Queezle_Sister's Profile

From: Salt Lake City, UT USA

Joined: March 29th, 2010

About me: I enjoy cooking, and my favorite internet COOKING community is the one here at cookbooker. If you want to connect about my other non-academic passion, you can find me as QueezleWeaver on Ravelry, and mostly Warped Weavers. But I've miss you cookbooker, and so here I am again, and happy to contribute.

Favorite cookbook: Savory Way

Favorite recipe: roasted anything (most recently grapes)


Latest review:

August 23rd, 2019

Stuffed Zucchini with spiced beef or lamb from Zaitoun

When it is zucchini time, it can be difficult to find something interesting. But this was both different and a total delight! Zucchini are scraped out and roasted. The "meat" from within the zucchini... read more >


recipe reviews (1403)
book reviews (39)
useful review votes (961)

Queezle_Sister's Reviews


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1394 recipes reviewed. Showing 101 to 150Sort by: Book Title | Date | Rating | Recipe Title

Baking: From My Home to Yours

By Dorie Greenspan
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt - 2006

1st November 2014

Golden Brioche Loaves

This is a fabulously rich dough which, as Jenncc says, takes a lot of time, but most of it hands off. I did not bake them into brioche loaves, though, but instead used the dough for some sweet rolls. The large amount of butter, and the sponge preparation, was different from other things that I baked. But my daughter tells me it made the flakiest and most delicious cinnamon buns ever.

useful (0)  


1st November 2014

Pecan Honey Sticky Buns

We used this general strategy, but instead made cinnamon rolls. This recipe's instructions for preparing the rolls, rising time, and baking were spot on. I hope to come back and make the actual sticky buns, and at that time, I will feel better about raising my rating to five.

useful (0)  


Barbecued ribs and other great feeds

By Jeanne Voltz
- 2000

10th July 2011 (edited: 10th July 2011)

Grilled Shrimp with Bacon

Skewerd Shrimp and Bacon - on the grill - what an awesome idea!

This shrimp was marinated with a sauce that included garlic, catsup, lemon juice, oil, and hot sauce. The marinade gave the shrimp such a nice flavor (that and the smokiness of the grill).

However, the marinade was 50% oil - this led to lots of flare-ups on the grill. I think a few tweaks of the marinade might be in order.

We served this with rice and a green salad. It made a marvelous summer dinner.

The recipe could have easily served 8.

useful (2)  


Great juicy tender chicken, but flawed sweet potatoes.

The marinade for the chicken was awesome - pinapple juice, ketsup, mustard, and tobasco. It made the chicken very tender.

Unfortunately, the sweet potato recipe was flawed. The potatoes were cut into slices, but they just didn't cook very well. It seemed they either burned or didn't cook. In the future, if I try this again, I will precook the sweet potatoes in the microwave, and then finish on the grill.

useful (1)  


22nd July 2011

Yogurt Chicken

Chicken on the grill - but this one - no thrill...

This recipe had a lot of promise - Indian spices in yogurt, and a long time marinating in the refrigerator. Unfortunately, the chicken ended up bland - none of the flavor of the spices I had added.

It was moist, and I think pretty tender, but there are much better recipes out there for chicken in the grill.

useful (1)  


The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook

By Ina Garten, Martha Stewart
Clarkson Potter - 1999

21st September 2011 (edited: 21st September 2011)

Caramelized Butternut Squash

Rich and sweet. Butternut squash is cut into cubes, and mixed with butter, brown sugar, salt and pepper. A long roasting time (about an hour) leads to nicely carmelized squares of bright orange squash.

For flavor and appearance, this recipe deserves a 5.

Why "only" four? Butternut squash starts out sweet, and it doesn't really need all that butter and brown sugar to be excellent. I felt that the recipe took a really healthy ingredient, and made it less healthy.

On the other hand, if you have kids who are vegetable adverse, this recipe might be your ticket.

As a side note, other than the sugar, this was a locovore delight.

useful (3)  


24th September 2011 (edited: 24th September 2011)

Raspberry Corn Muffins

Moist and sweet muffins. This recipe uses a 3:1 flour:corn ratio, as a result the texture is not as gritty as many corn muffins.

