Notes about Recipes in this book

• Spicy stir-fried chicken and bok choy with crispy noodle cake

  • mamacrumbcake on December 29, 2015

    http://www.cooksillustrated.com/recipes/3255-stir-fried-chicken-with-bok-choy-and-crispy-noodle-cake?extcode=MASCZ00L0&ref=search_results_1

• Scalloped potatoes

  • ashallen on September 28, 2019

    Excellent. Potatoes are fully tender. Flavors are really wonderful - browned on top and creamy and savory inside. I usually slice the potatoes with my food processor slicing disk - makes for much faster prep. We like the potatoes to be very tender and the top well-browned, so I usually simmer for 30-40 minutes and bake for 30-35 minutes vs. the shorter recipe-specified times. Recipe also handles variation well. It's great with/without the specified onion and garlic. Finely sliced scallions can be substituted for onion for a milder flavor (add to pot with potatoes). I often substitute 2 oz parmesan cheese for the cheddar cheese. A tablespoon of crumbled dried herbes de Provence works great in place of the thyme, as does a mixture of finely chopped fresh rosemary, thyme and savory. Also nice - this is a good dish in which to use previously frozen heavy cream. Leftovers are great and also freeze well for potatoes. [Cross-post for Annual Edition/Magazine/Cook's Ill. Cookbook.]

  • anya_sf on December 05, 2024

    Super creamy and delicious, and done in an hour. The short simmering and baking times worked perfectly for me (with potatoes sliced in the processor) although the cream did not get fully absorbed, even after resting for a good 20 min. Next time I'd consider layering some cheese in the middle. Would love to try other variations.

• Pan-roasted chicken breasts with sweet-tart red wine sauce

  • ashallen on October 24, 2019

    This came out very well. Chicken was tender, moist, and well-flavored - even the skin was tasty! Sauce was also nicely flavored. Pretty easy to make, too. Making a half-batch worked fine. [Cross-post for Annual Edition/Magazine/Science of Good Cooking/Cook's Ill. Cookbook.]

• Glazed carrots

  • mfto on July 29, 2011

    This is a very simple but wonderful way to cook carrots. I use water instead of chicken stock. You cook the carrots with a little sugared water and then when the carrots are tender and water evaporated, you add more sugar and let the carrots caramelize. A little fresh lemon juice is the finishing touch to add freshness.

• Glazed carrots with ginger and rosemary

  • ashallen on December 11, 2019

    These have great, rich flavor. Recipe specifies 3 tablespoons of sugar which I've found to be too sweet for my taste and have cut back to 1-2 tablespoons. [Cross-post for Annual Edition/Magazine/Cook's Ill. Cookbook.]

• Italian pasta and bean soup

  • ashallen on December 07, 2019

    Nice soup with a tomato-y broth - pleasant, homey, and comforting. No fishy flavor from the anchovies, just additional savoriness. I substituted chickpeas once for the cannellini beans but prefer the cannellini. Orzo works nicely for the pasta. [Cross-post for Annual Edition/Magazine/Cook's Ill. Cookbook.]