Sous Andy Recipe Reviews (Pg. 1) - Allrecipes.com (18249391)

Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

Reviewed: Nov. 25, 2010

Great recipe... I grew up eating these things by the bag. You might vary the salt and butter to taste... I like my salty. As a matter of fact, I boil them for about 15 minutes in salt water, and then them dry overnight before baking. The biggest hassle is removing the pumpkin mush from the seeds. Here's a trick that might help. Separate the seeds from the bulk of the orange gunk. You now have the seeds and a whole bunch of orange strands. Get a deep pot or container, place the seeds in the water, give it a bit of a swirl, and let settle. The seeds will float to the top, and the bad stuff will settle to the bottom. Use a slotted spoon (or whatever) to remove the now clean seeds. Hope this helps... Keep the faith and keep cooking.

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37 users found this review helpful

Grilled Brown Sugar Pork Chops

Reviewed: Apr. 30, 2010

This is a good basic pork chop/brown sugar recipe... as is. I would like to say something, when you guys rate a recipe, it's supposed to the the original recipe, as listed. But what do I see? I see a 5-star rating, and three paragraphs on how you changed the recipe. I you changed it, then it wasn't 5-star. Or are you saying, that if you cook the recipe with your modifications, then it will be 5-star. Okay, it's just a rant; however, I just don't get how you rate something 5-star, and then go on to tell me that you didn't like it, and here's the changes you need to make.

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22 users found this review helpful

Chicken Soup III

Reviewed: Feb. 22, 2009

Don't you just love comfort food... and this is the best. I would say that this recipe does not need any carbs (assuming you're cutting back). It stands on its own. As to the chicken... don't boil for 4 hours, just simmer for about 2. Then remove the meat from the bones, return the bones to the stock, and simmer for another hour. If you don't want to stick the stock in the frig, and then wait an hour or longer for the fat to separate... strain the hot liquid through a China Cap, and then use a fat separator to remove the grease. Oh... add more veggies. Try some peas and some white-button mushrooms, or whatever you like. I spooned the hot soup over some thinly sliced napa cabbage. Then I thinly sliced some white button mushrooms, and placed them on top before serving... EXCELLENT.

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4 users found this review helpful

Basic Chicken Stock

Reviewed: Sep. 29, 2008

This is a great starter recipe for chicken stock, although I’m not sure if it’s a true stock, simply because by definition a stock is made from liquid, veggies and bones… the internals of the bones producing a richer texture than broth. In addition, stocks are traditionally cooked longer (several hours). In contrast, a broth is an aromatic liquid made by simmering water with meat and veggies for an hour or so. The process of clarifying the liquid is called building a “raft” and it’s something we had to perfect within the first few weeks at the Culinary Institute. Rafts can be simply eggs, or they can be a combination of eggs and other ingredients. For example, the rafts we made at the CIA included eggs tomato, onion, leek, celery, etc. Not only did it clear the liquid, in addition the ingredients flavored it. The whole theory behind a raft is that denatured proteins (the ingredients in the raft) attract cooked proteins. Once more thing… Once a stock is clarified, it changes names to a consommé. And now you know the rest of the story…

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493 users found this review helpful

Emily's Famous Hash Browns

Reviewed: Sep. 6, 2008

Isn't it great when you can create something in the kitchen using simple ingredients. Here's a few ideas of playing around with an already excellent recipe. 1. Where the recipe calls for squeezing the liquid out of the shredded potatoes... it REALLY means it. Make sure all the liquid is gone. You might place the shredded potatoes in the middle of a clean tea towel, or cheesecloth, form into a small pouch, and squeeze. 2. If you're looking for a way to reduce the oil, here's a trick. Go to a local cooking store, and purchase an oil mister. Then pick up a bottle of grape seed oil (make sure it's unflavored). Grape seed oil will not impart any additional flavor to the dish, and it has a high smoke point. Fill the mister with the oil (a mister is like a refillable spray bottle). Now, get the hash browns ready for cooking. Preheat a skillet over medium-high heat, and then use the mister to spray the surface of the pan, and finally add a half tablespoon of sweet butter. Cook the hash browns until the outer surface is crispy, but not burned (about 5 minutes per side). They will taste great... without all that oil. You might want to sprinkle some finely grated cheddar or harvarti cheese over the top... up to you, and your guests. Serve while still nice and hot. They will be crispy on the outside, and soft on the inside. Keep the faith, and keep cooking.

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18 users found this review helpful

Alfredo Sauce

Reviewed: Sep. 6, 2008

Very good basic Alfredo sauce. Remember to keep the sauce at a slow simmer, and never bring to the boil. The high heat will cause the cheese to turn grainy... a slow simmer will keep it smooth and creamy. Note: A simmer is where the temperature of the liquid is just below the boiling point, or where small bubbles come to the surface and break gently. You could try different cheeses... why not, or you could substitute the parsley with another herb, such as, Cilantro. Oh, and I enjoy a bit more garlic... keeps the Vampires away.

