Notes about Recipes in this book

• Easy cranberry & apple cake

  • Jane on November 26, 2010

    Definitely easy. The longest part was going through the cranberries to remove the squishy ones. I preferred it at room temperature to warm, warm it's more of a pudding than a cake. The cranberries were quite tart so add more sugar if you don't like tart fruit.

  • Breadcrumbs on March 16, 2014

    p. 205 - Truly scrumptious! We loved this. mr bc called it a pie cake. Indeed it looks like a pie but tastes like a cake…an upside down cake perhaps. We especially loved the crispy cinnamon/sugar topped crust. The sugar had caramelized so that the very top of the cake crust shattered like glass as you cut through it with your fork. The aromas wafting from the oven as this bakes are intoxicating and reminiscent of all things Christmas…orange, cranberries, and cinnamon. This was a big hit at cucina bc and I think my cranberries may have mellowed from the freezing process as we found the balance of tart and sweet to be ideal for our tastes. Photos here: http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/737723#8820350

  • Lepa on December 22, 2019

    This was very good. I loved the tart bits from the cranberries. Mine didn't brown like the cake in the picture- even after an extra ten minutes in the oven (?) I didn't have a ten inch glass pie tin so I used a springform pan. I don't think the different pan would have caused it to brown less but maybe I will try this again after I get a pie pan. In any case, it was delicious served warm with vanilla ice cream.

  • averythingcooks on December 09, 2019

    This is a flavourful, moist cake with a lovely cinnamon sugar "crunch" on top. I followed some advice from reviewers on a different site and reduced the cranberries to 9 oz & added an extra apple (a gala) to the Granny Smith called for. My husband LOVED it (and he is not much a of a cinnamon fan). I am slightly less enthusiastic but mostly because I would have preferred all apples in lieu of the cranberries - just a personal taste issue. But yes - for me, the cake & apples are awesome!

  • anya_sf on July 21, 2019

    Very easy and good. Great with vanilla ice cream. I thought the cake might be too sweet, but the sugar balanced the tart cranberries.

• Easy Provençal lamb

  • Breadcrumbs on November 22, 2010

    p. 134 - Nov 2010 - First use of this recipe and roast was absolutely delicious. The sauce made from the roasted veggies and drippings is to die for. I served mine over rice and K had his w mashed. This exceeded my expectations and I'd absolutely do it again. Easy and excellent. 9

  • MVitek on June 03, 2011

    Easy and delicious for a crowd.

  • chawkins on July 22, 2014

    Very easy and delicious recipe for a leg of lamb. I sub agave nectar for the honey. I halved the amount of salt used in the spread and only used 1/4 cup of agave nectar, most of which got mixed in with the tomatoes and the rest drizzle on top of the lamb. Since the amount of agave drizzled on top of the Dijon mixture was reduced, I did not get the caramelization shown in the picture, but that's okay with me, the lamb tasted just fine. Next time I'll also cut down the olive oil for the tomatoes.

  • cadfael on April 20, 2022

    I used a boneless butterflied leg smeared the paste inside and out and then tied with Kitchen twine. Worked great.

  • anya_sf on June 01, 2019

    This recipe worked perfectly. The lamb needed 1 hr 15 min at 350. The tomatoes were meltingly delicious - out of this world.

• Herbed ricotta bruschettas

  • Breadcrumbs on February 26, 2012

    p. 71 I was looking for a quick and easy recipe to use up some fresh ricotta. This recipe hit the mark since it called for ingredients we had on hand. Green onions, dill, and chives are chopped then stirred into the ricotta along w some salt and pepper. Since we didn’t rub our bruschetta w garlic, I added some chopped garlic to the cheese mixture as well. This cheese spread was fresh tasting and flavourful, so delicious w the grilled bread. Though we enjoyed this during the depths of winter, I can only imagine how sensational it would be during the summer months when I can pick the ingredients from my garden. This is a keeper, just a lovely recipe.

  • Delys77 on November 04, 2012

    Pg 73 This was a great little dish. I had to put together a quick little starter and this came together very quickly and very easily. I hadn't read the review by breadcrumbs but I too was worried there was no garlic in the dish so I rubbed the bruschetta with a cut clove, which was just perfect. The finished dish has a simple and very fresh flavour that is rich but pefectly offset by the acid in the vinaigrette.

  • jackiecat on June 01, 2019

    https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/herbed-ricotta-bruschettas-recipe-1923362

  • anya_sf on June 01, 2019

    Really tasty and light. I used Bellwether Farms basket ricotta; a good-quality ricotta is important here.

• Tuna & hummus sandwiches

  • Breadcrumbs on March 25, 2012

    p. 98 Oh my goodness was this good! Somewhat of an unlikely pairing ultimately results in a unique dish packed with flavour. We served this with a crisp Chardonnay and it all went down beautifully! The radishes on top add brightness to the sandwich and a nice crunch. This dish has great visual appeal as well. We’ll definitely add this to our regular rotation. Perfect summer lunch on the deck food! Photos here: http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/707996#7235120

  • Lepa on December 24, 2019

    I made these sandwiches for lunch and they were delicious. It's an odd combination but it works.

  • anya_sf on March 03, 2019

    Who knew tuna and hummus were so good together? I didn't make the tuna ahead, but it was good anyway. There was some leftover tuna and it may have been a bit better the next day, but I don't think you have to make it ahead.

• Lemon chicken breasts

  • Breadcrumbs on November 27, 2010

    p. 120 - NB chx breasts are boneless, skin-on

  • Laura on May 30, 2014

    Pg. 120. Loved this. Very easy, very little prep involved. I had boneless, skinless chicken breasts (I've never seen boneless breasts with skin on). I cooked it at 350 rather than 400 for 40 minutes. I think that was a little too long. Would go with 30 minutes in the future. The sauce is really nice and I used it to dress some steamed broccoli and sauteed greens as well. I'll definitely be making this again!

  • Delys77 on October 31, 2011

    Great weeknight dish with a fabulous sauce, but be careful as roasting the garlic this way did create a little bitterness

  • chawkins on December 16, 2018

    I used skin-on bone-in chicken breasts that I removed the bones myself, and that was the hardest part of the recipe. I baked mine for 25 minutes. Quite good for the effort put in, but not my favorite lemon chicken recipe.

  • julesamomof2 on August 19, 2017

    A weeknight staple. I buy bone-in skin on breasts and remove the bone. Very easy to do once you get the hang of it. Yummy with cous cous.

  • lhkelsey on November 26, 2013

    Such an easy weeknight meal. I have made it with boneless skinless chicken breasts too and was also good.

  • anya_sf on December 05, 2018

    Probably my favorite of Ina's various lemon chicken recipes. It can be made with skinless boneless chicken breasts as well, although the tops dry out just a little. Larger breasts take a bit longer than the stated time. The sauce is fantastic; we enjoy this over rice.

  • Kag2020 on June 21, 2022

    Very good weeknight meal.Came together quickly and the sauce was excellent with jasmine rice, peas and some nice bread. It even worked well with skinless boneless supermarket chicken that always seems to be lurking somewhere. Cooked two very large pieces at 375 for 35-40 minutes and used a total of two fairly large lemons. Everyone was happy. (I think the size of the pan is important; chicken would basically poach if the pan is too small.) (Edited to report that it’s now my favorite marinade for broiled boneless skinless chicken thighs.)

