• Foodiewife on January 22, 2017

  I'm a HUGE fan of America's Test Kitchen. I subscribe to the online Cook's Illustrated, Cook's Country and ATK videos. I subscribe to the digital magazines. Rarely, has an ATK recipe not been good. My only complaint is, that after I bought the book, I realized that quite a few of the recipes are recycled-- just scaled down for two. This isn't a crime, but be aware that if you have access to their recipes (and I do), it's a little disappointing. Still, I love this cookbook now that we are empty nesters. There isn't a photo for every single recipe, but there are still helpful photos nonetheless.

• maasr on December 10, 2016

  The title doesn't lie, this is a great guide for cooking smaller portions. Especially useful for meat recipes where two people won't finish everything. Highly advised to have a 8 and 10 inch skillet though, since using small portions in larger skillets risks scorching them.

• bellezora on August 31, 2015

  The Skillet Apple Crisp on p. 365 has the best crisp topping ever. This recipe is on regular rotation, and the topping is used for all crisps now. Another favorite dessert is the Individual Blueberry Crumbles. That topping has also become a quick favorite. I agree with SusanHitt that the meatloaf is tasty, indeed.

• SusanHitt on January 03, 2015

  Meatloaf was really tasty! My husband cleaned his plate! Will be making again!

Notes about Recipes in this book

• Refried beans

  • Foodiewife on January 17, 2016

    I prefer to grate the onion, instead of chopping it. I don't like the texture of onion with my refried beans. Not a bad recipe, but not like authentic Mexican restaurant style.

• Cream of celery soup

  • mrsmadam on February 10, 2026

    This was good and easy to throw together. For someone like me, who doesn't use a lot of celery, it's a great way to use it up before it goes bad.

• Potato and leek soup with kielbasa

  • Liz_Young on October 04, 2022

    This is out-of-this-world delicious! I used cajun sausage and golden potatoes; worked out great!

  • Ishie1013 on July 11, 2025

    This was awesome! I doubled the recipe to have leftovers, and was skeptical because I've never had a potato leek soup that wasn't blended before. It was fantastic, pleasing even a fussy eater. This one will probably go in regular rotation. The kielbasa was awesome, but I think andouille or chorizo or any number of other sausages would work equally well.

  • marissa_9aqgx6 on May 31, 2026

    This was so simple and delicious! Like other users I subbed in andouille sausage and also decided to add a bit of cream and immersion blend for a creamier texture. This is a great base recipe to experiment with and add/subtract ingredients as needed!

• Provençal vegetable soup with pistou

  • Liz_Young on April 22, 2024

    This was really good -- has a variety of vegetables. Esp good in spring and summer

• Tortellini Florentine soup

  • Sbilinski on August 30, 2021

    Very good and easy weeknight dinner.

• Sausage and tortellini Florentine soup

  • Nancith on March 18, 2025

    Tasty & filling for such a simple soup, but that, of course, is part of its appeal! Easy to make & just enough for 2 to satisfy for dinner without much else besides some bread. I used vegetable broth rather than chicken & only Hubby had the sausage. This is a keeper for times when you're too tired to do much in the kitchen.

• Creamy butternut squash soup

  • LEKcookbooks on December 07, 2020

    simple and excellent!

  • eejackson on April 10, 2026

    Simple, easy, and quite good. I did oven roast the butternut squash because it was just easier in my circumstances, and I added the tiniest bit of cayenne. Maybe 1/8th teaspoon, if that. I do that to pretty much every pot of soup (unless it's already spicy). It's barely detectable, just adds a little something.

• New England clam chowder

  • leona_jxmwcf on February 22, 2026

    made the pantry version and it was tasty quick and easy!

• Brazilian-style pork and black bean stew

  • Nancith on July 27, 2017

    Rave reviews from my meat-eaters! Husband described a savory-rich flavor with enough heat to keep him happy (it did have an enticing aroma). I did not have a tomato or linguiça sausage, but I added a bit of tomato puree for the flavor, & threw in some diced carrot & corn to fill it out a bit. Fairly quick & easy to prepare, and different way to utilize country-style pork ribs.

  • chawkins on August 22, 2021

    Very flavorful stew. Could not find linguica in the store, substituted with kielbasa. Instead of canned black beans, I used dried beans, cooked in the instant pot for 24 minutes.

• Chicken tagine

  • Ishie1013 on March 09, 2023

    Very nice recipe. I did use boneless skinless thighs rather than breasts and doubled the quantity of the chicken so I'd have lunches. I feel like a single 8 oz chicken breast the recipe calls for might not be quite enough to balance out the other flavors, but as I did it, it tasted great and came together quickly. Served it over long-grain rice.

• Mediterranean-style fish stew

  • Rinshin on August 12, 2021

    Really liked the richness and background smokiness the addition of chorizo adds to this soup. Used fresh garden tomatoes and homemade crab and shrimp shell stock. Needed more cooking time to develop full flavor and added small amount of saffron and Aleppo pepper to boost flavor. Used Pacific cod and rockfish, but cod was a total miss with bland taste and spongy texture. Rockfish by comparison was great for this soup. I would recommend either rockfish or flounder/sole for their softer texture and sweeter flavor profile.

  • dc151 on February 24, 2022

    This was an easy weeknight meal. Cod is not my favorite, but the broth was so flavorful, it really went well together. I could see using other seafood in this dish. I've had to rethink my cooking since recently becoming an empty-nester, this is a meal I wouldn't have made for the whole family, but the two of us enjoyed it. Great with crusty bread as recommended.

• Thai-style red curry with shrimp, bell pepper, and snap peas

  • chawkins on July 10, 2022

    Delicious, simple, easy and quick dinner. Not at all spicy, the coconut milk tamed the curry well. I used sugar snap peas and Thai basil from the garden.

• Thai-style red curry with shrimp, asparagus, and carrots

  • mharriman on January 16, 2018

    My husband loves the ingredients in this recipe and so do I. He thought tonight’s version needed more coconut milk but I thought the amount was perfect ( I used 3/4cup as usual). I’ve adapted the recipe to look a bit more like an old Weight Watchers recipe I have: I sauté the shrimp first and plate it. I substitute orange bell pepper for the carrots, I use light coconut milk, and I skip adding cornstarch ( the sauce doesn’t really need thickening). I serve it on a bed of white rice. I don’t find that the basil adds anything to the flavor- the red curry paste and coconut milk are the main flavors and don’t need any help. If I prep everything ahead of cooking, like tonight, it serves up pretty quickly. Very tasty!

