Notes about Recipes in this book

• Butternut squash and hazelnut lasagne

  • consortiumlibrary on October 21, 2016

    We loved this, as modified, and think with hazelnuts it'd also be delicious. For filling, instead of hazelnuts, I used a lb of bulk Italian sausage (several guests "need" meat at every meal). Also in filling, I doubled the onions, tripled the garlic, used 2 Tbsp dried sage instead of fresh, substituted olive oil for butter, and oven roasted squash with olive oil & salt at 450F for 20-30 minutes (until nicely browned) to bring out its flavor. Even if I used hazelnuts instead of sausage, I'd make all the other changes to the filling, which seems too bland as written. I used regular boiled lasagne noodles (don't like oven ready). For sauce, I added 1/3 cup of grated Parmigiano Reggiano - doing so elevated the flavor. Be warned, this recipe is time consuming. I made filling and sauce ahead and assembled on serving day. Leftovers are excellent (maybe better) the next day, but by 2 days after the flavor starts to fade. I'd do it again.

  • L.Nightshade on January 18, 2012

    A couple modifications were made with this recipe. I was a bit too exuberant in making ravioli filling the other night, so I found this recipe, which seemed compatible, and added a layer of my leftover squash and Italian chicken sausage mixture to the other ingredients called for. Mr. Nightshade made fresh pasta sheets which we used instead of the oven-ready sheets called for. Other than those changes, we followed the recipe and made layers of pasta, bechamel, squash, onions, hazelnuts, and cheeses. This was very good lasagne. I thought the toasted hazelnuts added a nice texture, and the flavor combined nicely with the squash and cheeses. After enjoying a slice for lunch today, I can attest that this lasagne is even a little bit better the next day.

  • hillsboroks on November 07, 2014

    This is one of my favorite fall dishes. The squash, hazelnuts, herbs and cheeses all compliment one another beautifully. I never use the oven ready lasagne and instead just boil regular lasagne noodles per the package directions. I think using fresh herbs if you have them really makes this a special dish.

  • hillsboroks on March 27, 2020

    This was delicious as always but due to quarantine I didn't have the amount of whole milk called for. I had 2 cups whole milk and added 2 cans (3 cups) evaporated milk to make the sauce. It turned out beautifully and none of my family noticed the difference.

• Grilled butterflied leg of lamb with lemon, herbs, and garlic

  • Jane on August 01, 2010

    Very quick and easy way to cook a leg of lamb. Needs to marinate for an hour before cooking but actual prep and cooking time is low. Served it sliced in pita bread with Zucchini raita from Gourmet Today.

  • Laura on July 18, 2012

    Pg. 502. We loved this! A one-hour marinade with very simple to prepare herbs -- I didn't have rosemary, so I'm sure it would be even better with that. A very short time on the grill. Served with grilled baby potatoes and an herb salad. Couldn't be simpler. The best part? We have leftovers!

• Strawberry cheesecake ice cream

  • Jane on August 29, 2021

    I wanted a quick ice cream that didn't require a custard. I was a bit concerned with this one that the cream cheese would mute the strawberry flavour but in fact it had a really good flavor plus richness.

• Berry tart with mascarpone cream

  • Jane on June 26, 2009

    Fabulous dessert for summer parties. I made this for a friend's birthday lunch and it was loved by everyone. It's easy to make, looks impressive and tastes delicious. The only negative was that a lot of the glaze on the berries ran off the sides of the tart before it had set.

• Blueberry and nectarine buckle

  • Laurendmck on August 31, 2013

    P. 816

• Hamburger buns

  • Laurendmck on September 01, 2018

    These were lovely. I used them for pulled pork sandwiches for my son's graduation party. Next time I will knead them by hand to assure more uniformity.

• Crème brûlée French toast

  • Laurendmck on December 02, 2018

    p. 651. A perfect recipe for a decadent breakfast! The brown sugar, butter and small amount of corn syrup create a caramelized layer for the French toast. And it's so easy to make!

  • hirsheys on January 19, 2019

    This is unbelievably good. Super sweet and decadent, though. Definitely make breakfast meat of some sort to go with to cut the sweet.

• Carrot cake with cream cheese frosting

  • Laurendmck on January 18, 2017

    P. 726. Fantastic recipe; very flavorful and moist.

• Coconut cake with lime curd

  • Laurendmck on December 16, 2010

    Fabulous! Made this for Easter 4/10 with the Esty family

• Chocolate cake with orange buttercream

  • Laurendmck on February 20, 2010

    Our wedding cake!

• Peanut sesame noodles

  • Laurendmck on September 20, 2018

    p 243 A really good version of this classic dish. Lots of ways to adapt. I didn't add honey and I used farfalle. I added thin strips of leftover steak on top. A crowd-pleaser!

• Pickled black-eyed peas

  • Laurendmck on October 04, 2010

    otherwise known as Texas Caviar

• New England clam chowder

  • Laurendmck on December 23, 2017

    A delicious clam chowder. I doubled the recipe and used four 6.5-oz. cans of clams with their juice instead of the fresh clams and water. I just skipped the clam cooking step.

• Crabmeat-stuffed sole

  • Cheri on January 05, 2010

    Bake for 10 min covered with foil then top with bread crumbs and uncover and bake 10 min more at 450 deg. Used Red pepper instead of yellow. Yum. Served with lemon broccoli and rice.

• Baked breaded acorn squash

  • Cheri on November 25, 2010

    This is easy and very good. 20 minutes after the Turkey comes out of the oven. Skin is edible.

• Flourless peanut butter cookies

  • dehrens on December 23, 2009

    Gluten Free

• Panko scallops with green chile chutney

  • dehrens on January 29, 2010

    try this chili recipe made with cocnut

• Brisket a la carbonnade

  • jumali on September 14, 2010

    This ran a little dry for me--I kept having to add liquid during the last 1 1/2 hours. Maybe start with two bottles of beer?

• Crab Louis

  • debwfrank on February 13, 2010

    Added avocado. Skipped the olives. Quick, easy. BB favorite.

• Chocolate cream pie

  • jzanger on June 22, 2015

    This was very, very good. The pastry cream came together so nicely and after chilling the pie the texture was perfect. Only a few tweaks to note: I did a 1.5x on the crust (using a sleeve of nabisco cookies and a stick plus 1 tbsp of butter), also adding a small pinch of salt to the crust. This yielded maybe even too much crust because it was very thick and a bit difficult to put a fork through. For a 10" pie I think it would be just right. Next time I would top the pie with more like 1 1/4 c of whipped cream rather than the 3/4 c called for. You could definitely use an 8" pie plate if you wanted to, and the crust may not need to be multiplied by 1.5. I look forward to making this again!

  • finnsmom64 on December 30, 2018

    Made this for xmas dessert. It turned out great! Did cheat and used a store bought chocolate crust, less stress, but next time will make the crust.

• Tahini sauce

  • Breadcrumbs on November 06, 2011

    p. 811 – Lately we’ve been highly addicted to roasted cauliflower. Hot or cold, as a side or an antipasti, we just can’t seem to get enough of this tasty treat. Inspired by the goodhealthgourmet who mentioned on another thread that she likes dipping roasted in Tahini sauce I thought I’d give that a try and, was happy to find a recipe in the COTM. This really couldn’t be simpler. Garlic cloves are minced and mashed to a paste with salt before whisking together with tahini, lemon juice, water, olive oil, cilantro (I used Italian parsley) and cumin. This was truly lovely with the roasted cauliflower and I used what was leftover to drizzle over grilled salmon the following day with equally impressive results. A versatile recipe well worth keeping and repeating.

