Renee Ridgeway Recipe Reviews (Pg. 1) - Allrecipes.com (18251457)

Classic Goulash

Reviewed: Dec. 8, 2011

A great childhood memory comfort food... I tweek this to our liking by using 2 cups beef broth and one cup water; also I agree with so many other reviewers that chopped bell pepper is a must. In Boston, we called it American Chopped Suey. In Florida, it's known as Goulash and in Ohio, they call it Marzetti. Whatever name you use doesn't much matter... it's easy, affordable and tasty!

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1 user found this review helpful

Jerre's Black Bean and Pork Tenderloin Slow Cooker Chili

Reviewed: Oct. 24, 2011

We LOVED this recipe! Never would've thought to use a pork roast for chili, but let me tell you, it worked out wonderfully. I didn't find any need to slice up the pork into strips; just put the roast in the crockpot whole and then you can easily shred the meat with a couple of forks before serving. Also, there's no need to use pork tenderloin. A less expensive cut of pork works well as the slow cooker will make it super tender. This is now known as "Piggy Chili" in our house; thanks for the post!

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4 users found this review helpful

Jalapeno Chicken II

Reviewed: Apr. 4, 2011

Not your everyday chicken breast... this one stands WAY out amongst the crowd. The flavor of the bacon with the chicken, jalapeno & cheese blends together AMAZINGLY! I double wrapped each chicken breast with 2 strips of bacon; one length wise and another across the middle, in an attempt to keep the cream cheese from melting out. It worked out somewhat, but I will fool with it next time to get a more cheesy taste. Maybe sprinkle some shredded pepper jack cheese on top for 5 minutes before they're done??? DEFINITELY pre-cook your bacon a little if you want it cooked all the way through. Hubby and I both really liked this... I can't wait to make it again!

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4 users found this review helpful

Bada Bing Pork Chops

Reviewed: Mar. 27, 2011

Bada Bing... Bada Boom! These are superb pork chops! Definitely take the extra time to marinate them overnight... other than that one tip, follow this one exactly and you won't be disappointed.

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5 users found this review helpful

Slow Cooker Carolina BBQ

Reviewed: Mar. 27, 2011

Wish I could rate this one higher than only 5 stars... yes, it's THAT good. I read several reviews and found an awful lot of whining about the vinegar smell, but honestly, I thought it smelled WONDERFUL! Be sure to add some Liquid Smoke... it is the ONLY thing missing from the recipe. For a 4 or 5 LB. pork roast, you'll want to add a couple of tablespoons of liquid smoke. Man oh man, I could eat this stuff all week. Make your favorite cole slaw recipe to top off the pork with and trust me, you will be smiling at the result.

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7 users found this review helpful

Italian Style Meatloaf I

Reviewed: Mar. 27, 2011

This was a really good meatloaf... with the spices called for, you definitely taste the Italian seasoning. I have a rotation of a few different meatloaf recipes I use, but this is the first I've tried with an Italian flavor. The only thing I'd recommend is using "petite diced" tomatoes instead of the regular ones. The petite diced blend better into the meat and you get more tomato taste in each bite. Also, forget the loaf pan and just free form it into a loaf, then bake on a broiler style pan so the grease has a place to drain off. When you use a loaf pan for meatloaves, the meat just sits and soaks in all that nasty grease.

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8 users found this review helpful

Halibut with Creamy Garlic and Herb Sauce

Reviewed: Mar. 27, 2011

Let me just say that this "Creamy Garlic & Herb Sauce" is truly OUTSTANDING!!! I have yet to actually try it with halibut though, but it would be good on just about anything! I jump to Step 3 in the recipe and go from there. I've made it three ways so far. First I used it over crab cakes to rave reviews. Then I served it over cheese stuffed ravioli and again it was excellent. The other day I made a pasta dish with shrimp & spinach, along side an appetizer of pan seared sea scallops... this sauce is so good that we poured some over both courses! The whole tablespoon of crushed red pepper is a bit much though; I used about half that amount and it was still somewhat spicy. We seriously LOVE this and I can't wait to try it a dozen more ways!