• Turkey chili

  • hourlongshower on October 17, 2016

    Love this! The spicing is perfect and I appreciate the flexibility to use whatever beans are on hand. I also enjoy throwing in whatever veggies need to be used up like the last few leaves of kale and half a large sweet potato. Great with cornbread or over spaghetti, Cincinnati style.

• White chicken chili

  • MeganGarcia on September 23, 2017

    This was delicious and so easy to make. I used a chicken breast that I'd already roasted, adding in the pieces in the last 5 minutes of simmering. I had it with avocado, sour cream, and shredded cheese on top. The hominy makes this taste so much better than white chicken chili recipes that call for beans, and I did add extra hominy.

• Chicken Parmesan

  • chawkins on October 28, 2014

    Very nice crisp crust on the chicken. My chicken breasts were huge, I had to finish cooking them in the oven to reach the correct internal temperature, I should have pounded them thin so make for quicker cooking. No fontina, so used comte instead. Also, basil in the garden is long gone, so used dried basil in the sauce made from frozen tomato from the garden.

• Smothered pork chops

  • chawkins on November 17, 2014

    Very flavorful, but I'll cut down on the the cayenne next time. I Like spicy food but it does not seem appropriate on smothered pork chops. I do the entire cooking on the stove top and I did not skim the sauce as I had all the fat trimmed off before cooking, so there was hardly any fat in the sauce.

  • chawkins on September 13, 2016

    Made this again using the instant pot, timing based on the pressire cooker pork chops and applesauce recipe from pressurecookerrecipes.com: high pressure for 1 minute, natural release for 10 minutes, perfect.

  • PytnPlace on August 25, 2020

    I followed the recipe to a T, however my onions came out really mushy and unappetizing. The pork chops tasted good. Not sure how to solve the issue re complete breakdown of the onions. I used a med/large size yellow onion.

• Chicken saltimbocca

  • chawkins on January 01, 2015

    Very easy and very flavorful. I used lime juice instead of lemon because I was making a salad dressing with lime juice so I just reserved on teaspoon for the chicken.

• Bacon-wrapped pork chops with roasted potatoes

  • chawkins on January 19, 2015

    Quick and easy, very little hands-on time. It was quite good, even though I forgot to rub fennel powder on the chops before baking. Anything wrapped in bacon couldn't be too bad.

  • melissa_1ywxg4 on March 31, 2026

    Thought it was dry and didnt taste like much. I went light on the salt because i thought the bacon would be enough. It wasnt. Probably wont make again.

• Chicken Marsala

  • chawkins on February 06, 2015

    It was good, nothing exceptional, I doubled up on the mushroom because my carton of mushrooms need to be used up.

• Weeknight baked chicken with lemon and thyme

  • evilmissmonkey on February 23, 2015

    Great weeknight recipe, easy and delicious.

• Chicken fajitas

  • chawkins on February 25, 2015

    Great fajita recipe for the winter when you didn't want to grill your chicken in the sub-zero temperature as the chicken breasts were cooked in a skillet on the stove top. The chicken breasts were then sliced and dressed with a lime dressing which brought a note of freshness to the dish.

• Pan-roasted chicken breasts with garlic and sherry sauce

  • pvia on April 21, 2015

    Sauce was perfect.

• Sautéed chicken breasts with oranges and feta

  • chawkins on March 14, 2016

    Simple, quick and healthy dish for a week night dinner. The fennel seed added interest to the orange relish. Most time consuming part of the dish was prepping the oranges.

  • mharriman on June 08, 2018

    My husband really liked this dish. Me- not so much. It IS healthy, light, and quick as described, but I thought the flavor combination —freshly sliced oranges, one minced garlic clove, and fennel seeds— topped with a sprinkling of feta, was surprisingly ho hum. Served with tabouleh.

• Easy skillet pizza with ricotta, bacon, and scallions

  • chawkins on March 21, 2016

    My biggest skillet is 12" on top, but with an 81/2" base, so I had to use a 10" square cast iron skillet. Area-wise, that work out very well, but unfortunately, I did not preheat the oven early enough, after the prescribed time on top of the stove, I had to wait for the oven to come up to temp, as a result, the bottom of the pizza was somewhat burnt. Other than the burnt, we like the pizza, it will be made again.

• Crispy chicken breasts

  • Nancith on April 11, 2017

    A big hit with husband--brown & crispy outside, juicy inside. Quick and simple. I probably should have pounded the pieces as suggested, but didn't & they still turned out well.

  • Kitiara121 on January 12, 2025

    Super easy and fairly quick. I added cornflake crumbs to the panko bread crumbs and they added a lot of flavor. I wonder how well this recipe would work with an air fryer. I will be making this recipe again

• Greek-style lamb pita sandwiches

  • TaffyDeb on May 21, 2017

    We enjoy this meal-it takes us back to our years in Turkey. We don't use store bought pita but make a flat bread ahead of time.

• Chicken and rice

  • Nancith on August 09, 2017

    Husband & son agreed that this was a flavorful dish. I will say that the finished dish did not match up with the book photo/description. The rice was almost too soft & the chicken skin, despite being nicely browned initially, did not stay crisp or brown after steaming in the oven with the rice. Despite that, this is a nice dish when you want something tasty, but uncomplicated.

  • tony_4acb24 on May 16, 2026

    I recommend using parboiled rice. It doesn’t get mushy, and ya… the crispy skin gets mushy when steaming the dish in the oven later. I’ll try removing the skin another time. But… this does taste amazing!

  • tony_4acb24 on May 16, 2026

    Tastes amazing, savoury and nourishing. Use parboiled rice instead of white rice and also double the rice/liquid recipe… the rice I cooked was my favorite part of the dish!

• Sirloin steak with Boursin mashed potatoes

  • mharriman on September 05, 2017

    I couldn't find a sirloin steak at Whole Foods under 1.30 lbs, so went with that size and it worked out well for two nights of dinners for the two of us. My husband rubbed the steak with a Williams Sonoma smokehouse steak rub and grilled it (instead of cook in pan directions) while I made the mashed potatoes. The Boursin gives the potatoes a rich, decadent flavor. The steak was thick, juicy and tender. This traditional steakhouse meal was very easy to make and tasted better than most restaurant takes on it.

