A little birdie told us that Sarcastic Cooking was spilling the secret to the special blackening seasoning that turns ordinary tilapia into a spectacular dish with a Latin twist!
Served with a healthy helping of avocado, their Blackened Tilapia Tacos sounded truly delish.
Please click here to visit Sarcastic Cooking and see the instructions that we followed!
Reviewer #1 - Sheri
Mission: Honestly, I’m not a huge fan of tilapia; however, I’ve only tried it once. Fish tacos? I’ve only tried those once as well. I figured I should practice what I preach and give it another try. Avocado with anything usually makes me say “yum.”
Details:
The directions were easy to follow.
- Sprinkle the tilapia fillets with the blackening seasoning and cook them in the skillet with some olive oil.
- Cut up some creamy avocado with some red onion and load it all onto a warmed tortilla.
One of the great thing about tacos is you can add anything you like; black olives, tomatoes, salsa, corn.
Tips & Tricks Learned:
Make sure to heat the oil in the skillet beforehand. You don’t want them sticking.
Pros:
This is a really quick meal to prepare. Great for a healthy mid-week meal.
Cons:
I can’t get my husband to even try them.
Conclusion:
I actually liked them and I didn’t think that I would. The fish tacos I had at On the Border, grossed me out. I must say that Stefanie from Sarcastic Cooking really does have a yummy blackening seasoning. I’ll be using it often. So I enjoyed my tilapia tacos all by my lonesome with a cold beer…they don’t know what they’re missing.
Reviewer #2 - Kristy
Mission: Mexican and a little Louisiana blackened fish…can’t beat it! This was a no brainer!
Details:
- I used my go to seasoning mix, Tony Chachere’s as it includes all of the ingredients that we wanted for our fish and provides a good spicy kick!
- Instead of sliced avocados I purchased a southwest avocado dip which included green peppers, black beans, and corn.
- Sprinkle of cheddar cheese!
- All organic products used!
Tips & Tricks Learned:
Keep it simple and healthy!
Pros:
Simple and delicious!!
Cons:
None, it’s perfect!
Conclusion:
Mike and I enjoyed this meal!! Add some Mexican Rice (our favorite recipe is from The Pioneer Woman) and black beans to make it a complete meal! I kept it simple, always in a rush in the evening!! Will definitely make it again, shrimp maybe my next ingredient to add! Maybe a mango salsa…wow, you can get creative!
Reviewer #3 - Maren
Mission: This recipe sounded like the perfect way to get my husband to try some fish (which he usually hates). I’m new to the fish taco thing myself. Something about fish in a taco never sounded quite right; but I gave it a shot a few years back and found a new favorite! I was looking forward to giving them a shot at home.
Details:
- I used flour tortillas, simply because I haven’t found a store brand of wheat tortillas that I really like.
- We had plenty of fresh pico de gallo with our tacos.
- I also drank a lot of beer with this meal, which probably completely negated the fact that I was enjoying a nice, healthy, light dinner. This was direct result of my pico de gallo taste-testing early in the cooking process, landing right on a jumbo jalapeno and having my mouth nearly burst into flames. A beer… or two, was the obvious solution to this problem.
We enjoyed our first round just as Sarcastic Cooking suggested, with plenty of avocado and lime juice. I don’t really believe in eating any Mexican dish without plenty of lime… and Corona! We loaded in the pico de gallo for our “seconds”.
Tips & Tricks Learned:
My mom taught me to always thaw frozen fish in milk to get rid of any “fishy” taste. I forgot about this until after the fact… they were just fine. lol
Make sure to cook the fish through and through, because there is really nothing grosser than mushy fish. *gag* This also makes the blackened seasoning extra yummy!
I won’t cook anything in oil without my grease cover. Can’t live without that thing. I think that I got ours at IKEA for a couple bucks.
My trick to removing fish from the pan without having it fall apart – Big flipper on the bottom, Spatula on the top!
Pros:
Tasted great! The honey even said that he’d eat them again… not all the time, but he’d eat them again.
Frankly, you could taste the seasoning and accoutrements much more than the fish itself, as [tilapia] is pretty bland as is.
Cons:
None, other than the fact that it can be tricky getting really great, fresh fish here in the Midwest that won’t cost an arm and a leg.
Conclusion:
I’m really glad that we tried this recipe together. It’s always nice to know that you have some other options up your sleeve when your usual dinner menu starts repeating itself. This is especially the case when you’re someone like me, who loves Mexican and eats it as much as humanly possible, only to make your significant other want to cry when he sees the tell-tale ingredients coming out of the fridge… Mua haa ha!
On another note, I am so grateful to have this special seasoning recipe from Stephanie at Sarcastic Cooking. I am already eager to add it to other recipes, like her yummy looking Blackened Chicken with Cilantro Lime Quinoa.
Reviewer #4 - Alicia
Mission: Believe it or not, I have never had a fish taco. Not sure why as I love tacos and fish. I was super excited to try this recipe.
Details:
I followed this recipe closely and to a T…
- Well, I guess we are not a wheat tortilla kind of family, so I used the regular tortillas instead.
- I also added shredded cheese. Who doesn’t love cheese??!!
Tips & Tricks Learned:
This is the first time I have ever sliced an Avocado. Fun times and not so hard! I also added extra salt and pepper to jazz up the taste.
Pros:
Adding cheese and lime definitely added to the flavor.
Cons:
Tilapia is a very mild fish. I might try halibut next time.
Conclusion:
This was an easy and delicious recipe! I prefer my tacos loaded with the good stuff – sour cream, cilantro, salsa and of course cheese, just to name a few; I was pleasantly surprised with the taste of this and loved the blackening seasoning. Very good! Even better with a Corona or Margarita!!!
Reviewer #5 – Sarah
Mission: To find a quick, easy and healthy dinner that my family will enjoy, and one that will remind me of being on a Mexican vacation.
Details:
I gathered all of the fresh ingredients – the avocado, tomatoes, whole wheat tortillas and limes while on my weekly Super Target run.
- I also picked up onions as I can’t have tacos without onions!
While I was prepping things for dinner, I found that we didn’t have tilapia in our freezer like I had thought. So, I sent my hubby to our local market to pick that up. They have the best seafood section!
The prep for this dinner was so quick – I think I had everything ready to start cooking within 10 minutes. Once the oil was hot, I began cooking the seasoned tilapia. The recipe called for about five minutes per side, but we ended up cooking ours about seven minutes per side as our filets were cut a bit thick.
Once the fish was done, we flaked it up a bit and layered it on our shells to each of our liking. I added avocado, onion, tomatoes and squeezed fresh lime over the top. My hubby added onion and black olives. Our kiddos ate just the fish! Everyone enjoyed it.
Tips & Tricks Learned:
Make sure to cook your fish all the way through – and it adds more flavor to the blackened aspect the longer you cook it!
Make sure to buy a ripe avocado if you plan to eat it soon. The one I grabbed wasn’t soft enough, so that made prepping it a bit more intensive.
Pros:
Easy meal to prepare!
Cons:
Can be more costly than planned if you have to hit up the local grocery store for tilapia. Plan ahead!
Conclusion:
Quick and delish! We will definitely be making this again. I really enjoyed learning the basics of cooking a blackened style fish. Next time, I’ll make sure I have margaritas handy as well!
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Six Sisters’ Stuff has done it again, showing us the easy way to a delish Italian dish! Their Slow Cooker Lasagna recipe looks like a busy day’s dream come true!
Lasagna without an hour of prep work? Sign us up!
Please click here to visit Six Sisters’ Stuff and see the instructions that we followed!
Reviewer #1 - Kristy
Mission: Love a quick way to put together a dish and come home to a yummy meal!
Details:
- I added fresh chopped basil that I had on hand.
- I used ground sirloin and cooked with chopped onion, garlic powder, salt and pepper.
- All of the products that I used were organic!
Tips & Tricks Learned:
Definitely watch it once it is done cooking. Mine cooked for 3 hours on high and was amazing as I took a couple of bites! Then I went on a shopping spree while it was on warm and I came back to a slightly drier dish.
Pros:
Very easy, just layer and put on high or low then you will come home to a good meal.
Cons:
It needs a little spice! I think I may use spicy Italian sausage next time to get it a kick!
Conclusion:
YUMMO!! Mike loved it! I thought I wasn’t going to get the crunchy edges that I love so much from pan lasagna, but you definitely get crispy edges. Ideas to add more vegetables, I love adding shredded carrots to my tomato sauce and using zucchini slices instead of noodles!
Reviewer #2 - Sheri
Mission: Okay, I have always wanted to try this. The one thing that has been holding me back is that no one in my family will eat lasagna! Weirdos. I personally love it, so I was excited to finally try it.
