Notes about Recipes in this book

• Apple pie bars

  • jumali on December 01, 2016

    These were a favorite at our Thanksgiving dessert table. While they were delicious and easy to prepare, I won't be making them often due to the full pound+ of butter this dish requires. My apples had a lot of moisture in them, and by the time it was mainly cooked away most of the apples fell apart. Mine wasn't as pretty as Ina's but they sure did taste good.

  • raybun on October 04, 2020

    I halved this recipe and baked them in an 8" pan. I couldn’t bring myself to use a whole pound of butter! Tasted absolutely fabulous.

  • averythingcooks on February 26, 2023

    I cut this in 1/2...and agree that using that much butter for the full recipe (which here = at least $8.00 CA) is a bit daunting! That being said, they were VERY popular on the platter of squares served at a casual get together. I weighed the dough (1/2 recipe = 22 oz) to make portioning the top & bottom easier & I did have lots for the top (ie mine look more like anya_sf's picture compared to the pic in the book). I also made a parchment sling as shown in the book photo. I plan to make these again next weekend for a more formal plated dessert with homemade vanilla ice cream.

  • averythingcooks on March 05, 2023

    A 2nd note re: this recipe -this weekend I made a 1/2 recipe in a 9" springform in order to slice it into pie shaped wedges. I used parchment in the bottom & upped the apples a bit (in order to use the ones on hand). My only concern (or puzzle I guess) is that the base seemed to cook far faster this time...I will start checking at 15 min next time. I plated the wedges with a homemade vanilla/toffee bit ice cream. It served 8 without a speck leftover.

  • anya_sf on October 28, 2017

    My apples softened before the liquid evaporated, so there was a bit of liquid left. Still, it didn't seem to adversely affect the bars. I chilled the crumb topping while cooking the apples to make it easier to crumble. There was plenty of topping - nearly enough to cover all the apples, despite what Ina says. The photo in the book shows a parchment-lined pan, but the instructions don't state that, so I did not line the pan. They weren't too hard to remove, but I'm sure lining the pan would make it easier. My bars took 45 min to bake before the topping seemed remotely brown. They were amazing! So buttery (unsurprising) and delicious - too easy to overeat. Sadly, with over 1 lb butter, I can't make these often. I'm going to have to freeze the leftovers.

  • Kinhawaii on October 13, 2018

    While I love the bar, I wanted the crust to be thinner but thick enough to be eaten out of hand. I used 3/4 of the dough, 3 sticks of butter etc., with 2/3 of that on the bottom & the other 1/3 on top. I like that proportion of the apples to crust better. I also cooked the apples first so that they had time to cool down.

• Maple-roasted carrot salad

  • vickster on November 29, 2016

    Delicious salad! The roasted carrots work wonderfully with all the other ingredients. Don't use too much dressing - I wasn't watching and ended up drowning the salad.

  • Kfaber on December 20, 2016

    A really tasty salad. So many different flavors

  • ksg518 on December 30, 2016

    Great salad. Substantial enough to be a light dinner. As previously noted, it makes a lot of dressing so either use it sparingly or up the amount of carrots. We've used pecans instead of almonds with great results.

  • anya_sf on April 13, 2017

    I roasted 1.5 lbs carrots on a single sheet pan (didn't seem too crowded), and also reduced the other ingredients to make 2/3 recipe, except the arugula (used a 7 oz bag) because I prefer more greens. Didn't need extra salt at the end. We thought it was too sweet overall. There was too much liquid if all used, so arugula was a bit soggy. I would only make it again with less maple syrup, orange juice, and cranberries. I served it with roasted pork, which went well with it.

• Skillet-roasted lemon chicken

  • vickster on March 30, 2017

    Delicious and easy dish. I used 2 half-breasts instead of a whole chicken. May vary the spices some time from the fennel and thyme.

  • Kfaber on February 05, 2017

    This roasted chicken was ridiculously tasty and super easy to make. I had fun butterflying the chicken and was impressed by how quickly it cooks this way. The caramelized lemons and onions add amazing flavor. Will be my go-to roast chicken recipe.

  • southerncooker on January 20, 2021

    This so good. All the chicken eaters loved it. Had to cook longer that stated.

  • Zosia on October 23, 2017

    As others have noted, this is a very easy and very tasty dish. I particularly liked the addition of fennel to the standard lemon and thyme flavours and the (edible) roasted lemon was delicious.

  • Tinala523 on April 24, 2020

    My dry-chicken loving husband loved this super juicy roast and I even ate the lemon rinds! It's a winner. I had to cook it longer to get to temp but very easy and delicious.

  • Frogcake on June 12, 2018

    Very delicious and simple to prepare. It’s great as written. If really pressed for time , I don’t grind the thyme, fennel, salt and pepper mix. I just sprinkle it onto the chicken along with ground garlic. Red wine works well too in place of white. Regardless, once the chicken is done, you have a lovely fragrant broth that I serve as a sauce with pasta and the chicken.

  • averythingcooks on January 07, 2017

    This was easy (although I admit I did have my butcher flatten the chicken for me ), impressive looking to pull out of the oven and delicious made exactly as written.

  • anya_sf on January 26, 2019

    My chicken weighed only 3 lbs, but the cooking time was just right. I added the rosemary, which was nice. Overall, quite flavorful - perhaps would be more so if prepared ahead. I found the lemon slices to be a bit too strong.

  • snoozermoose on December 12, 2021

    This made a beautiful spatchcocked chicken with an intensely lemony pan sauce. My husband thought the onions, lemon, and pan sauce ended up too lemony and could not enjoy it as a result. It was just on the verge of too lemony for me. Melissa Clark has a very similar recipe with roasted grapes that we both prefer.

• Vanilla cream cheese pound cake

  • Prim on November 29, 2016

    Delicious! It is better the next day.

  • mamacrumbcake on January 29, 2018

    This makes a beautiful, fairly easy, pound cake (2 loaves). The flavors are balanced and the texture is classic—velvety and dense. It took 1 hour and 20 minutes for the cake to be done. My only problem was that the cake did not release cleanly from the pan. Next time I may dispense with the sugar coating on the pan and line with parchment instead.

  • anya_sf on July 16, 2017

    Made 1/2 recipe = 1 loaf (easy to cut recipe in half). For a pound cake that contains no leavening, it's extra important that all ingredients are truly at room temperature, flour is sifted (I normally don't bother), butter mixture beaten until very light and fluffy. Cake seemed done when I took it out after 68 min, but top shrank a bit upon cooling, and the cake had a few slightly dense/gummy spots, but nothing major. Perhaps it needed a few extra minutes. It's difficult to avoid this when there's no leavening, which is why Rose Levy Beranbaum recommends a bit of baking powder in pound cake for additional lift. Still, this cake was very good. We had it the next day, and the flavor was very pleasant, texture was soft and fine.

• Cherry pistachio biscotti

  • Kfaber on February 05, 2017

    Very time intensive but a lot of fun to make. My husband in particular liked these and brought them to work as breakfast

  • anya_sf on July 16, 2017

    I made 1/2 recipe using 1 whole egg in the dough and 1 egg white for brushing. I wasn't sure whether to use sour cherries or sweet; I used sweet. Perhaps you could use either. They had a nice flavor. The recipe is in the bread & cheese chapter, but I think they're sweet enough for dessert. My cherries were pretty large and did not get as well distributed as I'd have liked. I might cut them in half next time. The flavor was very good. They weren't as crunchy as biscotti usually are, so you don't need to dunk them to eat them.

  • Kinhawaii on October 27, 2019

    I chopped my dried sweet cherries in half as anya_sf advised & got a good distribution. Good cookies- others loved them more than I did.

• Sautéed shredded Brussels sprouts

  • southerncooker on May 10, 2021

    I used shaved Brussels sprouts from Trader Joes. I didn't have balsamic glaze so I cooked some regular down to make it thick. Very good.

