MCCATHERN MOM Recipe Reviews (Pg. 1) - Allrecipes.com (1244613)

Asian Lettuce Wraps

Reviewed: Jul. 14, 2009

This is really good AS IS, but I always tweak a little to suit my own tastes. I like mine a tad spicier. I noticed that someone gave less stars because their lettuce broke open. That's not the recipe's fault - just means their iceberg lettuce was really fresh and crunchy. A good fresh lettuce to use, that won't crack, is Bibb lettuce. Most major grocers carry it and it doesn't detract from the original intended flavor one bit. This recipe is going to save me a lot of money! : )

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

Puffed Cauliflower Cheese

Reviewed: Feb. 23, 2009

No one else in my home will eat cauliflower, so when my dad sent me a large head of romanesco cauliflower (google it for some wild pictures of it), I decided to transform it into a casserole that would keep for a couple days. The romanesco is an unusually spicy cauliflower which I am sure enhanced the overall outcome. Still, this is a good recipe. In an effort to make it less quiche-y (as some people commented), I used only 2 eggs instead of the 3 called for in the recipe. I sauteed one medium onion and added a couple teaspoons of minced garlic at the end of the saute. I believe it turned out perfect. I added a little grated cheese on top during the last 5 minutes & it was gorgeous to look at.

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

Mexican Layered Dip

Reviewed: Feb. 3, 2008

This is really good. I made the slightest of changes in that I mixed just a bit of the taco seasoning into the refried beans & then the rest into the sour cream. Also, instead of topping it all with the guacamole, I went in this order: beans, guacamole, sour cream, shredded cheese, diced tomatoes, jalapenos. The reason for this is that the avocado browns when exposed to air. You can squirt lime juice over it to help slow it down, but it's just easier to put the guac between the beans and the sour cream. No browning. :-) Also, I think you can use softened cream cheese in place of the sour cream if you prefer.

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

Snickerdoodles II

Reviewed: Dec. 19, 2007

Alrighty, I tried this recipe again. First, I increased the oven to 410 degrees (a lot of high altitude baking must be increased by approx. 25 degrees). I used 1/2 cup shortening and 1/2 cup butter. After the first pan spread out way too thin, I made the balls of dough about half the size of the original - definitely not the size of a walnut - and tried again. And I pressed down ever so much with the bottom of a glass to flatten. The smaller size really worked much better for me and the glass-flattening cannot be skipped. With the red and green colored sugar mixed with cinnamon, they are just beautiful. My husband grabbed one of them yesterday evening (making the cookie nearly two days old) and said they were nice and chewy. I stored them in the new Reynolds Handy Vac vacuum sealed storage bags which can have the air removed from the bag for optimum food freshness. I'll stop sounding like a commercial now & say that I would make this cookie again.

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

Amazing Pork Tenderloin in the Slow Cooker

Reviewed: Aug. 28, 2007

Ugh. I don't like to give bad reviews & usually don't, but man oh man, I just had to say aomething about this pork. The meat itself turned out fall-apart tender, but c'mon... it's a tenderloin. The sauce however is another matter entirely. As a person who LOVES salt, salt, and more salt, I couldn't believe it when this sauce turned out to be so salty that I could hardly stand it. I think an entire package of onion soup mix is just way too much. If I ever attempted this dish again, I'd follow someone else's suggestion & replace the soup mix with fresh sliced onion. The salt could be had from the soy sauce or by using broth instead of water. I did only use half of the soy sauce along with 1 and a half TBSP of worchestershire, and I think that would've been good if it hadn't been so overpowered by the soup's salt. I served this pork over white rice, but could only stand to use a little bit of the gravy. My husband and son skipped the gravy all together. Pity, because it was so darn pretty.

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

Strawberry Refrigerator Cake

Reviewed: May 7, 2007

I used one 16 oz bag of frozen strawberries and cooked them for a few minutes on the stove with 1/4 cup of sugar and a tsp of vanilla. It really helps because they aren't always sweet. To this, I added a handful of sliced fresh strawberries & pureed it. To the puree, I added a couple big handfuls more of sliced fresh strawberries that were cut smaller. I used a wooden spoon handle to poke larger holes in the cake & slowly spooned the puree over as soon as the cake came out of the oven. Some of the berries went in the holes & some stayed on top of the cake. Chilled the cake in the fridge for about 45 mins. Instead of folding the pudding & the whipped cream together, I put them on as separate layers. I used a cheesecake pudding & prepared it with 1 1/2 cups of milk. I prepared it in a bowl that has a pouring edge so that I could just pour it straight from the bowl over the top of the cake. Chilled again for 10 mins. Then, instead of cool whip, I used 1 cup of heavy whipping cream with 1/3 cup of sugar until stiff. Spread over the pudding layer. Chilled in the fridge for about 3 hrs before we cut it & it was totally set up & fabulous. This is a terrific cake! I made this one as a 'test run' to see if I'd want to take one over to my son's school this week for their Teacher Appreciation luncheon & this is definitely the cake that I am making. FIVE STARS ALL THE WAY!!!!!