Details:
Now usually when I use the slow-cooker, I prefer not to have to cook anything beforehand. However, this called for browning the ground beef or sausage.
- I opted for sausage and I made my own sauce.
- I also only used ricotta cheese on half of the lasagna just so I could get my husband to eat it…again, weird.
You basically layer the lasagna just as you would if you were cooking it in the oven, but you don’t cook the lasagna noodles first (regular noodles, not no-bake). I was curious to see if this would actually work!
Tips & Tricks Learned:
Careful breaking up the noodles to fit in the slow-cooker. I recommend wrapping them in a towel or putting them in a storage bag before you start cracking.
Pros:
I’m a big fan of the set it and forget it.
Cons:
The noodles were a bit soft for my taste, I prefer them a bit more al dente.
Conclusion:
Overall I was surprised that it actually came out well. I really wasn’t sure what to expect. I think I want to try adding veggies next time. My husband ate it but requested that next time I add prosciutto.
Reviewer #3 - Maren
Mission: I’m not generally a big fan of “American” Italian food, but I am loving learning more about this magical contraption they call the “Slow Cooker”. I was really excited to give this recipe a try, especially since I love Six Sisters’ Stuff!
Details:
I stuck with the plan, but here are some specifics.
- Prego Chunky Garden Combination Pasta Sauce
- 93% Lean Ground Beef
- Dried Parsley (as opposed to fresh)
- I also added a little extra cheese… of course!
Also worth noting, my crock pot cooks food at warp speed. I learned this after crying out for help to my Facebook friends when my last crock pot experience was done and bubbling out of the pot in 1/4 of the recommended cooking time! It’s the Rival Smart-Pot 5 Quart Crock-Pot.
In my turbo crock pot, this dish was lookin’ pretty done after about 2 hours (on low), however we didn’t eat it until it had been almost 4 hours. At the 2 hour mark, I used my “toothpick trick” (trick details forthcoming) which probably helped cool it down in there and keep the dish from overcooking.
Tips & Tricks Learned:
Spray the inside of your crock pot with cooking spray before adding any of the ingredients. This trick not only helps get the food out, but makes clean-up pretty easy, too.
If your slow cooker starts to pop the lid with steam and make a “clink clink” sound, prop it open just a bit with a toothpick. Works like a charm!
I picked up zuccini and mushrooms to add, but I forgot about them! Next time, I won’t forget and I might also add just a little more sauce or water to compensate for the added ingredients and prevent the dish from getting dry.
Pros:
Where do I begin? Although not a big pasta girl, I loved this lasagna recipe and was giddy about the two good-sized containers of leftovers that we had. More for me!
Cons:
None! With a little maneuvering, I was even able to get each piece out without turning it into slop!
Conclusion:
LOVED IT! So easy, so yummy, frickin’ awesome. I feel excited to have this recipe in my book; since most of the items are in the cupboard, this is a great meal to make when you have a busy day at hand.
Reviewer #4 - Amanda
Mission: To take lasagna where it has never gone before – the crock pot!
Details:
- I went with an Italian pork sausage and think I would change that for next time. I found the meat a little chewy. I think I would actually mix it with ground turkey for the flavor.
- I also used my own homemade sauce. I used 24 oz like the recipe called for. I ended up adding a little at the end however because I like it to be a little more saucy.
- Also, I added 3 or 4 more noodles than what was called for. 6 just didn’t seem like enough.
- After 3 hours it was pretty much done and I should have set the crock pot to “warm” at that point because after 4 hours it was really done – almost too done (mushy noodles don’t appeal to me!).
Tips & Tricks Learned:
Use a slow cooker liner! They will literally change your life. I used Reynolds Slow Cooker Liners. They are amazing and made clean up seriously quick. Much quicker than a large pan of lasagna that is for sure! I would also suggest cutting the cook time way down. I don’t know if my crock pot runs really hot but it cooked almost completely at about 3 hours. Next time I make it I plan to switch it to “warm” at the 3 hour mark.
Pros:
EASY! Delicious and basic ingredients for the most part.
Cons:
My kids didn’t like the ricotta cheese so I may need to omit that next time. Or maybe I will just force them to try it again! My hubby also prefers how the oven makes the top crispy so I may need to put a little section in the oven on broil to appease him too.
Conclusion:
I will be making this again for sure! It would be ideal for a large group to have a few crock pots going.
Reviewer #5 - Janet
Mission: It seemed like an interesting recipe to try in the crock pot. I’m always game for trying new recipes and making a meal that is good left over for lunch at work.
Details:
I got all the ingredients at the grocery store!
- I swapped out the ricotta for a container of cottage cheese.
- I used dried parsley and added some shredded mozzarella cheese to the recipe as well.
- I also had a half-full open jar of sauce that I added in addition to the full jar the recipe calls for.
Tips & Tricks Learned:
The recipe only called for two layers of noodles, but I put in three. After making, I could have even put in another two layers. It all depends on the size of your crock pot.
I had put it on high for about 1 hour and then turned it to low for 2-3 hours. Once you notice that all the cheese is melted and the edges start to crust and brown, it is done.
Put extra cheese in on top, you know you want to! It is lasagna after all!
Pros:
Easy to throw together, but most lasagna recipes are that way. It made a lot and I ended up putting it all into small containers for lunch. I put half in the freezer and the other half in the fridge.
Cons:
It tasted good, but just wasn’t the same as cooking it in the oven. It fell apart and was a little too liquid-y. I wished I had put in more noodles when layering it.
Conclusion:
After getting it all started, I began to question why one would ever have the need to make lasagna in their crock pot? It might be a good way to make lasagna in the summer if you didn’t want to turn your oven on, but it just didn’t have the same flavor as it would if you were to cook in the oven. It was interesting to try, however I am not too sure that I will make it again.
The best part about this project for me though was not the food, but learning about the Six Sisters’ blog! They have some awesome recipes and ideas; I urge you to check out their site!
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Jennifer, over at Savoring the Thyme has unlocked the secret to a truly tasty and budget-savvy meal with her Greek Inspired Chicken. Even better is that this not-so-boring chicken can be kid friendly!
Better brush up on your Sirtaki! Opa!
Please click here to visit Savoring the Thyme and see the instructions that we followed!
Reviewer #1 - Sheri
Mission: I’ve been dying to try Savor the Thyme’s recipe. When I first spotted it on Pinterest, I drooled on my computer. Any excuse for me to use feta in a recipe. Not to mention, I’m tired of the same old chicken. I’m trying to only serve lean protein and we’re all getting bored with it. “Chicken again?”
Details:
- The directions we’re easy to follow. Just flour the chicken breasts (season first) and cook them in the frying pan with some olive oil.
- The fun part was putting together the Greek goodness. Olives, Feta, and tomatoes! Yum.
Tips & Tricks Learned:
Use a cutting board that has a lip around the edge so the tomatoes and olives don’t go rolling off when you try to slice them.
Pros:
Simple and so delicious! And it has feta!
Cons:
None, aside from the fact that I should have made more of the topping just to throw on a salad.
Conclusion:
First of all my husband was pleased not to have to eat the same old chicken recipes I usually make! This one had a ton of flavor and was truly easy to make. It’s definitely something I can whip up quick when I get home from work. Did I mention I LOVE feta!? I’m sure this would be a great crowd pleaser for a group as well. It’s not only flavorful, it’s eye appealing as well. I’m going to try this a little different next time…marinating the chicken in Greek dressing first. We’ll see how it goes.
Reviewer #2 - Kristy
Mission: To cook healthier meals for the New Year…always a resolution! And this looked delicious!
Details:
- I am trying hard to follow the Paleo diet so I had to use almond flour to coat the chicken instead of all-purpose flour.
- I changed it up a bit by sautéing the spinach with the garlic (yummy…I used lots of garlic) then I topped the finished dish with fresh chopped basil.
- Despite trying to keep the Paleo diet I still topped with the crumbled feta. A gal still needs cheese, it makes everything a little more scrumptious. And what’s Greek inspired if it doesn’t contain olives and feta!?!
Tips & Tricks Learned:
Be certain to defrost the chicken…I was too lazy to and it took a bit longer for my chicken to cook. It came out a bit dry because of this.
Pros:
Very easy to make, healthy and the ingredients were super cheap!
Cons:
Nothing really, my chicken was dry but that was because of my own laziness!
Conclusion:
Mike and I both thoroughly enjoyed it. I will definitely be saving this to make it again! Very healthy dish that is super quick to make!
Reviewer #3 - Janet
Mission: My first thoughts, Yum! But the picture looks too good to be true, no way could I make mine look that yummy.
