I had been looking for an alternative for sweet potatoes, because most of them really should be considered dessert recipes. This one worked nicely. I didn't have any sweet potatoes, so I used beets instead, and I didn't have the spices called for, so I used my own mix, and instead of baking it, I boiled it. Just kidding! What's up with people who review a recipe like that, having completely changed it?! I made it exactly as written, although next time, I will be tempted to try some of the spice variations suggested. After it was done, and after I tasted it, I mixed in some chopped walnuts, because my wife wanted "sweet potatoes with nuts". It was good that way, although I'm sure pecans would be better.

Too much liquid, thyme flavor dominates in an unpleasant way. Disappointing.

I liked the concept of this recipe. I tried it "as is", which is only fair if you're going to write a review, IMO. I do think it needs tweaking (seasoning, some diced fresh veggies, maybe some nutritional yeast) and will be looking over the other reviews for suggestions. In fairness, there is considerable confusion over the amount of cornflakes. Several reviewers said they used from 1/2 to 1 cup of additional cornflakes, and some said they used crushed or even pulverized cornflakes. The measure of cornflakes is going to be vastly different depending on whether you are measuring them loose from the box or pulverized, which reduces them to less than half. Also, the mention of "creamed cottage cheese" threw me (as it seems to have done with others). I since learned that this simply means full 4% fat, or "regular" cottage cheese. Not low-fat or dry curd. I see no need to cut down on the eggs. As is, it only contributes 1/2 an egg per serving. Ditto the oil. On a per serving basis, that's not all that much, and choosing a heart-healthy oil such as sunflower or light olive, and you needn't greatly reduce or eliminate this ingredient as many have done. I didn't think a full envelope of onion soup mix was too salty, but be aware that there is sometimes a big difference in the salt content from brand to brand. The generics tend to have more salt to save manufacturing cost.

The preparation of the eggplant makes all the difference. I've tried other eggplant lasagna recipes, and they were disappointing. The eggplant was either overdry and tough or gooey. In either case, it stood out and didn't "pass" as well for pasta. I prefer to peel the eggplant and slice it lengthwise into strips the approximate width of a lasagna noodle. Start with the strips a little wider than the size you wish them to be, as they will shrink in the over. Other than using eggplant instead of noodles, you can follow your own lasagna recipe. I like to mix thawed, chopped frozen spinach (which has been COMPLETELY drained and squeezed dry) into ricotta (or cottage) cheese, along with an egg and some shredded parmesan, to use as one of the layers. I also like using Sargento's 6-cheese Italian better than straight mozzarella. Less stringy and more depth of flavor.

Like Lori, I came on here looking for Balela salad after trying it at Trader Joe's. I agree that this is far better, although theirs was good enough to inspire me to find a recipe! I'm not normally an ingredient snob, but this recipe demands the best ingredients possible. Grape tomatoes generally have more flavor than typical store bought tomatoes, so that is not an area I would skimp on by using diced tomatoes (or egad! canned!). It takes a few extra minutes to half those grape tomatoes, but well worth it, in my view. Use the best olive oil you can find. I might roll my eyes at that suggestion in another recipe, but for this one, your choice of oil is going to make a difference. Trader Joe's California olive oil was my choice for this. It has a strong, fresh, peppery flavor that complements the other ingredients perfectly. I suggest you make it exactly as written before changing anything. The feta cheese suggestion sounds tempting, but this recipe is so well balanced I would hesitate to modify anything. Perhaps offer it on the side?

Quick and easy, and undoubtedly will appeal to many palates. It's too sweet for my taste, but if you're making a dish with a cup of apricot preserves in it, you're probably looking for sweet. It is reminiscent of sweet and sour chicken, with the onion soup mix adding savory to the mix. I suspect it would work better in a crockpot, or perhaps not baked for 60 minutes. The chicken came out pretty dry for me. I would also consider using a juice sweetened 100% fruit spread, and perhaps less of it, in order to cut down on the sweetness.

This is a good recipe, and one which is easily tweaked to conform to your personal notion of what a Reuben should be. I tried it with the Russian dressing (Wishbone red) and that was good. I've always known a Reuben to have Thousand Islands, and I'll try that next time. Corned beef is not always readily available in the deli, and pastrami can make a good substitute. In a pinch, my guess is that cutting up hot dogs would work, and might help those who find that this recipe is expensive (I didn't think it was all that expensive). I did toast the bread cubes and drained and pressed the kraut (but did not rinse, that would be a mistake!). Next time I will use less cheese and dressing, and more kraut, to suit my tastes. I think it is too rich with all the cheese and dressing, but then this wasn't meant to be a health food recipe.

I think this recipe has potential, but as written, it wasn't very good. I followed it exactly. I think the main problem was with the orange peel. Too much. I would say 1 tsp would be better. I did use no-sugar-added applesauce. Perhaps that was the problem. If I try it again, I'll use juice sweetened applesauce, that may help some. Mostly, I thought the rhubarb was lost in the mix of other strong flavors.

Good recipe, and the speed factor is a plus. Lower in butter than most, which I appreciate. A couple of things I want to mention: If you read the labels on the au jus mixes, you will find that there is a tremendous variation from brand to brand. This may have something to do with the saltiness issue being reported. In some things, brand names are superfluous, but in something like this, it makes quite a difference. The choice of croutons will also make a big difference. I think it better to use grueyere cheese and to shred it, rather than slice it. Thinly sliced onion rings may be traditional, but messy and difficult to eat are also traditions with French onion soup! I find large dices to be easier to negotiate.

