Unless a recipe comes recommended by a friend or you’ve seen a picture of the finished dish, it can be hard to know whether a recipe is worth making or not. Of course, we take into account the personal tastes of our family. Some people might also judge a recipe on how healthy it is or the use of the finest, freshest ingredients. Here are five of the criteria that I use when deciding to make a recipe:
1. Length of the ingredient list – I don’t have time to gather, prep and measure 22 different ingredients. In general, if the ingredient list is long, I move on. I think most of you do the same.
2. Type of ingredients – I like to cook with familar, easy to find and inexpensive ingredients. If there are too many unfamiliar or expensive items in the recipe I usually don’t try it. There are exceptions. I do like food and cooking, and that means trying new things. A recent example is the Penne Gorgonzola I cooked up. I’d eaten Gorgonzola cheese before, but had never bought it. After cooking with it, I know it will make an appearance in other dishes in the future.
3. Prep time – Although I’ve never timed it, I’m pretty sure that most of the recipes I share here can be prepared in less than 20-30 minutes (not including cooking time). My favorites for busy days come together in only 10-15 minutes and then cook themselves in the oven or crockpot, leaving me free for other things. Crockpot Sweet and Sour Chicken Cantonese, Calico Bean Soup with Smoked Sausage, Fettucini Alfredo, Chicken Fiesta with Black Beans are some examples of super quick prep times.
4. Is the longer prep time worth it? – Some recipes have a longer prep time, but the pay off is worth it. Stuffed Shells takes a bit longer to put together, but for the effort I get two meals – one for now and one for the freezer. If your family is smaller, you could make that into three meals. Depression Era Bread is also one that takes longer, but the effort yields 8 loaves of bread for about 40 cents a loaf.
5. Are there any short cuts I can make in the recipe? – I had made a wonderful homemade chicken pot pie, but it took a long time to make. I substituted frozen stew vegetables for fresh cut potatoes and carrots, refrigerated crust for homemade crust and a sauce made from canned soup and chicken broth. The result is a very quick Chicken Pot Pie that comes together in just minutes, especially if the chicken is already cooked and ready to go.
There are days when I don’t have time to sit around babysitting dinner while it bakes in the oven or cooks on the stove. Being able to adapt a recipe to the crockpot is a huge help. Chicken Tetrazini, Honey Mustard Chicken Wings, Hashbrown Casserole with Ham or Smoked Sausage were all adapted for the crockpot.
What are your criteria for deciding to try a new recipe? What are the deal-breakers in a new recipe that keep you from ever trying it? Let me know in the comments.
{ 20 comments… read them below or add one }
well- i’m really pathetic- I try to stick to five ingredients or less-my poor family! but cooking is just not my “thang”so that is my rule
My criteria is not anywhere as advanced as yours. If it sounds good to me I will likely try it.
I like to see familiar combinations that I use frequently—tells me pretty quickly that it’s something I will probably like.
I agree. I run like crazy when I see a big long list of ingredients. LOL.
Amen Sister!
My criteria…come here and see what you are cooking!!!
Thank you so much for your comment yesterday on my blog (Soul Stitches). I couldn’t agree more!
I just look at how easy the recipe seems. I havent been cooking or baking very long, so I can be intimidated by ingredients, too.
1. List of ingredients (can’t be too long and must be filled with the majority of tastes I know I like or sound interesting to try)
2. Ease of preparation. I’m NOT standing for hours in the kitchen. No time.
3. Recommendation of others.
4. Nice inviting photo of the ready made dish.
5. Sampling it myself.
when i first started to cook on my own, I would not look at anything with more than 3 ingredients but I now do not limit it quite so much. I started to realize that ones that had more than 3 ingredients were usually spices etc. so now it’s not quite as limited but like you I want everything to be easy to find, or things i’m going to have anyway. I’m not above trying new things but it still has to be within reason (and budget)
Like for example, I was given this wonderful asian cookbook and all the recipes look so good but I have hardly made any of them because they require alot of ingredients I don’t have or won’t use for anything else (for example, fish sauce) and they also take up alot of time.
I don’t have a crock pot. I’ve considered it but I’m afraid of it burning down the house, and now that I have a dog, I worry that the smell would drive her nuts and she would knock it over and get hurt. she doesn’t usually disturb food when we’re cooking but who knows when it sits there for 8 hrs?
Oh my, you are an answer to a busy girls prayer!
Thanks for stopping by and leaving a comment.
You have no idea how badly I need your blog!
I love your criteria.
I usually just do a quick scan to determine if can I actually make this.
I love this…usually if there aren’t pictures I don’t do it at all…so now I can use these…and hopefully find some new great recipes…
i have to know where to find all the ingredients at the grocery store. and if i don’t have the ingredients in my cabinet, the recipe better look super tempting or else i won’t bother.
i shoot for 30 minutes or less (prep AND cook time) but if i can prep ahead and just stick it in the oven to bake i’ll be a little more flexible
Howdy sitsta! Happy Wednesday. Checking in on Hump Day. Tonight begins Passover. Only 4 days until Easter. Celebrate!
Zen Cupcake
My criteria is similar to yours. I don’t like long ingredient lists and I stray away from really strange ingredients or ingredient I don’t like or I know my family will not like.
Hi Tiffany, I am going to try a couple of your quickie recipes in this post…I need to add some new meals to the regular list!
Your criteria is RIGHT ON…I don’t want to have to go shopping for new herbs/items just to make ONE dish!
Good Morning Tiffany!
These are some great recipes you listed on your blog. Mmmm, now I am hungry.
Oooh, I like your list of criteria. I have to say the length of ingredients gets me, too. It’s especially important if I don’t normally get that stuff–like the spices. Good to think through this stuff!
~Shaye
http://millermemoir.blogspot.com
those are some good points!
I usually am a little afraid to try recipes that have something in it that I have never heard of or cooked with.
Leavin some love from SITS!!
As I was reading, I realized my criteria is exactly the same as yours. Too many ingredients, especially unfamiliar ones, will make me move along to something else.
Of course, I always have to ask the additional question, “will Mr. Jelly Belly eat this?” – and the answer is usually “no”. Sigh. The challenges of cooking for a fussy eater…
Hi
some of your posts made me think of a book that was a huge best seller here in Australia for a while called 4 – every recipe in it has only four ingredients- great for busy families!
I just looked up their website to get more info and see they are looking for recipes for their next book- could be fun- I understand they publish your name:
http://www.4ingredients.com.au/form/submit_a_recipe.html
Me myself, for weekend food, I don’t mind spending a morning shopping for stuff and an afternoon in the kitchen- but Monday to Friday not much gets on my table that takes longer than 30 minutes to make!