  • Lepa on December 18, 2019

    Yum! I made this with some sad Brussels sprouts in the refrigerator because that's all I had and didn't have time to go to the store. This recipe turned that sad pile into a delicious side! We loved this.

  • anya_sf on January 26, 2019

    Very easy. Slicing Brussels sprouts in the food processor is so quick! The sprouts actually needed a bit more salt, but otherwise tasted fantastic.

• Lamb stew with spring vegetables

  • jackiecat on January 26, 2019

    https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/lamb-stew-with-spring-vegetables-3642074

  • Kojak on December 07, 2016

    Made with beef instead of lamb. One of the most delicious things I've ever made. There were fights over who got the leftovers.

  • anya_sf on January 26, 2019

    I made the stew one day ahead. I used about 2 lbs precut stew meat (not sure if it was shoulder), which was all my butcher had. Mixed the flour with salt and pepper before tossing the lamb. Only added 1 tsp salt since I used canned broth. I used 12 oz turnips, quartered, since they seemed large, and frozen pearl onions, which I added at the end to help cool the stew. The stew did not need any extra thickening or salt. It was delicious! Served 5 hungry people.

  • snoozermoose on December 13, 2021

    This was a good stew. I subbed beef for lamb because lamb is outrageously expensive where I live. The technique is similar to her beef bourguignon, but we feel like her beef bourguignon is better.

• Roasted vegetable paella

  • jackiecat on April 27, 2019

    https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/roasted-vegetable-paella-3784548

  • mayastonecastle on January 29, 2017

    I loved this! I couldn't find paella rice, so I used Arborio. It made the dish more sticky than was probably intended, but for me and my guests, we loved it. I just finished the last of it, and now I'm thinking I need to make another pot!

  • anya_sf on June 24, 2017

    I made 1/2 recipe, and my husband and I devoured the whole thing. Even with half the vegetables (which I weighed), I still needed 2 sheet pans, although they did shrink a lot during roasting. I used 1/2 regular globe eggplant, as I couldn't find a baby one, and it worked fine. The rice (calasparra) absorbed a lot of broth, so I probably needed an extra cup. Make sure you have extra just in case. The paella was extremely flavorful. The manchego flavor got lost once it melted - not sure how much that adds. This would be even more delicious with some sausage.

  • JJ2018 on April 27, 2019

    A nice though not authentic paella. Me and husband liked it. Daughter thought the vegetables were too slimy and prefers more typical recipes, though the puréed roasted peppers added were a good way for stealth veg!

• Parmesan roasted zucchini

  • jackiecat on January 26, 2019

    https://www.thekitchn.com/recipe-ina-gartens-parmesan-roasted-zucchini-237270

  • KarinaFrancis on October 24, 2019

    A delicious and easy side dish! Comes together very quickly so perfect for a weeknight. Will become a staple.

  • anya_sf on January 26, 2019

    I prepped the zucchini and crumbs a day ahead. Made 4 zucchini (1.5 lbs) and half the topping, which was just right. Roasted cut-side down for 15 minutes and the zucchini didn't get quite brown. Finished roasting at 400 degrees because I had something else in the oven, which worked fine. Really delicious - we devoured them.

• Roast chicken with radishes

  • KarinaFrancis on April 02, 2018

    Like Zosia I'd never roasted a chicken at this temp before, but it delivered beautiful crispy skin and succulent meat, but then it's Ina and chicken, can't go wrong. The temp also meant that the potatoes we cooked with the chicken were perfect. Not a fan of the radishes, even though I used plenty of butter.

  • Leo on May 18, 2020

    Cooked exactly as written and it was really good. Served with watercress and homemade foccacia to mop up the delicious juices.

  • Zosia on November 03, 2017

    I've never roasted a whole chicken at this high temperature before unless it was spatchcocked and the method worked perfectly (though took longer than a spatchcocked bird). I didn't care much for the radishes but I omitted the butter which I think would have tempered their bitterness.

  • apprentice9 on November 19, 2016

    This was my first time roasting a whole chicken (I know!) and I was floored by how simple and delicious it was. Skin came out beautifully crispy and radishes mixed with the butter and juices were phenomenal.

  • meginyeg on June 13, 2021

    We liked this but it wasn't my favorite roast chicken recipe. The radishes were really tasty though.

  • anya_sf on January 26, 2019

    My chicken was a bit under 4 lbs, but took 1 hr 20 min to roast (I didn't tie the legs). I used a mixture of regular and watermelon radishes, which were fairly large, so I cut them in halves or quarters. Roasted radishes were surprisingly good, almost like baby turnips or potatoes.

• Anna's tomato tart

  • KarinaFrancis on December 08, 2018

    This was the star of our Christmas aperitivo celebration. A bit of work involved but the flavour is delicious, perfect balance of herbs in the dressing and zesty tomatoes. We couldn’t find Gruyère at the supermarket so subbed jarlsberg and it didn’t seem to suffer for it. Absolutely want to make this again and plan ahead to get the right cheese.

  • averythingcooks on July 18, 2020

    This was lovely! I cut it in half and the pastry came together easily, rolled out beautifully and fit my 9 x 13 stoneware pan perfectly with a nice crimped edge. I used the pie weight method to blind bake the pastry (as opposed to using a 2nd pan) and I used plum tomatoes this time. The overall result was delicious with crisp, flaky pastry, a lovely herb pesto and soft, slightly caramelized tomatoes. With a green salad on the side this was a great meatless summer dinner.

  • anya_sf on August 27, 2017

    I made 2/3 recipe (which was enough for 4 for dinner), as I was only feeding 3 and did not want too many leftovers. I still used a sheet pan, but the crust just did not go to the edges. This worked OK, except that the crust was completely flat, so some cheese oozed over the edges while baking. it wasn't too bad though (looks messier in the photo), and the oozy bits were yummy. I made the dough and herb pesto the day before, which worked well, although it was still fairly time-consuming (though not difficult) the day of serving. Seemed like there was too much DIjon mustard, but the flavor wasn't that noticeable in the final tart. Anyway, the tart was absolutely delicious! Even my son, who isn't a fan of fresh tomatoes, loved it (it's not unlike pizza). Leftovers were still tasty the next day and the crust remained fairly crisp. It's really rich, though, with a pastry crust and all that cheese, so sadly, we can't have it too often.

• Parmesan & chipotle popcorn

  • stockholm28 on February 12, 2017

    I did not use microwave popcorn as the recipe suggests and instead popped popcorn on the stovetop. Parmesan, chipotle, and salt are a nice combo of flavors but I think this mixture has too much salt.

  • anya_sf on April 13, 2017

    Super easy and addictive. We couldn't stop eating it. A couple of things to note: - We used low salt "natural" popcorn, as instructed - Much of the seasoning fell to the bottom of the bowl I think that avoided overly salty popcorn.

• Root vegetable gratin

  • julesamomof2 on December 06, 2021

    I test drove this recipe for potential inclusion as a Christmas day side and completely agree with the other review. The celery root slices were not completely soft while the sweet potato slices were almost mushy. There were pools of cream on the bottom of the pan. I tried a reheated slice the next day and while the cream was absorbed the different roots were different stages of doneness with the celery root a little crunchy. It is certainly rich and something I would likely only serve as a holiday gathering as it makes alot. If I do decide to make it, I might make it early in the day and reheat it as I think that would solve the excess cream problem. Also need to very very thinly slice the celery root.

  • anya_sf on November 16, 2017

    I sliced the vegetables by hand, which wasn't too onerous. Some slices of celery root weren't completely soft after baking, although they were tender enough to eat. Not all the liquid was fully absorbed, but there wasn't too much excess. Obviously, this was very rich. It was good, but my family prefers Ina's potato-fennel gratin (which is actually richer, as it uses all cream - I'd maybe try mixing that with broth).

• Tuscan roasted potatoes & lemon

  • julesamomof2 on June 28, 2021

    Very delicious version of standard roasted potatoes. Made 5 lb of potatoes spread over 2 baking sheets and was perfect for a crowd.