These were easy to prepare, but I did run into some problems. It makes a lot of batter. Ina Garten says to fill to the top of 12 muffin cups, so I just piled in the batter. Way too much - the entire top cooked together (see my picture #2). This made removing the muffins problematic, and only 7/12 came out intact.

I did pipe preserves into the muffins. It worked fine - very nice way to serve the muffins without having to give everyone a knife and have jam on the table. They were still crumbly, and the dog happily licked up all the crumbs that hit the floor.

While these were delicious, they use A LOT of butter and sugar - 1 C each. This is not the way I typically bake. Given that this recipe was developed for the Barefoot Contessa store, its great, and I could see it being loved by many. But it confirms my suspicion about buying muffins!

useful (2)  


25th September 2011

Maple-Oatmeal Scones

Light, crunchy, with excellent flavor. These scones rose nicely, baked to a perfect crispness in 20 minutes, and the glaze is delicious!

I did modify the recipe, though. I couldn't bring myself to use as much butter as called for - so I used 1/2 the amount, and substituted yogurt. After doing this, I googled butter substitution and discovered that substitution of 1C butter should be 1/2C yogurt. Fearful of a too-wet dough, I omitted the maple syrup from the batter. I'm sure that the full butter version would be richer, but I suspect nobody would miss the butter.

Note that I also made a 1/2 batch, and I cut them into wedges instead of rounds (this way the scraps of extra dough were eliminated - these scraps tend to get overworked when you re-mold them).

This recipe was compared (by my children) to the family recipe for oatmeal scones. These were much richer, and not liked as much as our family's traditional recipe.

useful (3)  


26th September 2011 (edited: 26th September 2011)

Turkey Meatloaf

This was good, but I've made much better meat loaf. There were no problems with the recipe (other than the size - we made 3/5 recipe), the cooking time seemed about right, and the texture was good. I think it just didn't have anything special about it. My kids ate it, but wanted seconds on the parmesan smashed potatoes instead of the meat loaf. Also not pretty enough for me to bother photographing.

useful (1)  


26th September 2011

Parmesan Smashed Potatoes

Great flavorful potatoes!

But I must confess to several alterations - largely to cut the fat. But even so, kids and husband couldn't get enough of it!

Now to the changes -- I used 2/3 the butter called for, I replaced the half-and-half with 1% milk, and I replaced the sour cream with yogurt.

useful (5)  


5th October 2011

Szechuan noodles

Pretty tasty sauce! It does come together quickly, but to me it seemed very heavy and gloppy. Is gloppy a word? I think you know what I mean.

I used lovely peppers from my garden, but felt that the recipe would be improved by (1) breaking the pasta in half prior to cooking so its easier to mix in vegetables, and (2) tripling the vegetables.

I made about 2/3 of the sauce recipe, and still have about 1/2 C left over.

useful (1)  


27th October 2011 (edited: 30th October 2011)

Roasted Brussels Sprouts

Excellent!
My DH prepared this for dinner tonight. He found it easy to follow the recipe and they tAsted quite good. My only quibble is that they seemed a bit overlooked and the house had an unpleasant aroma. I think just shortening the cooking time would solve both problems.

useful (1)  


Beard On Bread

By James Beard
Knopf - 1995

11th May 2011

Apricot Bread

A beautiful loaf flecked with golden nuggets from the apricots. This is a baking soda bread, rich with eggs and butter. It produced a fine densely textured bread with a wonderful flavor.

We didn't add the nuts (kids with braces). Our apricots were cut into fairly large chunks (size of a whole almond), which tended to sink to the bottom. I would advise cutting the apricots into pieces more like the size of a pea so they will remain suspended in the loaf.

useful (0)  


15th June 2011

Pizza Caccia Nanza

This crust is extra special - it has rosemary and garlic mixed in. It made a really nicely textured dough, and it rolled out nicely.

We used this dough for the Feta Spinach recipe reviewed from Moosewood Cooks at Home. I think the rosemary competed with the dill of the pizza sauce, but if I had paired it with something that goes well with rosemary - it would be amazing -- I'm thinking a chicken pizza.

