foodiewife's Reviews
99 recipes reviewed. Showing 1 to 50Sort by: Book Title | Date | Rating | Recipe Title 
Everyday Food: Great Food Fast
By Martha Stewart Living Magazine
Clarkson Potter - 2007
I've been wanting to make this recipe for a very long time. Think of this as a hybrid quesadilla meets enchilada. The spring form pan made this a very pretty presentation. I did use the beer (instead of water) which took more than 10 minutes to reduce.
This is a hearty and flavorful meatless dinner, that reheats really well. It's highly versatile. You could add chicken, for extra protein. You could add red bell pepper for color. I'll make it again.
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The Complete America's Test Kitchen TV Show Cookbook
By Editors at America's Test Kitchen
Cook's Illustrated - 2009
I like this recipe a lot. Melting the butter makes this cookie batter a breeze to make. You just stir with a wooden spoon. I used M&M's instead of semi-sweet chips. They're a family favorite, because they are chewy in the middle. Perfect!
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Joy the Baker Cookbook: 100 Simple and Comforting Recipes
By Joy Wilson
Hyperion - 2012
I'm kinda meh about chocolate frosting. But this one hits it right out of the ballpark! I frosted my fudgy brownies with this, and they were the first thing that was gone at a potluck! So good!
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Slow Cooker Revolution
By The Editors at America's Test Kitchen, America's Test Kitchen
Boston Common Press - 2011
Not bad, but nothing earth shattering. I blogged this recipe and here are my tasting notes:
I decreased the chipotle from 1 teaspoon to 1/2 teaspoon (I'm whimpy about heat). The chili has a tangy flavor from the tomatoes, with light notes of citrus from the lime zest and juice. This is very different than a traditional beef-style chili, but it's a nice change. It tastes "healthy". I don't know what to say if you have children to feed-- there isn't a lot of tequila, but I'm not going to risk Child Protective Services from paying you a visit. If you leave out the tequila, I'm sure that the chili will taste fine-- or, you could skip adding more tequila before serving. The first two tablespoons, added at the beginning, would have long cooked out any alcohol. Your choice.
http://foodiewife-kitchen.blogspot.com/2012/02/tequila-and-lime-turkey-chili-slow.html
useful (1)
The Best of America's Test Kitchen 2012: The Year's Best Recipes, Equipment Reviews, and Tastings (Best of America's Test Kitchen Cookbook: The Year's Best Recipes)
By Editors at America's Test Kitchen
Boston Common Press - 2011
These are ultra-tender pancakes. I made a Lingonberry butter. Loved these,and found them very addicting. They are very delicate to work with, though. It will improve crepe making skills, for sure. A picture tutorial is on my blog at: http://foodiewife-kitchen.blogspot.com/2011/06/swedish-pancakes-with-lingonberry.html
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The America's Test Kitchen Healthy Family Cookbook: A New, Healthier Way to Cook Everything from America's Most Trusted Test Kitchen
By America's Test Kitchen, America's Test Kitchen, America's Test Kitchen, Editors of Cook's Illustrated Magazine, America's Test Kitchen
America's Test Kitchen - 2010
I completely forgot to review this recipe! Yes, making the bread crumbs took a bit of work/waiting time. I actually loved the coating of the fish, and I used fresh herbs. I use wild-caught Pacific Cod. I blogged this recipe two years ago. I'm providing the link, in case you'd like to see my step-by-step photos and how it turned out. I was happy with the "crunch" without deep frying. I need to make this again!
useful (2)
The Perfect Scoop: Ice Creams, Sorbets, Granitas, and Sweet Accessories
By David Lebovitz
Ten Speed Press,U.S. - 2007
I love strawberries, and this is an excellent way to enjoy them. Kirsch is used in this recipe, and the alcohol also helps to reduce ice crystals. This is very simple to prepare. I make it every summer, when locally grown sweet and organic strawberries are in season.
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The Pioneer Woman Cooks: Food from My Frontier
By Ree Drummond
William Morrow Cookbooks - 2012
Ree is really digging back into her oldies but goodies recipe, from waaaaaaay back on her blog. This is one of her first recipes I ever made, but it's good. The cake is sturdy enough to hold up against fresh strawberries, and who doesn't love a cream cheese frosting?
