Kestrel's Favorite Members
Updates from Kestrel's favorite members
jenncc reviewed Light, Fluffy and Rich Pancakes from The New York Times
I love these! They are fluffy and thick, definitely rich, and some how a little custard-y without feeling undercooked. I used cottage cheese and Greek yogurt which I processed, along with the egg yolks, more »
jenncc reviewed Chimichurri Lamb Chops from food52
Though I am sure this would be great with lamb, I used this sauce as both a marinade and a dressing for skirt steak. It was very good but a bit "sharp" with the red wine vinegar and the lemon juice - more »
jenncc reviewed Spiced Roasted Cauliflower with Feta and Garlic from The New York Times
Took a little less time in my oven (around 30-33 minutes total) but came out fantastic! Some reviewers did not appreciate the Feta but my household really enjoyed it. I followed others suggestions and more »
jenncc reviewed Chewy Earl Grey Cookies from The New York Times
These are excellent as long as you don't over bake! Mine took 12-13 minutes for a chewy cooky with crisp edges - any longer they were more of an all around crunchy cookie. The flavors are wonderful (Earl more »
jenncc reviewed Honey Whipped Goat Cheese with Marinated Olives from Half Baked Harvest
This is excellent! I only had 8.5 oz log of goat cheese so I used 3 oz cream cheese to keep the flavors balanced. The only thing I will do differently next time is either omit the fig jam or be more more »
jenncc reviewed Thick and Chewy Oatmeal Raisin Cookies from Snacking Bakes: Simple Recipes for Cookies, Bars, Brownies, Cakes, and More
These are certainly thick and slightly chewy. I really enjoyed them but felt they were just a bit too sweet. Do not cook longer than 10 minutes and keep in mind they stay pale and do not spread. more »
jenncc added Snacking Bakes: Simple Recipes for Cookies, Bars, Brownies, Cakes, and More
5th April 2024
jenncc reviewed Takeout-Style Sesame Noodles from The New York Times
This falls somewhere between good and very good. I stuck close to the recipe - only having to replace Chinese sesame paste with tahini and cutting the sugar a bit since my peanut butter seemed very sweet. more »
jenncc reviewed Chewy Lemon Cookies from The New York Times
I thought I was going to love these! I love rosemary in sweets, I LOVE lemon in anything, I love the cornmeal crunch, I love a chewy cookie.... I just do not love these. They spread way too much (almost more »
jenncc reviewed A Very Banana-y Banana Bread from Start Here: Instructions for Becoming a Better Cook: A Cookbook
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 more »
jenncc added Start Here: Instructions for Becoming a Better Cook: A Cookbook
25th March 2024
jenncc reviewed Elaine’s Fettuccine Alfredo from The New York Times
Not sure if this is authentic but I found it to be simple and delicious! Sauce looked very thin at first but thickened up with the pasta and cheese. Finished with a grate of nutmeg and sprinkle of salt. more »
jenncc reviewed Fettuccini Romano from food52
I was skeptical but decided to try it - and so glad I did! It was delicious! Creamy but not heavy and the perfect compromise between red sauce and Alfredo.