Details:
- I had feta on hand, so before that went bad, I decided to whip up the meal. I grabbed the rest of the goods at the grocery store.
- I used soy flour and coconut oil that I also had on hand.
Tips & Tricks Learned:
I let the chicken cook for quite a while…uncooked chicken frightens me.
The coconut oil worked really well for cooking, I just always forget to use it to substitute olive and veggie oil.
The recipe was really easy to follow, I didn’t deviate much from it.
Pros:
Did I really make something this delicious and fresh tasting? And it actually looked like something I could serve to guests? Awesome!
Plus, it actually keeps really well left over for those who are making it just for themselves.
Cons:
Nothing here, except cooking chicken in the skillet makes my apartment stink for the next 4 days. Can’t wait until I get a house someday!
Conclusion:
I already have this on my docket of go-to meals. It was so yummy, light and fresh, it almost made me forget it was winter!
I am so proud of myself for actually making something that somewhat resembled the picture and that would actually be appetizing for my fiance or guests. This is a must try recipe!
Reviewer #4 – Sarah
Mission: To find a delicious, healthy and quick meal for my family.
Details:
YUM! This recipe sounded great from the get-go and really turned out amazing.
- This recipe had minimal ingredients, that were all easy to find, so that was a plus from the start.
- Our family tries to steer clear of gluten as much as possible, so I substituted almond flour for the regular flour it called for.
- In addition, I added chopped onion when the tomatoes and olives were tossed in the oil as we love onions in this house!
This recipe was so easy to prep and cook so we will definitely be making it again! I couldn’t believe how quick it all came together – I think I was in the kitchen no more than 20 – 25 minutes before it was done and on the table.
Next time we make this, I may try using kalamata olives in place of the black olives for a little extra zing.
Tips & Tricks Learned:
Make sure your oil of choice is hot before you start cooking your chicken. The chicken breasts I used were a bit thick, so the cooking time was more like 5-6 minutes per side vs. the 3-4 it called for.
Pros:
Easy, healthy and delicious! This would be a great go-to recipe for entertaining.
Cons:
Nothing!
Conclusion:
So delicious and my husband and kids loved it! I can’t wait to make it again!!!
Reviewer #5 - Amanda
Mission: Try a new way to spruce up the good ole chicken breast (let’s be honest – it can be rather boring!).
Details:
- I used 5 chicken breasts instead of a package of three but I think the lbs. were about the same.
- I did finish the dish with some thinly cut fresh baby spinach.
Tips & Tricks Learned:
I am a true chicken-over-cooker at heart and have a VERY hard time not turning the meat several times and NOT cutting into it to check the doneness at the end. Both of these issues usually result in over cooked chicken but I got lucky this time and that did not happen. I did however; lose a lot of the delicious, crispy goodness due to my excessive turning. Moral of the story boys and girls, just turn it once. That really is all you need!
Pros:
Easy, quick, cheap, fairly on hand ingredients or at least ones that even I can get in the back woods I call home.
Cons:
Well my children. They are the only con. Having zero to do with the dish itself (it was truly insanely delish and would be a major crowd pleaser for a group of adults) my kids didn’t like the fact that there was “stuff” on top of the chicken. I kind of new that would happen but for the sake of a picture I topped it anyway. They lived by either not eating it or scraping it off.
Conclusion:
I will DEFINITELY be making this again. My hubby ate two servings and raved about it (which can be rare since I do usually overcook chicken). The flavor was SO good!
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Iowa Girl Eats has taken that gorgeous gourd we all love to a whole new level with her Stuffed Acorn Squash. A healthy dish that is hearty enough to stand on it’s own and pretty enough to grace your holiday table.
Since squash isn’t just for fall, we dove right in to this seasonless recipe!
Please click here to visit Iowa Girl Eats and see the instructions that we followed!
Reviewer #1 – Sarah
Mission: To try my hand at another healthy and quick meal option.
Details:
- I LOVE squash – of all kinds, so I was instantly excited to give this one a try.
- I followed the recipe as noted, but in place of the sausage links, I used venison breakfast sausages. My husband is an avid deer hunter, and let me just say our freezer if FULL of venison, so when I can find a good use for it, I go for it!
- I did add onion to my mixture – one of my favorite savory flavor additions to recipes and it added a great texture and flavor.
Tips & Tricks Learned:
If you are a breakfast fiend, like my family is – make sausage links for breakfast and then use your left overs to make this for dinner!
As I mentioned previously, add in onion and you could also add in bell peppers or carrots or even shredded zucchini to give it more body.
My stuffing was a bit dry, and honestly, that is the one part of this recipe I would not include the next time. I try to stay as gluten-free as possible with my diet, so it would be good to instead use a pound of ground sausage or add pecans/walnuts or zucchini, etc. vs. the stuffing the next time I try this.
Pros:
Pretty easy to prep and make and very tasty!
Cons:
My husband and my kiddos weren’t interested in trying this one – but also a pro as I got to eat it all by myself!
Conclusion:
A quick and semi-easy meal option that is not only healthy, but fills you up in a good way!
Reviewer #2 - Sheri
Mission: I’m not a huge fan of squash but I am of stuffing, and this was just appealing to the eye. Sure to get the guests talking.
Details:
- I like the shortcut of getting the squash going in the microwave first. I was a little disappointed that my grocer was out of my favorite turkey sausage. I ended up using a chicken sausage instead, and I wasn’t too fond of the consistency of it. The great thing about using sausage is that it is already seasoned with savory flavors.
- I prepared the stuffing and added the sautéed apples and sausage. Into the squash it went, and then a quick broil. A simple recipe for something that looks so elegant.
Tips & Tricks Learned:
The recipe was so well written and easy I can’t really provide any tips. However, I would maybe try making my own stuffing with fresh herbs instead of using Stove Top.
Pros:
Super easy and appealing to the eye.
Cons:
None!
Conclusion:
I enjoyed making this one even though I’m not a big squash fan. The flavors blended well and it really looked beautiful.
Reviewer #3 - Janet
Mission: I love the Iowa Girl Eats blog and was so excited to try one of her recipes!
Details:
- Found all the goodies at the grocery store.
- I was making it just for myself, so picked out a smaller acorn.
- Substituted bacon for the sausage because I had it on hand.
Tips & Tricks Learned:
It might be a good suggestion to cook the squash cut side down in 1/2″ of water. The way the recipe calls for, cooking the squash cut side up, made it pretty dry. I don’t know how it would turn out, but it might be worth trying.
Pros:
The stuffing was awesome! I had to snag a little from the pan for an appetizer! 
Cons:
The squash turned out dry and was hard to eat out of the skin.
I ended up spooning out the squash “guts” so I could actually eat it together with the stuffing.
Conclusion:
Will have to keep this recipe in my collection! A great, healthy recipe to try in the new year!
Reviewer #4 - Kristy
Mission: Mike and I get so bored with the same old dinner recipes so I am always looking for new ones and this looked delicious!
Details:
- I have to be honest, I have never eaten Stove Top Stuffing
and now I can’t imagine not eating it. Yum!
- I had a bit of a mess up with my ground pork, freshly cooked…Mike dropped the bowl on the ground. Things happen, so I used Italian sausage that I had on hand.
Tips & Tricks Learned:
I thought the stuffing was a bit too dry so I added a little more than a cup of chicken broth. But basically, follow the directions and this will turn out perfectly!
Pros:
Yummy! Mike and I both thought it was delicious! I can’t wait to start stuffing other vegetables!
Cons:
Only that we didn’t have much for left overs!
Conclusion:
This is definitely a winner recipe and will be made again. It was quick and didn’t involve too many ingredients which I liked. The presentation is great so this would be a perfect dish for the holidays and for friendly gatherings!
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Sugar & Spice by Celeste has shared the recipe for her Favorite Quiche! This recipe looks like the perfect secret weapon for your holiday brunch or last-minute get together.
With the holidays right around the corner and house guests on their way, we couldn’t wait to test this one out!
Please click here to visit Sugar & Spice by Celeste and see the instructions that we followed!
Reviewer #1 - Sheri
Mission: I have never in my life made quiche. I’ve always been a frittata kind of gal. However, I know my mother loves quiche. I figured it would be great to have a nice brunch with my mom.
Details:
- I read the recipe a few times first because I’ve never done this before. I seriously had no clue that you actually bake the pie crust a little before you make the quiche. I also did a little dance when I saw I could use a store-bought crust. Score!
- While the crust was baking I sautéed the onions and mushrooms and cooked the bacon. I put the egg mixture together and wilted the spinach. When the spinach was about wilted I turned off the burner and started shredding the Gruyère. It was truly an easy recipe to follow.