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Cook's Country
(Jun/Jul, 2011)
This cake involves a few steps. I used my own, locally grown organic strawberries, that I had packed and frozen. There are a few steps involved, so it's a bit time consuming. I was a bit disappointed that the cake wasn't as pink as I thought it would be. If you're not afraid of some Red Dye-40, and you want a true pink, you might add a drop or two of red food coloring.The cake was a bit denser than I prefer; I also felt that it wasn't as moist as I had hoped. I'm a true fan of very tender white cake. The frosting was the star of this cake. I served a slice of this to our guests, with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. They loved it! Sure, there are several steps involved. The end result is worth it, and it's a very pretty cake!
You can see a step-by-step tutorial and printable recipe on my food blog at:
http://foodiewife-kitchen.blogspot.com/2011/05/strawberry-dream-cake-from-scratch.html
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The Best of America's Test Kitchen 2012: The Year's Best Recipes, Equipment Reviews, and Tastings (Best of America's Test Kitchen Cookbook: The Year's Best Recipes)
By Editors at America's Test Kitchen
Boston Common Press - 2011
Three stars goes to the cake. The texture is more of a sponge cake, and I followed the recipe exactly. I tend to check my cake five minutes before the recommended baking time, so I don't overbake them. Sure enough, it was ready five minutes early. I felt that the cake felt a bit short of moistness, but the flavor was good. However, the cake still had a slight "grey" color cast to it, so I guess some Red Dye-40 might be necessary if you want a truly pink cake. The frosting was four stars...maybe even five. Very, very good. This is a bit fussy to make, but at least I didn't have to use boxed cake mix and jello. You can see a picture tutorial on my blog at: http://foodiewife-kitchen.blogspot.com/2011/05/strawberry-dream-cake-from-scratch.html
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The Complete America's Test Kitchen TV Show Cookbook
By Editors at America's Test Kitchen
Cook's Illustrated - 2009
The sponge cake is really easy to make. The cream cheese and whipped cream frosting is velvety and outstanding. Every summer, when our locally grown organic strawberries are in season, I make this cake. It's stunning to present to guests, too. I've photographed how I made this on my blog:
http://foodiewife-kitchen.blogspot.com/2010/04/beautiful-creamy-strawberry-cream-cake.html
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Barefoot Contessa How Easy Is That?: Fabulous Recipes & Easy Tips
By Ina Garten
Clarkson Potter - 2010
Foolproof way to prepare filet Mignon. I made this for "Date Night" at home.
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The Complete America's Test Kitchen TV Show Cookbook
By Editors at America's Test Kitchen
Cook's Illustrated - 2009
I haven't made this recipe in a while, and not since I started food blogging. I absolutely must make it again. The sauce is divine! In fact, I freeze leftover sauce in a zip-loc bag, and it's perfect for a quick Bistro style dinner. Excellent!
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Barefoot Contessa How Easy Is That?: Fabulous Recipes & Easy Tips
By Ina Garten
Clarkson Potter - 2010
As Ina says, this is otherwise known as "Midnight Spaghetti". Very easy to make. For more protein, I ended up sauteeing some fresh shrimp and added some freshly picked pear and cherry tomatoes, from our garden. It added extra color and was delicious-- and on the table in less than 30 minutes.
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The Complete America's Test Kitchen TV Show Cookbook
By Editors at America's Test Kitchen
Cook's Illustrated - 2009
I made this recipe for roast beef sandwiches. I bought a quality grass-fed eye of round at Whole Foods (it's a splurge, I know). The roast turned out perfectly, and was well-seasoned. This has become a "go to" way to prepare roast and has become one of my most popular recipe posts, on my blog. http://foodiewife-kitchen.blogspot.com/2011/01/slow-roasted-beef-cooks-illustrated.html
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Rarely do I give less than four stars to ATK. Somehow, their Mexican food doesn't thrill me as much. Maybe it's because I grew up with authentic Mexican food, because I'm half Mexican? Tamale Pie is a classic dish that has the flavors of Mexico. The good thing about this recipe is that it's very quick to make. I felt that it was lacking in the flavor department-- so, I added 2 Tablespoons of tomato paste (I freeze tablespoon increments so that an opened can doesn't go to waste). I added 1 tsp of Cumin. I also added 2 cups of frozen corn kernels (no need to thaw). Instead of canned tomatoes, I used Rotel tomatoes, that has diced green chilis in it. Good call. It needed more heat, though. Next time, I'll kick up the diced green chilis and a little more chili powder and cumin. Good, but not outstanding.
