• Longhornmomx2 on July 14, 2025

  The Pork Crown Roast (p692) was amazing! Makes a great presentation too! I doubled the herbs and after it was cooked I filled the center with dirty rice. Twenty some odd years later, my brother-in-law still talks about the roast I made. Great for a special occasion meal.

• paisleymonsoon on December 28, 2020

  This is a classic and has many recipes worth the cost of the book (chicken paprikash and spinach with currants and pine nuts fall in that category). However, for as many amazing, 5-star recipes I've made, I've found just as many duds. I just wish every recipe book used the same format for recipes. There's nothing more annoying than having to circle back to the ingredient list to find out the ingredient quantity rather than the Joy of Cooking method of having the ingredient quantity listed within the recipe itself as it is needed.

• robm on July 31, 2011

  Definitely a must have for any cook -- recipes from the most basic to advanced. This classic has been updated to take into consideration the advent of modern conveniences like food processors and microwaves. Packed with information about ingredients and techniques, too. If you don't own another cookbook, this is the one to buy first!

• Thredbende on July 30, 2011

  Page 854 has a wonderful almond paste recipe using a food processor. You will be glad you made it.

• cwatsonf on April 27, 2010

  TGI-Joy of Cooking!

• marthaware on January 14, 2010

  a classic

Notes about Recipes in this book

• Butternut squash soup

  • schenck65 on September 09, 2011

    Alas, this recipe isn't in my '97 JoC. Maybe a different edition?

  • Foodfann on June 11, 2024

    Yes it is, p. 94

• Mushroom barley soup

  • paisleymonsoon on December 28, 2020

    Good to make in a crockpot. I added parsnips.

• Cheddar cheese soup

  • Jviney on November 17, 2020

    An excellent soup paired with homemade pretzels!

• Minestrone

  • paisleymonsoon on December 28, 2020

    I added kale during the last 10 minutes instead of swiss chard and used barley instead of orzo. I also added a red potato and zuccini.

• Smooth potato leek soup (Potage Parmentier)

  • Jviney on November 16, 2019

    Excellent. It didn’t need the addition of cream (vichyssoise) to make it delicious, but I did it anyway. A really good simple soup.

• U.S. Senate bean soup

  • Summerlandsky on April 21, 2014

    This is my go to recipe for ham and bean soup. It doesn't require any broth or stock it just makes it's own from the ham hoc. Be sure to use a big meaty hind quarter hoc to get the most flavor. I usually don't bother soaking the beans ahead of time.

• Split pea soup

  • mary_z01doa on March 31, 2026

    Absolute comfort on a chilly day. Delicious and so filling. Great with a chunk of toasted sourdough bread.

• Chicken gumbo

  • paisleymonsoon on December 28, 2020

    Without tomatoes, okra, or rice this doesn't seem very authentic and nothing like the gumbo of my Deep South childhood. I added a cup of stewed tomatoes, browned okra, and 1/2 cup of rice. Do yourself a favor and find a better recipe. I used half as much vegetable oil. 1/2 cup seemed excessive. I used polish rather than andouille sausage.

• Pennsylvania Dutch chicken corn soup

  • Foodfann on June 10, 2024

    This is extremely tasty and also simple if you already have some cooked chicken. I always add peas & carrots to make it a complete meal. The next day it will be stew, because the noodles soak up the broth. Have never used the h. b. egg.

• Thai chicken and coconut soup

  • Ohrenschall on December 03, 2022

    Used red Thai chili paste instead of the peppers and added Siracha for extra spice. Quick and easy.

• Brie baked in pastry

  • coral951763 on January 02, 2026

    Page 149

• Scallion pancakes

  • JamesRamey on December 28, 2025

    Page 159

• Crisp shredded chicken tacos or flautas

  • Litegal1 on October 06, 2015

    Page 170; You need to prepare "Chili-Garlic Spice Paste" (pg 88) if intending to follow the recipe. Shredded chicken that's marinated in the above paste (olive oil, chili powder, jalapeno, pepper, etc), then rolled into shell & fried.

• Pea, pea-pod, and pea shoot salad

  • nac611 on November 22, 2022

    page 219

• American potato salad

  • fred_twbdh5 on February 15, 2026

    Classic potato salad that is easy to make.

• Asian cole slaw

  • trudys_person on July 18, 2018

    Good, but requires 24 hours resting time. Added slivered red and yellow bell peppers.

• Black bean, corn, and tomato salad

  • Couture911 on November 09, 2012

    Loved this one enough to make it several times.

• Brown rice salad with dates and oranges

  • spatula on April 24, 2011

    Surprisingly good.Very nice with grilled chicken.

• Quinoa salad

  • AnnBanana on August 28, 2025

    Outstanding! Easy to make. Great with curry tofu.