• Perfect filets mignons with horseradish sauce

  • BethNH on October 01, 2017

    The filet mignons are oiled and cooked for a few minutes on each side in a hot pan. They are then finished in a hot even for just a few more minutes. Using this method, I got two perfectly cooked medium rare filet mignons with a delicious brown crust on both sides and a juicy red interior.

  • mharriman on December 24, 2017

    I agree with BethNH. This is an easy recipe that produces delicious steaks. I used six ounce beef tenderloin steaks and low fat sour cream- still very tasty. This would be a great protein dish for meat eating company because kitchen time is short. I served with roasted red potatoes and a green salad.

• All-American mini meatloaves

  • DJM on December 01, 2017

    Excellent recipe.

  • sarahawker on October 14, 2025

    Fantastic recipe. We did have enough left for a light lunch the next day. I also did not brown them on the stovetop first, just made one loaf and popped it into the oven, worked perfectly. Served with Broccolini and boiled new potatoes.

  • Liz_Young on June 13, 2022

    These were amazing! Wish I had doubled the recipe.

• Braised chicken thighs with potatoes, fennel, and tarragon

  • Nancith on May 17, 2018

    My omnivores said this meal was tasty , but not outstanding. For myself, I just prepared the vegetables & threw in some faux meat strips. This requires an hour of simmering plus 10 more min. The problem with that is the potatoes & carrots were very mushy because they are to be cut in small pieces. The plus is that the disintegrating potatoes actually thickened the liquid into a nice gravy, rather than having to boil down excess liquid. While not a fan of tarragon, I actually found it quite appealing in this dish.

• Fennel, apple, and chicken chopped salad

  • mharriman on August 23, 2018

    Just okay. Recommended if you’re watching your weight. I made the salad using leftover breast meat from roasted chicken (Thomas Keller recipe) for a quick dinner after a long day. It was indeed light as tagged. Not all that exciting. My husband and I thought it might have been enhanced with fresh tarragon instead of the dried I used. Fresh tarragon won’t grow in northern Virginia and has been absent all summer from any local grocer I’ve tried. Note: Photo in cookbook prominently shows celery in salad. Celery is not a listed ingredient for this recipe in my cookbook!

• Weeknight roast chicken

  • TaffyDeb on January 13, 2019

    This version calls for chicken pieces, whereas the version of the recipe in the 2013 America's Test Kitchen, Cooking for Two, ISBN 978 1 936493 43 2, DOES use a whole 3-3.5 pound chicken.

• Skillet-glazed pork chops

  • Graceclaw on February 07, 2019

    If you do these correctly, they turn out amazing. The easiest part to mess up is the last step; do NOT put the chops in the glaze before the glaze is properly ready, or you will end up with hard bits of maple candy on your chops.

  • pastaplease on February 11, 2026

    These were tasty, but I wouldn't say amazing. Followed recipe exactly (including brining the chops which made them nice and juicy). If I make again, I would cut the maple syrup by a third. I found these to be a bit sweeter than I liked. Otherwise, very easy.

  • regina_r8c1a9 on January 23, 2026

    Delicious! It's the perfect blend of sweet and savory.

  • DizzieLizzie on April 06, 2026

    A little too tangy, but otherwise good. Will definitely try brining first, next time.

• Crispy sesame pork chops with wilted napa cabbage salad

  • Nancith on March 04, 2019

    Hubby loved the pork chop. The Napa salad was pretty good, although it tasted a little too bitter-cabbagey to me. Not sure if that was because it the wilting brought out the bitterness, or we just unfortunately got a strong Napa cabbage. I think next time I would use less rice vinegar & more sesame oil.

• Sichuan orange chicken with broccoli

  • BethNH on March 18, 2019

    A very average stir fry with a sauce that should have been more flavorful. It was fine but I wouldn't bother making it again.

• Sautéed chicken breasts with white wine and herb pan sauce

  • chawkins on March 25, 2019

    This is a quick and delicious dish with simple pantry ingredients. I used vermouth which is suggested as an alternative to the dry white wine.

• Steak au poivre with brandied cream sauce

  • mharriman on December 17, 2019

    Deliciously decadent. Devilishly so. This recipe is special occasion worthy. The French-based sauce is what makes the steak mouth watering. I used an 11 oz. New York boneless steak, cut in half; steaks were medium and juicy at 5 minutes total pan- searing time. I followed the ingredients and instructions to the T and found only one issue: the time given for cooking the brandy sauce was way too long on my stove. At medium, my sauce was thick and bubbling at 45 seconds rather than 6-8 minutes. Had I not taken it off the burner, I would not have had a sauce, but a paste. I used a cast iron Le Creuset skillet, which does hold heat well, so perhaps that’s why the sauce formed so quickly. Made way more sauce than needed because I reduced steak portions. Will repeat when craving a decadent steak dinner. Tips: Mini brandy bottle works well for two person recipe. Recipe also in ATK Comfort Food Makeover cookbook (reduces fat) and ATK Cooking for Two special occasion collector’s magazine.

• Spiced swordfish with avocado-grapefruit salsa

  • BethNH on February 19, 2017

    Fresh swordfish needs so little to make it wonderful. This recipe has just a tiny bit of spice from chili powder and cayenne. We grilled it instead of broiling and it was wonderful. The avocado-grapefruit salsa was very good and went perfectly with the swordfish. p.176

• Parmesan-crusted asparagus

  • BethNH on October 01, 2017

    This recipe uses a lot of dishes for roasted asparagus but it's well worth it. Asparagus are coated in egg whites and then tossed in a panko/parmesan mixture. Finally, they are roasted in a hot oven. The end result is nicely cooked asparagus with a crunchy, cheesy exterior. Delicious!

• Lemon-herb cod with crispy garlic potatoes

  • BethNH on November 07, 2018

    We've had this twice now. The potatoes are the best part. I prefer it without the garlic and with lemon zest on the fish in addition to the lemon slices. It's an easy hands off meal.

  • chawkins on May 07, 2020

    Quite good for the amount of effort put in. I had a bit of problem moving the portions from the baking tray to the platters as the potato shingles did not stay as a cohesive mass, may be it was the Yukon gold I used rather than the russet called for.

