jenncc's Reviews
41 recipe(s) reviewed. Showing 1 to 41Sort by: Title 
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Website: Smitten Kitchen
Followed others recommendation and decreased the almond extract to 1/4 teaspoon and it was excellent - rich, creamy and not too sweet. Even if you're looking for a strong almond flavor I think 1/2 teaspoon would do it (3/4 is overkill).
Cooking time was about 35 minutes. This recipe and the SK recipe for Arroz Con Leche are two of my favorite rice puddings.
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I really enjoyed this rice pudding and that is a good thing since, as others have reported, it makes A LOT! I love how creamy it is and fortunately my rice didn't break down too much. I did take it off just after 20 minutes during the second stage of cooking, and that was perfect for me. I only used about 9 ounces sweetened condensed milk since I prefer it less sweet, but truth be told I don't think it would have been overkill with the whole 12 ounces. Other than that and the slightly shorter cook time I followed this recipe exactly. Updating this one to 5 stars - it is so creamy and delicious. I feel the flavors really came out as it cooled.
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My favorite cookies are usually the ones with the least curb appeal - chewy ginger cookies, plain peanut butter and sugar cookies, shortbread - all delicious but simple, if not dowdy. These cookies are beautiful and tasty! Really nice for the holiday cookie tray. The hardest part is actually the piping and mine did not retain starry grooves (but they didn't spread much either). Very stiff dough, and as many complained, these are hard to pipe. I just waited until dough was very soft, piped and then into the freezer for 10. I found that the thinner cookies retained their shape better (I went with small swirly rounds using the French star tip) and 10 minutes in the freezer didn't hurt either. I used raspberry and apricot jams in between the cookies and chocolate ganache for the outside. I did add 1/4 teaspoon almond and some lemon zest.
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Really enjoyed this dish. It is not a light dish but certainly less heavy than many recipes.
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This is a simple recipe that folks seem to enjoy. Richer than any chocolate cake and certainly not dry, these have a slightly fudgy texture without being gooey. I'm no Brownie expert, (more of a "Blondie" girl myself) but I thought these were plenty chocolatey with terrific texture. I did add walnuts.
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These make for a hearty but moist, barely sweet breakfast. I highly recommend fresh (or frozen) cranberries and perhaps even a little more than the recipe states. Cranberries give these a nice sweet/tart punch against the wheat-y goodness of the earthiness of the muffin. Orange zest is an nice touch.
Will be making these again for sure.
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Delicious! As another reviewer suggests the amount of olive oil can be halved. My leeks did not need the full 30 minutes in the oven to become creamy and tender.
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If you have a little extra time to make a sandwich.... this is a keeper! I think it would be best with provolone (as directed) but all I had was mozzarella and it was still really good. The broccoli component alone would be a nice side dish, but because this is a sandwich the only improvement I would make is to add some dijon mustard.
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This is a tasty tikka masala - not quite as complex as some I have had but it comes together quickly and definitely satisfied my craving. I did let the chicken marinate 4-5 hours and it was very moist and tender. Mine was a bit watery at he end of the prescribed cooking time so I let it simmer 5-10 minutes without the lid, allowing the water to cook off.
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I'm not the chocolate lover in the house, but this was well received by everyone who tried it. I thought it was slightly dense and, at least in my oven was ready by the 25 minute mark. The frosting is very good but mine definitely needed a couple tablespoons cream to be smooth, glossy(ish), and easily spreadable.
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This is a decadent addition to the Christmas Cookie tray. These are fun to put together and come out looking great, tho mine did not flatten as much as the ones pictured. I love them warm out of the oven while the peanut butter is still melty soft.
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These are a little cakier than I prefer but that could be due to over zealous beating of the butter/egg. That said the flavor is very good, with a light texture, crisp exterior and they look great.
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This stuff is addictive! The garlic/lemon/pepper flavors really compliment the charred goodness of the broccoli - really delicious.
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Really enjoyed this with the yogurt/feta sauce. Comes together quickly and is a nice (and versatile) side dish. Deb seems to be serving this with more Middle Eastern flavors while I went for a more Mexican(ish) flavor adding lime juice to the yogurt sauce and cilantro replacing the mint.
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Make this all the time. Love, love, love it. Lots of flavor out of a few simple ingredients. This is the recipe that made me a devoted follower of Deb.
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Really enjoyed this! I used leftover short grain brown rice and added green onion and a little jalapeno. Quick and easy.
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These are addictive! I cut back on the brown sugar a bit and added a couple tablespoons maple syrup to help the granola stick better to the pecans. I also added a pinch of cayenne pepper for a sweet and spicy treat. Loved how easily they came together and look forward to making them again with walnuts.
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This is a terrific cake! I used Bob's Red Mill Hazelnut Meal/Flour and had to make my own powdered sugar but it came out so moist and nutty I am already looking forward to making it again. After reading the reviews on SK's website I was worried it would be dense so I made sure my egg whites were well whipped (stiff peaks) and I very carefully folded in the other ingredients and luckily the cake was perfect. I did not use the chocolate ganache but rather topped each piece with a small scoop of ice cream.
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Lots of steps but not difficult and certainly worth it! I made this with garden tomatoes of varying sizes (some halved) and puff pastry from Trader Joe's. The pastry was slightly tough (this is most likely the fault of the pastry and not the recipe) and my tart was not soggy. This reheats well and, served with arugula salad, makes a wonderful lunch.
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Love this simple recipe. I used 4 smallish bananas, generous 3/4 cup brown sugar, and the optional bourbon. The loaf was moist with great banana flavor.
