Caramels

Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cool Time: several hours
Dipping Time: 15 minutes per 20 candies

Grade: A+

Make Again: Yes

Recipe Source: CI Bulletin Board (Pennie)

This recipe was discussed quite a bit on the CI bulletin boards, so I tried it shortly after Christmas. However, my thermometer went goofy and now stops working when it gets higher than 200 degrees, so I had to guess when they were done. I guessed wrong and took them off too early. These caramels were extremly soft (but still delicious.) My nephews enjoyed eating them with a spoon while they were cooling. After cooled, they were still spreading out.

So, I put in the refridge and cut with a knife after they were more solid. They seemed to start to seep back together, so I put in the freezer. After frozen, I cut on original cut lines and separated, then refroze. These were still delicious when eaten out of the freezer - you just needed to let it warm up in your mouth and they were perfect.

However, I came up with a better idea, and that was to dip in melted chocolate, to contain the droopy caramels, and it worked great! I stuck a toothpick in the frozen caramel, dipped it in chocolate, swirled around to cover, used a 2nd toothpick to get rid of any excess and used it to push candy off of 1st toothpick, then swirled chocolate quickly into the tiny hole. Because the caramels were frozen, the chocolate cooled quickly and was not droopy.

I even tried sprinkling a few with sea salt, and this was especially delicious, but it was slowing me down, so I didn't keep up with that. I will do that in the future though. These are really pretty and very delicious. The process is a little time consuming, but fun, so I think I will do this for something other than cookies next Christmas.


CARAMELS

5 pounds


1 lb. butter
2 lbs. brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
16 oz. Light Karo syrup
2 (15-oz.) cans Eagle Brand Sweetened condensed milk
1 tablespoon Vanilla extract

Melt butter in a heavy 6-quart pan. Add brown sugar and salt. Stir in corn syrup, mixing well. Gradually add milk, stirring constantly. Cook over a medium heat until it reaches the firm ball stage (245 degrees). Remove from heat, stir in vanilla. Pour into a well buttered 11” x 18” jellyroll pan. Cool, cut, and wrap in wax paper squares.

CHECK YOUR THERMOMETER before you start to make the caramels, by placing it in boiling water for a few minutes. It should register at 212 degrees, if it doesn’t then add or subtract accordingly.

Stuffed Cabbage Rolls

Prep Time: 60 minutes
Cook Time: 90 minutes

Grade: B

Make Again: ?

Recipe Source: Cook's Country (February 2005)

Recipe Source: The America's Test Kitchen Family Cookbook

These taste very good and the sauce was quite tasty with the gingersnaps added. But they are a lot of work, so I'm not sure that I would make them again, since it is kind of a simple meal. However, it does make quite a lot, so I have a lot of frozen leftovers, which may mean I do this recipe again sometime in the future.

If I do, I think I will try mixing the crumbled gingersnaps in with the sauce at the beginning. I found they clumped a bit on the top and it was too hard to redistribute without messing up the rolls.

Gougères

Prep Time: 27 minutes
Cook Time: 27-30 minutes
Cool Time: 10 minutes

Grade: B+

Make Again: Yes

Recipe Source: Cook's Illustrated (December 2006)

These are good, but I feel like they need something else to be an appetizer. Next time, I would probably make smaller and then cut open and fill with something good. The nice thing is that they can be made ahead and frozen.

Pan Pizza

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Rise Time: 30 minutes
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes

Grade: A+

Make Again: Yes

Recipe Source: Cook's Country (April 2006)

This was the best pan pizza I have ever made for sure. It is similar to Pizza Hut, but less greasy. Actually, the recipe calls for 3 T of olive oil on the bottom of each pan, but I use 1.5 to 2, which I think is a perfect amount, for a tasty crispy crust, but not greasy.

This recipe makes 2 9" pizzas, which is nice for making two different kinds. I cheat and use Trader Joe's Pizza sauce, which I think it pretty good. I prep the other ingredients during the 2nd rise, which lasts 20 minutes. The entire pizza is done in 90 minutes, which is kind of amazing actually.

