rbcary Recipe Reviews (Pg. 1) - Allrecipes.com (13779296)

Pull-Apart Hot Cross Buns

Reviewed: Apr. 8, 2012

Positively excellent. Made exactly as directed with the exception of icing them.... as they were disappearing from the pan while they were cooling... and finally, I gave up getting after everyone to leave them be. I'd never had any experience with HCB's other than the nursery rhyme. The taste of these remind me slightly of panettone or stollen meet King's Hawaiian Bread. I used golden raisins. The cardamom was a special, special touch and I would not suggest skipping it. I did not find the dough sticky at all... came out nice & smooth and I hacked it apart evenly with my bench scraper. I just can't get over how great these were!

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Homemade Shake and Bake Mixture

Reviewed: Jan. 30, 2012

This was AWESOME! I had defrosted 6 large chops & didn't have enough boxed Shake & Bake to make the dinner I'd been craving. This was just the fix!! I made 1/2 the recipe and omitted the salt until the end. I wanted all the specific salts/seasoning combinations & then figured I would adjust the salt later. It actually DID taste too salty when I went ahead and added the whole adjusted measure into the mix. So much so that I actually added in another cup of crumbs (but added nothing else in terms of spices or oil). Honestly, once baked on the meat, it was definitely not as salty as I'd feared and I almost regretted the extra crumbs I'd thrown in. I do recommend that you stick to the herb salts (celery, garlic etc) and then adjust your salt by lessening the table salt. If you insist on celery seed, I suggest you GRIND it because it will not have the exact same punch if left as whole seeds.

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Apple Crisp

Reviewed: Dec. 1, 2011

Had about 5 or 6 small and slightly wilting MacIntosh apples that I was looking for something to use them with as they weren't that swell to eat on their own any more. This recipe hit the mark. I followed the directions and ingredient list exactly. The only addition I made was a quick squirt of lemon juice before I put the seasoning on the apples to bake because almost immediately, the fruit was starting to brown... and then I shortened the first bake by about 15 minutes because I was really afraid that the apples were too grainy to start with and would only get more mushy. The flavor was awesome... the texture was good. This is being added to the "what to do with almost scary but not quite ready for the compost fruit" file. Saved me a few dollars in produce! Thanks!!

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Southwestern Turkey Soup

Reviewed: Nov. 29, 2011

This really WAS an interesting solution for the pile of turkey in the fridge! I will admit here that I dislike turkey. Like SERIOUSLY DISKLIKE turkey. So it is imperative that it is hidden away in something non-Thanksgiving in appearance after the big day. I made the recipe pretty much as directed except I didn't have fresh tomatoes... so I skipped those. And I didn't have MJ cheese for topping @ the end, but I did have cheddar. But I DID have an avocado on hand. Weird, I know. I sauteed the onions & garlic in a TBSP of olive oil to get a fond going before adding all the liquids/other ingredients... chopped the turkey pretty fine & added about 1/2 a cup extra of (just because I'm desperate to make it go away). I let it cook down longer (because I forgot about it) so it was much thicker than I thought it would be. The flavor was GREAT... not "spicy"...but definitely had a kick... and made me forget it was turkey. BONUS! Put a little sour cream on it also... reminded me of chili soup of some sort. I would definitely make this again... with or without turkey... maybe left over chicken or beef roast. Nice that it had no rice, noodles, potatoes or beans... so had a wholesome veggie/lowish carb kind of quality about it. Good stuff.

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Turkey Pot Pie I

Reviewed: Nov. 25, 2011

I was looking for a good base recipe that I could customize to what crazy leftovers we had from last night's Thanksgiving Feast & this was THE place to start. I had 1/2 box of pre made pie crust in the fridge,so I didn't have to mess with a recipe for crust & just did a latice on top. I used 1 carrot & 1 parsnip & then threw in a handful of green beans & mushrooms & a shallot along with the chopped onion just because I wasn't sure what else to do with them. I threw in 1/2 a white sweet potato. All the other measurements, liquid, ratios, spices etc remained the same. I did have some water that I had boiled my turkey parts in & threw that in there along with the bouillon. I have no imagination when it comes to cooking "off the cuff"...I just wanted to use what I had. All the measurements were right on. I think this was pretty Fool Proof which makes it 5 stars in my house.

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Busy Day Barbeque Brisket

Reviewed: Aug. 2, 2011

Wasn't bad, but we weren't that into it. That being said, it might have been user error, so I wouldn't be opposed to trying it again. I left the fat cap on the brisket, so I'm sure that helped with any dryness. It was still in a neat strip since I cooked it with that side up, so I cut it off before shredding meat back into the sauce before serving. I had to add the very outer edge of fat back in because that is where the spices were on that 1/2 of the meat. Used only 2# brisket, but by accident didn't decrease the amount of rub (so that might have been problem #1). Also accidentally forgot to rub with liquid smoke 1st before dry rub (so that might have been problem #2). Cooked exactly in time stated. I only used 1/2 the BBQ sauce & worst mix (which is where I wound up putting the smoke after I realized I goofed). The flavor was pretty intense... too saucy...too spicy for the kids but they managed to eat. I really was busy doing other things in the kitchen (canning), so this was a quick enough & simple enough way to get dinner on the table when I knew I wouldn't feel like preparing dinner after a day in the kitchen. Like I said, it might have been a combination of factors, plus a really spicy/smoky bottled sauce... I would try again, but maybe a sweeter bottled sauce.

