jenncc's Reviews
1256 recipes reviewed. Showing 1 to 50Sort by: Book Title | Date 
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Leslie Mackie's Macrina Bakery and Cafe Cookbook: Favorite Breads, Pastries, Sweets and Savories
By Leslie Mackie, Carol Field, Andrew Cleary
Sasquatch Books - 2006
Love this bread. I have made it several times and though the dough sometimes varies (dry to very wet) it consistently comes out delicious. Great texture - moist and soft inside with a nice crispy crust.
useful (3)
The Wooden Spoon Bread Book
By Marilyn M. Moore
Atlantic Monthly Press - 1987
Great texture and flavor.
useful (0)
Love the sour flavor and luscious texture of this potato bread. Makes a most decadent sandwich!
useful (3)
Milk & Cookies: 89 Heirloom Recipes from New York's Milk & Cookies Bakery
By Tina-Marie Casaceli
Chronicle Books - 2011
Terrific cookie with just the right "snap". Spicy and delicious, this cookie gets crunchier the next day but not hard. Also, great warm out of the oven.
useful (4)
Mexico One Plate At A Time
By Rick Bayless
Scribner - 2000
Love this dish with or without the "gnocchi". I have made it with black beans and pinto and agree with Rick that black are the way to go. We enjoy it with Ricks Red Tomato Rice (p. 174) and enchiladas or almost any of his chicken or pork dishes.
useful (1)
Not just rice! This is a flavorful addition to any Mexican plate. I use cilantro in place of the parsley and 1/2 chicken broth, 1/2 water (personal preference/less sodium).
useful (1)
Rick Bayless's Mexican Kitchen: Capturing the Vibrant flavors of a World-Class Cuisine
By Rick Bayless
Scribner - 1996
This is a versatile sauce - I often make this as a table salsa served with chips or tacos or as more of sauce for eggs or chicken. I usually use the dried, tan chipotle chilies and fresh tomatoes roasted under the broiler. It's delicious!
useful (0)
Great salsa and worth the extra effort. I used the griddle method of roasting the tomatoes, chilies and garlic. Left overnight the flavors marry into a delicious accompaniment to tacos, rice, eggs and protein.
useful (1)
This is great with chicken, enchiladas, pork or beef. My only occasional change is that I use vegetable broth if I'll be serving it as a table salsa (I don't like the chicken/ beef flavors of the broth when the sauce is cold).
useful (1)
Use this for several beef dishes including Grilled Steak (from the same book) and some rowdy enchiladas. It is good but a bit intensive, and skipping the straining is not an option (you may be stuck with a gritty texture from the dried chilies). To help avoid this I also rehydrate the cleaned chilies for twice as long as called for and use the water as a spicy broth.
useful (0)
Food & Wine Annual 2011: An Entire Year of Recipes (Food & Wine Annual Cookbook)
By Editors of Food & Wine
Food & Wine - 2011
I'll admit this recipe caused me a bit of anxiety. I don't enjoy blanching peaches so will it be worth the trouble (always have a little problem getting the flesh from the pits)? Will it be baked through after only 1 hour (recipe calls for a 1 hour 40 minute baking time)? And most important will it be delicious? YES!!! It was wonderful, certainly worth any hassle and the one hour was sufficient (at least in my oven). In the end the toughest part was waiting for it to cool so we could eat it!
useful (2)
Rick Bayless's Mexican Kitchen: Capturing the Vibrant flavors of a World-Class Cuisine
By Rick Bayless
Scribner - 1996
After making a pot of Mexican Black Beans use the broth for this super rice. I added a chipotle in adobo sauce to make it a little spicy.
useful (0)
Rustic Fruit Desserts: Crumbles, Buckles, Cobblers, Pandowdies, and More
By Cory Schreiber, Julie Richardson
Ten Speed Press - 2009
Summer peaches + gently spiced dumplings = yum! I made this on a hot day when cobbler/heating up the oven was out of the question. It was very good warm and even the next morning, though it does need to be gobbled up before sogginess sets in.
useful (0)
Savory Baking
By Mary Cech
Chronicle Books - 2009
The sweetness of the fruit (apples work well too) against the tangy goat cheese and zing of pepper play very well together in this breakfast/brunch treat. These are very moist and creamy, and I love them! They make wonderful little sandwiches too.
useful (5)
In the Kitchen with A Good Appetite: 150 Recipes and Stories About the Food You Love
By Melissa Clark
Hyperion - 2010
If I'm not making Thomas Keller's Roast Chicken, I'm making this. It's delicious and versatile - sometimes I use Mexican spices (cumin, lime, cilantro), add some red pepper flakes, curry or paprika. Whatever I do I never skimp on the olive oil or garlic (my Mediterranean roots?) because the end result, pan juices and all, is fantastic.
