Crystal S Recipe Reviews (Pg. 1) - Allrecipes.com (13124128)

Slow Cooker Mashed Potatoes

Reviewed: May 14, 2012

Very good potatoes but rather heavy vs light and fluffy. 4 stars for ease, originality and time management. Especially loved the idea of the terry cloth submitted by a reader. Makes perfect sense!

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10 users found this review helpful

This recipe is a staple in our house, and am finally reviewing it! Needless to say, it's pretty darn wonderful and very forgiving. I usually prepare the bacon very crispy and add as the last item. In place of the 1/3 cup of sugar, I substitute molasses syrup and up the chili powder to 1 tsp. Absolutely melts in your mouth. My thanks to Kathy for your submission!

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8 users found this review helpful

Breakfast Enchiladas

Reviewed: May 14, 2012

These were somewhat bland the first time I made them. The second time I added cooked sausage, scrambled eggs, O'brien potatoes and a mix of cheddar and pepperjack to stuff the enchiladas. What a very pleasant surprise.... Quite tasty, in fact. Just to experiment, I froze two of the enchiladas and am so very glad I did. Had no idea what to expect as I have never had a reason to freeze scrambled eggs. Popped them into the oven and when done, tasted as if they were freshly made. Perfect to keep on hand for surprise overnight guests!

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7 users found this review helpful

Out of the Hat Rice

Reviewed: May 13, 2012

This modest, unassuming rice almost stole the show and the main dish's primary role. Only difference is I used chicken broth in lieu of the water which gave the dish a little more depth and used fresh coarse cracked pepper. The extra bite from the pepper with the rice provided an occasional extra burst of flavor Loved the presentation and was the perfect pairing served with salmon. Thanks JusSuz for your submission.

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8 users found this review helpful

Slow Cooker Machaca

Reviewed: Mar. 11, 2012

I am reviewer number 14 and I cannot believe that almost all the previous 13 changed the recipe in some way and THEN reviewed it. Please review on the written recipe, not your changes..... Not your traditional machaca by any means, but the flavor was soo good none the less. Will make again. Thanks Tucson Mom for a recipe to add to the crockpot file.

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10 users found this review helpful

Cajun Chicken Pasta

Reviewed: Mar. 8, 2012

This recipe is quite good as written though I rarely make it due to the high calorie and fat content. Once in a while, I'll suprise the family as a special treat as everyone likes it! Couple of things could use improvement.... Use fresh minced garlic vs garlic powder ~ using fresh helps the recipe develop different levels of complexity beyond the Cajun seasoning. Instead of green peppers, I usually substitute Anaheim, Pasilla or Hatch chili peppers when I can find them (Hatch chilis can be found in Hatch Valley, NM, and are wonderful). I also increase the amount of Cajun seasoning to taste and add 1/2 tsp of onion powder. The sauce is thin; good, but quite thin as many other reviewers have noted. To avoid the thinness, make a roux using flour, butter and some of the sauce. Please note: It's important to let the roux cook down to a beautiful golden color before adding it back to the sauce otherwise you will taste the flour in it. Thanks Tammy for the submission.

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11 users found this review helpful

Peach Muffins

Reviewed: Mar. 8, 2012

My gosh these were good! Used fresh peaches right off the tree and boy, oh boy, you can surely tell the difference between the fresh and canned ones. Only thing I did differently was to add peach colored sugar crystals to the top of the muffin prior to baking. BTW - these freeze beautifully. We just finished the last batch that were in the freezer from last Aug/Sept and they still tasted like a little bit of sunshine!!!

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10 users found this review helpful

Sesame Pasta Chicken Salad

Reviewed: Mar. 8, 2012

This is a great recipe to build on for your own personal preferences. I cut the oil back to 1/3 cup as the first time I made this is was just to oily. Everything else remained the same. Dressed the salad with 1/2 the dressing mix while the noodles were still warm to absorb the great flavors. Saved the last half to dress again right before serving. Added blanched and juilenned carrots, waterchestnuts for crunch, marinated mushrooms and snowpeas cut on the diagonal for color and presentation. Beautiful salad!

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11 users found this review helpful

Hearty Creole Okra and Tomatoes

Reviewed: Mar. 8, 2012

Good southern recipe! Here's a tip I found on another site to avoid the sliminess that okra produces: Soak your okra in enough cold water to cover it, then squeeze in the juice of one lime and let your okra sit for 10 to 15 minutes before you cook it. Best tip I've read plus it actually works!

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11 users found this review helpful

Authentic Louisiana Red Beans and Rice

Reviewed: Mar. 8, 2012

This was about as authentic as I have had outside of NO! Only difference was I used chicken STOCK (not broth) which made for a more flavorful dish. Definitely worth making!

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10 users found this review helpful

Colleen's Slow Cooker Jambalaya

Reviewed: Mar. 8, 2012

This recipe is WONDERFUL! I used tomatoes with onion, garlic and celery as that's all I had on the shelf and increased the Cajun seasoning to 2.5 tsp. Added the shrimp during the last 20 minutes so it wouldn't get chewy from being overcooked. Absolutely rocked our Mardi Gras party!!!