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Scrumptious Salisbury Steak in Mushroom Gravy

Reviewed: Dec. 15, 2010

I made this recipe completely as directed... the taste was EXCELLENT... my son kept saying that it tasted like sausage... maybe that was the herbs in the poultry seasoning? I used 96% lean beef... and the patties were rather firm, I guess ...Nevertheless, non-red-meat-eating-boy glommed it down. The main issue that I had was that the sauce didn't thicken....I don't know if might have been the extra liquid from the canned mushrooms or too much milk... but it just seemed very liquidy. I wound up having to add about a TBSP more flour to the mixture.... and in the end, it was thicker, but the milk had curdled a bit by the time that happened...& didn't look as pretty as I thought it would...but it was noticeable to me & no one else! :) All told, this was an excellent comforty kind of meal... served with yukon gold mashed potatoes & left over corn...great for this cold evening... I will definitely make this again...but do a little experimenting with the gravy! Thanks for sharing!!

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Downeast Maine Pumpkin Bread

Reviewed: Nov. 24, 2010

Awesome! Looked for a recipe when I stumbled over 8 oz of canned pumpkin in the freezer left over from last Thanksgiving! So I halved the recipe and it worked perfectly in a single 9 X 5 loaf pan. Subbed splenda for the sugar... and other than that.... everything else remained the same. Used a little flour spray for the pan.... and voila... a very satisfying snack bread while working on Turkey Day prep! Will be making this again!!

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Apple Pie by Grandma Ople

Reviewed: Nov. 24, 2010

Excellent pie! I used a refrigerator 2 pc pie crust as I was making other things @ the same time and pie crust baffles me so it was easier to cheat... I sliced the second round into strips for the lattice top. I inadvertently doubled the sugar (I used the "splenda for baking" white and brown sugars... and didn't stop to read the instructions on how to correctly use it in place of sugar. So it was pretty darned sweet... but that stopped no one from oohing and aahing over it. We were supposed to have it tomorrow for Thanksgiving... but alas... it spoke to us this evening instead!! I'd never tried a lattice top before... and it was easier than I imagined... a very impressive outcome even with my flub up. No spices?! Nice surprise!! Will definitely make again!

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Easy Slow Cooker French Dip

Reviewed: Nov. 24, 2010

Made mostly as directed. Had a bottom round roast in the freezer... honestly, I never know the difference between roasts... other than a rib roast... the rest kind of run together for me! The beef broth... I realized after the fact that my can of broth was slightly larger than the 10.5 oz called for. Oops! I used 12 oz of Franziskaner Hefe-Weiss only because all I could find were 24 oz single beers.... and wanted something drinkable since I was "forced" to polish off the other half! This went into the crock around 8:30... and we ate around 5:30. It took longer to cook than I thought it would... and about 1/2 way through, I turned it up to high for a couple of hours to help things along. It also didn't slice as expected... but it didn't matter. The rolls were the partially baked French buggers from Costco... sliced, buttered, baked.... dipped in bowls of aus jus on the side...and glommed down in record time. Perfect for low key meal while prepping for Turkey Day tomorrow! I imagine you can add onions @ the beginning or mushrooms @ the end... whatever you want. It was truly perfect as is!!

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Sausage, Peppers, Onions, and Potato Bake

Reviewed: Nov. 23, 2010

Wow!! I've never had "sausage & peppers" without the sauce.... or with potatoes for that matter...and truly, this is a cozy treat. Made as written... but 1/2 the recipe instead of the whole (just in case my crabby kids didn't like it)... should have made the whole thing. Used 1 pack of mild sausages (which is more than a pound but I didn't feel like doing the guess work & taking some out), worked in some yellow bell pepper "just because." (It didn't change the taste). I didn't have russet potatoes, so I used yukon golds... which were smaller, so I approximated (is that a word?) about 1 standard russet's worth. I accidentally added 1/4 tsp of Italian season TOO much because I didn't have my glasses on & misread the measure... but that doesn't count for changing the recipe! ;) This was excellent....and forgiving... and will be added to the rotation. Thanks so much for sharing such a nice recipe!

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Chicken Stir-Fry

Reviewed: Aug. 16, 2010

I was really disappointed with this after reading all the glowing reviews... but I will try to make this again some time, though. I followed the instructions completely...the only thing which might have made a difference was I used a bag of frozen asian stirfry veggies... partially defrosted in the microwave + the onion. I just don't know... the flavor was kind of bland tasting-- definitely not like going to a chinese restaurant...the chicken cooked up okay.... SMELLED awesome.... but I can't put my finger on what could have gone wrong. Maybe fresh veggies could have helped? I'll try those next time! Sorry! I really wanted to like it!! :(

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Kielbasa and Cabbage

Reviewed: Jul. 12, 2010

Excellent! Made "mainly" as written with the exception of using splenda instead of sugar (which I always do if you read my other reviews-- trying to control carbs for hubs), draining all but about a TBSP of the drippings (trying to control fat for me & kids).... used lower salt bacon and lite hillshire farms kielbasa. Everything else remained the same... right down to the caraway seeds.... I understand the desire to cut back/down/eliminate certain things.... but I don't feel that one should judge and rate the recipe from their dietary soapbox... if it is too fatty for you, move along... OR make it, including your really far out changes that totally skew the intended flavor... then DON'T RATE IT! It is not fair to the person submitting it or those of us trying to get a sense of it is good to try or not based on others' reviews!