  • Brenda515 on October 21, 2021

    Easy and good. I added a minced shallot with the garlic.

• French string bean salad

  • Laura on February 26, 2011

    This would be a good summer dish, not so good for winter. I think there's too much mustard in the dressing, it's quite sharp (and I like Dijon mustard). I would reduce the mustard by half. Also, one minute for cooking the green beans is a little too short -- I like my green beans crunchy, but these were a little too crunchy. I would double the cook time.

  • Lepa on December 26, 2019

    We love mustard so we liked this green bean salad. There was way too much dressing but my son loved it as a salad dressing and ate the rest on some greens.

  • anya_sf on July 21, 2019

    Half the dressing was just right. The dressing was very mustardy, which I liked, but not everyone would, so I'd reduce it next time.

• Jeffrey's roast chicken

  • Laura on February 26, 2011

    Pg. 122. This is delicious! It's very moist and flavorful. The onion/lemon mixture adds a nice flavor accent. The cook time of 1.25 hours was exactly right for my 4.5 lb chicken. I did not make the gravy -- it's probably even better with that.

  • Delys77 on June 03, 2012

    Pg 122 This is one of the simplest yet most flavourful roast chicken I have ever made. As per usual Ina's instructions are spot on and the recipe yields just what one would expect, a moist bird with a delicious sauce. The amount of onions seemed a bit much when I was putting it together but I was very glad that I followed her suggestion as the sauce is made lusciously savoury by the large amount of onions. My only suggested change woudl be to take a few tablespoons of the pan liquid and blend it with the flour before adding the flour to the pan, as when I did it the sauce did lump a little bit, so I had to whisk it out.

  • chawkins on February 07, 2016

    Moist and delicious and simple to prepare. My only problem was that I separated the onion slices into rings and some of them were seriously charred. Foe the sauce, I just whisked the flour in as I sprinkled it on thru a sieve, no lumps.

  • julesamomof2 on August 19, 2017

    One winter years ago I spent almost every Sunday trying out different roast chicken recipes. We tried all kinds of recipes, but this one was the hands down winner. Now when I make a roast chicken, I don't think twice and I don't use the recipe. I've made this dish probably more often than any other dish I can think of.

  • anya_sf on June 01, 2019

    This was pretty good, but not my favorite roast chicken recipe. The aromatics in the cavity didn't add much flavor. The onions in the pan were pretty flavorful, but some burned. The sauce was very rich.

• Herb-roasted turkey breast

  • Laura on November 27, 2013

    Pg. 127. I was a little concerned that this would turn out really dry since the turkey breast isn't brined. However, I trust Ina's recipes a great deal -- she's never let me down. And she didn't this time either -- the meat was really juicy and tender. And this could not be simpler. The only issue I ran into was that the meat was not browning very much even near the end of the cooking time she suggested. I turned the oven up to 350 and cooked it a bit longer than the recipe called for. It came out perfectly done, perfectly brown and with the exact internal temperature it was supposed to be. Next time I might add more liquid (maybe half wine, half water) because the liquid dried out well before the end of the cooking time. However, the residue in the bottom of the roasting pan came off easily with a little elbow grease.

  • jenmacgregor18 on July 06, 2016

    I was also worried about strong herb/mustard/garlic favors; but it turned out to be very mild. I might even add a little extra next time. Bird is very moist. I didn't have enough liquid in pan. Because i wasn't watching it Burned to the bottom of pan. Next time I'll be more vigilant and maybe add a little water. But other than watching temp of bird towards the end & level of cooking water, this is very easy. I'll be making again.

  • chawkins on February 24, 2014

    This turned out real well. I was a little leery of the mustard powder in the herb mixture, and worried that it overpower the herb, but in the end I could hardly taste the mustard. I roasted a 9-pound hotel-style breast and it took 2 1/2 hours, the recipe called for a 6 1/2 to 7-lb breast. The best part of the recipe was not having to make gravy, Ina told you to serve the turkey with the pan juice. Unlike the previous reviewer, Laura, I had quite a bit of fat and juice left in the pan even after the prolonged cooking time. The amount of pan juice I got from the fat separator was more than double the 3/4 cup of wine I started with.

  • julesamomof2 on March 31, 2020

    The hardest thing about this recipe is procuring the turkey breast. I happened upon one at Whole Foods, which was just the right size for 4 people. I made a mistake and doubled the amount of wine called for, which turned out to be a good thing, as by the time the bird was fully cooked there was very little liquid at the bottom of the pan. This is keeper recipe, super easy and a nice change of pace from roast chicken.

  • anya_sf on June 01, 2019

    I cooked half a Kosher turkey breast (2.75 lbs), omitted the rosemary, and used dried thyme and sage. The turkey needed almost 2 hours to cook through; the wine evaporated completely and there were no pan juices. The meat was very moist and flavorful.

  • KristenS on November 22, 2020

    Very delicious. My 8 lb. breast took much, much longer. Only had dried herbs, so used them. Had good amount of juices. Will definitely make again.

  • Skamper on January 31, 2018

    Used a half batch of the herb mixture for a half turkey breast. Great recipe.

• Roasted salmon with green herbs

  • Laura on September 09, 2015

    Pg. 149. This could not have been simpler. It's also healthful and attractive. And it tasted fine, but didn't exactly wow me. But I'll definitely make it again on nights when there's not much time for prep.

  • anya_sf on June 01, 2019

    Very nice. The salmon was quite moist, - very rare in the middle after roasting about 13 minutes. The herbs were quite complementary.

  • Skamper on January 20, 2020

    I forgot to buy scallions, but even so, I think it could use more flavor. Next time I'd Dijon with the olive oil and lemon.

• Weeknight Bolognese

  • Laura on May 28, 2012

    Pg. 154. For health reasons, we rarely eat beef or pasta. I had originally bought the ground beef thinking that I'd grill hamburgers as a very rare treat. But the weather didn't permit grilling outside and so I turned to EYB and found this recipe. I was initially skeptical that it would be good given the very short cook time. Well, it was delicious! And I expect that the leftovers will be even better tomorrow.

  • jodies on January 21, 2015

    I thought this sauce was very average. Reminded me a bit of the junior high cafeteria sauce. Better to spend (only a little) more time and make the real thing.

  • Delys77 on October 31, 2011

    For a quick cooked sauce this was absolutely delicious. Super and paired very well with shell pasta. Pureed the tomato before I put it in.

  • chawkins on August 09, 2013

    Very nice quick sauce. I used home grown tomatoes instead of the canned ones called for in the recipe. The sauce is well spiced, the little bit of nutmeg added je ne sais quoi, the cream and the last 1/4 cup of wine put in at the end added richness and round out the flavor.

  • Rachaelsb on January 03, 2014

    Delish! so easy to prepare...great flavoring. There is lots of sauce-more than we like, so just put the extra in the fridge for another meal.

  • Rachaelsb on June 21, 2019

    A family favorite...easy go to after long day of work.

  • julesamomof2 on August 19, 2017

    This one had too much red wine in it for the me. It overpowered the sauce. There are better Bolognese sauce recipes out there.

