Chef W Recipe Reviews (Pg. 1) - Allrecipes.com (1221925)

Homemade Vanilla Extract

Reviewed: Nov. 19, 2011

One word: IndriVanilla! I got my vanilla beans from them really inexpensively. I did my vanilla extract in a combination of gold and spiced rum instead of vodka but followed the same method and it's amazing. I've been adding the empty pods after I scrape them and use them in other recipes, too, and the flavor is just getting better and better developed. So much better than storebought!!!

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2 users found this review helpful

Coconut Shrimp I

Reviewed: May 23, 2011

This is a great recipe. I use the batter on strips of chicken breast since husband doesn't like shrimp. Some sweet chili dipping sauce, and this is a slam dunk.

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3 users found this review helpful

Chicken Tikka Masala

Reviewed: Oct. 14, 2010

Picky, curry-hating husband loved this. A friend prepared it for us, and I was nervous about his reaction. He took seconds, then thirds! We've made it at least three or four times since. Salt according to your taste rather than strictly to the measurements here. The only change I make is to cook the cilantro into the sauce rather than garnishing it fresh--we don't like the taste of fresh cilantro. Great recipe!

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8 users found this review helpful

Take Out-Fake Out Pollo Con Crema

Reviewed: Jun. 6, 2010

A great recipe! Made a few changes to suit picky husband's palate. Left out the mushrooms, used one red bell pepper, which I chopped fine. I chopped the onions fine too. I used 3 chicken breasts, so I made the roux with 3 T. butter and 3 T. flour, but the same amount of broth. I added a dash of chipotle chili powder but otherwise kept everything the same. Husband was impressed, and this is going in the recipe box. Thanks!

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8 users found this review helpful

Mexican Rice II

Reviewed: Jun. 6, 2010

I made this last night and served Take Out-Fake Out Pollo con Crema over it. By itself, the rice is absolutely fantastic--the flavor is not too heavy, not too light. It's perfect. I substituted V8 (5.5 oz.) for the tomato sauce so I wouldn't have leftover tomato sauce to deal with, and otherwise kept the recipe exactly the same. Fabulous, will make again and again.

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9 users found this review helpful

Overnight Blueberry French Toast

Reviewed: Apr. 28, 2010

Made this using a loaf of baked Rhodes bread dough, and substituted a can of drained blueberries for the fresh ones. Served with maple syrup instead of the sauce for familiarity's sake. Great recipe.

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7 users found this review helpful

Hot Pink Lemonade

Reviewed: Apr. 24, 2010

Used the juice from some canned blueberries I had left over. This recipe popped up today and it was the perfect idea to use it up. Lots of vitamin C and antioxidants in this treat!

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5 users found this review helpful

Garlic-Lemon Double Stuffed Chicken

Reviewed: Apr. 9, 2010

Husband loved this. I've never loved lemon chicken of any kind, but this was the best I've had. I left out the cheddar and whipped roasted garlic and lemon zest into the cream cheese. Instead of cheese in the crust, I added lemon zest and garlic salt. Drizzled with plain butter. It's a great recipe and I'm sure it will be requested again.

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3 users found this review helpful

Sweet Restaurant Slaw

Reviewed: Apr. 8, 2010

Great slaw! After I added 1/4 cup of sugar, I tasted it, and didn't add any more. I thought that was plenty sweet. I thought the Miracle Whip taste was too strong, so I cut it with some mayonnaise and buttermilk. Substituted the white vinegar for red wine vinegar. Substituted the poppy seeds for celery seed. Used olive oil. Awesome, awesome!

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3 users found this review helpful

Dessertlover's Classic Caramel Sauce

Reviewed: Feb. 23, 2010

This recipe was fantastic; exactly what I was looking for to make a caramel dip for snacking on apple slices. To those who had this turn out as a thin, creamy mess, you must simmer the sugar until it is a rich, golden brown before adding the sugar. It can't just be thick and boiling. It has to be darkening, all the way through. A thick-walled saucepan is best, and yes, the times are probably for a gas range, so plan on more time with a coil or flat top range.

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10 users found this review helpful

Clone of a Cinnabon

Reviewed: Jan. 23, 2010

I have had this recipe saved for ages, and I finally made the time to prepare it. As a chef, I don't keep or use a bread machine, so I used my stand mixer and dough hook to prepare the dough. 4 3/4 cups of strong baking flour (Lehi Mills/Turkey Brand), 1/3 cup melted butter, and 2.5 tsp. active dry yeast were the only changes I made. For the frosting, I used 8 oz. cream cheese and 8 oz. softened butter, plus vanilla and confectioner's sugar. It achieves a more Cinnabon-like consistency with the added butter, though I prefer this preparation even to Cinnabon's. A great recipe, with some patience for the rising time. My husband declared them the best cinnamon rolls "known to man."