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

Hot Artichoke and Spinach Dip II

Reviewed: Dec. 25, 2006

I hate to admit it, but it only took two days for my husband and me to eat every drop of this green goodness. Wasn't it supposed to serve 12??? LOL We ate it with tortilla chips the first time, but today we shall have it with a nice crusty loaf of bread. My husband is not an artichoke fan, but he ADORES this stuff. Great recipe!

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

Amy's Cilantro Cream Sauce

Reviewed: Dec. 29, 2005

This sauce is awesome. As with most any recipe, one can adjust the ingredients to suit your own personal tastes, but we like it as is. Since cumin and cilantro can both be a tad overwhelming for some, those are the only 2 ingredients that I would suggest folks add slowly. This stuff is good alongside a good guacamole dip served with warm tortilla chips. Also good with pork-filled tortillas. YUM!

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

Scrumptious Salisbury Steak in Mushroom Gravy

Reviewed: Dec. 12, 2005

This was most excellent. I only made very minimal changes: exchanged the crushed crackers for bread crumbs (because that's what I had on hand), left out the mushrooms cuz I don't like 'em, used 2 1/2 cups milk & 1/2 cup water, and added a small splash of worchestershire sauce. Scrumptious!

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

Sweet Potato Casserole II

Reviewed: Mar. 30, 2005

Mmmm, mmmm, mmmmm..... almost enough said. Even my veggie resistant 10 year old son asked me if it was dessert. He really loved the topping or "caramelized pecans" as he called 'em. Five big, shiny stars for this one. There, enough said.

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

Navy Bean Soup I

Reviewed: Mar. 30, 2005

I'm giving 5 stars even though my soup is not ready yet. It's been 4 hours now and the beans are still a little chewy, but everything else is good. Since my husband won't be home til tomorrow, I'm sure it'll be great in time for dinner with him. These kinds of soups are always better the next day anyway. I tossed in the ham bone leftover from our Easter ham, and omitted the tomatoes since I'm not familiar with that version. Planning to serve it with warm rolls. Mmmmmm.....

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

Salisbury Steak

Reviewed: Feb. 24, 2004

I went with only 3 stars, but that doesn't mean this was a bad recipe. The beef patties were PERFECT; my husband raved about the texture and taste - true salisbury. However, the sauce left a lot to be desired in our opinions. I decided to double the sauce to go with the mashed potatoes & found the extra french onion soup too overwhelming. Also, my hubby is not a mustard fan at all, so its aroma in the sauce really stood out to him. Last, I would skip the ketchup entirely. Guess I'm too used to an oniony, beef gravy with salisbury steak & ketchup was not a pleasant surprise here. Since I was down to the wire when I discovered the final results of the recipe sauce, I simply removed the sauce from the simmered patties, whipped up 2 packs of Knorr brown gravy, added only the smallest amount of the first sauce to that, and served it up. Everyone was happy; even Mr. Picky Kid who, based on school cafeteria salisbury steak, thought that it was going to be awful. I will definitely use the recipe for the patties again, but will have to tinker with the sauce. Maybe... the rest of the french onion soup, with Knorr beef boullion broth, flour to thicken, and a splash of worchestershire. Sounds tasty already!

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

Broiled Scallops

Reviewed: Jul. 24, 2003

Simple directions leading to a simply fabulous meal!

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

Dinah's Baked Scallops

Reviewed: Feb. 7, 2003

These are FANTASTIC. The only thing I think I will try differently next time is to decrease the time at 350 degrees to 12 minutes and then pop them into the broiler for the last 3 minutes. I did broil them when I cooked them, but only for 2 minutes. It wasn't quite long enough, but my hubby still loved these scallops.

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

Baked Pork Chops I

Reviewed: Dec. 27, 2002

These are, far and away, the very best pork chops I have ever eaten in my life. I adjusted the milk and wine ratio so that there was a bit more wine essence, and my husband always closes his eyes and savors the first bite. I serve this with homemade pasta and spoon the sauce over the noodles.

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

Sinigang na Baka

Reviewed: Dec. 27, 2002

My mother is from the Philippines and while her sinigang is similar, she used beef, large diced potatoes and turnips, mustard greens, and shrimp. And no sinigang meal was ever complete without the salty fried pork chops and pot of white rice.

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