People that WILL NOT share recipes

[G'sMom]

Anyone remember the Everybody Loves Raymond episode where Marie gave her family recipe to Deborah, but replaced a label on a jar of Tarragon with Basil?  Deborah's attempt came out awful.  If you're going to share a recipe, share THE recipe, don't leave something out or replace it with something that will make it taste funky.  That's just being a jerk.

I remember it.  We saw it after the whole pot roast debacle.  I just looked at DH with the accusing look and said "Gee, can't imagine ANYONE doing that!?"  He then said his mom was just "forgetful" and stormed out of the room.  Ha. Want to buy a bridge?

[Hawkwatcher]

Anyone remember the Everybody Loves Raymond episode where Marie gave her family recipe to Deborah, but replaced a label on a jar of Tarragon with Basil?  Deborah's attempt came out awful.  If you're going to share a recipe, share THE recipe, don't leave something out or replace it with something that will make it taste funky.  That's just being a jerk.

I remember it.  We saw it after the whole pot roast debacle.  I just looked at DH with the accusing look and said "Gee, can't imagine ANYONE doing that!?"  He then said his mom was just "forgetful" and stormed out of the room.  Ha. Want to buy a bridge?

I think that I have a simple solution.  If you feel like asking this woman for another recipe ever again, make sure to have your husband prepare it for your MIL the next time she visits.  It would be interesting to see if her memory starts to "improve."

[Brentwood]

The only recipes I won't share are recipes I'm trying to develop for a TOH contest or Pillsbury bake-off. (I've never won a thing, but you never know!)

Otherwise, I'll happily share anything.

[Brentwood]

I'm picky about sharing recipes as well. If I got the recipe from someone else I always ask their permission before I share.
And I can't give any that I made up...I'm not a measurer. You have to let me show you how to do it.

I make a lot of stuff with only approximations of measurements. In those cases, I can tell you a "method" but not a specific recipe.

[afbluebelle]

I have a lot of my friends ask for recipes of things when they come over for dinner, but 99% of them are bachelor guys who think that you can substitute cheap shaker parmesan cheese for freshly grated block parmesan in a recipe.  I don't give them my special recipes, because I know they will mess it up and blame me.

On the other hand, I lucked out and married a wonderful guy whose mother and grandmother are amazing cooks.  He is the oldest out of all the kids, so all the family recipes I want are at my fingertips!  Victory is mine!

[G'sMom]

Anyone remember the Everybody Loves Raymond episode where Marie gave her family recipe to Deborah, but replaced a label on a jar of Tarragon with Basil?  Deborah's attempt came out awful.  If you're going to share a recipe, share THE recipe, don't leave something out or replace it with something that will make it taste funky.  That's just being a jerk.

I remember it.  We saw it after the whole pot roast debacle.  I just looked at DH with the accusing look and said "Gee, can't imagine ANYONE doing that!?"  He then said his mom was just "forgetful" and stormed out of the room.  Ha. Want to buy a bridge?

I think that I have a simple solution.  If you feel like asking this woman for another recipe ever again, make sure to have your husband prepare it for your MIL the next time she visits.  It would be interesting to see if her memory starts to "improve."

Hee. That would be funny. I have long given up on asking her for recipes, 've only ever asked her for two.  It was funny, I didn't even ASK for the potroast recipe, she *offered* it.  I think she was trying to show how "undomestic" I was and in the end it backfired on her.  When DH's brother got married MIL made a huge production at her bridal shower out of presenting her with a book she made with all her recipes in it. (unspoken middle finger salute to me).  The girl (who is now my best friend) looks at me later and goes "How 'forgetful' do you think she was in this?"   
MIL did end up asking *me* for my famous Lime Chicken recipe once.  I started off with "You juice 15 limes by hand then stay home for 6 hours while it marinates in it, flipping it every hour." I didn't even have to finish it, she says "oh now that's just craziness, too involved for me!"  The SIL that half a**es everything is the apple that didn't fall far from the tree... 

[G'sMom]

I second (third) all the PPs who mentioned people butchering their recipes.  I don't share for lots of reasons, mostly because of that combined with the fact that I don't have recipes.  I just make stuff up and add to an established good base.  Sometimes it comes out.

 Last night, I ground up some Gardetto's snack mix to add to my breadcrumbs for faux fried chicken.  It was awesome.  The oyster crackers I used last month were gluey.  I'm from a make do with what you have family so I substitute things a great deal.  Never things that really matter...like Kraft slices for swiss cheese, but I do like to experiment. 

