Part 4 of The Super Awesome Cover-to-Cover Project
Everyday Food's October cover touts "Feel Good Food," with promises of meatballs, sandwiches, and pot pies.
Sign. Us. Up.
Team Everyday Food jumped at the chance to make the dishes, enthusiastically embracing everything from Halloween food ("Slimy Bog Balls," anyone?), recipes that rely on using frozen chicken fingers as a shortcut, and some truly interesting takes on meatballs (we were eager to see the review of "Shrimp Scampi Meatballs").
As of the time we're publishing this post, a good portion of the recipes aren't yet online. If you want to make a dish that doesn't have a recipe linked, pick up the issue from newsstands or visit MarthaStewart.com to search for the recipe.
Let us know which recipes most intrigue you, what you plan to make, and most of all, let's give it up for Team Everyday Food for all their hard work!
SOUPS | SALADS AND SIDES | FISH AND SHELLFISH | MEAT AND POULTRY | VEGETARIAN MAINS | DESSERTS | MISCELLANEOUS
SOUPS
Split Pea Soup
Loreal
"When I first saw the recipe for split pea soup, I was skeptical. It seemed far too simple, as compared to the other split pea soup recipes I've known and loved, to effectively deliver the flavors I so much enjoy. Where were the carrots? The fresh herbs? The ham hock!?! But I chopped my single onion and two cloves of garlic, set my knife down (its work was done for the recipe) and hoped for the best. And with the only tweak being to simmer the soup for a bit longer than suggested by the recipe (my peas, perhaps skeptical like me at the outest, stubbornly refused to become tender anywhere under the 50 minute mark), I got it. I might add a ham hock next time -- because, well, why not -- but am no longer fooled by more complex renditions of this clearly very simple soup."
Split Pea Soup Recipe
Chicken Noodle Soup
Howie
"There are two kinds of cooks in the world, improvisational and recipe-followers. I am firmly in the improvisational category and often find it difficult to follow a recipe. More importantly, when I do use a recipe as a guide, I believe it should be for inspiration. Food magazines should exist to give home cooks ways to improve upon what they know, to make familiar dishes new and exciting again, and to encourage us to try something we haven’t before.
On those fronts, this recipe is a big miss. I struggle to call it a recipe because its ingredients and procedures are so familiar that almost any cook could probably whip up a decent chicken soup just like this one. Sure, it’s delicious. It’s chicken soup. But it’s your grandmother’s chicken soup. Actually, your grandmother probably made a more exciting soup because she would use bones and herbs and stock to make a wonderfully hearty soup.
If you want the simplest of chicken soups, this is a good starting point. It is quite tasty, but through no effort of the editors. Here are some simple ways to really make this soup special:
- Use chicken with bones or replace the broth with stock for something heartier.
- Add herbs like thyme or bay during the simmering process.
- Try some different vegetables, like spinach, kale or parsnips.
- Try a different pasta, like mini shells, egg noodles or ditalini.
Overall, this is the start of a soup. It’s a process that can be used to make a soup. But if you are going to make this recipe, find some inspiration from another recipe and make it your own."
Chicken Noodle Soup Recipe
Mushroom-Barley Soup
Katherine
"This soup was quite easy to make. It tastes good and is filling due to the barley. I just wish it had some green in it like scallions, peas, green beans, or even some fresh chopped parsley. I’m having mine for lunch this week with a green salad.
As for the directions, they were straightforward with the exception of the dried shiitake mushrooms. My package said that the mushrooms needed to be 'washed' and soaked before using. Well, I rinsed and drained them in a fine mesh colander to get rid of any grit. Because I was trying to stick to the recipe, I didn’t soak them so I felt that I needed to up the cooking time a little. What really should have been done was to use one of the four cups of water to soak the mushrooms and later add the strained (to remove the grit) water back into the soup with the rest of the remaining water.
One additional note: you could use regular (lower cost) barley if you added it to the soup when the liquid is first added."
