jenncc's Reviews
1256 recipes reviewed. Showing 1 to 50Sort by: Book Title | Date | Rating | Recipe Title 
Website: Minimalist Baker
Great texture and flavor make this a wonderful banana bread. It has great banana flavor, rises nicely, very moist and has a proper crumb (isn't gummy or fall apart messy). I added walnuts and as always was a little generous with the spice. Mine took about 1 hour 20 minutes in the oven.
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Dessert For Two: Small Batch Cookies, Brownies, Pies, and Cakes
By Christina Lane
Countryman Press - 2015
Tasted like the classic "bakery-style" chocolate chip cookie I grew up with. Not fancy but delicious. I skimped a bit on the chocolate chips and added 1/3 cup toasted pecans and a little extra salt. These are not cakey and mine spread a bit but weren't too thin - chewy in the center with nice crispy brown edges. Because I chose to make 8 large (rather than the recommended dozen) I turned my oven down to 350 after 8 minutes (at 375) and cooked another 5-6 minutes.
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Comfort and Joy: Cooking for Two
By Christina Lane
Countryman Press - 2015
This is the quickest, easiest puff pastry, with a huge pay off! Delicious for both sweet and savory "pockets".
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The Elements of Pizza: Unlocking the Secrets to World-Class Pies at Home
By Ken Forkish
Ten Speed Press - 2016
As always, Forkish doesn't disappoint! This is flavorful from the extended fermentation, with just the right amount of chew (maybe the 00 flour?) - it was terrific. This held up to our toppings, staying crisp throughout. Can't wait to try the other dough recipes in this book.
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Website: Sally's Baking Addiction
Good vanilla flavor and pretty moist. I used 2 6 inch cake pans instead of 3 (3 would have very thin layers). For the buttercream I subbed some of the butter with cream cheese, used a little less sugar and added some lemon zest. My favorite is still a recipe I found on Food 52.
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Flour Water Salt Yeast: The Fundamentals of Artisan Bread and Pizza
By Ken Forkish
Ten Speed Press - 2012
So delicious! Love the complex, earthy flavor of this bread! This didn't rise as much as the mostly white loaf I made with the same levain but still delicious with a nice crumb and crisp crust.
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Website: Epicurious
Tasty, light and crisp. I used cherries, sliced almonds and sunflower seeds, maple syrup (instead of agave), and decreased the salt to a scant teaspoon. This did not "clump" for me but I enjoyed it just the same.
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California Rancho Cooking: Mexican and Californian Recipes
By Jacqueline Higuera McMahan
Sasquatch Books - 2003
Like the other tortilla recipe in this book these are great. The author mimics the flakey texture of lard tortillas by freezing a small portion of flour and canola oil before incorporating it into the rest of the flour mixture and water. The result were wonderful straight off the griddle - flakey, slightly puffed and tasted like a good homemade tortilla. But with an hour freezing time, an hour rest (30 minutes before and after shaping into balls) this becomes a time consuming recipe. Since I do not have an aversion to shortening or lard (in moderation), I don't think I will go to the trouble of making these again.
The Rancho Flour Tortillas (p 80) or Homesick Texans recipe remains my go to.
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Comfort and Joy: Cooking for Two
By Christina Lane
Countryman Press - 2015
These were simple, had a nice rise in the oven and tasted pretty good. I felt there may have been a tiny bit too much baking soda - I got a little taste of it with a couple bites. I did notice that unlike my usual buttermilk biscuit recipes, this called for more baking soda than it did powder. Not sure if this could be a misprint?? Maybe the called for amounts should be swapped to 1/2 teaspoon baking soda and 1 1/4 teaspoon baking powder??
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I added some blueberries and blue corn flour for a savory blueberry muffin. These have great flavor and are nice and moist.