  • ctkersting on December 30, 2020

    Kitchen smelled of lemon, garlic and rosemary and the potatoes came out perfect. Delicious recipe.

  • anya_sf on January 26, 2019

    The potatoes didn't really pick up the garlic/lemon/rosemary flavor and the lemon was just bitter. I'd only try this again without the lemon.

• English oat crackers

  • julesamomof2 on December 27, 2017

    Made this for a Christmas appetizer cheese platter, and while they good, nobody really knew they were 'crackers' as they look and taste more like cookies. Once I pointed out what they were, people seemed to enjoy them with white cheddar. But boy, I was a little appalled at the amount of butter that went into these babies. I don't think I will make them again as good old plain triscuits and wheat thins are just fine.

  • anya_sf on August 16, 2022

    When flattening the crackers, I had to flour the glass generously to prevent sticking. The tops had excess flour, but couldn't easily be flipped so I didn't, and they baked up fine. The crackers were just slightly crisp and somewhat crumbly. Relatively sweet and rather large, they went well with cheese and fruit, but definitely aren't an "all-purpose" cracker.

• Raspberry rhubarb crostata

  • julesamomof2 on May 16, 2018

    This was easy and delicious. I thought with raspberries and rhubarb it would be too tart, but not at all.

  • Zosia on February 23, 2018

    The combination of fruit/veg in the filling was incredibly delicious - bright and tangy and not too sweet - and I loved the high ratio of filling to crust. I used frozen rhubarb and raspberries, thawed and drained and made some adjustments to the method: I simply added the cornstarch (only 2 tbsp), orange juice, zest and sugar to the juices and cooked the mixture until thickened before stirring in the fruit and veg. The crust came together quickly, was easy to work with and baked into flaky layers. It took 45 minutes to bake in my oven.

  • cadfael on May 12, 2022

    This was really good but I had extra filling left over

  • Frogcake on May 27, 2018

    We loved this! I had a big rhubarb crop this year and happily harvested the four cups needed for this crostata. As other reviewers noted, the filling is not too sweet. A perfect amount of orange to enrich the taste of the flavour rhubarb and raspberry too. Will be making this again. Might be good to try sprinkling some slivered roasted almonds on top. Also excellent with vanilla gelato. Note: this recipe can be accessed on the food network website.

  • anya_sf on January 26, 2019

    Made the crust one day ahead. Made the filling earlier in the day and chilled it. The crust dough was dry (had to add 2 Tbsp extra water), but turned out great - very flaky and tender. The sweetness of the fruit was great with vanilla ice cream. The rhubarb cooked down to a puree, so chunks weren't visible, but the flavor stood out; raspberry was more subtle. Delicious!

• Limoncello ricotta cheesecake

  • julesamomof2 on May 26, 2022

    This was delicious with just a hint of the limoncello. Baked this 2 days ahead and it was perfect. Served self-serve style with raspberries and whipped cream.

  • anya_sf on January 26, 2019

    After baking 55 minutes, the cheesecake had just completely set in the center. It was very moist and creamy, not overdone at all, and not dense. The lemon flavor was not as pronounced as I'd expected and the crust was surprisingly soft. Really good!

• Lentil & kielbasa salad

  • Zosia on October 21, 2017

    The dressed lentils were delicious and the goat cheese toast was a nice addition but I was disappointed that nothing was done to the kielbasa (though it certainly looks as though it's been cooked in the photo). I may cook it with the lentils next time as my husband suggested. We enjoyed it served warm.

  • anya_sf on January 24, 2019

    I used small green lentils (not Le Puy) but they held their shape. They needed longer to cook and extra water. I didn't want cold sausage, so I panfried it after slicing, which also added more flavor. I didn't think I'd need all the dressing, but I did, but did not need all the salt. I used fewer green onions so the flavor wouldn't be too strong. Served over greens, the salad was very nice.

• Roasted salmon tacos

  • Zosia on October 22, 2017

    Much as I like salmon and dill together, the dill in this dish was odd and didn't mesh well with the other flavours, or maybe it was the absence of coriander that was noticeable. Regardless, these were still delicious and enjoyed by everyone. I reduced the salt by about 1/3.

  • mamacrumbcake on January 25, 2020

    Good and easy. A touch too spicy. Dill in the slaw was ok but I think cilantro would have been much better. Recipe lends itself to variations. Next time try gochujang for the chile and scallions and sesame oil in the slaw...

  • anya_sf on January 26, 2019

    Half the recipe served 3 generously, with black bean and corn salad on the side. Salmon seasoning was delicious. Mashed avocado was a bit salty on its own, but everything together was just great.

  • kimbolarson on April 22, 2019

    Fantastically quick to prepare, and very delicious. With the slaw prepped in advance you can have dinner on the table in well under 30 minutes.

• Crusty baked shells & cauliflower

  • Zosia on October 27, 2017

    The flavours and textures of this dish are very good. The lemon, capers and garlic add a lot of zip to what is otherwise fairly rich, cheesy pasta. And then, of course, there are all of those wonderful crunchy bits of pasta and breadcrumbs, my family's favourite part.

  • Lepa on December 26, 2019

    The cauliflower didn't become tender enough using the technique in the recipe so I cooked it with a lid on so the cauliflower could steam a bit and then took the lid off to finish browning it. This is rich but zippy and good.

  • anya_sf on January 26, 2019

    Make sure the cauliflower florets are small or they won't be tender. I needed to turn the heat down to medium-low so the cauliflower wouldn't burn. There is a lot of oil, but it all gets absorbed. Maybe partially steaming the cauliflower would work better and use less oil. Next time I would salt the cauliflower while cooking and use less (1 tsp?). The pasta was tasty, but some people didn't like the crunchy pasta bits on top. It's very rich. I used extra ricotta so I could use up the container; the recipe is flexible that way.

  • snoozermoose on December 06, 2021

    We really enjoyed this! It's got bright flavors and lots of great texture from the panko and pieces of pasta that got all crusty on the edges. I ended up roasting my cauliflower (don't forget to season it, the final result needs it) because I hate how much oil is required to pan-fry cauliflower, and it turned out perfect! Didn't have to worry about the cauliflower becoming tender enough either. We'll be making this again.

• Kasha varnishkes with wild mushrooms

  • Zosia on November 16, 2017

    Like anya_sf, I doubled the mushrooms and served this as a main. I also added steamed lemon spinach. The shallots and fresh dill - and the mushrooms, of course - made it particularly tasty and everyone enjoyed it. As with other recipes in this book, I reduced the olive oil and salt. I've also realized that the portion sizes are much larger than I'm accustomed to and will have to adjust accordingly going forward.

  • anya_sf on September 10, 2017

    I doubled the mushrooms, since we love them, and we ate this as a main course. I used duck fat, which adds the best flavor. I used Swanson's 50% less salt beef broth, and it turned out plenty salty - no need for additional salt at the end, and I would actually reduce the salt next time. The kasha needed a few extra minutes to cook; it was done the same time as the pasta. I did not need to add pasta water, as not all the broth was absorbed. It was pretty good, although my son wasn't fond of the buckwheat flavor (he'd never had kasha before). We liked it with grated cheese on top, which I suppose isn't traditional, but was tasty.

• Chipotle smashed sweet potatoes

  • Zosia on November 03, 2017

    Very decadent - much too rich and sweet for me actually - but I really liked the addition of chipotle chiles and adobo sauce so I will definitely make a variation of this again without cream or maple syrup and less butter.

  • anya_sf on January 26, 2019

    I roasted and peeled the sweet potatoes a few days ahead, then reheated them in the microwave. Mashed them with a potato masher and mixed in the milk, cream, and chiles by hand. I really like them because they weren't too sweet - the chipotle chiles really balanced the maple syrup. They were too spicy for my son though.