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5 users found this review helpful

Cocktail Meatballs

Reviewed: Nov. 14, 2010

Fantastic! Took these to a party where they were quickly devoured. Loved the flavor blend of the cranberry sauce with the chili sauce, brown sugar and lemon. Much more flavorful than the old style grape jelly recipe. I used store bought meatballs to save time and wouldn't hesitate to do it again. Great appetizer recipe... this one's a keeper!

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1 user found this review helpful

Baked Zucchini

Reviewed: Nov. 14, 2010

LOVED it! Even my zucchini hating husband loved it and that's saying a LOT! I subbed extra virgin olive oil for the butter with great results and cut back on the cooking time by 5 or 10 minutes. The key here is to use freshly grated Parmesan cheese rather than the powdered junk... really doesn't take much time and definitely worth the little extra effort. A great new way to serve zucchini!

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7 users found this review helpful

Bob's Stuffed Banana Peppers

Reviewed: Nov. 14, 2010

Excellent stuffed peppers! I ended up with way more filling than 8 banana peppers could hold, so I added a couple of red bell peppers to the pan to hold the excess. All were deeelicious! I used 1 lb. hot Italian sausage mixed with 1 lb. ground sirloin... other than that I followed it as stated. OH, except for step one... I skipped it. There's really no need to boil the peppers because 1 hour in the oven is more than enough cooking time. A big thanks to Bob for coming up with this one!

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6 users found this review helpful

Chicken Paprikash II

Reviewed: Nov. 7, 2010

Pretty good and quite simple too. I used boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into bite sized pieces. Also, I cut out the bacon grease and just used olive oil... add chicken stock in place of the water any time you can, it greatly enhances the flavor of the dish. Other than those minor details, I followed this one to the letter. DO NOT skimp on the crushed red pepper... I used a good, healthy teaspoon full. The meal would have been terribly bland without it. We had this served over egg noodles, but rice would've worked well too. I will definitely be making this again!

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8 users found this review helpful

Mexican Shepherd's Pie

Reviewed: Nov. 2, 2010

Outstanding! Just the comfort food we needed on this chilly Autumn night! A couple of slight changes though... First, use taco sauce or salsa instead of water, it just adds way more flavor. And second, add a layer of shredded pepper jack cheese over the corn before pouring on the cornbread batter. Also, use a smaller casserole dish than designated so that one package of corn muffin mix will be enough. If you go with the 9x13, you'll need 2 packages for sure. Hubby and I really enjoyed this and will definitely be making it again! Mucho gracias to MICHARD for posting this one!

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7 users found this review helpful

Braised Balsamic Chicken

Reviewed: Oct. 3, 2010

This was good, but not great. After reading SOOOO many stellar reviews, I was expecting much more than what we got. I followed the recipe exactly and we found it to be an "okay dinner"... Hubby & I were both in agreement on this one. (Would really give it 3 and a half stars if I could!)

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1 user found this review helpful

King Crab Appetizers

Reviewed: Sep. 26, 2010

DEE-licious! After reading the reviews, I decided to try these both ways. I made half of them in phyllo cups and the other half with the biscuit dough. Although both were good, my personal preference was for the phyllo cups. I liked the crunch when you bit into them better than the soft biscuit alternative. The crab filling was extremely tasty... I did double up on the green onions though for added flavor. These were very well received at the pot luck I took them to and I will most definitely be making them again!

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11 users found this review helpful

Beer Butt Chicken

Reviewed: Sep. 15, 2010

AWESOME! Followed recipe exactly except for the time... we did a 4 1/2 lb. chicken on the gas grill for about 2 hrs. and 20 min. Checked internal temp with a meat thermometer and it was PERFECT! Moist & flavorful on the inside; and much to my surprise, the skin crisped up very nicely. I will most definitely be making this again & again! Anxious to experiment with other ingredients such as Worcestershire, liquid smoke or hot sauce. Very tasty chicken indeed!

