Twila Davis Reed Recipe Reviews (Pg. 1)

This Butts' For You!

Reviewed: Sep. 29, 2011

Husband really liked this. My steaks were a bit bigger, so I probably should have adjusted the spices accordingly, as I thought there wasn't quite enough salt to balance the sweet and next time I will probably add a little pinch of cayenne for a slight kick and a little more flavor depth. Overall though, it was very tasty! I didn't use a grill rack and just drained the liquid off my baking sheet whenever I turned the meat. That worked fine. Plus, it allowed me to cover my pan in foil which made cleanup a breeze. To speed it up a little, I did use the broiler on lower heat to do the final sugar glazing. That worked great. You just have to watch so you don't burn it.

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Spicy Black Bean Cakes

Reviewed: Sep. 7, 2011

This was a good jumping off point with a couple of modifications after reading some of the reviews. It sounded like it needed a little more flavor oomph, so I did 1.5x the spices and added some cayenne because the serrano chilis I used were the wimpiest ones I've ever tasted! I also added some cilantro because we love it. I didn't bother to sautee the chilis or onions and garlic and they were just fine in the finished cake. I also subbed some oatmeal for the bread crumbs for extra fiber. I do think next time I would microwave the grated sweet potatoes to avoid the slight starchy flavor. That could be due to the grater size - the large Cuisinart blade.I doubled the recipe to have leftovers to freeze and so used 3 eggs, but next time I think I would use 4 to hold things together a little better. I used the non-stick electric griddle and "fried" them with just a hint of olive oil to brown them. (Our broiler sets off the fire alarm even with no smoke!) But this was a great option for a vegetarian meal and it was really satisfying! Thanks!

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Kalua Pig in a Slow Cooker

Reviewed: Aug. 8, 2011

SUPER easy, SUPER tasty and this will be a staple in our house from now on. Ended up using Himalayan red sea salt since that's all our grocery stores had (tried 3 different locations!) We ended up serving ours plain on some King's Hawaiian rolls. Excellent! Next time, I'll add a little more smoke flavoring, some whole garlic cloves and maybe a hot pepper or two for some kick since we really like that and I might try the banana peel. I did order some red Hawaiian sea salt online since we loved the first try. Seriously, you HAVE to try this recipe. Couldn't be easier and who would have thought only 3 ingredients would have so much flavor! We did the overnight on one side, flipped and let it go for another 5 hours or so then shredded and let it rip for another 4 hours. SO tender and flavorful!

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Ninety Minute Cinnamon Rolls

Reviewed: Jan. 23, 2011

Really nice texture!! The first time I made these, I did them in the stand mixer and added all the flour at once (because I forgot to only add part and it was too late to take it out). I also used almost 2 packages of pre-cooked bacon in there before I rolled them and used a maple flavored cream cheese frosting at the end. Those were excellent. Bacon, brown sugar, raisins and maple are fantastic together! Salty and sweet! YUM! But this time, I followed the directions, adding only part of the flour at the beginning and let the gluten develop as the mixer did its job. I added some freshly grated nutmeg and substituted orange juice for the water. The dough itself came out nice and soft and very resilient. I soaked the raisins in some hot orange juice while the dough mixed and rested. Mixing the brown sugar and cinnamon with the soft butter then spreading the mixture is a big help and keeps the filling inside the rolls better. I also added a little nutmeg to the filling. Frosted with cream cheese frosting with orange juice and orange extract to compliment it. The texture of this dough is fantastic. It has that soft and slightly "stringy" texture that is so tender but still holds together nicely. Give these a few minutes out of the oven to rest and soak the gooey filling back up, then flip them upside down on a cookie sheet lined with waxed paper so the rest of the filling goes back in and also glazes them. Excellent Recipe! Thank you!

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Whipped Potatoes

Reviewed: Dec. 23, 2010

This is an excellent combo! I'm sure it will reheat beautifully for the dinner without drying out. I plan to use foil to keep it from browning too much and so it keeps the creamy consistency. I did about 7 lbs of potatoes, used 2 bricks of cream cheese, 1 stick of butter and about 1/4 cup of Salvadoran Crema (more liquidy than sour cream and not quite as sour) I also microwaved about 9 cloves of garlic with a tablespoon of beef stock and covered with plastic wrap for a minute and a half to soften them. I riced the potatoes and garlic before beating them for a creamier but lighter consistency. Keeps the starches from solidifying so quickly. Salt and white pepper...fantastic! I think the family is going to go nuts over these potatoes! Thanks for the idea with the cream cheese and sour cream. NICE combo for flavor!