  • averythingcooks on March 27, 2022

    We really enjoyed this meaty sauce over rigatoni. I made this early in the day so it did simmer/sit (with a parm rind) longer than on a rushed night & I used some spicy Italian sausage with the ground beef. I was surprised by no carrot/celery but had prepped an onion before I realized that onion was also absent from the ingredients...oh well, it went in with the meat. I read the comments about the 2nd addition of wine and went slowly - ultimately I used the full amount. I am always careful with the amount of oil & salt Ina calls for and as usual cut each back by about a 1/3. I would make this sauce again for sure.

  • anya_sf on June 01, 2019

    I made the sauce (without the nutmeg, basil, and cream) one day ahead and simmered it 30 minutes instead of 10, which I think helped reduce the "winey" flavor. Overall, this was fine, but nothing special.

• Spicy turkey meatballs & spaghetti

  • Laura on October 10, 2014

    Pg. 158. A sale at my WF on Rao's Marinara Sauce (half price!) led me to make this recipe. Sadly, it was one of the few disappointments I've experienced with Ina's recipes. It wasn't bad, it just wasn't great either. I followed the directions to the letter and it took a very long time to prepare. My meatballs were not nearly as browned as the photo in the recipe. The meatballs were fine, but just didn't have much personality and were not spicy. I don't think I'll make this again.

  • chawkins on March 06, 2017

    The meatballs tasted okay, not spicy to my taste but was not as moist as I like them to be. The prosciutto and the 3T of olive oil did not help to moisten 2 pounds of lean turkey. I baked mine in two trays, the top tray did brown up well, but not the lower tray, I should have swapped them half way through.

  • anya_sf on June 01, 2019

    I made the meatballs one day ahead, only using 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes, as I didn't want them spicy, and they weren't. The flavor was good, but didn't wow me. Loved the ease of baking the meatballs. I didn't brush them with oil and didn't think it mattered. I got 29 meatballs.

• Garlic-roasted cauliflower

  • Laura on February 02, 2012

    Pg. 173. Wow! I'm not normally a fan of cauliflower, but it seemed to be a good addition to the main course I was serving, so found this recipe. This is fantastic and that's without the pine nuts, which I'm sure would make it even better. One change I would make is to roast for less time or to roast at a lower temperature, or add the garlic at the midway point. Many of the garlic halves burned beyond use. I'll be making this again and again.

  • Delys77 on October 31, 2011

    Very good, especially for cauliflower. The roasting brings out the nuttiness and the lemon and garlic add a lot of flavour without overpowering.

  • chawkins on November 13, 2016

    Fabulous side. Garlic complemented the cauliflower well and the pine nut adds a bit of texture. Addition of lemon juice is not necessary, actually, I prefer it without.

  • Lepa on January 13, 2020

    This was good. I was a bit worried about including whole cloves of garlic but our guests loved this salad.

  • anya_sf on July 21, 2019

    Pretty good overall. Garlic was very tasty. Cauliflower was too lemony. Next time I'd skip the final olive oil (unnecessary) and just add a small spritz of lemon juice with the parsley and pine nuts.

• Strawberry rhubarb crisp

  • Laura on June 12, 2011

    Page 214. Really enjoyed this and it could not have been simpler. Served it over vanilla ice cream, but it was also wonderful on its own. I had never used the type of oatmeal it called for (McCann's quick-cooking). My only problem with the recipe was that the topping was a bit 'al dente', almost as if the oatmeal had not cooked thoroughly. Next time, I might use rolled oats, just to see how that turns out.

  • anya_sf on July 21, 2019

    I used 1/2 cup sugar in the filling and made half the topping, which was just enough for us. The sweetness was just right with ice cream. Very nice flavor.

  • ginger2212 on August 14, 2022

    This was so delicious! I always do less zest because I think it hurts, not helps, the dish but that's obviously my taste.

• Couscous with toasted pine nuts

  • vickster on July 24, 2017

    The pine nuts and onions add a good flavor to the couscous. Easy dish that I will definitely make again.

  • averythingcooks on July 01, 2021

    I cut this back to 1/4 (3 oz of couscous) for 2 of us and that was lots. I added some basil & frozen peas with the parsley & pine nuts. A simple but very tasty side dish - this time beside pork tenderloin and a green salad.

  • anya_sf on July 21, 2019

    Nice way to dress up couscous. Easy and flavorful. Great with lamb.

  • Skamper on January 20, 2020

    Half batch was more than enough for two. We both really liked.

• Roasted figs & prosciutto

  • vickster on July 29, 2017

    Currently inundated with figs, so happy that EYB can feed my need for recipes. This is a simple but very good appetizer. The sweetness of the figs works well with the saltiness of the prosciutto. I baked for a shorter time so the figs wouldn't get too cooked.

  • chawkins on November 04, 2015

    Simple, quick and tasty 3-ingredient recipe. Also light because there is no cheese involved. Great for the end of season harvest from my fig tree.

  • anya_sf on August 23, 2018

    I prefer to use medium figs so they can be eaten in one bite. 4 oz prosciutto was enough for 18 medium figs. These are super quick and easy to make and quite delicious. They melt in your mouth.

• Roasted eggplant caponata

  • Aggie92 on December 30, 2016

    Delicious! This only thing I did different was to whizz up the onions with the eggplant in the food processor. Next time I will make sure to use a good briny green olive to give the dip a little more depth. My green olives were rather mild and got lost in all the other ingredients. Loved the occasional bite of toasted pine nut. Made one day ahead and served with an assortment of crackers and Melba toast.

  • anya_sf on May 02, 2019

    I made 1/2 recipe using a smaller eggplant, which still made a lot. Made one day ahead. The caponata was very good, especially with pita chips.

• Sausage-stuffed mushrooms

  • Aggie92 on March 31, 2013

    I made this recipe with portobello mushrooms and served it as a main course. Delicious! The stuffing was enough for 6 large mushrooms. I did cut the salt in half and substitute cream cheese for the mascarpone. Instead of marinating the mushrooms in Marsala, I sprinkled each mushroom with a tablespoon of the wine before filling.

  • anya_sf on July 21, 2019

    I made 1/2 the filling to fill 11 regular white mushroom caps, and there was a lot of extra (which I baked over fennel wedges - yum). Mushrooms got overbaked, probably because they were smaller. I thought they could actually use a tad more salt, but perhaps my sausage was less salty. Tasty.

• Mocha chocolate icebox cake

  • DKennedy on October 31, 2013

    This is an easy and impressive dessert. I make mine kid friendly by substituting 1/4 c. decaf expresso in place of the liquor and I also use store bought gluten free Tate's chocolate chip cookies, sold at TJs.

  • julesamomof2 on August 19, 2017

    This is a super simple and delicious dessert, loved by all. The Tate's chocolate chip cookies make it extra decadent and special.

  • anya_sf on April 30, 2017

    The best! And easy too. Definitely must be made a day ahead. I made 2/3 recipe to fit in a 7" springform pan. It served 8, so I think the original would serve 12 - it's rich. It would also be good with chocolate wafer cookies instead of chocolate chip cookies.

• Old-fashioned banana cake

  • Prim on July 24, 2012

    I replaced the sour cream with buttermilk. Very good.

  • anya_sf on July 21, 2019

    Not the greatest. Heavy and gummy. I didn't care for the orange zest flavor.

• Fresh peach cake

  • Kfaber on August 09, 2014

    Really great way to use up very ripe peaches. Tasted just as good the next day!

