Notes about Recipes in this book

• Skillet cornbread

  • sosayi on January 19, 2024

    Delicious, basic cornbread. I did find that my oven needed an additional 5 minutes of bake time. Also, ahem, even if you accidentally double the butter, this will still turn out. You just need to slice it up and toast/brown the slices in the hot oven, sort of like polenta and it’ll be just fine! (I did also make it successfully a second time, the normal way).

• Spicy zucchini bread

  • jenmacgregor18 on August 05, 2023

    This tastes really good. Definitely worth making again. The only problem that I had, I may have entirely created myself. When I mixed everything together it was very thick- more a dough than a batter. As the instructions said to pour the batter into the prepared pan and my dough wouldn't "pour", I added additional milk until it was pourable. Close to another 1/2 cup milk. It baked up fine. But the bread was a bit too moist. I did make the optional crumb topping. This was very good immediately after baking, but they softened overnight. In future, I would skip the panko and add the parm to the batter. I would add a bit more heat, maybe 2 t Aleppo?

  • jenmacgregor18 on August 12, 2023

    I tried this again, with the exact amount of liquid called for. I just let the batter rest a bit before baking so the salt would draw some of the moisture out of the zucchini. I used 2 t of Aleppo pepper and 3 t of sambal oelek and cheddar. I added 2 T of parmesan to the batter. The heat level was good. I think I needed a sharper cheese and then it would be perfect for me. Maybe a good bit more parmesan. 1/4 cup? But overall this had a very good texture and flavor.

• Pine nut and salami quickbread

  • jenmacgregor18 on January 28, 2023

    This is a great quick bread with lots of variation possible. I made it with pepperoni, mostly provolone with some parmesan, toasted walnuts, oregano, and 1 tsp of Korean pepper flakes. It is excellent. B would prefer it without the nuts. This is a quick fix for us since we moved out west and can't get the pepperoni rolls that we grew up eating in PA.

  • averythingcooks on July 03, 2024

    I made this loaf with a mix of spicy & mild salamis from the fridge, asiago in place of manchego & only 1/4 cup of pine nuts (ie all I had on hand). The house smelled amazing during the bake & the result is a lovely, savory loaf that we will happily eat all week. T has now dubbed it "charcuterie" loaf and I can see lots of variations in our future depending on fridge contents. Big thanks to EYB member sosayi for the heads up about the yogurt discrepency - I used 1 1/4 cups ( ie 283 g) which is clearly correct.

  • sosayi on October 13, 2023

    A great savory quick bread base! I mixed things up with different cheese and nuts, but will definitely make it again. One important note: the weight on the yogurt is off. If it’s 1.25 cups, it should read 283 g, not 383 g.

• Marinated olive and feta quickbread

  • jenmacgregor18 on May 11, 2024

    Very good. Omitted dill, added oregano. Used only 1 cup olives.

• Ham and cheese quickbread

  • Kinhawaii on September 04, 2023

    Good but I was basically trying to use up stuff- so had half the amount of ham, random amounts of cheddar & Boursin cheese…and tried to make muffins- which came out like biscuits. They were moist in the center but my dough was stiff. The weight of the yogurt is quite off- probably should be around 282 & not 380 something in g. Or is the cup measurement off? I wasn’t sure what she meant by temperature but my small muffins took around 25 minutes at 350 degrees F.

• Cheesy green chile spoonbread

  • jenmacgregor18 on July 15, 2023

    I'd never had spoonbread before, so I don't have anything to compare this to. But we loved it, even left over. My egg whites had quite deflated when mixing, but it didn't matter. This had a rich, almost souffle-like texture. Excellent flavor. Not difficult to put together. This was so good, I'd really like to repeat it, but I am curious to try the plain, sweet spoonbread too.

• Corn muffins

  • jenmacgregor18 on September 17, 2023

    These are delicious. A perfect sweet corn muffin.

