I am a huge fan of trying new recipes. I love having new flavors in my mouth. I love trying sweet/salty combos and all the different ways ingredients can come together. I peruse Pinterest pretty frequently looking for tasty morsels to fill our plates with. There are 5 recipe turn offs at the first glance of a recipe (btw, I love it when the ingredients are already below the picture). That doesn’t mean I’ll never take it… it just takes a leap of faith. 🙂
BTW, one of my BIGGEST recipe turn-ons is being able to make it with kids. Teaching my kids to cook so I know they’ll never starve in college is one of my favorite things. 🙂 I’ve gotten into a routine of it. 🙂
Recipe Turn-Off’s:
1. Too many ingredients. Honestly, if they can’t fit on one screen I start to get nervous. I’m not saying I only want 5 ingredients every time, but yipes — I can’t make my own mole. I’t s a personal flaw I’m dealing with. 🙂
2. Ingredients that I have NO idea where to get them or what they are. I’m a home chef. I know basic ingredients and I’m willing to peruse Trader Joe’s or Whole Foods on occassion to find the right ingredients, but sometimes it seems like you have to go to Thailand to GET the ingredients. I mean, seriously — if I’m there, I just want to eat. Screw the ingredients.
3. Too perfect. If the photo is just TOO perfect I just scroll on by. I guess I have a thing against perfection. I want it to look like it was made by a home chef. I’m not talking ugly here — I’m just talking realistic. 🙂
4. Long stovetop times. What on earth am I going to do with a pot on the stove for 3 hours? Does that make anyone else nervous? I think you can usually throw those in the oven (if you use an oven-safe pot) but with little kids around that isn’t a dish I’m willing to try.
5. When it’s just a tiny variation on a regular dish. Like, the million ways there are to make spaghetti don’t excite me. Here’s a way: boil noodles, add prego. Done! 🙂 That isn’t to say that I don’t enjoy making my own sauce or using fresh tomatoes, or whatever — but it is what it is.
Recipe Turn-On’s
{basically like 50 Shades of Grey for me and food):
1. Cheese. Hello baby.
2. Salty/sugary foods combined into one tasty looking dish.
3. The less ingredients the better. I’m a less is more kind of a gal.
4. Quick. Let’s get right down to it.
5. Great pictures. I guess there’s a fine line between 3 and this one. It’s all in the eye of the beholder.
So, there you go — 5 turn offs, and 5 turn ons. What did I miss? What kind of a “sexy little dish” turns you on {wink, wink, nudge, nudge}
If you liked this post, you might like my menu plans, or my recipes? Also be sure to check out all my recipe boards on Pinterest {just search “Recipe” — I have a bunch!}.
Bonnie says
Turn offs: have to scroll thru 17 pics before getting to recipe only to find out there is none….there was a link to actual recipe halfway back there…..extremely long blogs or ramblings about the poster’s life, kids, etc etc before getting down to business, enough already. popups!!!!!!! They are multiplying like bunnies! Likes: Complete instructions! Don’t put an egg in ingredients and then never mention it again! Recipes that have nutritional information included (I am diabetic, very carb conscious). Finally, I’m like you, liking those recipes that are short, easy, ingredient accessible and pretty.
Bonnie
Hilary says
Bonnie, that is TOTALLY A TURN OFF!!!! I don’t mind if you link to another recipe but do it at the top! I have been to blogger conferences where they really encourage you to tell the story before getting to the recipe and I tend to side with you. I might say, my kids LOVE this stuff — we eat it weekly… and then GET TO THE RECIPE! 🙂
April says
Omigosh, I loved these lists. You and I think so much alike. Thanks.
Hilary says
Haha April — we should have lunch sometime. 😉
April says
Only if it has includes cheese, is salty and sweet, and quick.
Hilary says
Oh baby…. you just said all the right things. 😉
Crystal says
Thanks for sharing! I enjoy posting recipes for others to try and it is nice to have insight into what may or may not work for some people. I agree with you about uncommon ingredients, unless I am looking for a specific recipe to go with a fun new ingredient I have 🙂 I am glad I saw this on Thrifty Thursday.
Hilary says
Yeah, I had another friend look it over who’s a foodie — she was really interested. I used to get Bountiful baskets and I was certainly looking for “recipes with fennel” or whatnot. 🙂 That was actually one of my more favorite things about Bountiful Baskets.
Jane Didway says
I hate it when there is no easy print option. No, I do not want to highlight and blah, blah, blah, nor do I want to run back and forth to my computer, or hand copy a recipe. If you have made me want this recipe make it easy for me to get it
Hilary says
Haha, MAKE IT EASY! Darn it!
Julie Smeltzer says
Few ingredients and quick to prepare = my turn ons for food hehe.
Hilary Erickson says
Total turn on. 🙂
Nancy says
My on’s:
Thinking ahead how this recipe can be prepped ahead of time, if appropriate.
Options for a homemade alternative instead of using a ready made convenience ingredient.
Options for cooking, if appropriate, on the stovetop, crock pot, or the oven.
My off’s:
serving numbers- specify if 2 adults and 2 small children, or is there enough for 4-6 adults.
Hilary Erickson says
So true on servings!