foodiewife's Reviews
99 recipes reviewed. Showing 1 to 50Sort by: Book Title 
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The Steamy Kitchen Cookbook: 101 Asian Recipes Simple Enough for Tonight's Dinner
By Jaden Hair
Tuttle Publishing - 2009
This is a really easy recipe to make. It's my own fault, that I didn't use a quality flank steak; thus, my end result didn't turn out to be five-star. Still, the marinade flavor is very easy and tasty. Imagine my surprise, when I posted this on my blog (I still cringe at my amateur photography, at that time), and author Jaden Hair left a comment on my blog! I really should make this, again, as it is very good.
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Slow Cooker Revolution
By The Editors at America's Test Kitchen, America's Test Kitchen
Boston Common Press - 2011
We liked this soup, but I felt that the tomato puree kind of overpowered the beef broth flavor that I like in this type of soup. Also, I would double the amount of barley. Other than that, it's a good recipe that I would make again.
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Not bad, but nothing earth shattering. I blogged this recipe and here are my tasting notes:
I decreased the chipotle from 1 teaspoon to 1/2 teaspoon (I'm whimpy about heat). The chili has a tangy flavor from the tomatoes, with light notes of citrus from the lime zest and juice. This is very different than a traditional beef-style chili, but it's a nice change. It tastes "healthy". I don't know what to say if you have children to feed-- there isn't a lot of tequila, but I'm not going to risk Child Protective Services from paying you a visit. If you leave out the tequila, I'm sure that the chili will taste fine-- or, you could skip adding more tequila before serving. The first two tablespoons, added at the beginning, would have long cooked out any alcohol. Your choice.
http://foodiewife-kitchen.blogspot.com/2012/02/tequila-and-lime-turkey-chili-slow.html
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I blogged this recipe a while ago, and think it's time to make them again. Here are my tasting notes:
My son said these were the best ribs ever! My husband was slower to respond. Undoubtedly, he was comparing them to the ribs he's learned to grill well. I do agree that the ribs were very tender. His verdict is that they are very tender, and almost smoky. I liked that there was a slight stickiness to the outside of the ribs, and a slightly charred taste from the broiler. There is nothing like slow-cooked ribs, over wood chips and a Weber grill. However, I will say that after a rough day at work today-- I'm beginning to see how slow cookers can be my new best kitchen helper. I give America's Test Kitchen kudos, for this recipe. Broiling the ribs is key. Otherwise, these would just be braised meat, and not barbecue.
The link to my post is: http://foodiewife-kitchen.blogspot.com/2011/11/slow-cooker-revolution-easy-barbecue.html
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Pressure Cooker Perfection
By Editors at America's Test Kitchen
Boston Common Press - 2013
This is the first recipe I've made from this cookbook. Oh, how I loved this recipe! I'm such a big fan of braised meats. I appreciate turning less expensive cuts of meats into tender bite-size meals. This took 15 minutes for me to prep. That included deboning the country-style pork ribs (Whole Foods didn't have boneless). I have an electric pressure cooker, that I adore. It took about 10 minutes for the ragu to come to pressure, and then 20 minutes to cook. The sauce was a beautiful reddish brown color, had just the right amount of thickness. The background flavor of the red wine, with just a hint of red pepper flakes-- the garlic, the pasta, the tender meat... so delicious! This recipe is a keeper, for sure.
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Note to self: don't make the same mistake, again, by buying bone-in short ribs. The meat was a bit tough, though I bought them at Whole Foods as grass-fed quality short ribs.
Definitely, go for boneless short ribs!
The sauce was really good! Crazy good, and really simple to make.
I served this sticky rice.
Super easy to assemble, and only 35 minutes of P/C time.
Definitely a keeper recipe.
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Hands down, this is one of my favorite recipes that I've made from this book. It's a meatless dinner, but totally vegetarian because of the chicken broth.
The blend of shiitake, cremini and portobello mushrooms doesn't make me miss meat at all.