• Bourbon honey cake

  • cadfael on May 30, 2020

    This is a new favourite. I did not have the correct pan, so I used a Bundt pan and a mini loaf pan. Came out beautifully. The spices blended beautifully with a coffee, a glass of mellow red wine, and a cup of jasmine tea. I had to bake 10 minutes longer I think the bourbon notes play very softly in the background against the spice so there is an overall perfect balance.

  • anya_sf on September 18, 2017

    I had to buy a new cake pan for this (angel food cake pan with nonremovable bottom), not that I mind much, since I bake a lot. I think a bundt pan would work, except for the almonds on top. Lining the bottom of the pan with parchment was a bit tricky. The cake itself was easy to make, but I'm glad I have a large mixer. The cake needed a few extra minutes in the oven. I had no problem unmolding the cake after cooling completely. We ate it on the day I made it, and the spice was very strong, although we liked it a lot. The cake was moist. I imagine the spices would mellow a bit after a couple of days, so it may even be better made ahead. We did not notice the bourbon flavor in the baked cake.

• Pumpkin flan with maple caramel

  • Tinala523 on November 29, 2019

    I couldn't find the maple extract so I used rum extract. Even the non-pumpkin lovers loved it.

  • Tinala523 on October 19, 2021

    Thanksgiving family fav!!

  • anya_sf on January 26, 2019

    This must be made ahead, which makes it great for a dinner party. I used less nutmeg, since it was freshly grated. The flan filled the pan nearly to the rim. The mascarpone didn't completely mix in - small bits were still visible in the custard, but not after it was cooked. The flan took 85 minutes to set. It unmolded easily, but the caramel overflowed. Use a big plate with a high rim or lip. It was denser than I expected - rich, delicious caramel. Really, really yummy.

• Smoked salmon pizzas

  • stef on January 03, 2017

    The crust turned out very crispy . Maybe because I used pizza stone. It needed some spicing up for us.

  • anya_sf on June 26, 2017

    Made the dough 5 hrs ahead and refrigerated. Ina didn't say whether to bake the crusts in batches, so I baked them all together in a convection oven. Still, they didn't cook evenly; crusts on the bottom rack got extra crispy underneath. They were done in 9 minutes. Some crusts bubbled a lot on top, making them imperfect to top, but it was fine. I topped 4 of the crusts, using 7 oz salmon (also did not use all 8 oz mascarpone), and 3 people ate them all for dinner (froze the remaining 2 crusts). The crispier crust softened after a bit, so it was fine. Good quality salmon is crucial (I used Scottish). I sprinkled the pizzas with dill in addition to chives; skipped the roe. We loved them.

• Spicy hermit bars

  • mamacrumbcake on December 31, 2019

    Delicious! The combination of the warm spices, lemon zest, and rum glaze gives this an intoxicating aroma and complex, gingery, spicy flavor. It tastes like gingerbread, but the most perfectly spiced, deeply flavored gingerbread you’ve ever had. The texture is soft and chewy—soft enough that my slices tended to break in the middle. For cookie platters, I found that slicing them into 1 inch slices, then cutting each slice in half into two shorter slices, worked best. These cookies keep very well, at least a week, but the rum aroma and flavor, which is potent the first day, mellows over time. Though the recipe calls for 30 minutes of chilling, the dough can also be made in advance and frozen. The pre-shaped logs keep very well for a month in the freezer and bake up perfectly, making Christmas preparations easier. For pan size reference, the cookies in my photo were baked in a 10x15 jelly roll pan. If you use a standard half sheet pan, which is larger, they won’t touch like mine do.

  • lhudson on February 13, 2021

    These are wonderful just the thing for a cold day in February.

  • anya_sf on June 26, 2017

    I chilled the dough for a few hours, so had to let it sit a bit before shaping, but it worked fine. They spread a lot during baking, so be sure to space them 3" apart per the instructions. I used lemon juice instead of rum for the glaze to make the child-friendly (per Ina's suggestion on her website). They are very well spiced, like gingerbread, with texture between cookie and cake. Quite good. You could slice them thinner to serve more, especially if they were part of a cookie tray.

• Tarragon shrimp salad

  • lhudson on February 17, 2017

    Tarragon is not one of the herbs I use a lot so whenever I do it surprises me how much I like it. Great recipe, just wish it was summer and not the middle of winter. It would have been perfect.

  • anya_sf on January 26, 2019

    I made 1/2 recipe one day ahead, which served 2 for dinner over a bed of butter lettuce. My shrimp were cooked after 6-7 minutes, but were still tender. The cooking method worked well. I'm not sure why half the shrimp were halved. I would either halve all of them, to make them bite-sized, or none of them, for a nicer appearance. I would also use chives instead of green onions next time, as they're more delicate. Otherwise, great. Did not need extra salt at the end.

• Rigatoni with sausage and fennel

  • srhmkllr on January 15, 2018

    Decreased the amount of sausage to 1 lb. Can substitute 1 cup half-and-half for the heavy cream and 2/3 cup milk for the half-and-half.

  • anya_sf on January 26, 2019

    I made 2/3 recipe for 3 people (there was a bit left over), but used a whole fennel bulb. Definitely cook the pasta al dente and let it cook the last 5 minutes in the sauce. Very rich and creamy. Quite good, but next time I might add some greens to cut the richness.

  • snoozermoose on December 14, 2021

    This is absolutely delicious but very rich and decadent. Think small plate of pasta at a fancy Italian restaurant, and that's an appropriate portion size. I only used 1 lb of Italian sausage and thought it was plenty. This is my favorite recipe from this cookbook so far.

• Zucchini & leek frittata

  • Lepa on June 20, 2020

    This is a really great frittata. Maybe the best I've made? The texture is creamy and perfect, unlike some frittatas that feel a bit rubbery. The taste is also perfect. I will be making this frequently. Note: I didn't have zucchini flowers but don't think that negatively affected the final result.

  • bwhip on September 27, 2019

    Excellent and easy, one of my favorite frittatas I've made. Great mix of flavors.

  • anya_sf on January 26, 2019

    I used 2 oz pancetta and chopped frozen leeks, but otherwise followed the recipe, except I couldn't find zucchini flowers. The frittata turned out great and was good reheated the next day too.

• Irish Guinness brown bread

  • Lepa on December 01, 2019

    This is delicious! Please note that after you put the bread into the oven, you must turn it down to 400. I was distracted when I made this and didn't notice that and the bread burned. I took it out ten minutes early, once I noticed my mistake, and it still tasted great! We ate this warm, with lots of Kerrygold salted butter and split pea soup.

  • averythingcooks on January 20, 2023

    I love this bread! I ran my large flake oats through the food processor & then used the "whole" oats for the topping. Note that a tall can of Guinness is around 14 (US) oz...she calls for b/w 11 & 12 oz. I stirred the batter gently with a spatula (and I'm with anya_sf - why the fingers??). I took it out at 43 minutes, worried that it was over done but the inside has a lovely moist texture & the crispy edges just add to the overall effect. My next try at this will be as mini loaves.

  • anya_sf on May 29, 2017

    I used old-fashioned oats and King Arthur whole wheat flour, which worked fine. Mixed the batter gently with a spatula, not my fingers (can't imagine why you'd need to use fingers). Baked 45 minutes - thought maybe it was overdone, but it was actually perfect. Very nice flavor, moist, lightly sweet. Great with Irish butter and also jam. The batter is super quick and easy to make.

• Spaghetti squash with garlic & Parmesan

  • NJChicaa on January 24, 2018

    Against my better judgement, I decided to try this recipe. I didn't think that spaghetti squash, apple cider, garlic, and Parmesan cheese would go well together. Guess what? They don't! It went right into the trash.

  • meginyeg on November 14, 2021

    I skipped the apple cider. Our squash had a nice flavour without it. Simple recipe but everyone liked it.

  • anya_sf on January 26, 2019

    My squash weighed 3 lbs so I reduced the salt. Used hard cider which wasn't very sweet; sweet might have been better, but overall it didn't seem to matter, since the predominant flavors were garlic and parmesan. Very tasty.