• Florentine muffins

  • EmilyR on October 23, 2023

    Used whole wheat pastry flour, Gruyère, and chopped up the spinach per the note here. I was planning to make a double batch and doctor them up differently to also make the Spinach 2.0 muffins, but it states they are best within 48 hours. I didn't think we'd plow through 2 dozen (mine made 15) in that time, so I just doubled the spinach to make them another day.

  • coryelizabeth on November 14, 2022

    These turned out wonderfully on the first try. They are incredibly fluffy and, though they contain only two cloves of garlic, the flavor permeates the muffin. The one tweak I'd recommend is to chop the spinach before adding it (or de-stem the spinach before sautéing it).

  • Kag2020 on January 05, 2024

    Made the western version substituting sour cream and some milk for the buttermilk. Made the rookie mistake (after too many years) of not reading the recipe through first and added all the cheese to the batter rather than saving some for the tops. Still came out delicious, just a bit pale. Made 12 large muffins, baking a little bit longer than suggested, and 12 minis.

• Lorraine muffins

  • jenburkholder on March 17, 2023

    Delicious - coworkers loved them. Cut down the sugar by half and didn’t use nearly as much bacon. Made 17 muffins in my smallish tin.

• Savory scones

  • Twysbeek on November 03, 2022

    This recipe is insanely delicious. My inclusions: I caramelized two large onions, roasted a head of garlic, shredded half a block of Trader Joe's unexpected cheddar, about 70 grams of chopped up bacon, and a bit of Flatiron Pepper Sweet Heat Chili flakes. These are beyond delicious. Extremely dangerous to have around, intensely crave-able and supremely savory.

  • DFarnham on March 13, 2023

    These are insane! Used salami, provolone and sun dried tomato. Mouthwatering.

• Za'atar carrot scones

  • jenburkholder on September 01, 2023

    These scones had a really lovely texture and nice, mildly herbaceous flavor. I also used the same dough and upped the sugar a bit, adding a handful of granola to make a sweet scones. New go-to base recipe.

• Bacon-and-eggs Dutch baby

  • DFarnham on March 13, 2023

    The fridge was empty and I was desperate for breakfast. Whipped up this Dutch baby in no time. Since I was also out of milk, I subbed unsweetened vanilla almond milk. Skipped the bacon and eggs and just dusted with powdered sugar. Delicious.

  • rittingerv on March 23, 2023

    Really nice and simple. Added some sautéed scallions and goat cheese with the egg and bacon topping.

• Jalapeño cornmeal waffles

  • yaleksly on January 16, 2024

    This turned out great, though I have noted that my copy has ingredients list has 35g of butter and offers 5 tbsp as a conversion. I think this is in error; 35g of butter should be a little over 2 tbsp. I used 35g and followed the toasting step as suggested by the recipe, and the waffles turned out crisp without the additional fat. Other recipes in the book describe a more realistic conversion for butter, such as in the 'Broccoli and Cheese Bierocks or Runzas' which includes 45g of butter converted to 3 tbsp.

• Cheddar ale soup

  • averythingcooks on June 30, 2024

    This is a bowl of comfort. I used a lager (suggested as an alternative to the pale ale) and added a big handful of chopped ham at the end. The Dijon is a great touch & this might have just replaced my gold standard recipe for this type of soup.

• Crumpets

  • MollyB on May 30, 2023

    Very tasty! I was planning to make the English muffins from the book, but didn't have time for an overnight rise. These were a great (and much easier) replacement. I'll definitely be making them again. I took her suggestion to use wide-mouth Mason jar rings as a substitute for English muffin rings, and that worked well.

• Pesto

  • hbakke on April 02, 2023

    Excellent pesto recipe. I halved the recipe and it still makes a large quantity. I'm not a fan of pine nuts, so I appreciated the use of almonds in this pesto.

• Ciabattina rolls

  • KevinSeattle on September 27, 2023

    This is surprisingly easy with a great pillowy, rustic bread with lots of holes, just like you want. They made the best BLTs of the summer. You do have to prepare a day ahead (the Biga), and because the dough is so loose (and sticky), don’t skimp on flouring the work surface. You’ll be sorry if you skimp. Tip: Use a metal bench scraper to divide and transfer the rolls to the prepped baking sheets. Try —though it may be futile— to not reshape the rolls when moving them.