• Gingerbread snowflakes

  • Breadcrumbs on December 23, 2014

    p. 680 – Lovely flavour, perfectly spiced, great texture. I’d definitely make these cookies again. I picked up some new cookie cutters at Christmas Markets in Munich and Frankfurt earlier this month and was keen to put them to the test. This (four fork recipe on Epi) didn't disappoint. The dough comes together beautifully and is very forgiving, allowing for repeat roll-outs for tray after tray of cookies. The golden retriever and cat shapes were a house favourite! Photos here: http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/815188?commentId=9351693#9351693

  • stockholm28 on December 23, 2014

    This dough is very easy to handle. I will definitely use this in the future for Cut out cookies. Recipe is here: http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Gingerbread-Snowflakes-107445

• Rhubarb anise upside-down cake

  • Breadcrumbs on July 04, 2011

    p. 717 - I picked up a couple of pounds of beautiful MacDonald Rhubarb at the farmer's market on Saturday with this cake in mind. The idea of pairing rhubarb w anise seed seemed like a match made in heaven and, as fans of both, I knew this would be a hit at our house. The cake is baked in a cast iron skillet which adds to its rusticity and appeal in my view. Prep is simple and straightforward w the most challenging (read . . . keep your fingers crossed!!) element being the actual plating. Happy to report that no fruit was left behind in the inverted plating of this dish!! The tangy juices of the rhubarb blend beautifully w the buttery-sugar topping to infuse the cake with moisture and flavour. The anise really elevates this dish. Happy to recommend this one. Photos here: http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/793239#6653539

  • chawkins on May 30, 2016

    Rhubarb is growing real well this year in the garden. I harvested 4 stalks, when cut into 1" pieces, gave me 3 cups. My 7" cast iron skillet is too small and 10" square one, too big. So I used a 9" square tin, lined with parchment, melted the butter in it in the oven and sprinkled on the brown sugar and returned it to the oven to melt the sugar. The 3 cups of rhubarb pieces were just enough to cover the bottom of the pan in one layer. I reduced the brown sugar in the topping and the granulated sugar in the cake both to 1/2 cup per couple of comments from epicurious. The cake was delicious and turning it out was a cinch with the parchment paper. Will definitely make again.

  • stef on April 04, 2018

    I made this in my tart tatin pan. It will be repeated in the spring when my rhubarb comes up

  • Jviney on June 01, 2020

    This cake was fine...a little bit dry but the ice cream helped counter that. I had to use fennel seed, and could not detect its flavor in the end. I used a 10” cast iron skillet and the cake inverted onto a plate perfectly. I think I would try other rhubarb cakes before coming back to this one.

• Maple mashed sweet potatoes

  • Breadcrumbs on November 06, 2011

    Maple Mashed Sweet Potatoes – p. 582 I planned to make some cider-glazed grilled pork chops and while in search of a side dish, I found this recipe via an EYB search. I was drawn to the simplicity and, complimentary flavours of this potato dish and we were really pleased with the results. These creamy, maple-infused potatoes paired perfectly with the grilled pork and, were a real hit with our guests. Prep is simple. Potatoes are baked until tender then, halved and the flesh is scooped into a bowl and mashed along w butter, cream, syrup, salt and pepper. RR notes that the potatoes can be made ahead and reheated and I’d have been happy to give this a try if there had been leftovers. As it turned out, every last bite of these potatoes were gobbled up and our Golden Retriever was all too happy to lick out the serving dish!!! Why I invested in a new dishwasher I’ll never know!!! Great side dish, happy to recommend this one!!

  • schenck65 on October 16, 2011

    I've made this 3 or 4 years running for Thanksgiving. It's simple, delicious and reheatable. Good with purple sweet potatoes, too.

  • chawkins on December 19, 2015

    Absolutely delicious even though I used 2% milk instead of the cream. Perfect accompaniment for my pork chops smothered with onions and apples.

• Beef and sausage lasagne

  • Breadcrumbs on November 06, 2011

    p. 234 - This is relatively simple lasagna to prepare relative to other versions I’ve made. There is little chopping and prep to do and, the recipe calls for no boil lasagna noodles. I used a larger pan to accommodate the volume of sauce in this dish. I also added steamed, drained spinach to the ricotta. The idea is to layer sauce, noodles, ricotta mixture, Parmesan and repeat the process 3 times. My version repeated the layers twice then, after the third layer of noodles were added, I simply topped w more sauce, some mozzarella and a little Parmesan. I also distributed the mozzarella evenly throughout the layers vs just having what I imagined to be a big gooey blob on top of the dish. Once assembled, the pan is covered with a buttered piece of foil. I sprayed mine w evoo instead. I had to put the broiler on to brown the top. This was good, actually leftovers were great. The sum far greater than the parts. Delicious and worth repeating.

• Baked pasta with tomatoes, shiitake mushrooms, and prosciutto

  • Breadcrumbs on November 07, 2011

    p. 225 - We loved this dish not just for what it is but for the possibilities it offers. First of all, on its own, as written it’s a very tasty, hearty dish that could feed an army! I can also imagine how wonderful variations might be - cooked, shredded chicken or sausage instead of prosciutto. Instead of removing the cooked veggies from the pan to make a roux, I simply made my roux in a separate pan while the veggies cooked then incorporated the milk to make a smooth, creamy sauce. I also decided to add the tomatoes AND their juice the book tells you to drain them to the mushroom mixture and let it reduce a little prior to incorporating the cream sauce. At this point I let the sauce cool and refrigerated it overnight. The following day all I needed to do was cook the pasta, bring the sauce up to a simmer, stir in the cheeses, prosciutto and pasta then bake for 20 minutes. Terrific dish I'll happily make again.

  • hirsheys on January 19, 2019

    Technically, my mom made this - years ago. It was very good. Like a grown-up version of mac-n-cheese.

  • kateiscoooking on November 15, 2020

    Be sure to undercook your pasta before adding it in. Loved the flavors of this. Next time, though, I'm making half a recipe!

• Orecchiette with cauliflower and lacinato kale

  • Breadcrumbs on November 06, 2011

    Wonderful dish. One thing I did differently is that I roasted my cauliflower since it’s not mr bc’s favourite vegetables and, the only way I can seem to get him to eat is by roasting it!! Otherwise, I followed the recipe as you see it in the book and, since the dish was a little dry, I did add some of the cooking water from the kale along w a little pasta water. The toasted breadcrumbs and parmesan add a richness to the dish that contrasts the bitterness of the kale and balances everything. For folks who don’t love anchovies, I’d note that the flavour is very subtle and, not pronounced enough that the flavour stands out. This really was delicious and surprisingly filling. FYI, my cauliflower was chartreuse and purple in case you find my photos a bit puzzling!! I’d highly recommend this one. Loved the heat from the chilies too btw.

• Perciatelli with sausage ragu and meatballs

  • Breadcrumbs on November 06, 2011

    p. 222 - Since preparing it we’ve had the meatballs as part of the pasta dish and, on their own w some sauce as an antipasti. Both were outstanding, I’d highly recommend this dish. You could easily make the meatballs and even the entire sauce a day ahead if time was tight. Meatballs are made by combining fresh breadcrumbs, milk, ground toasted almonds, currants, ground beef, pecorino, pine nuts, cinnamon, egg and salt. While the recipe suggests you fry these, I decided to bake them (20 mins in a 375 oven) while I cooked the sausage for the sauce. Instead of leaving the sausages whole, I cut them into 1 1/2 inch pieces to mimic the rough size/shape of the meatballs. I worried that the sauce might be too acidic or, watery w 2 cups of wine and only 28 oz of tomatoes but the sweet flavours of the sausage and currants really infused the sauce with wonderful flavours and by the time the dish was ready, the sauce was a lovely consistency (though I wish there had been more).

• Sicilian meatballs

  • Breadcrumbs on November 06, 2011

    p. 222 - See review for Perciatelli with sausage ragu and meatballs as these are a component of that dish. Truly scrumptious and, reminiscent of the meatballs we so love at Quartino in Chicago.

• Turkey meat loaf

  • Breadcrumbs on September 19, 2011

    p. 387 - I was looking for a recipe that called for cremini mushrooms and stumbled across this dish. What a happy find, we loved this meatloaf!! Mr bc, not a fan of meatloaf at all, declared this to be delicious as he headed for second helpings. I thought the mushrooms really took this dish from good to great. The loaf was tender, juicy and full of flavour. I used ground chicken instead of turkey, otherwise I followed the recipe to the letter. Seeing the "yuck" review above made me wonder if we'd just been lucky and perhaps this doesn't work as well w turkey but I just checked Epi and reviews there seem largely very positive w 3.5 stars. I'll make this again and would happily recommend.

  • mirage on June 26, 2010

    Susan and Nancy each made this. Both said "yuck"

  • hma2000 on March 12, 2017

    This is the best meatloaf I've ever had -- tender, moist, and flavorful; not dense and heavy. I've been making it for years. I usually make two and freeze one. It's somewhat labor intensive to make, but well worth it.