  • hbakke on November 06, 2019

    This was weird. The apple cider made the squash mixture very gloopy even after draining most of the liquid. I used about 5 times the amount of garlic and cheese and it was still pretty meh. On a positive note, the TJs focaccia bread we had with the squash was delicious.

• Homemade ricotta

  • NJChicaa on January 24, 2018

    Expensive to make but really outrageously good.

  • anya_sf on August 19, 2022

    Same recipe as Ina's other books

• Filet mignon with mustard and mushrooms

  • NJChicaa on January 24, 2018

    Delicious! I make this recipe often.

  • anya_sf on July 03, 2017

    My filets were thick but smaller around, 6-7 oz each, and not tied. There wasn't enough salt and pepper to coat the sides, so I just coated the tops and bottoms. The steaks were perfect after 10 min in the oven. I cooked 1 lb mushrooms as my family loves them. Instructions aren't totally clear regarding the mushrooms; they are removed to a bowl (presumably covered to keep warm) after sauteeing, then the shallots are cooked in the same skillet. The Dijon mustard flavor was a bit strong in the sauce when tasted by itself, but was perfect with the beef. Wonderful combination of flavors. Sauce is rich and makes plenty, but it's oh so good. Served with wild rice and sauteed spinach, which were great accompaniments.

  • Ezair92 on May 19, 2021

    The steaks and sauce were perfect. Agree with previous note that recipe instructions are not clear on the mushrooms. I did not tie my steaks and they were fine. I had large 2 inch filets closer to 9 ounces each. And the timing did work for them perfectly medium rare. This dish was definitely a treat

• French 75

  • Smokeydoke on January 01, 2018

    This makes a huge batch. I wouldn't use her ratios for the champagne, rather I'd do individual ratios of 1 simple syrup: 1 cognac: 0.75 lemon juice, then top with champagne to your liking. I recommend a ratio of 4oz of champagne to 1 oz of cognac, but I like a stronger cognac flavor. This ratio is unusually sweet.

  • kateiscoooking on February 27, 2017

    We first had a French 75 at it's birthplace in New Orleans. It was fabulous. So, we decided to try making one at home. The first few recipes we tried weren't great. This one was. We've actually made it a couple of times now and absolutely love it.

  • anya_sf on April 13, 2017

    Very good version of this drink. Makes large drinks (as usual for Ina) but not soooo large. My glasses weren't 2/3 full so my ratio may have been off, but they tasted great. You won't use all the champagne (and really good champagne is wasted here).

  • breakthroughc on May 01, 2022

    Really liked this cocktail. We were closer to half champagne in the ratio. I guess we are boozers as we didn't find the drinks to be to big as some other reviewers. I do agree, don't waste good champagne. A $7.99 bottle of Trader Joe's brut worked just fine.

• Roasted Italian meatballs

  • averythingcooks on September 20, 2020

    I made a 1/2 recipe early in the day using a 1 lb mixture of ground beef & pork (so no veal). I also used only Parmesan cheese as I can’t get pecorino here. I was worried that there was too much liquid with the egg, wine & water but they were fine. I made mine into 1 oz balls but they still baked perfectly in the time given for her 2 oz meatballs. Tonight they were added to simmering marinara for meatball subs which were excellent. I can definitely see making these meatballs again!

  • anya_sf on January 26, 2019

    Our favorite meatball recipe. I cooked them earlier in the day and reheated as much as I needed in marinara sauce (served 4 per person); froze the rest. The meatballs were very tender and flavorful.

• Orecchiette with farm stand pasta sauce

  • averythingcooks on September 12, 2022

    This sauce (made with fresh tomatoes & aromatics) is a new favourite. It includes all of the add-ins that I want in a sauce - red wine, tomato paste and fresh basil. I will make this one often.

  • anya_sf on August 19, 2017

    Definitely use peak-season tomatoes for this (when they are cheap and fully ripe). Stated yield is 2 quarts, but I got almost 3 quarts. I made it 1 day ahead and reheated it (just the amount I needed; froze the rest). I was taught to cut an X on the bottom of each tomato before blanching to ease peeling, so I did that. I recommend blanching in stages (~4 tomatoes at a time) so the water remains at a boil - overall, it's faster. I pulsed the sauce about 6 times since I prefer a smoother texture. I used a twisty shaped pasta instead of orecchiette, but really you could use any shape here. Definitely don't skip simmering the pasta together with the sauce. I reserved a bit of pasta cooking water and added it at the end. I didn't need quite all the salt called for at the end. The flavor of the sauce was fairly peppery (I assume from the basil, black pepper, and red pepper flakes), although it mellowed after mixing with the pasta. We used both cheeses and quite enjoyed this.

• Herbed goat cheese

  • averythingcooks on February 07, 2021

    A wildly successful table-top herb garden has me looking for lots of ways to use my “crop” and this was a GREAT choice. I made a small mason jar with approx 3 oz of roughly sliced/chunked goat cheese and other than perhaps a slightly heavy hand with the red pepper flakes, we have a great little snack for a day or two. I can see making small quantities of this often (at least until we can have company again:)

  • anya_sf on January 21, 2018

    I made 1/2 recipe, which served 3 people nicely with crackers. I didn't have the right size jar, so I used a ramekin. The cheese marinated for a few hours in the refrigerator. It was lovely with a glass of Sancerre. Lots of flavor for minimal effort.

• Roasted ratatouille with polenta

  • averythingcooks on January 19, 2021

    This ratatouille (I did not make the polenta) was a perfect solution re: how to dress up some leftover roast chicken & orzo. I cut this roughly in 1/2 and had everything here except eggplant...but I went ahead and added broccoli florets at the same time as the grape tomatoes. While sizzling hot, I stirred in the chicken & orzo and served it in bowls with some parm grated over it. This was a perfect meld of fresh ingredients with leftovers & our bowls were scraped clean.

  • GiselleMarie on November 10, 2019

    This is very good. I didn’t make the polenta because I served the roasted vegetables as a side dish with lasagna.

  • anya_sf on August 21, 2017

    I roasted the vegetables 1 day ahead, then reheated in the microwave just before serving, adding the basil at the last minute, which worked well. Be careful to stir the vegetables a few times while roasting to avoid burning, especially the onions. Also switch racks halfway through roasting. It was quite good by itself and with the polenta. As a main course, I would say it serves 4, not 6. It is also a nice side dish with Italian sausage.

  • Plumberful on January 25, 2023

    This is just delicious—both the roasted ratatouille and the creamy parmesan polenta! I’ve made lots of ratatouille, but this roasted version outdoes them all—the roasting really intensifies the flavor. The creamy, cheesy polenta is also yummy.

  • Cathyschuh on January 17, 2020

    Excellent. Great to pull out from fridge for breakfast even. I made both the polenta and the vegetables

• Chocolate crème brûlée

  • mayastonecastle on January 29, 2017

    Fantastic as so easy. Impressive enough for a dinner party, but can totally be made ahead and then just brûléed at the last second before serving. Highly recommend!

  • anya_sf on January 26, 2019

    Baked 2 days ahead. Made 1/2 recipe using 3 egg yolks (no whole egg). It turned out perfectly. The coffee flavor really tempers the sweetness and richness. It's like super decadent chocolate pudding. The top crust was maybe thicker than it needs to be, but worked. Very good!

• Spicy sweet potato empanadas

  • mayastonecastle on January 29, 2017

    These were delicious and so easy to put together! You can make them ahead of time and leave in the fridge. When guests come over, pop them in the oven, and soon you look like a kitchen genius!

  • anya_sf on December 06, 2017

    I assembled them ahead and froze them unbaked for a few weeks. They needed about 10 extra minutes in the oven, but turned out great. Overall, they were good, but the filling wasn't that exciting - a bit one-dimensional texture and flavor-wise. They were hardly spicy. I recommend them for lunch, where it's most likely you'd just eat one.

