Notes about Recipes in this book

• Italian braised short ribs

  • katenolan on November 03, 2014

    WHAT I LOVED: Flavor! Massive, massive flavor. I have a sneaking suspicion it's the balsamic vinegar that does it. WHAT I CHANGED: I skimped a bit on the cooking time, but this definitely needs at least two hours to "relax". I served this over mashed potatoes and it was divine! (Polenta would be good, too, but I'm a meat & potatoes girl!) WHAT I'LL DO NEXT TIME: Give it a shot in the slow-cooker.

• Ricotta & spinach-stuffed pasta shells

  • Cookie24 on October 14, 2018

    Used this recipe mostly as a guide. I had leftover marinara sauce that I needed to use. Substituted kale for spinach since that was all I had, also added sautéed shallots and garlic to stuffing mixture, gave it a spin in the food processor for a smooth consistency. Soaked the pasta in hot water (per Kenji Lopez Alt) while I made the stuffing mixture. Sprinkled the top with gruyere and parmesan before baking. Came together quickly since I already had the sauce. Family enjoyed it, will probably make again with my added changes.

• Farro with spring vegetables

  • Nancith on June 01, 2022

    Great side or main dish! This is meant for the slow cooker (2-2 1/2 hours), which I didn't realize till late; the dish was begun in the cooker, but then switched to a pan to speed things up. It is rather like farro risotto with bright lemon-accented spring veggies. Filling but also light. I threw in some snap peas that needed using plus peas as required.

• Mustard-crusted salmon with red potatoes

  • Mtbike5280 on January 26, 2026

    I thought that this was a tasty recipe. Be sure to season your potatoes well for lots of flavor

• Indian fish curry

  • Aggie92 on January 08, 2017

    Very good and very easy which make it a perfect weeknight meal. Used catfish fillets, one jalapeño chile (it was rather large), and a can of diced tomatoes.

• Stir-fried sugar snap peas with sausage

  • Mtbike5280 on January 26, 2026

    Bought some Chinese sausage at Costco and was looking for recipes. This was very good on rice and the sausage tasted great.

• Baked pasta primavera

  • jessmonkey on October 08, 2015

    Next time, I will omit the lemon.

• Braised chicken & artichokes

  • Aggie92 on December 06, 2016

    Excellent, easy weeknight dinner. Used chicken thighs instead of a mix of pieces. Had to use 1 can of artichokes since the only store in town that carries the frozen ones was out of stock. Also substituted 1 tsp. dried basil, 1 tsp. dried tarragon, and 1 can diced tomatoes for fresh. The thighs also took 10 minutes longer to cook than what the recipe called for. Served over steamed rice.

• Chicken, corn & green chile casserole

  • Superlion85 on January 04, 2026

    Very easy and convenient with rotisserie chicken and frozen corn. I would make in a dutch oven next time to cut down on dishes.

• Sautéed calamari with white beans & sweet peppers

  • Acarroll on July 06, 2025

    Delicious. We halved the recipe for 2 of us. I might even half the calamari again next time - personal preference, I usually half proteins in my recipes. Flavor profile was exquisite.

• Corn & bacon chowder

  • Acarroll on July 13, 2024

    Pretty good. It made a LOT - next time I might half everything (except the bacon, there could have been more). Made dairy-free with soy milk and left the hot sauce until the end for kid palates. Also made quite a dew dishes for a "one pot" recipe.

• Cod with tomatoes & chickpeas

  • Aggie92 on January 06, 2017

    I wasn't too sure about this while it was cooking. The color was rather unappetizing, and it tasted a little bland. So I stirred in a couple of tablespoons of tomato paste and that made a world of difference. The color of the broth went from dull gray to pale red and you could then taste the tomatoes. The spices and orange are subtle. Might use rounded spoonfuls next time. Had to substitute chicken broth for fish broth/clam juice. This is an easy weeknight dinner that is worth playing around with and with a few tweaks could be a real stand out way to serve cod.

• Wild rice pilaf with dried cranberries & pecans

  • Aggie92 on December 27, 2014

    Excellent side dish! Used half short-grain brown rice and half wild rice. Nutty and delicious, although I only used about 2 tablespoons of pecans instead of the 1/4 cup called for in the recipe. Tasted a lot like the boxed Uncle Ben's wild rice mix, but without all the salt and with the addition of the deliciously sweet-tart Craisins. Will definitely make this again.

• Stir-fried beef & bok choy with ginger

  • jbny on May 30, 2017

    ok -- needs more seasoning