  • Cookie24 on August 29, 2018

    This is an easy simple snack cake. Made a few substitutions because of personal preference and because lacking some ingredients. I substituted almond extract for the vanilla (love almond & peach flavor together), didn't have extra large eggs, so used 3 large instead. Because I used 3 eggs I also added 1/4 almond four. The remaining ingredients stayed the same. The result was a super moist delicious snack cake. The following morning we warmed it slightly and enjoyed it with coffee. Mr. Cookie asked for a repeat. Next time I might try pears.

  • anya_sf on July 21, 2019

    I baked it the night before to serve as a coffee cake for breakfast. Made it somewhat healthier: used white whole wheat flour, reduced the sugar to 3/4 c in the batter + 1/3 c in the topping, used half nonfat Greek yogurt in place of sour cream. Three large, fresh peaches (probably 1.5 lbs) yielded a lot of fruit - very juicy. The batter barely spread in the pan, but baked up okay. Took about 70 min to bake. Very good!

  • angrygreycat on June 30, 2019

    I also used 3 large rather than 2 XL eggs as Cookie24 did. My book club liked the idea of this and the taste but everyone agreed, as did I, that it needs more peaches. The recipe calls for 3, I would easily double that to 6.

• Chicken with shallots

  • hughb on October 20, 2014

    Relatively quick and very tasty. Takes longer than 5 minutes for the wine/lemon juice mixture to reduce down.

  • Delys77 on October 31, 2011

    Spencer really liked the sauce on these. Be careful to not burn the skin on the chicken breast or to overcook. I went with 12 minutes in the oven but I should have put the burner down to medium low as the skin was a little charred. The flavour of the sauce has a nice buttery and acidic flavour the compliments the chicken. Very quick to put together.

  • chawkins on November 10, 2015

    Very easy and quick and quite tasty. The sauce was quite rich but the lemon juice cuts the richness quite well.

  • anya_sf on June 01, 2019

    I couldn't find skin-on breasts, so I used boneless, skinless. They turned out a bit drier, but were still good. The sauce was a tad tart, but maybe I didn't reduce it enough. I tried this recipe a second time and added a few tablespoons of creme fraiche to the sauce and it was great.

• Buttermilk ranch dressing with Bibb lettuce

  • MVitek on June 03, 2011

    Tasted more like a dip than a dressing

  • klinthal on December 04, 2016

    This dressing is fantastic, has a wonderful basil flavor, not like the typical powdered mix or bottled version. I've made it over and over with great success every time.

  • averythingcooks on December 17, 2020

    I cut this back to 1/3 (which still results in a a lot of dressing for 2 people!) and it is delicious! First use was on a romaine, celery & red onion salad but it is destined to be used as a spread for chicken sandwiches today and a veggie dip with tonight's supper. She says it will keep in the fridge - we will see for how long. Maybe 1/4 recipe next time is a better choice for us - but again - we really like it :)

  • anya_sf on June 01, 2019

    Half the dressing was plenty. We had it over romaine hearts and tomatoes. It was good; basil added a nice flavor. The dressing would make a nice dip.

• Grilled steak & arugula

  • Delys77 on November 15, 2012

    Pg. 146 This one is definitely a repeat. The dish comes together very quickly with a minimum of fuss and the flavours are outstanding. The combination of beef, peppery arugula with tart dressing and savoury parmesan is excellent, especially when you get all the components on one fork. I did diverge from the recipe in that I added a bit more oil to the dressing as it was a bit too acidic as written. Also, I cooked the steak in a cast iron pan on the stove top for a minute per side and then into the oven for about 2 minutes per side. With a thick steak (1.5 inches) this resulted in pretty rare steak but it was good for S.

  • anya_sf on June 01, 2019

    I cooked 3 10-oz New York strip steaks for 3 people. I grilled the steaks 5 minutes on each side, but they ended up more medium than medium-rare (my steaks may have been thinner), but were still really good. I only made half the dressing, but there was still extra.

• Balsamic roasted beef

  • Delys77 on October 31, 2011

    Great little dish that comes together very easily and quickly. Go a little lighter on he pepper than she suggests.

  • anya_sf on June 01, 2019

    My filet weighed 1.75 lbs, roasted 25 minutes, and was rare to medium-rare. The mustard rub was not strong. Very good and easy!

• Roasted shrimp with feta

  • Delys77 on October 31, 2011

    I did play with the proportions a little but I ended up with a relatively dry and under seasoned dish. The sauce was actually quite good with some nice salt from the feta and the salt I added and a little tang from the pernod and the wine but since it was relatively dry and the shrimp themselves a were underseasoned resulting and a so so dish with ok sauce and shrimp that were fully upstaged by what little sauce there was.

  • anya_sf on June 01, 2019

    For 2 people, I made the full sauce recipe, but used 16 large shrimp (21-25 ct) and 4 oz feta (which was more than needed). For the topping, I used only 1 large slice bread and 1 Tbsp oil with the parsley and lemon. The crumbs did not brown at the end, so I broiled them briefly. Very tasty!

• Panko-crusted salmon

  • Delys77 on October 31, 2011

    This came together very easily and was quite nice. The flavour was good and the richness of the salmon made for a good balance

  • anya_sf on June 01, 2019

    I used Arctic char. This recipe was really easy and really good.

• Spaghetti aglio e olio

  • Delys77 on December 17, 2012

    Dead simple easy and comes together with pantry staples. I made it with fresh spaghetti that I had made, so it really absorbed the sauce, but I am sure it would still be good with dry pasta. Definitely a weeknight winner!

  • anya_sf on June 01, 2019

    Whole wheat Barilla spaghetti worked well. I added cooked chicken breast and broccoli to make this a one-dish meal. It was quite good.

  • Skamper on August 17, 2018

    This was easy and delicious. I made half a batch, which was more than enough for two, but used slightly more than half the amount of garlic. Great meal from pantry items.

• Easy Parmesan "risotto"

  • Delys77 on October 31, 2011

    I wouldn't necessarily consider this a proper risotto, but she says this as well. In the end the flavours were a good if a little simple. Could do with a bit of zing, maybe add some crisped prosciutto or some other vegetables/roasted mushrooms

  • anya_sf on June 01, 2019

    Really easy. The rice didn't turn out al dente, but was still very tasty.

  • Partyof7 on December 30, 2020

    Loved it. Tasty and went well with Alabama BBQ chicken!

• Potato basil purée

  • Delys77 on October 31, 2011

    The flavour on this is quite nice, but the colour is more like speckled mash than the green puree she has in her picture. You used teh wand mixer to blend the basil, maybe a food processor would help achieve the colour.

  • anya_sf on July 21, 2019

    I used a stand mixer with paddle attachment to beat the potatoes. I needed to reheat them afterwards. Potatoes were very thick. Really delicious! Although the potatoes were green, the basil and parmesan flavors were not as bold as you might expect.

• Roasted pear & apple sauce

  • Delys77 on October 31, 2011

    Left out the pears but this was absolutely delicious. The orange really brings up the apple.

  • anya_sf on July 21, 2019

    I made half the recipe using McIntosh apples and Bosc pears (slightly more pear). It was easy to make. I thought the flavor was a bit too citrusy and sweet, but my son really liked it. I couldn't really distinguish the pear flavor.

• Roasted vegetable frittata

  • Delys77 on December 03, 2011

    Pg 90 This is a delicious frittata perfect for lunch or a light dinner. I did roast e veg a little longer and I broiled a bit at the end to brown the cheese. Also cut the salt back a bit.

