Chocolate Covered Caramels

Reviewed: Dec. 27, 2009

Not a very easy recipe. I used golden syrup bc I din't have corn syrup, and accidentaly I used 240 grams of butter, which was way too much; it wasn't mixed properly and I had to pour off the fat. Next time I will use 180 grams of butter. I like using my French recipe which uses cream instead of condensed milk. It makes the caramels much creamier. But this is a good replacement when I don't have any cream. In the beginning I did have ugly dark spots, as if the caramel was burnt, but later on it dissapeared. I always boil the mixture to 260 F, which makes the caramels quite hard. (which I like) This time I boiled to 150 F, which was really perfect, nice soft, chewy caramels! BUT they did stick, so I dusted them with cinnamon and honestly that was really good too! At the bottom of my baking tray, I put chopped walnuts, and poured the mixture over it. When the mixture was hard, I turned it and now I have beautiful dark caramel with light brown spots. Please don't cover them with chocolate! (honestly, I really like chocolate)

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CARODUN

Cooking Level: Intermediate

Living In: Eindhoven, Noord-Brabant, Netherlands

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Basic Crepes

Reviewed: Dec. 27, 2009

Yum! My boyfriend and I had fun making/eating these this morning... Sugar+butter Sugar+butter+cinnamon Sugar+butter+jam ... and I plan to make ham+cheese crepes for dinner.

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Michelle

Cooking Level: Intermediate

Home Town: Chandler, Arizona, USA

Living In: Paris, Île-De-France, France

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Kahlua Irish Coffee

Reviewed: Dec. 26, 2009

This measurements for this drink are perfect. It was enjoyed by all. It doesn't taste as strong as it smells but I think I would like to add sugar next time.

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le petit haricot

Cooking Level: Intermediate

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Carrot and Ginger Soup

Reviewed: Dec. 26, 2009

Fantastic flavor and luxurious, velvety texture. I did add a vegetable bouillon cube when I added the water. I didn't use the optional cream either so this was suitable for vegans. Everyone loved this soup and I'll make it again. Thanks so much.

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le petit haricot

Cooking Level: Intermediate

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Cheddar Chicken Spaghetti

Reviewed: Dec. 26, 2009

Pretty good, not crazy wow but good :)

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Ana B.ee

Cooking Level: Intermediate

Home Town: Fredericksburg, Virginia, USA

Living In: Rodenbach, Rheinland-Pfalz, Germany

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Brown Sugar Banana Nut Bread I

Reviewed: Dec. 26, 2009

I followed the directions, however I think next time I would cut back on the vanilla a little, it's a tad bit too strong. Other than that it was very moist and tasted great! Something easy to take a slice of for hurried breakfastes...

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Ana B.ee

Cooking Level: Intermediate

Home Town: Fredericksburg, Virginia, USA

Living In: Rodenbach, Rheinland-Pfalz, Germany

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Ukrainian Olha's Varenyky (Perogies)

Reviewed: Dec. 26, 2009

Almost, but not quite, the perfect Varenyky. I have made them for 3 years now, and would suggest the following filling changes: boil the potatoes in the skins and then peel them, mash the potatoes rather than dicing, and add a dash of nutmeg to the filling to enhance the cheese flavour. As for the dough, I found it a bit tougher when cooked than the varenyky I grew up with. Search for an online recipe with fewer eggs, sour cream and butter in the dough; the sour cream seems to make the dough much more workable and tender. Also, after boiling varenyky it seems to help to subsequently cook them even more, either re-heating them in a casserole dish in the oven, or frying them in a pan with a bit of butter an onion. This helps to make them even more tender. This is great logistically when you want to prepare the varenyky well before a meal but re-heat them to serve.

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sonyapizza

Cooking Level: Intermediate

Home Town: Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada

Living In: Delft, Zuid-Holland, Netherlands

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Pecan Pie V

Reviewed: Dec. 25, 2009

Made this for Christmas dessert and it was very good....I did add extra pecans and put whole ones on the top. My Dad loved it and he loves his pecan pie w/syrup....very delicious

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LT

Cooking Level: Intermediate

Living In: Tampa, Florida, USA

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Chicken and Spinach Alfredo Lasagna

Reviewed: Dec. 25, 2009

This is definitely not 5 stars. It tasted much like tuna helper (without tuna of course). I think with a different alfredo sauce it could be better. The cream of mushroom soup just gave it a cheap taste. It was just too much work for what it was.

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DANASTRUNK

Cooking Level: Intermediate

Home Town: Huntingdon, Tennessee, USA

Living In: Kaiserslautern, Rheinland-Pfalz, Germany

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Hot Crab Dip

Reviewed: Dec. 25, 2009

So scrumptious! I also added artichoke hearts which were a nice addition.