I share some, though, like Company French Toast and my too easy quiche.  Not the burritos, though.  Never those. 

This is an interesting thread, too...made me think about my gram's cherry pie (no sharing) mom's potato salad (no sharing) and my little bro's stuffed chix breasts (he's only 21, and I'm so proud!). 

So now I'm hungry, which often happens on this board. 

Try crushing some garlic and onion or Italian seasoned croutons.  THe super crunchy kind that I find near the oils and vinegars.  I use them for my crunchy "fried" (really either baked or done in the skillet on stovetop) chicken. 

I do regular breadcrumbs with garlic and onion powder and Parmesan cheese.

ooooh, parmesan cheese!! mmm..  I'm on WW though and cheese is my enemy. too many points for me.  sigh....  sounds scrumptious though!

[waterwren]

 I don't share recipes, because the things I cook well, I don't use a recipe. These are things that I learned from Grandma and she didn't use one either.  Telling someone to get enough meat that it "looks right" to make soup ain't gonna be helpful - nor is "carrots to taste"
 Edited because it sounded too snarky and i  didn't mean it that way.

[Brentwood]

I don't share recipes, because the things I cook well, I don't use a recipe. These are things that I learned from Grandma and she didn't use one either.  Telling someone to get enough meat that it "looks right" to make soup ain't gonna be helpful - nor is "carrots to taste"
 Edited because it sounded too snarky and i  didn't mean it that way.

Anything "to taste" is helpful, but yeah - looking or feeling "right" needs experience.

[VorFemme]

I have given my "adjustments" to a couple of cookie recipes to various members of the family and friends. 

My own MIL insists that three of the recipes that she gave me I have made so many changes to that they are no longer the family recipes.  The hubby and kids have no issues with eating MY version instead of her version..........not that we've eaten at her house *when she cooked* more than a dozen times since DH went back into the military in 1992...............  FIL would grill, we'd go out to dinner, or have a family pot luck with other family members bringing things.......so she didn't do all or even most of the cooking.

[Dragonflymom]

A lot of what I cook regularly I don't even have a recipe for, and just came at by random experimentation.  I am definitely one of those "a little of this, a little of that" kind of cooks.  I'd be embarassed to give out a recipe that said "sprinkle basil on it til it tastes good" so I tend not to give mine out to anybody but my mother and fiance, who know how disorganized I am and understand.

[Hanna]

I've stopped sharing certain recipes because I don't want to to see my favorite recipes eliminated because of over-use in my social circle.  In other words, serving my guests my "Chicken Adoration" dish after they've had it four other times at four other host's homes doesn't make much sense.   I want my special recipes to remain special and only available when dining in my home -- not in half the homes in my neighborhood.

Is Chicken Adoration the main dish served during holidays for those that worship the Great Chicken?
:-)

[MadMadge43]

lot of what I cook regularly I don't even have a recipe for, and just came at by random experimentation.  I am definitely one of those "a little of this, a little of that" kind of cooks.  I'd be embarassed to give out a recipe that said "sprinkle basil on it til it tastes good" so I tend not to give mine out to anybody but my mother and fiance, who know how disorganized I am and understand.

This is how my mother cooked, I'd beg her for recipes she'd always tell me that you just need to watch. She also told me that since I was raised by a good cook, like she was, that I'd realize how things were supposed to taste and it would just come to me. I did not believe her until the last five years. I barely pull out measuring spoons anymore.

My BF was miserable with the way I cook, "BUT the recipe says 1/3 teaspoon, you can't improvise!" He no longer uses measuring spoons either. It's just easier.

[Redneck Gravy]

I have never been fussy about sharing my recipes, but the last time my bro made the dressing for Thanksgiving it was awful - then he tells everyone it's my recipe.  He's obviously not following the directions I typed for him, my dressing is the best on the planet IMO, of course.

I won't give him my deviled egg recipe for that very reason.

[reddevil]

My BF was miserable with the way I cook, "BUT the recipe says 1/3 teaspoon, you can't improvise!" He no longer uses measuring spoons either. It's just easier.

Mine too!!!  It was really funny, too, since I would be cooking or baking and wouldn't measure precisely, and he would get this horrified look on his face like I had committed a huge cooking sin.  Now he just doesn't watch as I pour stuff in my palm or pinch it out. 


And the parmesan cheese in the breadcrumbs sounds awesome.  I'll post the Company French Toast recipe in the recipe folder along with the really easy quiche, since they go well together, if anyone wants it.