- I combined the ingredients and poured it into the crust shell. Dang! There seemed to be too many ingredients. The egg mixture went up over the crust.
Tips & Tricks Learned:
Roll the crust out a bit more so it reaches the top of the baking dish.
Pros:
Easy and tasty. Perfect for a brunch with friends.
Cons:
None, especially seeing I got to use the store-bought pie crust.
Conclusion:
Wow, the flavor! This quiche was fantastic. Even my father had two pieces and he’s not a huge fan of quiche. The only thing I would have done different is rolled the pie crust out a bit and baked it a little longer prior to putting the quiche together.
This recipe is being filed under “awesome for brunch.”
Reviewer #2 - Janet
Mission: My first thoughts, “Looks yummy and recipe seems simple!”
Details:
- Prior to making the quiche, I had prepared a cherry pie for my family’s Thanksgiving meal. Homemade crust is freezable (after checking with my mom of course), so I wrapped it and stuck it in the freezer until a day prior to making the quiche. I didn’t have enough for a full 9-inch crust, but opted to cut the ingredients down a little and make it in a few smaller dishes.
- As for the ingredients, the cheese was the priciest of everything (found one brand for $11!) but Target offered a slightly cheaper smoked Gruyère ($5) and was made just next door in Wisconsin. After Googling for a substitute, swiss cheese can work as well.
Tips & Tricks Learned:
This recipe allows for some rough estimation of ingredients. Since I decided to make a few smaller quiches, I used only two eggs, a splash of milk, and cut down the other ingredients to about half of what the recipe called for.
Cook it longer than you think. It may start to look light brown on top, but you want to make sure that the egg is cooked through, so just give it a few more minutes than the recipe calls for.
Pros:
Worked pretty well to make with my smaller dishes. Turned out really yummy! Great as leftovers as well.
Cons:
Though it turned out perfect, the small dishes were precarious to get into the oven without spilling! No other cons with this recipe!
Conclusion:
Definitely going to keep this one handy in my recipe box. I brought my leftovers to work and my coworkers were impressed with my chef-skills. They even asked to get the recipe!
If you want to make your coworkers jealous of your lunch, you have got to try out this quiche! (hehe)
Reviewer #3 - Amanda
Mission: Test out a simple recipe in hopes of having a new dish for the holiday company.
Details:
- I chose Alpenhaus Le Gruyère which was a little pricey at about $8.00 for 8oz but I only needed about half the block so not too bad.
- I did not have a tart pan (although it has been added to my Christmas wish list!). I used a fluted 9 inch glass pie pan instead and that worked just fine!
Tips & Tricks Learned:
The recipe said 45-55 minutes. I would definitely suggest 55. I was bringing my quiche to a party and was in a hurry so it only got 50 minutes and it was just a little softer than I wanted. Still delish though!
Pros:
A nice mix of flavors a little deeper than your standard quiche. Pretty quick to throw together too!
Cons:
The cheese is kind of a budget breaker but I think you could sub that for something cheaper or use less.
Conclusion:
I will definitely make this again and may mix up the ingredients by using sausage instead of bacon or even ham.
Reviewer #4 - Katie
Mission: Dazzle and delight your family and friends with this delicious dish!
Details:
- This recipe was very easy to follow and I even made my pie crust from scratch!
- I made one quiche per the recipe and one modified to my boyfriend’s taste: no onions.
I fed a house-full and this dish was a total hit!
Tips & Tricks Learned:
Super simple to modify the recipe to your taste…I added Chipotle TABASCO sauce
to mine for added kick!
Pros:
Tastes great, easy to make and healthier than waffles
Cons:
None!
Conclusion:
Total hit and definitely adding to my recipe repertoire!
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Posted by TheCraftyCollab on Nov 14, 2012 in Desserts, Main Dishes, Recipes | Comments Off
The Jones Way has caught our attention with her easy way to make Sticky Buns at home! The Sticky Bun Breakfast Ring sounds almost too good to be true, so of course we had to find out to be sure!
Please click here to visit The Jones Way and see the recipe that we followed!
Reviewer #1 - Kristy
Mission: Oh, yum! My childhood memories consist of sticky buns for breakfast! My Aunt Faye makes the best sticky buns so I decided to test these to see if this new twist with syrup and cinnamon could beat her recipe!
Details:
- I used dark brown sugar instead of light! I hope the only difference is the color and not taste.
- I used walnuts, good brain food and I have them on hand!
- Ugh…I am not a baker! I always mess up with baking anything…even as simple as this recipe! I forgot to add the cinnamon so I sprinkled it across the top of the biscuits.
- Being that I am too cheap to get a Bundt Pan
which I don’t think I would ever use again; I instead opted for a 9in baking dish.
Tips & Tricks Learned:
I don’t know about you, but I always hate buying brown sugar because I rarely use it and when I do it for that rare recipe…it is hard as a rock! I decided to find a way to prevent this and found a bear. This little bear
is supposed to help but again if you are like me and too cheap to do so… simply toss a piece of bread in with your hard brown sugar and viola…2 days later the sugar will be moist again!
Pros:
Quick and easy! Very tasty treat!
Cons:
Sticky…ha, hence the name! There are no “cons” here!
Conclusion:
YUMMY! Yes, Paleo friends…I ate them and enjoyed every bite! I had to eat them for the sake of the blog! Mike’s comments, “Un-Real” and “Phenomenal”! I did bring what was left of the dish to my coworkers who all devoured them!
This would be a great recipe for a shower or holiday brunch!
Reviewer #2 – Sarah
Mission: Being pregnant has made my sweet tooth crave even more than normal! This breakfast treat looked too yummy to pass up!
Details:
I haven’t bought biscuits in forever – and in all honestly, I have a fear of opening those darn biscuit tubes…my husband always gives me a hard time about this!
This recipe looked amazing and sounded pretty easy to whip up, so we gave it a whirl!
- I was super excited to use my grandmother’s Bundt Pan for this, as this was the first time I had put it to use and it is so darling.
- Outside of the pain of opening the biscuits, this recipe was so easy and went together super quickly! We just zapped the butter in the microwave, added the agave syrup and then followed the steps noted. My kids helped by nibbling on brown sugar crumbs
Tips & Tricks Learned:
I substituted the pancake syrup with organic blue agave sweetner as that is what I had on-hand and prefer. This worked amazing and helped me feel a bit less guilty about all the sugary sweetness!
Pros:
Super easy to prep and make, delicious and both of my kiddos enjoyed it! That’s a plus!
Cons:
Left me begging for more!
Conclusion:
Two thumbs up! An awesome sweet breakfast treat and we loved it so much, we made it again a week later!
Reviewer #3 - Amanda
Mission: Create sticky, gooey, delish sweet bread for the family to devour.
Details:
- I used two small tubes of Pillsbury Buttermilk Biscuits and Aunt Jemima Syrup (this is the ONLY brand we buy in our house). The other ingredients are mostly generic.
- I couldn’t find my Bundt Pan so I opted to layer it in a bread pan and it worked just as well! It would probably be prettier in a Bundt pan but why fuss if you don’t have to. Plus my kids really could care less about the shape. They just wanted the gooey goodness inside the pan.
Tips & Tricks Learned:
It is definitely key to coat the pan well with nonstick baking spray. It would be oh so disappointing if it stuck.
Pros:
It really does taste homemade even though there are some obvious shortcuts. Win-win if you ask me!
Cons:
It is TOO good. Couldn’t. Stop. Eating. It.
Conclusion:
This sweet breakfast treat is the perfect thing to whip up on a special morning to impress company with. They will definitely be fooled into thinking you were up early slaving in the kitchen!
Reviewer #4 - Sheri
Mission: I really wanted to find an easy and delicious, crowd-pleasing breakfast treat. This recipe seemed to fit just right. Who can resist sticky buns?
Details:
I could not get over how incredibly easy this recipe was. A wet mixture (butter and syrup) and a dry mixture (brown sugar and cinnamon). I literally had this put together and in the oven in less than 5 minutes.
Tips & Tricks Learned:
I used butter to grease the pan instead of cooking spray…it added a little more flavor.
Pros:
Super easy, quick, and totally yummy.
Cons:
They don’t call it “sticky” breakfast bun for nothing.
Conclusion:
I was surprised how easily this sticky concoction just dropped right out of the pan and onto the plate. It was beyond delicious! Pleasing to both the eyes and the taste buds. I will definitely be making this often. It was just so easy. Who doesn’t love some cinnamon and brown sugar yumminess in the morning with their coffee?
