Italian Sausage with Peppers, Onion and Potatoes

Total Time: 37 minutes

Grade: B

Make Again: No

Recipe Source: Best 30-Minute Recipes

This was fine, but I didn't love the potatoes in it, so I would probably just stick with the Hoagie version next time which is a little bit easier.

I used less sausage then recipe called for and I would have preferred more.

Mediterranean Tuna Noodle Casserole

Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 15 - 20 minutes

Grade: A-

Make Again: Maybe

Recipe Source: Everyday Food (October 2007)

This was a nice variation on a Tuna Noodle casserole. I don't love mushrooms, so I liked having other things to put in it. If I make again, I definitely want to use more red pepper. I could probably skip the artichokes too, since I didn't really taste them, and they were expensive. I used a little less olive oil than called for.

Chicken Tikka Masala

Prep Time: 35 minutes
Cook Time: 20-25 minutes

Grade: A

Make Again: Yes

Recipe Source: Cook's Illustrated (October 2008)

This was delicious and fairly easy. I did find that it had too much sauce though, which is a common thing for me. So, I saved half of it and froze it, and cooked only 3 chicken breasts, since that it a common size for me to get. Then I was able to make this twice. The frozen sauce tasted just fine to me and still spicy and good.

The first time I had trouble getting the chicken cooked in a timely manner, and I decided my pan was not close enough to the burner. The 2nd time it was. But, then it caught on fire! Luckily, I stayed calm while seeing this big flames in my oven, and got some baking soda and was able to put it out and not wreck the chicken - phew! I didn't want to waste any of the deliciousness of this recipe.

The biggest pain is cleaning the wire rack afterwards. I am going to try to grill these next time, because an easy recipe becomes a pain when you have this to clean.

30-Minute Black Bean Soup

Prep Time:25 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes

Grade: B

Make Again: Probably not

Recipe Source: Best 30-Minute Recipes

This was fine, but I didn't love it as much as the long cooking version. Since the long version is not hard, it just takes time, I don't mind doing that one, and will probably stick to that recipe instead. Especially because it freezes so well, that I can have the leftovers when I need a quick meal.

Potato and Sausage Breakfast Popover Casserole

Prep Time: 35 minutes
Cook Time: 25-30 minutes
Cool Time: 5 minutes

Grade: B+/A-

Make Again: Maybe

Recipe Source: Cook's Country (December 2006)


This tasted good, but was not really what I expected. The word "popover" in the title led me to believe that the dough would be more popover-like and it wasn't. It was more biscuit-like. I might make this for company, but it does involve some work, so I would probably be more likely to do a strata type recipe instead.

Italian Sausage, Pepper and Onion Hoagie

Total Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: minutes

Grade: A

Make Again: Yes

Recipe Source: Best 30-Minute Recipes

This was quick and easy. AND there was time to clean up during final cooking, which I really like. I did spend more time browning the sausage than recommended, otherwise it might have been even quicker.

Joe Froggers

Prep Time: 18 minutes
Chill Time: 8 hours
Assemble Time: ???
Bake Time: 8 minutes
Cool Time: 10 minutes

Grade: B

Make Again: Maybe

Recipe Source: Cook's Country (February 2007)

This was almost a disaster, but I managed to save the recipe. This is a VERY moist dough, and needed to be rolled out. I don't love rolling and I don't love working with sticky doughs, so this was tough. You are supposed to make 3 1/2" circles. When I tried to put on cookie sheet, they mushed up and/or tore. They looked horrible. I didn't cut out anymore until I tasted the first batch, because I didn't want to waste my time.

They tasted OK, but I did not love them. I thought they could use some more sugar. So I went with the molasses cookie method and used my oxo scoop and dropped the balls of dough in granulated sugar, and shook it so it got covered. This allowed me to handle the dough without it sticking. I rolled it into a ball and flattened with a glass.

These cookies were great. Very much like a molasses cookie, but a slightly different taste because of the rum.

I'm not sure if I will make again, or if I would just make regular molasses cookies. If I do, I'll skip the recipes method and use my own. I did prefer the cookies with that little bit of extra sugar on them. I felt like I tasted the other flavors even more with the sugar.

Low Fat Thick and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 18 minutes

Grade: B-

Make Again: No

Recipe Source: Cook's Country (August 2006)

These tasted OK, but didn't look great, and were hard to put together. There just wasn't enough moisture in the batter. And they were a lot more work than regular cookies. They are not bad enough to throw away, and I have eaten them, but they are not worth making again, in my opinion.

Moroccan-Style Chickpea Soup

Total Time: 26 minutes

Grade: A

Make Again: Yes

Recipe Source: Best 30-Minute Recipes

This was very delicious and super quick. The one thing I would change is to skip brining some ingredients to a boil in a separate saucepan. I believe it would be just fine to have this recipe take a few minutes longer than 30 minutes, and have one less pot to clean.