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Start Here: Instructions for Becoming a Better Cook: A Cookbook
By Sohla El-Waylly
Knopf - 2023
This is a wonderful banana bread with bananas as the star and brown butter in the supporting role. No spice, no chocolate chips and no nuts needed. My 4 bananas came in closer to 400-410 grams and the bread needed a little longer in the oven (tented the last 15-20 minutes). Also I believe the recipe could be better written/needs an edit. She should probably have started with the brown butter since it needs to sit in the fridge until creamy (after browning). This takes at least 20 minutes. I would do this before mashing bananas etc., even could be done ahead of time. Also the ingredients list calls for 2 whole eggs (and 1 yolk), but in the directions there is only reference to one egg to be added to bananas. I used 2.
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Website: food52
Such a wonderful cake for minimal effort! I did use lemon zest rather than orange, and incorporated it into the sugar with my fingers. The texture was moist but not heavy and the flavor was subtle with the perfect sweetness.
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Website: All Recipes
This is a pretty good dressing. I scaled this down based on other reviewers ratios.
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Website: All Recipes
Not sure if its the best but we enjoy it. I like that this doesn't make a huge amount and isn't made up of mostly mayonnaise. Serve often with a wedge salad.
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Josey Baker Bread: Get Baking - Make Awesome Bread - Share the Loaves
By Josey Baker, Erin Kunkel
Chronicle Books - 2014
This is an excellent gluten free alternative! Not exactly a bread but certainly close enough and without the use of rice flours/starches etc. This loaf is made up entirely of nuts and seeds with psyllium as the binder. Great for spreading jam, butter and cheese. The author recommends eating it toasted but I enjoy it either way.
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Around My French Table: More Than 300 Recipes from My Home to Yours
By Dorie Greenspan, Alan Richardson
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt - 2010
Finally got over my raw egg anxiety and whipped (and whipped and whipped) this up. I opted for the 5 or maybe 6 (?) cloves of garlic and an extra squirt of lemon. It did take mine a bit longer to come together (lots of whipping) but when it did it was divine!
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Rustic Fruit Desserts: Crumbles, Buckles, Cobblers, Pandowdies, and More
By Cory Schreiber, Julie Richardson
Ten Speed Press - 2009
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!
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Pie: 300 Tried-and-True Recipes for Delicious Homemade Pie
By Ken Haedrich
Harvard Common Press - 2004
The flavor of the pie was terrific, though I did have to use a cup of blueberries. The problem was that it was soupy when I cut it, even after 45 minutes in the oven and a few hours on the cooling rack. My strawberries weren't particularly juicy even after sitting with the sugar/cornstarch mix. Next time I may add an extra teaspoon cornstarch or allow the berries to macerate a little longer and hold back some of the juices.
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Website: All Recipes
These are excellent! I changed the flavors a bit since I am not a chocolate fan, instead using lemon flavored chips (like chocolate chips, but lemon:), butterscotch chips, dried berries, and whatever nuts I have on hand. This bar holds together, has great texture and just the right sweetness! They freeze well too.
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Website: King Arthur Flour
I crave the Italian almond cookies from Sant Ambroeus in NYC. So these are not exactly them, and mine did come out a little "looser" than they are meant to be, but the texture (crispy/chewy) was definitely there. Mine spread a lot (too much egg white?) and they were a bit too sweet (even though I cut the sugar). Next time I will add even less sugar - maybe just over half a cup- or use a different almond paste (I used Odense). KA sells a good one.
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Website: joy the baker
For a cookie made with almond flour I thought these were pretty good. I like the generous amount of vanilla and the bit of cinnamon in the dough. Mine did not spread and looked nothing like the pictures on the website, so I gently pressed them down with a spoon before baking. These are pretty fragile straight out of the oven but after 10 minutes cooling on the pan they firm up. I prefer them slightly warm so I am baking them as needed.
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The Cook's Illustrated Baking Book
By Editors of Cook's Illustrated Magazine
Boston Common Press - 2013
Crisp and delicious. Halved the recipe and added extra nuts, no dried fruit. Not as clumpy as some others (usually with egg white) but it disappeared quickly!