This was pretty fast to put together-- 20 minutes, tops, in choppping (I have pretty good knife skills). 25 minutes of PC cooking time, and this sauce was ready to go.
It reheated well, as leftovers.
Definitely a memorably good meal, that I will make again.
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Overall, this was a good recipe, but I would make a few adjustments. 90 minutes of pressure cooker time did not make sense to me. I reduced it to 75 minutes, and the pork was a bit on the dry side. I can make many braised dinners with 20 minutes of cooking time, so something seems really off with this recipe.
However, the green tea and liquid smoke braising liquid was good. The green tea is supposed to mimic pork being cooked in banana leaves. The liquid smoke was not overpowering at all.
The pineapple salsa got some tweaking for me. I like to use red onion and a lot more lime juice and I added mango to the mix. This is a very good salsa, if I do say so myself.
I'd probably make this again, but I think I'd like to sear the meat, first, then put it in the braising liquid. I would think I could reduce the P/C time to 30 minutes.
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The Pioneer Woman Cooks: Recipes from an Accidental Country Girl
By Ree Drummond
William Morrow Cookbooks - 2009
I think the idea of using prunes in a cake turns people off. I decided to jump in and try this recipe, and I was not sorry! It's a very moist cake. The icing is really good. I need to bake this, again. It's a perfect fall flavor kind of treat.
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This is one of the first recipes that I've made from P-Dub...and one of the first that I've ever blogged (my photos are embarrassing...before I learned not to shoot food photos with flash photography). Anyway... these are really good. I like these better than thick-cut onion rings. I don't eat fried foods often, but these are great treat to enjoy.
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This is such an easy recipe to make. It really isn't a Ree Drummond original, since it's a classic Texas Sheet Cake. It's perfect to make for a potluck.
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These are one of my favorite cookies. What's interesting is that I've been baking this exact recipe a few years before P-Dub published her cookbook. I found the recipe in a special edition of Taste of Home Cookies. Not sure why Ree doesn't credit the source, but oh well. I happened to have a bag of butterscotch chips that I added into one particular batch, and it was a nice addition.
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I find it humorous that this recipe warrants being in a cookbook. It's just so simple, and a classic recipe that's been around forever. Whenever I make these (long before Ree published this recipe) I use a large cookie cutter, after buttering both sides, and I save the center. I always cook the center on the griddle so that we can add homemade jam. My family loves the toasted, buttery centers the best.
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This is Ree's Signature Dish. I love cinnamon rolls, unfortunately. I'm not the biggest fan of maple flavor (though I love maple syrup on my pancakes), so I used vanilla extract for the icing. Make these, and your family or guests will love you forever. Fat attack, but worth an occasional indulgence.
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I fused Ree's recipe with some tips from America's Test Kitchen to make my husband's favorite comfort food meal. I added baking powder and baking soda (per CI) to the flour, which supposed would make the batter crispier and...well, better. Another step Ree doesn't add is once the steaks are dipped and battered, to set them on a wire rack, over a baking sheet.
Ree doesn't use this tip--once you begin frying the steaks, set them over a wire rack and baking sheet at 200F (Warm), while you make the gravy.
Doing so, prevents the crispy battered steaks from becoming soggy.
My husband LOVED this recipe, and the adaptions were a great improvement. You can see how I made this on my blog at:
http://foodiewife-kitchen.blogspot.com/2010/04/for-my-husband-chicken-fried-steak-with.html
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The Pioneer Woman Cooks: Food from My Frontier
By Ree Drummond
William Morrow Cookbooks - 2012
Goodness! This recipe is years old on Ree's blog, but it's a good thing she added it to her newest cookbook. It's a delicious soup, and the sour cream is a nice touch. This has become a regular family favorite.
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There is no need for me to buy bottled salsa. This recipe is super easy to make and I appreciate it most when tomato growing season is over. I like being able to adjust the heat of this recipe by adding more or less jalapeno. Yes, it tastes just like the salsa that is served at Mexican restaurants.