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38 users found this review helpful

Bacon Wrapped Hamburgers

Reviewed: Aug. 30, 2008

A truly excellent take on the standard burger-on-a-grill. I won't bother with the telling you what I added or subtracted... most grillers have their own "special" ingredients that they swear by... I'll mention two things that seem to be a recurring theme. One is cooking the bacon and the burger together. This is caused by the thickness of the bacon, and the heat of the grill. If you're using standard grocery-store bacon, then you're probably fine with a high-heat grill; however, if you're working with a thick slab bacon, you might want to slightly lower the grill temperature and give the burger time to catch up with the bacon... The other issue is how the burgers hold up on the grill., and this is partially due to the binding proteins in the egg. If you're following the recipe and using 1 lb of hamburger, then only use 1/2 an egg. Once you've got it mixed in, form into patties, and let rest (covered) in the refrigerator for at least an hour... longer, if you have the time. Even so, they're still a bit tender on the grill, so make sure that you preheat the grill, then scrape the grill with a wire brush. Finally, put some veggie oil on a paper towel, and rub down the grill, just before cooking. This should keep the grill slick, and reduce the chance of them breaking apart. With the exception of reducing the egg by 1/2, I would strongly recommend that you try this recipe, as written. Even if you're not of fan of onions, you just might be surprised at what you taste... keep the

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319 users found this review helpful

Sugar Cookie Icing

Reviewed: Aug. 10, 2008

This, as one reviewer noted, is the holy grail of icing recipes... it should be, it's been around for a long time. Some reviews wrote that the icing didn't totally dry, and some said that it wasn't shinny enough. The secret is in the mixing of the syrup and milk. Use whole milk and light syrup in a 50/50 ratio. It takes a bit of practice. If you add too much milk you will lose some of the shine, and too much syrup will keep it from hardening. Once you get it right, you'll never use another icing... FYI: Using lemon extract in place of the almond, as suggested gives the icing a light taste that balances quite well against a typical sugar cookie.

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41 users found this review helpful

Real Italian Calzones

Reviewed: Aug. 8, 2008

This is an excellent recipe... with a few changes. You should replace the cheddar with buffalo mozzarella, and use fresh basil (torn by hand). Cook on a pizza stone, if you have one, as this will help to crisp the crust. And, if you have a well-calibrated oven, crank up the temperature by 5 degrees. Don't forget to preheat your oven at least 20 minutes before baking. Oh, one more thing, brush the tops of the calzones with olive oil. And don't forget to have your favorite tomato sauce on the side... It's a great little slice of Italy.

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4 users found this review helpful

Pizza Dough II

Reviewed: Jun. 3, 2008

An excellent recipe for pizza crust, as well as calzones, or even rolls. It reminded me very much of a dough we did in culinary school in Naples. I did reduce the wheat flour to 1/4 cup, and I added some olive oil and some Italian spices. If you have a pizza stone, then use it. Pre-heat the oven and stone at 500f. for 30 minutes. If you are making a thick crust, pre-bake on the stone for 8 to 10 minutes. If a thin crust is what you desire, then pre-baking is not necessary. Just don't let the sauce and ingredients sit too long before you pop it into the oven. If you have a peel, throw some corn meal on the peel (I don't use flour), place the crust on top, add the toppings, and slid it onto the heated stone. This recipe also works great on the grill. Just make sure the grill is cleaned and lightly oiled before throwing the pizza on. You should have a medium-high fire going. Then add the pizza, close the top. About fifteen minutes later... instant love.

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10 users found this review helpful

Yummy Honey Chicken Kabobs

Reviewed: May 4, 2008

This is an excellent recipe, and lives up to all the reviews. A few things to remember. 1. Double the sauce, or you won't have enough. 2. If you're going to baste with the sauce, do it in the last minutes of of grilling. 3. Marinating the chicken and veggies is a MUST, and the longer the better. I put the chicken and veggies in separate zip-lock bags, and left them for about 8 hours. Every time I went to the fridge I turned the bags over. 4. If you're using wooden skewers, don't forget to soak them in water for a few hours, or they'll burn...I hate it when that happens. 5. If you lower your grill temperature a bit, you'll be able to put the veggies and chicken on the same skewers and they'll come out cooked to perfection. Place your hand about 2 inches over the heated grill surface. If you can hold your hand there for three seconds, then you've got the right grill temperature. If you have to take your hand away sooner, it's too hot. Oh, and you've got to add some pineapple chunks. Keep the faith and keep cooking.

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1501 users found this review helpful