Do you read recipes? New recipes push me to expand my culinary collection of recipes and techniques. An email from All Recipes will tempt me to check out their offerings every once in awhile. However, I always read the reviews to see what others think before I commit to trying a new recipe.
I thought I had a winner when I saw Coconut Chicken Stir Fry. The creator of the recipe said, “Creamy coconut milk and chicken kicked up with a strong assortment of spices. Serve over rice or pasta,” made me smack my lips in anticipation. I was envisioning something similar to a dish I get at the Thai restaurant we love. The reviews were glowing. They all said it was wonderful, but maybe you could add more curry. I checked my cabinets and had all the assorted spices the recipe called for. I printed out the recipe and kept it close at hand as I followed each step. It was with a bit of trepidation that I put in two teaspoons of crushed pepper flakes, one teaspoon ground cumin, and half a teaspoon of curry. I decided to omit the pepper, which was to taste (I thought there was enough heat in it already). As I simmered this mixture I took a taste of the sauce hoping for the coconut flavor I loved, but all I tasted was hot. Finally it was time to serve it, crossing my fingers I took my first bite. Disappointing was the only way I could describe it. It was spicy, too spicy and that took away the flavor. I didn’t taste the coconut at all. We finished dinner and the recipe went into the trash. The remainder of the dish went down the disposal. Bummer! This would be a low.
I won’t let one disappointment this week deter me from trying something else this week. I had a recipe for a pizza that intrigued me. Would you consider a pizza with spinach, apples, and blue cheese? Those are the ingredients in the Bistro Apple Pizza. I made the crust, then began the process to create this pizza. My husband commented it smelled good. He was smelling the sauteing garlic and the chopped spinach. In the oven the pizza went. As it baked I wondered if we’d be calling Dominoes or eating a Lean Cuisine for dinner. It smelled great, so I anxiously took the first bite. The verdict: YUM! This recipe went back into the cabinet to be made another day, a cooking high!
elsie tries writing 
Thanks for the recipe. I go by AllRecipes, com and not all are good either in my opinion. This recipe sounds so healthy–love, love spinach and cheese, now apples!!!! Glad I checked back on your posts.
I love that you included a picture of the winning recipe! I enjoy trying new recipes, but I would never be adventurous enough to try that pizza. Those ingredients just don’t sound like they go together…I am amazed that was the good recipe…the other one SOUNDed better. I guess maybe I am missing out if I only hunt for recipes based on the ingredients list.
I wish each of my cooking lows came with a cooking high! I’m getting better, thankfully, but love picking up new recipes and trying them just the same. This pizza sounds yummy! (The coconut curry? Not so much!) 🙂
I think that a bad recipe is a great writing subject! Such a great source of anticipation and potential let down. I ‘m adding this to my writing list of ideas. Man, it’s grown in these eleven days!
I love cooking! This past Saturday I cooked vegan soup for my daughter (who decided to be vegan for lent). I am a good soup maker, but somehow that soup turned terrible!!! I have no idea what happened! well, we still had eggless sweet potato pancakes; they were really good!
I read recipes in magazines and blogs and love cooking shows, but mostly so I can pass them on to my husband, who also doesn’t cook. I’m always hoping he might cook someday–a girl can try. My pinterest cooking board is large, but mostly because the pictures look so good, not because I’ve cooked any of them.
Both recipes sound so good. It is very disappointing when something doesn’t quite go as planned and plan B is pulled to the front of the line.
That pizza looked great. I may need to try it!
Ah, the disappointment of a recipe gone awry. I’m glad you had the perseverance to try again! I’m not much of a blue cheese person but the picture and the description sound pretty tasty. Maybe one day…
I can cook but most of the time I don’t really cook. I just kind of put together things to eat. I like that you are out there experimenting! This just might inspire me.
I enjoy cooking and trying new recipes in the summer, but during the school year it just feels like one more thing I have to do. The joy in your post made me want to cook something though, even with the disappointment you shared in the first half!
I do the same thins…now that I have retired. I was never the ‘cook’ in our family, my dad and sister took that role…but I often check out the All Recipes and also read the reviews. It is fun! My husband will eat anything…I mean anything…and so I have to depend on my own taste to decide if I like it. I loved your “smack my lips in anticipation”….I was doing the same thing reading it…but agreed with you on it sounded like too much hot. Can you tell I enjoyed your post? Jackie
I probably stalk as many educators blogs as I do cooking blogs!
Oh how I can relate!
I loved reading your post, wishing I was still in the cooking as an art, part of my life. But my partner is very conservative, only when it comes to food and yes, I’d like to keep playing but we usually eat together and it’s more an issue of his very sensitive stomach. So…. I live vicariously through you, my friend… love your creations… now we need be able to get tastes thru the wireless wires… right?
Bonnie
You never know until you try, right? Your pizza looks YUM!
So sad about the chicken – I love coconut, too, so I was hoping it would be a winner. The pizza recipe sounded odd – but, looks can be deceiving, I guess! There are so many places to go recipe hunting online – dangerous! Here’s my new favorite: http://smittenkitchen.com/.
I laughed when I read your first line. My sisters and I have always talked about “reading cookbooks”. That’s about as far I get, but I’m planning to pass the pizza recipe along to my son-in-law who cooks more than I do. So glad your second try was a success.
Since I’m not the cook in the family, I stay with the old and safe recipes. But my hubby – the main chef – tries whatever, however, he doesn’t use recipes. If I find something that sounds good, he’ll look the recipe over and then create his own.
Sounds super yummy! I think trying out new recipes is similar to dealing with life… got to try something new to see if you like it or not 🙂
I would totally consider it…I wonder about Dave though…he is not always game for new things. Curry….I’m not such a fan. xo.
I love experimenting in the kitchen too and now I have two teen daughters who are learning what works and what doesn’t. Loved reading your piece – you captured the lows and highs of kitchen adventure!