  • Tirtzah2 on December 13, 2018

    Best ever turkey meatloaf. I split my meatloaf into 3 small dishes to make sure it cooked thru. Non lovers of mushrooms won't realize mushrooms are in this dish.

• Parsley-leaf potatoes

  • Breadcrumbs on October 23, 2011

    p. 568 - If you're looking under "Potatoes" in the index this recipe is listed under Wedges, not Golden so it's a bit hard to find (especially if you haven't had your morning coffee yet!!). This is a basic recipe for roasting. No par-boiling, just slice, toss w evoo, S&P and optionals garlic or rosemary then bake at 425.

• Cheddar- and garlic-stuffed potatoes

  • Breadcrumbs on November 06, 2011

    Cheddar – and Garlic –Stuffed Potatoes – p. 571 Doesn’t this just sound yummy!!?? With a new bbq on the deck we couldn’t resist grilling some steaks and what goes better with grilled steak but a delicious baked potato? This recipe fit the bill and took the ordinary to the extraordinary . . . . a truly scrumptious treat! Easy to make, potatoes are first roasted off along w a head of garlic. Pulp from garlic is mixed together with the potato innards, butter, sour cream and cheddar. Mixture is seasoned to taste before stuffing into potato shells, topping w additional cheese and baking for approx 20 mins. Yum! We’ll definitely have these again, everyone raved about them and I’d like to experiment with different cheeses.

  • L.Nightshade on January 18, 2012

    Inspired by Breadcrumbs post, and a dish full of leftover mashed potatoes, I did a spin on this recipe. I took the mashed potatoes and smooshed them up with the other called-for ingredients, plopped them into a baking dish and cooked as directed. Mine got steamy-melty hot without the beautiful browning visible on Breadcrumbs individual potatoes, but they tasted fine.This was a pretty tasty way to chip away at the mountain of mashed potatoes we have left.

  • twoyolks on April 13, 2021

    I thought these tasted good but not good enough compared to the amount of fat that is added to them. The pay off just wasn't there.

• Sushi-roll rice salad

  • mirage on July 18, 2014

    Excellent quick and easy summer meal.

  • Kiyah on May 24, 2016

    It's like a big, delicious bowl of sushi roll without the fish. It's a perfect dish to take to a cookout, a nice alternative to potato or macaroni salad.

• Gingered noodle salad with mango and cucumber

  • Laura on June 18, 2012

    Pg. 149. After reading the reviews of this on Epicurious, I made a few changes to the dressing. Used sesame oil, added some honey and soy sauce. This makes a light and refreshing dish for hot weather and made a nice accompaniment to grilled shrimp with a mango and pineapple salsa. But it wasn't good enough for me to want to make it again.

• Curried lentil soup with tomato and spinach

  • Laura on November 05, 2019

    Pg. 112. Made this for dinner tonight and we liked it well enough, although there are many other lentil soup recipes I like better. I did like that it was pretty quick and easy to put together on a weeknight. I normally cook with low-sodium chicken broth and no-salt added canned tomatoes. After reading the 2 previous reviews regarding the need for a lot of salt, I used regular tomatoes and broth which contain a lot more sodium. We both thought that was sufficient. My main issue with the taste was that the ginger really didn't come through. I only tasted ginger in 2 bites, so if I make this again in the future I'll increase the amount of ginger. One more thing, the recipe does not make a lot of soup, so I'd also increase the quantity.

  • mamacrumbcake on July 14, 2015

    Don't be afraid to salt this fairly liberally. Taste as you go and stop when you like it. Without the salt, the flavor seem muted. Definitely use the lemon, it brings a brightness to the soup.

  • heather358 on February 10, 2019

    This is one of my favorite soup recipes. Agree with mamacrumbcake that it needs liberal salt, especially if you are using homemade broth, and the lemon is important. I also add small cubes of paneer, which I find marries well with the ginger and cumin and holds up with a softened but not melted texture.

  • breakthroughc on February 08, 2022

    I haven't made this soup for years and recently revisited it. It is a delicious, quick, inexpensive and filling. Agree with other viewers on the salt and lemon. Worth revisiting.

• Hearty goulash soup

  • Laura on April 16, 2011

    I chose this recipe as a means of using up the last of the beef stock I made this winter. Well, it accomplished that, but otherwise was a disappointment. It's a lot of work and just not that interesting. Flavors are pretty subdued. At the very least, I would increase the caraway seeds significantly -- they added the only real potent flavor, but there were so few of them that it was very hit or miss. I don't think I'll make this again.

• Portuguese kale soup with chorizo (caldo verde)

  • Laura on August 24, 2016

    Pg. 109. An abundance of kale and potatoes lead me to this recipe. And, while not the best caldo verde I've ever made, it was good comfort food.

  • pistachiopeas on March 08, 2015

    One needs to add quite a bit of salt but otherwise excellent. Freezes well.

• Risotto with peas and prosciutto

  • Laura on April 11, 2011

    Pg. 255. This is a lovely spring dish and very tasty. It's a very simple recipe and doesn't take too long to make. The constant stirring can make your arm feel very tired -- but then you expect that with risotto.

• Pork chops with mustard crumbs

  • Laura on December 19, 2014

    Pg. 482. This was a really great dish. The herbs and bread crumbs were easy and fast to prepare and the cook time was not long, although I found I needed to increase the cook time by a few minutes. The herb-breadcrumb crust was nice, but I have to wonder if it was really needed.

  • chawkins on July 25, 2014

    Simple, quick and delicious for the effort put in. Took no more than 30 minutes, including a walk out to the garden for the sage leaves. Used regular bread crumbs rather than rye bread crumbs because that's what I had. Also mixed in with some panko because I went out of the regular bread crumbs as well.

• Roasted spiced sweet potatoes

  • Laura on December 05, 2014

    Pg. 584. The spices were great on the sweet potatoes. The recipe does not direct you to peel the potatoes, but I did. I think that was a mistake, as the potatoes burned on the surface that was on the bottom -- if that had been unpeeled, it would have been easy to deal with. Anyway, they tasted great and I'd make these again anytime, but would not peel the potatoes.

• Sautéed kale with bacon and vinegar

  • beetlebug on July 11, 2011

    Excellent and easy dish. Bacon and greens, what more do you need?

  • rionafaith on September 30, 2017

    p. 541 -- Delicious, very similar to the Joe Beef "Kale for a Hangover" I made recently though this one is maybe a bit lighter. I used the recommended black dinosaur kale. I drained a little less bacon fat than instructed and didn't add the olive oil because that seemed pointless. Might add even more cider vinegar next time!

• Brussels sprout chiffonade

  • JoanN on February 12, 2016

    Made half a recipe and stir-fried it in a wok. Loved the cumin. Easy, and worth repeating, treatment for Brussels sprouts.

  • mharriman on May 04, 2020

    The cumin seeds sautéed in butter with the hand-shredded sprouts elevate this simple vegetable dish. I used a 12 ounce package of fresh Brussels sprouts and fresh lemon juice ( no limes at my house at the moment) and two of us ate it all up, even though it was a side dish. Will definitely tag it as a repeat.

• Pan-roasted mahimahi with butter and lime

  • JoanN on September 13, 2011

    Couldn't be simpler. Definitely on the do-again list.

• Minestrone

  • Ladyberd on December 19, 2011

    I added some beef bouillon and smoked paprika and a little thyme and this soup was phenomenal.

  • Totallywired on October 31, 2018

    Delicious. I would increase the white beans and reduce the tomatoes or use a richer stock to improve the balance.

• Flank steak with chimichurri

  • Reemski on September 19, 2010

    Recipe is on page 429. I used rocket/arugula instead of parsley and added a tiny bit of sweet smoked paprika and some freshly ground pepper to the chimmichurri. It was delicious

  • BookishMa on December 14, 2011

    Quick & easy & delicious. I'd suggest increasing the rub by a third--we had a long narrow strip that wasn't completely covered. But it was delicious (even our picky 9 year old raved about it)

• Cranberry pistachio biscotti

  • Reemski on July 09, 2010

    Tried to halve recipe as it's very large. Used two eggs, but dough still didn't come together, I had to add water. Ok recipe, not great.