Reviewer #5 - Maren
Mission: I grew up looking forward to sticky buns at my aunt and uncle’s house on Sunday mornings. I knew that making them was a special tradition that wasn’t something that they just threw together. Learning about this so-called quick and easy way to make a brunch favorite sounded almost too good to be true!!
Details:
- In typical Maren fashion, I used rounded measurements and went a little heavy on… everything.
- I am not a huge nut person, so I omitted them altogether.
- I used my beloved Butter Flavored Pam.
Tips & Tricks Learned:
I actually cooked this, covered it in foil, and then rode 45 minutes in the car to my mom’s house and put it back in the oven to warm it up. I felt that the biscuits were a tad doughy in the middles, but no one else thought so, nor did they care as they all grabbed seconds and nearly licked their plates!
Pros:
I could hardly get a photo of this thing! As soon as I turned to pick up my camera, my family dove in head first!
Everyone loved it. Everyone.
Cons:
You can’t really tell when it’s done… just go with it!
Conclusion:
This super easy recipe is heading straight into my recipe book! I can’t wait to impress our friends by making it at our next brunch!
read more
Be prepared to be in high demand for every brunch, shower, birthday party, conference, book club… you will hold the key!
Please click here to visit We Heart Food and see the instructions that we followed!
Reviewer #1 - Amanda
Mission: To bake something that I won’t consume the entire pan of upon completion. Major fail for me here which means these really were WTFOMG good!
Details:
- I did not have half and half so I used ½ heavy cream and ½ whole milk, thanks to my kiddos.
- Instead of using a fork to mix the butter into the dry ingredients I used a Pastry Cutter.
So easy to get it all mixed in this way with a lot less effort.
- To mix the dry ingredients with the wet, I started off using a wooden spoon but quickly realized I should have just used my KitchenAid.
So I dumped it into the metal bowl and within a few seconds it was mixed perfectly. Sometimes I am pretty wise.
- Also, I included testers of the 5 and under age group. HUGE success with that target market (not too shabby with the 30+ age group either).
Tips & Tricks Learned:
Use a mixer if you have one instead of your own brawn. Totally worth the end result with no sweat involved.
I decided that I would cut my scones even smaller since I knew kids would be consuming them. I didn’t get a chance to count them (that is how quickly they were eaten) but I dare say you can get nearly 2 dozen out of this recipe.
Pros:
UM seriously tasty and so appropriate for fall. Scones initially made me a little intimidated but these really were pretty simple and so worth making.
Cons:
I ATE TOO MANY. That is all.
Conclusion:
I will definitely be making these again. It would be fun for a Thanksgiving brunch or even around Christmas time.
Reviewer #2 - Sheri
Mission: I have never in my life made scones. They’re a treat I recently discovered that I absolutely love; I’m just hoping I can do it. At least it’s not a dough that requires yeast, that would increase my chances of failure. My husband is not a huge pumpkin fan and if I can impress him with these I will consider this a success.
Details:
The instructions from We Heart Food seemed quite easy.
I finally got to use that little contraption my kids are always asking about, the Pastry Cutter. I don’t bake much so I’ve never used it before. It worked like a charm.
I also got to use the dough hook that came with my KitchenAid mixer. I’ve always been more of a cook than a baker.
The combination of the cinnamon, clove, ginger, and nutmeg was phenomenal.
My dough was rather sticky but I was able to get it rolled out into a 1-inch thick slab by just using my hands. As far as cutting the dough, the directions didn’t seem right or I read them wrong so I created my own way which worked great.
Tips & Tricks Learned:
The frosting: follow the instructions perfectly. You don’t want it too runny because it will slide right off the scones. The second glaze needs to be a little thicker than the first for a reason…it blends all together if it’s not.
Pros:
Really easy and beyond delicious!!
Cons:
Me and confection sugar glaze have had a battle with each other since my elementary school days, but I FINALLY got it right this time!
Conclusion:
These are definitely a winner! My husband came downstairs asking what smelled so awesome. When I told him they were “pumpkin” scones he looked a little bit disappointed. That was until he ate one. He too exclaimed, “Oh My God!” followed by an obscene word and an “awesome!”
The kids had them for breakfast this morning and couldn’t believe I really made them. I’m taking the compliments as a success. Now I need to go see if they left me any.
Reviewer #3 - Maren
Mission: After laughing hysterically reading the post by Chris and Lisa of We Heart Food, I was pumped to make these scones! I have a scone recipe that is my old standby, but am always looking for tasty new flavors like pumpkin! Mmmm!
Details:
I super stuck with the program on this recipe. I even leveled off my cups and spoons with the back of a knife!
I used a really handy trick for the drizzled icing. Pour your icing into a baggie and snip off a teensy bit of the corner! Instant pastry bag!
Tips & Tricks Learned:
The next time I make these, I think that I’ll try using my Pastry Cutter and Hamilton Beach Hand Mixer
which I LOVE! I would just like to see the difference in texture.
I floured the crap out of this dough, as it was a little sticky to roll out while still being able to pick them up to place on the baking sheet. The texture wasn’t negatively affected, and the scones were a perfect, delicate baked consistency when done! A little lighter and fluffier than your average heavy, dense scone, which I liked!
Careful that you don’t go overboard though. There were a couple of scones that had excess flour on them and the first layer of icing didn’t want to adhere to those areas.
Cutting the scones… um, I somehow failed this part of the scone baking process. I just ate the stupid looking ones first. Problem solved!
Pros:
Holy S#!T these ARE amazing! I feel so proud of myself!
I feel like freaking Julia Child, minus the Julia Child voice {said with the Julia Child voice}
The drizzled icing has a strong presence of clove that really emphasizes the pumpkin flavor! It is PERFECT!
Cons:
Apparently cutting 1 rectangle into 12 triangles is too complicated for me.
Conclusion:
I LOVE WTFOMG SCONES!!! I cannot wait for my next chance to make these incredible treats to share! I want to show off this incredible recipe that practically turns me into Martha’s protégé! I also want to eat mass quantities of this treat so I will have to always make double batches… note to self! I just want to shout it to the world!
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Who doesn’t love tomato soup? We discovered a fresh new take on this favorite at More Fruit Please. She has created an enticing recipe for Tomato, Basil and Cheddar Soup that (thanks to a special ingredient) is both creamy and healthy!
Okay, you’ve got our attention!
Please click here to visit More Fruit Please and see the instructions that we followed!
Reviewer #1 - Sheri
Mission: Fall always makes me want to cook. Usually it’s the comfort foods that I really crave. When I saw this recipe it was a MUST. I wanted to try it. I have never made a puree type soup. I pretty much stick to making chicken soup in various ways or making my turkey chili.
Details:
I followed the easy to read recipe from More Fruit Please.
It was truly very simple. Saute some onions and garlic, add two cans of diced tomatoes and some vegetable broth, add the basil and other seasonings, and let it all simmer. Add in the Greek yogurt and some shredded cheddar and puree with an Immersion Blender.
Tips & Tricks Learned:
The big tip I have to offer you…do not ribbon the basil. Chop it very finely or it gets all caught up in the Immersion Blender.
Pros:
It was an easy recipe and the flavors together were fantastic.
Cons:
I personally wasn’t too in love with the texture. I can’t figure it out.
Conclusion:
This soup was really easy and inexpensive to make. It was definitely a more flavorful tomato soup. There was just something about the texture. I don’t know if it was the yogurt or the shredded cheddar. It just wasn’t as creamy as I imagined it was going to be. It still went well with my grilled cheese.
Reviewer #2 - Kristy
Mission: Cold weather brings out my love of soups so I felt this was a perfect recipe to try for the chilly winter months coming ahead! Added bonus, tomato soup is Mike’s favorite!
Details:
I broke out my handy dandy Oster Blender
for this recipe! Ok, I have to admit…I personally haven’t used it for its food processing capabilities, not even for this project. I had my friend, Heather, over for dinner and she used her amazing chef skills to puree!
The soup curdled with the Greek yogurt! Sounds gross, right? I went into a panic, the soup wasn’t looking pretty! Have no fear since once you blend the soup, there will be no more signs that things went array!
Oops, 2 cups of cheese were added! With two cooks in the kitchen something will go wrong, right!
Tips & Tricks Learned:
I have goggled for you why the soup curdled and how to prevent it! From reading, I think it was from adding the yogurt too quickly or maybe because it was too cold, so two options poor the yogurt in slowly or let it sit to room temperature before adding.
Suggestion, a hand held Immersion Blender may be best to prevent a mess as Heather had to blend the soup in batches.
Pros:
Very quick and easy! Yummy!
Cons:
Curdle…ugh, I can’t even handle the word!
