ShannyBanany Recipe Reviews (Pg. 1) - Allrecipes.com (10405579)

A Simple Seafood Bisque

Reviewed: May 9, 2012

I made this a few days ago for dinner and thought it was a nice way to use up some canned seafood and have a quick and tasty soup! I followed the recipe as written, except that I swapped out one of the cans of clams for a can of lump crab meat. My guests thought this was tasty, and my sister even asked for seconds (she's a pretty picky eater). I think I would definitely like to try duplicating this recipe with fresh seafood because I think it will help the overall flavor and body of the soup. This was my first time using canned seafood for anything, and I was super impressed with the seafood itself. Overall, a very good soup.

Was this review helpful? [ YES ]
1 user found this review helpful

Lobster Pasta

Reviewed: Apr. 23, 2012

I made this recipe last night for my sisters birthday celebration. This dish was very good and I made it "almost" just as the recipe stated. My only changes were using langostinos rather than whole lobsters, using a little cumin to replace the cinnamon (after reading the reviews, I didn't want to chance using the cinnamon), adding about 1/4c of white wine to the sauce while it was simmering, a dash of hot sauce, and a squirt of lime juice. I think this dish tasted really good as-is, but seamed to be missing something. I think if I make this again I will try to add a little more spicy to it to amp up the favor and maybe some veggies like mushrooms and asparagus. All in all, a very good dish ... but I would leave out the cinnamon.

Was this review helpful? [ YES ]
1 user found this review helpful

Black Bean and Couscous Salad

Reviewed: Jul. 30, 2011

I made this as a side for a Moroccan chicken that I made a few nights ago for dinner and it turned out great! It was the perfect, filling, beautiful side dish to accompany the chicken. I pretty followed the recipe exactly other than exchanging minced white onion for the green onion, using dried cilantro, and rinsed, canned corn. It was really good and probably one of the best couscous recipes that I've made. Thanks for a great recipe!

Was this review helpful? [ YES ]
4 users found this review helpful

Shepherd's Pie VI

Reviewed: Jun. 23, 2011

This is the first shepherd's pie that I've tried to make and it was great! I followed the directions exactly but instead of the mashed carrots I used (thawed) frozen mixed veggies, and instead of the cheddar cheese I used a 5 cheese Italian blend because it's all I had on hand. This all worked out really well, although I'm sure the cheddar would have made it even better. :) I will definitely make this again and when I do I think I'll try using tomato paste in exchange for the ketchup because the bf and I both agreed that the ketchup lent a little too much sweetness to the dish. Overall, this was great, easy, tasty, home-y, and filling!

Was this review helpful? [ YES ]
3 users found this review helpful

Slow Cooker Lime Chicken with Rice

Reviewed: Jun. 23, 2011

This was a great weeknight dish! It was quick to prep and with a few additions, really tasty. I followed the directions as written, but read a few other reviews and decided that it might end up too bland, so I added the following: one can diced tomatoes with chili's, dried minced onion, dried minced bell peppers, a dash of coriander, a dash of chili powder, a dash of sea salt, and about 2tbsp of dried cilantro. I added the instant rice in for the last 15min and that worked out perfectly. The chicken was flavorful, moist, and shredded easily into the rice. I cooked mine on low for about 10hrs and it worked out just fine for me.

Was this review helpful? [ YES ]
5 users found this review helpful

Fiesta Fry Pan Dinner

Reviewed: Jul. 16, 2010

I think this is going to be my new favorite filling for tacos! I used this as a filling for soft taco shells and it was a huge hit! I did make a few changes, but I think this would have stood on it's own even without my changes. I added in some fresh herbs from my garden and a little bit of diced bell pepper, also left out the corn and exchanged it for black beans (I have a hard time digesting corn, so beans were a good substitute for me). Topped with cheese, lettuce, sour cream, and a splash of lime juice! Soooo good!

Was this review helpful? [ YES ]
4 users found this review helpful

Momma's Wine Cake

Reviewed: Jun. 5, 2010

This was really yummy and everyone liked it! I had to make a few changes to suite what I had on here. Here are the changes/additions that I made: 1/2c applesauce + 1/4c canola oil, to replace the whole 3/4c of oil, added about a cup of chopped strawberries, used some old white zin. that was in the fridge, used super moist white cherry chip cake mix, used 3.5oz package of pudding because it's all I had, and left out nutmeg because I forgot it (LOL).