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3 users found this review helpful

Big Al's K.C. Bar-B-Q Sauce

Reviewed: Aug. 24, 2010

Okay, I am now a store bought BBQ Sauce convert... NEVER AGAIN! I just used this in a pinch this morning; while cooking a dish for a pot luck tonight, I realized I was out of BBQ sauce that the recipe required. Not wanting to go to the store, I got on line and found this. What a stroke of luck for me! I followed it exactly as written and WOW...it is AMAZING! It's no wonder so many people left great reviews for this one... and 5 stars is not nearly enough in my opinion. I've always been a fan of the "Open Pit" brand, but I doubt I'll ever buy it again. This was easy to throw together and extremely delicious! Kudos to "Big Al" for sharing!

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4 users found this review helpful

Creamy Potato Pork Chop Bake

Reviewed: Aug. 21, 2010

Man, oh man, what a tasty dish this turned out to be! I read the reviews and made a few slight changes... Be sure to season your pork chops well before browning them in the skillet. (I used Montreal Steak seasoning and garlic powder). Instead of Cream of Celery soup, I used Cream of Mushroom with Roasted Garlic... MUCH better flavor than celery! Cut back on the milk just a tad; try 1/3 cup rather than 1/2. Also, add all the cheese in at once with the hash browns; you really don't need to save any back for the topping. I bought the larger size can of French Fried Onions and mixed about 2/3 of it in with the hash browns, then I sprinkled the rest of the can over the chops as a last step before baking. I took this to a pot luck dinner and everyone loved it. Five people asked me for the recipe and I even got somewhat of a marriage proposal... he said, "If you weren't already married, I'd marry you right now!" This is not a "figure friendly" type of meal, but it is truly delicious.

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9 users found this review helpful

World's Best Lasagna

Reviewed: Aug. 20, 2010

World's best??? Really? That might be a stretch, but still, this is pretty good lasagna! Definitely worthy of a 5 star rating. Here are my suggestions... first, use the "no boil" lasagna noodles by Barilla. Much simpler, less work and just as tasty. Second, use FRESH basil and lots of it; it is WAY better than the dried. I skipped the fennel because I didn't have any on hand and we didn't miss it one bit. DEFINITELY let your sauce cook long, low and slow; I think mine was on the stove top at least 3 and a half hours. Also, spray your foil with "Pam" before covering your lasagna and the cheese will not stick to it when you pull the foil off. Other than those few suggestions, I followed it as written. Served it to company from out of town and it was well received by all. Will use this as my "go to" recipe from now on because it is OH SO GOOD!!!

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7 users found this review helpful

Zesty Slow Cooker Chicken Barbecue

Reviewed: Jul. 26, 2010

Scrumptious BBQ chicken sandwiches and SOOOO simple! I made a double portion to take to a pot luck and served with mini buns... they were absolutely delicious! I cooked mine on low for at least 8 hrs. Took the chicken out a couple of hrs. before it was done to shred it and then added it back to the crockpot for the last 2 hrs. of cook time. It does seem like too much liquid at first, but once the chicken is shredded, it soaks up and absorbs the juices nicely and has the perfect consistency to sit on a bun. I used "Good Seasons" Italian dressing and for the BBQ Sauce, "Open Pit" - original flavor, (because of the addition of the brown sugar, I didn't want to go with a sweet tasting sauce). These brands turned out great results, but use whatever your personal favorites are.

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2 users found this review helpful

Ten Clove Garlic Marinade

Reviewed: Jul. 25, 2010

Garlic lovers everywhere, get ready to be impressed... this is an awesome marinade! I only used 1/2 cup of oil and for the steak sauce, I used A-1 Bold. I marinated a beef roast for 24 hours and it was a flavorful explosion for the taste buds! Can't wait to try this on chicken and pork; I'll bet it's great with any kind of meat!

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2 users found this review helpful