• Southwestern chicken salad

  • Ohrenschall on April 28, 2020

    Very good. Used as a wrap filling. served with tortilla chips

  • fbcd on July 02, 2023

    Very tasty and a great meal for hot summer days. This is basically a chunky salsa with added chicken served on cabbage.

  • cadfael on April 17, 2026

    Can’t rate recipe as I made many changes which I wrote up in Pages. I used shredded iceberg lettuce, made my own seasoned taco strips and tortillas bowls, used pepitas instead of peanuts, a mayo, yogurt lime and spices dressing and a large jalapeno. We really enjoyed it.

• Tamale pie

  • trudys_person on March 23, 2016

    Good, straight-forward recipe, which lends itself to substitutions. The outcome is going to be highly dependent on the flavour and quality of the salsa used. It was great with a black bean and corn salsa.

• Fried rice

  • orit_6v35l9 on May 02, 2026

    Page 256

• Lentil and rice pilaf with toasted cumin seeds

  • GaryCooks on May 23, 2026

    Very good! Made as stated, but didn’t add the walnuts. Cooked in my 12” covered fry pan. I used red lentils, which pretty much disintegrated, so next time I’d probably use brown or green lentils that should (hopefully) retain their structure. The flavor was wonderful.

• Falafel

  • paisleymonsoon on December 28, 2020

    This is a great recipe, but it doesn't quite work as written. You need to at least double the amount of flour or the falafel falls apart during cooking. But once you do that, the recipe is a really good one.

• Lentils with spinach and soy sauce

  • IowanCorn on April 23, 2024

    Makes a very nice lunch! fairly quick to make - the longest was the cooking of the lentils, which you could do ahead of time, but it's only 20 minutes if you're starting with dried. Not too salty, and I needed just a bit of black pepper for extra seasoning.

• Fettuccine primavera

  • pearlstein1 on January 25, 2022

    Used Instant Pot 4 min. Pasta

• Almond paste

  • Thredbende on August 10, 2011

    This is wonderful. It takes a few minutes to blanch almonds, but I find the process calming. The food processor makes the paste quickly. The paste freezes well and makes great cakes and cookies.

• Southwestern chicken baked in foil or parchment

  • sookie on October 06, 2011

    2 C Beans, cooked from dried or canned and drained - 2 med. jalapeno peppers - 4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (about 1 1 /2 lbs.)

  • sookie on October 11, 2011

    Try brining the breasts for an hour or two before preparing. Try coating the breasts with a little olive oil before stuffing. Breasts were dry and needed salt after first preparation.

• Hoisin-glazed skirt steak with scallion ginger slaw

  • Cvryan on November 22, 2011

    Good quick recipe - made with cucumber instead of water chestnuts.

• Stir-fried garlic chicken

  • Sweetooth on January 07, 2013

    A wonderful dish that is worth the effort!

• Turkey pot pie

  • mgraham on January 28, 2013

    Use refrigerated pie dough for bottom and crust

• Slow-roasted beef round

  • scparks on February 09, 2013

    pg. 651 Reading pg. 648 About Roasting Beef will be helpful. Yielded a good roast out of this less expensive (although costly enough) cut of beef. Leftovers sliced well (thinly) for sandwiches.

• Gratin Dauphinois

  • Kimmers on March 29, 2013

    Everyone loves this dish with its earthy cheese. Do not substitute the cheese!

• Pumpkin bread

  • chriscooks on November 03, 2013

    A good basic recipe. Not too sweet or too oily. Can replace nuts with whole cranberries, and raisins with chopped crystallized ginger. Sprinkle a few more whole cranberries on top, and also sprinkle with pepitas. This is the same recipe as in the 2006 edition.

• Southern corn bread

  • life2great on January 21, 2014

    We especially liked this recipe as there is no white flour in it. We added 3/4 cup of corn for fun!

• Latin American flan with condensed milk (Flan de leche condensada)

  • KarinaFrancis on March 08, 2014

    Very nice do ahead dessert. Make sure you stir the milk mixture because it catches and burns easily.

• Chicken paprikash (Paprikás csirke)

  • jaelsne on June 17, 2014

    I followed the recipe closely and the chicken was moist and delicious. I think that the dish was pretty authentic. I prefer this dish when it has less paprika and more sour cream (probably NOT the way it's usually served), so I'll adapt it to my taste next time.

  • paisleymonsoon on December 28, 2020

    This is one of my all time favorite Joy of Cooking recipes. I make it only once or twice a decade because it's so rich. I've also tried adding in a can of diced tomatoes with good results. If you can find sweet Hungarian paprika, it's even better. I like serving this with rice or egg noodles.