No Knead Bread 2.0

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Rise Time: 8-18 hours
Form Time: 5 minutes
2nd Rise: 2 hours
Bake Time: 45-50minutes

Grade: A+

Make Again: Yes

Recipe Source: Cook's Illustrated (January 2008)
Recipe:  Almost No-Knead Bread (Season 9)

This is an amazing recipe. It is some of the most delicious bread I have ever had, and I made it myself, with less than 10 minutes of effort! I will definitely be making this frequently in the future. It reminds me of my favorite Ciabatta bread from Trader Joe's, with a delicious crust, airy interior and a flavorful taste (but not sour, like sourdough, which is not my favorite.)

I never tried the original from the New York Times, and now I probably won't since I love this one so much. I didn't weigh my dough, and it was too sticky, but it didn't matter, because the dough filled the Dutch oven and didn't spread out too much.

Maple Sausage and Waffle Casserole

Prep Time: 27 minutes
Rest Time: 1 hour to overnight
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Rest Time: 5 minutes

Grade: A

Make Again: Yes

Recipe Source: Cook's Country (December 2005)

I love breakfast casseroles and this is no exception. (Although I did make this for dinner.) I will definitely think about making this next time Christmas morning is at my house, because it was easy to prepare and can be prepared the day before. I wasn't sure if I would love it, because of the maple flavorings, which I thought might make it too sweet, but it was very good. Using waffles is a little bit different, but worked well.

The prep time involved lots of waiting, so really this is pretty easy, just not quick. I used sausage links, and cooked them whole, and cut them later, so I wouldn't have to deal with cutting or breaking up the raw meat which can be a pain.

Short Order Home Fries

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes

Grade: A-

Make Again: Maybe

Recipe Source: Cook's Country (February 2006)

This is a strange Christmas dish, but my family celebrated Christmas for the most part on Christmas Eve, and I had most of the day to myself, so I tried this recipe. It was good, but I probably should have let the potatoes brown a bit more. If I have extra Yukon Gold potatoes again in the future, I would make this, but probably wouldn't buy them for this recipe, unless I was making them for someone.

Spice Cake

Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 32-35 minutes
Cool Time: 2 hours
Frosting: 10 minutes

Grade: A

Make Again: Yes

Recipe Source: Cook's Illustrated (January 2008)
Recipe: America's Test Kitchen TV Show (Season 9)

I really liked this, but I'm not sure if it was a hit with the rest of my family. I didn't get any positive comments. It is very flavorful, but I might have over baked it just a tiny bit.

I love the frosting on this, and it is similar to the Carrot Cake frosting but uses some of the spices from the cake instead of sour cream. It does take a little bit longer to make because of browning some butter and blooming the spices in it, but I think that bit of extra effort is worth it.

Chocolate Toffee Butter Cookies

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Chill Time: 90 minutes
Bake Time: 12-14 minutes
Decorating: 15-30 minutes

Grade: A-

Make Again: Yes

Recipe Source: Cook's Country (April 2007)

I used dark brown sugar instead of light, and it made these cookies much darker, so they look quite different than the original. These are good, but I'm not sure how much I will make them, because they take a little bit more effort and don't necessarily taste better than cookies that take less effort. But they are a little different, so maybe.

Roasted Maple-Mustard Green Beans

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes

Grade: A

Make Again: Yes

Recipe Source: Cook's Illustrated (November 2005)

These are delicious and easy. A good way to prepare supermarket green beans.

Sausage and Kale Soup

Prep Time: 23 minutes
Cook Time: 22 minutes (plus some during prep time)

Grade: A-

Make Again: Yes

Recipe Source: Everyday Food (January 2004)

This is pretty easy. Much of the flavor comes from the broth and sausage. I never tried kale before Everyday Foods introduced it to me in some easy recipes like this. It is a good healthy ingredient, so I like this recipe.

Toffee (Marilyn's English Toffee)

Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cool Time: 6-8 hours

Grade: A

Make Again: Yes

Recipe Source: Cook's Illustrated Bulletin Board

I'm going to copy the recipe to here because I don't trust the CI bulletin board, and I don't want to lose this recipe. It is good!

My thermometer went crazy and stopped working so I had to eyeball it which was very scary, since I've never made candy before, let alone this recipe. Well, it worked OK, although I think I maybe should have let it get darker. I skipped the nuts on top but did put almonds in the middle.