• Sun-dried tomato, goat cheese, and walnut monkey bread

  • WaterPenny on February 08, 2024

    This was incredibly good! While it is perfect for a party, our family of three ate the whole thing within 2 days! And we’re already getting ready to bake another of her monkey bread variations. I made it in my Nordic Ware Bundt pan and it came out perfectly.

• English-ish muffins

  • MollyB on January 17, 2023

    These were great! It's the first English muffin recipe I've tried that produced something that worked for breakfast sandwiches, as well as being good toasted. I love the advice to not worry about making them round and just cutting them into squares (or square-ish shapes) - I hate dealing with muffin rings. The instructions on how to work with the really wet dough were spot on and worked well for me.

• Dark rye bread

  • KevinSeattle on August 11, 2023

    The bread turned out really well and is like a delicious pumpernickel, BUT... every stage of making it was a complete disaster to the point I checked with the publishers to see if there was an errata sheet. I’ve never had a problem with any of Erin’s recipes before, and I’m still pretty sure that this recipe was never tested as written. It could not have been. I followed the recipe 100% and used grams for all measurements; the only change being I greased the loaf pan with butter because the dough is unbelievably unworkable. I never have had a rye bread this sticky, I probably lost more than a cup of dough just due to it being unrelenting. It ultimately was a freaking 12 hour rise (started at 9AM and got it into the oven at 9PM) before it was close to rising to the rim of the loaf pan. I could not do the shaping step, it was too sticky, so I just scraped it out of the mixing bowl into the (greased) loaf pan. Tip: do not pay attention to the timings, look to the indicators.

• Seeded burger (or Hot dog) buns

  • rm31knitter on November 15, 2022

    These are fabulous! They are light and fluffy and oh so good! I made them 75 gms instead of the suggested 100 gms because I wanted to make them for leftover Thanksgiving ham and turkey sandwiches. They were still quite large. Next time, I might cut down on the sugar as they were a little sweet for my taste. Also, I let them rise in the fridge overnight and they were sticky and sort of difficult to shape.

  • meginyeg on May 01, 2023

    These were decent. A bit too sweet. But the texture was soft and nice. The dough is really wet.

• Bagels

  • DFarnham on February 13, 2023

    Nice chewy bagels. Worth the effort.

• Lahmacun with chiles

  • DFarnham on February 13, 2023

    Super easy to make. I used ground beef as I don't eat lamb; jalapeño slices as my grocer was out of fresno chilis. Definitely loved the sumac to finish off, and definitely a keeper.

  • damjih on December 14, 2023

    I made this with beef, some Armenian friends said it was amazing, I had nothing to compare to so I'll go with that.

• Pizza

  • DFarnham on January 03, 2023

    Solid dough recipe. Easy and manageable to roll out with nice flavor. We rolled ours really thin, and crust was still sturdy enough to not flop over. We have a pizza oven so this will definitely go into our rotation.

  • averythingcooks on June 23, 2024

    I also liked this dough. I used an equal mix of all purpose & 00 and I like the addition of semolina. I used this dough for her "Meatball Un-subs" but I would make it again for a regular pizza for sure.

• Roasted garlic naan

  • sosayi on October 19, 2023

    Easy to make naan with a great texture and chew. I also cheated and just used a little melted ghee w/ some minced garlic that I quickly sautéed together. Would make again.

  • DFarnham on January 03, 2023

    Great recipe--really easy. I used plain yogurt, not Greek because that is what I had. Did not do the garlic portion as I ran out of time to roast garlic. Just painted them instead with a little melted ghee melted with some minced garlic.

  • KevinSeattle on November 12, 2023

    Simple and delicious. While I had time to roast the garlic, I didn’t have time to bring ingredients to room temperature, but it worked out fine. The recipe scales really well too. One note: they cook much faster for me than 3 minutes on a side, even with the heat medium/low. Check them constantly.