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Website: Smitten Kitchen
Followed others recommendation and decreased the almond extract to 1/4 teaspoon and it was excellent - rich, creamy and not too sweet. Even if you're looking for a strong almond flavor I think 1/2 teaspoon would do it (3/4 is overkill).
Cooking time was about 35 minutes. This recipe and the SK recipe for Arroz Con Leche are two of my favorite rice puddings.
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Clean Eats: Over 200 Delicious Recipes to Reset Your Body's Natural Balance and Discover What It Means to Be Truly Healthy
By Alejandro Junger
HarperOne - 2014
Love these even if I wasn't eating "Clean". I like them sliced a bit thicker and they do benefit (like most cookies) from an overnight in the fridge. After they cool they have the texture of smooth peanut butter cookies - soft and slightly chewy.
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Website: food52
This is a very good thumbprint cookie recipe and a nice change from the usual jam version. The flakey salt on the chocolate is a great touch. The cookie itself is tender but holds it shape nicely, although I did have to lightly push the "thumbprint" in again during baking. I did add almond extract.
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Website: Martha Stewart
Tasty treat and a decent way to use up those egg whites. I veered from the recipe a bit as I thought 1) 1/4 cup honey may be a little too much with all that sweet fruit 2) I also made these into bars in an 8x8 pyrex, baking them about 28 minutes at 325. They did not hold together perfectly but that could be because of my revisions.
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Chewy Gooey Crispy Crunchy Melt-In-Your-Mouth Cookies by Alice Medrich
By Alice Medrich
Artisan - 2010
These are very tasty with just the right amount of crunch and chew. Quick and easy recipe. I cooked mine about 18-20 minutes to retain the chewy interior. Next time I may cut the powdered sugar by 1/3 cup (I saw other recipes w/ less so it should work).
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Website: King Arthur Flour
Wonderful rolls - light, airy texture and delicious buttery flavor. These will be on my Thanksgiving table!
Update 11/2023 These have been my go to rolls for several years now. This is a sticky dough and I find it best to make in the kitchen aid, refrigerate overnight for the first rise, and shape (into 60 gram rolls) the next morning after an hour or so on the counter. This not only improves the flavor but also makes them much easier to shape. Always a crowd pleaser!
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Enchiladas: Aztec to Tex-Mex
By Cappy Lawton, Chris Waters Dunn
Trinity University Press - 2015
This is the stuff! I have been searching for the basic chili sauce they use back in San Antonio at my favorite Tex-Mex spots and this is it. This makes more than you need for the Tex-Mex Enchiladas in the book but it freezes well. It is rich and earthy with a slightly spicy kick. Used this to make the Tex-Mex Chicken Enchiladas.
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The Homesick Texan Cookbook
By Lisa Fain
Hyperion - 2011
I love this recipe because it isn't overly creamy - you still know your eating corn. The flavors of the sweet fresh corn and the mild ancho spice are are great together. Don't skip the hit of lime at the end! Also I got about 5 cups of corn from only 4 cobs (not 8).
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The Homesick Texan's Family Table: Lone Star Cooking from My Kitchen to Yours
By Lisa Fain
Ten Speed Press - 2014
I had never had Angel biscuits before but came across them during my quest for a "high rise" biscuit. The yeast definitely helped provide the lift I was looking for but not sure how these would work for a crowd of very opinionated Southern biscuit lovers. Still looking for a traditional big biscuit... in the meantime I will continue to enjoy these at home. The flavor and texture were nice and they came together easily.
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Website: The Food Network
It's a biscuit! It's a dinner roll! My first time making Angel Biscuits and they will definitely be on the table again soon. These have triple leavening power - baking powder, baking soda and yeast, making them not only high risers but also soft and yeasty. I made 2 right away and left the rest of the dough overnight in the fridge which only improved the flavor. These are great for breakfast with jam or gravy, but equally welcome on the dinner table or for sandwiches.