useful (0)
Peter Reinhart's Artisan Breads Every Day
By Peter Reinhart
Ten Speed Press - 2009
This is a crisp, nutritious, easy to make little cracker. The possibilities for topping are endless - I made some sweet (honey, nuts) ,some savory (za'atar, sea salt) and some sweet/savory (honey and the slightest dash of cayenne). I found that the flavor of the dough got better after a night in the fridge, but the real trick to this cracker is getting them rolled thin.
useful (0)
Great basic sandwich bread. I replaced some of the whole wheat (used white whole wheat flour) with rye, and used buttermilk. Bread came out golden brown with a delicate crumb.
useful (0)
A Passion for Baking: Bake to celebrate, Bake to nourish, Bake for fun
By Marcy Goldman
Oxmoor House - 2007
These are yummy! The cook time was way off (as ruth3ch commented) and I had to bring them out much sooner. They make beautiful heart shaped cookies for Valentine's Day. Some of her techniques throughout the book are a little unconventional (including kneading this dough) but her flavors are usually spot on!
useful (1)
The Pastry Queen: Royally Good Recipes from the Texas Hill Country's Rather Sweet Bakery & Cafe
By Rebecca Rather, Alison Oresman
Ten Speed Press - 2004
One of my favorite pancake recipes. These are tender and fluffy with an excellent texture (not to "spongy" or "cake-y"). The milk-buttery flavor is delicious. Rebecca Rather Rules!
useful (0)
Do not let this review discourage you from making this wonderful treat, but do not make the same mistake I did! I was not happy with the consistency of my dough, ended up adding flour and ultimately over worked it :(
However, even with my poor texture the flavor was very good and I have had Rebecca's at Rather Sweet so I'd like to think I know what I'm talking about.
I'm going to give them another try and will update soon.
Bottom line - don't stress if your dough seems to wet, just soldier on, it will be worth it.
useful (0)
The Art of Simple Food: Notes, Lessons, and Recipes from a Delicious Revolution
By Alice Waters
Clarkson Potter - 2007
This is a good, basic salsa verde. I added a bit of lemon juice and a sprinkle of red pepper flakes. Nice with grilled eggplant (as recommended on page 304).
useful (0)
The Border Cookbook : Authentic Home Cooking of the American Southwest and Northern Mexico
By Cheryl Alters Jamison
Harvard Common Press - 1995
Best recipe I've found so far. I'm going to get even more specific and call them "San Antonio Style Flour Tortillas" (which are the best!). Soft and fluffy just like I get in my favorite Tex-Mex joints down there.
useful (1)
Dishes from the Wild Horse Desert: Norteño Cooking of South Texas
By Melissa Guerra
Wiley - 2006
Let me start by saying I am no wimp when it comes to spice. I know chipotles, like all peppers, vary in heat, but this sauce was H-O-T, hot! I love brown salsas/sauces and this one could have been great but I think either I got a hold of a wickedly hot batch of chilies or the recipe simply called for too many (2 ounces may not sound like a lot but those shriveled, tan little monsters are light!). I added some roasted tomatoes to even it out a bit, but that's a different salsa altogether isn't it? I think this will work as a seasoning to my pot of beans and even as a way to spice up my enchilada sauce, or a milder salsa, otherwise I will use it sparingly.
useful (1)
Nuevo Tex-Mex: Festive New Recipes from Just North of the Border
By Robb Walsh, David Garrido, Manny Rodriguez, Stephan Pyles
Chronicle Books - 1998
This is what I call short-cut mole. It's squeezes as much flavor as possible out of the fewest ingredients and steps. Is this the best mole I've ever made? No. But this "abbreviated" mole recipe gets the job done when you don't have all day. Very tasty with chicken breast or cheese and mushroom enchiladas.
useful (1)
Baked: New Frontiers in Baking
By Matt Lewis, Renato Poliafito, Tina Rupp
Stewart, Tabori & Chang - 2008
These were excellent! I went full tilt on the chipotle powder (1 Tablespoon) because I appreciate (and need) a little kick in the morning. I thought these were most delicious warm out of the oven drizzled with honey, but also very satisfying as part of a bacon and scrambled egg sandwich. I topped mine with smoked salt (rather than the kosher) but other than that followed the recipe to a "T". These would also be good alongside a bowl of chili or soup.
useful (2)
Leslie Mackie's Macrina Bakery and Cafe Cookbook: Favorite Breads, Pastries, Sweets and Savories
By Leslie Mackie, Carol Field, Andrew Cleary
Sasquatch Books - 2006
Pretty good for as a bran muffin alternative. I guess the bottom line is these did not satisfy my white sugar addiction:(
If your looking for a healthy-ish breakfast this may be just the muffin for you.