• Riesling-braised sauerkraut and apples

  • Gio on January 03, 2015

    http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Riesling-Braised-Sauerkraut-and-Apples-107225

• Pumpkin chiffon pie with gingersnap crust

  • mlbatt on December 04, 2020

    Excellent, although I used my favorite pumpkin spice mix (same proportions as the Libby's pumpkin pie) instead of the recipe spices. Gingersnap pecan crust was awesome!

• Brown sugar fudge

  • Kiyah on May 24, 2016

    This is classic penuche. My mother used to stir hers in the pot, but using the stand mixer gives it a silky texture mom's fudge never had. I've made this to give as gifts, it's so good.

• Orange cumin vinaigrette

  • Waderu on October 27, 2013

    Liked the flavor of this dressing, was great on earthy greens and roasted vegetables. Next time I will strain out the cumin seeds - they were too chewy.

• Nectarine mousse cake

  • Kringler on October 14, 2013

    Fabulous! A bit of a production, but results are worth it. It is just as delicious as it is beautiful. Perfect ending to a special summer dinner party.

• Dried apricot-oatmeal scones

  • we10mom on December 18, 2016

    These were delicious--moist and tender but still had that nutty oat chew. Rather than using a cutter, I cut them into wedges. Will definitely make these again.

  • anya_sf on February 27, 2021

    I made 1/2 recipe, cut into 6 wedges. Froze the shaped scones overnight and baked from frozen; they needed a few extra minutes in the oven. The scones were somewhat hearty from the oats, but not heavy. I loved the orange and apricot flavors.

• Island pork tenderloin

  • lizard on February 02, 2011

    Simple and delicious. Best w/ whole tenderloin.

  • L.Nightshade on January 18, 2012

    Delicious! The taste is sweet and spicy, a lovely combination. Plus, I really liked this method of cooking the tenderloin. We usually grill it, weather permitting. But during rainy, blustery times like this, the quick sear and the oven finish is the way to go. I'd definitely use this method again with different spice treatments. But I'll also keep this exact recipe in my do-again list. I sliced up the leftover tenderloin and used it in pressed sandwiches. Added a couple paper-thin slices of ham, muenster cheese, and a mixture of cilantro, parsley, garlic, and pickled jalapenos. I cooked them on a grill pan under a brick. The sweetness of the pork marinade coupled quite nicely with the spicy herb relish.

  • eliza on January 06, 2016

    Liked the basic recipe for the spice rub, and the searing followed by oven baking. Meat was perfectly done. The glaze was way too sweet for me, I will omit it in future. Edited to add; I've now made it multiple times with different spice blends and it's always perfectly cooked. Great recipe and so easy!

  • mharriman on July 13, 2019

    My husband remarked,” This is at the top of the list of all the pork dishes you’ve made.” I agree. It was a bit like eating dessert on top of the pork, but with the glaze, the pork was heavenly. I followed the timing instructions and used a thermometer to ensure the pork wasn’t over cooked. I also reduced the amount of brown sugar/ garlic/ hot sauce topping. I used Sriracha sauce instead of Tabasco, and half the amount called for. Served with a Caribbean rice and beans side, red cabbage Cole slaw, and corn bread.

  • pistachiopeas on March 28, 2017

    Good but a bit too sweet.

• Skirt steak fajitas with lime and black pepper

  • lizard on March 11, 2011

    The steak marinade is simple and delicious.

• Chicken with cornmeal dumplings

  • L.Nightshade on November 05, 2011

    A whole chicken is cut up and browned, then sprinkled with a cup of shallots, and white wine. When the chicken is cooked, it is fished out and put into the oven while the cornmeal dumplings (with parsley, chives, and buttermilk) cook in the gravy. Mr. Nightshade and I worked on this dish together, and had a lot of fun doing it. We spent the better part of two hours (including our side dish), and we felt it was worth it. Mr. NS raved, thought it was a company-worthy dish. I thought it was more old-fashioned comfort food for family (I brought out my grandma's china to serve, it seemed fitting). I did love the dumplings. Cornmeal and fresh herbs give them an interesting little punch. We'll put this into our regular rotation.

• Fish en papillote with tomatoes and olives

  • L.Nightshade on November 26, 2011

    Page 302. I was quite impressed with the taste of this dish. The orange zest imparts a lot of flavor to the fish, just by sitting there on top (I kept it in large coils). It was a lovely combination with the olives and tomato. Plus a hint of bite from the chile flakes. Definitely a great, do-again after-work meal. I served it with Peas with Spinach and Shallots on page 555.

  • khopkins1012 on January 11, 2020

    I used tilapia fillets, which are thinner than the 1" fillets specified in the recipe. To compensate, I set the oven for 450F and took the packets out at 6 minutes. They tasted lovely with the Moroccan-spiced Spaghetti Squash on pg. 581.

• Roasted squash and green beans with sherry soy butter

  • L.Nightshade on November 05, 2011

    As I read the recipe, the beans are supposed to be cooked on the stovetop until tender, then added to the roasting squash for 20 minutes. I'll have to try it that way some time, but it sounds like it might be overkill. Because the oven was in use I did the beans on the stovetop only, roasted the squash beforehand. The seasoning for the vegetables is provided by butter melted with sherry vinegar and soy sauce. The butter nicely cuts the bite of the vinegar and makes for an interesting combination. This is a very November dish, it was a fine accompaniment to the Chicken with Cornmeal Dumplings.

  • heather358 on September 25, 2022

    The sherry vinegar soy sauce butter complemented the roasted vegetables beautifully. I paired this with goat cheese stuffed chicken breasts and leg quarters and will definitely make it again. I may try to cut back on the butter, although my husband says no!

• Peas with spinach and shallots

  • L.Nightshade on January 18, 2012

    Not much to write, garlic and shallots are sauteed, peas are added, then baby spinach, a dash of salt and pepper. A perfectly tasty, and pretty green dish. It was a nice, simple counterpoint to the fish dish I was serving with olives and tomatoes. A colorful plate when all was put together.

  • anya_sf on January 20, 2021

    This was a nice variation on plain peas. I used 8 oz baby spinach. Good side dish with meatloaf and mashed potatoes.

• Asian cucumber ribbon salad

  • L.Nightshade on January 18, 2012

    Not much to this. Thinly sliced cucumbers are tossed in rice vinegar, sugar, soy sauce, and sesame oil. I've got a funky old slicer, so my cukes weren't too pretty. But this tasted fine, and was a bright, refreshing accompaniment to the spicy steak main dish.

• Charred tomatillo guacamole

  • L.Nightshade on January 18, 2012

    I made turkey tacos tonight, pulled this from the book for an accompaniment. Tomatillos go under the broiler until their tops are charred, then they are flipped and the bottoms are charred. Chopped red onion, serrano chiles, chopped cilantro, salt, and pepper are tossed together, then the tomatillos are added and mashed with a fork. Finally, avocados are added and mashed. I thought the 3-4 serranos called for would be too spicy, so I just used one serrano, one jalapeno, and one half a yellow chile. I could have used more, it tasted pretty mild. The charred tomatillos were a nice addition. My proportions were pretty random; no good sized avocados were available (the recipe calls for two large), so I used four very small avocados, with big seeds and not a lot of meat (fruit?). I would probably increase the ratio of the charred tomatillos next time, and add some more chiles.

• Chinese beef noodle soup

  • bernalgirl on February 02, 2012

    Easy, delicious. I used cubed beef chuck roast and it still came out with a rich broth and tender meat. Short ribs are preferred but the chuck roast was faster.

• Oven-braised beef with tomato sauce and garlic

  • kath on February 28, 2016

    This recipe is excellent and so easy! It reheats beautifully for perfect leftovers, too.

• Beef stroganoff

  • wcassity on June 16, 2019

    Made for the second time for Father’s Day. Rich, but not heavy. Very nice.

  • JKDLady on October 17, 2012

    This is my son's favorite beef stroganoff recipe. It's also simple and lower in calories than most.