This dough would be great for bread sticks.

useful (1)  


9th October 2011

Banana Nut Bread

Excellent banana flavor, good texture, but a tad too sweet for my taste (kids loved it, though).

This recipe takes only 1/2 a stick of butter, and no cinnamon. We used almonds (nut selection is up to the cook), and I toasted them in a frying pan. Sweetness comes from 1/2 C sugar and 1/2 C honey. I would reduce these by about 20%.

Our loaf took an extra 15 minutes to bake through, but to be fair, we likely used extra banana.

useful (1)  


Beard On Pasta

By James Beard
Alfred A. Knopf - 1983

A delightful spring pasta - light with lots of asparagus. The recipe uses garlic, lemon, and Worcestershire sauce (and lots of black pepper) as the sauce. Surprisingly, just as James Beard describes, the Worcestershire blends in nicely, and the sauce has great body.

This recipe was prepared by my 16 yr old son. It was a success - even more so because it didn't take very long to prepare.

useful (1)  


The Beginner's Guide to Preserving Food at Home: Easy Techniques for the Freshest Flavors in Jams, Jellies, Pickles, Relishes, Salsas, Sauces, and Frozen and Dried Fruits and Vegetables

By Janet Chadwick
Storey Publishing, LLC - 2009

1st October 2011 (edited: 1st October 2011)

Spicy Salsa

Strong tomato flavor, good peppers flavor, and hot!

This is a traditional cooked salsa. Canning salsa can be tricky because the pH must be low enough. By following these instructions, I was able to make, and can, salsa that should be safe to eat. Low pH was ensured by addition of cider vinegar, and I really liked that there were high altitude instructions (boiling water bath for an extra 10 minutes at our altitude).

The instructions specify putting the tomatoes through a food mill, but I do not have one. I learned (via google) that a blender and fine sieve were a good substitute, but didn't have the patience for the sieve.

The recipe called for 2 lbs chili peppers, but I used a mix of poblano, chili, ancho, jalapeno, anahiem, and others (see the pictures - a mountain of color).

I've cut up peppers often, and thought about Andrew's comments about tingling fingers. Despite no pain during the prolonged chopping time (2 lbs of hot peppers is a big pile), as I rinsed my calloused palms, the water transferred the capsicum to the back of my hands. All night they burned, flossing was interesting (spicy), and I've learned tonight that residual capsicum on the keyboard can renew the burn!

This book has great instructions on preserving. If you've got an urge to try, this book will give you solid instructions.

useful (3)  


The Best Vegetarian Recipes: From Greens to Grains, from Soups to Salads: 200 Bold Flavored Recipes

By Martha R. Shulman
William Morrow Cookbooks - 2001

A very straight forward recipe, yet it really did bring together great flavors. Green beans are first blanched, and then the typical onion/garlic combination is sauteed. Peeled and seeded tomatoes are then added and cooked a bit. Finally, you add the blanched green beans and cook another 15 minutes or so.

I was afraid that the last of my CSA green beans would suffer from what seemed like a long cook time. However I was delighted to find they still had a good crunch.

This is a nice way to prepare green beans!

useful (0)  


I really liked this salad. It is simple, and the flavors of arugula, tomato, and feta are an excellent combination. The dressing that is provided along with the salad is also simple - sherry and balsamic vinegars, olive oil, and pepper. I used four different types of home-grown tomatoes - different colors and sizes.

I'd make this salad again, possibly expanding to add additional veggies that are loitering in my crisper drawer.

useful (0)  


The apples were perfect - just needs a better crust.

In this recipe, apple slices are sauteed in a bit of butter, and then sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg is added. The smell in the kitchen was heavenly.

I used a dessert galette pastry in the freezer. Based on my prior experience with soggy crust, I added a layer of almond meal (not called for in this recipe), and encouraged everyone to finish it in one go (the four of us laugh at the suggested 8 servings!).

We ate it warm, and the crust didn't get soggy, but it was hard and not particularly good. I'm hoping though, that this approach (yeasted crust with little fat) will be tweaked so it turns out great.