• Fried oysters with lemon saffron aioli

  • anya_sf on September 13, 2022

    I tried to make 1/2 aioli recipe in a blender (which has worked before) but it never emulsified and I couldn't fix it with an extra yolk. The full recipe turned out well in the processor. Now I have a lot of leftover aioli. My oysters hardly had any liquor (I just cooked 9), so I only used buttermilk with the egg. The oysters fried up nice and crispy, even though I realize now I forgot the panko. The aioli was quite strongly flavored, so a small amount was plenty.

• Simple syrup

  • anya_sf on August 19, 2022

    Standard simple syrup, 1:1 sugar:water

• Dark rum Southsides

  • anya_sf on January 24, 2019

    Makes large, strong drinks. I used half the amount of simple syrup which was the right sweet/tart ratio for me. Good drink, easy to make.

• Butternut squash hummus

  • anya_sf on January 25, 2018

    Definitely make this at least a day ahead to let the flavors meld and mellow. I didn't add the maple syrup on top, as it did not sound appealing. The cinnamon seemed like an odd ingredient, but wasn't very noticeable in the hummus. It was very tasty with pita chips and cucumber slices. Makes a lot.

  • snoozermoose on December 04, 2021

    A solid hummus recipe with a twist. Enjoyed the slight sweetness from the butternut squash and the interesting touch from the cinnamon. I was worried the cinnamon would be too forward but it was perfect. This along with Ina's roasted eggplant spread from her first cookbook were a big hit at Thanksgiving as part of an appetizer spread with pita chips and crackers.

• Perfect potato pancakes

  • anya_sf on October 22, 2020

    These did not turn out great - not sure if I did something wrong. From 1/2 recipe, I got 24 pancakes even though I used well over a heaping tablespoon of batter for each. They absorbed a ton of oil and butter while frying and tasted greasy. I fried them slightly ahead and reheated per Ina's instructions; the reheated ones were slightly better. My son really liked them (flavor was decent), but I doubt I'll use this recipe again.

• Limoncello vodka Collins

  • anya_sf on May 20, 2017

    I made 1/8 recipe for 1 "normal" size drink. The salt-sugar rim is nice. I used meyer lemon, which is sweeter than regular lemon, so I reduced the syrup a bit. The drink had a nice, refreshing flavor, though I think I'd like a bit more tartness (perhaps that's the meyer lemon's fault). My proportions for 1 drink: 1.5 oz vodka 1 oz lemon juice 1/4 oz limoncello 3/8 oz sugar syrup 1.5 oz sparkling water

• Aperol spritzer

  • anya_sf on April 13, 2017

    Easy and very refreshing

• Sugar syrup

  • anya_sf on August 19, 2022

    Double-strength sugar syrup (i.e., 2x sugar vs water)

• Herbed fromage blanc

  • anya_sf on April 13, 2017

    I made half the recipe (using a 7 oz container of Cowgirl Creamery fromage blanc), which ended up serving 6 people. I served it with pita crackers, cucumber slices, and carrot sticks. I made it 1 day ahead; it's best to make ahead to let the flavors meld. Very easy to make. Similar to Ina's green herb dip, but drier (less creamy), so better as a spread than a dip.

• Camembert & prosciutto tartines

  • anya_sf on April 13, 2017

    I made 1 tartine using a mild brie. Broiled it in the toaster oven, which took a bit longer. It could use more thyme and didn't need salt sprinkled on top. Simple and tasty. Good as an appetizer, lunch, or accompaniment to soup or salad.

• Tomato carpaccio

  • anya_sf on September 05, 2017

    I only made half the dressing and it was still twice as much as needed, but the dressing was really good, so I will definitely be using the leftovers. Having learned from experience, I used a blender for the dressing, rather than the food processor, as the smaller volume of dressing doesn't always turn out in the processor. Definitely make the dressing ahead of time to let the flavors meld. I served this family style. It was so delicious! There was a bit left over, which was still enjoyable (though not so pretty) the next day.

• Arugula with prosciutto & burrata

  • anya_sf on July 30, 2017

    I served it family style, so modified it a bit. Used 7 oz arugula, 3 oz proscuitto (torn), 4 oz burrata (diced), and 5 large figs, halved. I made half the dressing, which still ended up being too much. The dressing is fairly strong, so be careful when tossing not to overdress the salad (which I, unfortunately, did). The combination of flavors was great; the figs and prosciutto were especially good together. There was plenty of meat and cheese relative to salad, so using Ina's proportions would made it very hearty/protein-heavy. The garlic toasts were good, but not absolutely necessary.

• Butternut squash & ricotta bruschettas

  • anya_sf on September 10, 2020

    I had a large squash, so I roasted it all and ended up adding some extra to the onions - otherwise it was more of an onion topping. Flavor was really delicious on toasted country sourdough bread. There was leftover ricotta and squash mixture for extra toasts.

• Asparagus & fennel soup

  • anya_sf on January 26, 2019

    Half a recipe was plenty for 3 people for lunch. Canned low-salt chicken broth worked fine; I still added the full amount of salt. The soup was very thick - you could add more broth if you prefer a thinner soup. Delicious! My whole family loved this.

• Homemade chicken stock

  • anya_sf on August 19, 2022

    Same recipe as Ina's other books

• "16 bean" pasta e fagioli

  • anya_sf on August 24, 2017

    I could not find Goya 16 bean soup mix, so I used Safeway brand bean soup mix, which looked like it had 16 different kinds of beans. A 10" Dutch oven did not seem large enough for the soup, so I used a 13" one. I made the soup 3 days ahead through the puree step, then simmered for an extra 30 min, adding the pasta, on the day of serving, so the pasta wouldn't be quite so mushy (although this didn't end up mattering, as the pasta just gets kind of mushy, but you won't care). I added a Parmesan rind to simmer with the beans. I used a food processor to puree the beans, as I hate my food mill, but in hindsight should have added some liquid with it, as the beans ended up very stiff and pasty. Nevertheless, once mixed back into the soup, the overall texture was perfectly fine. I only added half the salt (I used canned low-salt chicken broth), which was enough. We did not bother with extra olive oil and Parmesan on top of each bowl. My whole family loved this.

• Garlic toasts

  • anya_sf on July 30, 2017

    I had slightly over 1/2 baguette, which made 20 toasts. Only needed 1 tbsp olive oil for brushing. They were done (crunchy) after 11 minutes, so watch the baking time. A nice accompaniment to salad. Although Ina says they can be made ahead, I don't think they would keep well, as they would lose their texture.

• Artichokes with lemon-tarragon aioli

  • anya_sf on January 24, 2019

    I made half the aioli recipe, but there was still a lot left over. The preparation method worked perfectly. The aioli was delicious, if a bit strong for the artichokes. We ate the leftover aioli on baked halibut and it was great.

• Kale salad with pancetta & pecorino

  • anya_sf on November 11, 2017

    I made the dressing 1 day ahead and used most of it (unusually for Ina's recipes) - I find that kale needs extra dressing. It's important to toss the kale with dressing when Ina says (before cooking pancetta) because it softens a bit. Doubled the croutons, as they were delicious. Overall, really good, although my family does not love kale.

  • JJ2018 on March 14, 2019

    Really enjoyed this. I quickly sautéed the kale and let it cook before adding the dressing for a slightly softer texture.

• Fiesta corn & avocado salad

  • anya_sf on January 26, 2019

    I made 1/2 recipe using 2 small ears of corn and less jalapeno so it wouldn't be too spicy. Substituted ancho chili powder for chipotle - didn't think it would matter since there is so little. Although tossing the avocado with lemon juice preserves the color, when adding at the last minute, it isn't necessary and the lemon made the salad overly acidic, so I'd omit it unless I were making this ahead. Overall, we thought this was just OK.

• Brisket with onions & leeks

  • anya_sf on August 20, 2017

    I made 1/2 brisket, which was plenty for 4-5 people. Served with mashed potatoes. I used frozen sliced leeks (and fresh onions), which worked fine. The onion mixture was great - nicely caramelized. Really tasty.

