are very satisfying and I would only recommend if you have plenty of room in your tummy for them.
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I really liked these. The ingredients gave the chicken a nice, gentle flavour. These can be eaten hot or cold and I can imagine them being a good thing to take to a picnic, as Nigella did in the episode of the show in which she made them. In fact, that's probably what they're perfect for.
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A quick way of making hunter's chicken as a mid-week meal. This is hearty, comfort food that goes down well in the winter. Although the recipe uses cannellini beans as an option, after the first attempt I took Nigella's advice and served it with rice instead as a personal preference, which absorbed the sauce well and proved to be comforting and satisfying.
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I thought this was surprisingly really good and much better than it had a right to be considering how much of a cheat's recipe it is. Instead of stewing for an hour or more, this chilli can be cooked for less than half an hour due to the flavour added to it from chorizo, sweet chili sauce and a blend of spices as well as jarred pasta sauce. I didn't add extra chilli flakes as recommended as I'm a bit of a wuss when it comes to spices and I found the mild kick of the sweet chilli sauce to be enough for me. I'll definitely be making this one again when I fancy a hearty midweek meal, especially in winter.
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A quick and easy midweek pasta dish. I didn't have spaghettini but used normal old spaghetti which was fine. The sunblush tomatoes, rocket and prawns made for a very colourful, pretty dish and the chilli flakes added a nice kick. I think if i made this again, though, I wouldn't use all of the oil of the sunblush tomatoes as instructed as it made the dish a bit *too* oily for my tastes, especially towards the end, but overall this was nice.
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edited on 27/08/12: I'm upgrading this to three stars as I decided to give this recipe another go in desperation for a quick, easy burger recipe that seemed relatively low in fat. This time I put the burgers in the fridge to firm up for about a half an hour before grilling them on my griddle pan. They still came out a bit soft for my liking, but the flavour was really good and my husband said he liked them and wouldn't mind having them again. So, for a quick burger recipe, it's not too bad. I served these on wholemeal rolls with cheese slices.
I was happy to see a burger recipe in a Nigella book as I normally don't have very good results when trying to make my own. Unfortunately, this recipe didn't really help me as, as usual for me, they came out a bit mushier than I was hoping for and the mixture was a bit too wet for my tastes. I didn't use a burger press as per Nigella's suggestion (I don't have one!), so maybe that's part of the problem.
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This was a quick, shortcut way of making macaroni and cheese. The cheese sauce was made with Red Leicester (which I tried for the first time and quite liked), eggs, evaporated milk and grated nutmeg and then poured over cooked macaroni to bake off in a hot oven. The results weren't as bubbly and drippingly cheesy as I hoped it would be, but more set into the pan and a bit coagulated. It did taste nice, but was quite rich. I'm not sure if I'd make this again.
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I really liked this. The sweet potato took a little longer than the 15 minutes suggested, which made the butternut squash go a bit mushy, but despite that the flavour of everything combined was really good. I wasn't sure how well the mango would go, but the sweetness added a nice contrast. I used pre-cooked prawns, which worked fine and served the whole thing with basmati rice. I wish now I had taken a photo as the whole dish was very pink and pale orange!
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Ridiculously simple to make, and needs a decent side to go with it to make a complete meal, but the combination of the chorizo and scallop flavours with a bit of lemon was really good and very fast to throw together. I made the chickpea and rocket salad to go with it, as suggested, but I'd be open to suggestion for different ideas of accompaniment.
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Very quick and easy to make. Just a matter of frying up some cumin seeds and warming through some chickpeas and rocket with sherry. The sherry flavour was a bit too strong for my tastes, but it served decently as a side dish to the chorizo and scallops dish on the preceding pages.
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I've never made my own coleslaw before and I made this today to take for a picnic and it's very good! Nice, fresh flavours with a hint of sweetness from the maple syrup. I've never had nuts in coleslaw before either and it adds a nice extra texture. The measurements given make plenty.
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Nigella Christmas: Food Family Friends Festivities
By Nigella Lawson
Hyperion - 2009
Having recently rediscovered this cocktail, one of my favourite drinks back in college, I wanted to recreate it at home as Amaretto is a liqueur I almost always have in the house. All this consists of is amaretto and lemon juice. I have to admit, I didn't exactly follow Nigella's measurements exactly and came up with a drink that was probably too strong on the sour and even stronger on the amaretto, but I liked the sharp contrast of sweet and sour and will be making this again. Now I need to find some maraschino cherries to complete the recipe properly.
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I'll admit that I'm not overly keen on fruit cake, but having declared I would bring dessert to my in-laws for Christmas I decided on this. This was indeed quite easy to make in advance of the big day and it kept well wrapped in baking parchment and tin foil in a baking tin, as instructed by Nigella. The cake itself was very moist and although the chocolate flavour wasn't overwhelming, it left a nice aftertaste and added an extra dimension.
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This was a simple, easy to prepare dessert to bring to a friends' house over the holidays and it went down a treat. The flavours combined beautifully and the end result was a wonderful combination of textures - soft and fluffy cake with a slightly crispy top.
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Excellent cookies; perfect for the season.
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Nigella Bites
By Nigella Lawson
Chatto & Windus - 2001
This is one of the simplest recipes ever, but it is satisfying to eat. All it consists of is roasting pancetta in garlic oil for ten minutes and then tossing with linguine and maybe adding some parsley at the end if you like. It's really tasty and perfect for a weeknight when you're too tired to make much of an effort.
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This was my first foray into making my own meatballs. This is a nice comfort dish to make for a hungry bunch. It is fairly easy, though time consuming. My only minor complaint is that I think the recipe for the sauce, as is, is missing something as I find the flavour slightly bland. Otherwise I really like it. I haven't tried the accompanying home-made pasta and I'm not sure if I ever will, but the meatballs and sauce are a good start.
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I made this to go with a pork stew recipe that suggested cabbage would be a good side dish. This turned out to have more flavour than the stew! This was easy and quick to make and a had a nice hint of Asian flavours with soy sauce and toasted sesame oil added at the last minute. The recipe was easily halved as I was just cooking for two.
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Incredibly easy, this was a great main dish to make on Christmas Eve. It felt rather strange pouring a whole bottle of coca cola into the pot to boil the ham in, but the result was delicious, especially after the ten minutes finished off in the oven with the treacle, English mustard powder and demerara sugar glaze. Very tasty indeed.
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