  • asyl076 on January 08, 2024

    We often make this with beef instead of chicken. The cooking time needs to be increased in order to render the beef tender, but we love this flavor regardless of the protein.

• Ground beef with potatoes and spices (Keema alu)

  • jaelsne on September 16, 2014

    Though I didn't find this to be truly authentic, it was a delicious and simple one-skillet weeknight meal.

  • Jviney on March 02, 2021

    Not every meal can be special (at least in my house with young kids) and this felt like a raging success - I could make it in about ten minutes of hands-on time, everybody loved it, and it was relatively healthy.

• Lemon poppy seed pound cake

  • jaelsne on January 06, 2015

    Lovely texture, nice flavor. The lemon flavor was extremely mild, perhaps because I used Meyer lemons. I will try it with more acidic lemons next time. You need to make this cake a day ahead, I believe that it allows the popy seeds to soften.

• Key lime pie

  • PennyG on February 23, 2015

    Admittedly not too difficult, but this was delicious! I just bought graham cracker crumbs and followed the directions on the box then used this recipe for the filling. My husband and son had two servings each - after a big dinner!

• Applesauce

  • vickster on December 27, 2015

    So good! Used 4 big apples. Pg. 216

• Breaded chicken cutlets

  • sldoug on February 27, 2016

    This is one of the most family friendly ways I know to cook chicken. I use chicken breasts cut into smaller pieces/filets, panko for the breadcrumbs, and fresh rosemary instead of the suggested dried. They hold well in a 200 degree oven while I pull everything else together.

• Chicken étouffée

  • Alowishs on April 17, 2016

    For as many ingredients and steps involved in this dish, I would expect a bit more flavor. Although I enjoyed this version of chicken étouffée, I would find another version to make next time. What else is possible? UPDATE: I ate left-overs three days later and the dish tasted SO much more flavorful. I will make again.

• Crispy roasted duck

  • vickster on June 29, 2016

    Great duck recipe. I followed the directions, although my duck was 8 lbs., and it came out perfectly.

• German chocolate cake

  • vickster on December 26, 2016

    This cake fits the bill for a delicious German Chocolate Cake. It's my brother's favorite, so I bake it for him when I can and have for years. With 3 layers, the cake is wonderfully moist and the recommended Coconut Pecan Frosting is perfect. It was on our Christmas table this year!

• Lemon poppy seed pancakes

  • ellengood on March 19, 2017

    Very good. Used white whole wheat flour, 1/4 c. Sugar instead of 1/3 c. Need to cook at lower heat than usual and keep an eye on them. Burn easily!

• Baked chicken with orange juice

  • luolili on March 03, 2018

    This recipe is incredibly flavorful, even with boneless, skinless chicken breasts. It just is not super pretty, so I might not serve it to company.

• Snickerdoodles

  • BabsPennington on October 20, 2018

    This recipe’s ratio of fat to flour seems to be off. Needs more flour. Cookies spread too much, even after dough was chilled.

  • paisleymonsoon on December 28, 2020

    My favorite cookie!

• Fennel à la Grecque

  • gquillen on April 03, 2019

    I really liked this, but next time I'll cut back on the coriander. It was a bit strong.

• Lemon curd bars Cockaigne

  • vglong29 on April 15, 2019

    I make these with Meyer lemon juice. This takes the bitter edge off the lemon flavor. For the crust, I use 2 cups all-purpose flour, 1 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes, and 1/2 cup powdered sugar with same instructions. The amounts given don't make enough crust.

  • mary_z01doa on June 01, 2026

    The curd tastes great but I prefer plain lemon bars.

• Banana bread

  • jaelsne on March 10, 2025

    Very nice texture, perfect instructions.

  • IowanCorn on May 10, 2026

    A simple recipe that yields up a delicious loaf that is banana forward. I subbed in sliced almonds for the pecan/walnuts in the recipe, and it balanced with the banana beautifully.

• Dream bars (Angel bars)

  • Jane on June 14, 2019

    I made these for the cookbook club at the library. Because there was a big turnout for this one, I made them in a 9x13 pan and did a 1.5 times recipe (though double the base). I was glad I had made double for the base as the dough was difficult to spread evenly in the pan. They looked done at 20 mins but on cooling the center bars were too runny. I would do 25 minutes if repeating. The bars are quite sweet but they are a classic holiday cookie - gooey with nuts and coconut.

• Mashed potatoes with cabbage and scallions (Colcannon)

  • choucroute on March 17, 2024

    Ingredient list is missing milk or half & half, butter

• Stir-fried water chestnuts

  • Foodfann on June 17, 2024

    - Can add shrimp or diced chicken for a main course.

• Turned roasted chicken

  • Foodfann on June 17, 2024

    This turned out really good, but it was not that easy to turn the chicken.