It is quick and simple, and all ingredients more »
jenncc reviewed Spiced Irish Oatmeal with Cream and Crunchy Sugar from The New York Times
This came together easily and was so comforting, creamy and delicious! I made half a recipe and used a little less than three cups of water (based on others reviews). I never achieved the crunchy sugar more »
jenncc reviewed Favorite Vanilla Buttercream from Sally's Baking Addiction
This is a nice, typical buttercream that is easy to put together, highly pipe-able but can also be spread smooth. Like most buttercream, I found it too sweet for my taste. I think it worked best on my more »
jenncc reviewed Perfect Chocolate Buttercream Frosting from Add a Pinch
Smooth and decadent without being overly sweet. I used mostly regular cocoa powder, subbing about 1/3 cup with Hershey's special dark c.p. This frosting was easy to spread with a smooth finish and pipe-able. more »
jenncc reviewed The Best Chocolate Cake from Add a Pinch
This is a very quick, simple recipe, and a darn good cake too. I made a three layer cake (8 inch) without having to adjust the recipe and filled it with her Perfect Chocolate Buttercream. Moist and chocolatey more »
jenncc added Add a Pinch
10th February 2024
jenncc reviewed Ginger fried rice from Smitten Kitchen
Really enjoyed this! I used leftover short grain brown rice and added green onion and a little jalapeno. Quick and easy. more »
jenncc reviewed Chocolate Cake (The I want chocolate cake cake) from Smitten Kitchen
I'm not the chocolate lover in the house, but this was well received by everyone who tried it. I thought it was slightly dense and, at least in my oven was ready by the 25 minute mark. The frosting is... more »
jenncc reviewed Toasted Rice Pudding from Sweet Enough: A Dessert Cookbook
This was good but not a stand out recipe. Toasting the rice and cinnamon gave it nice flavor for sure but also made the rice break down faster. Not wanting to overcook my rice I took it off while still more »
jenncc added Sweet Enough: A Dessert Cookbook
3rd February 2024
jenncc reviewed Nova Scotia Oatcakes from The Spruce Eats
Love these cracker/cookie snacks. They are a little salty, a little sweet and very versatile - great with cheese or fruit but also nice on their own. These came together easily. The flavor is buttery more »
jenncc added The Spruce Eats
19th January 2024
jenncc reviewed Spicy Garlic Noodles with Crumbled Tofu and Cucumber Salad from food52
This was delicious. I used dried Udon noodles, only making half a recipe and I happily have plenty of leftovers! There are several components but they come together easily. Make sure the mushrooms more »
jenncc reviewed Brown Butter Blondies from Fifteen Spatulas
These are delicious but not as fudgy/gooey as my usual blondies. This was more of a wonderful brown butter snacking cake with great caramel, brown butter flavor. Perhaps beating the eggs 2 minutes is more »
jenncc added Fifteen Spatulas
15th January 2024
jenncc reviewed Chickpea Vegetable Bowl with Peanut Dressing from food52
I really enjoyed this salad! It's hearty enough as a stand alone meal but could also be a side or topped off with tofu or chicken. Love the tang and spice of the dressing and it def doesn't hurt to make more »
jenncc reviewed Taylor Swifts Chai Sugar Cookies from joy the baker
Hmmm.. This should have been everything I love in a cookie, soft/chewy with crispy edges, warm spices and easy to throw together, but they just missed the mark. Mine were very bland even with freshly more »
jenncc reviewed White Spice Pound Cake from The Cake Bible
This is falls somewhere between 3 and 4 stars. Mine was slightly dry. Liked the flavor - could up the spices a bit. Good use of leftover egg whites. more »
jenncc reviewed Soft and Chewy Oatmeal Raisin Cookies from Sally's Baking Addiction
These were as promised, soft and chewy, flavor is good and easy to throw together. My first batch spread a little too much perhaps because my dough got a little warm. I refrigerated the rest of the dough more »
jenncc reviewed Honey Whole Wheat Rolls from Sally's Baking Addiction
Mine were "Four Stars" but this recipe deserves 5! I made the mistake of not covering with foil halfway into the bake (as is recommended in the recipe) and they got too brown. Still delicious, just more »
jenncc reviewed Cranberry Lemon Bars from The New York Times