If these apples had been used in a crisp instead of the galette dough, it would easily have been a 5.

useful (0)  


22nd October 2012 (edited: 22nd October 2012)

Baked Apples with Ginger and Raisins

A fabulous grown-up version of baked apples.
Apples are half peeled, cored, and stuffed with a mixture of lemon, lemon zest, ginger, raisins, and dark brown sugar. They are covered and baked - which gives your kitchen a heavenly lemon/ginger aroma. They are then uncovered, apple juice is added. Apples are then basted and baked for another 10 minutes.

We didn't have the golden raisins or currents called for, and instead used a mix of dark raisins and craisins.

The apples came out perfectly - softened but still with a bit of crunch. We ate ours with vanilla ice cream. The apples themselves were not very sweet, and so for me, serving with yogurt might not have been as good.

Don't miss the juice in the bottom of the pan. So flavorful. That juice alone would make an amazing yogurt/ice cream topping!

useful (1)  


Spectacular!
This salad not only looked attractive, but each individual ingredient both stood out and complemented the other ingredients perfectly. I used bosc pears, and had to substitute feta for the goat cheese. I've come to love arugula relatively late in life, and this recipe showcased this lovely green beautifully. With the sweet pears and walnuts, arugula provided the perfect flavor complement.

I also should say that I really like Shulman's salad dressings. This one was no exception. Balsamic and red wine vinegar, a bit of mustard, and a bit of oil (in this case, walnut oil is called for, but we substituted what we had - hazelnut oil).

If you are lucky enough to have great pears don't hesitate - make this - its amazing.

useful (1)  


Betty Crocker's Cookbook: Everything You Need to Know to Cook Today, Ninth Edition

By Betty Crocker Editors
Betty Crocker - 2000

15th November 2014

Corn Chowder

A simple corn chowder that is easily made with pantry ingredients, this was quite satisfying. The recipe relies on canned foods -- creamed corn and canned potatoes -- but there are enough fresh ingredients to give it the flavor of a fully home-made soup.

Bacon is chopped, sauteed, and onion and celery added. The liquid called for is all milk (we used 1%). I replaced the canned potatoes with fresh small red-skinned potatoes, and I supplemented the creamed corn with frozen.

Parsley is called an optional, but it greatly enhanced the flavor, so don't leave it out!

useful (0)  


BETTY CROCKER'S COOKY BOOK

By Betty Crocker
Golden Press - 1974

17th December 2012

Mary's Sugar Cookies

A yummy almond-flavored sugar cookie. I didn't like these nearly as much as as . This recipe produces a very crispy cookie, but they were brittle.

I prefer the previous recipe both for its texture (crunchy but still with a slightly soft center) and because it is a more forgivable (less brittle, and easier to come out of the cutter).

The photo shows tiny gnom cookies, less than 1 1/2 inches tall and decorated to show the color spectrum ROYGBIV. 14Daugher of course!

useful (0)  


Beyond Oatmeal - 101 Breakfast Recipes

By Carlene Duda
Cedar Fort, Inc. - 2007

10th November 2011

Swedish Pancakes

A delightful thin pancake, which we served with lingonberry jam (Ikea).

The thin batter prepares a large number of pancakes, and we used this over two days (day 2 pancakes were just as good as day 1).

useful (2)  


12th November 2011

Smooth Cream Cheese Pancakes

A most unusual pancake - very very delicate, smooth, and with the distinct tang of cream cheese and sour cream.

The major ingredient here is cream cheese. Three eggs, too, butter, sour cream, but only 3T flour! The batter looked runny - like pudding before it sets up - and cooking them was a bit challenging. If you make these, follow the instructions to let the first side cook for at least four minutes. The bottom browns well before the cake itself is solid enough to pick up and turn.

We served these with maple syrup, and they were delicious. Would have also been great with fruit.

This isn't the pancake you'd want to eat every morning, but it is ideal for a special occasion.

useful (1)  


14th November 2011

Golden Cornmeal Pancakes

Lovely delicate pancakes with that little crunch that comes from the cornmeal. We are big fans of baked goods containing cornmeal, and these pancakes statisfy!