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Bi-Rite Market's Eat Good Food: A Grocer's Guide to Shopping, Cooking & Creating Community Through Food
By Sam Mogannam, Dabney Gough
Ten Speed Press - 2011
I have made this with several different herbs/ greens - sorrel, arugula, cilantro - and it always comes out great. I sometimes add red pepper flakes and/or extra lemon juice.
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Website: Epicurious
Delicious pie! Used the Easy Pastry Dough recipe and it was perfect with this filling. I prefer this pie to the Apple and Tart Cherry Pie recipe also on epi., this one seems to have a better balance of sweet to tartness.
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Website: Epicurious
I loved the crust - LOVED it. The pie was pretty darn good, however mine needed a bit more sweetness - perhaps a sweeter apple would resolve this? I think next time I will use a combination of Granny Smiths and Honey Crisp apples.
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The Homesick Texan's Family Table: Lone Star Cooking from My Kitchen to Yours
By Lisa Fain
Ten Speed Press - 2014
I loved this simple cake! Halved this recipe and put it in a glass lasagna pan. It came out quite under done even after adding 10 minutes to the cooking time. Back into the oven it went for another 10-15 and we were rewarded in the end with a moist tender cake perfect for a bbq dessert (or snacking or breakfast).
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Website: Taste of Home Recipes
First time making overnight oats and I am eager to add this to my breakfast rotation. Instead of raisins I chopped dried apricots which added a nice sweet/tart burst of flavor. Next time I will cut down on the milk (maybe to 3/4 cup) and try different fruit/spice/nut combinations.
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Website: Serious Eats
These are like the best bowl of oatmeal you ever had, in a cookie! Mine looked nothing like the picture on the website but maybe that's because I was very generous with the apple (using about 3 extra tablespoons)and spices. I also subbed apple butter for the sauce (though my apple butter was very applesauce-y). One batch also got chunks of crystalized ginger which was terrific!
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Website: Epicurious
This was delicious! Loved the savory bite of the cheddar with the sweet/tart apples (I used Granny Smith and Honey Crisp). Like others I added my favorite apple pie spices - cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg. Crust was flakey, even held up against my extra juicy apples.
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Website: The Food Network
This was a delicious take on a classic. It doesn't stray too far from most recipes, with one big exception- it uses an egg white and olive oil combination in place of the usual butter for brushing the layers of dough. I admit I was a little weary of the lack of butter and afraid the strudel might take on an eggy flavor but all concern disappeared once I tasted it. This recipe also called for less sugar than many I had looked at, thus making it a bit lighter but with wonderful crisp layers and plenty of apple/cinnamon flavor. I may have been a little generous with the spice (as usual), I used tart dried apricots instead of raisins and I subbed saltine cracker crumbs for the panko without problem.
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The New Moosewood Cookbook (Mollie Katzen's Classic Cooking)
By Mollie Katzen
TEN SPEED PRESS - 2000
I was intrigued by this recipe because of the addition of cheddar cheese. While I enjoyed the strudel I have to say I really liked my previous (foodnetwork) strudel better. The cheddar did not come thru though I used a sharp and plenty of it. Here is what I learned: 1) I prefer sliced apples to chopped for this, 2) Olive oil and egg whites gave a crispier crust than filo brushed with butter! 3) if I use cheddar again it must be extra sharp and more of it 4) more filo sheets does not equal better strudel, the 5 sheets in the previous recipe was sufficient and made for nicer looking dessert (corners get thick with too much dough) 5)Subbing dried apricots soaked in rum and vanilla is indeed a great idea 6) Trader Joe's filo is pretty good! 7) Cinnamon and apples are friends, the Foodnetwork recipe amount of 1 teaspoon was perfect 8)Lastly, I certainly do not need 3 strudels which is how much this makes.