useful (0)
Rustic Fruit Desserts: Crumbles, Buckles, Cobblers, Pandowdies, and More
By Cory Schreiber, Julie Richardson
Ten Speed Press - 2009
This is not only tasty but quite beautiful as well. I doubled the vanilla using the entire bean and it was wonderful. The galette dough recipe is delicious though my butter went from small cubes to fine sand in just a couple pulses of the processor - skipping the small pea size altogether. Came together well and stood up to the juicy plums in spite of my "sandy" dough.
useful (0)
Rick Bayless's Mexican Kitchen: Capturing the Vibrant flavors of a World-Class Cuisine
By Rick Bayless
Scribner - 1996
This mole was delicious with the chicken as well as with eggs the next day. I only strayed from the recipe by not pressing the sauce thru a medium-mesh strainer (too lazy). But I did flip the Vita Mix to high and it came out great. I also simmered the sauce longer than the 30 minutes called for, and the flavors were wonderful - spicy (my poblanos had a kick, cinnamon, cloves), sweet (plantain, raisins) and tangy (tomatillos). Would also be nice on enchiladas.
useful (1)
Food & Wine Best of the Best Cookbook Recipes: The Best Recipes From The 25 Best Cookbooks of the Year
By Editors of Food & Wine
Food & Wine - 2011
Tasty. Since my poblanos were very mild I added a little extra chipotle to give it some spice. Also, I put my tomatoes under the broiler along with the poblanos, allowing them to char slightly. Served with avocado, sour cream and cheese.
useful (1)
Sky High: Irresistible Triple-Layer Cakes
By Alisa Huntsman, Peter Wynne, Tina Rupp
Chronicle Books - 2007
This cake was not only delicious, it was drop dead gorgeous! I filled the cake with the lemon curd recipe (page 126) rather than the called for cream cheese buttercream. Don't get me wrong the buttercream was delicious and I was very generous when frosting the cake but I also had 5 egg yolks left after making the cake -- hence the lemon curd.
useful (4)
Baking Illustrated
By Cook's Illustrated Magazine Editors
America's Test Kitchen - 2004
Just the right amount of tart and sweet. The whipped cream topping piped nicely and managed to stay light but not too sweet. It did take way more than the suggested 3-4 limes for the zest and juice, other than that this recipe was perfect.
useful (2)
Bubby's Brunch Cookbook: Recipes and Menus from New York's Favorite Comfort Food Restaurant
By Ron Silver, Rosemary Black
Ballantine Books - 2009
Checked this one out from the library but this recipe alone had me throwing it into my growing Amazon wish list. These were easy and delicious. The cream cheese was incorporated into the dough which made them very soft and moist. This, the cloves and the addition of honey in the filling were a subtle but nice change from my usual cinnamon rolls.
useful (0)
Sky High: Irresistible Triple-Layer Cakes
By Alisa Huntsman, Peter Wynne, Tina Rupp
Chronicle Books - 2007
This was a delicious, moist cake with a tender crumb. I used it with a cheesecake ice cream, raspberry puree and buttercream frosting for a decadent "sky high" ice cream birthday cake. I did not make the frosting that accompanies this recipe but I'm sure it would be as tasty as everything else I have made from this book.
useful (1)
This cake is moist and flavorful. The blackberry (I was out of blueberries), lemon, and hint of ginger combined beautifully. A layer of cake batter ice cream paired with layers of lemon curd and the blackberry jam made this into a luscious, over the top New Years Celebration Cake.
useful (1)
As usual with this book - delicious success! Used this as the filling for a Vanilla Buttermilk cake with lime -meringue frosting.
useful (1)
Apples for Jam: A Colorful Cookbook
By Tessa Kiros
Andrews McMeel Publishing - 2007
This is wonderfully refreshing, tangy and creamy. If you like lemon curd you'll enjoy this! I used it as a layer of a triple layer ice cream cake, but was happy to have left overs.
useful (1)
The Mozza Cookbook: Recipes from Los Angeles's Favorite Italian Restaurant and Pizzeria
By Nancy Silverton, Matt Molina, Carolynn Carreno, Mario Batali
Knopf - 2011
This is a delicious simple sauce. I was tempted to add garlic etc but didn't and I'm glad. It gave a true and pure tomato flavor to my pizza, allowing the other ingredients to shine.