• Classic chocolate chip cookies

  • michalow on March 20, 2021

    These came out super flat, but they had a nice crispy-on-the-edges-chewy-in-the-middle texture. I used half wheat flour.

  • paisleymonsoon on December 28, 2020

    Nothing special. Can use milk chocolate rather than semisweet chocolate chips.

• Basic buttermilk waffles

  • evandewater23 on December 29, 2021

    These are delicious and much cheaper than the mix. I used apple cider vinegar to change the milk to buttermilk

• Ginger snaps

  • bpfox on January 26, 2026

    This is the 1997 version — they completely revised the old version! :)

  • billcranecos on September 07, 2020

    My 1986 copy of this book calls for vinegar instead of lemon juice. The recipe also calls for 2 eggs which are not listed here at all.

• Ground turkey loaf

  • sarac on January 10, 2021

    The family meatloaf I've been making for years. Moist, tasty, makes good sandwiches cold.

  • IowanCorn on March 10, 2024

    Tasty, and easy to make. I made a double batch into one loaf - using a pound of ground turkey and a pound of ground beef which needed to be used up. This really cut down on the grease from a normal beef/pork meatloaf, and the ground beef added the flavor the turkey really needed. The basil was a nice touch, as did the tomato paste. It was a bit soft, even after the 10 minutes to set up, but a few more moments resting after cooking, out of the pan helped a lot.

• Apple spice cake

  • jdub1371 on March 22, 2020

    Fast, easy, and very nice cake. If you can stir and chop an apple you can make this cake. I cut the sugar a bit, but I think I would prefer the full amount even though my apple was sweet. Perfect “snack cake.” Even better then next day or two after baking as the flavors develop. Next time I will add raisins along with the walnuts.

• Italian meat loaf

  • crystallynsantin on March 19, 2026

    Tastes like a giant meatball

• New England boiled dinner

  • crystallynsantin on March 19, 2026

    Parsnips/turnips had great flavor. Pearled onions unnecessary - could have used reg onion.

• Red peppers stuffed with saffron rice and pinenuts

  • crystallynsantin on March 22, 2026

    Tasted great with sausage

• Dark fruitcake

  • leilx on October 28, 2021

    This is a very good and reliable recipe. I made it with all organic dried fruit. I add up the quantity needed of fruit and then use a mix that gets me there of whatever sounds good that year. I recommend it. It makes a lot. Most people end up loving this cake even if they think they don’t like fruitcake. However, only give them tastes until they determine they like it because you don’t want to waste your work!

• Turkey meatballs

  • Jviney on June 09, 2025

    Flavorful and delicious - the family loved them. Served with spaghetti and tomato sauce.

  • IowanCorn on August 22, 2025

    These were way too wet for meatballs. Even after all the browning and cooking in the skillet, the meatballs still fell apart once in the tomato sauce. before I put it over the spaghetti noodles. Still tasty but ended up more meat sauce than meatballs in sauce.

• Glazed carrots

  • Jviney on October 14, 2023

    A really lovely carrot recipe for Canadian Thanksgiving. I didn’t have broth on hand; used water, and mint to finish. Delicious.

• Brussels sprouts Cockaigne

  • Jviney on November 18, 2019

    Super fast and easy, great bang for your effort. I used 3 Tbsp of butter instead of the optional 1.5 butter and 1.5 olive oil, and the dish was quite rich. I would try subbing olive oil next time.

  • alecreid on February 05, 2023

    I cooked as directed, however I added diced pancetta. Definitely a quick and easy weekday evening meal. I tend to try and sear the Brussels sprouts to give them a slight crunch.

• Roasted chicken

  • Jviney on July 23, 2019

    This is my favorite “no-fuss” toasted chicken recipe. The butter makes for a crispy skin and you don’t need any herbs or lemon on hand to do it. Perfect.

• Slow-roasted tomatoes

  • Jviney on August 07, 2019

    This is my favorite roasted tomato recipe - it’s so quick to throw it in an oven cool enough to not heat up your kitchen in August. This last batch, I added hot and spicy chopped oregano. Delicious on pasta with some goat cheese, awesome on a grilled cheese sandwich.

• Apple pear buckle

  • mooo42 on November 29, 2020

    ALMOND pear buckle. This recipe is misnamed.

• Braised turkey thighs with olives

  • wkhull on February 19, 2021

    I transferred everything to slow cooker (4 1/2 hours on low) for the braise and it came out great. I reduced amount of Kalamatas to ~3/4 C and added 1/2 C of golden raisins to offset the saltiness.