  • anya_sf on March 31, 2020

    I made the full amount of vegetables and gruyere cheese for half the egg mixture, which was a good ratio for me. The 10" pan was pretty full, so you might need a larger one for the full recipe. Watch the roasting time as some pieces of vegetable came close to burning. The frittata baked in 20 minutes. It was very good and 2 people finished it all for dinner.

  • Skamper on January 20, 2020

    Easy and tasty. I made a half-size frittata with 7 large eggs and 1/2 c. 1% milk. Used Emmenthal cheese because I had some. I'd roasted 1/2 red onion, 1 zucchini, a red pepper and 8-10 asparagus the night before.

• Chunky blue cheese & yogurt dip

  • Delys77 on October 31, 2011

    The Gorgonzola is very potent but it gives this dip fabulous bite. Serve only to those who like blue cheese.

  • julesamomof2 on August 19, 2017

    Easy peasy. A little more special than a big hunk of blue on a platter. Makes the blue cheese crowd (myself included) happy.

  • anya_sf on May 02, 2019

    Made several hours ahead, omitting the chives (did not have on hand). Served with crudites. Really good!

  • JJ2018 on February 19, 2019

    This was really nice - had to use creme fraiche instead of yoghurt but really quick and easy and very moreish.

• French toast bread pudding

  • Delys77 on October 31, 2011

    The orange scented custard is fabulous and the challah gives this a fabulous texture.

  • julesamomof2 on October 18, 2022

    I served this to my overnight guests for brunch and followed the directions exactly as written. I used raisin challah as that was the only type I could find and I thought that it added some interest. I would say my guests were mixed, some loved it, but some (myself included) thought it was mostly soggy bread. And while I liked not having to prep ahead, dealing with a water bath with guests sipping coffee nearby was not ideal. I will probably try another recipe next time I want a baked french toast for a crowd.

  • anya_sf on May 02, 2019

    I left the sliced bread out overnight to dry. I made 1/2 recipe, using about 12 oz challah and a mixture of milk and half-and-half. I accidentally baked it covered for an hour, then uncovered for about 20 minutes more and it was perfect. Delicious and decadent. Cinnamon and raisins would be nice additions.

• Crostini with tuna tapenade

  • Delys77 on October 31, 2011

    This was ok. The flavour was nice enough because of the mascarpone and the olives but I would up the citrus and maybe the capers

  • anya_sf on May 02, 2019

    I made 1/2 recipe to serve 2 people along with a large salad as sort of a "salade nicoise". The tuna mixture was rich and salty, but great as a toast topper, especially alongside the salad. Great flavors.

• Greek lamb with yogurt mint sauce

  • Delys77 on May 05, 2015

    Pg. 131 As per usual with Ina this recipe was very easy and very well written. The marinade for the lamb was lovely and the yogurt sauce was just delicious. I would make it again as a great sub for tzatziki. I might cut back the garlic in the dip just a touch. Lamb wise I made a half recipe for the two of us and used just one rack. The weather wasn't cooperating so I browned the lamp in a cast iron pan for a 1 minute or so per side then into the oven in went to about 20 minutes at 425 on convection. It was a very big rack and this yielded something between rare and medium rare. Just delicious!

  • julesamomof2 on August 19, 2017

    Delicious, one of our favorite Ina recipes. After a recent trip to Greece, we rushed home to make this one again!

  • anya_sf on June 01, 2019

    I made 1/2 the lamb but the full amount of sauce. The lamb flared up on the grill (too much fat?), but still ended up good because I took it off sooner. We loved it.

• Middle Eastern vegetable salad

  • Delys77 on September 20, 2021

    We didn't use all the dressing and went with a touch less vinegar than suggested. Also not tomato fans so we used a jar of roasted peppers. The result was very nice, very health, and went quite well with the Pastitsio from her make ahead book as the acid cuts the richness of the pasta dish. Nice little salad.

  • anya_sf on March 03, 2019

    I made this for work without the garlic and using 1:2 ratio of lemon juice to olive oil. At home I made it with the garlic and 1:1 ratio. The garlic was good, but I preferred the 1:2 ratio of lemon juice to oil. Delicious with fresh pita on the side. I added some olives.

  • angrygreycat on July 22, 2018

    First dish that I've made from this cookbook. Excellent taste and combination of flavors and textures. I was a little concerned with needing 4 lemons, that it would be too tart, however it was fine.

• Bangers & mustard mash

  • chawkins on February 28, 2017

    Couldn't be easier. I used red bliss potatoes and did not follow her instruction to whip the potato with a hand mixer, I just hand mashed it. Like Ina said the quality of your bangers makes a big difference.

  • anya_sf on June 01, 2019

    I grilled high-quality pork and veal Bratwurst. I just used a masher, not a mixer, for the potatoes. The mustards added great flavor to the potatoes. I did not add nearly that much salt - maybe 1 tsp rather than 1 Tbsp.

  • JJ2018 on May 19, 2019

    Made this using pork sausage. Mash was lovely would definitely make again

• Flat beans with pecorino

  • chawkins on February 07, 2016

    Just okay, nothing special. I used pole beans frozen from my summer garden.

  • anya_sf on July 21, 2019

    My beans were large so I cooked them a few minutes longer. Very easy and good.

• Roasted butternut squash

  • chawkins on February 14, 2023

    Simple, easy and good. I made a quarter of the recipe and it was enough to serve two as a side dish. Also use dried thyme instead of fresh as my plant was not doing too well indoors.

  • anya_sf on July 21, 2019

    I used dried thyme. Simple and very good.

• Smoked salmon deviled eggs

  • KarinaFrancis on April 24, 2021

    Yum! Quite easy too even without using a mixer. Next time I might add some chopped capers.

  • anya_sf on May 02, 2019

    I boiled the eggs a day ahead, then filled them a few hours ahead. I omitted the roe (couldn't find easily - and also rather pricey). The cooking method worked perfectly; the eggs peeled easily and the yolks were just done, not gray. I didn't salt the whites because the filling seemed plenty salty even with Nova lox. There was a lot of extra filling. The eggs were super delicious.

• Pesto

  • Rachaelsb on June 20, 2019

    Always looking for new pesto recipes, but in the meanwhile, this is still my go to.

  • anya_sf on July 21, 2019

    Easy to make. Nuts did not need the full 30 seconds in the processor. After adding the Parmesan, the pesto only needed a few seconds to puree, not a full minute.

• Tarragon potato salad

  • Lsperoutka on January 25, 2022

    The first time I made this, I did everything precisely as directed. Excellent flavors!! The only change I made the next time was to dice (rather than slice) potatoes.

  • anya_sf on July 21, 2019

    I couldn't find tarragon, so I increased the dill. I substituted nonfat Greek yogurt for half the mayo. NIce flavor - I'm sure it would be even better with tarragon. There was extra dressing; next time I'd make 2/3 the amount.

  • Skamper on January 31, 2018

    Very good recipe. The tarragon adds a nice rich flavor. Reduce salt to 1.5 tsp.

