Cream Cheese Carrot Muffins

Prep Time: 23 minutes
Cook Time:20  minutes

Grade: A-
Make Again: Maybe
Recipe Source: King Arthur Flour

These are nice muffins with a cream cheese filling. They are not too sweet, and the filling is very good. I guess I skimped on the filling, because I ended up using only 1/2 - 2/3 and had a lot left over. Also, I probably should have put less batter on the bottom of the pans.

Despite having to grate carrots (it's only 2), and put the batter in the pans in the 3 steps, these are fairly easy to make. I may make again if I have carrots on cream cheese on hand and need to use them up.

Chicken Piccata (Light)

Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes

Grade: A-
Make Again: Yes
Recipe Source: Light & Healthy 2010



This recipe is somewhat similar to the one from the magazine (from 2001) or the Lighter version they did in 2007.  But it is definitely not exactly the same. I can't find a link anywhere online to this, so I guess you need the book to try it.

I had never tried capers before, and thought I wouldn't like them. I didn't. But I do think they added to the sauce flavor, so would make this again, and just not eat the capers. I may try it without them also to see if I notice a difference.

The sauce was very flavorful. I used less lemon, because I don't like things too lemony. You add just a bit of butter at the end, and it tasted very nice. It takes a while to reduce the sauce, but otherwise, this recipe is pretty easy and quick.

Buttermilk Biscuits (Lighter)

Prep Time: 75 minutes (1 hour from freezing some ingredients)
Cook Time: 17-20 minutes

Grade:B+
Make Again: Maybe
Recipe Source: Light & Healthy 2010

These were good, and very pretty, but I probably won't make them again. They were very flaky, I guess thanks to freezing the light cream cheese and butter. But I missed the buttery flavor from the other biscuits I make. And with 10,000 other biscuit recipes, I think I will just use one of the others.  The Tall and Fluffy biscuits are lighter than most biscuits and I will use those when I want something light. (I just looked for a link to my review of that recipe and can't find it. I can't believe I wouldn't have reviewed this one.  Coming soon, hopefully.)

One interesting thing from trying this recipe. The recipe tells you to arrange them upside down. The tops looked much nicer and smoother, and I thought they would be prettier, so I only turned about half upside down. It turns out there is a reason. The upside down biscuits rose considerably higher. (See photo above - the one on the left was turned upside down, the right one was not.) I guess I should know that they don't tell you to do something if there isn't a reason.

Update: I froze the leftovers, and reheated some today for dinner. I liked them better today. Not sure why that is. I may or may not make these again. So many biscuit recipes, and so many that I probably prefer over this one. 

I'm back

After a very grueling year as a full-time student (my posts from last fall were mostly queued up over the summer), I am hoping to get back to cooking and blogging.

I was studying Graphic Design so I can transition my programming skills into creating web sites. I hope to move this blog to WordPress over the summer and redesign it myself. If I have time.

In the meantime, I have Light & Healthy 2010 from the library, so I will be reviewing some of those recipes soon. And I haven't even looked at Cook's Illustrated all year, so there are probably at least a few recipes there I want to try also.

Rosemary Focaccia

Prep Time: 30-35 minutes (mostly hands-off time)
Rise Time: 2 hours (shape after 1 hour)
Bake Time: 23-25 minutes

Grade: A-

Make Again: Yes

Recipe Source: Baking Illustrated
Recipe Source: Cook's Illustrated (May 1997)

I just noticed when looking for the link to the recipe on CI's website that they have a new recipe that they published this past summer. I will have to try that one later.  This was good, but I'm not sure I'm compelled to make again soon, so it will be interesting to try the other one.

I used no oil on top, but the oil from pan added enough richness. This was an easy recipe, but you do need to boil a potato which adds to the complexity a touch.

Soft Pretzels

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Rise Time: 2+ hours
Assemble Time: 15-20 minutes
Bake Time: 12-16 minutes

Grade: A

Make Again: Yes

Recipe Source: Baking Illustrated

These are not the most attractive pretzels. I never get the salt to stick, and I am not great at shaping them, but they are delicious.

I made these years ago when I first got Baking Illustrated, but it has been at least 3 years. I forgot how good they are.

These are pretty easy to make. The only trouble is rolling them out and boiling them, but even that isn't too hard. My dough didn't rise well (it is cold) and the dough a little tight, so I had trouble rolling some pieces out to 20" like I was supposed to. I just left the hardest pieces to roll in shorter logs, and they still came out great. Next time I may just make them that way instead of rolling to keep the recipe even simpler.

