I wrote this back in 2020 but I wanted to share it with y’all again because I felt it is something we all need to be reminded of. When we are looking at a recipe most people tend to follow it to the letter. I NEVER do that. Well, I rarely do that. The reason is, many of the ingredients such as spices in a recipe are too much for my stomach. Plus I always seem to end up with a recipe that has little things that I just don’t like such as cayenne pepper.
WHAT DO I DO?
That’s easy! I just adjust the recipe of course. If it has spices that I can’t handle or don’t like then I will switch them for one that I do or omit them all together. I do attempt to do this carefully for so many reasons. One of the things I’m not crazy about are bay leaves but since they are typically removed I will use them anyway. I do this with peppers as well. the ones I don’t like but honestly need to flavor the dish I will use and pick out before serving myself.
REALLY?
Yes, I will pick them out. Growing up when we ordered pizza my father always got a supreme with everything but anchovies. It was the one he liked and since he was getting the biggest pizza available he never saw the sense in ordering two. At the end of dinner I had a little pile off to one side. One time he ask me what that pile was and my response was simply everything I didn’t like. He just rolled his eyes and ate my little pile form that moment on.
BE CAREFUL!
One thing you have to do when adjusting a recipe is be careful. You can always take away an ingredient or add something to it. However, you must be aware that some spices just don’t go well together. After all I can’t imagine cinnamon and mint together although someone may have paired them. Not to mention change the ingredients could change the flavors. If you are cooking a dish that is suppose to be spicy and you take out most of the spices it’s not going to be as good.
DO WHAT WORKS
Do what works for you and your family. I have taken plenty of dishes and made them kid friendly. Lets face it they aren’t going to eat half of the things we put in front of them. I use the French Kids Eat Anything method with my children and have for a few years now. Changing what I know won’t work with what I know will makes life easier. Of course, I am not above experimenting either.
HAVE FUN
Get in the kitchen and have fun with it. In fact, I found a recipe in a magazine for Thanksgiving this year that I am going to give a good. I will be sure to let y’all know how it turns out. I’m just tired of the same old boring turkey year after year. Actually there are two different recipes, one for the turkey and one for a side. I will be attempting them both but won’t be sharing with y’all until after the holiday. I don’t want to make turkey twice. Sorry!
Following a recipe is something that you can strive for. However it is more than okay to make a recipe your own. You just have to be careful and make sure that your flavors work well together. Remember to taste things often and you can always add more but can never take away.
DO YOU ALWAYS FOLLOW A RECIPE OR ARE YOU A REBEL WHO MAKES IT YOUR OWN? SHARE YOU THOUGHTS WITH US PLEASE.
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I usually change something depending on what I have on hand
I do the same thing with peppers – cook with them then remove before I eat the dish. Gets the flavoring without bothering my stomach
I have a hard time doing this
Good to know. Thank you for sharing this!
I will change recipes unless it is one that I have not tried or tasted before. For me, making a recipe exactly as written the first time gives me an idea of what would work to change.
I do this all the time. The first time I make a recipe, I try to follow the recipe. The next time I make it, I usually tweak a few things.