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This is a really easy recipe for a Classic dish. It's fancy enough to serve for a dinner party, yet makes a pretty quick work night dinner. It's a recipe that's several years old on Ree's blog, but she's included in her new cookbook.
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This is an easy pizza dough to make, and a good basic one to have on hand.
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I watched PW make this on her television show, and I was sold. I love fig jam, so I made her pizza crust and this recipe--exactly as she did. It was a fantastic summer meal, outside on a summer day. It's different, and memorable.
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This is a really easy recipe to make, and a true man-pleasing dinner. I'm a carnivore, too, and I loved this recipe a lot.
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I love any kind of gratin. This is a good recipe, but not my ultimate favorite. Ree uses Russet potatoes and cheddar cheese. It's good, and rich, but my all time favorite is made with Yukon Gold's and Fontina cheese. But, that's just my own personal preference.
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How do I love this recipe? Let me count the ways. First, I make my own bread rolls, instead of frozen bread dough. I'm a bread baker, and have the easiest peasiest recipe on my blog (http://foodiewife-kitchen.blogspot.com/2009/11/pioneer-womans-buttered-rosemary-rolls.html) But, if you cheat and use frozen bread dough, I can personally attest that adding sea salt and fresh rosemary, and baking these babies in a cast iron skillet rocks! I've made this many times, and it's always a hit-- and looks so impressive.
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Ree is really digging back into her oldies but goodies recipe, from waaaaaaay back on her blog. This is one of her first recipes I ever made, but it's good. The cake is sturdy enough to hold up against fresh strawberries, and who doesn't love a cream cheese frosting?
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This recipe went viral, a few years ago, when it was first posted on Ree's blog. They are delicious. Sometimes, I added a little Parmesan cheese and drizzled heavy cream on top which makes a decadent and rich variation of this potato. It's a family favorite.
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Website: The Pioneer Woman
I forgot that I made, and blogged, these a while ago! Muffins are so easy to make, and I love them on a weekend morning-- while reading the paper and sipping on coffee. These have a nice balance of spices. I did use the golden raisins, because I love them and the evaporated milk. I didn't frost these, though I'm sure they'd be delicious with a cream cheese frosting. They definitely are moist, too. You can view how I made these at: http://foodiewife-kitchen.blogspot.com/2009/12/pumpkin-spice-muffins-adapted-from.html
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The Perfect Scoop: Ice Creams, Sorbets, Granitas, and Sweet Accessories
By David Lebovitz
Ten Speed Press,U.S. - 2007
I love strawberries, and this is an excellent way to enjoy them. Kirsch is used in this recipe, and the alcohol also helps to reduce ice crystals. This is very simple to prepare. I make it every summer, when locally grown sweet and organic strawberries are in season.
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The Pasta Bible: The Definitive Sourcebook, with over 1,000 Illustrations
By Christian Teubner, Silvio Rizzi, Tan Lee Leng
Chartwell Books, Inc. - 2009
Like so many pasta recipes, this one came together super fast. This isn't low-fat, by any means, but once in a while a cream sauce is such a tasty indulgence. I followed the recipe with only two adaptions. One, I doubled the garlic. Second, I didn't have Gorgonzola on hand so I used a quality Parmesan cheese...that I actually added in the last minute of cooking the sauce.
Instead of cooking my broccoli separately, and rinsing it with cold water, I simply added it to the cooked pasta for the last 2 minutes. The broccoli stayed a beautiful green, and was perfectly cooked as the way we eat our pasta-- al dente. The men in my family scarfed two helpings, each. I loved the additional garlic.
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The Pasta Bible
By Jeni Wright
Anness - 1999
Pasta is my kind of fast food. I doubled the amount of garlic, and I cooked the broccoli with the pasta, during the last two minutes. I love gorgonzola, but didn't have any on hand. Instead, I added freshly grated Parmesan to the sauce towards the last minute. Oh, I added a pinch of red pepper flakes and a small fresh squeeze of lemon juice, at the very end. The broccoli stayed bright green, and was just like my pasta-- al dente. Great and easy recipe.