  • KevinSeattle on November 29, 2023

    This naan is a winner. Just for giggles, I used a tortilla press on my latest batch and it worked really well (true confession: my counter was too cluttered for the rolling pin), but I would definitely size the portions smaller if I do this cheat again.

• Weeknight focaccia

  • kkmatti on October 17, 2023

    Lovely bubbles in this focaccia and a nice flavor. I did a 24-hour rise in the fridge. Well worth making again. Here are a few changes that I'll make next time: * The sliced tomato I added to the top was too wet, leaving damp, uncooked dough underneath. Onions, shallots, or garlic seem like better choices. * The dough was stuck to the sheet pan even though I had a layer of olive oil under the dough. I'll use parchment paper next time. * I pulled the bread out when the edges were quite brown but I feel like I should have cooked it a little longer to get a nice crust on the top. Next time I'll look for nice brown top on the entire sheet. * I think a 48 hour rise in the refrigerator might add a little more flavor to the bread.

  • damjih on December 14, 2023

    This was a big hit for me, both plain or if i put a bunch of stuff on top.

  • KevinSeattle on August 23, 2023

    This is a truly wonderful version of focaccia. The water/oil/salt slurry on the dimpled surface works like a charm. The texture of the finished bread is lovely, the flavor is exactly right. In addition to the overnight rise in the fridge, count on about 2 hours till it is done, maybe more. One recommendation: do use a sheet pan. I foolishly used an enameled iron baker (I wanted a tall bread) and even with all the oil it stuck and was hard to remove from the pan, and that was on me. I’ll use parchment if I do this in the same kind of baker. But don’t let that discourage anyone, this bread is an absolute winner. UPDATE: I used a parchment liner for the next round, and it worked beautifully.

  • sarahawker on November 25, 2023

    Thanksgiving - Naomi brought. Absolutely perfect in every way. Cacio e Pepe version.

• Pita bread

  • KevinSeattle on August 04, 2023

    Dead simple, the technique is precise but add about 15 minutes for mixing the dough and transferring to the greased bowl; it still works out to start the dough about 2 hours before you bake.

  • DFarnham on January 07, 2023

    My third recipe out of Erin's book and she is 3 for 3! Easy, peasy...used a large cast iron on the middle rack of the oven. Got an impressive puff which we could easily use as pockets for kabob meat and condiments. Held together when stuffed and sauced. Nice texture, flavor. Definitely will become my new go-to for pita.

  • sydlikestocook on February 20, 2024

    Recipe is easy to follow, highly recommend. Used all AP flour instead of the blend the recipe calls for.

• Garlic-dill compound butter

  • averythingcooks on July 03, 2024

    This is a quick & easy way to preserve the dill from an overwhelming planter. I (mostly) prefer to freeze butters in 1 tbsp squares rather than rolls and I will find lots of uses for this flavourful mix.

• Flour tortillas

  • KevinSeattle on September 08, 2023

    Used beef tallow, and these flour tortillas were extremely good (and easy); however, I was behind schedule so I used a tortilla press instead of rolling them, and the texture was not right. Next time, I will roll them (and probably add a little more salt, they were under seasoned for my taste).

• Italian sub bundt

  • calguire on March 25, 2024

    I am pretty sure there is a mistake in the recipe. When I read it, I thought it made no sense to use the Monkey bread biscuit dough on page 30 and let it rise... it is a non-yeasted dough. Also the recipe said to make the dough through step 5 which would mean the dough would be cut into pieces... I made the recipe using the regular Monkey bread dough on page 127 and it worked perfectly. I think this is what the author intended. The bread looked just like the picture in the book and it was delicious. The only thing for me was that the bread was just a little overcooked at 35 minutes, next time I will check it earlier.

  • DFarnham on February 13, 2023

    Made this for Super Bowl. I loved the concept, but the dough choice on p.29 was just too soft in my opinion. I had a tough time getting this to rise even after 2 hours in a proofing drawer. Once it hit the oven, it definitely grew and filled out the pan, but then began to crack on the top, so I pulled it. The result was that the loaf didn't get as dark as I would have liked. The bread was very crumbly and the sandwich fell apart when you took a bite. I will repeat, but will find a different bread recipe.