I did burn the bottoms though, so I will have to watch that next time also. 

Quick and Hearty Chicken Noodle Soup

Stock Prep Time: 23 minutes
Stock Cook Time: 50-55 minutes
Soup Prep Time: 8 minutes (I prepped some with the stock)
Soup Cook Time: 20-25 minutes

Grade: A

Make Again: Yes

Recipe Source: America's Test Kitchen TV Show (Season 10) (Recipe at link)
Recipe Source: Best of America's Test Kitchen 2010
Recipe Source: Cook's Illustrated (January 2009)

Note: This is on the TV show website, so click link above and print, if you would like the recipe. It will probably be available through this year only.

I rarely make homemade chicken noodle soup, because dealing with chicken parts grosses me out. This recipe is pretty simple though, and most of the stock flavor comes from using ground chicken. That is nice and easy. You do have to cut two chicken breasts (on the bone) in half and simmer them in the stock for 30 minutes which also provides some of the flavor (and the meat for the soup.) Cutting the breasts was the hardest part for me. (I'll skip the details on why, because I don't want this to be an unappetizing read!)

The recipe ends up taking about 2 hours from start to finish, but there is really only 35-40 minutes of hands on time, so it is not a lot of work.

The soup was really, really good. The man in my life, who just really doesn't care that much about food (much to my dismay) said after his first bite "Wow, this is good." To elicit that response means it really was good. The broth was very flavorful and potatoes and carrots were perfectly cooked, along with the chicken. I used a frozen thicker Egg Noodle. Mrs Reames (I think.) It was my first time with them, and I think I would use them again, because they are more substantial. I didn't have parsley, so I added some peas at the last moment for a bit of green. I would definitely do that again. I also cut the chicken instead of tearing it, because I hate tearing the chicken.

Next time I make this, I might try doing the stock the day before and letting everything cool down first, so that removing the fat is easier (and you can get more of it.)

I'm not going to make this an A+ recipe yet, but it may get upgraded if after my second attempt I still like it as much.

Chocolate Truffle Tart

Crust Prep Time: 9 minutes
Crust Chill Time: 1 hour 
Crust Assemble Time: 10 minutes
Crust Chill Time: 30 minutes
Crust Bake Time: 30 minutes
Chill Time: 2+ hours

Grade: A

Make Again: Yes
Recipe Source: Cook's Illustrated (December 2006)
Recipe Source: Best of 2007

This is quite delicious, but pretty rich. It takes a while to put together, but it really is not difficult. I struggle with rolling out dough, but did ok with this one. I made a half recipe and used 8" tart pan. I used the extra scraps to make a mini tart, seen above.

I would definitely make again, but will serve with ice cream next time to cut the richness, I think.

Scoop and Bake Dinner Rolls

Prep Time: 15 minutes 
Rise Time: 45 minutes
Bake Time: 14-18 minutes 
Grade: A-
Make Again: Yes
Recipe Source: Cook's Country (October 2007)


This was the easiest yeast bread I've ever made, however, these things are a little odd, because they ended up looking like muffins. They did taste like buttery dinner rolls, though. I didn't think the leftovers were as good.

To make you whisk the ingredients in a bowl, let rise in a warm oven for 30 minutes then scoop into a muffin tin, followed by another short rise. That's it.

Since they are so incredibly easy to make, I might even try a half-batch in the future.

Simple Turkey (or Beef) Chili

 Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 2 hours
Grade: A
Make Again: Yes
Recipe Source: Cook's Illustrated (January 2008) 
Recipe Source: Best Light Recipes

CI originally did this recipe with beef several years ago (or more than several.) The turkey recipe was developed for the Best Light cookbook after that and was the same, but used turkey and less oil basically.

I can't believe I haven't added this recipe to the blog yet, because I make it at least a few times every year.  It is so simple and exactly the kind of chili I like. It reminds me of the chili I had a kid and it hits the spot on cool days.

With the turkey version they suggest adding the 2nd pound of ground turkey for the last hour of cooking so it stays more clumpy. Sometimes I do that, sometimes I don't. It seems fine when I don't, but the texture it a little smoother I guess.

This is a go to recipe for when I don't have time to cook, but I am at home and can have this cook a while.