Mushroom-Barley Soup recipe
Simple Red Bean and Rice Soup
Gail
"I had to Google the rice called for in this recipe. It calls for 'converted rice,' which turns out to be brown rice that's been partially stripped of its casing and parboiled so that it tastes more like white rice and cooks faster. I found it in the ethnic section of my grocery store labeled parboiled rice, and it worked as directed. The final verdict on the soup is that is simple to make, but it lacks wow factor. Next time I want red beans and rice I'll just make my standard non-soup version."
SALADS AND SIDES
Cabbage and Raisin Slaw
Paula
"This salad is a light and fresh approach to usual coleslaw. Very easy and quick to put together. Plus unlike regular slaw, this salad should NOT sit. Assemble this salad right before eating it, just like a regular tossed salad. The walnuts added a good crunch, however I will choose sunflower seeds, peanuts, or almonds next time. The walnut flavor did not work well with the lemon flavor of the salad in my opinion. The raisins added just the right sweetness. I believe dried cranberries would work nicely as well. All in all I would make this again."Cabbage and Raisin Slaw Recipe
Shaved Parsnip Salad with Grapefruit
Pam
"Tasty! I've never had raw parsnips. The dressing was light and flavorful. My sister-in-law said it was 'terribly refreshing' and would be good for a hot summer day. It's easy to make and inexpensive but I probably won't make it again."
Shaved Parsnip Salad with Grapefruit recipe
Lettuce Salad with Caper Vinaigrette
Jennifer
"Ok, I'm not gonna lie: we were NOT excited about this dish! It was lettuce. With cucumbers. And some vinaigrette. Boring! In my husband's world, salad just isn't salad unless there's onions and cheese and (hopefully) hard boiled eggs and pickled peppers. But we came at this with open hearts. I sought out the boston lettuce and champagne vinegar. The vinegar was $15 a bottle here, and boston lettuce about $4/head. I could have substituted, but in the spirit of the challenge, I wanted to keep it authentic.
So I mixed up this salad according to the recipe: 'In a large bowl, whisk together 2 tablespoons each extra virgin olive oil and minced capers, 1 tablespoon champagne vinegar, and 2 teaspoons chopped fresh tarragon. Season with salt and pepper. Toss with Boston lettuce and 1 thinly sliced cucumber. Serves 4.'
Well, looking at the 'dressing' of vinegar, capers, herbs, and oil, I had misgivings about its tastiness. I tasted it. Confirmed: all capers. I added more vinegar and oil.
After mixing (using only half the lettuce and cucumbers they prescribed, which was just the right amount for the small volume of dressing) tasted again and went...hmmm...
We had this with sautéed salmon and smashed potateos. I sliced some garden tomatoes to have with the salad since the greens simply were boring on their own. The only redeeming thing I liked about them was the 'pickle' factor cucumbers get in a vinegarettte. But ANY vinegar would have done nicely here, not the uber expensive champagne vinegar I bought for this recipe! All in all, hubby gave this a thumbs down. I have to agree; my homemade vinaigrette dressing is far tastier than this caper concoction."Lettuce Salad with Caper Vinaigrette Recipe
Pasta Salad with Buttermilk Dressing
Scott and Katie
"We were excited when Clay and Zach sent us this recipe. First, the dish sounded easy, which is a plus in our book. Second, it featured pasta, which is one of the few foods our picky toddler will eat.
Although we both enjoy cooking and trying new dishes, we aren’t the most experienced chefs. Case in point: when we saw the recipe called for fennel, our first stop was Google to find the proper way to core it. And we bought watercress for the first time – which, thankfully, we were able to find at our local Kroger.
The recipe itself was quick and easy. We prepared the fennel, basil and watercress while the pasta (we chose whole wheat rotini) was boiling. From start to finish, it took less than 15 minutes.
The end result was really enjoyable. The salad is light and fresh, a pleasant surprise considering the dressing features mayo and nearly a cup of buttermilk. The fennel, basil and watercress complement each other well. And the edamame makes this a hearty, satisfying salad that can stand on its own as an entrée instead of being relegated to the side of your plate like most pasta salads.
Unfortunately, the recipe didn’t pass the toddler test. But this is something the adults in our house are definitely looking forward to making again."