  • mharriman on November 07, 2018

    The best thing about this recipe is that it’s all easy bake once you’ve prepped the potatoes. We couldn’t taste the minced garlic and thought it was a pretty bland dish, overall. Okay but nothing special.

  • dolores_t2yunq on May 16, 2026

    Easy to make, really good flavor!!

• Chocolate frosting

  • TrishaCP on April 25, 2020

    This is a great frosting that you make in the food processor. I used bittersweet chocolate and it was not too sweet. This recipe made more than enough for the six inch layer cake that I made for my husband’s birthday.

• Roasted carrots and shallots with lemon and thyme

  • jenmacgregor18 on February 14, 2023

    Simple and good. I made a little less than the 1.5 #. whatever I could fit into my 8-inch pan and cooked it in the toaster oven for 25 min. I omitted shallots and subbed avocado oil for butter.

• Easy apple galette

  • chawkins on November 02, 2020

    Wonderful galette and couldn’t be easier. I used honey crisp apples and puff pastry from Trader Joe’s. It took 50% more apple than called for to fill the pastry, so I upped the sugar by 50% as well but I doubled the amount of butter. Did not have apple jelly, so glazed with a bit of apricot butter. Would be making this a lot since it takes no time at all, just have to stock up on TJ’s puff pastry since it is a seasonal item.

• Baked manicotti

  • chawkins on November 03, 2020

    Quite good, not at all heavy. I used fresh tomatoes from the garden instead of canned. Enough to feed three.

  • TaffyDeb on February 04, 2017

    So easy to put together, just remember to allot 55 minutes for the baking... so yummy, enough for three people if one includes a salad and and some crunchy bread! the sauce is a good one to remember for other dishes, easy, very commonly had ingredients and nice bright taste! Will be making again. Also very open to additions, spinach, and other veggies. Will be a go-to for Lent and all Fridays.

• Banana bread

  • chawkins on September 05, 2020

    Good bread. Great for times when you only have one over-ripe banana to use up.

  • khopkins1012 on June 21, 2019

    Good banana bread. I ate the entire thing before it had completely cooled.

• Skillet pasta with fresh tomato sauce

  • chawkins on August 08, 2020

    Excellent. I added sweet Italian sausages, used garden fresh tomatoes, spaghetti instead of campanelle and increased the amount of pasta and water both by a third. I browned the sausages in the skillet, then added the onion and proceeded with the rest of the recipe with the sausages in the pan.

  • maasr on December 10, 2016

    One of my favorite quick tomato sauce recipes. Use the best canned whole tomatoes you can, plus high quality EVOO and fresh basil. With quality ingredients this is impossible to mess up.

  • Wokmom on September 11, 2023

    Bland as written. Be liberal with basil and parm. I also added cayenne and vegetarian chicken bouillon

• Ham and Swiss quiche

  • chawkins on December 04, 2020

    This is perfection, the crust was crispy and the filling creamy. I used Gruyere instead of Swiss, I also don’t have a 6-inch pie plate, so I used a 6-inch push pan. Too bad this is so small, I still have leftover ham to use up.

• South Carolina shrimp boil

  • chawkins on March 07, 2021

    Very good. The addition of tomato paste seemed odd, but it was just a tiny dab and was not noticeable in the end result but probably added umami to the broth. I used Yukon golds because that was what I had on hand and more than doubled the amount of shrimp by weight because I used head-on shrimp. I increased the shrimp cooking and sitting times by a minute because they were bigger that those specified in the recipe and they were perfect.

• Roasted Brussels sprouts with garlic, red pepper flakes, and Parmesan

  • chawkins on April 05, 2021

    Very good and could not be easier.

• Quick apple strudel

  • chawkins on December 30, 2021

    I had a few sheets of phyllo left over from another dish perfect for this dish. It is relatively quick, considering having to brush the butter/oil mixture over each sheet. Tasted great, I used dark raisins because that was what I had. We two servings each with ice cream over two nights, it did not get soggy and reheated pretty well the second night.

• Braised Brussels sprouts

  • chawkins on January 03, 2022

    Quick and easy. Couldn’t be too bad when you used chicken stock as the braising liquid. I braised them whole as I used frozen sprouts.

• Cheesy scalloped potatoes

  • chawkins on April 18, 2019

    Very good, cheesy and saucy, but like most recipes in this book, it made two very, very generous portions. I used Yukon gold rather than russet and 2% milk for the cream. I prefer the potato gratin from the same book to this as the gratin is not as rich.

• Sesame-crusted tuna with ginger-soy sauce

  • chawkins on June 13, 2017

    Wow, that ginger-soy dressing was to die for. The instruction for cooking the tuna was quite confusing. My steaks were at least an inch thick if not more, I wound up cooking the first side for 3 minutes, the other side for about a minute and a half and about half a second for each edge.

• Meaty skillet lasagna

  • chawkins on February 27, 2015

    Very good for the amount of effort put in, also a lot lighter than a regular lasagne even after I double the amount of mozzarella. Instead of the 28 oz can of tomatoes called for in the recipe, I used 1 1/2 pint of my own canned tomato sauce.

  • katenolan on March 25, 2019

    You know how you go to the store for one specific thing and then get distracted? That was me and lasagne noodles, so we had to use the no-boil noodles we had on hand. Because of that, I can't vouch that the texture of the noodles was what it should be. Even if we had gotten the correct noodle, I think we'd prefer this with a smaller noodle such as penne. I also couldn't find fresh basil, so dried oregano it was. I think the flavor was good but could be enhanced by a pat or two of butter (a la Marcella's butter and onion sauce) prior to adding the cheese. And make sure to let it sit covered so the ricotta gets good and melty!

• Tiramisù

  • chawkins on April 14, 2016

    Excellent! I made the cooked egg version where the yolk mixture was heated to 160 degree F. It was supposed to make 2 servings, but they must be extremely generous servings (each with 6 4x1" lady fingers in it). You can easily get 3 to 4 servings out of it.

• Potato gratin

  • chawkins on May 02, 2016

    Solid recipe even though I made a lot of substitutions: Yukon gold for the russet, 2% milk for the cream and Swiss for the Gruyere. As with some of the recipes in these book, the portions were quite large, we had leftovers even though my husband is a potato fiend. Made again 3/13/21 with Yukon gold again but with cream and Gruyere, it was decadent.