I made a half recipe (which was good, since I ate the entire thing myself over less than a week). So, I'm not sure if my thicknesses were correct. But it all turned out OK.


MARILYN'S ENGLISH TOFFEE
English Toffee

1 lb unsalted butter
½ tea. table salt
2 cups granulated sugar
3 tbsp. water
1 cup slivered almonds (do not use sliced almonds)
12 oz. semi-sweet chocolate (chips are fine)
1½ -2 cups lightly toasted pecans (or walnuts), finely chopped

Melt ¾ of chocolate over hot water or in a microwave oven at half power for 2-3 minutes. When melted, stir in remaining chocolate and set aside. Line a large jelly roll or half-sheet pan with heavy-duty foil and butter the foil.

Melt the butter with the salt in a heavy 3 quart saucepan over medium heat. Slowly add the sugar, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon. Add the water about halfway through this process.

After all the sugar is added, begin testing the mixture to see if the sugar is dissolved. Place a drop of mixture on wax paper; allow it to cool and rub it between your fingers to make sure it doesn’t feel grainy. If it does, continue to cook and test again. The mixture will probably be boiling at this point.

When sugar is dissolved, add the almonds, and increase the heat to medium high. Cook to the hard-crack stage, or about 310-320 degrees on a candy thermometer, stirring often to keep the candy from burning on the bottom. When it’s done, it should be a medium-dark amber color and have a caramel aroma. The almonds should have a toasted color but they should not burn. This is the tricky part, as there’s a thin line between perfect and overdone, and to some extent it’s a matter of taste.

Remove from heat and pour into the prepared pan, spreading as evenly as possible with an offset spatula. Be careful, this stuff is hot! Set the pan on a cooling rack. After 2-3 minutes, when toffee is just set, pour reserved chocolate on top and spread evenly. Sprinkle with chopped nuts, and press them in gently with a spatula or bottom of a glass to anchor them in the chocolate.

Allow the toffee to harden at least 6-8 hours—overnight is better. Break into pieces using a sharp pointed knife with a rigid blade, or you can use your hands. Store in an airtight container in a cool place. Makes about 3 pounds.

Slow Cooker Bolognese Sauce

Prep Time: 40 minutes
Cook Time: 7 hours

Grade: B

Make Again: probably not

Recipe Source: Cook's Country (February 2006)

This tasted good, but even with only making 2/3 of this recipe, my slow cooker (medium sized) was almost overflowing. I didn't really get a boil going, and I think it was because of being so full. I didn't LOVE the flavor, just liked it, and I think it was because of the wine I used - a cheaper Sauvignon Blanc. I think next time I'll try the Cook's Illustrated stovetop version.

Dirty Rice

Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes

Grade: A-

Make Again: Yes

Recipe Source: Cook's Country (October 2005)

This was good and since I have some other recipes that only call for 8 oz of ground pork (like this does) I will probably use this to use up the rest of the pork. I skipped the chicken livers, and don't think I missed them!

Huevos Rancheros

Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes

Grade: A-

Make Again: Maybe

Recipe Source: Cook's Illustrated (January 2006)

I really liked the salsa and the eggs cooked in salsa, but the tortillas didn't do it for me, because they kind of got soggy and were hard to eat. I'd rather put everything in a rolled up tortilla. I will probably make the roasted tomatato salsa again though.

Coffee Cake Muffins

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes

Grade: B

Make Again: No

Recipe Source: Cook's Illustrated Christmas Baking

These are good, but I think I should give up the idea of making a coffee cake muffin and just make a regular coffee cake, which is easier to me. I hate putting that struedel on the top, it gets so messy. These ended up looking pale and not that pretty, so I probably would not make again.

Skillet Tuna Casserole

Total Time: 30 minutes

Grade: A-

Make Again: Maybe

Recipe Source: Cook's Country (February 2005)

Recipe Source: Best 30-Minute Recipes

This was very tasty, but I am reluctant to use this recipe a lot just because it uses a lot of heavy cream (why it was so tasty, of course!) It was good and very easy. I replaced the mushrooms with some roasted red peppers, and that is a great sub. But I will use regular peppers instead of roasted, because the charred bits were unappetizing.