Creamy Braised Parsnips with Sage
Ruth
"The dish as it was needed some meat or some complement to make it extra savory. Good solid base for a dish, but could use a few small tweaks to make it perfect. Sage, Broth, and Cream on their own make a VERY solid combination, where as you could throw any tasteless food and it would be great. One of my main thoughts (pointed out by my super-farm-friendly roommate) is that perhaps if this was a dish in the spring (when most parsnips are ripe with natural sugars) that it would have held up better on its own. Would I make it again? Absolutely!"
Creamy Braised Parsnips with Sage recipe
Roasted Parsnips with Rosemary
Jenny
"The ingredient list is mercifully short and the prep work couldn't be easier for this dependable side dish. There is nothing here that is going to knock your socks off, but the parsnips cook up to a nice, tender texture and the rosemary flavor is noticeable but not overpowering. Since I'm not the sort to have fresh herbs on hand, I tried one little pan with fresh rosemary (on the left in the photo), and the other little pan with dried rosemary (on the right in the photo) for fellow short-cut cooks. Verdict? The dried rosemary tasted a little different, but just as good."
PASTA
Chicken Potpie Pasta
Emily
"To be honest, my husband and I weren't drooling at the idea of Chicken Potpie Pasta. It sounds likely to lead to a weird mush of sticky noodles. We invited another couple to split the final product. Our review: not bad! It's easy enough to make if you already have diced chicken laying around. And it really tastes like chicken pot pie! I think I'd prefer a flaky pie crust to penne pasta, but this is a quicker, easier, and healthier alternative. Not gummy at all; more velvety, in fact. And the green beans add a nice freshness and crispness to the dish. I might not be adding it to my regular repertoire, but I wouldn't turn away a second helping!"
Orecchiette with Sausage, Chard, and Parsnips
Kate
"My local market didn't have chard in today, so I substituted turnip greens. The recipe came together in the time it took to get the pasta cooked, which is my favorite kind of weeknight meal. It also got me to try something new: parsnips (tasty!). My only complaint about it is that the greens kind of clumped up with the parmesan in the pasta. I also might use a hot Italian sausage rather than sweet next time--I think it could have used the extra kick."
Orecchiette with Sausage, Chard, and Parsnips recipe
Pepperoni Pasta Bake
Maggie
"Although this was my first ever try at making stuffed shells, I couldn’t resist the urge to monkey with the recipe (just a little!). As written, the pasta bake is a slight twist on the standard stuffed shells. The basil and zucchini in the ricotta filling keep things light and fresh, but the only other change is the addition of sliced pepperoni on top. I wanted to pay homage to Top Chef contestant Mike Isabella’s famous pepperoni sauce, but I also wanted to keep the recipe fairly simple. Rather than making the sauce from scratch, I chopped up the 26 slices of pepperoni called for in the recipe (yes, I counted) and tossed them in a hot pan to crisp up a little and render out some fat. Then I just dumped the jar of marinara in and stirred it all together.
I followed the rest of the recipe to the letter, and was rewarded with a tasty pan full of bubbling sauce and gooey cheese, and a kitchen that smelled like a pizzeria. Certainly nothing fancy or earth-shattering, but a tasty meal with some fun twists."
Pepperoni Pasta Bake recipe
FISH AND SHELLFISH
Cornbread Stuffed Shrimp
Maria
"I thought of these shrimp more as finger food than as a main course. I halved the recipe because it was only my fiance and I eating it as an appetizer. I made the cornbread that the recipe called for in the morning and crumbled it in the afternoon. I made everything else at night. I used fresh shrimp instead of frozen ones. As we were having it as an appetizer, I did not give much importance to the salad, so I only used some lettuce dressed with olive oil and cider vinegar, mostly just for presentation. Finally, I made a cocktail sauce with mayonnaise, ketchup and a little bit of Dijon mustard and Worcestershire sauce for dipping. The sauce really made this dish shine.I really liked this recipe. The stuffing turns out really flavorful and tender. The shrimp, however, turned out overcooked and they were kind of hard to bite into. I would really make this again for a dinner party appetizer, maybe using less baking time and temperature."