• French mussel bisque

  • cadfael on April 20, 2022

    We enjoyed this very much

  • anya_sf on June 01, 2019

    I used half the butter (3 Tbsp), which seemed like enough, and reduced the wine to 2 cups total, as most of it doesn't cook off, and I didn't want the soup to be too boozy. The soup had a nice flavor, but was very rich. The final teaspoon of salt wasn't needed. I would have preferred a thicker soup, so I'd thicken with some flour or cornstarch next time. I'd also try using all half-and-half in place of heavy cream.

• Caesar-roasted swordfish

  • HerBoudoir on November 03, 2016

    Very tasty and easy. I make homemade Caesar salad regularly so I usually have most of the ingredients. Also excellent when made with salmon.

  • Lepa on August 08, 2021

    This was such a tasty way to prepare swordfish. My kids especially loved it. We served it with a tomato and cucumber salad and fresh bread and it was like summer on a plate. My fish was done in ten minutes- but it did smoke up the house!

  • anya_sf on June 01, 2019

    I made the sauce ahead. My swordfish steaks were 1" thick and took nearly 20 min to roast, but they may have been extra cold to start with. We had this over arugula salad with some of the extra dressing. The sauce was very flavorful. Overall, a nice recipe.

• Rich celery root purée

  • wittwoman on April 10, 2016

    Delectably rich and creamy with a bit of kick.

  • anya_sf on July 21, 2019

    Seasoning was just right. Really good - rich, but I could eat a lot of this stuff.

• Scalloped tomatoes

  • mamacrumbcake on January 01, 2020

    Made this as a side dish to go with ham and Mac and cheese. It was really good! Next time I would reduce the sugar—don’t think it needed the extra sweetness.

  • anya_sf on July 21, 2019

    I used a bit less olive oil. Made it a day ahead and reheated it in the microwave (to get it started) and oven (to crisp the top). Very good flavor!

• Warm French lentils

  • Lepa on March 18, 2020

    This was decent but the lentils got a bit mushy. Just so-so.

  • anya_sf on July 21, 2019

    Good. Didn't need extra salt and pepper at the end, even after sitting for an hour. Next time I'd use half the vinaigrette, as there was more than needed.

  • Skamper on January 20, 2020

    I love these. I prefer them with regular green lentils to the Le Puy. I make a full batch and freeze half (there are just 2 of us). It freezes well.

• Roasted summer vegetables

  • averythingcooks on December 26, 2020

    This was a really nice side for some delicious grilled steak kebobs. I cut it back to serve 2 and roasted it in a cast iron pan. The only issue really is that the veg do shrink and we both wished I had made more :)

  • anya_sf on July 21, 2019

    I used nearly all the veggies and they fit on one pan. Sliced the zucchini into rounds. Turning them a second time and moving them around helped them brown more evenly. Good basic recipe. Not sure the thyme added anything and the garlic mostly stuck to the pan.

• Eton mess

  • averythingcooks on March 27, 2023

    I have made this countless times but apparently never commented. My stores no longer carry pre-made meringue shells (sigh) so this time I made my own from Joyofcooking.com (with a great video clearly showing all steps & “look fors”). I keep the raspberry sauce on the tart side and barely sweeten the whipping cream to offset the sweet meringues. This time I used lactose free whipping cream to accommodate a friend and there really was no difference. I serve this spooned into martini glasses and it has been a big hit at very formal dinners and casual get togethers.

  • anya_sf on July 21, 2019

    I used meringue shells from the meringues chantilly recipe. Made 1/2 recipe but used 2 meringue shells. Overall, pretty good, but too sweet. I'd suggest using unsweetened whipped cream and/or using less sugar in the raspberries.

  • Skamper on January 20, 2020

    Very good. Used blackberries and left out the liqueur.

• Tomatoes roasted with pesto

  • averythingcooks on May 12, 2021

    I scaled this back using enough small cocktail tomatoes cut in half to fit snugly into my 6.5" cast iron pan. I eyeballed a good quality store bought pesto this time and followed the cook instructions exactly. The result was a lovely little pan of soft, delicious tomatoes...perhaps not exactly the same result as with the larger tomatoes called for but a wonderful & easy addition to dinner for 2 - and great smooshed onto garlic toasts :)

  • anya_sf on July 21, 2019

    Good, and easy once the pesto's made.

• Ultimate grilled cheese

  • averythingcooks on April 03, 2022

    These were certainly rich & very tasty! I scaled everything back for 2 sandwiches, used a regular Gruyere and also have leftover mayo spread. I eyeballed 2 little piles of the grated cheeses (based on my bread slices) so I'm not sure if I used the actual amt called for. I used a thinly sliced rye that we like & my ridged grill pan and we both enjoyed these as part of a soup/sandwich dinner combo. The leftover spread is now destined to be used as the base for a dressing for tonight's wedge salads.

  • anya_sf on July 21, 2019

    I used sourdough bread and less mayonnaise mixture per sandwich (1/10 not 1/6), a bit less salt in the mayo, and unsalted butter. I'm glad I didn't add more salt as it was plenty salty. Very enjoyable, but rich. Recipe calls for 1/3 c cheese per sandwich, but actually would be 1/2 c to use the total amount called for.

• Chipotle & rosemary roasted nuts

  • averythingcooks on December 27, 2018

    Once again, a bowl of these delicious nuts was devoured prior to a holiday dinner. It halves easily (which fits my large pampered chef stoneware bar pan perfectly) and I use a mix of whole pecans, skin on whole almonds and unsalted cashews. Father- in-law and a few lucky friends are ecstatic to be gifted a jar of these nuts.

  • anya_sf on May 02, 2019

    I used 1 lb Trader Joe's mixed fancy raw nuts and halved the other ingredients. I ground dried chipotles to make the powder. The nuts were very good - not too salty, spicy, or sweet - a great balance of seasonings. Addictive!

• Soppressata & cheese in puff pastry

  • averythingcooks on May 13, 2021

    I used a 200 g square of puff pastry & assumed that was 1/2 of what she called for. I rolled it into a 10" square (and then cut that in 1/2 for a top & bottom) and proceeded from there. It baked up beautifully crisp and we ate pieces of it beside some soup. Maybe my soppressata is not the best quality but we certainly expected to like this more than we did. I have many other puff pastry options that are far better and I probably won't repeat this for guests.

  • anya_sf on June 01, 2019

    I assembled this a few hours ahead and chilled it until baking time. I forgot to trim the edges, but that didn't seem to matter. Cut into small pieces, this made delicious hors d'oeuvres.

• Pink grapefruit margaritas

  • kateiscoooking on March 06, 2017

    We try to have a cocktail every Sunday evening. This one is our favorite summer-time one. Not too tart, not too sweet.

  • anya_sf on May 02, 2019

    Although I used fresh pink grapefruit, the drink was not pink in color. It was fairly tart in a good way, but perhaps would be sweeter with a different type of grapefruit juice, which some might prefer. Very refreshing.

• Truffled popcorn

  • anya_sf on May 02, 2019

    Half the container of truffle butter (1.5 oz) seemed like the right amount. I added salt to taste. The popcorn was super good, and the kids liked it too.

• Watermelon mojitos

  • anya_sf on May 02, 2019

    The drinks were very tasty, but quite strong. I'd increase the watermelon. I'd also use a muddler for the mint.

• Savory coeur à la crème

  • anya_sf on May 02, 2019

    I made this a day ahead as directed, but maybe it didn't drain enough. It got very soft after sitting out. I served it with Trader Joe's ginger mango chutney, which was too sweet for my taste (not sure how it compares to Crosse & Blackwell). I thought it was just OK. It might be better with pepper jelly.

