RCKim Recipe Reviews (Pg. 1) - Allrecipes.com (1490000)

Favorite Refried Beans

Reviewed: Nov. 18, 2011

My go-to recipe for refried beans: full-flavored but hardly any fat! I make them without pre-soaking the beans, and they always turn out perfectly. If you like smoother refried beans, just use an immersion blender before serving. This makes a lot, so I usually freeze some for another time.

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Pumpkin Black Bean Soup

Reviewed: Jan. 18, 2011

Needing a recipe for which I had all ingredients on hand, I snapped this one up right away. Unfortunately, it's one of those that lacks "oomph" when you follow directions to a T, but definitely warrants an upgrade with a few simple seasonings. After discovering that most of the raves came from cooks who doctored the recipe, I wanted to see how it came out as intended. Meh. It was bland and a bit too vinegary -- somewhere in the order of 2.5 stars. The addition of 1 tsp. each cumin and chili powder, plus letting it sit several hours before serving, helped bunches. And next time I'll only use 2 Tbsp. of vinegar. Thus doctored, I'd elevate it to a 3.5. I'm eating leftovers as I type, and it's even better a few days later, as it has thickened up nicely. I'd make it again--it's a good wintery soup. But it's not getting 5 stars from me. I save that for recipes I adore.

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6 users found this review helpful

Shrimply Delicious Shrimp Salad

Reviewed: Nov. 14, 2010

I just whipped this up for a quick lunch, and we love it! Rather than leave them whole, I roughly chopped the shrimp. I swapped out the 1/2 cup of onion and instead used 2 green onions Also, I cut the mayo to 1/3 c. (still plenty!) It was indeed "shrimply delicious" just seasoned with salt, but I decided to sprinkle in a little curry powder. YUM! I served it on a bed of salad greens, but it would make a great appetizer scooped onto cucumber rounds or crackers. And I'd also like to try it with diced avocado. Thank you, Nikijo!

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4 users found this review helpful

Black Bean and Salsa Soup

Reviewed: Nov. 14, 2010

I just love this quick and yummy soup! It goes together in a snap. I puree it after heating, using my immersion blender, and it works perfectly. Great topped with shredded cheese, chopped cilantro, a little diced green onion, or even a dollop of guacamole. Add a salad and some warm corn tortillas on the side and you're all set!

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3 users found this review helpful

Chilled Cucumber Yogurt Soup

Reviewed: Nov. 11, 2010

This was good! I liked it, and I may make it again, but there was no "Wow" factor. I found it refreshing, but it was missing something. Maybe if I'd let the flavors develop instead of eating it right away?

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4 users found this review helpful

Antipasto Salad

Reviewed: Jun. 28, 2010

This hearty, colorful salad scored big points at a recent family gathering. I used half salami and half pepperoni. I also doubled the amount of lettuce, and there was still plenty of meat and cheese and other goodies in every bite. As others have shared, don't miss out on thewonderful dressing just because tomato sauce seems like a weird ingredient. All blended together, the dressing makes a perfect complement to the other ingredients. (I used olive oil instead of vegetable oil for a more "italian" flavor.) I also opted for a generous sprinkling of shredded Parmesan before serving for a flavorful final touch. Many thanks to Crystal for this great new addition to my salad repertoire!

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26 users found this review helpful

Pesto Pasta with Chicken

Reviewed: Apr. 14, 2010

This was really flavorful, but as is, I found the dish a bit dry. I even held a couple cups of cooked pasta out. The solution was to add a little chicken broth. Perfect! My family enjoyed it. I did top with shredded Parmesan and a sprinkling of pine nuts, which added a nice flavor.

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3 users found this review helpful

Annie's Fruit Salsa and Cinnamon Chips

Reviewed: Apr. 5, 2010

I could eat this salsa with a spoon---but it's so much better with these yummy cinnamon-sugar chips. Perfect for a summer backyard party! Leftover salsa is great over angel food cake, ice cream, or fruit salad. Yummo!

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2 users found this review helpful

Slow Cooker Texas Pulled Pork

Reviewed: Apr. 5, 2010

We really liked this, especially with a mound of coleslaw on the sandwich. I did find the need to serve with a side of Sweet Baby Ray's BBQ sauce, as the recipe by itself needed just a smidge more flavor.

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3 users found this review helpful

Easy OREO Truffles

Reviewed: Apr. 5, 2010

I made mine wiht mint Oreos. Can't believe that two simple ingredients could result in such a creamy truffle filling! They disappeared before I could try one (sniff, sniff) but my guests RAVED! Make sure to chill the filling well before shaping. It's very soft otherwise. Also, dipping the frozen balls into chocolate makes them easier to handle, but I found that the chocolate shell cracked as the truffles defrosted. Might be something I did wrong, as no one else seems to have had that problem. Anyway, I'm looking forward to trying them again using other flavors.

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2 users found this review helpful

Restaurant-Style Coleslaw I

Reviewed: Apr. 5, 2010

I really wanted to love this. It's more of a 3.5 star recipe---good, but not The Best EVer. The dressing is just too thin for coleslaw. The buttermilk adds a nice flavor, but between the buttermilk and the milk, the coleslaw was swimming in liquid. I only used half the dressing (saved the rest for another day), but it was still so soupy. The milk is totally unnecessary, as it contributes to the wateriness, but adds no flavor. I'd leave it out. Also, the dressing could use something more. Needed just a touch of zip, perhaps. Anyway, it was good enough, but I'll keep looking for "great."