Italian Sausage with Peppers, Onion and Potatoes

Total Time: 37 minutes

Grade: B

Make Again: No

Recipe Source: Best 30-Minute Recipes

This was fine, but I didn't love the potatoes in it, so I would probably just stick with the Hoagie version next time which is a little bit easier.

I used less sausage then recipe called for and I would have preferred more.

Mediterranean Tuna Noodle Casserole

Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 15 - 20 minutes

Grade: A-

Make Again: Maybe

Recipe Source: Everyday Food (October 2007)

This was a nice variation on a Tuna Noodle casserole. I don't love mushrooms, so I liked having other things to put in it. If I make again, I definitely want to use more red pepper. I could probably skip the artichokes too, since I didn't really taste them, and they were expensive. I used a little less olive oil than called for.

Chicken Tikka Masala

Prep Time: 35 minutes
Cook Time: 20-25 minutes

Grade: A

Make Again: Yes

Recipe Source: Cook's Illustrated (October 2008)

This was delicious and fairly easy. I did find that it had too much sauce though, which is a common thing for me. So, I saved half of it and froze it, and cooked only 3 chicken breasts, since that it a common size for me to get. Then I was able to make this twice. The frozen sauce tasted just fine to me and still spicy and good.

The first time I had trouble getting the chicken cooked in a timely manner, and I decided my pan was not close enough to the burner. The 2nd time it was. But, then it caught on fire! Luckily, I stayed calm while seeing this big flames in my oven, and got some baking soda and was able to put it out and not wreck the chicken - phew! I didn't want to waste any of the deliciousness of this recipe.

The biggest pain is cleaning the wire rack afterwards. I am going to try to grill these next time, because an easy recipe becomes a pain when you have this to clean.

30-Minute Black Bean Soup

Prep Time:25 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes

Grade: B

Make Again: Probably not

Recipe Source: Best 30-Minute Recipes

This was fine, but I didn't love it as much as the long cooking version. Since the long version is not hard, it just takes time, I don't mind doing that one, and will probably stick to that recipe instead. Especially because it freezes so well, that I can have the leftovers when I need a quick meal.

Potato and Sausage Breakfast Popover Casserole

Prep Time: 35 minutes
Cook Time: 25-30 minutes
Cool Time: 5 minutes

Grade: B+/A-

Make Again: Maybe

Recipe Source: Cook's Country (December 2006)


This tasted good, but was not really what I expected. The word "popover" in the title led me to believe that the dough would be more popover-like and it wasn't. It was more biscuit-like. I might make this for company, but it does involve some work, so I would probably be more likely to do a strata type recipe instead.

Italian Sausage, Pepper and Onion Hoagie

Total Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: minutes

Grade: A

Make Again: Yes

Recipe Source: Best 30-Minute Recipes

This was quick and easy. AND there was time to clean up during final cooking, which I really like. I did spend more time browning the sausage than recommended, otherwise it might have been even quicker.

Joe Froggers

Prep Time: 18 minutes
Chill Time: 8 hours
Assemble Time: ???
Bake Time: 8 minutes
Cool Time: 10 minutes

Grade: B

Make Again: Maybe

Recipe Source: Cook's Country (February 2007)

This was almost a disaster, but I managed to save the recipe. This is a VERY moist dough, and needed to be rolled out. I don't love rolling and I don't love working with sticky doughs, so this was tough. You are supposed to make 3 1/2" circles. When I tried to put on cookie sheet, they mushed up and/or tore. They looked horrible. I didn't cut out anymore until I tasted the first batch, because I didn't want to waste my time.

They tasted OK, but I did not love them. I thought they could use some more sugar. So I went with the molasses cookie method and used my oxo scoop and dropped the balls of dough in granulated sugar, and shook it so it got covered. This allowed me to handle the dough without it sticking. I rolled it into a ball and flattened with a glass.

These cookies were great. Very much like a molasses cookie, but a slightly different taste because of the rum.

I'm not sure if I will make again, or if I would just make regular molasses cookies. If I do, I'll skip the recipes method and use my own. I did prefer the cookies with that little bit of extra sugar on them. I felt like I tasted the other flavors even more with the sugar.