• Cider-roasted pork tenderloins with roasted plum chutney

  • anya_sf on October 09, 2017

    The first time I made this, I forgot the salt in the marinade. The marinade imparted a lot of flavor (I marinated overnight), but the pork definitely needed extra salt upon serving. The second time I made this, I remembered the salt. For me, the pork ended up perfectly seasoned, but my husband still sprinkled some fleur de sel on top. The tenderloins were cooked in exactly 20 minutes, moist and juicy with slightly rosy interiors. The plum chutney was a nice accompaniment, although the pork was also great by itself.

• Moroccan grilled lamb chops

  • anya_sf on June 19, 2017

    Fantastic! I made 2/3 recipe and the racks weren't that large, so it served 3+. Marinated the lamb for 24 hours. I used 2% Greek yogurt, which worked fine. It seems a bit futzy to make both the spice paste and the yogurt, but it comes together quickly, and overall the recipe is quick and easy. Quick enough for a weeknight meal. I grilled the chops for the minimum stated time - I have a gas grill and she didn't specify how high - I chose medium-high. They turned out medium, which we thought was perfect. Super flavorful.

• Fish and lobster cakes

  • anya_sf on June 20, 2017

    I made 1/2 recipe, yielding 8 cakes (my 2" scoop would have made more, but I added the extra to the existing 8 cakes). Used frozen cod, which worked fine. I scooped the cakes (tricky!) onto half the panko coating, then sprinkled and pressed the remaining panko on top. Chilled 30 min before cooking. Still, they totally fell apart. Overall flavor was good, but lobster flavor was lost. I would not bother making these again. If you do, I suggest chilling the filling before forming the cakes, then again afterwards, for the best chance for these to stay together. Also just use extra fish and skip the lobster.

• Rémoulade sauce

  • anya_sf on June 20, 2017

    I made 1/3 recipe to accompany 1/2 the fish cakes, which was just the right amount. I did not bother dirtying the food processor for this; just finely chopped the cornichons by hand. The sauce had a nice flavor which complemented the fish and lobster cakes well. Quick and easy.

• Shrimp and swordfish curry

  • anya_sf on July 02, 2017

    I made this for 2 people using 1/3 of the seafood, but made 1/2 the sauce, thinking I like a lot of sauce. There was plenty of sauce for 3, though, so next time I'd leave the proportions as they are. I wanted extra veggies, so I used the whole bell pepper, and added a diced zucchini with the tomatoes, then some peas at the end. I accidentally used diced tomatoes with green chiles, but that worked OK here. My shrimp were frozen and I didn't bother thawing them, as they cooked just fine in the curry. Served with jasmine rice. It was pretty good and had some spice, but I prefer creamier curries.

• Perfect poached lobster & corn with tarragon butter

  • anya_sf on January 01, 2021

    I cooked 2 1.5-lb lobsters; checked them at 11 minutes but the temperature was already over 140 F. Maybe because the water was at a rolling boil most of the time? Using the thermometer was rather tricky and may work better with large lobsters with thicker tails. The lobsters were good though, not too rubbery. No corn on the cob this time of year, so just cooked some frozen corn and green beans. The tarragon butter was fantastic on the lobster and the vegetables - highly salted though, so adjust to your taste.

• Couscous with pine nuts & mint

  • anya_sf on June 19, 2017

    Made 2/3 recipe - served 3-4. Added extra mint, which I liked. I thought this was probably the most flavorful of Ina's numerous couscous recipes. Served it with the Moroccan lamb chops, a great pairing. Warning: if you cover the pan (e.g., to keep warm) after adding the mint, the mint will turn black. It will still taste good, but won't look as good, so it's best to add the mint right at the very end.

  • Skamper on August 18, 2022

    Simple but good. A 1/3 batch was plenty for 2 with leftovers.

• Roasted vine tomatoes

  • anya_sf on August 30, 2018

    I couldn't find cherry tomatoes on the vine anywhere, so I used cherry tomatoes that still had some stem attached. They turned out fine, but were more work to eat with the stem, so next time I'd remove those, since they didn't have the "wow" factor of the whole vine. The tomatoes were fine - best if they get more wrinkly and split. Ina's roasted cherry tomato recipe is better, as it calls for higher heat and longer roasting time.

• Creamy Parmesan polenta

  • anya_sf on May 20, 2017

    This is the same recipe as in How Easy is That? except 50% more to serve 6 people (larger serving sizes). I made 2/3 recipe, so perhaps this note belongs on the other recipe. I stupidly used the amount of salt called for in the recipe (1 Tbsp Kosher salt for 2/3 recipe) and it was too salty. Still, we ate it, and it was very good with the meatballs and marinara sauce from the same cookbook. But next time only use half the salt Ina calls for unless your stock is unsalted. Sometimes her recipes are spot on with the salt, but other times they are too salty, and this is one of those times. Still, it's very flavorful for polenta, with a nice creamy consistency. It's fairly rich, with butter, creme fraiche, and Parmesan cheese, but that's what makes it good.

• Port wine prunes with Stilton & walnuts

  • anya_sf on November 12, 2017

    Quick and easy to make. Kept well at room temperature for a few hours. I used regular blue cheese, not Stilton - I think any kind would work here. I also think other ports would work - I used a California "port". They were delicious.

• Roasted plum chutney

  • anya_sf on October 09, 2017

    I didn't have mace, so I used nutmeg. I made the chutney a day ahead, chilled it, then reheated it slightly before serving with the pork. It went well with the pork. Overall, we liked it pretty well, but we aren't huge chutney fans, so there was twice as much chutney as needed.

• Challah with saffron

  • anya_sf on October 09, 2017

    The dough was easy to work with and the bread turned out great. It was huge though - barely fit on the sheet pan. Next time I might try making 2 smaller loaves and freezing one. The challah still tasted fresh the next morning after baking, but was also great toasted with butter.

• Spiced pecans

  • anya_sf on July 06, 2017

    These pecans are a cross between sweet and savory, but more sweet. They would be good with a cheese course, or just for snacking. Maybe a bit sweet to serve with cocktails. You could serve them with dessert if you like a bit of spice with your dessert (I generally don't). Definitely addictive, but not my favorite BC nut recipe, as I prefer the more savory ones. They are easy to make.

• Fig & goat cheese bruschettas

  • anya_sf on August 19, 2017

    I made half the recipe, which I think serves more than 6 people (the fig part anyway). I didn't have a vanilla bean, so I added 1/2 tsp vanilla extract. I wasn't quite sure when the figs were done (how long in fridge before checking? what is "soft fruit preserve"?) It was definitely very syrupy after 1 hour, so I stopped cooking then. It thickened even more as it cooled. The figs and goat cheese were good together, but almost dessert-like. I think this would be best with port as a cheese course after dinner. The figs are strong tasting and fairly sweet, so I wouldn't place more than 1-2 halves on each toast.

• Fresh corn pancakes

  • anya_sf on October 08, 2017

    I made half the recipe, which yielded 13 pancakes; three people ate almost all of them. I was fearful that they'd be difficult to cook (would fall apart or stick to the pan), but actually they turned out great. I cooked 4 pancakes at a time, so they did not take that long to cook. They kept warm nicely in the oven. Despite the small amounts of sriracha and jalapeno, they weren't spicy at all (which was good for my son). The pancakes had a light texture and were perhaps a bit dry, but had great corn flavor. I served them with grilled salmon and a green salad. They were delicious.

• Roasted broccolini

  • anya_sf on September 16, 2018

    If the stems are fresh and tender, you don't need to trim them much. After 15 min, the broccolini was crisp-tender, which was good, but they could be roasted a bit longer. Did not need extra salt at the end. Very good (similar to roasted broccoli).

  • snoozermoose on December 12, 2021

    This was delicious and very easy. It's easier than making regular roasted broccoli. I agree with anya that this does not need the extra salt at the end. I added it and found it too salty.