Cornmeal is first softened in boiling water for 5 minutes, and then a suite of typical pancake ingredients are added.

useful (1)  


20th November 2011 (edited: 20th November 2011)

Golden Penny Pancakes

tender and savory - these pancakes hit several important notes at the same time. Sharp cheddar cheese is one of the major ingredients in these pancakes, and the shreds of cheese are enrobed in a simple thin pancake batter. True to the name, these cook up a lovely golden color. This pancake would be equally at home at breakfast or dinner. Although the recipe suggests maple syrup or fruit, we found it great eaten 'au naturale' as fast as we could make them. Be sure to cook them long and slow - you want the cheese to melt.

useful (1)  


Big Small Plates

By Cindy Pawlcyn, Pablo Jacinto, Erasto Jacinto
Ten Speed Press - 2006

13th January 2013 (edited: 13th January 2013)

Black Pepper and Garlic Chicken Wings

This recipe is a clear winner. The result was juicy and very flavorful. Trimmed chicken wings are marinated in a soy sauce - brown sugar - honey - garlic - black pepper marinade. The recipe calls for mushroom soy sauce, but regular soy sauce was used instead. A long marinade (24h) was followed by a quick roasting in a hot oven (450˚F). The chicken was as beautiful as it was delicious.

This dish was prepared for the January 2013 meeting of our cookbook cooking club by one of the participants (not me). It was a dinner composed of appetizers - very yummy.

useful (0)  


Excellent flavor but difficult to cook all the way through.

This dish produced beautiful sweet and flavorful fritters. Crab, grated sweet potato, and sweet corn frozen away last summer came together with some cake flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and turmeric.

I always cringe at fried foods because of their propensity to absorb fats, and so I only tasted a tiny piece of these. But my daughter just loved them (and has no qualms about fried foods). The fritters are served with a jalapeno-lime dipping sauce which I forgot to try.

Some fritters were uncooked inside - it was difficult to keep the oil at the right temperature and there were no instructions for determining how to tell if they were cooked inside.

This dish was prepared for the January 2013 meeting of our cookbook cooking club by one of the participants (not me). It was a dinner composed of appetizers - very yummy.

useful (0)  


These turned out very greasy. A pork shoulder roast is called for, and the cook is instructed to trim the fat. But a pork shoulder roast is well marbled, and so its pretty much impossible to trim the fat. It might be better to instruct the cook to use a leaner cut!

The filling was delicious - pork, peppers, green olives, capers, raisins, sherry, and a hard-boiled egg. But as they baked, they produced a sea of oil which then was absorbed by the dough.

This dish was prepared for the January 2013 meeting of our cookbook cooking club by one of the participants (not me). It was a dinner composed of appetizers - very yummy.

useful (0)  


A stand-out recipe! Sushi-grade tuna was cut into small bite sized pieces, and served over a cucumber salad dressed with a rice vinegar vinaigrette. Generous slices of avocado accompanied the dish. A bit of wasabi paste and a sprinkling of sesame seeds finished the dish.

This dish was prepared for the January 2013 meeting of our cookbook cooking club by one of the participants (not me). It was a dinner composed of appetizers - very yummy.

useful (0)  


Halibut is roasted and then added to a broth prepared with saffron, clam juice, fennel, tomato, and sweet onion. It is then garnished with parsley, fennel fronds, and chopped green olives.

The broth was very mild, but good with the fish. The green olives, though, gave a really off flavor, and should be omitted.

This dish was prepared for the January 2013 meeting of our cookbook cooking club by one of the participants (not me). It was a dinner composed of appetizers - very yummy.

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This was my contribution to our 2013 cookbook cooking club. Instead of fresh or canned tomatoes, I started with tomatoes I roasted last summer. The tomatoes are cooked with shallots and garlic, a bit of wine, and at the end, chopped dates.

A special cheese - Cabecou - was called for; this is a raw milk goat or sheep cheese, illegal to import into the US, but a version preserved in jars is prepared by a single cheese maker in California. In Utah, though, it was impossible to source. I substituted regular goat cheese, which I formed into small discs.

