Recipe ideas

[Cherokee68]

I need some new recipes. I am tired of all the old recipes in my cookbook. I've tried looking online for recipes, but it's overwhelming! Where do you get recipe ideas?

[Neat&Pete]

I like to get recipe ideas from magazines that feature recipes, such as Family Circle and Simplicity. I read the magazines while waiting in a  doctor's or dentist's office, and I always carry a little notebook and pen with me in my bag. That way, I can write down a recipe that looks delicious. I go for simple ingredients and easy assembly. Here's a dessert recipe that appeared in Parade about a year ago. It's a healthy chocolate mousse but so gourmet. I've made it over and over and served it to friends and high school students. Everyone loves it. However, you must use a food processor; a blender will not work. Also, the avocados must be just right: not too ripe but still overripe. Once you get it right, you will make it again and again.

2 overripe avocados

6 T. unsweetened cocoa powder

1/3 C. maple syrup

1 T. pure vanilla extract 

Put all the ingredients in a food processor and whirl until well blended. Serve with whipped cream. 

[JaneSt.Claire]

I often find recipe ideas by seeing which meat is on sale at the grocery store, then looking up recipes to go make with it. It has helped expand my meal planning quite a bit.  One of my new favorite meals is country style pork ribs in the slow cooker.  We dice an onion, layer the ribs in the slow cooker, cook on low 6-8 hours. Half way through I drain off the drippings and dump half a bottle of BBQ sauce on the ribs.   You can tell they are done when the meat starts falling off the bone.  At the end I take them out of the cooker and dump the rest of the BBQ sauce on them. You can broil them for a couple minutes at this point if you prefer a crusty, caramelized sauce. Leftovers make great pulled pork sandwiches.

[simonwins]

Over the years I have collected hundreds of old cookbooks and clipped thousands of recipes from magazines and newspapers. It is unbelievable that I have so many recipes I haven't tried yet. When I see a recipe I have to save it just in case I do want to try it. I also get lots of ideas from recipe websites so I am never without something to cook.