The cornbread topping was good though. It was moist and tender, and so I shall keep that part of the recipe intact
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The Complete Cooking For Two Cookbook
By Editors at America's Test Kitchen
Boston Common Press - 2014
Very easy to make, but I'd reduce the water from 4 cups to 3 cups. The sauce turned out a bit watery. I added some cooked shrimp for protein,and next time I'll add some steamed broccoli. What made this recipe work was the pasta is cooked with white wine, a little heavy cream (not too much) and water. One pan skillet cooking is fantastic!
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The Complete America's Test Kitchen TV Show Cookbook
By Editors at America's Test Kitchen
Cook's Illustrated - 2009
As I read this recipe, I thought to myself "this doesn't sound like it has much flavor". I don't want to make Skillet Lasagna with bottled spaghetti sauce, so I liked the idea of the diced tomatoes and tomato sauce. I tweaked this recipe quite a bit, and I'm glad that I did. First, I used three Italian sausages, mixed with ground beef. I thought it gave a nice texture. The technique for cooking I switched around. First, I browned the sausage (out of the casing) and the beef, then drained it. In the same pan, I added a wee bit of olive oil and then cooked the onion; then added the garlic and red pepper flakes and then combined it with the sauce/meat mixture. I then added some Italian seasoning (I make my own with basil, oregano, garlic, rosemary & marjoram) for more seasoning.
I did use broken up lasagna noodles. I had to add about 1/3 cup more water, to cover the noodles. I let the noodles simmer for 20 minutes and they still didn't seem cooked, and a bit soupy. So, I left the lid off for about 8 more minutes. Still it seemed soupy, so I put the lid on and carefully drained most of the liquid.
On low heat, I added Ricotta cheese (using a small scoop), the Parmesan and then I gave a generous layer of 4-cheese (provolone, mozzarella, fontina and I forget...I buy it at Trader Joe's.)
After leaving the lid on for 5 minutes, the cheese hadn't melted, so I broiled the whole skillet for 3-4 minutes.
That did the trick! I cannot imagine lasagna with lots of melted cheese. My basil garden is finished, so I didn't have any to add, or I would have.
It's a good recipe, but I think it would have been bland had I not added Italian seasoning and cheese to it.
I have some waiting for lunch tomorrow, and I'll bet it will taste even better.
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I have made this recipe, multiple times, and it always turns out great. I don't change a single ingredient nor stray for the directions. The addition of the lemon juice, at the end, really does add brightness to this recipe. I love skillet dinners, because it's perfect for a work night, and a whole lot less pots and pans to cook.
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Barefoot Contessa Back to Basics: Fabulous Flavor from Simple Ingredients
By Ina Garten
Clarkson Potter - 2008
I had fun making these. The only thing I changed was that I used Feta cheese instead of goat cheese. AS hard as I try, I cannot bond with the flavor of goat cheese. It's just too strong a flavor.
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Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams at Home
By Jeni Britton Bauer
Artisan - 2011
I didn't have butter flavor, but I use Lorann's Sweet Dough Baking Emulsion, which has a lovely buttery flavor to it. Instead of using peppermint essential oil, I use pure peppermint extract...just a little at a time. I didn't want the peppermint to overpower the ice cream. I only had white chocolate chips, which was a mistake. Chips have an additive that makes melting them nice and smooth, very difficult. Next time, I'll use block white chocolate so that it breaks into beautiful chips. Either way, the ice cream tasted just like the buttermints that we get at a restaurant where we eat. The turmeric gives a beautiful yellow color, without affecting the flavor. I usually make an egg custard ice cream, but I have to say that Jeni's cream cheese "secret ingredient" rather than egg is a great substitute. Super creamy. The next day I made "Funfetti Cookies" (on my blog) and used the ice cream to turn these into ice cream sandwiches. Fabulous!