• Banana chiffon cake

  • ashallen on August 16, 2020

    I like angel food cakes but find them to be pretty sweet. After making this cake, I now realize I should have been making chiffon cakes! Very light, fluffy, moist and tender texture. I used the optional nutmeg and omitted the optional cinnamon and walnuts/pecans. Nice banana flavor and not as intensely sweet as an angel food cake. Used unbleached cake flour which seemed to work fine - maybe texture would have been even more ethereal with bleached? I removed cake from oven a bit earlier than suggested in recipe (50 vs. 55-65 minutes) at an internal temperature of 206-208F. We enjoyed this drizzled with warm caramel sauce. Held well to next day.

• Coconut angel cake

  • ashallen on June 03, 2020

    Excellent angel food cake recipe. Instructions are very well written. Cake is very moist, fluffy, and tender. I made the regular vs. reduced-sugar version and it's quite sweet so I skipped applying any of the suggested icings. Cake surface is a bit sticky in spots where the sugar's absorbing moisture from the air. Used an unbleached cake flour (King Arthur) and it worked well - cake is still very tender. Used a French coconut essence for the coconut extract and the cake's coconut flavor's very good without being overwhelming. Left out lemon juice. Note that the heavy cream in the ingredient list is necessary only if you wish to frost the cake with whipped cream (one of several finishing approaches suggested in the recipe).

• Cream scones

  • ashallen on August 21, 2019

    Good scones which mix up very easily since there's no butter to incorporate into the flour. Texture is moist and more cake-like than flaky biscuit-like. Sometimes I'm short on cream (since it comes in 1 cup vs. 1.25 cup cartons :) ) and substitute 1 large egg for 1/4 cup of the heavy cream - the scones turn out still moist but a bit lighter - they do puff-ooze/lose their shape a bit more during baking. Whether with-egg or without, these are definitely best on the day they're made, though the all-cream version holds moisture better to the next day.

• Cream cheese frosting (Food processor method)

  • ashallen on September 18, 2019

    This is my regular cream cheese frosting recipe. It comes together both quickly and well in the food processor. Butter is optional, according to the recipe - personally I like the lighter flavor that some butter brings (particularly a good flavored European-style butter!) and usually use 4 tbsp. Recipe also says one can vary the amount of sugar used and suggests 2-2.5 c. I've found that 1.5 c is a good amount for me - does a nice job sweetening while still letting the cream cheese flavor come through. Frosting stays soft during storage and can be refrigerated until needed. It's also done fine after being frozen.

  • paisleymonsoon on December 28, 2020

    I like this better without the optional butter. Also, 2 cups of powdered sugar is way too much. Start with 1 cup and work up if it's not sweet enough. I like it with the suggested cinnamon blended in.

• Quick white icing 2

  • ashallen on September 19, 2019

    My husband loves this powdered sugar frosting (and I like it too!). The heating step really does produce a smoother and more flavorful frosting. Freezes great.

• Butterscotch pudding

  • ashallen on November 27, 2019

    This is a great butterscotch pudding recipe - great flavor and a smooth, creamy texture. I usually check the temperature to make sure I'm cooking it for at least a minute or two above 203F so that the cornstarch cooks and sets properly - I've undercooked it in the past which resulted in a weepy pudding. If you can get your hands on some dark muscavado sugar to make this, the flavor will be even more delicious and complex. Whichever sugar I use, I like cooking it to 280-300F to create some additional flavor layers. Once I cooked the butter-sugar mixture to 345F which created some "smokey" notes in the pudding - that was a bit too far! (Though it was good when layered with a second, sweeter batch of pudding and some whipped cream in a parfait.)

• Eggless tapioca pudding

  • ashallen on November 27, 2019

    This is a good, basic recipe for tapioca pudding. Half-and-half or heavy cream can be substituted for some of the whole milk for a richer pudding. Some coconut milk works too for a lightly floral coconut flavor. I didn't make the fruit topping, so no comments on that.

• Cincinnati chili Cockaigne

  • ashallen on January 19, 2020

    Good! Hearty, comfort food-type dish with lots of flavor complexity from the freshly ground spices and onions/garlic. Meat gets very tender after simmering 2-3 hours. I used yellow onions and freshly ground cumin in addition to the other recipe-specified fresh-ground spices. I think it's traditional to serve this chili on the soupier side, but I prefer a more intense flavor and thicker texture and so cooked it an extra 1/2 hour or so. There wasn't much fat to remove from the surface after chilling overnight - maybe 1-2 tbsp. The fat was instead pretty well mixed in with the chili (maybe because I reduced it more than usual?), so it was pretty greasy. I read online that Cook's Illustrated came up with a technique for more efficiently degreasing Cincinnati Chili - I'll try that next time. Good with both pasta and rice/feta cheese.

  • Dollhouse_Cuisine on April 02, 2024

    I marked it "good."

