Damn Delicious

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I substitute this ingredient?

I recommend using the specified ingredients listed in the recipe whenever possible for optimal results. I understand that you may have dietary restrictions or simply do not have a particular ingredient on hand, but please remember that by using a substitution,Β I cannot speak for how much this will change in the overall taste or texture of the dish without further recipe testing.

Using a substitution may also result in a mediocre outcome.

I tried one of your recipes but it did not turn out. What did I do wrong?

Please understand that it is very hard to specifically answer this question since I am not in the kitchen with you. That being said, I only share recipes that have been successful and well-tested in my own kitchen, but I understand that failures and mishaps can happen.

Instead of blaming the recipe, it is important to remember that many factors are at play here that may result in a failed outcome. But with a little bit more information, we can troubleshoot what went wrong to have a successful turnaround next time.

What is the best way to store leftovers? How long will this keep?

As I am not an expert on food safety, I am not comfortable answering these questions. Methods for optimal food storage and shelf life should be based on good judgment and what you are personally comfortable with.

Can I freeze this?

I will always provide instructions and tips on dishes that I have frozen myself but unfortunately, I do not freeze all of my recipes so I cannot always answer this question. Please use your best judgment for freezing and reheating.

Can I use a slow cooker or Instant Pot for this recipe instead?

Please understand that it is very difficult to give exact conversion information without further recipe testing. As always, please use your best judgement to convert my recipes to utilize a slow cooker or Instant Pot.

Can you share the nutritional information for this recipe?

Unfortunately, as I am not a registered dietician, I am not comfortable sharing nutritional information for any of my recipes. I recommend utilizing online calorie counters at your discretion to obtain such information.

How do I sign up for email updates to stay-up-to-date with your new recipes? Is the subscription free?

You can sign up for free email updatesΒ hereΒ to have new recipes delivered right to your inbox. Yes, it’s really free!

I signed up for the email updates but I can’t find a particular recipe. What am I doing wrong?

The email updates are for new and select recipes at this time. If you need to find a particular recipe, you can browse through theΒ recipe indexΒ or utilizeΒ the search bar located on the top right sidebar. And if all else fails, GoogleΒ is also very helpful!

Can I write a guest post for your site?

I really appreciate the offer but I am not accepting guest posts on my site at this time.

Can I republish your photos and/or recipes?

Unfortunately we do not allow the republication of any copyrighted photos or recipes at this time without prior consent and written permission.

Do you blog full-time?

I am happy to say that as of September 2013 I transitioned into becoming a full-time blogger, although having a day job and maintaining a blog was more like having two full-time jobs! This decision did not come lightly as I obtained a Master’s degree in Public Health in May 2012.

With over $180,000 debt in student loans, I promised myself that I would use my degree but my love for cooking and running this blog eventually won out, and I am so incredibly grateful to have this job. I admit that you really have to work your butt off to maintain a blog and to be an entrepreneurial business owner, in a sense, but at the end of the day, I truly love my job. Plus, there’s always food on the dinner table!

Do youΒ have a cookbook?

Yes, my debut cookbook Damn Delicious: 100 Super Easy, Super Fast Recipes published by Oxmoor House in 2016Β is now available for purchase. My second cookbook Damn Delicious Meal Prep: 115 Easy Recipes for Low-Calorie, High-Energy Living published by Grand Central Publishing in 2019 is also available for purchase.

You can order your copies here and here.

Do you have any tips/recommendations for a newbie blogger like myself?

This is such a difficult question to answer but the important thing to remember is to be yourself and to be authentic. Blog because you love it and because you are passionate about it!

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53 comments

  1. Hello – I love your recipes and have been using them for years. My partner is Vegan, and now I find that it’s much harder to find recipes on your site that are as good. I’d love it if you could generate a vegan section or spend some time formulating some vegan recipes.