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Barefoot Contessa How Easy Is That?: Fabulous Recipes & Easy Tips
By Ina Garten
Clarkson Potter - 2010
Regular Italian sausage is an ideal ingredient. Just be sure to drain the excess fat. Fresh thyme would be an excellent addition. I'm not sure if panko crumbs are vital. The moisture of the filling defeated the crunchiness of panko crumbs. I think regular bread crumbs would be fine. You can easily make the sausage a day ahead-- which is exactly what I've done.
Read more: http://foodiewife-kitchen.blogspot.com/2009/12/ina-gartens-sausage-stuffed-mushrooms.html#ixzz1WwBvJdIY
Under Creative Commons License: Attribution
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Bon Appetit
(August, 2011)
We enjoyed these baked fries. What I liked about this recipe was tossing the baked fries in with a bit of oil and freshly minced garlic. I also didn't need to pre-cook the fries in the microwave. I think it would be fun to use some seasoning salt and even more garlic. Super easy. Excellent recipe.
NOTE: I actually got this recipe from the website, so I don't know the page number. It's on my food blog:
http://foodiewife-kitchen.blogspot.com/2011/08/san-francisco-garlic-fries-made-lite.html
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The Pioneer Woman Cooks: Food from My Frontier
By Ree Drummond
William Morrow Cookbooks - 2012
This is a really easy recipe to make, and a true man-pleasing dinner. I'm a carnivore, too, and I loved this recipe a lot.
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Cuisine at Home
(June, 2011)
According to Cuisine at home, Bistecca alla Fiorentia is one of the most celebrated dishes in Tuscany. In doing a little bit of internet research, I see that a Porterhouse cut of beef is most traditional. I think that a Rib-Eyes is a great alternative choice, because it has a lot of marbling. As the interior fat melts, it keeps the steak flavorful and moist-- which is a great failsafe, in case you overcook a bit longer than you intended to.
The pickled orange shallots are a nice garnish, as it cuts back on the fattiness of the steak. The steak is coated with extra-virgin olive oil, with orange zest, garlic, fresh basil and mint. We loved it!
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The Pioneer Woman Cooks: Food from My Frontier
By Ree Drummond
William Morrow Cookbooks - 2012
There is no need for me to buy bottled salsa. This recipe is super easy to make and I appreciate it most when tomato growing season is over. I like being able to adjust the heat of this recipe by adding more or less jalapeno. Yes, it tastes just like the salsa that is served at Mexican restaurants.
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Cook's Country
(Jun/Jul, 2011)
The beans were perfectly cooked, thank goodness. To me, the flavor was was very savory. I wasn't sure if it was the Worcestershire sauce, or too much Dijon mustard. Personally, I was sorely tempted to add tomato paste. But, the article said, "Although many recipes call for tomato products, native New Englander's assured us that they had no place in an authentic Boston baked bean recipe." I reconsidered what to do, as I much prefer a sweeter version of baked beans. Hey, I'm from California!
I decided to add an extra 1/4 cup of brown sugar and some honey. Yes, honey! I'm sorry if this offends anyone from Boston, but this did the trick for me.
I have to be honest with all of you. On a scale from 1-5, 5 meaning that the beans were out-of-this-world great, I give this recipe a 3.5... only because I think Bush's Beans have spoiled my palate. HOWEVER, my husband and son loved these beans! They were completely devoured by day #2, and my son asked me to make them again. Therefore, my suggestion is that you can either adapt this recipe if you like a less savory version of Boston Baked Beans. Just to be a bit rebellious, I might go ahead and add some tomato paste, next time. I can't help it, but I love the tang of some concentrated tomato. Just don't tell anyone you know, who lives on the East Coast! I'll just rename them "California Baked Beans", okay?