Low Fat Thick and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 18 minutes

Grade: B-

Make Again: No

Recipe Source: Cook's Country (August 2006)

These tasted OK, but didn't look great, and were hard to put together. There just wasn't enough moisture in the batter. And they were a lot more work than regular cookies. They are not bad enough to throw away, and I have eaten them, but they are not worth making again, in my opinion.

Moroccan-Style Chickpea Soup

Total Time: 26 minutes

Grade: A

Make Again: Yes

Recipe Source: Best 30-Minute Recipes

This was very delicious and super quick. The one thing I would change is to skip brining some ingredients to a boil in a separate saucepan. I believe it would be just fine to have this recipe take a few minutes longer than 30 minutes, and have one less pot to clean.

I used very old saffron, so I wonder if it could just do without. I wondered about the ground ginger in it, but it all tasted very good and I will probably make this again for a quick and healthy dinner.

15 Minute Fudge

Prep Time: 17 minutes
Cool Time: 2 hours

Grade: B

Make Again: No

Recipe Source: Cook's Illustrated (May 2007)

This is a good recipe, but I just don't love fudge. And I don't like nuts in chocolate much, so I skipped the walnuts, which I was warned not to do. They say it affects the texture, and I can see that this is probably true.

Skillet Sopa Seca

Total Time: 30 minutes

Grade: A

Make Again: Yes

Recipe Source: Best 30-Minute Recipes

This is good and similar to a Cover & Bake recipe for Sopa Seca that I reviewed earlier, although is finished a little faster. In a way prefer being able to finish in the oven, but this one is done faster.

I MUST REMEMEBER to stop using my skillet and use my Dutch oven instead. I am having a lot of trouble with these 30-minute skillet suppers fitting in my pan and it is making cooking a little bit stressful and messy. I am using the asked for 12", but perhaps mine is a bit small.

I used half the amount of called for chorizo, because that was all I had, and I think I would always do it this way, because the chorizo has a strong flavor. I used the cured kind, not the crumbly kind that is easier to find at the store.

I also substituted cheddar for the jack cheese, and kindney beans for the black beans because that was what I had on hand. It was a clean out the fridge and pantry dish for me today.

Skillet Strata with Cheddar and Broccoli

Total Time: 35-40minutes

Grade: A

Make Again: Yes

Recipe Source: Best 30-Minute Recipes

This recipe works great with any bits of veggies and cheese that you have. I use it all the time to use up leftovers. Sausage and ham work well in here too.

I adjusted the main 30-Minute Skillet Strata recipe to use broccoli. I want to have a vegetable serving in it when I make this, which I think will be frequently, because it is delicious and fairly easy. So, it took me a little longer than 30 minutes, because of prepping and blanching the broccoli. I think it is important to dry the broccoli after blanching because there was a little extra liquid.

Also, I need to get my oven preheated before I even start, because it takes so long to preheat. I never got it up to 425, and it took much longer to cook. I used less butter in my version and I don't think it suffers from it.

I used 3 slices of wide pan bread, which worked better than the 5 called for. I had trouble last time fitting it all in.

So here is my version:

Skillet Strata with Cheddar and Broccoli
Serves 4

1 large bunch of broccoli, cut florets off into small pieces
2 T. unsalted butter.
1 small onion minced
salt
ground pepper
6 large eggs
1 1/2 c. milk (whole is best tasting, but skim works too)
1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme (or 1/2 t. dried)
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
3 slices high-quality sandwich bread, cut into 1-inch squares (or 4-5 slices, if using smaller bread)

Prep ingredients first, because you will be doing several things at once.

1. Preheat oven to 425, and adjust rack to middle position.

2. Melt butter in 10" ovensafe nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, swirling to coat. Add onion and 1/2 teaspoon of salt. If using dried thyme add now. Cook until onion softened about 6 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, bring an inch of water to a boil in a saucepan. Add broccoli, and cook for 1 minute until bright green (but not completely tender). Drain and lay on some paper towels to absorb extra water. Pat tops dry.

4. Meanwhile, whisk eggs, milk, fresh thyme and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper in large bowl. Stir in cheese.

5. Toast bread by carefully folding into skillet with onions until evenly coated. Cook until lightly toasted, 3-4 minutes.

