This is my favorite kind of Allrecipes recipe: One that is solid as-is, but ripe for variations. Prepared as written, it's not "too" anything -- salty, spicy, etc. --leaving room to add according to one's preference, and the flavors balance well. The proportions of the recipe also lend themselves well to making a half batch.

I've made this as-is, and I agree with other reviewers that it's also a great base recipe for experimentation. My latest variation was a low-fat, non-dairy, non-wheat version (applesauce instead of oil, rice milk instead of dairy, masa harina in place of flour, and egg substitute just because I was out of eggs). That also worked well, if you need to adapt the recipe for dietary needs.

I'm giving this four stars because I thought it was too salty as-is. Still very good, though, and it smelled amazing as it cooked all day. I separated the cooked pork roast to shred it and kept it in its own bowl away from the beans so I could control the saltiness by adding them in smaller doses. I served it on homemade corn tortillas with diced tomatoes, onions, a shake of cilantro and a squeeze of lime. I'll be making these again, just with less salt.

These are delicious, and taste almost like a hybrid oatmeal/peanut butter cookie. It really is important to let them rest for several minutes after they come out of the oven so they will hold their shape and not crumble. Using baking parchment makes it easier to remove them from the cookie sheet undisturbed -- then, remove them from the parchment after a few more minutes.

This is even better than I had hoped: My kitchen smells like I cooked a Thanksgiving turkey! I took the advice of some of the other reviewers and just rubbed on the onion soup mix to coat the turkey rather than using all of it. I also poured in enough water to cover the bottom of the pot, and cooked it for 4 hours. Tender, flavorful, and definitely a keeper.

Delicious, and it doesn't get much easier than this. I know I'll be making this one again.

Yay! I can make my own pasta!!! I took other reviewers' advice and added 1 tbsp of olive oil, and cut back on the salt. I'm thrilled that I got perfect pasta on the first try. I'll be making this again and again, and sharing it far and wide.

I was skeptical about cooking all this in my rice cooker, and that everything would be cooked all the way through. Rest assured, it works great. In addition to working as-is, it's a fine base recipe for variations depending on what you have on hand. The crawfish is good, but you could make it cheaper (save money on pre-peeled crawfish or time on peeling it) with shrimp, tilapia, catfish, etc., etc.

Excellent. Use your judgment on the level of spices; it's always easier to add than subtract. It's a solid recipe. I soaked the beans overnight, and they were definitely done after 4 hours in the slow cooker. I just finished making a batch with smoked pork neck bones added for extra flavor -- I highly recommend this recipe either way.

Delicious and economical. I know chili recipes vary widely depending on the region, but this is good as-is, or as a point of departure for variations. I'll definitely be making this again, and I'll probably substitute a can of tomatoes, and add a clove of garlic and a green pepper to make it like Mom used to make... only gloriously spicier.

This was my first attempt at cooking with a slow cooker. After reading other reviews, I opted for 4 hours instead of 8; the chicken was tender enough to cut with a fork, and the pineapple chunks retained their color. My favorite aspect of the dish was the peppers/onions/pineapple and liquid over the rice. Slicing the chicken a bit before cooking it will allow it to soak up more of those flavors as well. Lastly, I second other reviewers' recommendation of Sweet Baby Ray's bbq sauce. Their original flavor is my favorite to begin with, and it didn't disappoint in this recipe.

Amazing, once you season it to your liking. It takes a fair amount of salt; I couldn't really taste the turmeric when I made the recipe as-is. And two jalapenos was plenty for this Midwesterner-turned-Texan palate. What really completed the dish for me was the addition of curry powder -- or, you can experiment with cumin, coriander, and more turmeric as you see fit. It doesn't seem absolutely necessary to steam the sweet potato. Microwaving it would be a much quicker way to get it into a mashable state. I will definitely be making this again.

Excellent soup, though it didn't strike me as particularly spicy or African, save for the use of yams. Maybe "African-inspired?" But semantics aside, this was one worth sharing and making again. It's also delicious with the salsa left out -- I prefer it that way; one could always substitute ground cayenne pepper for some heat.

This recipe does exactly what it says, and makes a mildly sweet and healthy cornbread. I don't taste the yogurt at all; I used Dannon yogurt, having found that some of the organic/natural brands of yogurt have different bacterial cultures that may result in a much more pungent flavor. The flavor and texture make it an excellent side dish with chili or similar dishes, as its denser texture will keep it from falling apart.

These are incredible. I second another reviewer's observation that soaking the cabbage head in hot water will help: After the first few leaves, peeling off the rest in one piece becomes nearly impossible. Also, there appears to be a typo in Step 5: there is no mention of additional water in the ingredient list that would correspond to using water here; the sauce is perfect without it. You may also find the filling could use an extra shake of salt or garlic salt, but that's a matter of taste, and much easier to add than subtract.

Fantastic-- the recipe is great as-is (strikingly similar to Boursin cheese), but has so many possibilities for adaptation depending on what you add. The consistency is so much like a soft cream cheese, but without all the fat. I think this will become a staple in my fridge.

I'd rate this 4.5 stars if I could; the only change I've made is leaving out the brown sugar, as the recipe is plenty sweet with 1/2 a cup of honey (I also plan to try using the brown sugar and omitting the honey). I used untoasted wheat germ as well (the recipe didn't specify), and that worked perfectly. As other reviewers have noted, this lends itself very well to experimenting with other ingredients -- I recommend adding chopped walnuts. It only took about 20 minutes to bake, and I'll definitely be making these again.

Like many slow-simmered recipes, this one is better the second day. The liquid is thicker, and the flavors are blended, so the bacon flavor is more subtle. If you're not familiar with serrano peppers, do note that they're quite a bit hotter than jalapeños, and provide quite a kick when they get soft enough to break open in the pot of beans. I've found that one, simmered whole and then broken with a spoon and stirred around provides a moderate amount of heat, which is always easier to add than subtract, of course. This is a good base recipe that lends itself to a lot of experimentation and customization: I recommend heating a bowl of it, melting a cheese single and stirring in some chunky salsa for a great bean dip.

I've been looking around for quite some time for a black bean recipe that replicates what we got at a little restaurant in Miami on a family vacation when I was a kid. This is the closest I've found yet. I let it simmer longer than directed to let flavors mingle a bit; I then let it stand for another 15 minutes or so before serving it over rice cooked in chicken broth.

I followed this recipe to the letter, and it's fantastic. I tried a green plantain this time-- very subtly sweet, and, as another reviewer mentioned, great with garlic salt. I'm allowing another plantain to ripen, so I'll try the recipe that way as well. To mash the pieces, I put them one-by-one in between pieces of baking parchment, then put that in a wide, flat bowl, stacked another bowl inside of it, and pushed down a bit. I also liked the fact that this recipe didn't require a whole lot of oil, though I used an 8-inch stainless steel pan so the pieces would sit a little deeper in the oil. The finished product goes great with black beans and rice; I will definitely be making this recipe again and again.