You can view how I made these on my blog at:
http://foodiewife-kitchen.blogspot.com/2011/05/quicker-boston-baked-beans.html
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Barefoot Contessa Family Style: Easy Ideas and Recipes That Make Everyone Feel Like Family
By Ina Garten
Clarkson Potter - 2002
I love tomatoes, especially baked/broiled. The only thing I didn't like about the way the recipe was written, is that you drizzle olive oil after it's been baked. I've made this, since, and I prefer to use panko crumbs. I drizzle the olive oil into the breadcrumbs to help them bind. For extra flavor, I dot the tops with a little butter.
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The Complete America's Test Kitchen TV Show Cookbook
By Editors at America's Test Kitchen
Cook's Illustrated - 2009
I'll have to try making these again. Somehow these didn't turn out as crispy as I'd hoped. I even used a cast iron skillet. However, the flavor was good. It's definitely worth another shot at it.
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The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook
By Ina Garten, Martha Stewart
Clarkson Potter - 1999
Gosh, it's been a very long time since I've made this recipe. I remember it, well, because I don't like fennel. A friend suggested that I make this recipe, and I did like it! How can you go wrong with heavy cream and gruyere? I'll have to make this again, so I can photograph it and blog it. It's perfect for a Fall/Winter Side Dish. Fattening, but a nice treat.
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Barefoot Contessa How Easy Is That?: Fabulous Recipes & Easy Tips
By Ina Garten
Clarkson Potter - 2010
I have more basil than I know what to do with, so this recipe was a perfect twist on mashed potatoes to make. I've made this twice. The first time, I followed Ina's recipe as written. This might sound "odd" but my family thought it had notes of pumpkin pie. Hmmm. I felt that I'd love the dish, more, if I added garlic to it. So, my adaptation kind of went like this. I cooked unpeeled Yukon Gold potatoes in a whole milk/heavy cream mixture (a Tyler Florence trick), until fork tender. I poured out the milk when the spuds were done and divided it. For one half of the reserved milk, I added the Parmesan and allowed it to thicken on low heat. In a blender, I added the blanched basil and then slowly added the reserved Parmesan milk mixture. I mashed the potatoes and slowly added this milk to the spuds until they were creamy enough. The reserved milk was added, until I had the desired texture consistency. I loved this version!
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Pressure Cooker Perfection
By Editors at America's Test Kitchen
Boston Common Press - 2013
This is the first recipe I've made from this cookbook. Oh, how I loved this recipe! I'm such a big fan of braised meats. I appreciate turning less expensive cuts of meats into tender bite-size meals. This took 15 minutes for me to prep. That included deboning the country-style pork ribs (Whole Foods didn't have boneless). I have an electric pressure cooker, that I adore. It took about 10 minutes for the ragu to come to pressure, and then 20 minutes to cook. The sauce was a beautiful reddish brown color, had just the right amount of thickness. The background flavor of the red wine, with just a hint of red pepper flakes-- the garlic, the pasta, the tender meat... so delicious! This recipe is a keeper, for sure.
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The Pioneer Woman Cooks: Food from My Frontier
By Ree Drummond
William Morrow Cookbooks - 2012
This is an easy pizza dough to make, and a good basic one to have on hand.
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Barefoot Contessa How Easy Is That?: Fabulous Recipes & Easy Tips
By Ina Garten
Clarkson Potter - 2010
"Thank God It's Friday"! It's a nice cocktail, but it needed a little bit more of something. (The grapefruits weren't as sweet as I expected.) I added a couple Tablespoons of sugar (simple syrup would work well, too) extra ice and it was perfect. This makes 8 servings. I froze half of this. The next day, it was added to a blender with some ice and it was just as good!
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The Pioneer Woman Cooks: Food from My Frontier
By Ree Drummond
William Morrow Cookbooks - 2012
I love any kind of gratin. This is a good recipe, but not my ultimate favorite. Ree uses Russet potatoes and cheddar cheese. It's good, and rich, but my all time favorite is made with Yukon Gold's and Fontina cheese. But, that's just my own personal preference.