Pan-Seared Salmon with Fresh Herbs
Sam
"Yet another fabulous simple meal from the folks at Everyday Food! I stuck to the recipe, using (slightly larger than 4 ounce) portions of Copper River Wild Coho Salmon defrosted from my freezer. I used parsley and dill to make the fresh herb mix, tossed with equal parts lemon juice and really good olive oil, and served a salad-like quantity with my salmon – rather than the daintily strewn stems of the picture in the magazine. Made for the perfect light lunch."
Pan-Seared Salmon with Fresh Herbs recipe
Poached Salmon with Raita
Julie
"First thought at this tiny bottom-corner recipe? Snoozeville. In fact probably not something we would have chosen to make out of a food mag at all because it just seemed so simple. But in the spirit of the Challenge, we got to work. The recipe calls for poaching salmon fillets in plain water but based on prior salmon-poaching experience we modified with half stock and half water and threw some lemon halves in for extra flavor. We made the cucumber raita as written and sprinkled a touch of chopped fresh dill over the whole thing for color.
Delicious! This would make a nice casual brunch dish at room temperature or a light dinner. We served it with a side of roasted potatoes to make it a little more fall-appropriate. Best part? The whole dish took about 15 minutes to come together."
Poached Salmon with Raita recipe
Salmon and Scrambled Eggs
Cheryl
"The salmon and scrambled eggs were a perfect start to a day of winery crawling with friends. Those friends are also some of my favorite cooking buddies, so they were totally into the idea and the project. We added oven-baked potatoes and a cherry-chocolate-chip scone and it was good! Tasty, easy...we made two small changes to the recipe: we thought 6 eggs skimpy for 4 (3 men) and bumped it up to 9; we also removed the salmon to a bowl and added it back to the pan after the eggs were cooked because we felt like it would be prettier. It did add an extra dish to wash, and certainly wasn't an essential difference!"Salmon and Scrambled Eggs Recipe
Shrimp Scampi Meatballs in Garlicky Broth
Kelly
"I really enjoyed making these because it wasn't something I would have chosen out of the magazine to cook. And they really weren't difficult at all. Aside from the chicken and shrimp I had everything I needed already -- always a plus. The meatballs were delicious, but we decided we'd rather eat it with a thin sauce over the pasta rather than as a brothy soup, so I'll give that a try next time I make them. Overall they were a success and will be on rotation in our dinner menu!"
Shrimp Scampi Meatballs in Garlicky Broth recipe
MEAT AND POULTRY
Beef Stew with Parsnips
Nikki
"This recipe was pretty easy! I cheated a bit by buying stew meat that was already cut -- that was a big time saver. I liked that I had a majority of the ingredients handy. Everything went together quickly with relatively few steps. As far as the taste I thought it was just okay. I think I might try to spice it up with some herbs!"
Chicken and Dumplings
Lisa
"This recipe proved to be a simple, delicious weeknight meal. Easy to make dumplings nested amongst a fair amount of fresh vegetables were quite irresistible. A deli rotisserie chicken quickened prep time taking the meal from stovetop to tabletop in thirty minutes. Ultimately, it was satisfying -- surprising light in calories -- comfort food."
Chicken Parm Meatballs
Tracey
"Think of this recipe as a modern spin on an old classic -- chicken parm reinvented in meatball form, and who doesn't love meatballs? Despite the difference in appearance, you won't believe how much this dish tastes just like the original -- the textures and flavors are all there! These ground chicken meatballs are stuffed with big chunks of mozzarella then rolled in breadcrumbs and shallow fried until golden and crispy before finally being finished in the oven. When you cut into one, the cheesy mozzarella goodness just oozes out. It's a glorious sight :) These are larger than your average meatballs -- only 4 of them per pound of meat, so one per person is plenty. Sitting atop a pile of spaghetti and homemade marinara sauce, it was one of the best Sunday dinners we've had in a while!"
Chicken Parm Meatballs recipe
Chili-Braised Brisket
Dana
"This brisket recipe is fantastic! I adjusted a few small details -- used parsley instead of cilantro for the garnish, added frozen pearl onions (highly recommended!) and celery to the vegetables, and used a 1.75 lb instead of 3.5 lb brisket since there are only two of us - and this recipe seems fairly flexible and easy to adapt. I was worried that the chili-fennel rub might be overpowering, but it mellowed out during the braise and added a really nice flavor to the overall dish. We cook about 3-4 nights a week, and my fiance said that this dish was one of his all-time favorites -- definitely a keeper!"