Individual ramekins were supplied with the tomato mix, the goat cheese is added on top, and they were then baked for about 5 minutes. The result is melty goat cheese swimming in the well flavored tomato. Croutons are called for, but instead I used fingers of toasted bread (easier to dip).

The addition of dates to the tomato added an interesting note of sweetness. The recipe made a lot of the tomato mix - more than enough for twice the number of individuals.

I think my roasted tomatoes might have been too well cooked - they were very soft, not in chunks as suggested in the recipe. Clearly operator error.

This might have been better than my rating, but by the time we got to this dish I was so full I couldn't really appreciate it. Again operator error!

useful (1)  


Whats not to love with a recipe like this? The recipe itself is quite fussy - a special cookie crust, two different mousse layers (one dark chocolate and one white chocolate), and then topped with specially made cookie crumbs (different from the crust).

My friend who prepared this used cookies left over from christmas (bits of ginger cookies were amazing). It was of course delicious, but the recipe was too vague about how long to freeze the mouse - it turned out to be only scoopable, not quite as pictured.

This dish was prepared for the January 2013 meeting of our cookbook cooking club by one of the participants (not me). It was a dinner composed of appetizers - very yummy.

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A flavorful flatbread, topped with mascarpone cheese and parmesan, and topped with a delightful mushroom mixture. Again I was too full to truly appreciate. This is the one recipe I would like to revisit.

This dish was prepared for the January 2013 meeting of our cookbook cooking club by one of the participants (not me). It was a dinner composed of appetizers - very yummy.

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The Blackberry Farm Cookbook: Four Seasons of Great Food and the Good Life

By Sam Beall, Molly O'Neill
Clarkson Potter - 2009

best.coleslaw.ever

crunchy, of course, but the dressing was beyond perfect. A bit of brown sugar gives sweetness, but the secret ingredient is some mustard seed oil. Amazingly, I had all the ingredients on hand, and prepared this in my makeshift basement kitchen.

My son, who says he doesn't like slaw, had two helpings. My daughter (15 yrs old) said "I want this to be served at my wedding".

useful (1)  


Website: The Blind Cook

www.theblindcook.com
 

20th September 2012 (edited: 20th September 2012)

Pho Ga - "quick" and easy Vietnamese Chicken Noodle Soup

We are big fans of Master Chef, and my son found this blog - contestant Christina's food blog.

We love going out for Pho, but have never tried to prepare it This recipe specifies a brand of Pho soup base (which we actually found!), and putting it all together was very straight forward.

The broth was not quite as complex as some Pho I've had in restaurants, but the aroma was spot on, and for a fairly quick dinner, it was very, very, decent.

useful (1)  


Website: The Blind Cook

www.theblindcook.com
 

2nd October 2012

Prosciutto Arugula Pizza

An amazing flavor combination! This recipe comes from the winner of Masterchef 2012, Christine.

My son's 17th birthday dinner request was this recipe. I prepared this Mark Bittman crust instead of the one suggested in the recipe, but her recipe looks excellent (it includes beer!). The dough is first prebaked, then topped with pizza sauce (I used some homemade sauce from my freezer) and mozzarella cheese, and baked till crusty and slightly browned. Then you add bits of prosciutto and top with roughly chopped arugula and a bit of Parmesan.

Even the self-professed arugula haters loved this recipe. Simple yet an elegant outcome.

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Bon Appetit
(April, 2012)

 

28th June 2012 (edited: 28th June 2012)

The Perfect Poach

Thomas Keller gives an interesting approach to the poached egg, and the result is egg perfection.

I recently changed up my morning routine - a poached egg in place of my usual easy-over. I knew about putting the egg into a bowl first, and I knew that swirling the water helped the egg to stay intact, but still I got a mess of egg white strands, and sometimes over-cooked it.

Here, you break your egg into a ramekin with vinegar, and allow it to sit for five minutes. Then you get the water vortex swirling, dump it in, and measure 2 minutes once the water returns to a boil.

I was astounded - no flyaway egg white strands, and it actually was still in the shape of an egg! And the 2 minute timing - perfect (if, like me, you adore runny yolks).