  • ginger2212 on April 10, 2023

    Delicious! I made no substitutions and it worked out great! I prefer yukon golds for flavor but I had a russet and it worked out well and was so creamy! Enjoyed with ham and asparagus. Like chawkins mentioned, there as one more helping of leftovers.

• Sautéed boneless pork chops with sage-butter sauce

  • chawkins on November 19, 2025

    These were okay, simple and easy.

• All-American potato salad

  • chawkins on April 06, 2021

    Very good but it was a little bit much for two people. We have leftovers even though my husband loves potatoes in all forms. I skipped the vinegar because my husband is averse to it.

  • khopkins1012 on July 08, 2020

    Tastes good with Dill relish as well as sweet

  • BrendaD1962 on April 01, 2022

    Very good. This is our favourite potato salad.

• Basic pizza dough

  • chawkins on April 08, 2022

    All done in the food processor. I used the dough for the calzone in the same book and it was great, very crispy on the outside.

• Sausage and broccoli rabe calzone

  • chawkins on April 08, 2022

    Great recipe, perfect dough and filling ratio. The crust is crispy and not doughy. I have made the same recipe from Cooks Illustrated that was regular size and made 6 individual calzones. This is relatively a lot easier. The dough here is made in the food processor whereas the regular size recipe uses the stand mixer, the sausage and broccoli rabe is cooked in the microwave here versus the skillet in the regular size recipe. I had problem closing the individual calzones but not here. Such a pleasure to make and eat.

• Chicken tikka masala

  • chawkins on January 19, 2024

    This was an adequate tikka masala.

• Chicken and orzo with spinach and feta

  • chawkins on March 09, 2024

    Won’t repeat. Chicken was shoe leather. Orzo was good.

• Chicken Vesuvio

  • chawkins on July 15, 2024

    Quite good for a one dish meal, used peeled Yukon gold instead of red potatoes because that was what was in the house. Husband cooked this because I was running out of time after baking a bread and a pie.

• Pan-roasted asparagus with toasted garlic and Parmesan

  • Analyze on March 12, 2019

    This is a delicious recipe! I've made it four times and we've loved it every time. My husband doesn't care for the garlic, so I get it all :)

• Chocolate pots de crème

  • Nancith on July 20, 2019

    Wow, is this ever a rich dessert! Well-received by those at my dinner party. The only issue encountered was because I tried to increase the recipe by half, which in the end did work, BUT instead of stirring on the stove for 10-12 minutes, it took almost 45 minutes (of constant stirring) to get to the correct temperature. I guess the success of the dish was worth the extra effort!

  • tmjellicoe on February 15, 2025

    Perfectly sized for two people. I subbed kahlua for the espresso powder. Very enjoyable.

• Quinoa salad with red bell pepper and cilantro

  • Nancith on March 09, 2019

    Enjoyed this salad--dressing is nicely flavorful. Subbed scallions for shallots, didn't have jalapeno pepper or cilantro (unfortunately for the latter). Since it lacked cilantro, I threw in some goat cheese that needed a home & it actually worked very well. A keeper.

• Moroccan-style quinoa and kale with raisins and pine nuts

  • Nancith on January 23, 2019

    Nice combination of flavors in this dish: tangy lemon, salty feta, earthy kale, sweet raisins, a little crunch from pine nuts. My only complaint is that the quinoa was somewhat mushy, more like porridge than separate grains. That will be easily rectified next time by using less liquid than called for. Good as a main dish for me & a side for hubby.

• Slow-cooker Moroccan chicken stew

  • Nancith on December 11, 2017

    Husband & son both enjoyed this meal, although son rated it higher. Very easy to put together & doesn't require much time in the slow cooker. Canned fava beans substituted nicely for the garbanzos & I didn't have dried apricots, which probably would have given it a nice touch of sweetness. Would be a simple recipe to double.

  • mharriman on August 08, 2019

    I liked this better than my husband did. He thought it was good but “fairly bland.” I loved the mild but tasty spices and apricots. I used all of the designated ingredients and only changed up the chicken thighs. I used bone-in thighs and decided to serve them whole surrounded by the chickpea sauce and atop the couscous. The entree was easy and fast to prep and done cooking and ready to serve after 3 and a half hours.

  • Churchim808 on April 27, 2024

    This wasn't bad. I think it did need to punch up the flavors a bit so I added a pinch of cayenne and sprinkled it with lemon juice before eating. I also added some frozen peas during the last half hour of cooking. I used the slow cooker setting on my instant pot which has a much tighter seal that most slow cookers even with the vent open. It was much too watery after three hours of cooking so I ladled out as much liquid as I could and reduced it on the stovetop and then added it back in. That helped a lot but the chicken would have benefited from cooking in a richer sauce.

• Seared scallops with butternut squash

  • kayanelson on October 06, 2014

    I love Cooks Illustrated but this scallops and butternut squash combo wasn't good. Not a good pairing of ingredients. I suppose some could argue that the sweetness of scallops and butternut squash would meld well together, but it didn't. The scallops on their own were quite good and I will try some of the variations.

• Skillet broccoli with olive oil and garlic

  • kayanelson on January 17, 2015

    Good and quick and yummy. I love this cookbook.

• Grilled beef and vegetable kebabs with lemon-rosemary marinade

  • mharriman on August 25, 2018

    Delicious! I marinated the beef and the vegetables separately for an hour and both were wonderful. My herb garden didn’t yield any Rosemary this summer so used dried Rosemary. I’m sure this would have been even better with fresh Rosemary. A good prep ahead and grill later meal.

• Miso-glazed salmon fillets

  • mharriman on August 26, 2018

    Wonderful! Easy to mix marinade and easy to roast. I opted to bake at 500 degrees for 9 minutes instead of broiling, and the fillets turned out great. I liked the helpful photo instructions of how to make cuts in salmon skin before marinating. Served with steamed broccoli, white rice, and a simple iceberg salad with ginger salad dressing. A nice alternative to sometimes overly sauced Asian restaurant entrees.

  • berrylish on November 15, 2025

    This turned out very nice! I followed the instructions as written. The burnt miso crust is my favorite part because that's where all the flavor is at!