• Cocoa angel cake

  • ashallen on October 01, 2022

    Very good - high, fluffy texture and more chocolatey than I'd expected. Very tender and melt-in-your-mouth, even more so than a regular angel food cake, probably because so much flour was replaced with cocoa powder. Unbleached cake flour worked absolutely fine and the cake would probably still be very tender if made with all purpose flour. I added the optional instant espresso powder and chocolate bits. Because the cake is very sweet, using a bittersweet chocolate (74%) worked really well. I reduced the lemon juice to 2 tsp. Excellent with whipped cream.

• Roasted loin of lamb

  • Ohrenschall on March 13, 2023

    Simple and delicious.

• Chinese roasted duck

  • MsSpicy on December 16, 2022

    This was delicious, but I used a Rohan duck which was the wrong type of duck if you follow this recipeto the letter. It turned out tougher and a little dry, but still very flavorful. A Rohan is not nearly as fatty as a Pekin. To make this recipe using a less fatty duck, I recommend cooking it on a lower temperature and not as long. I'm probably going to make some soup out this duck.

• Flaky pastry dough

  • Lisentric on November 26, 2025

    This is my go to pie crust recipe. I also use 1/2 butter and 1/2 shortening mix. It is the best!

• Curried parsnips

  • boyle014 on May 09, 2020

    Just okay. Parboiling for 5 minutes is too long. Flavor depends too much on "curry powder" choice. I'd rather get directions with the actual spices (cumin, coriander, etc.) In my case, the resulting dish was bitter, and I had to add some sugar to make it palatable. Not enough seasoning for 1.5 pounds of parsnips.

  • paisleymonsoon on December 28, 2020

    "Oh so good!" was the note I left in my cookbook about this dish.

• Turkey in simple red mole

  • paisleymonsoon on December 28, 2020

    TASTING NOTES: I've had mole several restaurants & Mexican homes. This really fell short for me. It didn't seem rich enough, I didn't like the crunch of the ground almonds, & I could taste the toasted bread too strongly in the sauce. Also, it was more like soup. PREP NOTES: This dish took a ridiculous amount of time. So many things have to be pre-cooked before blending: roasted garlic; blanched, peeled, toasted almonds; toasting bread; & fried onions. The prep took an hour+. COOKING NOTES: My dried chilis turned out to be too hot, so I added 4 teaspoons of chili pepper instead. I also didn't realize there were supposed to be 2 separate mixtures going on, so I blended everything together before cooking. I can't imagine it really mattered. I also added in black beans (for my vegetarian) and pre-cooked leftover turkey, so I skipped the last step of adding mole sauce to baking turkey. SERVING NOTES: I served this dish with cornbread muffins since I didn't have any corn tortillas.

• Baked macaroni and cheese

  • paisleymonsoon on December 28, 2020

    Fewer onions are better. In fact a shake of onion powder works better than an actual onion. I also added 2 beaten eggs into the sauce before cooking.

• Roasted asparagus

  • paisleymonsoon on December 28, 2020

    This was a simple but great recipe. I used Italian seasoning instead of the suggested herbs. Really any herb combo works nicely. A bit of garlic makes it even better.

• Stir-fried asparagus

  • paisleymonsoon on December 28, 2020

    I think this is one of the best ways to cook asparagus. Sesame oil works nicely with this, too since it has garlic and ginger. I also like to make this recipe with green beans instead of asparagus. This is one of those recipes you commit to memory and use over and over.

• Green beans with onions, tomatoes, and dill

  • paisleymonsoon on December 28, 2020

    Add fresh ground pepper and parmesan or romano cheese.

• Sautéed broccoli with garlic and red pepper flakes

  • paisleymonsoon on December 28, 2020

    I did try the suggestion of tossing it with pasta, olives, and parmesan to make it into the main course. I also added ham and tomatoes. Bacon would have been good instead of ham.

• Brussels sprouts with chestnuts

  • paisleymonsoon on December 28, 2020

    Simmer 5 minutes, not 15, for a better taste.

• Braised cabbage with dill

  • paisleymonsoon on December 28, 2020

    Not good enough to make it again. Definitely omit the parsely.

• Sautéed corn

  • paisleymonsoon on December 28, 2020

    "Extremely marvelous" was the note I left myself about this dish.

• Mustard greens with chickpeas and curry

  • paisleymonsoon on December 28, 2020

    The note I left about this recipe in my cookbook: "Awful! Yuck!"

• Sautéed okra with roasted red peppers

  • paisleymonsoon on December 28, 2020

    Yum!! Add garlic as well.

• Creamed spinach

  • paisleymonsoon on December 28, 2020

    This doesn't make very much. It's good to use as a filling. Probably better without nutmeg.