• Cranberry caramel bars

  • BookishMa on December 14, 2011

    Despite the fact that my candy thermometer was off (by 30 degrees!) these are AWESOME. Butter, sugar, cranberries and pecans with a shortbread crust. I used Lyle's Golden Syrup rather than light corn syrup. Generally, I don't add chocolate to desserts (love it on its own) but I thought I'd try it: I dabbed it on and it increased the swoon factor by 80%. I'll make it again but next time I'll use a working thermometer (my bars are a bit runny but still yummy)

• Roasted carrots and parsnips with herbs

  • BookishMa on April 22, 2013

    Easy preparation and delicious--even our 11year old liked it. I used the recipe as a template, adding chopped green beans, an onion and a few cloves of garlic. We ran out of olive oil at 1T so I supplemented by spraying the pan and the veges with olive oil spray. Dried herbs worked just fine

• Green beans with almonds

  • BookishMa on December 25, 2011

    Too many nuts! I liked the idea but the end result wasn't great

• Cider-braised pork shoulder with caramelized onions

  • BookishMa on December 08, 2011

    A very subtle flavor to this that beautifully complements the taste of the pork. We used a boneless cut from our farm share (happy pigs, no drugs, kept outside, foraging under trees) and were very pleased.

• Chicken pie with biscuit crust

  • Kouture007 on January 12, 2013

    Kevin liked it.

  • JKDLady on March 18, 2016

    We enjoyed this very much. Perfect for a cold night. The seasoning seemed perfect. No complaints. I dropped the biscuit dough by tablespoons on top instead of rolling it out. I also forgot to brush it with the egg wash. I don't think it needed it. The biscuits were golden and delicious. A keeper recipe!

  • peaceoutdesign on January 20, 2023

    I liked the biscuit but the chicken pie filling was not better than Hopwood's Firehouse Chicken and Dumplings.

• Braised red cabbage

  • nadiam1000 on March 22, 2021

    Made a couple of substitutions - used apple cider vinegar and monk fruit sweetener. It got a little dry near the end of cooking so I added a bit of beef broth. Served with sausages and cauliflower mash. Really good.

• Sweet potato chips with lime salt

  • twoyolks on November 16, 2016

    The difference between over-browned sweet potatoes and properly fried sweet potatoes is a narrow time window. In either case, they end up rather ugly looking as the sugars over caramelize. The sweet potatoes are sliced with a vegetable peeler which gets them thin enough to actually becoming crispy before burning which is nice. I liked the lime zest with the sweet potatoes but it was difficult to get an even application across the sweet potatoes.

• Gingerbread pancakes

  • twoyolks on January 04, 2015

    We found these to be a bit too spicy. The batter also wasn't thin enough to spread properly in the pan so I had to flatten them with the back of a greased spatula.

  • letseat on January 01, 2015

    I thought these may be too spicy but they were delicious! The recipe said to serve with sour cream which I did not. We ate them with butter and maple syrup. Love them.

  • anya_sf on March 20, 2021

    Super tender and fluffy, no doubt due to the whole cup of sour cream. Great gingerbread flavor. I found the spice level to be just right, but think it may depend on the potency of your ginger. The batter was indeed thick and browned rather quickly, so I needed to use a lower heat. I got 8 pancakes. We loved these with butter and maple syrup.

• Three cities of Spain classic cheesecake

  • twoyolks on December 28, 2015

    This is a solid cheesecake which manages to be not too heavy.

• Asparagus salad with celery leaves, quail eggs, and tarragon vinaigrette

  • meggan on September 15, 2022

    Because celery leaves can be quite bitter, I usually mix with some other greens too.

• Chilled pea soup with lemon cream

  • hirsheys on January 19, 2019

    Not great, not bad. Very green. Made for Ali's baby shower.

• Chicken salad tea sandwiches with smoked almonds

  • hirsheys on April 09, 2017

    These are delicious - I made them for Lizzy's bridal shower. I always leave off the almonds - too fussy for me - and they taste great.

• Tarragon-shallot egg salad sandwiches

  • hirsheys on April 09, 2017

    These are very similar to the chicken salad tea sandwiches in this book. They are fantastic and the tarragon really makes them taste fancy.

• Penne alla vodka

  • hirsheys on January 19, 2019

    This is my favorite recipe for Penne alla Vodka. My family doesn't like the ham much, but I think it adds tons of flavor. I love this version (and love penne with vodka sauce).

• Katharine Hepburn's brownies

  • hirsheys on January 19, 2019

    Very, very good. Definitely one of my top brownie recipes.

• Cuban sandwiches

  • chawkins on November 10, 2020

    Good sandwich to use up my leftover Cuban pork roast. I used black forest ham, home grown and made garlic dill pickles and Jarlsberg cheese.

• Deep-dish sausage and tomato pizza

  • chawkins on June 26, 2015

    This was okay. I'd like more cheese on my pizza though. I used home-canned tomato sauce rather than canned diced tomato.

• Escarole, sausage, and white bean stew

  • chawkins on November 07, 2014

    Soupier, with tomato added and a little bit spicier than the version from the Fine Cooking special issue for One-Pot Meals.

• Fresh tomato sauce

  • chawkins on December 03, 2013

    Made this with 6 pounds of the last of this season's tomato from the green house. The house was filled with the perfume of garlic, and wound up with 2 28-oz jars of garlicky sweet sauce.

• Shepherd's pie

  • chawkins on August 04, 2016

    Very good, with lots of vegetables: leeks, carrots, turnips and pearl onion. I used leftover grilled leg of lamb that was quite rare and sauteed them with the flour and did not braised for couple hours in the oven, just cooked until vegetables were soft. A beurre manie was made to thicken the sauce, a bit more work than other shepherd's pie, but worth it. I cooked the sliced potatoes in the cream, milk and butter in the IP for 7 minutes and the resulting mash was devine.

• Pork chops with sauteed apples and cider cream sauce

  • chawkins on December 01, 2014

    Great recipe even though you would have quite a bit of cleanup as you would dirty a saute pan, a sauce pan, a bowl to hold the apple and a plate to hold the pork chops, not to mention the other utensils. But it was absolutely worth it. I halved the recipe for the sauce and cooked only two chops instead of six.

  • hillsboroks on November 23, 2014

    This recipe is absolutely worth the extra work to make it and would impress guests. I was making it for just two of us so cut the recipe in half. I did add a tablespoon of Clear Creek Apple Brandy to the finished sauce which really added to the apple flavor. My husband loved it and I know we will make this again.

  • MmeFleiss on October 02, 2017

    Delicious and easy weeknight dish.

• Mustard- and herb-crusted rack of lamb

  • chawkins on October 18, 2014

    Tasted good but it took a lot longer than called for to get to the internal temp for medium rare.

• Poblano strips with onion and cream (rajas con crema)

  • chawkins on October 31, 2020

    Great use of my end of season poblanos from the garden and great side for Rick Bayless’s red chile enchiladas with chicken and melted cheese.

• Grilled jerk chicken

  • chawkins on July 19, 2015

    I used all drumsticks and marinated for only 9 hours, but the drumsticks were still very flavorful and with my husband's superb grilling, they were real moist and the skin crisp.

• Crab cakes

  • chawkins on November 07, 2019

    To me, who is accustomed to Maryland style crab cakes, these were quite unusual. They were bound only by mayo, mustard and a little bit of egg, definitely low carb. The whole grain mustard gave them a rather unique flavor. The cakes were baked, so no need to worry about them falling apart when flipping. Stress free and hands free.

• Portuguese clams

  • chawkins on June 05, 2013

    We loved this. I halved the recipe to serve two, instead of using 1 lb of clams, I used 17 clams, probably way over two pounds, but that was what fitted in one layer on the bottom of my pan. You put the clams and half of the onions slices on the bottom of the pan, seasoned them and drizzled oil on them, then layered on the half of the garlic, the rest of the onion, the tomato slices, the roasted pepper strips and the rest of the garlic, poured in the wine, added the potatoes (I sliced them to about 1/8"), poured in the tomato sauce and layered on the chorizo, then covered and bring to a boil. I was somewhat leary of the 12 minute cooking time as I did not think the potatoes would be done, but everything turned out well, the potatoes were soft and the clams not overcooked. Very, very good, will make again when I have fresh clams.

• Herbed rib roast

  • chawkins on May 08, 2012

    The herb mixture is a little bit too salty for my taste, I'll reduce the amount salt next time.

• Cuban roast pork loin

  • chawkins on November 08, 2020

    Could not be easier, once the marinade is made, it was pretty much all hands off. I marinated for about 18 hours and the pork was tender, moist and very flavorful.

• Pecan pumpkin pie

  • chawkins on November 02, 2014

    What a great idea to combine two great pies together, the two layers complement each other well. The pecan layer is not as sweet as regular pecan pie and the unusual addition of lemon juice cuts the richness. I used my own oil pie crust and 2 tsp of lemon juice instead of 1 1/2 tsp. I might not have baked it long enough though, the center of the pecan layer was not quite set when cut into 6 hours after baking.