Chili-Braised Brisket Recipe
Amy
"If you don't enjoy fennel, this dish won't convert you -- but for the rest of us, the licorice flavor adds a nice, somewhat unexpected, complement to the sweetness of the pork. The tenderloin is the star here, and I served it on top of salad as suggested but skipped the toasted pita. A couple notes: My tenderloin came from a meat CSA and did not have the silver skin or fat trimmed, which added significantly to prep time. (As a vegetarian who has recently returned to eating meat, I also needed an instructional video.) Also, fennel seed is nearly impossible to 'coarsely chop;' you'll want to use a mortar and pestle or give it a quick whirl in a spice grinder. Using mostly pantry ingredients, this dish came together quickly and easily, and I'll keep fennel in mind when next approaching pork."
Fennel-Crusted Pork Tenderloin Recipe
Sausage and Pepper Meatballs
Bianca
"The peppers and onions gave a sweet layer of flavor, which nicely complements the spice from the red pepper flakes and Italian sausage (I decided to use a mix of half Italian sausage and half ground pork, instead of just ground pork and fennel seeds). I wasn't a huge fan of the hoagie, the sausage and pepper sub, so I was pleasantly surprised by how much I liked this dish -- in fact I event went back for seconds!"Sausage and Pepper Meatballs Recipe
Smoky Chicken Tacos
Tiffany
"Smoky Chicken Tacos are in a section of Everyday Food called 'At Your Convenience.' They lived up to the title. My husband and I picked up the ingredients on the way home from work, and dinner was on the table within 20 minutes of getting home. We made two substitutions/changes: 1) We chose to use fried chicken tenders from the grocery's deli section rather than frozen tenders, as I've never found frozen chicken appealing and it sped up cook time even more. 2) We toasted the corn tortillas in an iron skillet rather than over a flame as we have an electric cooktop. Overall, I thought the tacos were tasty, especially for how quick and easy they were. I'm not fond of pre-packaged, processed foods, so if I were to make this recipe again, I would probably make the tortillas and definitely make my own chicken tenders. The coleslaw mixture was the highlight. It was fresh and crunchy with hints of smokiness from the chipotle and brightness from the lime."
Smoky Chicken Tacos recipe
Super-Fast Fried Chicken
Trista
"It was surprisingly delicious! I don't even really like fried chicken and it was good -- crispy and flavorful. However, because it was pan-fried, I think it was a little too oily - the oil from the frying and the natural oil from the chicken-thighs was a bit much... I'm going to try it with chicken-breasts next time and see if that's better. The spices were really good though. Also, I made a gluten-free and a regular flour version (my boyfriend has celiac), and they both turned out great!"
Kale Salad with Chicken & Sweet Potato
Megan
"This recipe was incredibly easy and would be a great option for one of those nights when you don't have the time or energy for a complicated recipe. Also, the kale and sweet potatoes are seasonal ingredients, so it wouldn't be crazy to think you might have them on hand on any fall night. The recipe calls for frozen breaded chicken tenders, which we would not normally buy, but we think it would be just as good with plain grilled chicken! The end result was delicious and the flavors were comforting but fresh. (Another note, the recipe is supposed to make 4 servings, but could very easily serve 6-8.)"
Kale Salad with Chicken & Sweet Potato Recipe
Buffalo Chicken Pizza
Diana
"The pizza was super easy to make and was fairly spot-on for a 30 minute start to finish. As for the taste, it was okay. The hot sauce, jack cheese, and blue cheese combo was delicious. But, the chicken nuggets and sparse vegetables left something to be desired. Also, it was a bit too salty for my taste. If I were to make it again, I'd add grilled chicken (perhaps with lime) instead of breaded 'cutlets'. I'd also top the pizza with at least twice the amount of celery/carrots and add some fresh chopped cilantro and cumin seeds for flavor." More at Diana's blog.Buffalo Chicken Pizza Recipe
Michelle
"The dish ended up being really yummy. The chicken was nice and juicy and had great flavor from the buttermilk, lemon and dill. Really fresh tasting. The marinade smelled so great too! I served it with roasted asparagus and fingerling potatoes."