Was this review helpful? [ YES ]
3 users found this review helpful

Tuscan Soup

Reviewed: Mar. 30, 2010

This was not bad, but seemed like it needed something else. Possibly adding some tortellini or gnocchi would help, and I think the broth could have been thinkened up a little. I doubled this and the only changes I made were: used mozz. and basil flavored chicken sausage, a whole can of evaporated milk, and about a tbsp of garlic powder. I left out the salt completely. I think with some tweeking this could be even better!

Was this review helpful? [ YES ]
2 users found this review helpful

Sour Cream Chicken and Stuffing

Reviewed: Mar. 25, 2010

This was really great! Almost any recipe I find, I have to put my own twist on. This one however, I tried to follow as closely as I could, because I just HAD to see how this tasted as is! I was pleasantly surprised, as I was a little unsure about the curry, but it totally makes this dish. The only differences I made had to do with what I had on hand. I only had chicken flavored stuffing so I used that and I had no celery soup, so I used mushroom instead. I also only used 4 chix breasts because mine were huge, and I pounded them slightly so they weren't as thick. I followed a few reviews on here and made my stuffing a little more wet than it needed to be, which helped thin out the sauce a little. The curry and lemon juice definitely make this dish! My only complaint is that it made a lot of sauce and I think it would have been better with two boxes of stuffing. Also, if you can use the unseasoned stuffing, do it, it will definitely cut down on the saltiness. I served this with a side of roasted asparagus and it was a hit! I will definitely make this again!

Was this review helpful? [ YES ]
2 users found this review helpful

Baked Penne and Smoked Sausage

Reviewed: Mar. 22, 2010

I followed this recipe about 80% of the way and it turned out fabulous! Here's what I did: I used 6 spinach and asiago flavored chicken sausages cut up and sauted until browned with 1.5 diced green pepper and about 1c of diced onion, sauted all in olive oil until onions were tender. I par-boiled the noodles because I hate the way uncooked noodles come out in casseroles. Drained pasta and added it to sausage mixture, as well as two cans of cream of mushroom soup and about 1.5c milk. Mixed everything together and poured into a large casserole dish, topped with cheddar flavored French-fried onions, and sprinkled a mixture of cheddar, mozz., and colby cheeses on top. Baked at 350 for about 30 mins until the top was lightly browned. I made a large glass casserole dish full of this. This was fantastic and both my bf and I went back for more.

Was this review helpful? [ YES ]
2 users found this review helpful

Basil Pan-Seared Scallops over Pasta

Reviewed: Feb. 2, 2010

I made my own variation of this, using what I had on hand: small bay scallops, quinoa linguini pasta, and the addition of some white wine, broccoli, and grape tomatoes. I sauteed the scallops with wine, butter, a little olive oil, lemon juice, minced garlic, salt, pepper, basil, a little cilantro, and onion powder. After they were cooked, I set them aside, deglazed the pan with more wine, and sauteed some frizen broccoli using the same ingredients as above. Once the broccoli was tender I added a few grape tomatoes, let them cook through, and added the scallops back into the pan with the veg. Severed over qunion linquini. I thought this was really tasty and will definitely make again. I think it would have been just as good using the original recipe if you have the items on hand.

Was this review helpful? [ YES ]
5 users found this review helpful

Baked Tofu Bites

Reviewed: Jan. 27, 2010

This recipe sounded great and after reading some reviews I decided to use honey and a dash of ginger rather than maple syrup, and I think that was a bad idea. I think the syrup would have lended a flavor and sweetness that was lost on the honey. Leaving it out made this dish too salty and bland for me. I ended up using a little syrup to dip the bites in, which helped a little. I might try this again but will cut down on the soy sauce and add more maple syrup than called for. Otherwise, this cooked up well and had a nice chewy texure on the outside which I liked. Also, to get the moisture out of my tofu I used the method of putting the whole block in a colander with a small dish on top and a heavy object to weigh it down, for about 15mins. This worked out just fine.

Was this review helpful? [ YES ]
2 users found this review helpful

Three-Bean Soup

Reviewed: Jan. 26, 2010

This was not my favorite recipe. While I did make a few small changes to fit what was on hand, overall I don't think we would have liked it even if I made it exactly as stated. It is a very heathy and hearty meal, however it is flavor less in my opinion. My recommendation to anyone that makes this is do not use a bag of mixed dried beans, as I think it made it too "beany" and the combo was just not good.