• Spinach with currants and pine nuts

  • paisleymonsoon on December 28, 2020

    This recipe alone is worth the price of the book. The first time I had it, I imagined that someone's grandma out there makes this all the time and someone thinks of this as a taste of home. The real trick is finding both currants and pine nuts at the same time. Substitutions just aren't the same. Dates can work in a pinch for the currants because they melt down, but definitely not raisins. Maybe slivered almonds for the pine nuts. Also, I only put a couple of tablespoons of oil down, not 1/4 cup.

• Saag paneer

  • paisleymonsoon on December 28, 2020

    This doesn't seem like what I know from India and Indian restaurants as saag paneer, but it makes a decent side dish. It's definitely missing a complexity of flavor from authentic saag.

• Baked acorn squash with pear and apple

  • paisleymonsoon on December 28, 2020

    The acorn squash was bland, but the apple/pear/raisin filling was great.

  • IowanCorn on October 22, 2022

    Used raisins rather than currents, but it didn't seem to make a difference. The apples and pear made a nice flavor addition to the squash.

• Sea scallop gratin (Coquilles Saint-Jacques au gratin)

  • paisleymonsoon on December 28, 2020

    Great dish. Good served with rice. I quadrupled the amount of breadcrumbs and used onions rather than shallots (but shallots would have been best).

• Ethiopian chicken in red pepper sauce (Doro wat)

  • paisleymonsoon on December 28, 2020

    Merely okay. Not worth the 2 hours it takes to make this.

• Pan-fried chuck steak with tomatoes and olives

  • paisleymonsoon on December 28, 2020

    The actual recipe name is Pan-Fried Chuck Steak with Tomatoes and Chives. But the "and Olives" mistake of the person who indexed this recipe makes more sense since there are no chives in this recipe. Just okay.

• Beef Stroganoff

  • paisleymonsoon on December 28, 2020

    Use very thin slices of meat, not stew meat. I also added garlic powder, parsley, mushrooms, and frozen peas. I also cooked the meat a bit longer and didn't discard the onion.

• Boeuf bourguignonne

  • paisleymonsoon on December 28, 2020

    The note I wrote in my cookbook was "If I ever have a restaurant, this will be a main dish." I added more carrots, parsley, and mushrooms than the recipe included.

• Blondies

  • paisleymonsoon on December 28, 2020

    These weren't what I was expecting, but they were yummy.

• Iced sugar cookies

  • paisleymonsoon on December 28, 2020

    Dry and tasteless.

• Quick butterscotch, or penuche, icing

  • paisleymonsoon on December 28, 2020

    Too sweet.

• Flan (Crème caramel)

  • paisleymonsoon on December 28, 2020

    Extremely good. Better than I've had in a restaurant. I like to sprinkle cinnamon over the top before baking.

• New Orleans bread pudding

  • paisleymonsoon on December 28, 2020

    I've substituted in sweetened, condensed milk for some of the milk and sugar sometimes. I also like to add in sliced apples. I prefer half the nutmeg or none at all. Do not make this without also making the Southern Whiskey Sauce. It's amazing.

• Southern whiskey sauce

  • paisleymonsoon on December 28, 2020

    If you make the New Orleans Bread Pudding, you must serve it with this Whiskey Sauce. This would also taste great over cinnamon rolls or any other pastry that needs a sweet glaze. My very favorite way to make this is with port wine instead of whiskey. Port gives is more of a butter pecan flavor.

• Swedish meatballs

  • paisleymonsoon on January 05, 2021

    These were disgusting. Never again. The whole process of combining all the meats together was gross. But the nutmeg and allspice in the meat was just wrong. I took them to work the next day for my Swedish co-worker in case I just wasn't appreciating it properly. She didn't care for it either.

• Cherry scones

  • NicolePK on June 08, 2021

    I used dried cherries, no orange zest. Added 1/2 tsp allspice and 1/4 tsp cloves. Also did the cinnamon & sugar sprinkled on top as suggested. Substituted 1% milk for cream. Delicious! I can't get enough of these!!

• Braised mustard greens with bacon

  • MikeMcKay on July 14, 2022

    Classic greens and cured meat recipe. Not one to make if masking the quality of any ingredient. Beware of salt balance.

• Scalloped potatoes

  • jessica_t73nco on April 05, 2026

    The recipe is hard to find in index, depends on the edition. In my 1964 edition it appears under “potatoes: scalloped” and is on page 291, but I could not find it in the index of my 90’s edition. Recipe itself is brief but for the seasoned cook, explanatory and easy to tweak.

• Grated butternut squash gratin

  • IowanCorn on November 24, 2025

    I used a delicata squash and since the skin was thin, I just used a food processor to grate everything. I used a pepper jack cheese, and half and half. The gratin turned out delicious, although my daughter pointed out that this could be turned into a main dish with an addition of chopped ham.