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Martha Stewart's New Pies and Tarts: 150 Recipes for Old-Fashioned and Modern Favourites
By Martha Stewart
Clarkson Potter - 2011
What's a coconut creme pie, really? It's a pie crust filled with pastry cream and whipped topping. I didn't make the chocolate crust, only because I wanted coconut to be the star of this pie. The filling was easy enough to make, but didn't have enough coconut flavor. Fortunately, I have a bottle of Lorann Coconut Flavor, which helped. I wish I had made America's Test Kitchen's recipe, instead, which uses coconut milk. Overall, it's a good pie. Made the Pate Brisee crust, which is more traditional.
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Martha Stewart's Cookies: The Very Best Treats to Bake and to Share (Martha Stewart Living Magazine)
By Martha Stewart Living Magazine
Clarkson Potter - 2008
A little crispy on the outside, and chewy in the middle-- the sparkling sugar adds an extra crunch. The cookies aren't super sweet, with a very subtle taste of lemon-- but the lemon isn't overpowering at all. I think it would be a fun twist to make this recipe with almond extract (another personal favorite of mine) and even some ground almonds. I used coarse sparkling sugar, which gives a nice presentation as well as adding a nice crunch to each bite. I'd make these again, for sure.
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Joy the Baker Cookbook: 100 Simple and Comforting Recipes
By Joy Wilson
Hyperion - 2012
I'm kinda meh about chocolate frosting. But this one hits it right out of the ballpark! I frosted my fudgy brownies with this, and they were the first thing that was gone at a potluck! So good!
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NOTE: My page number is in the iPad version of this book.
I've been making Rachael Ray's Oatmeal Cookie pancakes for years. These are better. It's the buttermilk and maple syrup, in the batter, I am sure of it. They turned out slightly crispy on the edges, fluffy in the middle with a nice texture from the oatmeal. I served these with real maple syrup, as I haven't bought fake pancake syrup in years. My men gobbled them up and my husband gave these five stars. Keeper!
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NOTE: The page number is from my iPad version of this book.
I will never buy commercial made kettle corn again. This recipe is fool-proof and perfect. This is our Date Night at home snack, while watching a streamed movie. Love this!
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I forgot to rate this! Yes, this is super easy to make. I have made it a few times, and didn't have any problems with burned sugar or sticking. I have a non-stick heavy pot with a tight-fitting lid, so that helps. The trick is to lift and shake the pot up and down and sideways, every 15 seconds or so. Set it back on the flame and repeat.
I upped the sugar by one extra tablespoon and it's perfect!
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Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams at Home
By Jeni Britton Bauer
Artisan - 2011
I didn't have butter flavor, but I use Lorann's Sweet Dough Baking Emulsion, which has a lovely buttery flavor to it. Instead of using peppermint essential oil, I use pure peppermint extract...just a little at a time. I didn't want the peppermint to overpower the ice cream. I only had white chocolate chips, which was a mistake. Chips have an additive that makes melting them nice and smooth, very difficult. Next time, I'll use block white chocolate so that it breaks into beautiful chips. Either way, the ice cream tasted just like the buttermints that we get at a restaurant where we eat. The turmeric gives a beautiful yellow color, without affecting the flavor. I usually make an egg custard ice cream, but I have to say that Jeni's cream cheese "secret ingredient" rather than egg is a great substitute. Super creamy. The next day I made "Funfetti Cookies" (on my blog) and used the ice cream to turn these into ice cream sandwiches. Fabulous!
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The Homesick Texan Cookbook
By Lisa Fain
Hyperion - 2011
I've never had Migas before, but there's a first time for everything. I'll start with the end result-- delicious!