    Thanks for the years of recipes thus far

  2. Hi. I’ve just discovered your site and have signed up with my email address. I’m in the Uk and would like to know the metric equivalent to your cups. I’m used to grams and mls. I don’t want my baked goods to come out wrong from guessing as I’ve read there are many variables in cups.Β 
    Thanks Hayley

  3. How much of your dog food recipe do I give twice daily to our 22 lb. Adult dog?

  4. I love your Asian ribs and have made several times in my slow cooker. However, my Kitchenaid quit working today after 3hrs into the cooking time (but wasn’t cooking after all). Can this recipe be cooked in the oven or stovetop? I’m sooo bummed as I was looking forward to those ribs!
    Thank you,
    Sue

  5. I would love to be able to create an account and save your recipes that I like or would like to try.

  6. Can I use self rising flour instead of all purpose and leave out the baking soda? For the nectarine upside down cake. I don’t have all purpose flour

  7. I am a career fire fighter and we use your recipes quite a bit. They never disappoint!
    Only problem is I can’t print them out?Β 
    The print button doesn’t workΒ 

  8. I absolutely LOVE your recipes! I have tried many and ALL have been a huge hit in my household (My IP is making rotisserie chicken for the week as I type this.) I have to tell you though – I cannot stand your website-the ads make it almost unusable. Have you received any other feedback, or is it just me? I do most of my weekly meal planning on a PC, and it isn’t too horrible there, but if I try to follow a recipe on my phone or iPad when I’m actually cooking – it’s unbearable how the ads slow everything down. I know you have to make a living, and your recipes are the bomb, so you should make money on this. My current method is when I find a new recipe I like from Damn Delicious, I add it to my recipe keeper ap, so I can keep my sanity when I’m actually cooking. However, would you ever consider charging a nominal fee (annually? monthly?) so your faithful users could access your site ad free? Just a thought, and again, perhaps it is just my Apple mobile devices? As I said, it’s the worst when accessing via my iPhone and iPad, but it’s not great on my PC either. Thank you for listening and for all the great recipes!!

  9. Hello – I love your recipes, so many favorites! Do you have an index of which recipes have videos? I am much more likely to try a new recipe if I can see a video first; I like to get a visual sense of the steps involved and how each stage of prep should look. Thanks πŸ™‚

  10. What type of kosher salt do you use in your recipes? Diamond Crystal?Β 

  11. Hi Chungah! Thank you for such amazing recipes and cookbooks. My family and I use your recipes every week and have never had a single disappointment. We are in the market for an immersion blender and are wondering if you would have any brand recommendations? Thank you!

  12. Looking for recommendations on new pots and pans. There are too many to chose from and since I love all of the recipes I’ve ever tried from you, I will gladly take your recommendations. Thank you for all of these great recipes!! You make my life so much easier and the meals so enjoyable!

  13. I have a recipe that calls for plain flour and baking soda. Β My question is : can I omit the baking soda if I have self rising flour?

  14. Love that you are based in Chicago! Today, Mother’s Day, my DIL made your blueberry breakfast(?) bake- so
    delicious!!

  15. I was wondering if you were planning to make an app in future? I was just thinking about what to make for dinner and was thinking how much I would love a Damn Delicious app.

  16. Greetings!
    I drink Rice Dream Rice Drink everyday. I enjoy the taste immensely in my herbal teas. I have a “soy” milk maker and have tried making my own rice milk, but it never comes out tasting anything like this store-bought product. I would really like to make my own rice milk to save on cost (it’s expensive) and to eliminate the canola oil. Have you any great recipes for rice milk?
    Thank you,
    Poppy

  17. Sounds like a great dog food. Can you tell me how much to feed a 14# adult dog?

  18. hello what slow cooker model do you use and size?

  19. Any chance you are working on some ‘gluten-free’ recipes to offer as alternatives for condiments, dressings, and soups?

  20. We use your recipes all the time at our house and we love them! My kids are very curious about why you named your site damn delicious and were wondering if you could tell us about it?

    Thanks

  21. Not sure about the stuff you call fish sauce in some of your recipes. I’m not a huge fan of an overly fishy taste. Thinking about making the Thai Chicken. Explanations and or recommendations about some ingredients would be helpful.

  22. Just got a copy of your meal prep cookbook and I love it! Was wondering where I could find the metallic meal prep containers you use. Thanks!

  23. Chungah, could you possibly do a list of basic “staple” type ingredients to stock a kitchen? I’m thinking along the lines of Hoisin, fish sauce, various types of vinegar, etc. That would be so helpful!

