Do you follow the recipe ?

[DoggiNo]

I am wondering, when you're cooking do you always follow the recipe exactly ?

I don't if it needs something and I don't have it, I don't always run (euh drive) to the store to get it.
I see if I have something else in the house that can replace it, or I just leave it out.

Like with the Pioneerwoman's Curried Chicken-Pasta ... ok, I didn't leave out the pasta or the chicken and the curry was in too, but no celery (too big bunches to buy for just one salad), I think I mixed mayo with yoghurt instead of sour cream and heavy cream, added more raisins in the mix because I didn't have grapes on the side ...

Or substitute onions and shallots, spring onion and chives, ...
If I don't really like one of the ingredients, I don't always up it in or less of it.

How about you ?

[heathert]

I totally make the recipe my own =)

[Dutch_Diva]

Same here; I just use it as a basis but leave stuff out I don't like and add in what I do like Except for baking because it has to be so exactly measured and I suck at baking.

[Tracy]

As scrappers, making templates our own, I don't have any restraint in making a recipe my own if need be.

[fruitysuet]

Hmm you got me thinking. I try to follow a new recipe exactly, but I will tweak it if I haven't got just the right herb or put in alternative preferred vegetables for example. Once I've made the recipe then the following times I am more likely to do things my own way.

Ditto what someone else said on baking though. Even though I love to bake, am pretty good at it and do it all the time, I definitely do not change up the recipes unless I've googled for suitable alternatives.

[Romy]

Katja, same as you...rules are to be broken or bent!

[Scrapporreia]

Absolutely! But I do fudge baking recipes, too. I'll drop a little this or add a little that if I want something less sweet or crispier or fluffier. I judge my measurements by eye. If it calls for something obscure, I'll take a guess at a substitute. 'precision' was making baking scary so I Took the 'exact' out and now baking is so Fun!

[justk]

haha I rarely follow the directions to a tee....UNless I get the recipe from someone who says to follow it exact!!!!! Baking is a bit trickier than cooking stuff....i am always mixing and matching stuff or omiting stuff that I hate...I would make curry chicken and omit the curry becuase I think that I don't like that or stuff like that but it always comes out good so I don't worry...I use the recipe basically as a base or as Tracy said a Template!!!!!

[Sexy__Eyes]

Um follow a recipe? Oh that's for cooking...yes I follow it...well I read it to John while he prepares it. You see...he does ALL the cooking.

[Terra]

It depends on what it's for... Usually the first time around I will follow the recipe... Then I'll change it up if I liked it enough to repeat the process.