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1 user found this review helpful

Suki's Spinach and Feta Pasta

Reviewed: Apr. 5, 2010

I needed an easy but attractive dinner for 15 people, and this dish was a hit! (My 22-month-old granddaughter ate as much as some of the men!) I premeasured everything into large bowls so that at cooking time, all I had to do was dump in ingredients. (If you double the recipe, make sure to use two large skillets instead of one.) I'm glad I took others' suggestion and doubled the spinach and increased the mushrooms. Delicious with a big salad and herbed rosemary bread. This will become one of my go-to meals for both company and everyday. Thanks, Suki!

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2 users found this review helpful

Easy Raspberry Lemonade

Reviewed: Apr. 5, 2010

A super-easy, delicious punch for our son's wedding reception. Everyone loved it!

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4 users found this review helpful

Pork Roast With The World's Best Pork Loin Rub

Reviewed: Apr. 5, 2010

I will never be afraid of flavorless, dry pork again. My family is crazy for this delicious recipe! I would give it 5 stars, but in I left out a few ingredients, so to be fair, I'm going with 4 stars. I was out of onion salt, so I increased the garlic salt a little. I also left out the cumin. And I was afraid of too much heat, so I didn't use the cayenne. The roast always turns out so savory! Sometimes I glaze the pork with a sauce of 1/2 cup brown sugar, 1 Tbsp cornstarch, 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar, 1/2 cup water, and 2 Tbsp soy sauce, boiled till thickened and brushed on the roast several times during the last 30 minutes of cooking. What a moist, juicy, flavorful, and simple meal.

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Thirty Minute Chili

Reviewed: Feb. 25, 2010

True, this makes a good, quick chili as is, hence the 4*. But for me, what makes it a 5* recipe is subbing black beans for the kidney beans (juice and all) and---most importantly---throwing in a 15-oz. can of Bush's baked beans, which extends the meal and adds a nice hint of sweetness. You can also add 1/2-can of water if you like your chili a little thinner. This has been my go-to chili recipe for over 15 years, and everyone begs me for the recipe. (Lawry's is our personal favorite packaged seasoning.)

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13 users found this review helpful

Apple-Glazed Pork Chops

Reviewed: Jan. 22, 2010

Mmmm...what a comforting dish on a cold, rainy night! Love the combo of apples, onions, and pork, and I thought the flavors developed just right -- not too sweet at all. I did find the need to drain off the pan liquid before adding the apple cider mixture, even though I had trimmed all visible fat from the pork chops first. Even so, after the 7-min. cooking period in the cider, the pan juices increased again, requiring me to double the amount of cornstarch. I think it still could have used more, as I would have liked a thicker glaze, but the flavor was still very yummy! Served with steamed rice and a tossed salad, it made for a very tasty dinner.

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6 users found this review helpful

Brooke's Best Bombshell Brownies

Reviewed: Jan. 18, 2010

Delectably rich and chewy brownie with a perfect, crusty surface. If you like a sweet, chewy, dense brownie, these are the ones for you! I followed the recipe exactly and baked the brownies for 35 minutes. In my oven, that was perfect. I used a metal nonstick pan and had no trouble with overbaking or sticking. If the edges of your brownies are hard as a rock, the brownies were probably overbaked. Glass pans can do this, so you might try reducing the oven temp to 325 degrees if baking in glass. To prevent sticking, you can also line the pan with parchment paper so you can lift the brownies out before cutting. Thanks for a great recipe, Brooke! Bombshell brownies indeed! [Edited: I just made a batch in a 15"x10"x1" parchment-lined pan. When cool, I cut the brownies with a 2" heart-shaped cookie cutter and sprinkled with powdered sugar. Beautiful for a tea-time cookie tray!]

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8 users found this review helpful

Souper Skillet Pasta

Reviewed: Jan. 6, 2010

While this was hearty, simple, and quick, it was just an average meal. Not to say my family didn't like it---we all did! It just isn't a dish I'd purposely plan into my weekly menu. On the other hand, it was perfect for my needs tonight: a dinner I could throw together using simple items I already had on hand. For that reason alone, I'd make it again if I found myself in a pinch. By the way, I did throw in a large handful of fresh spinach just before adding the cheese. It did make the dish more colorful while sneaking in some veggies!

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5 users found this review helpful

Crustless Spinach Quiche

Reviewed: Dec. 25, 2009

This was fabulous! Made a great Christmas brunch egg dish that's sure to become a family favorite for years to come! My pie pans were all "occupied" at the time, so I used 8 eggs and a 9" x 9" square casserole dish instead. Baking time was still 30 minutes. Perfect!

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2 users found this review helpful

Overnight Bubble Bread

Reviewed: Dec. 25, 2009

These are our Christmas morning staple. Chewy, gooey, and so easy made the night before! I agree with others that they're so much better when the sauce ingredients are doubled. The other thing I've discovered is that a longer baking time is needed to ensure that the middle rolls aren't still raw -- about 30-40 minutes.

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3 users found this review helpful