• Jerk marinade

  • chawkins on July 19, 2015

    Very good jerk marinade. I used a mix of jalapeno and serrano peppers and doubled the amount because that's what I had and it was not spicy at all. Next time I'll use habanaro and see if that'll make a difference.

• Roasted okra

  • pagesinthesun on August 30, 2014

    I've used this recipe to roast okra for years. It is the best way to introduce okra-virgins to the vegetable. No slime!

• "La Brea tar pit" chicken wings

  • JKDLady on March 14, 2016

    These were way too sweet. Yuck.

• Jasmine rice with cilantro and peanuts

  • hillsboroks on August 07, 2020

    This rice dish is extremely quick and easy but packs such a flavor punch. This is going to be my new go-to Asian rice recipe.

  • IowanCorn on February 19, 2023

    A very tasty dish! I subbed parsley for the cilantro - my family doesn't really care for cilantro - and onion for the scallions. Still it was good, and worth a repeat.

• Lamb and feta patties with pepper relish

  • hillsboroks on November 15, 2021

    We absolutely loved these lamb patties. The addition of the feta kept them moist and the garlic, mint and scallion gave them loads of flavor. I also added 1/2 teaspoon of a dried spice mix called Rosey Harissa that I got from the Hardcover Cook website and I think it blended perfectly with the other flavors. My package of ground lamb was only a pound but I used the full amount of the other ingredients the recipe called for and it worked great. I did cheat on the relish and used a jar of Harry and David's Pepper and Onion Relish that was delicious with the patties. I cooked them on a LeCruset ridged grill pan for 4 minutes per side and they were done perfectly. These patties were not only flavorful but still moist and juicy when cooked. We cut them in half and put them on flour tortillas with the relish, plain Greek yogurt, cilantro, arugula, thinly sliced onion and sliced cherry tomatoes and they were fabulous. These are our new favorite lamb burgers.

• Oatmeal coconut raspberry bars

  • hillsboroks on July 08, 2016

    These are absolutely addictive! I have been wanting to give this recipe a go and today was my chance to try it. I used a jar of last year's raspberry jelly that I wanted to use up. Combined with the coconut and oatmeal the raspberry flavor is heavenly. The bars turned out a bit chewy yet with a fair amount of crunch. I will be making these on a regular basis.

  • anya_sf on February 02, 2021

    I made 1/2 recipe in an 8"x8" pan to use up some less-than-great (texture-wise) seedless raspberry jam. These were great! The layer of jam seemed awfully thin, but the flavor was there.

  • Jviney on April 28, 2019

    The recipe notes say that these ship well, and I sent a box across the border to Canada, and one to friends in a neighboring state...everybody loved them and said they arrived in great condition.

• Chocolate and lemon cream cheese frosting

  • hillsboroks on January 06, 2023

    Page 722

• Squash, tomatoes, and corn with jack cheese

  • colinpurrington on May 04, 2021

    Recipe says to add garlic with bulk of ingredients but I just couldn't do it ... so I allowed it to cook for a minute with the onions, instead. I think some chopped poblanos would be nice. A bit bland as is, though fine if accompanied by a spicy main.

• Cranberry coffee cake

  • dtremit on January 13, 2016

    Was disappointed by this recipe. Despite the fiddly layering, the cranberries didn't stay put -- they sank to the bottom and made the cake gummy. And I found the cranberries a bit too tart and the cake a bit too sweet. Probably won't make again.

• Crab and coconut dip with plantain chips

  • amoule on December 16, 2018

    This was very plain. I used premium quality ingredients but it was bland and had no coconut flavor. Adding more lime just made it taste like lime.

• Fresh apricot upside-down cake

  • Rinshin on July 02, 2019

    Wonderful use of garden apricots. Skipped almond essence. Had to bake 15+ more minutes since the middle was still too wet. My garden apricots were full of juice compared to store bought apricots which sometimes tend to be dry which may have caused the need for extra baking time. Best warm and not chilled. Photo added.

• Butternut squash, sage, and goat cheese ravioli with hazelnut-brown butter sauce

  • peaceoutdesign on September 07, 2021

    I roasted the squash and maybe that is why the ravioli were only okay. I think that the filling needs to be very blended and smooth. I really liked the goat cheese idea with butternut and brown butter.

• Halibut with spicy Asian vinaigrette and wasabi cream

  • peaceoutdesign on August 31, 2022

    Easy and great.

• Cod marinated in sake kasu

  • sherrib on August 13, 2014

    This recipe yields a lot of marinade that fully covers the fish. I left the fish marinating for about 20 hours. The recipe specifically states to make sure to use black cod for this recipe since regular cod won't do. I used regular cod anyway and although it fell apart a bit during cooking, it tasted just fine. Instead of Sake Kasu, I used regular, bottled sake that I had on hand. The marinated fish takes on a beautiful and very tasty brown exterior. Next time, I might cook the marinade in a saucepan to reduce and use it over the fish. It's a shame to discard it as the recipe suggests since it's really delicious! The only other change I might make is to cook the fish from beginning to end in the oven. I don't know if it's because of the type of cod I used or if it's because I let it marinate for so long, but the fish was extremely flaky and falling apart as I turned the fillets over.

• All-occasion yellow cake

  • alisonkc on March 16, 2014

    This is a make-from-scratch version of boxed yellow cake mix. Light and airy texture, tasty and not much more difficult than the box mix!

• Whole red snapper veracruz

  • springandfall on April 21, 2015

    If you, like me, resist buying capers for a recipe because the rest of the jar will sit in the fridge forever after, this works great with a mixture of good-quality olives instead of olives and capers.

• Buttermilk biscuits

  • mharriman on May 02, 2022

    Tasty. Easy and quick to make. Made for grandson as a side for oven fried chicken. He really liked these and ate the remaining (warmed up) biscuits for breakfast, lunch, and dinner the following two days.

  • khopkins1012 on October 28, 2019

    Did not take long to throw together. Next time would half recipe unless baking for a crowd.

• Oven-poached halibut in olive oil

  • mharriman on June 23, 2020

    Very, very good. This was the first slow baked fish recipe that turned out well for me. Except for the lemon slices, which I kept to one and a half lemons, I reduced the other ingredients to 1/3 since I was using two 6 ounce halibut fillets for two people. The lemons infused the olive oil and penetrated the halibut meat nicely. A really nice result. Husband asked me to repeat this again.

• Scallops provençale

  • mharriman on June 29, 2020

    A very easy, quick recipe. I could see by reading through it that it needed something to go under it or as an accompaniment. I found Deb Perleman’s lemon risotto succeeded in making that added addition. It was a bit tricky to make the risotto and then the scallops, but putting the risotto on a warming burner and then adding the remaining ingredients (lemon juice, parsley) After making the scallops, and just before serving, worked well. Had a small patch of risotto stuck to the pan but otherwise no change in texture or flavor.

• Chicken piccata with nicoise olives

  • mharriman on December 20, 2017

    We liked the kalamata olives and lemon juice sauce. I made several changes to this recipe. I cut the butter in half and the breasts and sauce still tasted good. Used chicken cutlets and pounded them as directed. I did not, however, sauté each one individually (???!) as directed; cooked all pieces at once in a large nonstick skillet for about 4-5 minutes. Took more than two minutes stated to cook through. Served with pasta and portobello mushrooms as a side.

• Slow-roasted leg of lamb (gosht korma)

  • mharriman on December 24, 2021

    Wonderful flavor. I used a 4.68 lb semi boneless leg of lamb so I decreased the times given for roasting the meat covered and then uncovered. The roast was medium well done after 100 minutes in the oven. For marinating, I made the mixture and applied it 26 hours before roasting. I’d do that again to help infuse the flavor in the meat. Definitely will repeat.

• Lemon garlic lamb chops with yogurt sauce

  • mharriman on March 21, 2021

    I followed the ingredients and directions exactly and the lamb shoulder chops were tender, juicy, and flavorful- not the best homemade lamb entree we’ve Ever had but good. The yogurt sauce was okay but on the bland side- could have used more garlic. Served with boiled sliced potatoes (with butter and chopped parsley), as recommended, and steamed baby spinach.