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Pumpkin Fluff Dip

Reviewed: Oct. 11, 2010

This is pretty good stuff! I'm not a huge fan of Cool Whip, as I find it has a very artificial flavor and greasy texture, but I used 1 8oz tub of the sugar free Cool Whip, and subbed an 8oz brick of fat free cream cheese that I softened and whipped before adding the 2 small packages of fat-free/sugar-free pudding mix. I used the cheesecake flavor, but I think next time I will use at least 1 package of vanilla flavor instead. It really needed that warm undercurrent of vanilla flavor to balance it out. I don't like the pre-made pumpkin pie spice so I used cinnamon, clove and a little sprinkle of allspice from the jar then added freshly grated nutmeg and used a microplane to add some fresh ginger for some zing. Spices turned out really well! I just did it to taste. This is FANTASTIC served with crispy gingersnaps and honey crisp apples. There wasn't a whole lot left after our little event with only 6 people!

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Braised Balsamic Chicken

Reviewed: Aug. 2, 2010

This was pretty good! I ran out of balsamic vinegar and for a double batch of sauce ended up using about 1/4 cup balsamic and 2/3 cup of red wine vinegar. Kinda glad I did. I think the full amount of balsamic could have been a bit too overpowering. Overall, a good dish and not too complicated.

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3 users found this review helpful

Spicy Turkey Burgers

Reviewed: Jul. 24, 2010

These are excellent and very flavorful without being over the top. I added just a wee bit more ginger and garlic and also added some chopped green onion for a little more "freshness". They were a huge hit! If you buy the 1.3lb packages of ground turkey, you can get 8 burgers that are 3/4 cup in size. It makes it really easy to portion the burgers so they're all the same size if you do it that way. Just be gentle when forming the patties so you don't overwork the meat and make it tough. These are FABULOUS with a "Rooster sauce" mayo and grilled pineapple on a potato bread roll. That combo is amazing. For the Rooster sauce mayo, combine about 4 parts mayo with 1 part Sriracha chili sauce (or to taste) and add some lime zest and a good squeeze of lime juice.

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Sweet Cornbread Cake

Reviewed: May 1, 2010

I actually want to give this 4.5 stars. It's really good, moist and still tastes like cornbread, just not all dry and crumbly. I ended up using self-rising flour with just a little extra baking powder to be sure it was active, omitted the salt because that's already in the flour and then I added a can of drained Niblets corn to the batter. Baked up beautifully and was a big hit. It's kind of like a much moister version of cornbread that's already been buttered and had a light drizzle of honey. I will make this again.

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Dill Pickle Meatloaf

Reviewed: Nov. 18, 2009

For us, this was just ok. The loaf itself was a bit bland and very watery when cooked. And the glaze just didn't have any zip. It's a great idea though but just needs a little more something something.

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Honey Cornbread

Reviewed: Aug. 10, 2009

It was fairly good...the recipe definitely needs salt though! And for our tastes, I think the flour to corn meal ratio is too low. More flour, less corn meal for a somewhat softer texture. Just a little too crumbly for us. I'd probably go 1 1/4 cups flour to 3/4 cup cornmeal or maybe 1 1/2 to 1/2 ratio. The overall flavor is pretty good though. The honey is a nice touch and the bread isn't too sweet. Just that little bit of salt would really help round out the sweetness and give some depth. Oh, and definitely make it in a 9x9, not an 8x8 because the 8x8 takes too long for the center to get done and by then your edges get a little too brown and dry. Super easy recipe though...thanks!

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Sour Cream Waffles

Reviewed: Jan. 27, 2009

This was very tasty and even using fat free sour cream and light (fat free & sugar free) berry flavored yogurt still produced a light, flavorful waffle with a nice crispy crust. I did keep the vinegar in there, which I think makes it crispier on the outside. I also added vanilla to the batter. Using the berry yogurt was nice because it added some really nice flavor. We used some thawed blueberries with splenda and a little vanilla to top them. YUMMY!