These were tart and tasty. I made them in a smaller pan to have nice thick, defined layers which worked out nicely. I liked, not loved, them, but others thought they were great. more »
jenncc reviewed Double two-Apple Pie from Flour: Spectacular Recipes from Boston's Flour Bakery + Cafe
Wanted to try a different Apple Pie for Thanksgiving, and because I love the Super Pumpkin-y Pumpkin Pie from this book, I thought I'd give the apple a try. It was good but still prefer the Apple- Brown... more »
jenncc reviewed Best Ever Pie Crust from All Recipes
I never expected this to be "best ever", mostly due to the lack of butter (which IMO gives better flavor to a pie crust). I was short on butter and chose this all shortening crust recipe. It was very more »
jenncc reviewed Malted Wheat Bread from King Arthur Flour
Followed the recipe exactly and was rewarded with a delicious loaf. Docked one star because the exterior/crust is a little soft (even after extra minutes in the oven). more »
jenncc reviewed Worlds Best Lasagna from All Recipes
I have made this with meat, without meat (using mushrooms/veggies), with sausage, without sausage, with spicy sausage instead of sweet, etc.. I have even left out the tomato sauce, just using crushed more »
jenncc reviewed Best Ever Chocolate Chip Cookies (Tosi) from The Splendid Table
This is a great recipe but docked a star here because oiling the pan did not work well for me. I baked some on a greased cookie sheet and some on parchment lined sheet. The cookies on the greased sheet more »
jenncc reviewed Rice Pudding from The New York Times
This is delicious - creamy, comforting and just rich enough without the egg yolks. I made this with Arborio rice and it came out great using the same times, amounts etc. I was operating in an unfamiliar/not more »
jenncc reviewed Pear Crumb Cake from The New York Times
I followed the recommendations of others and used twice as many pears, otherwise followed the recipe. Mine was cooked in about 55 minutes. It is probably a little denser than the cake pictured (due to more »
jenncc reviewed Lemon Blueberry Cream Cheese Galette from Budget Bytes
This was easy and a nice twist on the delicious combination of lemon and blueberry. I used low fat cream cheese and my own pie crust recipe. more »
jenncc reviewed Seeded Oat Bread from Sally's Baking Addiction
This was a tasty little loaf. It's a bit dense and mine could have used an extra pinch of salt (could have been my error?) but was certainly hearty and delicious. I let this rest overnight in the fridge more »
jenncc reviewed Easy Banana Bread from The New York Times
I wanted to try this recipe to compare to my usual oil based recipe (Flour Bakery). This one is slightly less fussy, uses brown sugar and less sugar, and calls for double the sour cream (or creme fraiche). more »
jenncc reviewed Portokalopita - Greek Orange Cake from Souvlaki For the Soul
This was a tasty bread pudding type of dessert. I did not expect this to puff up as much as it did - definitely did not look like the picture. I did notice this recipe called for more baking powder than more »
jenncc added Souvlaki For the Soul
9th October 2023
jenncc reviewed Coconut Pound Cake from The New York Times
This is a wonderful little cake! It is moist and coconutty with the perfect crumb. I forgot to top with toasted coconut but after reading reviews this may be a good thing as some report it burned (topping more »
jenncc reviewed Sweet Tart Dough from Dessert Person
This is a very simple, very good tart dough. I love her technique of rolling the dough into strips and pressing into the pan. And truthfully that is probably the only way to work with this very soft more »
jenncc reviewed Pastry Cream from All Recipes
This was simple to make and tasty. I think next time I will probably use a vanilla bean instead and perhaps a tiny pinch of salt. I used the entire amount for a 9 inch fruit tart piled high with berries. more »
jenncc reviewed Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies from Chocolate Covered Katie
These are good. I topped with flaky salt to give it a little oomph, otherwise a pretty basic cookie with good texture. more »
jenncc reviewed Vegan Lemon Loaf from Running on Real Food
This was delicious - loved by all, vegan and non-vegan alike. There were complaints in the reviews that this was too dense and took forever to bake thru so I made it in 3 small loaf pans and it was perfect more »