• Moroccan-style carrots

  • mharriman on December 26, 2021

    Very tasty with just enough Moroccan spices, especially the cumin and cinnamon, to elevate carrots above the usual vegetable side dish. Went well with roasted beef tenderloin.This was the one dish that was completely eaten up at Christmas dinner for 10 family members. Easy to prepare ahead of first course and finish in cast iron skillet between first/second course.

• Swiss chard with olives and raisins

  • mharriman on January 29, 2020

    Good. I omitted the olives and increased the raisins and pine nuts. Even though it’s considered a French dish, it reminded me of Mediterranean and Palestinian fare. A bit involved but tasty. Served with pork au poivre.

• Slow-roasted salmon with mustard parsley glaze

  • mharriman on March 05, 2019

    This was an interesting method of cooking salmon. I usually roast mine at 500 degrees. I was intrigued. My husband and I liked it, but as the cook, I have to say that the mustard seeds and prepared mustard barely registered in the topping. The best part of the recipe was how easy it was to put together the glaze (more of a topping texture) and then let it bake. I prepared our salad and boiled fingerling potatoes while the salmon was baking. An easy weeknight —or any day — meal.

• Salmon with horseradish crust, cucumbers, and salmon caviar

  • mharriman on June 21, 2020

    Wow! This salmon recipe is one of the best ones I’ve tried and I’ve tried many. The horseradish/smoked salmon topping combined with the creamy cucumber bottom took the salmon to a gourmet level ( no pun intended!). This was a recipe for 6. I measured everything to 1/3 for two of us. I made a couple changes: I didn’t have caviar so skipped that- it was meant as a garnish on the plate. I didn’t have creme fraiche, so used light sour cream instead. I baked my salmon at 500 degrees, 8 inches from the broiler element for 8 minutes, instead of broiling it, and some of the bread crumbs did turn black. So, broiling this and broiling it closer to the element wouldn’t be a good idea. Update on 5/7/21: baked Salmon fillets at 450 degrees for 8 minutes (no pan searing beforehand) with panko bread crumbs instead of pulsated white bread crumbs. Salmon and topping were excellent.

• Seared salmon with balsamic glaze

  • mharriman on August 09, 2020

    The balsamic vinegar glaze for the salmon is easy to prepare and enhances the salmon. I used skinless sockeye salmon and it was overcooked for the time and temperature (medium high) prescribed. I would make this again but reduce the pan searing to half the time if using skinless sockeye salmon fillets.

• Sautéed halibut fillets with pecan shallot topping

  • mharriman on April 30, 2020

    Good but needs tweaking if using an electric stove. The directions had me turning up the heat, quickly turning down the heat, and up again, down Again and that was a problem on my stovetop: caused my shallots to overcook. The roasted pecans and butter add a lot to the fish, so this is a recipe worth trying again, with temperature alterations or separate pans on my electric stove.

• Indian baked rice

  • mharriman on December 24, 2021

    Easy, straightforward recipe that goes well with the Indian leg of lamb recipe in the same cookbook. A bonus is it bakes at the same temperature as the leg of lamb, so you can bake it the final 20 minutes of roasting the lamb.

• Coconut and macadamia nut banana bread

  • MWFhome on March 12, 2014

    Best banana bread, lemony and nutty

• Berries with orange and sour cream shortcake

  • MWFhome on May 24, 2014

    This is a WOW dessert! Made it with strawberries, raspberries and blueberries, macerated per the recipe adding a little Grand Marnier liqueur. For the biscuit, I used a cup all purpose and 1/2 cup white whole wheat flour; substituted non-fat yogurt for the sour cream; and added a small amount of fresh orange juice to the milk, adding enough to make a sticky dough (more than 1/2 cup liquid). I added a little candied ginger chopped to the biscuit dough. To the whipped cream, I added some simulated sour cream (adding kefir to half-and-half cream), and no sugar. Then we poured some Grand Marnier on the biscuit when serving. Results were superb!! I would make for company anytime.

• Chopped vegetable salad

  • PatriciaW on January 13, 2020

    This was a bright-flavoured salad that added to a winter lamb shawarma. Like a little Mediterranean holiday in January! Can't wait to try it with garden veg in the summer.

• Lillie's North Carolina chopped barbecue

  • ldtrieb on June 26, 2017

    Fantastic!

• Rosemary focaccia

  • stef on May 20, 2018

    The focaccia came out nice and crisp. Although it's says the dough should be soft and silky mine wasn't. Next time I won't add all 5 cups of flour.

  • stef on June 10, 2018

    Made this again for supper. Changed it to 4 1/4 flour and 2 tsps yeast. So much airier and crisp

• Rösti (shredded potato cake)

  • stef on December 16, 2019

    Simple recipe. Worked out well.

• Chinese-Hawaiian "barbecued" ribs

  • mamacrumbcake on September 28, 2019

    This has been the favorite rib recipe in our family for almost 20 years. Everyone loves it, even little kids. In recent years, I have taken to cooking the ribs in the instant pot (high pressure 15 minutes, NPR 20 minutes with 1 1/2 cups of water in the pot) followed by a short time in the oven to apply the sauce and allow it to caramelize.

• Old-fashioned meat loaf

  • mamacrumbcake on April 03, 2016

    This is our family's favorite meatloaf. It is the same recipe as the one from @1995 Best of Gourmet.

• Colombian chicken, corn, and potato stew (Ajiaco)

  • pitterpat4 on November 08, 2021

    Great stew. Worth the effort and time of making. I did cut the corn on the cob in bigger pieces to make it easier to eat. The capers, cream and avocado really take this up a level above just basic chicken soup. I read up on this recipe and found that it is often served with white rice. So, I served that on the side for each diner to add to their bowl as wanted.

• Skillet corn bread

  • pitterpat4 on November 09, 2021

    Great cornbread that does not contain flour. It is not a sweet cornbread. Had a great crust and crumb.

• Spaghetti squash with Moroccan spices

  • khopkins1012 on January 11, 2020

    I followed the microwave instructions and that technique was much easier than any other way I've prepared spaghetti squash. The best part is that you don't cut the squash until after it's cooked. At that point the skin is soft and a knife glides through. The flavor of this dish was subtle with a detectable garlic background. It tasted even better with a bright, acidic chimichurri sauce stirred in. This was a quick side dish to make as it took about 25 minutes with most of that time hands off.

• Deviled eggs

  • khopkins1012 on August 20, 2020

    I followed the suggested yogurt variation. The yogurt gave the filling a nice tang. Would make again.

• Steak Diane (steak with cognac shallot sauce)

  • kateiscoooking on May 28, 2020

    This was fabulous! I added in fresh morel mushrooms and they were a great addition. Because I used already thin wagyu strip steak, I did not pound it out. Still, 1.5 minutes per side was a bit too much. I should've paid more attention to the recipe! The sauce was amazing. It'd be great over pretty much any beef or pork. Or, maybe even chicken.

  • LindaTenS on June 03, 2018

    Easy and fast. Dry brined a large t-bone, removed the bone and pounded thin. Used salted butter to cook — should have used unsalted because finished sauce was a bit too salty.

• Roasted butternut squash and spinach with toasted almond dressing

  • sosayi on October 02, 2018

    I loved this combination of roasted squash ( I used buttercup) and the almond dressing. Very easy to make, but with great rewards. Cooking the almonds in olive oil and seasoning with salt and pepper doesn't seem like it would do much, but it somehow does. It's nutty, toasty, and rich. I didn't have spinach, but can see that being a good addition next time.

• Grilled eggplant sandwiches with lemon aïoli, feta, and mint

  • sosayi on April 26, 2018

    Smoky grilled eggplant, lemon aioli, feta and mint. What a great combo! I switched up the bread: used fluffy WW pita instead of french bread. And, I had a bit of lemon hummus on hand, so added a bit of that to each sandwich, too. We'd definitely make this again, especially later in the summer with the actually in-season eggplants from the market.

• Red bean and bacon soup

  • sosayi on January 07, 2019

    Found this recipe after the preschooler requested "bean and bacon soup" for New Year's Eve dinner. Not sure what prompted that request, but this was really good. Flavors are reminiscent of chili and it turned out a bit spicier than anticipated (even after I cut the cayenne), but the little dude was fine with some sour cream and cheese added to the soup. We did not puree, fyi, as per more small person requests, but still enjoyed it. Easy to put together and basic pantry ingredients ... I'd make again if the circumstances were right.