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Barefoot Contessa Family Style: Easy Ideas and Recipes That Make Everyone Feel Like Family
By Ina Garten
Clarkson Potter - 2002
So far, this is my go to recipe for pie crusts. I've posted a tutorial on how to make this, and easy tips for rolling out pie dough and crimping it. It's on my blog at:
http://foodiewife-kitchen.blogspot.com/2010/06/california-olallieberry-pie-barefoot.html
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Joy the Baker Cookbook: 100 Simple and Comforting Recipes
By Joy Wilson
Hyperion - 2012
NOTE: The page number is from my iPad version of this book.
I will never buy commercial made kettle corn again. This recipe is fool-proof and perfect. This is our Date Night at home snack, while watching a streamed movie. Love this!
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I forgot to rate this! Yes, this is super easy to make. I have made it a few times, and didn't have any problems with burned sugar or sticking. I have a non-stick heavy pot with a tight-fitting lid, so that helps. The trick is to lift and shake the pot up and down and sideways, every 15 seconds or so. Set it back on the flame and repeat.
I upped the sugar by one extra tablespoon and it's perfect!
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The Complete Cooking For Two Cookbook
By Editors at America's Test Kitchen
Boston Common Press - 2014
A fried egg recipe? Really? Yes, really. There are some clever tips that yields diner style crispy edges with thick and creamy yolks. I've been making fried eggs all wrong, until I made this recipe. You can see it on my blog: http://www.afeastfortheeyes.net/2015/06/perfect-fried-eggs-plus-were-off-on-our.html
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The Pasta Bible
By Jeni Wright
Anness - 1999
Pasta is my kind of fast food. I doubled the amount of garlic, and I cooked the broccoli with the pasta, during the last two minutes. I love gorgonzola, but didn't have any on hand. Instead, I added freshly grated Parmesan to the sauce towards the last minute. Oh, I added a pinch of red pepper flakes and a small fresh squeeze of lemon juice, at the very end. The broccoli stayed bright green, and was just like my pasta-- al dente. Great and easy recipe.
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The Pasta Bible: The Definitive Sourcebook, with over 1,000 Illustrations
By Christian Teubner, Silvio Rizzi, Tan Lee Leng
Chartwell Books, Inc. - 2009
Like so many pasta recipes, this one came together super fast. This isn't low-fat, by any means, but once in a while a cream sauce is such a tasty indulgence. I followed the recipe with only two adaptions. One, I doubled the garlic. Second, I didn't have Gorgonzola on hand so I used a quality Parmesan cheese...that I actually added in the last minute of cooking the sauce.
Instead of cooking my broccoli separately, and rinsing it with cold water, I simply added it to the cooked pasta for the last 2 minutes. The broccoli stayed a beautiful green, and was perfectly cooked as the way we eat our pasta-- al dente. The men in my family scarfed two helpings, each. I loved the additional garlic.
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Cook's Country
(Jun/Jul, 2011)
This recipes is a little bit fussy to make. I made a mistake, that worked out to my benefit. I forgot to peel the peaches before roasting them. It turned out that the peels came off much easier. I had some challenges with my pie crust, in that it shrank a lot (I was trying a new recipe, because I never use store-bought). I had made a Creme Anglaise and a Raspberry Coulis sauce, that I drizzled over each slice-- kind of made this a Peach Melba fancier dessert. The surprise was that I had some leftover peaches and cream filling, and I filled some ramekins with it. Whoa! That was so good! I'd definitely make this again.
You can see a step-by-step tutorial on my blog at:
http://foodiewife-kitchen.blogspot.com/2011/06/peaches-cream-pie-would-you-like-crust.html
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Barefoot Contessa at Home: Everyday Recipes You'll Make Over and Over Again
By Ina Garten
Clarkson Potter - 2006
Crumbles, crisp...I think it's the same thing. I love to make crisps, as they're so fast and easy to do. It's a great way for me to use seasonal fruit. I loved this recipe.
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Barefoot Contessa Family Style: Easy Ideas and Recipes That Make Everyone Feel Like Family
By Ina Garten
Clarkson Potter - 2002
This is a really easy recipe to make, and it's impressive enough for company. I followed the recipe, but I made one small tweak. I used panko crumbs, instead of bread crumbs. I prepared the chicken ahead of time, refrigerated it and cooked it when it was time to get dinner ready for my guests. They were so impressed, and I didn't even break a sweat! I loved the crunchy texture of the chicken, and I'm glad that I used panko crumbs instead. It's a keeper!