  24. I have been a fan of your blog for years and as someone who is incredibly interested in the culinary world and wanting to create recipes I have a question. Whenever I think of a recipe or a new twist on a particular dish, I go ahead and Google it to see if someone else has done it and 9 times out of 10 I see it has already been done! How do you create your recipes without accidentally copying a recipe that someone else may have already written?

    Thank you!

    • Hi Taylor! It took me a long time to realize that yes, there are millions of recipes out there that have already been done and done. But the best thing you can do, at least for me, is to add your own personal spin to it to make it your own special recipe. Hope that helps! πŸ™‚

    • I love your cookbook.

      I only just remembered recently that a U.S cup is different to a metric cup.

      Do your recipes use U.S or metric cups πŸ™‚

  25. I would make my stuffed peppers, my beef stew, beef roast, pulled pork, and spaghetti sauce, for starters.

  26. I already get your emailed recipes but is there any way to “register” to yur site like other sites offer , so that I can save my “favorites” ?

  27. I want to use your Black Bean quinoa salad recipe for a larger group of 40-50 people. It is currently yielding 4 servings.
    How do I properly convert the ingredients? Some recipes online have a spot to automatically convert…I realize it wouldn’t be exactly 4-5 times all the ingredients.
    Any help would be appreciated!
    Thanks.

  28. Do you ever recommend any products/kitchen tools? Crockpot or sheet pan brands you like?

    • I personally love my All-Clad slow cooker.

      • Hello Chungah, I am happy I found your recommendation for slow cookers πŸ™‚ ! Which capacity I need for 4 people (2 hearty eater with a love for leftovers πŸ˜€ )? Which type do you use?
        I checked the all clad homepage but I got slightly confused πŸ˜€ . I am from Germany and I suppose slow cookers are relatively unknown here. But your slow cooker recipes look so awesome, I need to try them!

  29. Hi! I’m LOVING the sheet pan recipes! What size sheet are you using? I’m going to order a new one as mine are too small

    Thanks and keep the great recipes coming!! YOU ROCK!

  30. Just made this and added grilled zucchini. Β Thanks for the recipe!Β 

  31. Why is “Nick Hounslow” now featured on your website? Just wondering, I clicked on DAMN DELICIOUS, and didn’t see your cute face, Chungah! Some guy from London, have you teamed up with him?

  32. Thanks for your recipes!

  33. Your recipes are amazing! And I see you work from home so umm…how do you stay so thin??! With all this delicious food in the house, I’d gain a million pounds! lol Β  Also, love your Instagram stories of Butters. So cute!

  34. I checked the faq to see if you had a cookbook. Im so happy one is being released this year! I hope its successful! Thank you for all the delicious recipes! πŸ™‚

  35. Hi my name is Jelena I just got to say I have read many blogs and am blown by yours. I recently started my own food blog in hope to inspire people to cook more. You are my inspiration I just wanted you to know. And your recipes look amazing. If you have any advice for me it would be much appreciated.

  36. I would like English measurements in place if American which I dont understand ie 1cup of quinoa +cups of water please hel

    • Elizabeth, here is a U.S. vs. Metric vs. Imperial (U.K.) Measures Conversion chart. There are also many conversion calculators available online as well.

  37. Hi! I love your blog and all the recipes you post! I notice that almost all of the chicken dishes you post ask for bone-in chicken thighs as opposed to bone-in chicken breasts or boneless chicken breasts. While I know thighs are the most moist and flavorable piece, I don’t typically enjoy them because I think they are too fatty. Do you have a rule of thumb for converting the recipes from thighs to bone-in or boneless breasts? Thank you.

    • Depending on the recipe, you can keep everything the same but you may have to adjust cooking time as needed to ensure that the chicken is completely cooked through.

  38. Hello I live in the UK and love making your recipes, they are very delicious and inspiring.
    I just find it very difficult to change cups to ml or grams. I was wondering if you had an easy way to work this out, or if you had a website you could recommend using. If not I think I am get mixed up with U.S.Canada and Europe’s definition of cup so which is it you use?

    Many thanks, keep up the great recipes.

    • Rebecca, I am using standard U.S. cup measurements. I would recommend a website but I actually do not have much experience using any of them. Please use your best judgment.