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10 users found this review helpful

Creamy Au Gratin Potatoes

Reviewed: Mar. 8, 2012

Good overall, but on the bland side. Found the onions sliced into rings changed the overall texture and appearance of this dish. Also, potatoes sliced at 1/4 inch were not done at 1.5 hours. Perhaps diced onions vs sliced would have been a better fit which is why I am only rating this 3 stars.

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11 users found this review helpful

Pleasant Pork Chops

Reviewed: Mar. 8, 2012

Preparing for the reveiw, I followed the recipe exactly as written. While this was good, I expected more and the flavor of the paprkia through it off for me. Perhaps more garlic, and less paprika next time I give it a try would enhance this dish. However, this will be a "change of pace" recipe, but not one I will keep in my "go to" list of family favorites.

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10 users found this review helpful

Refried Beans Without the Refry

Reviewed: Mar. 8, 2012

5 star recipe! I've made this a couple of times when I planned on serving tacos or enchiladas. Great time saver using the crock pot and a very simple recipe that yeilds fantastic results. Of course, every cook personalizes a recipe to accomodate their family's taste so here's my changes: add three slices of bacon, upped the cumin to 1 tsp, chicken broth in place of the water, cut the salt and adjusted to taste at the end. In place of the water, I used the broth remaining from parboiling chicken for Chicken Enchiladas I from this site (fabulous recipe BTW) consisting of chicken stock, celery, green ortega chilis, garlic, cumin, chili powder, tomato sauce, black peppercorns, oregano and onions. This gives the beans an absolutely superb flavor! It's wonderful without my stock, but using it gives this recipe an added boost.

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14 users found this review helpful

Apricot Chicken I

Reviewed: Feb. 11, 2012

In an effort to cut some of the sugar and based on another reviewers suggestion, I used fat free Catalina dressing and Smuckers reduced sugar apricot jam and it was still to sweet for my taste. However hubby loved this recipe as it definitely satisfied his sweet tooth. NOTE: This is an excellent crockpot recipe with cook time of approximately 6 hours on low. Serve on a bed of rice, sprinkle with crushed peanuts and it's dinner!

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15 users found this review helpful

Super-Delicious Zuppa Toscana

Reviewed: Jan. 12, 2012

This is a great soup. Use Kale in place of the spinach and voila, you have the original recipe! HELPFUL HINTS: To avoid orange soup, rinse your sausage in very HOT water; use 5 potatoes sliced thick and 2 potatoes sliced thin. The variation in the potato size allows the thinly sliced potatoes to cook down and thicken the broth; a mix of hot and mild sausage gives the soup more "zip", and last, use low sodium chicken broth. Serve with hot crusty bread for a great meal.

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21 users found this review helpful

Slow Cooker Spicy Black-Eyed Peas

Reviewed: Jan. 1, 2012

Great recipe for black eyed peas and one of the main reasons I love them is there is NO need to soak them. Gathering the ingredients, I realized I didn't have everything on hand and as I couldn't face going to the grocery store on New Years Eve (what a madhouse) I improvised..... I subbed low sodium chicken broth for the water and bouillon; no jalapeno, so I increased the cayenne to 1 tsp; no onion, so I subbed one packet of Lipton onion soup mixture; and no ham, so I subbed two country pork ribs, along with the bacon. Added an extra clove of garlic, 1 tsp of liquid smoke and increased the cumin to 2 tsps. Shredded the pork into the peas when finished.... Delicious!!! Husband who dislikes black eyed peas had two bowls! I realize I changed the recipe to fit what I had on hand, but I can only imagine the original was excellent as well. Definitely 5 stars!

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22 users found this review helpful

Shredded Brussels Sprouts

Reviewed: Oct. 3, 2011

This recipe is definitely 5 stars! Helpful Hint: Try soaking these lovely little veggies in salt water for an hour or so prior to shredding them. The salt water helps dispel the bitterness! This recipe was so, very, very tasty! Didn't change a thing and the recipe didn't need it. Excellent!!!

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99 users found this review helpful

Caprese on a Stick

Reviewed: Sep. 22, 2011

These are the best for a health conscious appetizer, but to help kick up the flavor, try adding and reducing balsamic vinegar. To reduce your vinegar, pour into a small saucepan; bring to a boil over medium-high heat constantly stirring to prevent scorching the vinegar. Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer until the vinegar has reduced by half. Set aside, and cool to room temperature. When ready to serve, drizzle over the appetizer. For different variations/flavor try adding garlic, red pepper flakes, etc., while reducing. Note: the vinegar will naturally sweeten as it reduces and will keep for months properly stored.

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55 users found this review helpful

Grilled Chicken Kabobs

Reviewed: Aug. 30, 2011

Very good recipe, but on the oily side. Sliced the chicken into strips and reduced oil to 1/4 cup the 2nd time I made these and it was better ~ more heart healthy without losing flavor. Increased the honey to 1 tbsp for a little more sweet and spicy flavor. Helpful Hint: Using fresh squeezed vs bottled lemon juice really makes this recipe stand out! Whole family enjoyed it.

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48 users found this review helpful