This egg was only a couple hours old - and it tasted amazing. And are you wondering -- did I taste vinegar? Nope. Just pure egg yum. This is also reproducible, I've done it several times. Each time - great shape stability.

Now go cook your egg!

useful (1)  


Website: Bon Appetit

www.bonappetit.com
 

A quick and very effective marinade. Lime juice and zest, orange juice and zest, garlic, and soy sauce. Thats it - its really that simple.
I didn't have oranges on hand, and substituted grapefruit. We let it sit about 30 minutes before grilling, and despite the short time, the mean did an admirable job absorbing these fresh flavors.

useful (1)  


Bon Appetit Weekend Entertaining: A Cookbook, Menu Planner & Entertaining Sourcebook for Occasions Large or Small, Casual or Elegant

By Bon Appetit Editors
Pantheon - 1999

23rd August 2011

Open-Face Tuna Burgers

Delicious and simple to make. 12 daughter prepared these for the family herself. She got an excellent seared crust - perfect! The interior was a bit soft, but I think that is the nature of the beast. All enjoyed it. Although I don't think I'd serve this to guests (the cookbook is designed for entertainment), it is something delicious that likely can be prepared from ingredients already on hand.

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This recipe called for mixed greens, and gave a nice vinaigrette with an Italian flavor. Nothing too special, but completely acceptable.

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27th August 2011 (edited: 27th August 2011)

Toasted Coconut Bars

Gooey top, flakey bottom, and coconut perfection.

This is a two-layered cookie, with a flour/butter/sugar bottom layer. This bottom layer is flakey, but not too dry. Perhaps a tad crumbly.

The upper layer has eggs, brown sugar, coconut cream, vanilla, etc. Baking is in two stages, and waiting to taste these is torture! The instruction caution you to put the topping on evenly (egg/sugar mixture poured over lower level with sweetened coconut sprinkled on it). Ours wasn't perfectly even - some places there was plain coconut showing - but baking evened it up.

No salt called for - so I sprinkled a bit on top. Next time I'll add more (maybe 1/2 tsp).

These are similar to only of my childhood favorites, called dream bars.

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This recipe bills itelf as a slaw-like salad. Everyone agreed that there were way too many onions. This late in the season radishes are not dependable, so we swapped them for raw beets. The dressing was too mild, and the overall taste was onion, onion, and more onion.

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4th September 2011

Rosemary Pork Loin Chops

Excellent sauce, but the the meat didn't have the umpf I expect from 3 hours of marinading. We used local pork and herbs from our own garden. I might try this again, only amping up the herbs and possibly giving a longer marinade time.

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The Book of Chocolate

By Carole Tennant
HP Trade - 2004

20th January 2012

Dark Chocolate Sauce

Chocolate chips, melted over a double boiler, are whisked with coffee and superfine sugar. The result was pretty thin, a bit lumpy, but the coffee gave it a great flavor. We enjoyed this sauce on vanilla ice cream.

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Bubby's Brunch Cookbook: Recipes and Menus from New York's Favorite Comfort Food Restaurant

By Ron Silver, Rosemary Black
Ballantine Books - 2009

18th October 2013

Corned Beef Hash

Excellent hash! I prepared this with home-corned brisket, which undoubtedly added to the wonderful flavor. I prepared this for my cooking club, it was broadly appreciated.

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18th October 2013

Homemade Corned Beef

This recipe convinced my husband that he actually liked corned beef. Though it takes a week to prepare, most of the time is hands off. The meat is brined in a salt water + spice mixture. I used a 1 gallon zip lock bag instead of the 2 or 3 bags suggested by the cook book author.

Note that the recipe for the spice mixture yields much less than needed, while the recipe for the brine will give you twice what you need. Also the spice mix was too strong on the cloves.

Nevertheless, I made up more spice mixture, and caught the error on the salt water early.

I also deviated in the precise cooking instructions. Instead I followed this set of instructions for cooking. Basically I used my slow cooker - 1.5h on high (to get it up to temperature quickly) then "stay warm" for about 12 hours.

I wouldn't hesitate to prepare this again.

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This brunch dish would be good any time of day. It was fresh and light, and well flavored without being overly heavy.

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