I ran in to some problems, and later noted that someone mentioned (on Lisa's blog) what I would do differently, next time. According to the recipe, I was to add the egg mixture and the fried tortillas strips together at the same time. This resulted in soggy tortilla strips. The other problem I had was that she says to sprinkle the cheese, and stir gently until the cheese has melted. It turned into a gloppy mess!
I will make this, again, only I will cook the eggs till almost done, then add the tortilla strips (to keep them from becoming soggy), and then add the cheese. I think I'll quickly broil the whole thing, to have better melted cheese.
I did add my own Salsa Verde, which was a nice touch, and garnished it with sour cream and chopped fresh green onion. Avocado would have been nice, too.
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Everyday Food: Great Food Fast
By Martha Stewart Living Magazine
Clarkson Potter - 2007
I've been wanting to make this recipe for a very long time. Think of this as a hybrid quesadilla meets enchilada. The spring form pan made this a very pretty presentation. I did use the beer (instead of water) which took more than 10 minutes to reduce.
This is a hearty and flavorful meatless dinner, that reheats really well. It's highly versatile. You could add chicken, for extra protein. You could add red bell pepper for color. I'll make it again.
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Cuisine at Home
(June, 2011)
According to Cuisine at home, Bistecca alla Fiorentia is one of the most celebrated dishes in Tuscany. In doing a little bit of internet research, I see that a Porterhouse cut of beef is most traditional. I think that a Rib-Eyes is a great alternative choice, because it has a lot of marbling. As the interior fat melts, it keeps the steak flavorful and moist-- which is a great failsafe, in case you overcook a bit longer than you intended to.
The pickled orange shallots are a nice garnish, as it cuts back on the fattiness of the steak. The steak is coated with extra-virgin olive oil, with orange zest, garlic, fresh basil and mint. We loved it!
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This recipe is super simple to make. We're not bourbon drinkers, but with this glaze, we can make an exception. The bourbon flavor is subtle, but gives a beautiful flavor with the sweetness of the pure maple syrup. NOTE: I buy the small "airline size" bottles of bourbon at my local liquor store. That's cheaper, since we don't drink bourbon but I enjoy cooking with it, on occasion.
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Cook's Country
(Jun/Jul, 2011)
The beans were perfectly cooked, thank goodness. To me, the flavor was was very savory. I wasn't sure if it was the Worcestershire sauce, or too much Dijon mustard. Personally, I was sorely tempted to add tomato paste. But, the article said, "Although many recipes call for tomato products, native New Englander's assured us that they had no place in an authentic Boston baked bean recipe." I reconsidered what to do, as I much prefer a sweeter version of baked beans. Hey, I'm from California!
I decided to add an extra 1/4 cup of brown sugar and some honey. Yes, honey! I'm sorry if this offends anyone from Boston, but this did the trick for me.
I have to be honest with all of you. On a scale from 1-5, 5 meaning that the beans were out-of-this-world great, I give this recipe a 3.5... only because I think Bush's Beans have spoiled my palate. HOWEVER, my husband and son loved these beans! They were completely devoured by day #2, and my son asked me to make them again. Therefore, my suggestion is that you can either adapt this recipe if you like a less savory version of Boston Baked Beans. Just to be a bit rebellious, I might go ahead and add some tomato paste, next time. I can't help it, but I love the tang of some concentrated tomato. Just don't tell anyone you know, who lives on the East Coast! I'll just rename them "California Baked Beans", okay?
You can view how I made these on my blog at:
http://foodiewife-kitchen.blogspot.com/2011/05/quicker-boston-baked-beans.html
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I really liked this slaw! I cut the amount of red pepper flakes in half, because I have to be careful not to eat really spicy food. The flavor had a mixture of sweet and sour, with a subtle hint of heat. Best of all, I appreciated how easy this slaw is to make. This salad is a lot less calorie-ridden than a more traditional cole slaw with a mayonnaise dressing. This is a good thing. How did my husband like this? He did, though I suspect he still prefers the my Creamy Cole Slaw. Our dinner guests LOVED this slaw, and they both asked for the recipe. The next time I make this, I will shred a cabbage head and I won't chop it quite so fine.