6. Add eggs to skillet, and fold together until slightly thickened and bread is soaking up eggs.

7. Finish in oven until puffed and edges pull away from sides, about 12 minutes.

Serve right away.

Corned Beef Hash

Total Time: 32 minutes

Grade: A

Make Again: Yes

Recipe Source: Best 30-Minute Recipes

I had a tiny bit of trouble with the recipe, because the bacon takes longer for me to cook than recipes tell me it should. Perhaps I need to chop it smaller. Also, the "minced" onions it called for started to over-brown. So I will chop the bacan smaller and the onions larger next time.

I haven't had hash in ages, and this was great. I definitely will have it again, if only to use the rest of the bag of the hash browns that I bought.

One Pot Southwestern Chicken and Rice

Prep Time: 21 minutes
Cook Time: 25-30 minutes

Grade: B

Make Again: Maybe

Recipe Source: The America's Test Kitchen Family Cookbook

I prefer cooking boneless chicken breasts because I am squeamish around things with bones, so I don't use these types of recipes very often. But I did have some chicken in the freezer that I wanted to use, so I tried this one. It was pretty simple and it does taste quite good. I'm just not sure I will make again when I have so many chicken recipes to choose from.

Caramel Brownies

Prep Time: 37 minutes
Cook Time: 35 - 40 minutes
Cool Time: 3-4 hours

Grade: A+

Make Again: Yes

Recipe Source: Cook's Illustrated (May 2006)

I wish I had a better picture of these, but since I didn't really cook my caramel enough, it was too runny. This picture is of a frozen brownie, actually, otherwise, the caramel would be dripping even more.

This recipe is for Turtle Brownies, but I don't like Pecans much, so I skipped the nuts. They were excellent! I have never made caramel before, and it wasn't too hard, but I did probably make one mistake. The temp never got above 340, and the color was getting pretty dark, so I decided to stop at that point instead of 360. I think my caramel is a little more gooey than it should be, but it is still okay for refrigerated brownies.

Making a caramel with water in it (from what I have read) takes longer, but I had time to prep my brownie ingredients, so it was all fine. Really, I would have guessed this recipe to take longer, so I was pleasently surprised.

These are so very delicious, and I will definitely make these again.

Shepherd's Pie

Prep Time: 60 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Cool Time: 10 minutes
(Prep time included 15 minutes of waiting)

Grade: A

Make Again: Yes

Recipe Source: Cook's Country (Februrary 2006)

This was very good and true comfort food. I have made another CI version of Shepherd's pie from Cover & Bake, that might be better, but it has been a few years. This one was very tasty and used beer instead of wine. I will probably try the other one again this winter so I can compare. It was fairly easy, and allowed me plenty of time to clean up while preparing the basics before popping in the oven.

The one thing I had trouble with was using the 12" skillet to cook the meat - things were falling out, so I switched to my Dutch oven. And I wasn't even using a full 2# of meat (1.6 lb instead). I did add one carrot and some extra peas, but they didn't take up too much room. Also, I had trouble fitting everything into my casserole dish. If I used large enough equipement from the start, including my larger cutting board, I would probably shave 5 minutes off the prep time on this.

Soba Noodles with Pork

Total Time: 29 minutes

Grade: B

Make Again: Probably not

Recipe Source: Best 30-Minute Recipes

I replaced the mushrooms (stir-fried) with broccoli (steamed in skillet), to suit my tastes. This was good and fine, and I did finish in less than 30 minutes, for once. But, it left my kitchen a disaster. I need to allow myself more time to prep and clean before I start cooking. If it takes 10 minutes more, it will save me 10 minutes later when I'm cleaning up, and I'll feel less stressed!

The flavors were fine on this, but nothing special, so I do think I will stick with other favorite stir-fry recipes.

Migas

Total Time: 25 minutes

Grade: A-

Make Again: Maybe

Recipe Source: Best 30-Minute Recipes

This was very good and easy. The only problem with the recipe is that it uses baked Tortilla chips, which I don't love on their own. I bought some, and they are expensive, and that doesn't really seem reasonable for a quick egg dinner. But sometimes I do have extra corn tortillas, so maybe I would make my own chips by spraying with oil then baking.

