Experimenting in the Kitchen Along

[jexxican]

I tried the chimichanga recipe that was posted and my husband said it was definitely a keeper, best review I've had lately. Yay! Of course, anything made with green chilis in this household is assumed a keeper already, no question there. Mmmm green chili...

Also, I know it's not an interest experiment, but I tried a recipe from a cookbook today that I've wanted to try for a while. It's Duxelles Stuffed Turkey Breast from the French Slow Cooker and oh geez, G really liked that one too. I totally recommend finding it and trying it.
ETA: Link to turkey breast recipe

[hgddm]

Yum green chili is right!!

I made Bang Bang Cauliflower for dinner tonight. I followed the recipe as is, but the only difference was that I couldn't find the Frank's Red Hot Sweet Chili sauce! I think that might have made a difference in the spiciness of the sauce...it tasted good, but wasn't as spicy as I was expecting.



Trader Joe's has this delicious Firecracker Shrimp that I was hoping this would taste like, but it didn't quite do it for me. Overall this was good, but I don't think I'd make it again. It just didn't have that wow factor for me. I'm also realizing how much fried food I eat......

[hgddm]

It would probably help if I had a real rolling pin instead of using a wine bottle, too

That mental image made me chuckle... but was it a full wine bottle or did you have to empty it?

Tee hee...It's an empty one I keep just for that purpose. However I do have some full ones that I would enjoy emptying out...

[alwaysinmyroom]

I love your reviews of the recipes you guys are trying!  I rarely cook because I don't have the time or energy or interest to try recipes unless they come from people I know who have given good reviews!

I definitely want to try the garbonzo bean salad and the chili with soyrizo!  The carrot rice salad also looks yummy.

[patty_o_furniture]

Crepes

1 1/2 cups flour
1 TBSP sugar
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 cups milk
2 eggs
1/2 tsp vanilla
2 TBSP butter, melted
toppings and fillings

Mix dry ingredients.  Stir in remaining ingredients.  Beat until smooth.  Heat pan as you would for pancakes.  For each crepe, pour scant 1/4 cup of the batter into skillet.  Immediately rotate skillet until thin film covers bottom.  Cook until light brown.  Turn with a spatula and cook other side until light brown.  Spread some of your favorite jelly or fresh fruit on each crepe.  Roll and top with whipped topping.  Makes 12 crepes.




Mixed everything right in the blender.  Worked well.  Took a long time to make all the crepes, so this isn't something you'd want to do while everyone is waiting at the table.  They stack well, so just make them all one by one and then call everyone for the meal.  They can microwave them if needed, but we didn't and it was fine.  My favorite combination is homemade applesauce center, with whipped cream and sprinkled cinnamon.  Girls had whipped cream and chocolate chips with chocolate sauce drizzle.  DH had nutella and whipped cream with chocolate mint chips.  All thought it was a great fancy meal and I will make these again, but when I have a good amount of time to make them before hand.  Good enough to make for company.  We ate them more like dessert but you could have non sweet combinations as well, eggs and bacon maybe? thick stew?  Use your imagination.

[hgddm]

Mmmm the crepes with whipped cream look fantastic!

Tonight I made this Cucumber Salad in a Tomato Cup and it was delish!



It was especially delish with Cheezits on the side. I followed the recipe except for the chicken (decided just to use veggies) and switched the dill with cilantro, because the dill was crazy expensive!! The recipe is good as written because you can tailor it to your tastes...although if you're a strictly-by-the-measurements person, it might be a bit frustrating

I took my second grocery shopping trip today with my new weekly meal plan and grocery list and it's going great so far! I have 6 new recipes lined up for this week and based on what I spent, each meal adds up to about $2.50. Making a grocery list and sticking to it has been really great for my budget, and I am pushing myself to cook more.

[Smeddley]

I have two recipes to report on, but, alas, no pictures. I will try to give you a good mental image (aaaaand that will show you why there are no pictures....)

1. Cola Chicken
The recipe calls for 1 can of soda and 1 cup of ketchup over 6 chicken breasts, and to cook it on the stovetop. I halved it, and used chicken thighs (we like them more), and cooked it in the oven.  It was... fine. Edible, certainly, but it just tasted like chicken with a thin faux barbeque sauce.  Not a lot of flavor, and if I'd used breasts and cooked it in a pan I have a feeling it would have been very dry.  And it looked like... chicken with some vaguely gelatinous red lumpy stuff on it.  Probably will never make again - there are too many yummy chicken recipes out there!

2. Corn Casserole
This recipe calls for 1 can corn, 1 can creamed corn, 1 can mexi-corn, 1 package jiffy cornbread mix, 2 eggs, and 1 C cheddar cheese (grated). You mix it all together and put it in a 9x13 pan, sprinkle more cheddar cheese on the top (I left this off) and bake at 350 for about 30 minutes.  And then you end up with a vaguely cornbread substance with chunky bits. It doesn't taste bad, but it really doesn't look appealing. I'd only recommend it if you're a huge fan of corn. Otherwise, that are so many other great things to do with cornbread (mmmm, jalapeno corn bread!) that I doubt I'll ever make this again.

2 down, 48 to go for the year!

[plaidpineapple]

Just saw this craftalong. "Do you have a Pinterest board full of recipes you've never tried?"--this is so me!  It will be great to hear other peoples input on the recipes.  Going to find one to try in the next couple of days.
I tried this recipe a couple of weeks ago.  It was Delicious!  One of my favorites taste-wise.  The downside was that it took a long time to make.  Between cooking the sauce then dipping chicken in the crispy batter, then frying it..It took a long time.  But if you enjoy the process of cooking it is a winner.  ( I don't have the patience for long process cooking).  Next time I cook it I will make double batches of the sauce so I can feeze one and at least save time down the road for that step. 

Better than takeout Orange chicken.  http://thenoshery.com/2010/03/19/better-than-takeout-orange-chicken/

[cinnamon teal]

Last night I made a Potato and Leek Tart.



It was crazy delicious! And oh so rich and probably terrible for you. It's full of butter and cream and 2 kinds of cheese. I will definitely make it again but not very often. I think it would be awesome made in mini quiche shells and served as an appetizer. 

[hgddm]

nummy nummy! did Caleb McFluffypants get to eat any?