Family Recipe Testing

Author

Vale C
July 21, 2024

Recipe testing and cooking is really a family matter for me, especially this week. I started the week recipe testing with my mom, and we tried 3 new recipes together:

Later in the week, we had my niece’s baptism, and my sister requested my red velvet cake. Since it is a chocolate-heavy dessert, I wanted to make something fruity for those who might not enjoy a heavy chocolate dessert. So, I made a lemon cake since my dad loves any lemony cake:

To end the week, I made two recipes from Best Recipes from American Country Inns and Bed & Breakfasts: More Than 1,500 Mouthwatering Recipes from 340 of America's Favorite Inns, a cookbook my mom enjoyed cooking from back when I was in the 6th grade. It really has the best raspberry and blueberry muffin recipes. 🫐

Nothing makes me happier than cooking with or for my family. 🥰

Recipes Made So Far This Year:

Goal: To try seven new recipes each week 🗓️, aiming for 365 this year!

 Number of Recipes Made this Week: 8

Number of New Recipes Tested as of 7/14: 252

Weeks Achieving Seven or More New Recipes: 27 out of 28

This Week’s Recipe Test Summary

Impress Someone🌟

My dad was Costco’s lemon cake's biggest fan when I was a kid. So, I wanted to try this highly-rated recipe, and it turns out this cake (loaf) was a hit! My mom gave it a 9.5, and my dad a 10.

Would Make Again 👍

Super easy recipe to make (we baked the asparagus instead of grilled).

Risotto Cremoso con Cilantro y Camarones (Creamy Rissoto with Cilantro & Shrimp) de Carolina Rice (translated below)🍤

My mom loved this recipe. You have to let the food sit for a bit so that the flavors come together. It is really good.

This was the easiest to make. It is a quick, low-ingredient recipe you can make anywhere. It tastes like something your grandma would make and goes great with ice cream. 

Banana, Date & Oat Smoothie from the Ramadan Cookbook🍌

It's a simple recipe and a nice quick treat for any sweet tooth.

Would Not Make Again 👎

These recipes didn’t live up to expectations or weren’t to my taste

Risotto Cremoso con Cilantro y Camarones (Creamy Rissoto with Cilantro & Shrimp) de Carolina Rice

Ingredients

  • 1 ½ cups of uncooked arborio rice

  • 3 cups of water

  • 2 cups of chicken broth

  • 1 cup of heavy cream

  • ¼ cup of cilantro, chopped

  • ⅓ cup of butter or margarine, divided

  • ¾ lb of shrimp, peeled and cleaned

  • ½ cup of chopped onion

  • 1 clove of garlic, chopped

  • 2 medium tomatoes, chopped and seeded

  • ⅓ cup of grated Parmesan cheese

  • ½ cup of chopped green onion

  • ½ teaspoon of ground white pepper

  • ½ teaspoon of salt

  1. Heat the water and broth in a 2-quart saucepan over medium heat until the liquid begins to boil. Reduce heat to low and keep the broth warm.

  2. Meanwhile, combine the cream and cilantro in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, and simmer until the mixture is reduced by half, about 20 to 30 minutes.

  3. Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the shrimp and cook until pink, about 2 to 3 minutes. Do not overcook. Remove from the saucepan and keep warm.

  4. Cook the onion and garlic in the remaining butter over medium heat until tender. Add the rice grains and toast, stirring, for 2 to 3 minutes. Increase the heat to medium-high and pour in 1 cup of the water and broth mixture.

  5. Cook uncovered, stirring frequently until the liquid is absorbed. Continue stirring and adding the remaining broth mixture, 1 cup at a time, allowing each cup to be absorbed before adding the next. Cook until the rice is tender and the mixture has a creamy consistency. This process may take 25 to 30 minutes.

  6. Add the cilantro cream, shrimp, tomatoes, Parmesan cheese, green onion, pepper, and salt. Stir until all ingredients are incorporated.

  7. Serve immediately. You can sprinkle more Parmesan cheese on each plate.

I’d love to hear your thoughts, suggestions, or any recipe requests you might have. Just respond directly to this email.

See you next week. Keep cooking! 👋 

Vale from ValeCooks