Was this review helpful? [ YES ]
2 users found this review helpful

Indian Chicken Curry (Murgh Kari)

Reviewed: Jan. 25, 2010

This was awesome! I made it exactly as stated but left out the cayenne because I was not feeling well and didn't want all the spice. Without the cayenne it was still great and had a nice amount of spice! Tasted very authentic and was one of the best Indian dishes I have made thus far. It got rave reviews from everyone! Served over quinoa for me and brown rice for everyone else, with a side of sauted spinach. This hit the spot for my Indian craving! :)

Was this review helpful? [ YES ]
1 user found this review helpful

Lasagna Alfredo Roll Ups

Reviewed: Jan. 14, 2010

This recipe was very tasty. A little time consuming, but still very good. The only changes I had were to suite what I had on hand, so they were as follows: pureed cooked broccoli to replace the spinach, some dried chives and onion powder to replace green onions, fresh mozzarella, and added about 1/4c of grated asiago cheese to the mix, as well as some garlic powder, and fresh cracked pepper. I used a dried packet of Alfredo sauce mix so that I could control the fat and make it using skim milk, which meant I also didn't have as much sauce as the recipe called for. Therefore I only sprayed the bottom of the dish with olive oil cooking spray and poured the sauce on top only. I'm sure this was just as good w/o my changes, I just always like to add my own touch to things. Everyone loved this one! :)

Was this review helpful? [ YES ]
1 user found this review helpful

Chinese Shrimp and Tofu Soup

Reviewed: Dec. 18, 2009

This recipe is so yummy and fast! I didn't have the exact ingredients, so here is my interpretation: frozen shrimp rather than fresh, frozen broccoli rather than peas, and ground ginger rather than ginger root. I also added: small can of mushrooms, minced onion, chives, cilantro, and dash of chili powder, and I did not add the corn starch. I'm sure the basic recipe would have stood well on it's own, but I like to add my own twist to things. :) It was very filling, very healthy, and very tasty!

Was this review helpful? [ YES ]
3 users found this review helpful

Easy Beef and Rice

Reviewed: Nov. 10, 2009

I have been making this recipe for a while now and love it. I pretty much make the stove top version of this because I don't like to microwave meet and I rarely use instant rice. I also use the low fat/low sodium versions of the soups, and have used cream of muchroom in it as well. All variations of it taste great and my bf LOVES it as well, which means it's a definite keeper!

Was this review helpful? [ YES ]
2 users found this review helpful

Pasta Isabarte

Reviewed: Oct. 9, 2009

As-is, this recipe is not the best thing I've ever tasted. It's not bad but some improvements though. You may want to: saute the onions and peppers as other reviews suggest (I didn't and the veggies were definitely too crunchy and tasteless), add an Italian blend seasoning rather than just oregano, layer the cheese into the pasta and not just on top, and add a few more eggs (I used 5 extra large and thought it was not enough). With some changes this could definitely be a quick dinner on the cheap or in a pinch.

Was this review helpful? [ YES ]
5 users found this review helpful

Best Ever Jalapeno Poppers

Reviewed: Sep. 28, 2009

This recipe was not bad overall. I prefer the regular cream cheese stuffed poppers to this though. I should have taken others suggestions to blanch the peppers first and to use real bacon rather than bacon bits, as I think both of these things would have helped. I also think a full fat cream cheese would have been best to use, I used a low fat and it was lacking in flavor. Changes I made were: added a little season salt to the cheese mix, used only Italian bread crumbs and no flour to coat, and added an egg to the milk for coating. The best part of making this recipe for me was that I learned that double dipping/breading the poppers definitely lends to a great fried coating! My bf commented that these looked like restaurant quality after they came out of the frier. Also, they were not too greasy at all. I think with a few changes as suggested by other reviewers, this could be even better!

Was this review helpful? [ YES ]
1 user found this review helpful

Summer Zucchini Casserole

Reviewed: Sep. 23, 2009

This was pretty good for a quick casserole. I followed the basic recipe and then made some additions. I used two small yellow summer squash, some chopped bell pepper, a bag of cooked frozen veg. consisting of corn, carrots, and asparagus, and a large can of cooked turkey. I also added a little mozz. cheese along with some cracked black pepper, dill, and garlic powder. It ended up being pretty tasty and a nice way to "hide" veggies from my b/f! He even ate the yellow squash in this, and he HATES squash! A nice, quick, one dish meal!

Was this review helpful? [ YES ]
1 user found this review helpful