Meatballs Stroganoff
Carrie
"So my thoughts on the recipe: very good and definitely an easy, comforting dinner! I went through the recipe too quickly so missed adding the milk to the meatballs, so they were a bit dry. I also used less shallots because of food sensitivities in the household. I added a splash of white wine to the mushrooms, used 93% lean ground beef, and angel hair instead of spaghetti -- everything still turned out great. I think fresh dill is pretty key here. I usually am the first to sub in dried herbs, but the fresh really add something!"
Meatballs Stroganoff Recipe
Pastrami and Pickle Sandwich
Judy
"This is one of those 'make yourself busy so you think you have cooked something' recipes. There is no need to make your own pickles. I made my own per the recipe and also bought pickle stackers – my testers and I tried both and agree there is no advantage to making your own."
Pastrami and Pickle Sandwich Recipe
Sweet & Spicy BLT
Juliet
"There are a few obvious reasons why my husband and I liked this sandwich:- There's bacon. And it's sprinkled with brown sugar, then roasted until crispy and slightly caramelized. What's not to love about that?- The roasted tomatoes! Roasting cherry tomatoes really deepens their sweetness and flavor.- The cayenne-jalapeño mayo gives the smoky/sweet layers a nice kick.There's one thing we did not like: when I assembled the sandwich, I started with the tomatoes on the 1st (mayo-spread) slice of bread -- and by the time the other layers were piled up, the bottom had gone soggy!The bread should probably be toasted -- it would make the whole thing less messy to eat!"Sweet and Spicy BLT Recipe
Turkey Sloppy Joes with Kale Chips
Dani, Emily and Kat
"Being fans of beer, football and fall, we were pretty pumped to get a sloppy joe and kale chip recipe! This recipe was perfect for a crisp fall Sunday.
Adaptations: We started out the recipe exactly as written, but made modifications as we went along. For the sloppy joes, we ended up adding an extra can of diced tomatoes, extra Worcestershire as well as various seasonings- smoked sweet paprika, cayenne pepper, a little chili powder. We ended up cooking it maybe twice as long as the recipe called for, reducing the extra can of tomatoes and making it saucier and more flavorful. The sweet potatoes needed to cook longer as well. For the kale chips, we did multiple batches, one with salt and olive oil, the other with chili, cumin and red wine vinegar. They were both excellent!
Verdict: The recipe as written would probably be pretty bland without modifications for personal preference, but this is a great basic recipe from which to start from. The sweet potato added a nice textural element as well.
Recommended Pairings: Southern Tier Pumpking Ale, Long Trail Harvest Ale, Harpoon Rye IPA.Served with: Potato Salad (via Ina Garten)"
Turkey Sloppy Joes with Kale Chips
VEGETARIAN MAINS
Loaded Slow Cooker Baked Potatoes
Jen
"I loved the new way of making baked potatoes and purposely planned it for a day I'd be home later from work with less time for active cooking time. Although, the process of scooping out the potato pulp, combining it with other ingredients and putting it back in the skins was a a bit messy and putzy, I really liked the results. The potatoes were creamy and delicious and the topping added more texture and great veggie flavor. I chose to add a bit more veggies to mine and decided it would be great served with a mixed green salad for a bit more bulk. I would definitely make this again and it would also be lovely for a casual dinner party."Loaded Slow Cooker Baked Potatoes recipe
DESSERTS
Buttered Toast and Jam Pudding
Lizette
"First, I'd edit the name of this recipe to something less misleading -- 'Toast and Jam' Bread Pudding, probably. The prep for this recipe was a breeze -- I had most of the items on hand already. Soaking the toast in the custard for a half hour, then baking for an hour, and then cooling for another half hour was the hardest part. The bread pudding expanded dramatically in the oven. In fact, mine started spilling out of the loaf pan, so I threw a half sheet underneath it prevent additional spillage. Once out of the oven and cooling, the bread pudding contracted significantly. The finished product tastes very rich and isn't too sweet--perfect with a cup of strong coffee."
