Pizza

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Rise Time: 90 minutes
Prep Time: 30 minutes ?
Cook Time: minutes

Grade: A

Make Again: Yes

Recipe Source: The America's Test Kitchen Family Cookbook


This recipe calls for a food processor and some hand kneading, but I used my mixer and skipped the hand kneading. This worked fine.

Putting the pizzas together was easy for a 3 and 6 year old.




Rolling the dough between parchment paper and a piece of plastic wrap, allows you to roll the crust out fairly thin.












I used the Trader Joe's Pizza sauce and it was pretty good.











Adding cheese.










Putting on special toppings.

Buttermilk Biscuits

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 10-12 minutes

Grade: A-

Make Again: Maybe, but have lots of other great biscuit recipes.

Recipe Source: The America's Test Kitchen Family Cookbook

This recipe is quick and easy, and the results taste good, but other biscuits may be better. This may be the recipe I reach for when I want something really fast, however.

Pork Bulgogi

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Marinate Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 10-15 minutes

Grade: A

Make Again: Yes

Recipe Source: Everyday Food (Jan/Feb 2004)

This is very good but a little too spicy for me. I need to use less red pepper.

6 small cloves garlic, minced
1/4 c. soy sauce
2 Tablespoons sugar
2 Tablespoons sesame oil
2 teaspoons crushed red pepper (or less)
1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
1 lb pork tenderloin, very thinly sliced
1 large onion, cut into 12 wedges
1 Tablespoon olive oil
sesame seeds, toasted (optional)

1. Combine first 6 ingredients in bowl. Add pork and marinate for at least 10 minutes.

2. Heat oil over medium heat. Cook pork and onions in 3 batches, 3-5 minutes per batch. Discard extra marinade.

3. Return all batches to skillet to warm. Garnish with toasted sesame seeds, if desired. Serve over rice or with lettuce leaves.

Banana Bread

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 55 minutes
Cool Time: 10 minutes

Grade: A

Make Again: Yes

Recipe Sources:

Cook's Illustrated Magazine (March 1998)

Baking Illustrated

The America's Test Kitchen Family Cookbook

This is a very good banana bread recipe, that I use often. The only flaw is you do need to have a little bit of plain yogurt on hand.

Pork Cutlets Parmesan

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 10-15 minutes

Grade: C

Make Again: No

Recipe Source: Everyday Food (January 2004)

This recipe tastes fine, but I think I will stick to using chicken cutlets for this type of meal. It seems a waste of good pork tenderloin and I prefer the taste of chicken breaded. Also, this recipe didn't seem to provide enough breading ingredients, so it didn't work perfectly for me. Finally, this type of recipe makes a bit of a mess and requires more clean up than average.

Cookbook - Cover & Bake

This is a great cookbook by Cook's Illustrated. It has lots of recipes of the kinds you would want to make in the winter: casseroles, stews, slow cooker recipes, and skillet meals. Some of my favorite recipes have come from this book. The recipes are not necessarily easy, but most I have tried have been great. The one exception is I don't care for some of the pasta casseroles. Many of them have sauces that are too rich and thick for me, and take away from the other flavors.


Recipe Index:

Assemble and Bake:

Baked Macaroni and Cheese

Chicken Divan

Sopa Seca

Hoppin John

Skillet Casseroles:

American Chop Suey

American Chop Suey

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes

Grade: A-

Make Again: Yes

Recipe Source: The America's Test Kitchen Family Cookbook

Recipe Source: Cover & Bake

This recipe is so easy, it is kind of a homemade hamburger helper. It isn't the most exciting dish, but it is so effortless and good comfort food, so I like to make this on occasion in the fall and winter.

Fettuccine with Leeks and Beans

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes (some can overlap prep time)

Grade: A-

Make Again: Yes

Recipe Source: Everyday Food (April 2005)

This is a nice simple recipe that is quick to prepare and cook. It can be on the table in less than 30 minutes if you are efficient. I like that the sauce seems like it has more cream in than you'd think. The beans really thicken the sauce and the little bit of cream at the end smooths things out.

Chicken Curry Kebabs

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Marinade Time: 1 hour (up to 1 day)
Additional Prep: 15 minutes
Grill Time: 10-15 minutes
Rest Time: 5 minutes

Grade: A

Make Again: Yes

Recipe Source: The America's Test Kitchen Family Cookbook

I liked the yogurt curry combination in this marinade and the chicken was very good. Another nice thing about this recipe is that you can marinade up to 1 day, so you have much of the work done before you actually cook the dinner.

Zucchini Beef One Pot Meal

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes

Grade: A

Make Again: Yes

Recipe Source: Me

This recipe was inspired by an idea I read on the Cook's Illustrated bulletin board. It is very flexible and could be used with other spices and flavors. I like it because it is super easy and is a nice way to use up zucchini.

I liked this served over rice, but it also good on its own.

1 T. olive oil
1 small onion diced
1 teaspoon salt
3-4 medium zucchini 1" dice
1/2 - 3/4 teaspoon chipotle powder (or minced chipotle in sauce)
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1 lb lean ground beef (or turkey)
15 oz. can petite diced tomatoes
cilantro, 2-3 Tablespoons minced (optional)
2 oz pepper jack cheese, grated (optional)

1. Heat olive oil in dutch oven over medium heat and saute onion, for about 5 minutes.

2. Add zucchini and salt. Saute another 5 minutes.

3. Add meat and cook, breaking up with spoon, until brown.

4. Add spices and saute about 30 seconds.

5. Add tomatoes with juice and stir. Bring to a simmer, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer 15 minutes until flavors are combined.

6. Stir in chopped cilantro if desired.

7. Serve topped with cheese if desired.