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4 users found this review helpful

Sausage Potato Casserole

Reviewed: Oct. 14, 2009

This is a great recipe. I was given some venison sausage, which I've never used before, and I used it in this recipe. It took nearly two hours in the oven to bake, covered, even with mandolin-sliced potatoes. I had to add 1/3 cup of water towards the end so the potatoes in the middle would cook. Shredded colby jack cheese went great on the top. I'd definitely make this again.

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2 users found this review helpful

Blueberry Zucchini Bread

Reviewed: Sep. 15, 2009

Even my veggie-hating husband liked this. I made mini-muffins, muffins, coffee cake, and loaves, most of which got streusel topping (a great addition). Other than that, the only change I made was to substitute melted butter for oil in the muffins and a cup of whole wheat flour for a cup of the AP flour. This is a keeper--much better than generic zucchini breads.

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2 users found this review helpful

Best Big, Fat, Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookie

Reviewed: Aug. 25, 2009

Even by my standards as a professional chef, this recipe is quite good. It's a little denser than I was hoping for, but that would easily be remedied by using half softened, half melted butter so more air could be incorporated into the dough when it is beaten with the sugar. In all, a fantastic recipe--I followed to a tee except I used half the amount of chocolate chips.

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3 users found this review helpful

Sweet and Sour Meatballs

Reviewed: Jul. 13, 2009

The base recipe is great--for an even greater dish, saute minced garlic, minced onion, and minced bell pepper before adding the chili sauce and grape jelly. Add sriracha (Thai hot sauce) and rice wine or white vinegar (I added both) in a small amount. Cook together to blend flavors. I also added cooked carrot puree, cooked butternut squash puree, and cooked cauliflower puree because husband doesn't eat vegetables. Undetectable! I added ketchup to the meat mixture before making meatballs and substituted onion powder for chopped onions (unless you saute the onions first, they will never get hot enough to become soft). I baked the meatballs and added to the sauce in the pan--picky husband loved. I have been looking for a great sweet and sour sauce for ages. This is it.

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4 users found this review helpful

French Onion Pan Rolls

Reviewed: Apr. 26, 2009

Great recipe. My husband, who doesn't like onions, absolutely loves these rolls. To save prep time, I use 24 (2 dozen) Rhodes White Dinner Rolls, and the existing measurements work just fine. I bake them on a metal sheet pan instead of in a 9x13, however.

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5 users found this review helpful

Honey Brie Spread

Reviewed: Mar. 19, 2009

Five stars, though I did make a few changes off the bat. It's not that I didn't trust it--it's that I had dinner roll dough and not crescent roll dough. I used four Rhodes white Texas rolls (you could use six Rhodes white dinner rolls, too--it would come out to the same dough weight). I pressed the rolls together and rolled them out to a 9-10" circle. I drizzled the center with honey, sprinkled with walnuts, topped with the brie, and wrapped the dough around it. Placed seam-side down on the baking sheet, brushed with egg, drizzled with additional honey, sprinkled additional walnuts, and baked for 35 minutes or so. Healthier than crescent roll dough, and even picky husband loved it!

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15 users found this review helpful

Irish Cream Chocolate Cheesecake

Reviewed: Mar. 15, 2009

Admittedly, I made a few changes, but the base recipe is excellent. I omitted the flour and cocoa powder from the cheesecake mixture, and didn't add cocoa to the chocolate cookie crumbs for the crust. I didn't start at 450F, I baked in a water bath (bain-marie) until the cakes were set (I did individual 8-ounce cakes in ramekins). I also reduced the recipe to one-third its original size--don't need that much for just two!

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8 users found this review helpful

Brooke's Best Bombshell Brownies

Reviewed: Mar. 8, 2009

Absolutely fabulous. I halved the recipe and omitted the chocolate chips. As per other reviewer's comments, I reduced the sugar (to 1 1/4 c. for the half-recipe), and the cocoa (to 1/3 c., also for the half-recipe). I topped the brownies with chocolate mint sandwiches just out of the oven so they melted, then let it set and spread with frosting.

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3 users found this review helpful

Sturdy Whipped Cream Frosting

Reviewed: Feb. 25, 2009

Wonderful frosting! Light, airy, and just enough sweetness. I will definitely try this out with a variety of extracts, but for my husband's birthday cake, I just used vanilla. Also used full-fat cream cheese. What a wonderful coincidence that this was a featured recipe just a couple days before my husband requested whipped frosting on his birthday cake! Will definitely make this again.

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2 users found this review helpful