29 Minutes to Dinner, Both Volumes

[leftymac]

What recipes have you made out of these and what do you like?

Yesterday, I made the Beef Satay Fried Rice (vol 2 p. 81) and I have to say I wasn't impressed. It wasn't horrible, it just didn't have much flavor to me.

Tonight, I made the Paprika Chicken & Egg Noodles (vol 1 p. 11) and I was very disappointed with this one too because I felt as if it was also lacking in flavor.

For both recipes, I followed them exactly as it was the first time I was making them. I'm a bit mad that two days in a row produced two mediocre results.

I also plan to make the Turkey Gyros (vol 1 p. 19) and the Fettucine Carbonara with Poached Eggs (vol 2 p. 95) and I'm hoping to have better results.

If not, I'm gonna be made that I spent about $75 on ingredients for four lousy recipes! At least I can write off the groceries as "recipes tests" for taxes.

 

[Ginger428]

I LOVE....
Toasted Angel Hair Pasta with Sausage & Peppers. Volume 1 page 95.
Make it at a lot of shows or at home or for our meetings. Feeds a ton & everyone is impressed. I do make it in my Executive Skillet & I use sweet prok sausage instead. I also add extra Basil & Grated Cheese. I use a single burner at my shows, guests can't believe when I start browning the pasta!!

 

[Ginger428]

I have also made Brown Butter Tortellini with Spinach & Ham....Volume 1 page 87
Was really good, next time I want to try chicken...

BLT Mac & Cheese...volume 1 page 75...

Really good but..... needs extra Bacon,Tomato & Cheese....

 

[AmyDare]

We love the Cheesy Chicken Chilaquiles and the Pan-Seared Chicken Breasts With Creamy Lemon Sauce from volume 2. They quickly became family favorites.

 

[leftymac]

Likewise, what recipes have y'all made and not been impressed with?

 

[pamperedbybarbara]

I have made a bunch of these recipes from both volumes......Volume 1 favs. include: Shrimp Orzo Skillet, Jerk Pork Tenderloin, and Toasted Angel Hair w/Sau. & Peppers, and a biggg fav. Caprese Pizza (excellent w/leftover chicken cutlets sliced up and thrown on top)...Volume 2 favs.:Orecchiette w/spinach, sausage and tomatoes, Southwestern Pizza Con Queso and Pan-Seared chicken breasts......I play around w/flavors for some of these recipes...mild sausage for the Toasted Angel Hair...but that is just me...I sometimes am a wimp when it comes to spicy sausage

 

[ChefSandyR]

I just started to cooke everything in the volume one cookbook, almost like the movie Julia Julia...Was disappointed with glazed Chicken with Apple salad. Was rather bland....Grilled tilapia with pineapple salsa was bland too, but with a little more seasoning, would be tasty. The salsa was missing something.....LOVED the bbq salmon with radish salad...

 

[Becca115]

I've tried the Beef Enchilada Casserole and Korean-Style Beef from Vol1., and I've tried the Chicken & Noodle Stir-fry and Moo Shu Pork from Vol2. I liked all of them. My family even liked them too (a shock for my picky eaters!). I've used the technique from the Beef Enchilada Casserole to make a chicken version as well.

 

[KayPT]

We love the turkey meatballs, crunchy chicken curry salad from vol. 2, and several others, I'll have to check the book for names.

 

[kam]

I like the Beef Enchilada Casserole and Skillet Lasagna from Vol 1. I put those on my recipe choices and each time I have made either one at a show everyone loved them.

 

[MLinAZ]

Yesterday, I made the Beef Satay Fried Rice (vol 2 p. 81) and I have to say I wasn't impressed. It wasn't horrible, it just didn't have much flavor to me.

I didn't like that one either.

Everything else I've made out of the cookbooks we've really liked. Try the Mock Moo Shu Pork one = that was fabulous and I'm not normally a pork eater. My family also LOVED the Korean Style Beef Bowl recipe.