Buttered Toast and Jam Pudding Recipe
Plum Tart Tatin
Kaitlin
"This was a great recipe! The plums, brown sugar, and butter mix together to create a tasty syrup that one of our tasters described as 'surprisingly autumnal.' The 'crust', which is baked on top of the tatin, stays pretty crispy. The puff-pastry crust itself is pretty light – you mainly taste the plums – but it gets nicely caramelized. The recipe also comes together easily – cut plums, melt butter & sugar, cover with crust, bake. It would be a good dish to make and serve at the end of a dinner party because you don’t have to pay too much attention to it. It would be fantastic with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or frozen yogurt.
I do think cooking this in a cast-iron pan would help the syrup thicken and caramelize a little more. We had a lot of thin syrup that ended up all over the counter when we inverted the tatin. Bottom line, I would definitely make this again."
Plum Tart Tatin recipe
Spiced Parsnip Cupcakes
Mario
"A few thoughts:
- they didn't rise much at all, so the cake portion was tiny
- taste was a like a bland carrot cake, however they had a moist crumb
- frosting was a basic cream cheese frosting that added enough sweetness to counter the blander cake.
That being said, my partner and I each ate two without taking a breath!"Spiced Parsnip Cupcakes Recipe
Crisp Candy-Corn Treats
Leslie
"The following statement is bound to come back to haunt me if there ever may be a PTA election in my future: I'm not sure the world needs more cute versions of Rice Krispie Treats.
Maybe it's because I've never been enamored by food coloring, but I don't see how adding even more unnatural ingredients to a dessert that has one of its base ingredients as marshmallows is an improvement -- especially when the new process involves making the treats in three batches. The kicker is the instruction that tells you to 'rinse' the pot that held cooked marshmallow between batches.
This recipe does add citrus zest, which tasted better than I expected, but I don't think it makes up for the fact that I could have made something much cuter (hello, cupcakes!) from scratch in a similar amount of time."
Gluten Free Oatmeal Cookies
Charlotte
"The Everyday Food Gluten Free Oatmeal Cookies get high marks for achieving the gluten-free trick without forcing you to go out and buy lots of specialty ingredients you'll never use again. Because flour is replaced by grinding oatmeal to a fine powder (and whisking in some cornstarch and baking powder) you will have to pull your Food Processor out - an extra step that makes the baking process a bit messier. But the result is worth it- flavorful cookies with a good texture! Mine were a bit chewy in the center and very flaky/crispy on the outside.
Now for what you won't get from the recipe:
1. My cookies did not spread (practically at all) pro: you can fit more on a sheet; con: you need to form them to shape before baking because otherwise you'll get tiny cookie mountains.
2. Because you are using the oatmeal 'powder' and oats, I think its best to let the batter sit for about 15-20 minutes before you bake so that the oats will soften. Because I am cookie sheet challenged, I cooked these in two batches. The second - which had to sit for a while as the first was cooking - had a much better consistency.
I'd definitely make these again for a gluten free friend - or if I was out of flour and still wanted to bake! Great taste! Worth a try!"Gluten Free Oatmeal Cookies recipe
Jamaican Upside Down Cake
April
"I've never had a pineapple upside down cake before, so didn't know what to expect. I had dinner guests over and they loved it. It was a fluffy cake with good flavor. It was nice because it wasn't overly sweet, even with the pineapple & sugar. It was pretty easy to whip together. The only negative was that there were too many bowls to wash afterwards, since it's done in pieces. Also, put something down underneath it as mine bubbled over and I really don't enjoy cleaning burned sugar off of the oven floor-thank goodness for self cleaning ovens! :)"Jamaican Upside Down Cake Recipe
Walnut Chocolate Sticky Buns
Megan
Coconut-Buttermilk Pound Cake"As an experienced bread and sweet roll baker, I found the dough exceptional to work with. It had fabulous texture and was not too sticky. The rolls themselves were just the right amount of sweet. We did make a few modifications at our house, the bag of chocolate chips that I thought were in the cabinet seemed to be missing, and we subbed pecans for walnuts. I think the chocolate would be a great addition and hope to try them again soon. The caramel topping was a new method that I had not tried before. I was not as pleased with the effectiveness here. The taste and texture were spot on, but I didn't cook the caramel long enough for the proper color. I think substituting brown sugar for the granulated sugar here would speed things up without sacrificing anything. This recipe is definitely a keeper at our house!"