• Broiled salmon with pineapple salsa

  • mharriman on April 27, 2018

    Excellent! My husband and I loved this salmon recipe. Instead of broiling, I baked the ( king) salmon in a 500 degree oven for 10 minutes on a skinny grill pan. It turned out moist and delicious. I’ll make the salsa from a whole pineapple again. I found the fresh fruit and juices helped the overall flavor of the salsa. Served this with jasmine rice sprinkled with petite peas.

• New York strip steaks with crispy potatoes and parsley sauce

  • mharriman on October 29, 2021

    Quite a few steps for a fairly good but nothing exceptional steak and sauce recipe. The typical ATK longish ingredient list is incomplete- mostly from cupboard- on EYB ingredient list. We did eat everything up. I used one 12 ounce strip steak that I trimmed fat rind from after cooking. The Microwaved potatoes that were crisped up on stove resulted in a creamier texture than my usual potatoes I bake in oven. I added French green beans to the potatoes on the stove.

• Stir-fried pork with shiitakes and snow peas

  • mharriman on July 28, 2021

    We liked this healthy recipe. The hoisin sauce and fresh grated ginger helped add a lot of flavor.

• Poached shrimp salad with avocado and grapefruit

  • mharriman on July 24, 2023

    Directions were easy to follow, and the salad didn't take more than 30 minutes to make from prep to serving bowls. I cut my grapefruit segments a little differently than the instructions, though. Sometimes ATK makes prep work more involved than it needs to be for simple tasks. Bottom line: We liked the refreshing citrus flavors. This is a good summer meal for lunch or dinner. I served it with a fresh pea soup and baguette.

• Sautéed mushrooms

  • mharriman on April 08, 2020

    On impulse I purchased shiitake and oyster mushrooms 5 days ago and decided I better do something with them today. Using this recipe, I made a nice side dish. These would be best as a steak or beef roast topping. This is an easy recipe with straightforward instructions. I think the dish really needs the cremini mushrooms. My delicate shiitakes and oyster mushrooms, without them, got a little lost in all the butter, shallots, and wine going on.

• Roasted red potatoes

  • mharriman on January 29, 2019

    My husband and I liked the way these turned out better than the usual way I roast the potatoes. Roasting with foil covering the pan and then taking off the foil the final 8 minutes made the potatoes soft and moist on the inside and crisp on the outside. The only thing I’d change would be to spray the aluminum foil lining with cooking spray because my potatoes stuck like glue to the foil without that extra moisture. Served with cole slaw and crab cakes.

• Perfect baked potatoes

  • mharriman on December 28, 2018

    Sometimes simplest is best and for russet baked potatoes, all you need is 75 minutes and an oven. I hadn’t planned the needed time for old fashioned baked potatoes in a long time, so I needed to actually consult a cookbook. The result of my time effort is captured in the recipe’s title: perfect!

• Orecchiette with broccoli rabe and Italian sausage

  • mharriman on January 28, 2022

    Other than substituting broccoli florets for the rabe, I followed the ingredients and directions as written. Husband and I enjoyed this dish- hearty, tasty, and comforting on a cold snowy night. We thought it made two big servings- more like 2 1/2 servings for us. We don’t routinely eat sausage, so this was a treat. Montepulciano D’abruzzo wine went well with the sausage and pasta.

• Pan-roasted thick-cut fish fillets with green olive, almond, and orange relish

  • mharriman on November 26, 2020

    My husband liked this dish better than I did. I used haddock instead of cod; I liked the unusual combined flavors of green olives, almonds, and orange juice but the texture of the relish was too mushy for me and it looked like oatmeal, which, to my personal preference, was off-putting on top of the fish. The directions for browning and then baking the fish were spot on.

• Toasted orzo with chives and lemon

  • mharriman on April 28, 2020

    I closely followed the instructions and timing and the orzo was cooked to a creamy finish. We really liked the toasted flavor and aroma of the orzo; the lemon zest and chives added a nice added flavor component. Went well with pesto chicken and tomato kebabs.

• Roasted chicken breasts with red potatoes and Brussels sprouts

  • selena__rhea on September 13, 2021

    Nice, easy sheet pan meal with lots of fresh thyme and veg!

  • Thursdayinjune on December 31, 2025

    Always tasty and easy.

• Carrot cake with cream cheese frosting

  • Londonyankee on March 11, 2019

    Used a 7 inch square pan and it work well. The frosting was not really stiff enough for my liking, maybe more sugar would help? But it was yummy and easy. Made 4 large servings or 6 smaller ones.

• Fudgy brownies

  • Londonyankee on March 22, 2019

    Good fudgie brownie with the shiny top! My new favorite. Incredibly easy. I wonder if the extra egg yolk is the secret to fudgy and shiny?

  • Sasarelli on January 20, 2026

    These are really good. I doubled the recipe and used a square pan instead of a loaf pan, and parchment instead of foil. I used salted butter instead of unsalted. I should have added some salt; I think that is all that is missing. The texture is fudgy. These would be excellent with some vanilla ice cream.

• Butternut squash puree

  • rpepper on November 02, 2019

    Very good if you have the time (40-50 minutes). Cooking the squash in butter and cream gives it a nice flavor. The cayenne adds a nice kick.

• Skillet pasta quattro formaggi

  • Foodiewife on January 22, 2017

    The beauty of this recipe is that it's really easy to make. Just saute shallots with white wine. Add pasta, add water and heavy cream and cook for a self-made sauce. Only problem is, 4 cups of water is too much. My pasta cooked, but the sauce did not thicken. I added some cooked Texas Gulf Shrimp, since it was on hand and I had to use it, that gave some protein. I'd add some finely chopped Parsley for color, too. OR, next time I'd add some steamed broccoli. It's really a "cheater" type of Al Fredo sauce, without the butter and reduced heavy cream. We liked it, and it was a low-maintenance recipe.

• Multigrain pancakes

  • Wanahca on September 10, 2016

    Nice texture and good flavor. Served it with butter, maple cream, bananas and bacon.

• Chewy chocolate chip cookies

  • khopkins1012 on November 13, 2019

    Used 6 oz of chopped chocolate from bars instead of chips. Everyone really liked these and I had no leftovers. Also works with 6 oz. of M&Ms.