jenncc added Running on Real Food
28th August 2023
jenncc reviewed Cheesy Tomato Basil Stuffed Chicken from Half Baked Harvest
Easy and delicious! I happened to have everything on hand and was very happy with the results. more »
jenncc reviewed Chicken Breast with Fresh Sage from food52
This is a winner! Super quick and easy as long as your chicken breast aren't thick. I had to cut mine lengthwise to have them cook evenly. The sage is great! I added a couple whole smashed garlic cloves more »
jenncc reviewed Lemon Yogurt Cake (Ina) from The Food Network
I love lemon and I appreciate the flavor of this cake, the texture unfortunately was a little dense. I may try this again, using room temperature ingredients, separating the egg yolks from the whites and more »
jenncc reviewed Lemon Yogurt Cake from Barefoot Contessa at Home: Everyday Recipes You'll Make Over and Over Again
I love lemon and I appreciate the flavor of this cake, the texture unfortunately was a little dense. I may try this again, separating the egg yolks from the whites and whipping the whites before folding... more »
jenncc reviewed Lemon Chicken Thighs from Epicurious
This is easy and delicious. I did feel that sauce was a touch too sweet even though I skimped on the honey - next time I may skip it altogether. The roasted garlic and caramelized lemon add enough sweetness. more »
jenncc reviewed Breakfast in Rome Lemon Cake from Baking with Dorie: Sweet, Salty & Simple
Hmmm... I halved the recipe and used a loaf pan, maybe that was the problem? I am rarely disappointed with Dorie's recipes but this one was a miss for me. Perhaps the the halving, perhaps I over-whipped more »
jenncc reviewed Lemon Buttermilk Cake from The Wooden Spoon Dessert Book: The Best You Ever Ate
I had lots of Meyers on my tree and was looking for something simple and sweet which is exactly what this recipe is. I did get more lemon flavor by zesting 4-5 lemons instead of just one. I also used more »
jenncc reviewed Edna Lewis White Pound Cake from thekitchn.com
I had a surplus of egg whites after making ice cream and settled on this simple recipe. The batter was very thick and folding the egg gently took some finessing. I did end up adding a few tablespoons more »
jenncc reviewed Vanilla Bean Tuiles from Pure Vanilla: Irresistible Recipes and Essential Techniques
These are very easy to mix up and pretty tasty. Getting them nice and uniformly round is easy with a small offset spatula but watch the thickness - too thin and they'll get too brown/stiff/crunchy, too more »
jenncc reviewed Sheet-Pan Gochujang Chicken and Roasted Vegetables from The New York Times
This was delicious and easy to throw together. I only had broccoli for the veg. Chicken was done a little earlier than 40 minutes but skin was crisp and flavor was great. more »
jenncc reviewed Lemon Kumquat Poppy Teacake from Huckleberry: Stories, Secrets, and Recipes From Our Kitchen
I love this cake! Not too sweet and wonderful texture/crumb. My kumquats were quite small and difficult to zest so I used extra lemon and meyer lemon juice/zest. My glaze did not come out of the blender... more »
jenncc reviewed Ricotta Griddlecakes from Huckleberry: Stories, Secrets, and Recipes From Our Kitchen
Tender pancakes with a wonderful vanilla forward flavor. Easy to make, flip and eat! more »
jenncc reviewed Caramelized Banana Ice Cream from Sweet Cream and Sugar Cones: 90 Recipes for Making Your Own Ice Cream and Frozen Treats from Bi-Rite Creamery
Simple recipe but there is a mistake (in my edition at least). You first caramelize the bananas with brown sugar, then make your custard. The problem is there is no instruction as to when you add the more »
jenncc reviewed Flour's Famous Banana Bread from The Food Network
I have made this many times according to the Flour Bakery cookbook recipe, this however is slightly different with less detail and more flour:). I didn't have my cookbook so I used this and was curious more »
jenncc reviewed Grilled Mushrooms with Chive Butter from The New York Times
These were simple and delicious! I needed a veg side for our cookout and these were perfect. I didn't bother with the skewers and they still got a decent char and were much less fussy. The compound butter more »
jenncc reviewed Blueberry Cornmeal Shortbread Tart from The New York Times