  • snoozermoose on December 12, 2021

    This was delicious and very easy. It's easier than making regular roasted broccoli. I agree with anya that this does not need the extra salt at the end. I added it and found it too salty.

• Tsimmes

  • anya_sf on September 04, 2020

    My sweet potatoes were the purple kind (white inside), which are less sweet and more like potatoes, which my family preferred to the orange ones. I had to bake this for an hour and it was fine. It wasn't too sweet - although I'd use fewer prunes next time - and went well with brisket.

  • arosfd on September 29, 2022

    This makes a HUGE amount as written (serving 10-12 people as a side). Recommend cutting this in half unless you are hosting a crowd.

• Herb & apple bread pudding

  • anya_sf on January 26, 2019

    I used sourdough bread that was already stale, so I didn't toast it. Assembled the pudding one day ahead. Used 2 oz pancetta (that's what I had on hand), 1 cup cream, 1.5 cups whole milk, and it was plenty rich. I think all whole milk would still work fine. The pudding tasted great, but next time I'd add some thyme and sage if making for Thanksgiving. You could also add leftover turkey meat for a one-dish meal.

  • Jviney on November 26, 2020

    Made exactly as written and it was delicious. A very good side in place of dressing for a turkey. I used day-old peasant bread and it worked really well. Love the idea of adding Turkey for a one-dish meal next time.

• Italian white beans & escarole

  • anya_sf on October 04, 2017

    This was really good. I only used 1/4 cup olive oil (seemed like plenty) and 1 1/2 tsp salt (used canned low salt chicken broth). It was spicier than I expected, which my son didn't like, so reduce the red pepper flakes and black pepper if you want it milder. I just served it with sausages, and although it's hearty, it only served 3-4 with no other side dishes. It would also go great with garlic bread.

• Fresh peach cobbler

  • anya_sf on June 24, 2017

    I made 1/2 recipe, using 6 smaller peaches, in a deep 8"x8" pan. I peeled the peaches with a serrated peeler, which I find easier than blanching. There wasn't much topping, but it expanded while baking, so it was enough. I dolloped/spread the topping on with a regular spoon, which seemed easier than the scoop. Because my pan was deep, I didn't place it on a baking sheet because there was no fear of overflowing. I think that also kept it from browning too quickly. I worried that there was a lot of sugar, but the cobbler wasn't too sweet - just right. That may depend on your peaches; mine were fairly acidic. It was delicious both plain and with vanilla ice cream.

  • ChelseaP on May 22, 2021

    Bit of a faff blanching and peeling the peaches but was so delicious I forgave Ina for making me do it!

• Frozen hot chocolate

  • anya_sf on January 26, 2019

    My Lindt chocolate bar weighed 3.5 oz; I didn't add an extra 1/2 oz chocolate and it was plenty chocolatey. I used 1% (lowfat) milk instead of whole and it was extremely rich anyway. I think you could use all milk. Omitted the Kahlua for the kid version, included for adults. Both versions were great. The chocolate flavor was super dark. Whipped cream is pretty on top, but not necessary. Servings are generous.

• Sparkling grapefruit granita

  • anya_sf on July 08, 2018

    Delicious flavor, even when made with inexpensive sparkling wine. Very refreshing.

• Prune Armagnac clafouti

  • anya_sf on January 26, 2019

    I made 2/3 recipe in a shallow 9" pie plate, which served 4 generously. I used a mixture of heavy cream and half-and-half and the clafouti was not too heavy. You could probably use all half-and-half or even whole milk. It could have used a few more prunes. The flavor was good, but not that exciting.

• Frozen mocha mousse

  • anya_sf on August 30, 2017

    I made 1/2 recipe, which served 6, so the full recipe would certainly serve 10-12, not just 8. It's very rich. I wasn't sure if the whipped cream topping should be frozen on top of the mousse. The first day we had it freshly whipped (not frozen) on top, then leftovers were frozen on top. Both ways were good. The mousse gets fairly hard and needs to soften a bit before scooping/serving. Don't make the whipped cream too sweet. The mousse was absolutely delicious, like fluffy mocha chip ice cream (more chocolate than coffee flavor). This must be made ahead, and can be made up to 1 month ahead, according to Ina, so it's great for entertaining.

• Raspberry roasted applesauce

  • anya_sf on January 26, 2019

    Half the recipe yielded about 3 cups - it cooked down a lot. I used Pacific Rose and Granny Smith apples. The recipe didn't say to heat the apples on the stove before putting them in the oven, but I did - otherwise it seemed they would take too long to heat up (but maybe that's why mine cooked down so much). My raspberries were fairly tart, so the applesauce was not that sweet, but was a nice complement to ice cream.

• Pecan rum raisin ice cream

  • anya_sf on August 21, 2017

    I did not get a full quart out of this - closer to 3 cups. I didn't have vanilla bean, so I added 1 tsp vanilla extract to the custard after straining. I don't know why the egg yolks need to be beaten so much. I have made plenty of other custard recipes where the egg yolks were just mixed, not beaten, and they worked fine. This worked too, but is it really necessary? Anyway, the ice cream was super creamy and delicious. Much of the rum was absorbed, so there wasn't much to discard after adding the 3 Tbsp to the custard, yet the ice cream did not taste "boozy".

  • breakthroughc on May 01, 2022

    Oh my gosh this was good ice cream, one of the best I have ever made. The eggs are whipped for a long time and resulted in a really creamy custard that I did not strain, so I did end up with a full quart and it was very creamy. I like Anya_sf had very little run left over after soaking the raisins. I used Meyers Dark Rum and the boozy element was in good balance. I will definitely make again. A impressive ice cream for a dinner party.

• Devil's food cake with coffee meringue buttercream

  • anya_sf on July 06, 2021

    I made 1/3 recipe ("only" 3 sticks butter), which served at least 6-8, so the full recipe could serve up to 24. Baked the cakes in 6" pans for the stated time. Good flavor, a bit drier than Beatty's chocolate cake (my fave). Cakes domed, but could be layered without leveling. A crumb coat would have been good, as the frosting looked speckled (so I didn't bother smoothing it). The buttercream was incredibly frustrating to make and I had to consult a more detailed recipe to salvage it. The syrup may have gotten too hot (though my other recipe calls for a higher temp) and also sprayed onto the sides of the bowl. The mixture reached room temp (70 F) after just 20 min, but didn't get smooth after the butter was added. I put it in the fridge, then tried again (it was 68 F), but it curdled and apparently was too cool. Kept beating on high and it eventually got smooth and silky. Flavor was good, great with the cake, and it wasn't too sweet (maybe because some syrup wasn't incorporated).

• Warm vacherin

  • anya_sf on May 26, 2018

    I looked all Winter for Vacherin Mont d'Or, but couldn't find it in California. I eventually found a recommended substitute: Harbison by Jasper Hill Farm. It weighed 10 oz, which was perfect for 3-4 people. The cheese is surrounded by a wooden band, but doesn't come in a box, so I wrapped it in foil. It melted beautifully under the broiler and was gooey and delicious with toasted baguette slices (we skipped the cornichons).

• Vanilla rum panna cotta with salted caramel

  • anya_sf on January 26, 2019

    I used a mixture of nonfat regular yogurt and lowfat Greek yogurt, which worked fine. Portions are generous, but we devoured these. The salted caramel really makes it great.

• Sweetened whipped cream

  • anya_sf on January 26, 2019

    Good basic recipe. Of course you can adjust the sugar to your taste (this one is fairly sweet). Half the recipe was enough to top 4 frozen hot chocolates. Full recipe would serve 4 generously, such as for pie.

• Kitchn

  At a point in her career where the Contessa could do whatever she pleased, she dedicated an entire book to her husband...From a storytelling perspective, this book is the most personal.

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• What's Gaby Cooking

  This new cookbook is filled with the recipes Jeffrey and their friends request most like Brisket with Onions and Leeks, and Tsimmes...

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• Two Peas and Their Pod

  I have always been an Ina fan and now she has a book for Jeffery. The best!

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