• Curried noodles with vegetables

  • anya_sf on April 18, 2021

    I used 12 oz rice noodles (linguine thickness, which worked fine), so I increased the sauce, ginger, garlic, and curry powder by 50%. For vegetables, I used 1 onion, 3 carrots, 1/2 head regular cabbage, and peas. I also added scrambled egg, slivered ham, and shrimp, cooked separately. Unfortunately, the curry tasted too strong and the dish was borderline too salty. I'd consider making this again with less curry powder and salt, but will probably just try a different recipe next time.

• Sour cream-bran muffins

  • anya_sf on February 06, 2022

    Nice muffins, not too sweet and fairly moist. I added orange zest as I like that flavor in bran muffins. The head note says they're better made ahead, so I baked them the day before and thought the flavor was good (although I didn't sample them right away for comparison). A few seconds in the microwave refreshed the texture.

  • breakthroughc on February 10, 2023

    These muffins were fine. The molasses flavor is too strong for my preferences. The molasses flavor is stronger on the second day,

• Pumpkin apple bread

  • anya_sf on October 24, 2021

    It was easy to halve the recipe to make 1 loaf, although I did add an extra half an apple that needed using. White whole wheat flour was great here as the bread was very moist and tender - I'm sure the extra apple contributed. The bread was pretty sweet - next time I'll reduce the sugar - although my family didn't mind at all.

• Strawberry rhubarb crumble

  • anya_sf on May 25, 2019

    This recipe is simple and straightforward. There are no spices, so the fruit flavors really stand out. I had a bit more strawberry proportionately than rhubarb, so I used the smaller amount of sugar, and the sweetness was perfect with vanilla ice cream.

  • ellwell on April 23, 2022

    Delicious! My only regret is that I didn’t have rolled oats and used steel-cut, hoping for the best. It was not a good idea! The flavor of the fruit is outstanding and I will try it again next spring.

• Old-fashioned chocolate pudding

  • anya_sf on April 21, 2019

    This was definitely the old-fashioned pudding recipe I was looking for. Lowfat milk worked fine and the pudding was still plenty rich. I used 66% semisweet chocolate and the chocolate flavor was definitely there, and the sweetness was just right - no whipped cream needed. When I first whisked everything together, the pudding did appear rather lumpy and I considered straining it, but in the end the pudding was smooth enough.

• Sticky rice with mango

  • anya_sf on March 17, 2022

    Good, straightforward version of this dish. Could reduce the sugar a bit and increase the mango.

• Warm chocolate-raspberry pudding cake

  • anya_sf on January 31, 2021

    I made 1/2 recipe in a 7" pan, baked for 33 minutes, but think 30 might have been enough (the tester may have touched the frosting), as the cake was slightly dry. Although it looks rich, this cake is relatively light. Still, we got 5 servings from 1/2 recipe, served with vanilla ice cream. Everyone loved it. As others have suggested (comments on epicurious.com), I'd consider doubling the frosting.

• Grand Marnier soufflé

  • anya_sf on January 30, 2021

    Easy way to make a souffle. I did 1/2 recipe in an 8" oval gratin dish and the filling reached the top, but did not overflow while baking, just puffed up. The filling was too liquid to mound in the center as instructed. I may have overbaked it slightly; the texture was more dry than creamy, but at least did not deflate very rapidly. While you could taste the Grand Marnier, I'd add orange zest next time to boost the flavor (which was also a little eggy).

• Cold curried carrot and coconut milk soup

  • leilx on August 12, 2018

    Simple to make. Flavorful and good. Also good warm or room temperature. It suggested thinning with ice water. This was not good—it made the flavor watery. Maybe I couldn’t get it mixed in well enough.

• Pineapple upside-down cakes

  • LindaTenS on April 01, 2018

    Just ehhh. Dry cake and bad proportion of cake to topping

• Moroccan-style roast cornish hens with vegetables

  • blazin on June 10, 2020

    I didn't have all the veggies on hand, so I used butternut, onion, orange peppers, carrots, and yellow summer squash. It was delicious and I'd even recommend this to my vegan friends (minus the hens, of course.) Might increase the broth or leave the tomato liquid next time, or deglaze the pan with some stock, as there wasn't much liquid left in the pan after roasting.

• Baked cheddar olives

  • Jviney on April 17, 2018

    One of my favourite appetizers ever. My mother-in-law, who doesn’t like olives and took one to be polite, asked for the recipe.

• Fresh corn madeleines with sour cream and caviar

  • Jviney on June 02, 2019

    These were fine, but not exceptional. Visually very pretty...

• Everyday pimento cheese

  • Jviney on April 17, 2018

    My first pimiento cheese recipe and I haven’t yet diverted from it. Very good.

• Spaghetti with handfuls of herbs

  • Jviney on August 07, 2019

    Perfect serving size for two - I liked the bread crumbs but added some slow roasted tomatoes and goat cheese, and felt they enhanced the dish.

• Peanut butter-coconut bars

  • Jviney on July 29, 2019

    The recipe notes say this is for the peanut butter lover looking for something a little different - and that’s what it is. I didn’t feel like they were outstanding, but they were easy to make and satisfied my peanut butter craving while adding a little twist.

• Mocha toffee cashew bars

  • Jviney on April 28, 2019

    These were easier to make than expected, and I received rave reviews even weeks later. A keeper, for sure.

• Cream cheese ice cream

  • Jviney on June 02, 2019

    Rich and delicious and super easy to make. Huge hit with our family. The cream cheese tang comes through in a lovely way.

• Red lentil and tofu dal

  • Totallywired on September 24, 2018

    Not bad, good flavour, needs an assertive vegetable side eg. braised greens or charred broccoli with soy vinaigrette

• Cold poached chicken with ginger scallion oil

  • Totallywired on March 26, 2019

    Decent, but lacks salt/umami.

• Yellow split pea soup

  • ashallen on December 08, 2019

    Very nice soup. I used a ham bone I'd stashed in the freezer that had a bit, but not a ton, of meat left on it. I was pleasantly surprised that the ham flavor it produced in this soup was aromatic and almost delicate - I always expect split pea soups to be very robustly (sometimes too) hammy!

• Fava bean, asparagus, and arugula salad with shaved pecorino

  • Shelmar on September 06, 2019

    Acceptable.

• Broccoli, red pepper, and cheddar chowder

  • breakthroughc on April 08, 2022

    This was a very good broccoli and cheese soup. It was cheesy, but not thick. I used half and half instead of cream and added a Tablespoon of bouillon to the water. The only change I would make next time is to cut the amount of cumin in half, I thought it was a little out of balance with the other flavors. Will definitely make again. Hubby loved it.

• Chow fun with Chinese barbecued pork and snow peas

  • breakthroughc on February 01, 2023

    This way okay, but not great. The flavors really don’t pop and it is a little greasy. Definitely would cut back on the oil 25 to 50%. I also cut back the broth by 2 Tablespoons and doubled the cornstarch. It was on the border of being too saucy. Probably won’t make again,

• Char siu (Chinese barbecued boneless pork)

  • breakthroughc on January 23, 2023

    Oh my gosh, there is a very good reason you should make Chinese BBQ pork from scratch. It was so delicious. All the flavor without any red food coloring. My piece of pork butt was almost two pounds and it fit on the rack over the 9x13 pan, but I couldn’t have gotten any more on the rack. It is a good thing I made a double recipe as 4 people almost devoured it all. The cooking method was less fussy than it sounds and I did not struggle with getting the pan with the rack in and out of the oven. The recipe is worth making.

• Guacamole

  • MissKoo on July 15, 2020

    This was good basic guac without the serrano chile seeds and well-received by book group. Made again today with the seeds as specified in recipe and found it much too hot for my taste. Added half a cup of full fat yogurt and more lime juice to tone it down. That helped, but would not include seeds in the future.The summer variation of adding quartered green grapes and a diced peach sounds intriguing.

• Beef roasted in a salt crust

  • Running_with_Wools on December 21, 2020

    I've made this recipe three times and it is easy and delicious. I serve it with Alice Water's parsley almond salsa (a crunchy salsa verde) from her cookbook Vegetables.

• Pasta primavera

  • rmpostonmfandt on April 18, 2022

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