This is tasty and simple to make. For the berries I had to use about half frozen/semi thawed berries. Crust was par-baked 10 minutes and held up well (I made this 7-8 hours before serving). I skimped... more »
jenncc reviewed Super-Thick and Fruity Food Processor Whipped Cream from Serious Eats
This was somewhat of a revelation - tasty, pipe-able frosting ready in 5 minutes and only 3 ingredients! I made this for Stella's Double Strawberry Cake and I will say that I could have used more freeze more »
jenncc reviewed Double-Strawberry Cake from Serious Eats
The flavor of this cake is very good, the texture however is a bit dense. I only had unbleached cake flour and Stella insists that the cake flour be bleached for this cake to work... and I do believe more »
jenncc reviewed Favorite Chocolate Buttercream from Sally's Baking Addiction
This is a really nice buttercream - tastes good and pipes well. Not super chocolatey (which I prefer) and not as sweet as many ABC. more »
jenncc reviewed Garlic Herb Roasted Olives with Burrata from Half Baked Harvest
Loved this! Super easy and absolutely delicious! more »
jenncc reviewed Gochujang Caramel Cookies from The New York Times
These were fun to make and really very good. Mine spread a bit more than I would have liked but perhaps with a little more time in the fridge they might have more structure. I think the flavor of this more »
jenncc reviewed Lemon Cake (Ina) from The Food Network
In my search for the perfect lemon loaf/cake this was got high marks. I wish it had had a little more of a lemony punch but it was a moist and delicious, and I will be making it again! more »
jenncc reviewed Classic Gougeres from The New York Times
These were fun to make and pretty tasty. I think I need a little practice to get them as nicely formed as they are in the picture - a few were slightly lopsided or oval. I tried with a piping bag, a more »
jenncc reviewed Pasta with Mushrooms and Gremolata from The New York Times
This was easy to whip up and tasted great. That said I did add an extra clove of garlic and used spaghetti. I used lemon juice to glaze the pan/mushrooms instead of white wine and mixed the pasta and more »
jenncc reviewed Lemon-Pistachio Loaf from Bon Appetit
This has good flavor and was easy enough to put together. Like many reviews on the BA website state, this is a dense little loaf. Mine sunk only slightly down the center (easily covered up my flipping more »
jenncc reviewed Neapolitan Cookies from The Vanilla Bean Blog
I used this recipe to make strawberry lemon cookies (or strawberry lemonade cookies). I skimped slightly on the sugar - using only 300 grams. In the strawberry portion of the dough I used 16 grams pulverized more »
jenncc reviewed Nana's Banana Bread from Food.com
This is a very good banana bread and easy to throw together. That said, I am not sure that I prefer it to the banana bread I usually make (Flour Bakery Recipe). Good banana flavor and not too sweet, more »
jenncc reviewed Lemon Pudding Cake from The New York Times
This recipe marries two of my favorite desserts pudding and cake, in my favorite flavor - lemon! I loved this and in fact served it as my birthday cake. I baked this in an unfamiliar oven, which I believe, more »
jenncc commented on Lemon Buttermilk Pudding Cake with Chantilly Cream and Berries from Leite's Culinaria
Was wondering of the several lemon pudding desserts you have reviewed (Pillsbury, Epicurious and 2 from Leite's Culinaria) could you pick a favorite? I am looking for a lemony birthday dessert that is... more »jenncc reviewed Cheddar Beer Bread Rolls from The New York Times
This has been on my to-do list for a long time. SO glad I finally got around to it! These are delicious! I made half a recipe for 12 good sized rolls (weighing around 65 grams each pre-baking) and baked more »
jenncc reviewed Back of the Bag Oatmeal Bread from King Arthur Flour
This was an excellent loaf! Super simple and versatile - used for sandwiches, French toast, cinnamon toast etc. I only had AP flour and buttermilk so that is what I used and thought it came out great, more »
jenncc reviewed Butter Chicken (Murgh Makhani) from The New York Times
I read the reviews warning of blandness so I was generous with the spices but cut down on the cream and used ghee (but a little less). We thoroughly enjoyed this and I will certainly make it again. more »