A photo tutorial is on my food blog at:
http://foodiewife-kitchen.blogspot.com/2009/08/parmesan-chicken-provencal-tomatoes.html
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The America's Test Kitchen Healthy Family Cookbook: A New, Healthier Way to Cook Everything from America's Most Trusted Test Kitchen
By America's Test Kitchen, America's Test Kitchen, America's Test Kitchen, Editors of Cook's Illustrated Magazine, America's Test Kitchen
America's Test Kitchen - 2010
I get lazy about making salads, because I won't buy or use bottled salad dressing. I'm going to make a conscious effort to make a variety of salad dressings, from scratch, that is good for you. This salad dressing was really good! I liked the idea of reducing fresh orange juice (I always buy Trader Joe's pure orange juice anyway) until it's a thick syrup. To that, fresh lime juice, honey and shallots are added and seasoned with simple salt and pepper. I served this with an Argula Salad with supremed orange slices and Feta cheese, and we loved it.
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The Pioneer Woman Cooks: Recipes from an Accidental Country Girl
By Ree Drummond
William Morrow Cookbooks - 2009
This is one of the first recipes that I've made from P-Dub...and one of the first that I've ever blogged (my photos are embarrassing...before I learned not to shoot food photos with flash photography). Anyway... these are really good. I like these better than thick-cut onion rings. I don't eat fried foods often, but these are great treat to enjoy.
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Martha Stewart's Cookies: The Very Best Treats to Bake and to Share (Martha Stewart Living Magazine)
By Martha Stewart Living Magazine
Clarkson Potter - 2008
A little crispy on the outside, and chewy in the middle-- the sparkling sugar adds an extra crunch. The cookies aren't super sweet, with a very subtle taste of lemon-- but the lemon isn't overpowering at all. I think it would be a fun twist to make this recipe with almond extract (another personal favorite of mine) and even some ground almonds. I used coarse sparkling sugar, which gives a nice presentation as well as adding a nice crunch to each bite. I'd make these again, for sure.
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The Complete America's Test Kitchen TV Show Cookbook
By Editors at America's Test Kitchen
Cook's Illustrated - 2009
Its been years since I've made a cake mix cake. I adore white cake, and have been on the hunt for the perfect white cake. I'm wanting a very tender crumb, moist (of course) with a silvery white color. ATK's concept is to start with dry ingredients, then to cut in the butter. In a separate bowl the wet ingredients of milk, egg whites, vanilla and a little almond extract are gradually added in and not overmixed. The theory is that gluten won't be built up. I used King Arthur Flour's cake flour, and I weighed my dry ingredients. I was hoping to make 3-8" cakes, but there wasn't enough batter, so I made 2-8" cakes. The cake turned out very moist, and had a nice crumb. It wasn't silvery white, but I'm thinking it could be that I won't use bleached flour...and I used pure vanilla that might have added color. I didn't make the almond filling with raspberry jam (really wanted to) but I think I would try that version. Overalll, it's a very good white cake. The hunt continues...
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The Pioneer Woman Cooks: Recipes from an Accidental Country Girl
By Ree Drummond
William Morrow Cookbooks - 2009
These are one of my favorite cookies. What's interesting is that I've been baking this exact recipe a few years before P-Dub published her cookbook. I found the recipe in a special edition of Taste of Home Cookies. Not sure why Ree doesn't credit the source, but oh well. I happened to have a bag of butterscotch chips that I added into one particular batch, and it was a nice addition.
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Joy the Baker Cookbook: 100 Simple and Comforting Recipes
By Joy Wilson
Hyperion - 2012
NOTE: My page number is in the iPad version of this book.
I've been making Rachael Ray's Oatmeal Cookie pancakes for years. These are better. It's the buttermilk and maple syrup, in the batter, I am sure of it. They turned out slightly crispy on the edges, fluffy in the middle with a nice texture from the oatmeal. I served these with real maple syrup, as I haven't bought fake pancake syrup in years. My men gobbled them up and my husband gave these five stars. Keeper!
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