• Onion & fennel soup gratin

  • anya_sf on June 01, 2019

    I made 1/2 recipe, but the pot was so full the onion didn't really brown even after the heat was turned up. I used part beef broth, part chicken broth. I broiled the toasts separately, then placed them on the soup. The soup was really good.

• Rich beef barley soup

  • anya_sf on June 01, 2019

    I made this a day ahead, par-cooking the barley and chilling it separately. Skimming the fat was easier after chilling. I also removed the bones after cooking for easier eating. Surprisingly, the soup needed all the salt (using lower-salt broth). The meat by itself was not very flavorful, but the soup was hearty with lots of body. I added peas, which were a nice addition. There was a lot of broth, but the barley soaked it up.

• Stilton & walnut crackers

  • anya_sf on May 02, 2019

    I made the dough ahead, divided it into halves, and froze it so I could bake the halves separately. The rind on my Stilton was very thin, so I bought 0.55 lb cheese and think it was still 8 oz after trimming. I rolled the dough and brushed/coated it all on the same mat (less clean-up). I baked them in at 350 on convection for 18 minutes, which may have been a bit long, but it was hard to tell with the blue color. The crackers were great with a glass of Cabernet Sauvignon.

• Grilled bread with prosciutto

  • anya_sf on May 02, 2019

    Grilling the bread was tricky due to hot spots - watch carefully to avoid burning. I brushed, rather than drizzled, the oil on the bread and only needed about 1 tsp per slice rather than 1 Tbsp. The flavors were very strong and salty; no extra salt was needed, and less prosciutto could probably be used. The overall combination of flavors was great.

• Celery & Parmesan salad

  • anya_sf on June 01, 2019

    There was extra dressing. I chilled the salad for 3 hours before serving and just served it in a bowl. Both the salad and dressing were fantastic - all the ingredients worked so well together.

  • Skamper on January 31, 2018

    This is a favorite in our house. I've made the complete recipe several times, and a shortcut version has become my go-to for when celery gets down to the heart. I prepare the dressing and marinate the sliced celery, then serve it over greens. The dressing is delicious. I usually make a half batch, and 1 Tbsp of fresh lemon juice (plus the extra you put on the celery - Ina says it makes a difference and I take her word for it) is the right amount for us.

• Roasted artichoke hearts

  • anya_sf on June 01, 2019

    I made 1/2 recipe using a 12-oz bag frozen artichoke hearts. There was more dressing than needed, but you can't really make less than 1/2 dressing recipe. The artichokes chilled for about 3 hours before serving. This was delicious - everyone loved it. We had it as a side salad, but it would be great as an antipasto.

• Watermelon & arugula salad

  • anya_sf on June 01, 2019

    This salad was pretty good overall - definitely refreshing. The dressing made the watermelon tart. Parmesan melted into the dressing and would have been better had it stood out more, but perhaps I didn't use enough.

• Lobster & shells

  • anya_sf on April 01, 2020

    This made more than I expected - lots of corn - maybe 3 ears is enough. Half the dressing seemed like plenty; I used 1/4 cup mayo, 1/4 cup Greek yogurt, 2 Tbsp sour cream. I just added 1 tsp salt at the end and wouldn't add more. I only used 4 scallions but still thought the onion and black pepper overpowered the lobster a bit. Otherwise good.

  • pattig on June 15, 2021

    I use crab instead and make 1/4 recipe for the two of us. A great hot-summer-day dinner. This makes a lot so it's also good for get-togethers and everyone loves it.

• Roasted shrimp salad

  • anya_sf on March 31, 2020

    I roasted 1 pound shrimp to serve 2 for dinner. I made half the sauce, which was more than needed, but the extra stayed in the bowl so the shrimp didn't drown in it. The salad chilled about 2 hours before being served over a bed of greens with roasted asparagus, tomato, and avocado. Great combination of flavors.

• Homemade ricotta

  • anya_sf on August 18, 2022

    Same recipe as Ina's other books

• Green salad vinaigrette

  • anya_sf on June 01, 2019

    Nice and refreshing, the salad complements the ricotta bruschetta. Next time I'd use slightly less lemon relative to the oil. Only about 1/3 of the dressing was needed for 8 cups greens.

• Fresh salmon tartare

  • anya_sf on June 01, 2019

    I made this for a party and kept it on ice (it got quite warm in the room). Served it with toasted, thinly-sliced Dave's killer bread. The flavor was fantastic. People couldn't stop eating it.

• Foie gras with roasted apples

  • anya_sf on March 31, 2020

    I made 1/3 recipe for 3 people; portions were smaller, but still satisfying. I prepared the apples a day ahead. My apples weren't tart, so I added extra lemon juice. The syrup evaporated, but a little extra hot water loosened it. The foie gras only needed to cook about 20 seconds on each side and rendered a lot of fat - any longer and nothing would be left. The compote was a great accompaniment. A simple, delicious splurge with a glass of sauternes.

• Mussels & basil bread crumbs

  • anya_sf on March 31, 2020

    I cooked 2 lbs mussels to serve 2 people as a main course, with half the topping. I'd use less topping next time, or just less bread in the topping - it was a lot of bread, especially if serving extra bread to mop up the sauce. I reduced the oil when cooking the mussels. The flavor was good overall, although the raw garlic was rather strong.

• Greek panzanella

  • anya_sf on March 31, 2020

    I made 1/2 recipe for 2 as a main dish. It was very good, but would be best as a side dish with meat.

  • Partyof7 on March 01, 2021

    Absolutely spectacular! Used roasted garlic ciabatta-soo good. Even holds till next day. Leftovers are wonderful with added canned Italian tuna. On regular rotation.

  • JJ2018 on July 19, 2022

    I liked this but perhaps not as much as I was expecting.

• Mustard chicken salad

  • anya_sf on July 21, 2019

    Delicious! I used 4 c broccoli and 2 large split chicken breasts (2 lbs). Substituted champagne vinegar and fresh dill for the tarragon vinegar and tarragon. Made 1/2 dressing, but there was still extra. Dressing was great and could be used on many things, such as green beans, potatoes, etc.

• Baked Fontina

  • anya_sf on March 03, 2019

    Half the olive oil was enough. This was the absolute best cheese I have ever eaten! We stuffed ourselves.

  • Partyof7 on March 05, 2019

    As easy as can be and loved by anyone that tastes it. Found domestic fontina is equally as delicious

• Hummus

  • anya_sf on March 03, 2019

    Easy to make and very good. Fairly garlicky.

• Wild rice salad

  • anya_sf on July 21, 2019

    I cooked the rice the rice cooker using the rice cooker water ratio and just 1/2 tsp salt; it turned out perfectly. Otherwise I followed the recipe. Great balance of flavors - delicious.

  • Partyof7 on November 09, 2021

    Very tasty and unique. Will repeat!

• Snap peas with pancetta

  • anya_sf on July 21, 2019

    I used 12 oz snap peas, 2 oz pancetta, 3 Tbsp red onion. 1/4 of the vinaigrette was just right with 1/2 tsp salt. Very good!