Conclusion:
I loved this soup! Mike is my tomato soup connoisseur! He was a fan but commented it was bit too cheesy! Next time, just one cup of cheese! Heather’s comment was that it needed a little tomato paste to give it a bit more tomato flavor…I think less cheese may do the trick!
When you are chilled this winter, this is the perfect soup to warm you up! I paired the soup with grilled chicken and salad…I thought it all looked too yummy to not share!
I would also recommend pairing the soup with a cheesy sourdough grilled cheese for a perfect winter meal!
Reviewer #3 – Sarah
Mission: I absolutely love soup – and tomato soup at that! This recipe sounded easy and didn’t sound like it had an excessive amount of ingredients, which to me is always a good sign. I also had some yummy canned tomatoes from my mom’s Iowa garden that I had been looking to add to a recipe.
Details:
This recipe sounded really straight forward from the get-go and I had many of the ingredients already on-hand, which is a huge plus in my book.
I was able to use up some of my FAGE plain Greek yogurt and had pre-shredded cheddar cheese ready to go in addition to many of the other ingredients.
I sautéed the onions and garlic and continued to follow the recipe as directed. Each step was very straight-forward and easy. The process was simple and quick and came together with ease.
Tips & Tricks Learned:
I used as many ingredients as I had on-hand – one less trip to the grocery store is always awesome in my eyes. Not having to load up my crew to just leave the house is a huge benefit.
I love using fresh summer produce! I was able to use my Mom’s canned Iowa tomatoes as well as fresh basil from my own garden.
Pros:
Super easy to prep and make and had pretty good flavor.
Cons:
Because I used my mom’s canned tomatoes, I think there may have been more natural water already, so I feel I could have skipped adding in the vegetable stock all together as the soup was more watery than I had desired.
I feel the onions and garlic could have been cooked longer to soften them more and bring out more of their flavor before moving on to the next step.
In addition, I stupidly forgot that I have a Magic Bullet,
so I kept the soup “chunky” in style vs. blending it smooth. I love soup with texture, so I was totally fine with that, but my only complaint is that the Greek yogurt did not ever really fully melt/smooth into the soup.
Conclusion:
Super easy recipe and a great way to use some fresh produce! I enjoyed it, but am not sure I’ll be making it again as it just wasn’t my favorite soup ever.
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Stick a Fork In It has done the heavy lifting for us by narrowing down the barrage of crock pot recipes and delivering this one perfect formula for Crockpot Barbecue Chicken!
Generally speaking, “Crock Pot” = easy, and we like that! Let’s see if this carefully curated recipe is all it’s cracked up to be!
Please click here to visit Stick a Fork In It and see the instructions that we followed!
Reviewer #1 - Maren
Mission: Whip up some tasty sandwiches for my family with minimal effort!
Details:
- Since I’m not a huge BBQ connoisseur, I stuck with the recommendation and used Sweet Baby Ray’s Barbecue Sauce
. I needed more guidance on the “1 bottle BBQ sauce.” I narrowly escaped a meltdown in the BBQ aisle when faced with Sweet Baby Ray’s in 400 different varieties and 3 different sizes. After much searching, I finally found the “Original” flavor and decided that the most logical choice would be the mid-sized bottle, which was 28 ounces. I mean, I’m the middle child and I’m perfect, so that must mean something.
- I only checked on it a couple of times, flipping the breasts over and spooning the sauce over the top.
Tips & Tricks Learned:
My most recommended trick for any crock pot recipe is to first spray the crock with Pam Olive Oil Cooking Spray
. Makes clean-up a breeze. Those liners gross me out because they look like shower caps.
The chicken practically shredded itself when I was removing it from the crock pot! I hardly needed to even piece it apart with the fork! I put it in a bowl, and then stirred in some of the extra sauce for more flavor. It was incredible on a bun!
Pros:
Wow! This was ridiculously easy!
Cons:
None!
Conclusion:
This recipe was great, I hardly had to do anything! Who doesn’t love a meal like that? I think that this would be a great item to make for a group, or bring to a party. I imagine that it is highly customizable with the plethora of sauce choices out there. I will definitely be hanging on to this one!
Reviewer #2 - Amanda
Mission: Bust out an easy crock pot recipe to please any crowd!
Details:
I ended up making a few small changes.
- I did use Sweet Baby Ray’s Barbecue Sauce but opted for chicken drummies instead of breasts (it is all I had on hand).
- I cooked them for 5 hours (hour 4 with the cover off and on high in hopes of thickening the sauce a bit).
- After removing the meat from the pot I still felt like the sauce didn’t coat it well enough and needed to get them a little more crusty so I opted to put them on a foil (Reynolds Non-stick Foil
) lined pan on broil for about 10 minutes or so. This created a nice crust and seemed to secure the sauce to the meat a little better. Downside it also dried my meat out a bit. Bummer.
Tips & Tricks Learned:
Not sure to be honest. It seemed like the pic was not realistic to the end results although the sauce tasted great.
Pros:
Would have been easy had it turned out how it looked in the blog post from Stick a Fork in it.
Cons:
Wasn’t what I was hoping for. The sauce was definitely too runny.
Conclusion:
Maybe if I had used less sauce and also chicken breast this may have turned out differently? Not sure I will make it again although I feel like this COULD be a good method. Might have to stick to the grill for now…
Reviewer #3 - Janet
Mission: Make an easy meal in the crock pot!
Details:
Tips & Tricks Learned:
The chicken breasts can be thrown in before being thawed. This made it much cleaner and easier to put together.
The recipe is pretty basic, so if you are looking to use some spices up or like I did, use apple cider vinegar instead of white vinegar (because its been sitting in the cupboard for months!! It doesn’t go bad, right??), this recipe is flexible enough to do so.
Pros:
Perfect for a family meal and for people who live alone.
The leftovers could be shredded to make BBQ sandwiches.
So easy, a caveman could do it
Cons:
None that I know of.
Conclusion:
This is a recipe that works for my lifestyle because it is so easy, doesn’t make much mess, and gives me leftovers for my work lunch for the rest of the week. This recipe isn’t made to show off your culinary skills, so it probably is best to serve your family when you are short on time. Overall a decent crock pot recipe.
Reviewer #4 - Kristy
Mission: I am from the South, of course I love barbeque so I had to try this recipe! Then to top it all off, it’s in a crock-pot…easy cooking, just my style!
Details:
- 6 ingredients: chicken breasts, BBQ sauce, vinegar, red pepper flakes, brown sugar and garlic powder.
- I only had 4 chicken breasts so I only used about ¾ of the Sweet Baby Ray’s Barbecue Sauce which is Mike’s favorite!
- I didn’t have brown sugar on hand so I substituted for ¼ cup honey instead.
Tips & Tricks Learned:
Use the plastic disposable crock pot liners…they are amazing when it’s clean up time. Reynolds Slow Cooker Liners are my favorite. I unfortunately, was out and had to soak the pot for 2 days and scrubbed for what seemed like endless hours. Not worth the aggravation.
Don’t overcook. I had left my crock pot on low for 6 hours and I think because I had less chicken…mine came out a little on the dry side. Be sure to check along the way so the chicken is just as you would like it.
Pros:
Easy and delicious! Just throw everything in the crock pot and forget about it!
Cons:
Cleaning the crock pot is not fun.
Conclusion:
Great recipe, Mike loved it! I still prefer BBQ chicken on the grill…especially my dad’s but this is great when you are on a time pinch! Perfect for topping a salad when you have leftovers!
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Mexican food, check. Avocado, check. What’s not enticing about Spicy Avocado Chicken Enchiladas? The Novice Chef shares her Cinco de Mayo recipe featuring that green goodie, avocado, chicken and salsa verde.
Please click here to visit The Novice Chef and see the recipe that we followed!
Reviewer #1 - Sheri
Mission: When I first saw this Pinned on Pinterest all I could say was YUM, YUM, YUM!
Not only am I an avocado lover but I love making enchiladas for my husband and I. I had never seen a recipe like this before. No traditional red enchilada sauce? I immediately struck the Pin and went to the site, The Novice Chef.
Seeing I recently got my husband to start eating avocados I was excited to share this with him. I even called my parents and suggested I go on over and make them for us all.
Details:
I would like to thank The Novice Chef for not using the word “roux” in the recipe even though I was tossing butter and flour into a pan. If you want to know what that’s all about go read my bio.
I started with making the sauce. It’s pretty simple. Butter, garlic, serrano pepper (which I had to substitute with cubanelle), chicken stock, cumin, cilantro, and sour cream. Adding the sour cream to hot chicken stock kind of turned my stomach a bit but all the ingredients coming together smelled amazing.