Peanut Blossom Cookies

Prep Time: 18 minutes
Chill Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes (per pan)
Cool Time: 30 minutes

Grade: A-

Make Again: Maybe, but probably will stick to PB Surprise cookies recipe from EF, which is a little easier.

Recipe Source: Cook's Country (April 2006)

This one involved taking out the food processor in addition to the mixer, making it a little more complicated. Also, I think the EF cookies are little more chewier which I prefer.

I should also mention that I didn't use the traditional kisses, but small Reece's PB cubs instead, which I prefer.

Drop Biscuits

Prep Time: 9 minutes
Cook Time: 12 minutes
Cool Time: 5 minutes

Grade: A

Make Again: Yes

Recipe Source: Cook's Illustrated (November 2007)
Recipe: America's Test Kitchen TV Show (Season 9)

Every time Cook's Illustrated comes out with a new biscuit recipe (which is practically every year) I wonder, how many biscuit recipes do we need? Well, actually, this is a pretty good one. It will definitely replace the previous CI drop biscuit recipe for two reasons:

1) It is quicker using melted butter
2) You don't need to pull out the food processor or cut in the butter.
3) They taste very good.

I don't think this will replace the Fluffy Biscuit recipe or the Flaky biscuit recipe, but this is a winner and will be used when I want something quick and easy.

Skillet Spinach Strata

Prep Time: 23 minutes
Cook Time: 12-15 minutes

Grade: A

Make Again: Yes

Recipe Source: Best 30-Minute Recipes

Actually, this took me 40 minutes, and I still was not sure that the insides were cooked through. However, my oven was not at the specified 425, because it takes so long to preheat. Next time, I must start preheating before I start the recipe. That would save 5 minutes. The rest of the time overage came from spilling and cleanup, and possibly just being slower than the ATK cooks! I took more than the 3 minutes to toast the bread, because my pan was overflowing. I used 4 slices of a wide pan bread instead of 5 of regular, and maybe that was still too much.

Anyway, this recipe was excellent. I reduced the butter from 4 T to 2 T and it worked just fine. There was still a buttery taste to the final product. The only complaint I had was that a few bites had too much garlic. It was hard to distrubute evenly with the bread, so I will have to do that with more care next time.

Skillet Penne

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 18 minutes

Grade: A

Make Again: Yes

Recipe Source: Best 30-Minute Recipes

I didn't make it under 30 minutes, but I was close. I think the key is to start heating my pan right away while I was getting the garlic ready and prepping for the sauce. That might cut out 5 minutes actually.

This was very good, but I would prefer to have a flavorful sauce without the cream. I think I will try making with some italian sausage next time instead. To keep it quick, I could saute some bulk sausage in a separate pan, while pasta is cooking and add it before baking. I don't like putting my non-stick pan in a super hot oven (475) so I did transfer everything to a casserole, where it barely fit. That does mean one more pan to cook, but it seems safer to me.

UPDATE: The leftovers of this were not very good (especially those frozen and reheated). The pasta really became quite mushy. That is to be expected for this type of dish, but it seemed much more so than normal. I'm guessing the cooking method contributed.

Oven Fried Onion Rings

Prep Time: 28 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes

Grade: A

Make Again: Yes, for someone else, not myself

Recipe Source: Cook's Country (April 2006)

These are pretty good, although not super easy to make. But you can bread ahead, so these might be fun to make for casual entertaining.

Cheesy Basil-Stuffed Chicken Breasts

Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes

Grade: B

Make Again: Maybe

Recipe Source: Cook's Country (February 2006)

This recipe was OK, but I didn't love the chicken after it was cooked. It ends up taking longer than I wanted to put together also.

Cookbook - The Best 30-Minute Recipe

Another Cook's Illustrated cookbook. Some of the recipes are simplified versions of previous recipes in other cookbooks. Some are brand new. I prefer the completely brand new recipes, because once I have tried the best version of something that is what I want.

Too see all reviewed recipes from the book, click here or on the 30min label below.