You can see how I made this on my blog at:
http://foodiewife-kitchen.blogspot.com/2011/05/carolina-red-slaw-cooks-countryand-off.html
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This recipes is a little bit fussy to make. I made a mistake, that worked out to my benefit. I forgot to peel the peaches before roasting them. It turned out that the peels came off much easier. I had some challenges with my pie crust, in that it shrank a lot (I was trying a new recipe, because I never use store-bought). I had made a Creme Anglaise and a Raspberry Coulis sauce, that I drizzled over each slice-- kind of made this a Peach Melba fancier dessert. The surprise was that I had some leftover peaches and cream filling, and I filled some ramekins with it. Whoa! That was so good! I'd definitely make this again.
You can see a step-by-step tutorial on my blog at:
http://foodiewife-kitchen.blogspot.com/2011/06/peaches-cream-pie-would-you-like-crust.html
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This cake involves a few steps. I used my own, locally grown organic strawberries, that I had packed and frozen. There are a few steps involved, so it's a bit time consuming. I was a bit disappointed that the cake wasn't as pink as I thought it would be. If you're not afraid of some Red Dye-40, and you want a true pink, you might add a drop or two of red food coloring.The cake was a bit denser than I prefer; I also felt that it wasn't as moist as I had hoped. I'm a true fan of very tender white cake. The frosting was the star of this cake. I served a slice of this to our guests, with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. They loved it! Sure, there are several steps involved. The end result is worth it, and it's a very pretty cake!
You can see a step-by-step tutorial and printable recipe on my food blog at:
http://foodiewife-kitchen.blogspot.com/2011/05/strawberry-dream-cake-from-scratch.html
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The Complete Cooking For Two Cookbook
By Editors at America's Test Kitchen
Boston Common Press - 2014
This is one of my all-time favorite ATK grilling recipes. I had never heard of "flap meat" before, but found it at Costco. It's quite tender, and reasonably priced. The marinade has a slight Asian twist, and the brown sugar makes the steak caramelize...and happens pretty fast. Highly recommend this recipe. You can see it posted on my blog: http://www.afeastfortheeyes.net/2014/06/grilled-steakhouse-steak-tips.html
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A fried egg recipe? Really? Yes, really. There are some clever tips that yields diner style crispy edges with thick and creamy yolks. I've been making fried eggs all wrong, until I made this recipe. You can see it on my blog: http://www.afeastfortheeyes.net/2015/06/perfect-fried-eggs-plus-were-off-on-our.html
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These don't take too long to make, and yielded 6 fluffy and tender pancakes. The addition of the "secret ingredient" is what intrigued me (sour cream). These will be on our regular pancake rotation.
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What I love about America's Test Kitchen is that they use science, and ingredients in ways to yield better results. This recipe is not only scaled down to make waffles for two (since we're empty nesters) but is formulated to be fluffy on the interior and crispy on the exterior. I don't always keep seltzer water on hand, but I do keep buttermilk powder in the fridge (otherwise it hardens in one lump). It took me 15 minutes to prep (taking photos added 5 minutes more). Oh, I used soda water instead of seltzer only because that's all we keep on hand. They turned out great! This will become a Sunday morning go-to recipe.
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Very easy to make, but I'd reduce the water from 4 cups to 3 cups. The sauce turned out a bit watery. I added some cooked shrimp for protein,and next time I'll add some steamed broccoli. What made this recipe work was the pasta is cooked with white wine, a little heavy cream (not too much) and water. One pan skillet cooking is fantastic!
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The Complete America's Test Kitchen TV Show Cookbook
By Editors at America's Test Kitchen
Cook's Illustrated - 2009
I have made this recipe, multiple times, and it always turns out great. I don't change a single ingredient nor stray for the directions. The addition of the lemon juice, at the end, really does add brightness to this recipe. I love skillet dinners, because it's perfect for a work night, and a whole lot less pots and pans to cook.
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