• Meatball un-sub

  • averythingcooks on June 22, 2024

    I knew these were the best meatballs I've ever made (even beating out our favourites made with ricotta) after trying the "test" patty where I realized that the meat mix needed no extra seasoning while eating it with no sauce/adornments at all. I did alter the meat ratio a bit based on my freezer (8 oz pork : 4 oz beef vs the 6 oz each called for). Dinner 1 was with stir fry veg, noodles + a glaze. Dinner 2 will be the un-sub style here (pizza dough / sauce / cheese baked in a muffin tin). I am also going to use this mix for sliders.

  • averythingcooks on June 23, 2024

    I've reviewed these meatballs (awesome) & then used the leftovers to make these "un-subs" using her pizza dough (pg 181). I had pizza sauce in the freezer & while I liked these beside a salad, for me it seemed like a lot of dough compared to filling so I would definitely have extra sauce ready for serving. I rewarmed the leftovers for lunch following her instructions & they were good but the dough does lose its crispy texture.

• Wee quiches

  • FunkyViriditas on July 09, 2023

    This was truly bland. I used a different crust. It screams for seasoning. My dad did like them, however.

• Dumpling wrappers

  • KatieK1 on September 02, 2023

    The recipe fails to give any rolling out instructions.

• All-buttah pie dough

  • averythingcooks on April 19, 2024

    Adding parmesan cheese (as a suggested variation) made this the perfect choice for an upside down tomato tart. I don't often make all butter pastry but her instructions & "look fors/hints" made it easy. I did add less cheese than suggested (when grated, 2.5 oz looked like a mountain) but next time I will go for the full 4 oz. I often have to add extra water to pastry but this time the exact amount was perfect. Easy choice to repeat.

• Pâte brisée

  • sarahawker on February 27, 2023

    I rarely make pastry. I buy all the books but it seems so intimidating. A serious craving for quiche last night had me hunting for a fool-proof method and I believe I've found it. My crust DID slump a little. I don't own pie weights and used rice and I also started late so I would let the crust chill further than the bare 30 min. but the flavor was out of this world. So good I could not believe the store-bought crusts claim to be the same food!

• Roasted tomato pie

  • Apollonia on August 15, 2024

    I'll go ahead and blame it on user error, rather than the recipe, but my pie was very soupy. A delicious soup that no one could get enough of, but soup nonetheless. I'll roast the tomatoes longer next time and maybe pat them dry as well. Don't sleep on the mustard/parmesan wash on the crust!

• Roasted tomato galette

  • meginyeg on May 15, 2023

    I used store bought puff pastry and this was easy enough to make for brunch. It was delicious. We will make it again.

• Crispy kale skillet galette

  • NaomiH on November 14, 2022

    This pie was delicious. I think you could substitute other greens here (CSA member, I always have greens), but hearty greens would need to be sauteed with the onions and not mixed in raw like the kale. I served the leftovers for breakfast with a crispy fried egg on top.

• Tamale pie-pie

  • MollyB on May 30, 2023

    Quite good, but I was on the fence about whether it was worth the amount of work that went into it. (Other household members who didn't do any of the work thought it was great!) I liked the masa crust - it cracked a little but turned out fine.

• Nearly-full English pies

  • averythingcooks on August 01, 2024

    I came here just for the baked beans, using a mix of navy, pinto + a few black beans all from the freezer. I chopped the bacon to get the rendered fat & then stirred the cooked bacon back in before the oven. A shot of sriracha lent some heat and I turned the oven down, baking it for less time as the beans were already pretty soft & I didn't want it to dry out. This is a good dress-up for canned (or frozen,cooked) beans and will be made again.

• Beef enchilada pie

  • caa on June 09, 2024

    Errata: recipe shows 1/2 c enchilada sauce = 115 g and 1 1/3 c enchilada sauce = 135 g. The latter should be about 310 g. One 15 oz can = 425 g.