sturlington's Profile

From: Hillsborough, NC US

Joined: March 11th, 2010

About me: I am an avid home cook. I am using this site to keep track of my favorite recipes from my cookbook collection.

Favorite cookbook: Fresh Every Day

Favorite recipe: Chocolate Brownies (Ad Hoc at Home)

Website:
simplycooking.wordpress.com


Latest review:

October 6th, 2012

Easy Cheesy Chili Chicken from Eating Stella Style: Low-Carb Recipes for Healthy Living

My husband enjoyed this a lot. It was easy enough for a weeknight, but I will have to tweak the seasonings some, as it was just a bit too salty for my tastes. read more >


recipe reviews (537)
book reviews (49)
useful review votes (414)

sturlington's Reviews


Search Reviews:

11 recipe(s) reviewed. Showing 1 to 11Sort by: Title | Date | Rating

How To Cook Everything: Simple Recipes for Great Food

By Mark Bittman, Alan Witschonke
Wiley - 2006

25th October 2010 (edited: 26th October 2011)

Broccoli Raab with Sausage and Grapes : page 545

We don't usually like fruit mixed with savory dishes so I followed the advice in the headnote and omitted the grapes. Instead of serving this on pasta, I served it with crusty bread. Mushed on top of the bread with a little mustard, it was a very good light supper. Without the grapes, this is an extremely simple recipe.

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12th August 2010

Cold Cucumber and Dill Soup : page 79

I did not like this at all. The soup was way too thin for my tastes, despite using the 2 medium cucumbers as suggested, and I found it to be almost flavorless even though I used good homemade broth and home-grown cucumbers. I can definitely find a better use for my cucumbers than this soup.

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24th August 2010 (edited: 6th April 2012)

Crackers : page 239

These crackers are very quick and easy to make. You can start them just before your guests arrive and have them ready for hors d'oeuvres. I used my pizza pan to bake them, which made them very crispy. I like to sprinkle some coarse salt and herbs on top for added flavor. They do go stale quickly, so it's best to bake and eat one batch at a time. Good thing the batches are small.

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25th May 2010 (edited: 18th July 2010)

Easiest French Bread : page 224

I have to revise my review for this recipe after trying the recipe in The Best Recipes in the World, also by Bittman. He has made some changes and the revised recipe is much better. By contrast, this version didn't rise as well and was harder to handle. Perhaps the revised recipe shows up in the new edition of How to Cook Everything?

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9th September 2010 (edited: 30th July 2012)

Focaccia : page 264

I've been searching for a good focaccia recipe. This one is certainly easy as it uses the Pizza Dough that is already a staple in my house, and it makes a very tasty focaccia.

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22nd April 2010

Golden Layer Cake : page 724

Maybe I am terrible at making cakes, but I really didn't like this recipe. The almond extract overwhelmed but I don't think I mis-measured. I have found that Bittman's baked desserts don't always work for me, though.

useful (1)  


12th March 2010 (edited: 10th September 2012)

Lemon Mousse : page 661

Super-easy to make. I served this at a dinner party to rave reviews.

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13th July 2010 (edited: 8th October 2012)

Marinated Mozzarella : page 31

Whenever I serve fresh mozzarella for canapes or on salads, I make it this way to add some oomph to the flavor. Also tasty with high-quality dried herbs if you don't have fresh.

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16th September 2010 (edited: 6th April 2012)

Minced Vegetable Dip : page 20

A basic dip recipe, one that is almost infinitely variable. I also like it with yogurt mixed with sour cream. I make this one a lot.

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3rd October 2010 (edited: 18th September 2012)

Quick Blue Cheese Dressing : page 771

This is a good blue cheese dressing for an "emergency" -- if you only have blue cheese and sour cream but no buttermilk or mayonnaise on hand.

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10th August 2010 (edited: 6th April 2012)

Quick Pickled Vegetables : page 106

So the recipe as written calls for too much dill, not enough vinegar and the sugar can probably be omitted altogether. But it's still a really good technique for garden vegetables.

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