Not everyone is going to like every recipe and tastes will certainly vary. At my show tonight there were people that thought the Raspberry Habanero Sauce was too sweet, others loved it, some said it was spicy, others said no spice at all. It just goes to show that we all like different things and we won't always like every recipe personally even though others might love it!

 

[shelly.nurse]

I just started to cooke everything in the volume one cookbook, almost like the movie Julia Julia...Was disappointed with glazed Chicken with Apple salad. Was rather bland....Grilled tilapia with pineapple salsa was bland too, but with a little more seasoning, would be tasty. The salsa was missing something.....LOVED the bbq salmon with radish salad...

I liked the apple glaze, but did not like the salad, I thought it was too mayonnaise-y for my taste. I think next time I make it, I will leave out the mayo, make extra glaze and add some canola oil and white wine vinegar for a vinegarette for the apple salad. Even my picky daughters liked this one. I did add scallions though, for an extra zip.

We love the toasted angel hair. We always use the hot sausage, and what I buy is usually a little more than what the recipe calls for, so instead of having 1 link extra, I just throw it in. Of course we like spicy in our house.

I have been contemplating getting the second volume, but haven't yet.

 

[leftymac]

I made the Turkey Gyros last night and they were very tasty!

 

[shelly.nurse]

That is good to know, I love gyros!! and especially the tatziki sauce that comes with it!! I will have to make it some night when the family is feeling especially adventurous, as they usually turn their noses up at gyros!!

 

[pamperedlinda]

I have made:

Volume 1:
Artichoke Chicken with Roasted Potatoes - yummy! I usually leave off the potatoes though

Skillet Lasagna - okay

Crunchy Whole Grain Chicken Bites - love it!

Shrimp Orzo Skillet - okay - kinda bland

Brown Butter Tortellini with Spinach and Ham - good, but VERY salty

Toasted Angel Hair with Sausage and Pasta - VEry Good!


Volume 2:

Chicken and Noodle Stir-Fry - very good - I added some Sambal to it to give it a zip

Cheesy Chicken Chilaquiles - yummy! Have made it at several shows and i was a hit. It does not re-heat well though so eat it all.

Maple-Bourbon Glazed Salmon - it was good, not especially memorable

Chipotle Shrimp Scampi - DELICIOUS!!!! have made it several times

Potato Crusted Tilapia - nasty

Garlic and Herb Beef Tenderloin - OUT OF THIS WORLD GOOD!!!!

Orecchiette with Spinach, Sausage and Tomatoes - very good

Pork Medallons with Mushroom-Marsala Sauce - good, but I feel like it was missing some depth to the sauce.

Beef Satay Fried Rice - I liked it - I added some Sambal to it for some spice. I also think I used Panang Curry instead of the red curry

Brandied Dijon Pork Chops - It wasn't memorable - I know I didn't dislike it, I remember that DH made it, just don't remember much about it

Greek Bolognese - it was good, once I got over the mint part

 

[leftymac]

LOL Linda I'm cracking up at having to "get over" the mint part. The Greek Bolognese has intrigued me.

 

[pamperedlinda]

LOL Linda I'm cracking up at having to "get over" the mint part. The Greek Bolognese has intrigued me.

It was good - it was just the thought of combining beef, mint and feta was a mental thing I had to get over. I did like it though. I liked it good enough to make again.

 

[debbie mc]

Crunchy Whole Grain Chicken Bites - YUMMY! - Made them for my son's 4th birthday party instead of ordering in pizza or buying frozen chicken nuggets. The entire batch (double, I think) was devoured.....even the "picky eaters" in the bunch came back for seconds

Brown Butter Tortellini with Spinach and Ham - Huge hit at my shows & at home. I make sure to let the host know they need to buy Ham Steak and not, slices, or a cooked mini ham. I tell them about the Cook's Tip in the book....ie: Ham Steak is the leanest part of the ham. Then, I will pat the piece with paper towel to remove any of the juices. The guests are always amazed when I pour the pasta water over the spinach....and they ooh & aah when it's ready in less than 29 minutes (I set a timer when we start).

Toasted Angel Hair with Sausage and Pasta - Requested over and over again at home!

HTH
Debbie