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Kate Linske

Cooking Level: Intermediate

Home Town: Okemos, Michigan, USA

Living In: Marseille, Provence-Alpes-Côte D'azur, France

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Frosted Cranberries

Reviewed: Dec. 24, 2009

Beautiful presentation. I used corn syrup instead of egg white as someone suggested to make these suitable for vegans and people with egg allergies. They are delicious so if you like cranberries try them.

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le petit haricot

Cooking Level: Intermediate

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Absolutely the BEST Rich and Creamy Blue Cheese Dressing Ever!

Reviewed: Dec. 23, 2009

GREAT recipe, such a hit at my dinner party! Only changes I made were to use fresh garlic (one clove) instead of garlic powder and to use about 3 1/2 oz. blue cheese instead of 2 1/2 since the package was 3 1/2 oz. (and I was generous with the other measurements to compensate for that). Oh, and used red wine vinegar instead of white b/c that's what I had. SO good -- next time I'm doubling or tripling the recipe, for sure!!

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usignola

Cooking Level: Intermediate

Home Town: Wood River, Illinois, USA

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Bodacious Broccoli Salad

Reviewed: Dec. 23, 2009

A very similar recipe was given to me by my MIL and I have made this numerous times to rave reviews. The one small change in hers is the addition of toasted (in the oven on 350 for 7-10 min) slivered almonds--like a 1/4 cup or so. Super Delicious!

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GABRIELLAM

Cooking Level: Intermediate

Home Town: Bonn, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany

Living In: Mundelein, Illinois, USA

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Salty Dog I

Reviewed: Dec. 21, 2009

Simple yet so delicious. I had never had a salty dog with vodka. I used freshly squeezed grapefruit juice and I didn't measure the salt, just added enough to taste. I can't even taste the alcohol, dangerous.

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le petit haricot

Cooking Level: Intermediate

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Thai Chicken Cabbage Soup

Reviewed: Dec. 21, 2009

Super delicious soup! I love how it is so simple and unprocessed! The only reason I did not put five stars is because I agree the noodles soak up most of the broth and a little bit of sugar added really plays on the spiciness. Either way, it was a wonderful recipe and I will be making this a lot in the future.

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cdp001

Cooking Level: Intermediate

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Shepherd's Pie VI

Reviewed: Dec. 21, 2009

I added Worcestershire sauce and garlic powder to the meat and it added plenty of flavor; I omitted the beef broth because it seemed unnecessary. Instead of the carrots, I added a bag of frozen veggies on top of the meat and the flour added did a good job of absorbing any excess liquid. Came out great, will definitely make again with my additions.

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Suzy_Belle

Cooking Level: Intermediate

Home Town: Los Angeles, California, USA

Living In: Bordeaux, Aquitaine, France

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Portuguese Custard Tarts - Pasteis de Nata

Reviewed: Dec. 21, 2009

These turned out fantastic. Very true to the authentic Portuguese version. I would only suggest perhaps cutting down the sugar a tad bit, I felt they were a bit too sweet. I also used vanilla extract instead of the bean and added a pinch of cinnamon to the mixture as well as a sprinking on top (as is traditional in Lisbon). I will definitely be making these again. Unlike other reviewers, I had no issues with the puff pastry and I also left them in the oven for about 5 extra minutes because I wanted a browner top on the custard. But excellent recipe, thanks!

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Suzy_Belle

Cooking Level: Intermediate

Home Town: Los Angeles, California, USA

Living In: Bordeaux, Aquitaine, France

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Decadent Rum Balls

Reviewed: Dec. 21, 2009

No words can describe HOW AMAZING these rum balls are! I made a few changes, since it's very difficult to find wafers in Japanese supermarkets : I simply used 1 box of butter shortbread cookies and a few Sweet Marie cookies. The Sweet Marie cookies gave them a bit of a soft crunch throughout the ball, that went really well with the walnuts. I also added more cocoa powder than recommended ( around 50 grams - rather than 20 grams ), to make it more " chocolatey ". Also, these rum balls are A THOUSAND TIMES BETTER after a few days. The alcohol of the rum is less sharp and it settles in nicely all over the rum balls, thus flavouring it well. These rum balls are definitely a DANGER to keep around the house! So sinfully good!

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Sza Sza

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Carrot Muffins

Reviewed: Dec. 20, 2009

These muffins are delicious! They are moist and tender with a mild flavor. I did make a couple of substitutions to match what I had on hand and everything still turned out wonderfully. We served them with honey.

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