Great seasoning mix. I did it all in the oven, following the allrecipes.com video on how to cook salmon, and it came out perfect. I would have thought it was pan seared if I hadn't cooked it myself. Take the salmon out of the fridge 20-30 minutes in advance to take some of the chill off. Preheat oven to 475 and when ready, place a couple Tbsp butter in a glass baking dish and set in the over for 5 minutes while you apply the spices. Put the salmon into the hot butter and bake for 3-4 minutes per side, being careful not to overcook it. Salmon will continue to cook after removed from the hot oven. Delicious!

I rarely assign 5 stars, because it means there is zero room for improvement. I have given this recipe one of my coveted 5-star ratings, as I truly don't see any way to make it better. Starting with the frozen Brussels sprouts. I urge you not to think you will improve this recipe by using fresh. Unless you are pulling them from your own garden, Brussels sprouts are never truly fresh, and they rapidly deteriorate once harvested. If you MUST use fresh, be sure to at least use the ones that come still attached to the stalk. The reason they sell them that way is because of the rapid deterioration these vegetable experience once harvested. This is also why so many people think they don't like Brussels sprouts! Just be sure you thaw them first. Use your microwave defroster to speed this process. The original recipe here has conflicting instructions on that point (see the footnote). I assure you that you want them to be thawed. The misture of apples and onions into this recipe is perfect, and the lemon adds a nice tang. As the orignal recipe notes in the footnotes, you can adjust roasting time for desired doneness. I find that 40 mintues produces a better result, turning the vegetables every 10-15 minutes for even browning. You want them slightly darkened and carmelized. I am experimenting with using the convection feature of our oven to see if I can acheive this effect quicker. Best to use non-stick foil to line your roasting pan to prevent sticking.

It does have a taste and texture reminiscent of tuna salad if the beans are well mashed. Not quite, but would make a fine substitute for a vegan. In any case it makes a great sandwich spread, and a good way to put inexpensive, nutritious garbanzo beans to use. 4 stars, because 5 stars means it couldn't possibly be any better.

I have to confess that I am violating my own cardinal rule here by rating this recipe as I modified it, but the modifications were slight and essential. In any case, 5 stars means it couldn't possibly be any better, so I think 4 stars is appropriate. This was a very good recipe and we enjoy it a lot. I used dill pickle relish, as I am diabetic and don't stock sweet pickle relish. I had to make do with 2 5 ounce cans and adjusting ingredients accordingly, as tuna processors no longer use 6 or 7 ounce cans. I also did not have any dried parsley, so I used the equivalent of fresh (3+ Tbsp.). I used white tuna because I happened to have some, but prefer the taste of chunk light for salad.

This recipe was a big hit with my wife who "doesn't like Brussels sprouts." On my second attempt, I cut back on the salt a little, which I liked better. TIP: Buy your sprouts still on the stalk if at all possible. I'm not a "fresh freak" about everything, but I've found there is a big difference with sprouts. They are not easy to find on the stalk, but if you have a Trader Joe's in your area, they often carry them in that form. "Fresh" but not still on the stalk, they aren't as sweet and a little bitter. Frozen, forget about it, you'll have a soggy mess.

Outstanding revisions to the original recipe, no longer bland. Adding 2-3 cloves of minced garlic with the mushroom addition makes it even better.

Very bland and proportions seem to be off. As written, the batter is nothing like pancake batter, but more like a thin soup and doesn't stick well. Not much flavor. Also I ended up with a ton of batter, more than enough for 10-15 tomatoes or more. Tip to those looking to make FGT for the first time, the key is in the tomato. It should be the centerpiece of the dish. Many recipes suggest coating the tomato with so much batter that it ends up hiding the flavor of the tomato. If you're going to do that, you might as well use eggplant or zucchini. Choose tomatoes that are just on the verge of turning color, maybe even a tinge of pink beginning to show. If they are too "green", they won't have any flavor to them. Too ripe, and they will turn to mush.

I liked it well enough, and will make it again. But I don't consider it worthy of 4+ stars. I followed the recipe to the letter, so the recipe I am reviewing is the actual recipe as published. I will look over other reviews to see what people have done to improve it, because as written, it was pretty bland to my taste. After serving and tasting, I added some soy sauce, and that helped, but it still seemed to be lacking something.

Solid recipe, but I like it better with these changes: 1) Use slivered almonds instead of sunflower nuts 2) Substitute 1-2 Tbs of toasted sesame oil for the olive oil (and use California olive oil, one you try it, you'll never go back to anything else) 3) Don't cook the Ramen. Leave it in the bag and pound it and squeeze it to break it up good, and then add it uncooked. 4) After mixing in the "sauce", let it sit an hour or two in the fridge as directed. But add the ramen noodles just before serving. 5) A little more vinegar and/or a splash or two of Tabasco to give a bit more zing, if you like zing. Or put a bottle of Tabasco on the table to let diners add their own zing as desired.

An excellent recipe to use as a base, except that it is way too salty as written, which I suspect is a type. I followed other reviewers' advice on this and found that 1/8 tsp salt is plenty for this recipe. I also find the recipe a tad too sweet for my taste, but individual tastes vary tremendously and my wife thought it was perfect. I would suggest using 1/2 tsp sugar, then taste test before piping into the egg whites. You can always add more. I like using horseradish mustard for this recipe. Not hot, just deli horseradish mustard. You wouldn't even know it was horseradish mustard if you weren't looking for it, but it adds nicely to the mix.

I agree that it is a bit too sweet. Also, if you really want to get the Chicken Store experience, you have to cut the cabbage and carrots into little tiny pieces the way they do. It's not just a texture or visual thing, you'll find that the tiny pieces really allow the flavors to mingle.