• Roast turkey with truffle butter

  • anya_sf on December 03, 2017

    My bird wasn't kosher, so I salted it overnight. Next time I'd buy a kosher turkey or salt it longer. It was only 10 lbs and I didn't need all the truffle butter, only ~ 2 oz. Roasted it almost 2.5 hours. The legs were perfectly done, but the breast was rather dry. Again, more salting would probably help. The truffle butter dripped to the bottom, so the only parts of the turkey where you could taste it were the back, parts of the thighs, and the skin. The flavor was delicious where it was noticeable. I'm not sure I'd do this again though, unless I can find a way for the flavor to permeate the bird. The roasting method is very easy. My favorite of Ina's roasted turkey recipes is the Accidental Turkey; I highly recommend that one.

• Italian plum tart

  • anya_sf on July 21, 2019

    I used about 1 lb plums, but they were crowded in the pan. I only used 1/2 c sugar to macerate the plums, and assumed I should discard the exceed liquid afterwards. Dough was more smooth than crumbly, perhaps because it got warm. I put the 3/4 c for the topping in the fridge to chill, then crumbled it with my fingers. Good, but very sweet - could have used even less sugar.

• Red velvet cupcakes

  • anya_sf on November 05, 2017

    The cupcakes rose quite a bit. Check them early, as mine were done in 23 minutes, and actually ended up dry, so they may have been overbaked. The flavor was good though, with a mild chocolate flavor (more than some red velvet recipes). They have a nice color even without the red food coloring. There was enough frosting for a few extra cupcakes, so you can either be very generous with the frosting, or reduce the quantity a bit, or just have some left over. If reducing the quantity, I recommend eliminating a few tablespoons of butter and using the full amount of cream cheese. I didn't think all the powdered sugar was needed; 3 cups was enough, or you could even use a bit less if you don't like your frosting to be so sweet.

• Red velvet frosting

  • anya_sf on July 21, 2019

    Three cups of sugar were enough. I doubled the vanilla. There was a bit more than needed for the cupcakes.

• Ultimate peach ice cream

  • anya_sf on July 21, 2019

    I used a late-harvest Chardonnay instead of Sauternes and Cointreau instead of Grand Marnier. The ice cream was just OK - not a lot of peach flavor.

• Chocolate hazelnut cookies

  • anya_sf on July 21, 2019

    Made 2/3 recipe. I didn't have quite enough hazelnuts, so supplemented with almonds. My cutter may have been smaller and/or I rolled the dough too thin because I got 30 rounds instead of 24, plus 12 more from the re-rolled scraps (which I didn't make into sandwich cookies). Baked at 350 degrees on convection for 14 min. They were good. Easier to eat when slightly smaller.

  • Kinhawaii on July 06, 2022

    These were rich & delicious- I got 27 so I must have rolled it thinner. I re-rolled scraps too once but still had so much extra dough. I spread my Nutella too thinly I think because I was afraid of oozing & running out, having a partial jar of Nutella. But because there is a lot of cookie, next time I will spread it thickly as advised.

• Cream cheese frosting

  • anya_sf on July 21, 2019

    2 cups of sugar made the frosting sweet enough. The frosting tasted good, but I prefer more cream cheese relative to butter for more tang.

• Strawberry shortcakes, deconstructed

  • anya_sf on July 21, 2019

    Cute idea. The shortcakes were very tasty and would be great for breakfast or tea. I doubled the whipped cream. Overall, good, but real strawberry shortcakes are better than the sum of their parts, since the flavor meld together. I recommend using this recipe to make the traditional version.

• Roasted figs with caramel sauce

  • anya_sf on July 21, 2019

    Very good. Recipe makes lots of caramel sauce. I didn't wait 4 hours for the sauce to cool; the sauce was thick enough sooner than that. I served about 2 Tbsp sauce on each serving.

• Chocolate pudding cream tart

  • anya_sf on July 21, 2019

    A 12" tart pan would be better; I had almost 2 cups pudding left over. The mixing technique (milk in mixer) was a bit awkward and splash-prone. The tart was delicious and pretty quick to make (but must be made ahead). It would easily serve 10.

• Homemade chicken stock

  • anya_sf on August 18, 2022

    Same recipe as Ina's other books

• Creamy Parmesan polenta

  • anya_sf on August 21, 2017

    I used low-salt canned chicken broth with just half the salt called for and it was still almost too salty, although the creme fraiche helped balance the flavor. Overall, good with a nice consistency. Of course it depends what you're serving this with, but for us it only served 3-4.

• Tuscan white beans

  • anya_sf on July 21, 2019

    I omitted the sage and forgot to add pecorino. The beans were quite good, but a bit undersalted (I'm sure the cheese would have helped). Very nice with lamb.

  • Skamper on January 20, 2020

    These were very good. I had to use canned beans as my source for dried cannellini was out. Made a half-ish batch using 2 cans of cannellini, and half of everything else, but a bit more than half of the sage and rosemary. Eyeballed the cheese at the end so may have gone slightly over. The cheese is important to this dish, I think.

• Yogurt mint sauce

  • anya_sf on June 01, 2019

    Really great with the lamb and easy to make.

• Steakhouse steaks

  • anya_sf on June 01, 2019

    Great recipe. I didn't bother tying the steaks. My steaks were slightly smaller so they didn't need to cook for as long. Great cooking method. The salt and pepper coating was wonderful and provided an excellent sear. The sauce went well with the steaks.

• Roquefort chive sauce

  • anya_sf on June 01, 2019

    The sauce did not thicken as much as expected or desired, but tasted great.

• Sliders

  • anya_sf on June 01, 2019

    I omitted the garlic. The patties got thicker (shrank inward) as they cooked, so it's best to form them thinner and wider to compensate. Sliced gruyere would be easier than shredded because the cheese fell off the patties and burned on the grill. Overall, very tasty.

• Fleur de sel caramels

  • anya_sf on April 01, 2020

    I sprayed the parchment with cooking spray. When cooking the mixture for 10 minutes, I wasn't sure if I should stir it; I stirred occasionally. The recipe worked perfectly, although the caramel was hard to roll as flat as the photo shows. Cut into 16 pieces, I thought the candies were too big - better to make 32 bite-size pieces. The parchment sheet needed to be bigger; I'd use glassine candy wrappers if I could because cutting the parchment was annoying. These were delicious!

• White chocolate bark

  • anya_sf on April 01, 2020

    I made 1/2 recipe using Lindt chocolate. I'm not sure you should reserve some chocolate to stir in at the end; I had to heat it more so it would melt. Overall, easy and good. Flavors were very complementary. While Ina's French chocolate bark recipe has so many toppings they hardly fit, this one could actually use more fruits and nuts.

• Rum raisin tiramisù

  • anya_sf on July 21, 2019

    I used Whaler's dark rum and the rum flavor was way too strong and harsh. I don't know if Mount Gay would have tasted better. I wouldn't make it again as written. I'd only use 1-2 Tbsp rum in the mascarpone mixture and would add more orange juice. I might put less rum in the juice mixture as well. With those changes, I think this could be very good.

• New York egg cream

  • anya_sf on April 01, 2020

    I couldn't find Fox's U-Bet, so I used TJ's Midnight Moo, which I think is similar - anyway, it worked. Easy and good.

• Everyday Dorie by Dorie Greenspan

  ... let me be the first to break the news that Ina’s got a new book packed with her signature simple-but-super-tasty recipes and lots of tips to make life even more delicious than it already is.

  Full review