After finishing the sauce I started my enchilada assembly line and stuffed and rolled those babies.
I poured the remaining sauce over the enchiladas and hoped for the best. After all I was feeding my parents…my dad can be quite the critic when it comes to new things.
Tips & Tricks Learned:
I baked the chicken breasts ahead of time and let them cool a bit. No need to burn the fingers.
Pros:
Super yummy and filling. Not too difficult to do.
Cons:
I’m not a fan of cilantro. It wasn’t over powering, but I would leave it out next time.
Conclusion:
These were delicious, but I have a few suggestions. When I make “my” enchiladas I always add black beans. They add to the flavor and texture. So I would definitely add them the next time I make this recipe.
A suggestion from my husband and my father: hot sauce! They added a little bit of hot sauce and said it “blended the flavors together.” Just the right kick.
I was glad everyone enjoyed them. I will never again use enchilada sauce out of a can.
Reviewer #2 – Sarah
Mission: To try out a new recipe on my family that sounded quick, easy and delicious! We LOVE Mexican food, so was really hoping for a delicious meal that I can make again.
Details:
With this recipe, I changed just a few of the key ingredients based on what I already had on-hand and wanted to tame the heat a bit since we have two young kiddos to feed as well.
- I substituted the Serrano pepper for a pablano pepper, used up the Manchango and sharp cheddar cheese I already had on-hand.
- For the salsa, I used my favorite Jack’s Special Medium Garden Salsa from Costco. Delish!
- In addition, my husband and kids aren’t fans of avocado, so I ended up only using half of one within four of the enchiladas and then made four without.
Tips & Tricks Learned:
I prepped all of my ingredients earlier in the day during my kiddos nap time – it made the actual “make” time very easy. For my family, we made half of the enchiladas without any avocado and half with.
Pros:
Super easy to make and really tasty!
It was a hit with my husband, even though my kids didn’t seem as keen on it.
Also made enough for left overs which made lunch the next day great
Cons:
Uses some ingredients that may take a special trip to the store.
Conclusion:
Definitely plan to make again – would be a wonderful dish to make for a quick dinner with friends!
Reviewer #3 - Maren
Mission: I could eat Mexican food every damn day, so I was excited to see a variation like this one by The Novice Chef!
We are currently shacking up with my in-laws, so I was hoping to make something both full of new flavors and that everyone would like.
Details:
- In wall of salsa at my grocery store, I only saw a couple in “Salsa Verde” form. I picked Guy Fieri’s Mean & Green Salsa Verde
solely because I love him… and the packaging was cooler.
- My mother-in-law doesn’t like spicy food or avocados; so I only used 2 avocados, and fortunately my Salsa Verde was already ”Medium” as recommended by The Novice Chef.
- I couldn’t find “Cabot Monterrey Jack” cheese or figure out what the hell it was, so I just used regular Monterey Jack. (I later learned that this is just a brand. Oh. Smart moment.
- I actually made my chicken a couple of months ago – it’s Chocolate Therapy’s Crockpot Chicken Taco’s recipe! Easiest thing ever, and absolutely perfect in any mexican dish! Makes a boat-load if it’s just you and your honey, like us – so be sure to take advantage and freeze it in smaller portions!
- I also ended up adding twice the amount of cheese in an attempt to win over my taste testers.
Tips & Tricks Learned:
My cilantro was also frozen… I wouldn’t do that again. It tasted fine but was mushy and really grossed me out when I was adding it to the sauce.
I wouldn’t add the flour until after the chicken broth. Instant blob. Thankfully, I was able to break it up while the broth and spices melded. Phew!
Always wear gloves while cutting peppers. Always. That is, unless you like the feeling of your eyeballs bursting into flames when you take your contacts out 4 hours later.
Pros:
These were great! Everyone loved them! We were so excited to wolf these things down, I barely got a photo before they were gone!
The salsa verde had a strong “smokey” smell, which scared me, but the flavor was great.
They weren’t too spicy, and the avocado simply added a creamy texture and milder flavor – my [anti-spicy/anti-avocado] mother-in-law went back for seconds! She thought they had a nice “Zing.” My father-in-law however, thought they had “No zing.”
Cons:
I could have used a little more spice, but I liked the salsa that I used. Next time I’ll add another serrano pepper!
Conclusion:
Everyone loved these enchiladas, regardless of whether they thought they were spicy or not! They certainly had a unique flavor which was a nice way to switch up your “Taco Night”. I felt like I was eating something that I had ordered from a restaurant!
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Please click here to visit Skinnytaste.com to see the recipe that we followed!
Reviewer #1 – Sarah
Mission: Make a healthy, delicious dinner for my family.
Details:
- Flank steak
- Tomatoes
- Onions
- Basil
- Olive Oil
- Balsamic
- Salt and pepper
Tips & Tricks Learned:
A little side of homemade mashed potatoes and some grilled baguette bread are great additions!
Pros:
Easy preparation!
Looks gourmet and tasted like something you would order at a restaurant.
Cons:
I honestly don’t have any cons for this dish. It was truly great!
Conclusion:
This was such an easy dinner to prepare, it looked gourmet and tasted AMAZING! Plus, the cost for this meal was very doable for our family of four. It was right around $20. And I even got to use some goodies from our vegetable garden, which is a win-win!
I will definitely be making this again – it has been added to the recipe box and my husband enjoyed it I would highly recommend this for anyone!!
Reviewer #2 - Kristy
Mission: I knew Mike and I would love this meal…grilling is one of our favorite methods of cooking. I must be honest I am not the griller but for this recipe I decided to learn! Since we have an electric grill, it was easy to get fired up and ready for grilling.
Easy enough to get started and very few ingredients equals perfect recipe for me.
Details:
- The ingredients, all fresh which is the best way to cook! I have learned its best to have everything you need ready to go for efficiency and to not forget ingredients. It was also time to fire up the grill at this time.
- Instead of flank steak, I substituted with a skirt steak. I couldn’t find the flank steak in the beef section. Piercing the steak with the fork was an easy task. I seasoned first and I am thinking you should potentially do the piercing first so the seasoning can seep into the meat.
- Next, I headed to the grill. I fear eating meat that is still alive so I was hoping when I took it off it was going to be cooked and not still mooing. Once I took the steak off the grill, the bloody juices ran across my white platter so I made a judgment call to put the steak back on the grill for a few more minutes.
- The tomato salsa needs to be made prior to the grilling so you give it time to marinate. It’s simple with just chopping, pouring and mixing.
- After letting the steak rest, just dump the salsa on top and viola! Looks tasty and smells great! (Notice, my picture was taken after I started eating…I almost forget to take a picture! It was that good that you would have done the same!)
Tips & Tricks Learned:
Let the meat rest, holds in the juices! Simple and fresh ingredients can make some of the best dishes.
Save one day a week for chopping so when you are rushed for time, you can quickly put together dishes such as this on even the busiest of days. Sundays or Mondays are my chosen days.
Pros:
It was simple to follow and allowed me to learn to grill! I started making the tomato salsa as my lunch salads for the week.
Cons:
None!
Conclusion:
I can’t wait to make it again. I love to eat fresh ingrediants and have easy meals to put together. This recipe is for keeps!
Reviewer #3 - Maren
Mission: To grill up a delicious and healthy dinner that shouldn’t wipe me out before even getting to eat it!
Details:
- I always forget something! This time it was the red onion, so I substituted for some diced shallots that I had in the freezer – they worked perfectly!
- Our local butcher was out of flank steak, and we had also planned on halving the recipe – so we used two small tenderloins instead.
Tips & Tricks Learned:
We experienced a torrential down pour with about 5 minutes left to go on the grill! The steaks were way too rare, so I wrapped the plate in foil for the 5 minutes and they turned out perfectly!
The tomato topping is exactly what you would pair with a bruschetta! Since we halved the steak part, and then forgot to halve the tomato part, we ate up the remaining topping on some sliced baguettes – delish!
Pros:
This was a super easy dinner to make – even weeknight worthy!
Cons:
My mom and husband were in LOVE with the tenderloin that we got – my husband almost fell out of his chair when I said that I had only seasoned it with garlic salt, salt & pepper. They both felt like the tomatoes overpowered the flavor of the meat. I however, am not as big of a meat fan as they are and felt like the tomatoes were the perfect match for our steak!
Conclusion:
We really enjoyed this easy meal! My husband and I also really enjoyed the tomatoes on their own, and with a bit of bruschetta! This is great any night of the week, and also for summer, when you can grow the produce right in your garden or pick up at the farmers market!
It was so quick and versatile that I will most definitely put it on our list of recipes to make when we not only have company, but entertain lots of friends!