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I had to add a lot more flour to get anything even remotely resembling the dough pictured! In the end it was very good but I am not sure if I would make these again - I felt the Serious Eats Paratha Bread was easier and tastier. If you do make these I would say the thinner the better - the thicker ones were a little chewy/tough.
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Made this with a variety of heirloom tomatoes from my garden, 1 cup each of parsley and basil (thats all I had), 2 TBSP dijon and a mild provolone. The crust was perfect in texture - flaky but firm, and could be used for both sweet or savory tarts. I did add an extra couple ounces sliced cheese as the amount called for did not quite cover my crust (might have if I had grated it but I was feeling lazy). The bake times were right on and the only addition I may make is a sprinkle of dried oregano to the top. Next time I may skip the initial freeze of the dough - 10 minutes made it too stiff to line the pan and I had to wait for it to warm up to avoid cracks. This is simple to make and is perfect for a simple light lunch.
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These were terrific after an extra dose of herbs and spices. I added extra rosemary, oregano and a clove of garlic. Used chanterelles, wine cap and porcini.
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Great biscuits! I roll mine out on the thicker side and put them (sides touching) into a cast iron skillet. Baked 18 minutes for golden tops.
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Wonderful!! These are hearty but tender, with the perfect sweetness. I halved the recipe, getting 6 pancakes total, which was a very filling breakfast for two.
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Great cookie! As far as peanut butter cookies go these are the best I have had. I am usually a bit ambivalent - I'll eat one only to find too sweet/soft/hard/dry for my taste. These were perfect- crisp around the edges and soft and chewy interiors. The crispy edges didn't hold up on the few leftover cookies but were still delicious. I used mostly regular pb but had to use about 1/3 cup natural (unsweetened) pb - so maybe this kept them from being overly sweet?? I am not a chocolate fan but the dark chocolate chips I used here were a welcome addition, though I did skip the peanut butter chips. I froze half the dough for whenever I get the craving.
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Make these often - toss in salads, pasta, along side a steak, even as a stand alone snack, but my favorite is to puree them into a very rich tomato paste (way better than the canned stuff). Depending on my mood I will season them with various ingredients - thyme, red pepper flakes, garlic, dried basil, or rosemary.
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I made the cooked version and it was wonderful, but this is a VERY small batch! The called for amount of booze is too much for this small mug of nog, one or 2 T. is adequate. This is very good warm as well.
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Loved this simple dish. The hit of zest and spices from the bread crumbs brightens the pasta and rich egg, making this both comforting and delicious. There are several components - sautéing the breadcrumbs, cooking the pasta and frying the eggs- but it all comes together quickly.
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These simple ingredients made for a luxurious, creamy pasta with a wonderful zing of lemon. I added green olives and served with roasted broccoli and a salad. This will definitely be in my meal rotation.
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Gooey indeed! This is a very decadent cake with rich flavors of butter, vanilla and yeasty goodness. While most recipes for this cake call for a cake mix this one has a yeast cake base which helps balance the gooey sweetness of the "topping". I did cut the sugar, but only slightly as I did not want to mess with the texture. Otherwise followed the recipe and then put the whole thing in a glass 9 x 6 dish. Admittedly, it was hard to tell when this cake was done (especially with the smaller dish) but in the end I felt that 37 minutes was about right for a cooked cake (base) and a still gooey topping. Patience with this one- if cut into this one early all your goo will ooze right out.
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These are just as the title implies - biscuits with strawberries. Not sweet or scone-like, but more like a light tender biscuit with pops of flavor. My strawberries were not as ripe as Deb's so they did not exactly "melt" into the batter and they needed a little something - a swipe of butter and jam or honey, but were definitely tasty. I froze mine and they baked up perfectly. Straight from the freezer, these needed an extra 8-10 minutes.
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This was delicious and so easy! Followed recipe exactly - did not skimp on the sugar since my berries weren't super sweet and it was perfect. Crumble topping was buttery and crisp. Baked full 50 minutes.
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These feel pretty decadent for popsicles! They are wonderfully creamy but refreshing. I used blueberries and fat free greek yogurt.
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Loved this! Very flavorful and easy to throw together. I marinated mine for 4 hours and they were great. I made my own hoisin and sweet Thai Chili Sauces and did as Deb did in doubling the hoisin. Wish the skin had crisped up but will definitely try this again on the grill.
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I really enjoyed this! I used chicken broth (no proper stock or cream in the house) and instead of the bread crumbs I used toasted pine nuts. It was probably a little lighter and we thought it was just right.
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These are excellent! I usually can't wait for them to cool before I start picking, and picking, and picking. I do leave out the vanilla now (as I agree with Deb that I didn't detect any difference with or without), and I usually sweeten with honey. Some of my favorite combo's have been almond butter and dried blueberries or cherries, walnut butter with cranberries or peanut butter with dried strawberries or blueberries. I also tend to go with the lower sugar amount (1/2 cup).
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Excellent cookie! These are great as cut outs, thumbprints, or a sable style cookie. Letting the cookies brown/caramelize enhances the flavor greatly. I rolled my first batch pretty thin and let them get lightly browned (for flavor) then glazed with an almond flavored glaze (powdered sugar, water and almond extract), and sprinkled with various colored sugars and decorations.
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These are tasty and the perfect accompaniment to cocktails, cheese or even eaten on there own. I made this using pecans.
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This is a very nice side but as other reviews mentioned it is a bit heavy, and I certainly got more than 4 servings out of it. I think it could be great, just needs some tinkering.
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Really enjoyed this topped with walnuts, strawberries and a little honey. The texture was smooth and light. Repeated for breakfast with granola and berries.
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