useful (1)
This is a wonderful recipe that served as the base to the BEST PIZZA EVER! I used it to make Mozza's Margherita Pizza (p.133). I strayed from Nancy's instructions a little by letting the sponge sit overnight (rather than the 90 minutes she advises). The texture was crispy with the slightest chew and brushing the edges with olive oil was a nice touch. The only thing I would not do again is set my pizza stone on the oven floor - my crust got a little charred in spots (maybe my oven was hotter than I thought?).
useful (0)
Super Natural Cooking: Five Delicious Ways to Incorporate Whole and Natural Foods into Your Cooking
By Heidi Swanson
Celestial Arts - 2007
This had great flavor and crunch! Next time I may add a little cayenne for kick. Nice Mexican meal side.
useful (0)
Let me start by saying I would have never bought brussels sprouts :(, but when they showed up in my CSA basket I turned to someone I could trust to handle this tricky little cabbage. As usual Heidi kept it simple, coaxing good flavor out of this notorious vegetable.
useful (0)
Esalen Cookbook
By Charlie Cascio
Gibbs Smith - 2006
These were tender inside with nice, crisp edges. A little "rustic" looking since my dough never really totally came together - I didn't want to add much more liquid and I certainly didn't want to over work it. Grating the butter is great idea, if not a bit tedious, and ensures a flakey biscuit.
useful (0)
A Bird in the Oven and Then Some: 20 Ways to Roast the Perfect Chicken Plus 80 Delectable Recipes
By Mindy Fox
Kyle Books - 2010
Love this roast chicken! It came out moist and flavorful with a wonderful crispy skin. The caper butter was easy to assemble and gave just the right amount of tang and saltiness to the bird. I didn't make the Skordalia - but I will in the near future. Served this with a garlic-y yogurt - cucumber salad.
useful (0)
The Sweet Melissa Baking Book: Recipes from the Beloved Bakery for Everyone's Favorite Treats
By Melissa Murphy
Studio - 2008
Made my usual blueberry muffins even tastier!
useful (0)
Food & Wine Annual 2011: An Entire Year of Recipes (Food & Wine Annual Cookbook)
By Editors of Food & Wine
Food & Wine - 2011
These had a nice nutty/sesame flavor, with a delicate sweetness and a wonderful "sandy" texture. Easy to put together and I could imagine these with many delectable add-ins (cardamom or ginger). I tried half with anise seeds and they came out reminiscent of my grandmothers yummy Lebanese shortbread cookies.
useful (0)
Pure Vegetarian: Modern and Stylish Vegetarian Cooking
By Gayler
National Book Network - 2008
Eh, just all right. It took some tweaking to get it a "Good" rating. What could go wrong - I love all these ingredients? Two problems for me - it just came out bland considering all the wonderful things going into that pot and apparently his idea of medium dice is smaller than mine because my squash was not thoroughly cooked when my rice needed to come off the burner! Yikes! I ended up with a denser risotto than I'd hoped for and having to add a lot more seasoning.
useful (2)
Rustic Fruit Desserts: Crumbles, Buckles, Cobblers, Pandowdies, and More
By Cory Schreiber, Julie Richardson
Ten Speed Press - 2009
This was so good! The cooking time was a little off - mine only needed about 40 minutes (not 50), and I couldn't wait for it to cool! Made it in an 8 inch cast iron skillet and added a little extra (powdered) ginger. The All butter crust recipe (p151) is super flaky and delicious.
useful (0)
One of the flakiest all butter crusts ever - loved it! Used with the Gingered Peach and Blackberry Pandowdy which came out perfect. All butter - all better!
useful (1)
Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking
By Marcella Hazan
Knopf - 1992
This has become a favorite! It's simple and delicious. In fact I kept wanting to complicate it by adding garlic or chili flakes or herbs, but I stayed the course and was rewarded in the end with a scrumptious sauce! I let mine simmer 6 hours and the meat was soft and moist. Made Marcella's homemade pasta to go with it - big hit!
useful (1)
In the Kitchen with A Good Appetite: 150 Recipes and Stories About the Food You Love
By Melissa Clark
Hyperion - 2010
This was a great simple side. I added a healthy squeeze of lemon juice and let it sit overnight. You have to watch the garlic/cumin closely to make sure it doesn't burn (maybe the flame was too high, but 1 minute was too long for my garlic).
useful (0)
The Zuni Cafe Cookbook: A Compendium of Recipes and Cooking Lessons from San Francisco's Beloved Restaurant
By Judy Rodgers, Gerald Asher
W.W. Norton & Co. - 2002
This recipe makes for a moist, tender, juicy chicken. I did have a little trouble with the flipping of the chicken - it did stick even though it was thoroughly dry and my pan was hot when I put it in. No matter, it was tasty and I will be making it again. But for a "last minute" chicken you can't beat Thomas Keller's Roast Chicken (found on epicurious).
useful (1)