  • austin_6rikx3 on January 25, 2026

    Followed the recipe exactly and cookies got flat. They still had a good flavor to them

• Roasted sweet potatoes

  • khopkins1012 on February 08, 2019

    Cutting them into 3/4 inch medallions really did lead to a sweet, tender potato. Will be my go to roasting method from now on. Also makes it easier to portion out or snack on compared to Whole potatoes.

  • Liz_Young on August 04, 2024

    Very similar to recipe in ATK: Side Dish Bible. These are so delicious, and I love having the sweet potato cut into circles instead of into pieces.

• Skillet ravioli with meat sauce

  • maasr on December 10, 2016

    Simple and fast recipe, just make sure you are happy with the cheese ravioli you use. Also look for un-wrapped raw sausage meat from a butcher or in the super market.

• Crêpes with sugar and lemon

  • MarciK on September 18, 2022

    I used the basic crepes recipe and instructions but used caramel instead of sugar and lemons. It’s a good set of instructions for a beginner like me. My first two didn’t turn out because I didn’t follow directions, but the second two were edible, although probably thicker in the middle than they should be. Practice makes perfect, and I definitely need more, but this is a good place to start if you’ve never made crepes before.

• Maple-glazed pork tenderloin

  • tmjellicoe on October 26, 2025

    Easy, tasty recipe. I did need to extend the oven cook time portion to 15 mins, up from the written 8-12 mins.

  • CJWheaton on February 07, 2026

    Turned out nicely, I cut the tenderloin in half to brown in the pan, but should have pulled the skinnier section earlier from the oven (might even try cubing it all and browning in the pan next time). Added kashmiri chili powder instead of cayenne for the heat.

• Breakfast smoothies with strawberries and banana

  • hbakke on March 01, 2022

    Thick and delicious! I love this simple smoothie.

• Teriyaki chicken

  • Churchim808 on March 01, 2024

    My daughter is learning to cook and made herself some very bland chicken. She came back to me asking if we had any teriyaki sauce. Eat Your Books to the rescue! We whipped this up with ingredients we had on hand and it was a big success.

  • SnowDog9846 on January 14, 2021

    Really enjoyed the flavor of this sauce. Ended up cooking pounded/tenderized chicken breast (the recipe calls for bone-in chicken thighs), so the cooking process was very fast.

• Moroccan chicken with green olives

  • mpo on February 13, 2021

    This is an easy quick way to make Moroccan chicken. Next time I might marinate the chicken, but this dish is more about the sauce. I doubled the broth, and upped the quantity of spices as I had more than 4 chicken thighs. I don’t think a half cup of broth would have been nearly enough regardless.

• Skillet-braised cod Provençal

  • mpo on September 22, 2021

    Nice, simple dish. I like that this book doesn’t skimp on size of dishes even though it is intended for only two people.

  • chawkins on November 16, 2025

    Tasty and simple even though I made a lot of substitutions. Used celery for the fennel because I dd not want to go to the store, Castelvetrano olives because I did not want another opened jar of olives in the fridge and three small garden Roma tomatoes that needed to be used.

• Buttermilk pancakes

  • taste24 on September 17, 2020

    These were excellent and simple to put together. Nice and fluffy with unique tang from the sour cream and buttermilk. Made 6 pancakes - perfect for two of us.

  • eejackson on April 11, 2026

    Very nice. I made them with buttermilk left over from making cultured butter. I'm sure commercial buttermilk works equally well. The instruction on pan and pancake size worked out perfectly, as did the instructions for keeping them warm.

• Grilled chicken fajitas

  • taste24 on August 12, 2020

    These fajitas are outstanding. I marinated for longer than the 15 minutes - probably 1-2 hours, and also cut the chicken into strips. Will be making these over and over.

  • Buttercups on May 27, 2026

    Just 15 minutes of marinating (recommended time) produced bright, tasty results. We grilled boneless/skinless thighs and sliced after cooking. This chicken would also be great on a main dish salad. Will most definitely make again.

• Black bean burgers

  • Lmastriaco on July 21, 2020

    Used dried black turtle beans instead of canned beans.

  • cameron_9ui0sv on May 13, 2026

    Great recipe that I have made numerous times and think it is better than other ATK burger recipes. I usually make four burgers instead of two using this recipe. I also double and even triple the recipe and form burgers and separate them with parchment paper and cook them to order over the next 5ish days.

• Southwestern black bean salad

  • Lmastriaco on July 22, 2020

    Used dried black turtle beans instead of canned beans.

  • chawkins on July 01, 2025

    A bit bland even though I added extra lime juice, also skipped the avocado because mine were not ripe yet.

• Cucumber salad with ginger, sesame, and scallions

  • djnielsen64 on February 01, 2024

    Simple and refreshing.

• Cherry tomato salad with basil and fresh mozzarella

  • djnielsen64 on January 13, 2024

    Yummy! I got this book to try to start actually cooking for 2 instead of a household of 6 like it was for so many years lol. This is the first recipe I’ve made and it was the perfect size for 2.

• Braised chicken thighs with potatoes, carrots, asparagus, and dill

  • VegasCook37 on April 17, 2026

    Really good comfort dish in one pot added a few more veggies because that’s always a good thing. Would brown the chicken one more time after removing skin for more color

• Pan-seared rib-eye steaks with sweet-tart red wine sauce

  • david_pw80ki on March 06, 2026

    This was quite tasty and easy for a week night. Served with mashed potatoes and a salad.

• Sesame-crusted tuna with wasabi dressing

  • peaceoutdesign on May 28, 2025

    Easy and delicious.

• Salmon with asparagus and herb dressing

  • peaceoutdesign on February 28, 2025

    I loved the crust that developed on the salmon and should make this my go-to cooking method and for that I am adding it to my favorite recipes. The dressing and asparagus were excellent especiaklly for how simple they were. I sub-ed basil for the parsley.

  • Cheri on April 21, 2023

    Easy, Very nice. Served with cauliflower rice. Quick.

• Salmon fillets with soy-mustard glaze

  • peaceoutdesign on October 04, 2023

    Love the glaze.

• Crispy salmon cakes with sweet and tangy tartar sauce

  • Liz_Young on January 17, 2024

    This was tasty, but the salmon cakes did not hold together.

