Allrecipes Home > The Buzz > Cooks > smalltowndiverwife

cook's profile

Reviews

Menus

View All Reviews

Learn more

Grilled Salmon With Orange Glaze

Reviewed: Jul. 15, 2011

I loved this recipe!! My husband was late from work and he picked up a few ingredients (that I didn't have) on his way home. We were eating within 20 minutes! (I had been thawing the salmon for 3 hours). I used apricot preserves instead of orange marmalade (he couldn't find any) and just added a splash of orange juice. Otherwise, I followed the recipe pretty close. We grilled it on tin foil sprayed lightly with canola spray, so the skin didn't stick, and I boiled the leftover sauce to drizzle on top of the salmon after. The skin wasn't crispy at all, but that was a cooking problem, not recipe. He also brought home some rotten asparagus :/ so I came up with a Plan B and threw together a ginger side salad that I will post to the site soon :) Served with 90 minute, Uncle Ben's Wild Rice that tasted great with the sauce. My husband LOVED it, and so did I :)

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

Acorn Squash Soup

Reviewed: Mar. 9, 2011

I loved loved loved this recipe! It's been rainy and cool where I live for the past week, and I have a lovely cold, so I was searching for a hearty soup for comfort. I'm also slowly trying to get ready for the all-feared bikini season, so I made a few tweaks to make this recipe a bit easier on the waistline. I sauteed 1 bunch chopped green onion (personal taste), 1/2 tsp celery salt (didn't have celery), 3 tbsp chopped fresh dill (prefer fresh herbs), and added one whole chopped jalapeno (no seeds) for a kick in 2 tbsp EVOO instead of butter. I omitted the bouillon (to save on sodium), used fat free half and half instead of ev. milk (still 12 oz), and low-sodium, fat free chicken broth. I added quite a bit of cayenne (maybe 1/2 tbsp) and an extra 1/2 tsp of curry powder because we love spice. I ended up using 2 large(ish) acorn squash (weighed in around 2lbs at the store) since the spicy needed a bit more sweet for balance. I tossed in an 1/8c shredded cheddar at the request of my husband (omit that if being calories/fat conscious) and topped with crumbled turkey bacon after it was in the bowls (again for the husband). I blended everything (after it boiled) in my Ninja blender, and it came out perfectly silky smooth. I used the microwave method I found in another review here to prepare the squash, and it worked perfectly. I even roasted the seeds with a little salt in the oven for a snack later that night. Awesome recipe! Try my tweaks if you want some kick and less fat :)

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

Vegetable Lo Mein Delight

Reviewed: Jun. 18, 2010

Super easy, light lunch to throw together :) I used wheat linguine instead of angel hair pasta and I didn't have all the veggies listed, so I tweaked it a bit. I also used fat free/low sodium broth. The veggies I used were red pepper , mushrooms, and some chopped cilantro. Since I didn't have any onion, I added a few shakes of onion powder, garlic powder, and spicy mustard powder for flavor. I also scrambled up an egg, chopped it up very thin (like you see in fried rice sometimes) and added it to the veggies for some protein. Awesome texture, awesome taste, quick prep!

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

Broccoli Chicken Roli

Reviewed: May 10, 2010

i didn't find this dish too difficult to prepare as some reviewers mentioned, but I rated it a 3 for a couple of other reasons. the baking times and temperature didn't give me good results. the outside was burning and the inside was still not hot, though my oven could be to blame for that. Mainly I wasn't that impressed with the overall taste. It seems to be lacking SOMETHING. My husband and I couldn't put of finger on it, but after a serving or so it became kind of bland. I will say, however, that it made for a very impressive looking presentation. I'm definitely going to experiment to find the pizzazz I think it needs since it's such a wow factor to bring to the table without much fuss.

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

BUSH'S® Black Bean and Mango Salad

Reviewed: May 10, 2010

I made this while on vacation in Florida. It was the perfect dish for the muggy weather, very fresh and light. I ended up chopping the ingredients pretty small, adding corn, and a serving it as a salsa with homemade guacamole. It's the perfect sweetness to balance out the taste of the guac!

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

Margarita Chicken II

Reviewed: Jan. 6, 2010

I made this recipe while on vacation in Florida. It was my first big meal ever :) I was surprised at how simple it was yet how elegant it turned out! The kitchen I was using in the rental didn't have baking sheets or broiler pans, so I used a frying pan stove top instead. I also omitted the tortillas and garnish and served it as just a main chicken entree. It worked great! I paired my meal with homemade Mexican rice, mango/black bean salsa, and beer margaritas. My boyfriend proposed to me the next day, so it must have turned out :D Thanks so much for a great recipe!

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

Ranch Bean Dip

Reviewed: Jul. 31, 2009

I made a quicker, healthier version. I used 1 can of spicy, fat free refried beans (adds a kick to it that some reviews said was missing). I didn't have any ranch dressing mix so I used 3 tablespoons of light Hidden Valley Ranch with Sour Cream salad dressing instead. Then I threw in a 1/4 cup of shredded cheddar cheese and stuck it in the microwave for 1 minute :) I served it with Baked Tostitos. Quick and delish!

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