Allrecipes.com is the best! I've always collected recipes, but the opportunity to read about other cook's successes and failures with a recipe in the "reviews" section is SO helpful. Even if I find a recipe elsewhere, I will see if it is on Allrecipes.com so I can see how other cooks did with it. It has reduced my kitchen failures immensely. I really appreciate the other Allrecipes users who take the time to give helpful information about their experiences with a recipe. And it gives me a good chuckle (and shake of the head) to read the ones where a reviewer changed practically every ingredient and didn't follow the instructions but gave the *recipe* a bad rating or those who changed literally everything about a recipe but then give it a 5-star rating.
My favorite things to cook
I especially enjoy making desserts and appetizers to share with friends. At home, I make an effort to try a new recipe at a meal at least once a week.
My favorite family cooking traditions
My brother-in-law would boycott Christmas if I didn't bring a pan of Quick and Easy Monkey Bread for Christmas morning (he calls it "The Thing".) It makes me happy that something I make is so appreciated.
My cooking triumphs
I think I was most proud the first times I managed to get a traditional roast beef or roast turkey dinner on the table with everything ready at the same time. Timing the mashed potatoes, the meat and all of the other dishes is a challenge! I am also proud to have had some of my favorite recipes published on Allrecipes.com and have them well received. It would be depressing to see a lot of people say "yuck!" about something I submitted.
My cooking tragedies
Let's not go there! I have tried plenty of recipes that looked good on paper but just didn't turn out. My husband's favorite moniker for failed casseroles is "boat-anchor special."
Here is my rating system for recipes on this site:
5 stars - Excellent, I will make this recipe again and again.
4 stars - Good, solid recipe that I would recommend to others.
3 stars - Decent, not a huge hit.
2 stars - Maybe somebody else would like this. I didn't.
1 star - Has major problems. I don't recommend it.