• Greek-style shrimp with tomatoes and feta

  • peaceoutdesign on October 11, 2023

    This turned out good. Next time I would sear the shrimp first a bit and then remove and keep warm until ready to finish in the sauce. I served this over Israeli couscous and they went well together.

• Skillet brown rice and beans with corn and tomatoes

  • jay.moe on April 18, 2025

    This dish was okay, but nothing special. Used left over corn-on-the-cob, so I waited to add it with the black beans. Served the rice and beans in a tortilla. It could have used a little more spice. The America's Test Kitchen cookbook The Best Mexican Recipes also adds canned chipotle chiles in adobo sauce, ground coriander and dried oregano to the recipe. The chipotle chiles would have added the spice and flavor that was missing for me.

• Glazed Caribbean tofu with rice and pigeon peas

  • amanda_81onpd on March 12, 2026

    Couldn't find pineapple preserves so cooked down canned crushed pineapple with sugar and mixed it with major gray's chutney. Rice was a bit mushy so I will cook it differently next time. But soooo delicious , I will definitely make again!

• Pasta with creamy tomato sauce

  • Acarroll on December 24, 2023

    Omitted the cream because we served this with a rich mushroom/cheese/truffle ravioli. The flavors in the sauce itself were divine.

• Classic lasagna

  • marylisa_134qe1 on April 15, 2026

    This is my go to lasagna. It actually feeds my husband and me for two meals. It is classic, and does the job for a weekly meal.

• Skillet penne with chicken, mushrooms, and Gorgonzola

  • lisa_x487uc on March 11, 2026

    I needed to use up what I had on hand so i used shredded chicken breast already cooked, blue cheese, wild mushrooms and small rigatoni. I also added extra seasoning because it seemed like it needed it. I liked the technique a lot but it needed more seasoning. I also think it would be helped with a small jar of roasted red peppers - the marinate could also replace some of the water in the recipe. I also think chive cream cheese or flavored borsin in lieu of the butter would add more flavor and creaminess. I think with some tweaking this could be really good. As is, it is very bland.

  • Liz_Young on July 08, 2022

    Made with ziti instead of penne and doubled the recipe. This was so-so. The gorgonzola definitely gives it a punch of flavor; the rest of the dish is rather bland. Not terrible, but not delicious either. I'll move on to other new recipes.

• Skillet tortellini with crispy prosciutto and spring vegetables

  • rebekahbryce on May 24, 2026

    Really good; needed to add more butter to the sauce for it to thicken and bind. The lemon juice cut the richness of the sauce and tortellini really well

• Skillet pork lo mein

  • sarahawker on October 20, 2025

    Genius method that leaves just enough silky sauce for the noodles. The pork ended up tasting rather “beefy” which we liked a lot. I used bok choy instead of Napa and it was delicious. Absolutely make this again.

• Grilled shrimp masala

  • Ishie1013 on February 21, 2023

    Excellent if SPICY recipe! Came together really quickly and I was amazed by how flavorful and hot the shrimp were from a brief toss in the marinade.

• Slow-cooker red lentil stew

  • rebekahbryce on February 25, 2026

    Used as a loose reference; made in instant pot. High pressure for 12 min, quick release. Tripled quantities, used Chana masala instead of garam masala because it’s what I had. No peas because I was out. Used a can of crushed tomatoes. Tasted like a curried tomato soup - really good!

• Slow-cooker balsamic-braised chicken with Swiss chard

  • becca_bsn4z4 on March 10, 2026

    The recipe said to cook on low for 3-4 hours. I did 3 hours 15 minutes. The chard was great, but the chicken was very dry. I'll probably use the flavors for leafy greens in the future, but I won't make this recipe again.

• Glazed carrots

  • silent_kaye on January 16, 2025

    Sweet and tasty prepared as described. Carrots, chicken broth, sugar, butter, salt, pepper. Quick and easy.

• Cauliflower gratin

  • peaceoutdesign on October 04, 2023

    Very fast and easy. The recipe utilizes the microwave for much of the recipe.

• Cheesy baked grits

  • Misa925 on June 17, 2025

    Wow. This recipe looks to be in (at least) 9 ATK cookbooks... but they are tasty! We aren't fans of plain-ish grits, but have a box taking up space in my pantry so thought I'd find a better recipe for them... & we actually liked these! Used red onion (had on hand, & they did add a nice touch of color) & a good extra-sharp cheddar. Didn't have a small non-stick oven-safe pan, so cooked in a saucepot & transferred to a bread loaf pan for baking, which worked well. This really did make 2 (decent-sized) servings... but would have liked to have had leftovers to go along with the leftover pork chops (ATK's "Pork chops with tomato gravy"). If making again would likely double the recipe & maybe double the hot sauce since we really couldn't taste it in there.

• Braised white beans with rosemary and Parmesan

  • tmjellicoe on November 18, 2024

    This was pretty good on day one. It improved on day two. The recipe says serves two but we must have smaller appetites because I got four small portions.

• Ultimate scrambled eggs

  • carolina_o6hlgb on February 05, 2026

    Other ingredients are salt, ground pepper and unsalted butter. I used milk instead of half and half.

• Simple drop biscuits

  • KarenPR on January 04, 2026

    Fast and easy to do. Didnt have buttermilk so I tried yogurt and milk instead. They were pretty good. Next time I will use salted butter for a deeper flavor.

• Cinnamon streusel coffee cake

  • MarciK on August 30, 2025

    I wanted a small cake, so I tried this. It was ok, but the streusel was too sweet and I’d have preferred some in the middle. I would use this recipe again, but modify the streusel and make extra to add that center layer.

• Easy strawberry shortcakes

  • Ishie1013 on March 09, 2023

    This was wonderful and really easy!!!! Do allow 30 minutes-2 hours for the berries to sit in the sugar. The biscuits were extremely tender (needed to leave them in the full 12 minutes) and flavorful with perfect texture. The whipped cream is simple but wonderfully flavorful with the vanilla notes. For a baked dish, minus the time for the fruit, this only took me about 30 minutes.

• Free-form summer fruit tartlets

  • Cgaskins on July 15, 2025

    Made this with peaches and blueberries. I wasn't sure this combination would work, but I was very pleased with how it turned out. Note: Recipe requires you let the dough chill for an hour! Very straightforward recipe and easy to follow. I used fancy Irish butter for the crust and it was delicious! Will definitely make again.