Walnut Chocolate Sticky Buns Recipe
Mindy
"This is not your grandmother’s coconut cake! Absent is the thick white icing and overly sweet taste. Present is a slight buttermilk tang and toasted flavor of the slightly crunchy coconut. I am not a coconut lover so though I tasted the cake and enjoyed it, I thought that I might not be the best judge of its flavor. My qualified taste testers (aka co-workers) loved it particularly because it was not overly sweet. Some mentioned that it was slightly dry, which could be from overbaking, so I would err on the side of the lower baking time if I were to make it again. If you, like me, aren’t an avid coconut eater, I bet this cake would be delicious without the coconut or with some dried cherries or blueberries in its place, if you are so inclined. Note: I used unsweetened coconut because I couldn’t find the sweetened variety and it turned out fine."
Coconut-Buttermilk Pound Cake Recipe
MISCELLANEOUS
Baked Apples
Brandi
"At first I was a little disappointed to get something so simple and 'boring' as baked apples for my assignment, but I was pleasantly surprised at how good and impressive they were. I opted for the savory version - Ham & Cheese, but upgraded it a bit with prosciutto, fontina cheese, and Granny Smith apples. They were delicious and a hit among my friends - a little hard to eat, but I will make them again."
Baked Apples Recipe
Bloody Floats
Trevor
"This ghoulishly bloody looking cocktail (or mocktail) is the perfect start to a Halloween-inspired dinner party. I took the time to find and make a raspberry sorbet recipe (that didn't involve an ice-cream maker) and was glad I did because quality of ingredients is the name of the game to make this drink standout. The dry sparkling wine cut the sweetness of the sorbet and grape juice nicely and a small mason jar was the perfect single serving size (any bigger would be too much). A straw is a must to mix the sorbet into the juice so you can suck out every last blood red drop."
Slimy Bog Balls
Jane
"We made Slimy Bog Balls tonight and ate them as an appetizer before dinner. Delicious! We used basil, lemon tarragon, and chives as the fresh herbs. We used Costco Kirkland brand fresh pesto on the plate. Also, we couldn't locate endive in the supermarket so we substituted crackers.
This is an easy-to-make, fun, refreshing little appetizer. The fresh herbs and goat cheese really compliment each other. We'll be making this again... and maybe renaming it!! Probably the biggest challenge is not eating them all as you are making them."
Scaredy Crackers
Lizzy K
"This is a simple, quick recipe that could easily be altered to fit your tastes or the occassion. Overall they are a little dry for me, but with a dip or a spread would be fantastic (really, what cracker isn't a little dry?). Just make sure it's not too hardy a dip/spread because the crackers are a little flaky. I will make these again. Perfect for a party."
Eggs with Spinach and Tomatoes
Rachel
"Quick (10 minutes tops start to finish) and delicious. I substituted plum tomatoes from my CSA instead of buying grocery store cherry tomatoes, and just sliced them fairly large, worked out fine. I am pretty committed to my usual steel cuts oats for breakfast, but this is an awesomely simple and versatile (any quick cooking veggies would work in place of the tomatoes and spinach) option for lunch or dinner."Eggs with Spinach and Tomatoes Recipe
Blueberry-Flax Buttermilk Pancakes
Deena
"Nothing is ever easy with Martha...sigh. I wanted to like this recipe -- but tweaking is in order. But the good first: there is indeed a blueberry in every bite (the pancakes are just a little larger than 'silver dollar size'). The not so good: the batter is thick; really thick. So it's not going to cook as quickly as the directions say. So after 5 minutes on each side, one has a gooey, albeit fluffy middle."
Not Pictured:
- Cauliflower and Apple Slaw
- Glazed Salmon with Zucchini
- Escaraole and Orange Salad
- Lighter Chicken Cordon Bleu
- Parmesan-Crusted Grilled Cheese
- Salmon-Potato Salad
- Scallops with Orange-Butter Sauce
- Smothered Pork Chops with Cornbread