French Potato Salad

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Cool Time: 10 minutes

Grade: A+

Make Again: Yes

Recipe Source: Best Light Recipe (Modified)

This is a very good recipe that I modified just a little because I don't have all the herbs required for this recipe (and don't think they are needed.) I also like reducing the potatoes a bit and adding in a bunch of green beans to get some extra veggies in. Instead of the 2 lb of potatoes, I used 1.5 pounds plus 3/4 pounds of green beans.

Chipotle Lime Chicken Salad

Prep Time: 15 minutes (after having cooked chicken from previous entry)

Grade: A+

Make Again: Yes

Recipe Source: Cook's Illustrated (July 2007)

I tried another version of the Cook's Illustrated grilled chicken and it was also terrific. I did modify again by using a little less oil. I also used Chipotle powder from Penzey's instead of chopping up a chipotle. It worked really well and I will continue to use this substitution. I actually made the chicken for sandwiches first. Then I used the leftovers for this salad.

~ Grilled Chipotle Lime Chicken - cut into bite sized pieces
~ Romaine lettuce
~ Corn (I used fresh corn on the cob cooked in microwave and cut from cob
~ Tortilla Chips
~ Leftover Dressing (I'll make addiitonal next time I use the chicken exactly for this purpose.)

Next time I may add black beans and chopped tomatoes or red peppers for a more colorful salad. It was delicious this way though.

Grilled Chicken Breasts with Lemon and Parsley

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Marinate Time: 30 - 60 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes

Grade: A

Make Again: Yes

Recipe Source: Cook's Illustrated (July 2007)

This is very good and easy. The nice thing is the technique, which is cooking on a cooler grill at first, and then browning at the end with higher heat. The chicken ends up quite moist. I lightened the dressing a little and used less oil, and it was still great. I will use the leftovers for a chicken salad, and I know it will be delicious. They offered two other flavor variations with this recipe, and I will be trying both of them.

Grilled Garlic Rosemary Potatoes

Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 12 minutes

Grade: C

Make Again: No

Recipe Source: Cook's Illustrated (July 2007)

This recipe was one of the few from Cook's Illustrated that was not a winner for me. It tasted fine, but not GREAT. I would probably just prefer to roast the potatoes, even though that means having the oven on, because it is so much easier. If I want the grilled taste, and was willing to put in just a little bit more effort than this recipe, I would make one of the Grilled Potato Salads, which are much more flavorful, IMO.

Rustic Plum Cake

Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 40-50 minutes
Cool Time: 30 minutes

Grade: A+

Make Again: Yes

Recipe Source: Cook's Illustrated (July 2007)

Wow, this was really good. I am not a huge cake fan, and prefer my desserts a little more dense, and this fits that bill. The texture of the cake is almost closer to a cookie than a cake, but a little bit lighter. I skipped the almond extract, because I like just a hint of almond flavor, which is what this had. It was perfect.

I did have some trouble, not because of the recipe. After cooking the plums I looked for my 9" springform pan, and could not find it. Very strange, because everything has a place in my kitchen, and I never lose things. I must have brought it somewhere? Luckily, I have smaller pans (a 7" I use to cut recipes in half and 4 4" pans. I didn't quite have a pound of Italian plums, so I ended up using a 7" and one 4" and had a little extra dough, and exactly enough plums. The top of the cakes could have been prettier, but, hey, it is "rustic".

One other issue was that I forgot to check the cakes early, which I really should have because I was using smaller pans. The edges did get probably a little more brown than ideal, but it still tasted great.

I will definitely be making this again. It is so different than any other dessert I have ever made, since it is quite different than most cakes, but isn't a tart or pie.

Zucchini-Romano Muffins

Prep Time: 11 minutes
Cook Time: 22 minutes

Grade: B

Make Again: Maybe

Recipe Source: Muffins A to Z

This is not my favorite muffin recipe. I think it should use more zucchini. However, warm and slathered with some butter (which I normally skip) these taste good. The reason I made them was because I had some milk, pecorino cheese and a zucchini that needed to be used up and this recipe was perfect for that.

Spinach Dip

Prep Time: minutes
Cook Time: minutes

Grade: A-

Make Again: Yes

Recipe Source: The America's Test Kitchen Family Cookbook

Recipe Source: Cook's Illustrated (May 2002)

This is a pretty good dip recipe and it works to use lower fat sour cream and mayo. It is more green than the usual recipe which I like.