I used very old saffron, so I wonder if it could just do without. I wondered about the ground ginger in it, but it all tasted very good and I will probably make this again for a quick and healthy dinner.

15 Minute Fudge

Prep Time: 17 minutes
Cool Time: 2 hours

Grade: B

Make Again: No

Recipe Source: Cook's Illustrated (May 2007)

This is a good recipe, but I just don't love fudge. And I don't like nuts in chocolate much, so I skipped the walnuts, which I was warned not to do. They say it affects the texture, and I can see that this is probably true.

Skillet Sopa Seca

Total Time: 30 minutes

Grade: A

Make Again: Yes

Recipe Source: Best 30-Minute Recipes

This is good and similar to a Cover & Bake recipe for Sopa Seca that I reviewed earlier, although is finished a little faster. In a way prefer being able to finish in the oven, but this one is done faster.

I MUST REMEMEBER to stop using my skillet and use my Dutch oven instead. I am having a lot of trouble with these 30-minute skillet suppers fitting in my pan and it is making cooking a little bit stressful and messy. I am using the asked for 12", but perhaps mine is a bit small.

I used half the amount of called for chorizo, because that was all I had, and I think I would always do it this way, because the chorizo has a strong flavor. I used the cured kind, not the crumbly kind that is easier to find at the store.

I also substituted cheddar for the jack cheese, and kindney beans for the black beans because that was what I had on hand. It was a clean out the fridge and pantry dish for me today.

Skillet Strata with Cheddar and Broccoli

Total Time: 35-40minutes

Grade: A

Make Again: Yes

Recipe Source: Best 30-Minute Recipes

This recipe works great with any bits of veggies and cheese that you have. I use it all the time to use up leftovers. Sausage and ham work well in here too.

I adjusted the main 30-Minute Skillet Strata recipe to use broccoli. I want to have a vegetable serving in it when I make this, which I think will be frequently, because it is delicious and fairly easy. So, it took me a little longer than 30 minutes, because of prepping and blanching the broccoli. I think it is important to dry the broccoli after blanching because there was a little extra liquid.

Also, I need to get my oven preheated before I even start, because it takes so long to preheat. I never got it up to 425, and it took much longer to cook. I used less butter in my version and I don't think it suffers from it.

I used 3 slices of wide pan bread, which worked better than the 5 called for. I had trouble last time fitting it all in.

So here is my version:

Skillet Strata with Cheddar and Broccoli
Serves 4

1 large bunch of broccoli, cut florets off into small pieces
2 T. unsalted butter.
1 small onion minced
salt
ground pepper
6 large eggs
1 1/2 c. milk (whole is best tasting, but skim works too)
1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme (or 1/2 t. dried)
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
3 slices high-quality sandwich bread, cut into 1-inch squares (or 4-5 slices, if using smaller bread)

Prep ingredients first, because you will be doing several things at once.

1. Preheat oven to 425, and adjust rack to middle position.

2. Melt butter in 10" ovensafe nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, swirling to coat. Add onion and 1/2 teaspoon of salt. If using dried thyme add now. Cook until onion softened about 6 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, bring an inch of water to a boil in a saucepan. Add broccoli, and cook for 1 minute until bright green (but not completely tender). Drain and lay on some paper towels to absorb extra water. Pat tops dry.

4. Meanwhile, whisk eggs, milk, fresh thyme and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper in large bowl. Stir in cheese.

5. Toast bread by carefully folding into skillet with onions until evenly coated. Cook until lightly toasted, 3-4 minutes.

6. Add eggs to skillet, and fold together until slightly thickened and bread is soaking up eggs.

7. Finish in oven until puffed and edges pull away from sides, about 12 minutes.

Serve right away.

Corned Beef Hash

Total Time: 32 minutes

Grade: A

Make Again: Yes

Recipe Source: Best 30-Minute Recipes

I had a tiny bit of trouble with the recipe, because the bacon takes longer for me to cook than recipes tell me it should. Perhaps I need to chop it smaller. Also, the "minced" onions it called for started to over-brown. So I will chop the bacan smaller and the onions larger next time.

I haven't had hash in ages, and this was great. I definitely will have it again, if only to use the rest of the bag of the hash browns that I bought.

One Pot Southwestern Chicken and Rice

Prep Time: 21 minutes
Cook Time: 25-30 minutes

Grade: B

Make Again: Maybe

Recipe Source: The America's Test Kitchen Family Cookbook

I prefer cooking boneless chicken breasts because I am squeamish around things with bones, so I don't use these types of recipes very often. But I did have some chicken in the freezer that I wanted to use, so I tried this one. It was pretty simple and it does taste quite good. I'm just not sure I will make again when I have so many chicken recipes to choose from.