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7 users found this review helpful

Hamburger Steak with Onions and Gravy

Reviewed: Feb. 6, 2010

This scored well for ease, preparation and having all the ingredients on hand.... the gravy was awesome... but the flavor of the meat was lacking. I did use 1.5# 93/7 beef... so the lack of fat might have been the factor as I adjusted all the seasonings/additions to scale. I used panko (Japanese bread crumbs) which I don't think caused the problem... if I make this again, I would try fresh bread crumbs and a little milk. Again, I'm not sure what the problem was for me...we ate it up, though! :)

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Red Wine Pork

Reviewed: Dec. 22, 2009

This was pretty good... the sauce was very flavorful, I loved the combination of mushrooms and wine with the seasonings... I wasn't too sure about the combination of tomato paste + carrots and the rest... but I loved that part of it...unfortunately the roast was a tad dry. I sliced up the leftovers and heated in the sauce which I supplemented with a cup of beef bouillon because I wanted more of the meat submerged and that seemed to tenderize it a little. I would be tempted to try this as a beef dish.

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Robbi's M&M Cookies

Reviewed: Dec. 9, 2009

I made exactly as written... which worried me because I can't remember the last time I used shortening in cookies!! These were perfect... and pressing candies into the top before baking fixed that little problem of "sunken" m & m's... the colors were more vibrant... just beautiful and tasty. Loved 'em!

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Simple Ranchy Breaded Fish Fillets

Reviewed: Dec. 9, 2009

This was such an easy dish to prepare (it is in a warm oven waiting for hubby to get home... but I sampled it first so I ran to the computer to compose my thoughts!) I can understand how some people have concerns about the salty taste... if you look @ the back of Italian seasoned bread crumbs (at least my brand), salt is the #4 ingredient!! I accidentally headed off that problem because I reduced the crumbs by 1/2 to control for the carbs. I also used unsalted butter. Everything turned out fine, particularly the last piece I cooked... I think I overcrowded the pan with the first batch and the breading came out a little patchy. The last piece, 100% success! Using a non-stick skillet really helped... and using a spatula to flip the fish...just plopped the fish in the pan and let it sit there for 5 minutes & then flipped it. I just need to ask Santa for a larger non-stick pan for Christmas. Thank you for sharing... my family is going to love this!

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Amazing Whole Wheat Pizza Crust

Reviewed: Dec. 8, 2009

I made this months ago but didn't rate it because I dinked around with the recipe too much trying to make it "WHOLE" Wheat Pizza Dough... and it wouldn't have been fair to the author of the recipe to hack it to pieces and then rate it.... but lo and behold, I made this for pizza night a few days ago....as written... and it was excellent... my kids even noted how much better this was than my lame-o attempt (love ya guys!)... it wasn't "that lame".... this is just more like "real" pizza to them. I agree... it is not "whole wheat" without the only flour being 100% whole wheat... but beyond the title, I give this five stars as written and will turn to this recipe again! Thanks for sharing!!

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Thai Green Curry Chicken

Reviewed: Dec. 8, 2009

This was very, very, very good... and scratched the itch I'd been having for Thai food.... plus it was a "comfort" kind of thing as it has been cold and wet here lately. I followed the directions almost to a T... the only changes being that I found out mid-recipe that I didn't have the fish sauce it called for (note: check to make sure that you lay eyes upon all the ingredients before you get started)... so I googled substitutes... and the first one was 2 parts soy sauce to one part lime juice. I went with that, though looking later, there are other options. I also used splenda as a sub for the sugar, which worked out well also. I did add in an assortment of green & red peppers, and baby portobella mushrooms along with the green onions as I had these sitting in the fridge and looked near death and needed to use them up... not because I was trying to spice things up... I just didn't want to dirty anther pan... and this is the way to use leftovers nicely vs tossing them out (we are on a tight budget)... The flavor of the sauce was absolutely perfect... even though I goofed and had to figure out the sub for the fish sauce. I will definitely be making this again... the chicken was moist... the veggies were tender (I will add my extras later next time to keep them a little more firm) and we sopped up the sauce with jasmine rice. Absolutely perfect for our home! Thank you for sharing!

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Super Moist Pumpkin Bread

Reviewed: Nov. 7, 2009

One word.... WOW! Made 3 minor changes to bring this into line with what I try to do with all recipes in our home... subbed both sugars with Splenda Baking Blend/Splenda Brown Sugar Blend and reduced coconut by 1/2. This small changed saved us 20 gms in carbs... will definitely be making this for a treat during the holidays! Thank you for sharing!

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