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Always on the hunt for meals that the whole family will love, The Crafty Collaborative just had to try it out!
Please click here to visit Six Sisters’ Stuff and check out the recipe that we followed!
Reviewer #1 – Sarah
Mission: To make a delicious dinner while trying to replicate the tasty P.F. Chang’s Mongolian beef.
Details:
- Tasty ingredients
- Sauté pan
- Wok
- Oil
- Messy kitchen (during the cooking!)
Tips & Tricks Learned:
I replaced cornstarch with flour – at 2 T. flour to 1 T. cornstarch. It worked fairly well, but seemed to be a bit thicker than cornstarch would have been.
In addition, we love sautéed vegetables and I always have fresh veggies on-hand, so we made a mix of bell peppers and radishes as a side to this tasty entre.
Pros:
Easy to make – even for those faint of heart in the kitchen.
Relatively inexpensive for a family of four – cost under $25.00 total.
Cons:
Required a few ingredients that some may not have on hand – i.e. fresh ginger. But, such a key ingredient!
Conclusion:
This dinner turned out fabulous! It was a fairly easy process for preparing and cooking and was easy to pair with sautéed vegetables. My hubby LOVED this dinner. The sauce was spectacular! I’m so excited that we have leftovers! I plan to make this again for sure!!!
Reviewer #2 - Amanda
Mission: The goal was to test the theory that this dish is a good as the one served at P.F. Chang’s Mongolian Beef.
Details:
- I decided to use pork loin instead of beef (in my kitchen – I am the cook and since I don’t “do” beef no one I am serving does either)
- I only used half the amount of oil required to cook the meat (1/2 cup)
- I also doubled the sauce recipe in part because I am lazy and I also hate wasting fresh ingredients like ginger and garlic
- I did not put the dish in the oven to warm through after adding the sauce and green onions. Instead I warmed the entire dish in the pan I cooked the meat in (I poured out the oil and wiped the pan out first).
Tips & Tricks Learned:
It is no joke that the garlic and ginger will burn brown VERY quickly if you don’t have the liquids ready to toss into the pan within seconds of putting the garlic and ginger into the oil. Also, dredge or coat the meat in small portions otherwise all your meat sticks together. Don’t cut the meat too thin either. I started with a serrated knife because I thought my other knives would be too dull. It caused the initial pieces to be far too small.
Pros:
The sauce was really simple and it will be great to have it for yet another meal since I doubled it. The meat got nice and crispy which added dimension to the dish.
Cons:
My children didn’t like it but that isn’t saying much since they are kids after all with unrefined pallets.
Conclusion:
This dish was fairly simple and REALLY delish! I think it could actually be great on chicken and even shrimp.
Reviewer #3 - Kristy
Mission: I love Beef and PF Chang’s so this was a perfect recipe for me. I try my best to eat Paleo friendly/gluten free when I can so I substituted and changed the recipe to better fit! I found PF Chang’s complimentary recipe for Gluten Free Mongolian Beef so I went for it. Both recipes seemed easy to follow just a few changes to meet my dietary needs.
Details:
- Instead of flank steak, I used 12 oz of beef tenderloin, which cut quite nicely and tasted even better.
- I browned my meat in sunflower seed oil instead of vegetable oil from original version. Gluten free version called for soy bean oil…which I didn’t have so I used what I had.
- I tossed in garlic with the beef then the soy, wine, sugar mixture. Now here is where I may have gone wrong, I assumed rice wine vinegar and not rice wine. I am still not sure if that was a correct assumption.
- I also used 2 tbsp. regular sugar instead of brown sugar, I wish I would have eliminated all together.
- I used a natural soy sauce alternative instead of regular soy sauce.
- The mixture was then reduced and tossed with green onions. Looked delicious but some of the changes must have affected the outcome.
Tips & Tricks Learned:
Be sure your phone is camera and not record, ha!
Better meat equals a better dish!
Pros:
It was really easy! Simple steps so not many to mess up! It’s my kind of cooking…cut, mix and throw in the pot.
Cons:
Sugar, I wasn’t sure if the gluten version wanted brown sugar or regular sugar, next time I should call PF Changs!
Conclusion:
Overall, the recipe was very tasty, the beef was surprisingly tender. My finance found it was too salty. I think this was because of the soy sauce. I eyeballed it and I think I will measure next time.
We definitely, had different taste buds, I thought it was too sweet, so I would definitely eliminate the sugar next time or I think using a teaspoon of honey would have definitely been better than using sugar.
I will be making this again, it was really easy and fun to make!
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Our mouths were watering just thinking about this delicious snack!
Please click here to visit Six Sisters’ Stuff and see the recipe that we followed!
Reviewer #1 - Maren
Mission: I love Chili’s Salsa! These instructions were super easy to follow. I feel confident that even “College Maren” could have handled this recipe! I did refer to the forwarding blog, Six Sisters’ Stuff, for more specific info on the jalapeno situation.
Details:
- I wasn’t paying attention to the recipe and did not drain the tomatoes – ooops! I think that this actually made the consistency looser though, which is what I was hoping for. For my jalapenos, I used a full [4 oz] can of Ortega Japapenos, lightly drained.
- The lime juice that I added was frozen ahead of time thanks to a pin that I saw on Pinterest! That trick is great if you like to cook with lime juice, or add it to your drinks! I actually used onion that I had chopped and froze a week or two earlier too. I’m just discovering the miracle of “freezing.”
Tips & Tricks Learned:
The most important lesson learned from this experience, the ingredients absolutely DO NOT FIT into a Cuisinart Mini Prep. I was too lazy to get out my full sized Cuisinart, and that was clearly the incorrect choice.
After my salsa explosion, I scooped out [and off the counter] half of the overflowing salsa and continued in half batches until I got a smooth, pureed consistency. I then reflected upon how things would have gone differently had I just gotten out the G. D. Cuisinart.
Pros:
SUPER Easy and delicious! Had some serious kick, but wasn’t too hot. Works well in recipes and on it’s own.
Cons:
Requires a blender or food processor, both of which are heavy and in hard-to-get-at locations in my kitchen and therefore never get used.
Conclusion:
This salsa was ridiculously easy to make! I fed it to my salsa-loving husband and he said, “It tastes like chili. It’s good.” Translation, “I taste the cumin. I like it.”
Don’t be scared by his comment! We partake in a chili cook-off with our college friends each fall. In an overly competitive panic to submit the BEST chili, it is not uncommon for me to make several different kinds in the month preceding the event and feed them to my husband until he can hardly stand hearing the word “chili.” Therefore, as we approach our fourth year, my husband has eaten more cumin…I mean chili, than the average Joe. I didn’t think that it was overly cumin-y at all.
Since it’s just my honey and me in our home, I froze half of the salsa for another day! Thawed it out and used it to make some chicken – it was great! I also like knowing that there isn’t any weird shit in it that I don’t know about. Love this salsa!
Reviewer #2 - Sheri
Mission: I’ve spent many wonderful evenings catching up with girlfriends over a bowl of chips, Chili’s Salsa, and iced-cold Coronas. Now we all have kids and our get togethers are rare occasions. How great would it be to invite the girls over for some Copycat Chili’s salsa and chat time?
I referred to the Six Sisters’ Stuff blog for a copycat recipe, and it looked surprisingly easy.
Details:
I was at first a little saddened that there would be very limited chopping or dicing, and no fresh ingredients, but then again the recipe was SUPER easy and I had an entire batch of salsa done and to the table in five minutes. You literally just put the ingredients into a blender or food processor and press the button. It’s ridiculously simple.
I chose to use the blender because my food processor is too small. I tossed in the whole tomatoes, canned jalapenos, and onion. I added the salt, sugar, cumin, and lime juice then just hit the button briefly. DONE.
Tips & Tricks Learned:
1.) Wash your hands immediately after touching jalapenos. Do. Not. Touch. Your. Eyes!
2.) A blender might not be the right choice. Complete puree. You would have thought I used tomato sauce instead of whole tomatoes.
Pros:
This can be put together so fast! So, so fast. You can have this all done and cleaned up in a matter of ten minutes. The flavor is pretty darn close to Chili’s salsa.
Cons:
It is definitely on the soupy puree side, and I prefer a chunky salsa. I don’t recall Chili’s salsa being so soup like.
Conclusion:
If you can use a can-opener and press a button YOU can make this salsa. I personally thought there was a little more cumin than I remember Chili’s salsa tasting like. I would adjust that a bit next time. I also don’t remember Chili’s salsa being so soupy, but that was most likely my mistake for using the blender. I’ll just have to add some ice and vodka and have a spicy bloody mary instead.
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