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Website: Bon Appetit
Terrific Pie! The apples are roasted with sugar, cooled then added to the best flaky pie crust I have made in a long time! Spices are simple - just cinnamon, and crust seems basic (no egg or sugar) but with the sprinkle of coarse sugar on top it's just perfect. I halved this recipe using 2 Granny Smith's and 2 large Honey crisps, making 3 over stuffed mini pies.
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Better Baking: Wholesome Ingredients, Delicious Desserts
By Genevieve Ko
Rux Martin/Houghton Mifflin Harcourt - 2016
Definitely one of the healthier granolas I have made, however the spices did not come thru and the flavor would have benefited from a bit more honey or perhaps a substitution of maple syrup. I just felt these flavors fell a little flat. I have made other low sugar granolas, often using maple syrup and more spice, which I prefer. The texture was good and I liked the addition of sesame and flax. This was a perfectly acceptable granola for adding crunch to my morning fruit and yogurt, but not great as a stand alone or add milk granola.
The author includes a recipe for applesauce that may make a difference in the results, but I used an unsweetened grocery store brand.
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Man'oushe: Inside the Street Corner Lebanese Bakery
By Barbara Abdeni Massaad, Raymond Yazbeck
Interlink Pub Group - 2013
This recipe made a very good pita (with potential for great pita). First of all I did not have bread flour so I had to use all purpose, not a huge deal since the author herself says a.p. works fine but gives a slightly different consistency to the dough. I'm not sure that the two flours (bread or a.p., plus cake flour) are necessary but it did create an easy dough to work with and the final product had just enough chew. A few of my pita's did not puff up however and from what I can tell it was the smaller sized ones (around 5-6 inches) that were more successful. Next time I will try it with the bread flour and keep the pitas on the small size.
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Della Fattoria Bread: 63 Foolproof Recipes for Yeasted, Enriched & Naturally Leavened Breads
By Kathleen Weber, Thomas Keller
Artisan - 2014
Loved the slight crunch and mild flavors of this bread. Perfect for sandwiches etc.
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Website: The Food Network
This is a very comforting dish - creamy and delicious. Mine took a bit longer to thicken despite using some of the "tricks" other reviews discussed but the end result was worth an extra 10 minutes. I liked this recipe because it wasn't too sweet, didn't call for eggs or the 4-6 cups milk that many other recipes do, and it used arborio rice which always makes a great pudding. I added a good dose of cinnamon and vanilla and thoroughly enjoyed.
Update... I came back to this yesterday and realized it is just too milky and really not that creamy. Maybe it was something I did or perhaps my rice (I used Arborio as called for) but the texture was just kinda blah. The flavor is good - cinnamon/milk/rice, but I do think rice pudding is all about texture and I have certainly made better. I still appreciate that this is not too sweet and when it is warm it is very nice but I think it could benefit from an egg yolk or longer cooking time.
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Website: The Kitchn
Good basic Arepa recipe. My pan may have been too hot since the outside looked done (charred in spots) but they did not get fully cooked in the middle so I put them in a 350 oven for about 10 -12 minutes and they were perfect. Served stuffed with pork and salsa. Also made one with cheese - arepa dough rolled out about 1/4 inch topped with cheese and another portion of dough then seal seams tightly and cook. Delicious!
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The Homesick Texan Cookbook
By Lisa Fain
Hyperion - 2011
This is a wonderfully creamy dessert with just the right amount of spice. Loved the addition of candied almonds for crunch and a little hit of salt. I reduce the quantity to about 1/4 the recipe which was perfect for 2.
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Website: Smitten Kitchen
I really enjoyed this rice pudding and that is a good thing since, as others have reported, it makes A LOT! I love how creamy it is and fortunately my rice didn't break down too much. I did take it off just after 20 minutes during the second stage of cooking, and that was perfect for me. I only used about 9 ounces sweetened condensed milk since I prefer it less sweet, but truth be told I don't think it would have been overkill with the whole 12 ounces. Other than that and the slightly shorter cook time I followed this recipe exactly. Updating this one to 5 stars - it is so creamy and delicious. I feel the flavors really came out as it cooled.
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