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Cream Cheese Cupcakes

Reviewed: Jan. 24, 2009

These were very tasty and SO easy! Will try them in mini-muffin size next time for the perfect 2 bite buffet dessert. I did add 1 tablespoon of good Mexican vanilla instead of the 1.5 teaspoons. And for my filling, I used a nice lemon cream pie filling, piped into the divot with a large star tip to make it look pretty. Garnished with a little bit of lemon zest on top. Beautiful AND tasty! It was fun to watch them cupcakes rise in the oven then fall as soon as you take them out.

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Grilled Chicken Thighs Tandoori

Reviewed: May 26, 2008

This is a very flavorful and easy recipe! We will definitely make it again. I did the spices at 1.5 strength (one of the spice lids popped off and I ended up with too much, so I just compensated equally with all the other spices. But the yogurt amount stayed the same. I did add a wee touch of cayenne for a little back of the mouth heat, but just a touch. And a bit of lemon juice brightened it up and helped the marinade permeate all the way to the bone. The chicken marinated for approximately 16 hours. Everyone raved about it and it made the most flavorful skin! The hubbster grilled it over high direct heat to crisp things up then moved it to indirect heat. Total cook time was probably about an hour that way, but boy was it good!! Thanks for the recipe!

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Corn, Sweet Onion, and Tomato Salad

Reviewed: May 10, 2008

Yes, rating my own recipe, but mostly to let people know they need to drain the canned corn well and squeeze the liquid from the tomatoes before they chop them. Otherwise, the mixture gets a little soupy as it sits. Also, use the plain, unsweetened and unflavored rice vinegar. The combination of the rice vinegar with the lime juice creates a cleaner, crisper taste. And for fun, taste and to make it even prettier, don't be afraid to add a little of the lime zest. I also have found that the "Niblets" type of canned corn seems to work best in this recipe. Either that or very lightly blanched fresh corn.

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Pistachio Fluff Fruit Salad

Reviewed: Oct. 19, 2006

It's very sweet, but oh so good. Add the juice of a lime for some extra zing that cuts the sweetness a bit. Works really well if you coat the bananas with the lime juice too.

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Lemon Mushroom Herb Chicken

Reviewed: Mar. 17, 2005

VERY tasty! I modified my flour dredging spices a bit and used rosemary instead of thyme. Was a little salty but adjustable. Next time I will use half olive oil/half butter and use more wine/less stock for a little more tang. I don't do capers, so I ommitted those. I added sliced fresh mushrooms at end of the saute process before adding the liquids. Hubby raved!

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Pistachio Cream Cheese Fingers

Reviewed: Mar. 14, 2005

These are really excellent. They're moist and delicate but they hold up great for give-aways. We call them "Martian Fingers' at our house and my niece has said she'd never talk to me again if I didn't make them for her every year. So I do. :)

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Pepperoncini Beef

Reviewed: Mar. 10, 2005

This was REALLY tasty! And so easy! I did add some sliced shallots and about tripled the amount of garlic (we're big fans here). Served it on french rolls and melted some provolone cheese over the top. Be sure to add some of the peppers to your sandwich! Oh, and it was even better the second day. I wasn't sure it was going to be enough liquid, but I let it stand as it was and it was some of the most tender pot roast we've ever done in the slow cooker. I let it go on the low setting for 10 hours. I would recommend that because I tried a piece at the 7 hour mark and it really wasn't tender yet. That extra time really does the trick! Next time, I think I will add some bay leaf and maybe a few red pepper flakes for just a little more oomph. This was definitely not too spicy. This was also the first time our cats circled the counter like sharks all day while it was cooking and we use our slowcooker all the time! LOL

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Southern Living Magazine's Chicken-Fried Steak

Reviewed: Jan. 15, 2005

Really good crust! We used whole wheat Ritz crackers because that was what we had and whizzed them up in the food processor. I especially like the addition of the baking powder since it makes the crust nice and puffy yet crispy. We used a packet gravy mix instead, so I can't vouch for the gravy part, but the meat itself was superb! I'm allergic to peanut oil, so we used a stick of crisco and some vegetable oil to raise the smoke point. Will DEFINITELY make again!!

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