jenncc reviewed Sesame Gouda Stuffed Naan with Honey from Half Baked Harvest
Mine were a little puffier/bread-ier than the ones pictures but no complaints! These came together easily, dough was soft and pliable without being sticky and they cooked up perfectly in the times given. more »
jenncc reviewed Ginger Cookies from 100 Cookies: The Baking Book for Every Kitchen, with Classic Cookies, Novel Treats, Brownies, Bars, and More
Love these! Great flavor and texture - a little spicy, chewy and crisp in all the right places, nice cracks and crannies, and no need to chill before baking. I made them largish and had to bake an extra more »
jenncc reviewed Lemon Curd from Sally's Baking Addiction
It's easy and yummy. This curd is slightly less tart than my usual (more sugar sugar, less citrus juice here). I made this as lime curd for a coconut cake (also on this site). Consistency was perfectly more »
jenncc reviewed Crustless Pumpkin Pie from All Recipes
I liked this with the following adjustments - added more cinnamon, cloves ginger and nutmeg, decreased sugar to about 3/4 cup using half granulated and half dark brown. I cooked this in individual ramekins... more »
jenncc reviewed Golden Buttermilk Loaf Bread from King Arthur Flour
This is simple and simply delicious white bread. Great for sandwiches! Mine took longer to rise (needed about 15 -20 more minutes) and longer to bake thru (closer to a 45 minute bake time). more »
jenncc reviewed Dog Birthday Cake from The Recipe Critic
Hashtag (the dog) says 5 stars! It contains all his favorite ingredients - peanut butter, carrots, applesauce and pumpkin! The frosting is easy and even pipes well. more »
jenncc reviewed Baked Custard-Style Rice Pudding from Classic Home Desserts: A Treasury of Heirloom and Contemporary Recipes
This is delicious but I think I preferred the overall texture at about the 50 minutes mark. After another 20 minutes the rice was a little too "broken" it became slightly water-y. I like the skin that... more »
jenncc reviewed Chicken Piccata from The Food Network
This is delicious and pretty simple. I threw some thinly sliced lemon in with the sauce along with the spent lemon halves. The slices were a really nice addition to the delicious sauce! Next time I may more »
jenncc reviewed Abraco Olive Oil Cake from 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 more »
jenncc reviewed Classic Scones from King Arthur Flour
This is one of those "choose your own adventure" recipes - giving you some wiggle room/options. The recipe calls for 2 - 8 tablespoons butter, 1 teaspoon to 4 tablespoons granulated sugar, buttermilk,... more »
jenncc reviewed Brandied Pumpkin Pie from The New York Times
Delicious! Love the spice level and though you can't quite put your finger on it, you can taste the brandy. The texture is good. The crust is simple and comes together quickly in the food processor. more »
jenncc reviewed Cafe Style Pancakes from Tex Mex Traditions, Innovations, and Comfort Foods From Both Sides of the Border
This is a thinner, buttery, diner style pancake with slightly crispy edges. I loved these but they are RICH with 6 tablespoons of butter in the batter! Did not make the syrup, but I will because I do more »
jenncc reviewed Fresh Ginger Cake from The New York Times
This is a cake brought instant warmth and comfort on a cold rainy day! Peeling all that ginger is a pain, but you will be rewarded with a wonderfully moist, ginger-y delicious cake! I wanted to share... more »
jenncc reviewed Mexican Wedding Cookies from All Recipes
Great texture and flavor - could only be improved with a bit of cinnamon or other spice. I used 1 scant cup pecans instead of almonds. Baked 20 minutes. more »
jenncc reviewed Maple Cornbread from King Arthur Flour
I thought I had maple... I didn't, but I did have honey so I used that. Came out great. Will make it with maple next time. Moist with a really nice crust. more »
jenncc reviewed Maple Cornbread from The King Arthur Flour Baker's Companion: The All-Purpose Baking Cookbook
I thought I had maple... I didn't, but I did have honey so I used that. Came out great. Will make it with maple next time. Moist with a really nice crust. more »
jenncc reviewed Lemon-Caper Dressing from The New York Times
Simple and delicious. I have replaced capers with pepperoncini peppers with great success. Used an immersion blender. more »