• Grilled or broiled whole trout with bacon

  • valerie_42lff0 on May 03, 2026

    Page 549

• Sautéed boneless, skinless chicken breasts piccata

  • shawnz on April 10, 2023

    P. 588

  • shawnz on April 10, 2023

    Recipe: https://recipes.sparkpeople.com/recipe-detail.asp?recipe=1666290

• Chicken and dumplings

  • monique_oog4k5 on April 26, 2026

    Made these dumplings with emeril’s soup

• Spicy chicken hobo pack with lime and chili peppers

  • orit_6v35l9 on April 26, 2026

    Page 610

• Chicken meatballs

  • IowanCorn on August 15, 2025

    Used ground turkey with this, and ended up with a very wet mixture. I think the next time to add more breadcrumbs to stiffen up the mixture. It was very tasty, but many of them fell apart in the tomato sauce that I used over spaghetti noodles.

• Ohio farmhouse sausage chili

  • IowanCorn on February 03, 2025

    Not your normal chili since the heat all comes from the cumin, with no chili pepper in sight. I though the sage was an unusual addition, but it added a nice flavor profile. I doubt it would make it through a traditional chili cookoff, but it was really nice for a weekend dinner, and even better (and warmer, spice-wise) for lunch afterwards. I'm not sure the maple syrup added anything to it, but I only added 1 Tbsp. Maybe more would have added something, but I really didn't think a sweetness would be to my liking.

• Red flannel hash

  • alecreid on March 18, 2023

    Good use of leftover pork. Any variety of vegetables works. I used parsnip and carrots, rather than celery and fennel. Great for breakfast with a fried egg or dinner with a side salad.

• Pork crown roast

  • Longhornmomx2 on July 23, 2025

    The Pork Crown Roast (p692) was amazing! Makes a great presentation too! I doubled the herbs and after it was cooked I filled the center with dirty rice. Twenty some odd years later, my brother-in-law still talks about the roast I made. Great for a special occasion meal.

• Breaded pork chops

  • alecreid on February 05, 2023

    Super easy. The breading keeps the chops super moist. Was surprise how quickly they cooked

• Country-style ribs baked in barbecue sauce

  • IowanCorn on January 03, 2025

    Added some orange zest since I was using oranges to squeeze out juice for the sauce; it ended up giving it a bitter taste, or else the juice itself was on the bitter side. If I did this one again, I'd use a sweeter bbq sauce with the oranges.

• Bread machine pizza dough

  • liz_x18e8p on February 19, 2026

    Delicious!! Gonna make this a family staple.

• Oat bran muffins

  • IowanCorn on August 27, 2025

    A full-on oat forward muffin! The oat bran doesn't make the muffin too coarse, and it's nice and flavorful. I subbed out dried cranberries for the raisins, which was fine, but next time I would increase the amount, since a half a cup is not much for the twelve muffins.

• Basic waffles

  • IowanCorn on July 17, 2023

    As it is, it's a good basic waffle recipe. More amazingly, it made as many waffles as the recipe stated. The recipe calls for a 1/4 cup of butter, up to a Half Pound! I splurged and went for a quarter pound of butter. It was rich, and I can't imagine how rich using a Half Pound of Butter would make the batter.

• Mexican wedding cakes

  • Zormasa on December 29, 2024

    These are just like my mom’s. We all called them butterball cookies. Sift the powdered sugar before rolling. Works much better.

  • mary_z01doa on March 31, 2026

    My favorite cookie to make around the holiday season.

• Fruit crostata

  • VirginiaJoe on July 31, 2022

    Joy of Cooking page 883= Apple Galette. Used 4 Granny Smith apples and pie spice. Crust 1/2 of Deluxe Butter Flaky Pastry Dough Joy of Cooking page 862.

• Pecan pie

  • carol_nii1zz on March 12, 2026

    I use maple syrup in place of the corn syrup. It’s excellent. I also add a pinch of kosher salt.

• Cream cheese frosting (Electric mixer method)

  • mary_z01doa on April 13, 2026

    Double the recipe for cheesecake.

• Banana pudding

  • JimCampbell on January 08, 2026

    A 3.5 out of 5. I have been craving the banana pudding of my childhood. The one with boxed vanilla pudding, vanilla wafers and banana's. Looking through the internet there were a lot of fancy looking versions, but I was after something simple. Joy of Cooking to the rescue. This was the right level of sweetness, and it was pretty easy to make. I would put a little pudding on the bottom and along the edge of the pie plate to keep the first layer of wafers from sliding around. We did not make the meringue. The significant-other really enjoyed it. This may not be the fanciest of banana puddings, but we'll make it again.