Post Punk Kitchen Forum

IJDI, did you leave out the smoked paprika altogether and just use the regular?

I just got this book from the library and have already decided I need to buy it, and I buy very few cookbooks (and just Isa's sight unseen). I know it sounds daft but I felt tears welling up when I tasted the mac and cheese. I like a number of recipes I already have but this one is so so good, in my tastebuds' opinion, and so easy. I like the smokiness but was wondering if I it would be as good without the smoked paprika, for people who aren't so inclined.

I made a few alterations as well, I only used a little bit of the paprika. Basically, I was trying to get the Kraft Dinner taste out of it so I adjusted along those lines.

Good god. This thread has made me go and buy this book...trying out my first Kindle e-cookbook! :)

(Yes, I cook with my iPad in the kitchen.)

When I made the mac and cheese, I used regular paprika. It was great.

all i've made so far are the pepper gravy and the rough rider bbq sauce. both were fantastic; my husband says the bbq sauce recipe is his new favorite. i'm excited to make some non-condiment stuff!

i didn't leave it out altogether, but I'm sure you could. It's an added flavor, but I think the sauce stands on it's own without the paprika

Agree about the pancakes, they were a little healthy-tasting, but I knew that going in (there's no oil in the recipe). Still liked them in spite of this.
Best description of the choc chip skillet pie I've seen (yuuuum) is that it is like ONE GIANT CHOC CHIP COOKIE. It is so good, but really needs to rest and set afterwards.

For those of you not loving the mac and cheese - I've noticed a few times I've forgotten to add the tablespoon of margarine and the extra tablespoon of nooch at the end, and this makes a BIG difference. But then again it could just be your different taste buds. I think it's a fantastic sauce, and I'm not a fan of nooch.

I'm definitely going to try the mac and cheese recipe again. (I love smoked paprika!) I will make sure to follow the recipe exactly this time. The only recipe I've been disappointed in this book is the horseradish potato salad; just didn't do anything for me. I've made a lot of recipes, and loved all of the others.

For you veggie burger experts, does using short grain vs. long grain brown rice matter? I want to make the brown rice hazelnut burgers. I don't have brown rice; I have a Trader Joe's rice medley that has long grain brown rice and black barley.

I'm not sure if these have been mentioned, but it says "dessertsr" on the bottom of page 143, and "garbonzo" in the directions of the rich brown gravy.

The brown rice hazelnut burgers are in the oven right now, and if they taste half as good as they smell, I'm in for a real treat. These held together perfectly as I was forming them into patties, even without sticking them in the fridge (the recipe doesn't say to put the mix in the fridge, but I usually chill my pre-patty veggie mixtures). These came together so easily and seem to have just the right moisture balance. Also, I don't use TVP so I substituted bulgur soaked in boiling water, and I like that the recipe calls for blending in the food processor. With other burger recipes in which I've just mixed in the bulgur, pretty large granules stick out of the patties and fall out in my cast iron skillet while reheating. Soooo excited to eat these.

For those of you who have made the cookie skillet pie, would you recommend lining the skillet with parchment? My skillet is fairly new and not completely nonstick, so I'm wondering how much the pie will stick to the pan.

I've never had the best luck with my cast irons being completely nonstick, so I greased mine well, and it didn't really stick at all.

i just sprayed my pan with canola spray and it didn't stick at all. mine is not that new and it's getting pretty good at being non stick, but i think if you just spray it it will be fine.

I made the barbecue sauce and it was great! Used it to make a baked bbq tofu deal, and mixed up the leftovers with some canned beans for a quick "ahhh I'm moving and use up foot without dirtying dishes" meal and even that was good. It's even persuaded me to keep a bottle of ketchup hanging around to make it again, even though I think ketchup is grosssss otherwise. Mac and cheese is up next, I think.

Isn't it amazing that a BBQ sauce that uses so much ketchup is that good?! That blew me away during testing. It's so good with a bit of the Carolina style vinegary sauce added on whatever you are slathering in BBQ sauce.

I loved that sauce, too, and I usually don't like BBQ sauce at all.

Say what?!?!

The BBQ sauce is *AMAZING*. The vegan ribs weren't anywhere near as good, without it. Now I've read the backs of all the BBQ sauces in the stores and I'm panicking - looks like I may have to make some more. It's all sugar and junk! In Australia!

And re: greasing the pan -it's a pretty firm thing, in my nonstick it seems like it might stick in a stick-pan, especially around the top edges. I guess you could get a spatula onto it. But these good people are saying it doesn't!

I made the Great Smoky Mountain Cheeze and I love the texture and spreadability/sliceability but I am not crazy about the smoked paprika taste (though I loved the mac and cheez - maybe I like it better hot?).

I am a big fan of the Uncheese Cookbook crock cheese, smoky variation, so I think I will try the Vegan Diner recipe substituting liquid smoke for some or all of the smoked paprika. I am having a (non-vegan) potluck this weekend and will try it out on my omni/vegetarian friends, with some homemade bread.

I made the lemon blueberry loaf with lemon glaze over the weekend and it was delicious! My whole (omni) family loved it.

I've heard nothing but great things about this book from the testers! (Okay, Gabrielle)
I've only made the mac & cheese so far, and it was really good. I normally go a different route with my noochy mac (tangier and saltier with miso and tamari and whatnot), but I liked this one and how easy and creamy it was for a stovetop mac. I just added more nooch and soymilk when I reheated the leftovers, and if you're feeling indulgent, I'd suggest adding a dallop of earth balance, too. I think this would be a good base recipe for instant mac if you ground the cashews... I can totally see why Julie says it's kid approved in the description.

It's so pretty!

Oh wow, that mac & cheese looks really really good.

You guys convinced me to buy this book. That mac looks amazing.

The skillet cookie pie was AMAZING. I followed IDJI's and AllyChristine's advice and greased my skillet really well, and it didn't stick at all. THe only thing I'll do next time is undercook it a bit to give it a softer texture.