Cook's Illustrated Favorites - January

I started this blog to help me keep track of recipes and to organize my cooking. It has helped with that, but it could be better. Last year I did some "Favorites" posts for Everyday Food magazine which reminded me about some really good recipes. I want to keep that up and include Cook's Illustrated now because I truly forget to re-use some really great recipes.

I am hoping to ultimately have Favorites lists for every month so I can always find a tried and true favorite any time of the year. 

My Cook's Illustrated January/February Favorites 

(Note: the links are to my blog posts, not the recipes. The posts have links to the recipes (but sometimes behind a ATK paywall)

• January 1999 - Spicy Stir-Fried Green Beans and Scallions (I liked my first CI magazine so much I bought some old issues in book form. I love this quick vegetable recipe with rice.) 
• January 1999 - Cream Cheese Brownies 
• January 2001 - Crisp Think-Crust Pizza (The very first Cook's Illustrated recipe I ever tried. I still like this better than their newer thin crust pizza, from January 2011. I can get a super thin crust with this one, probably because of the overnight rise and plastic wrap roll-out.) 
• January 2002 - Soft and Chewy Molasses Spice Cookies (Yum!) 
• January 2004 - Oven Fries (Not exactly low-fat, but easier than frying and probably less fat.)
• January 2005 - Black Bean Soup (My favorite version of the soup. I need to make this again soon.) 
• January 2006 - Flaky Buttermilk Biscuits (So fun to eat with the flakes, and delicious) 
• January 2007 - French Onion and Bacon Tart (rich and delicious. I need an occasion to make this again.) 
• January 2008 - Almost No-Knead Bread (CI/ATK's take on the no-knead bread.)  
• January 2009 - Quick and Hearty Chicken Noodle Soup (The entire recipe is done in 2 hours, including the homemade stock. The trick is ground chicken.) 
• January 2009 - Chewy Chocolate Cookies (I only made once, but they were very good.) 
• January 2010 - Best Beef Stew (I have a lot of stew recipes I like, and this is one of them.) 
• January 2010 - Spaghetti with Pecorino Romano and Black Pepper 
• January 2010 - Red Beans and Rice (Very tasty, and fairly simple to make, but not quick)
• January 2011 - Nut Crusted Chicken Cutlets (This is close to becoming a staple recipe for me. I love the leftovers in a salad. The crust stays on it even after being refrigerated.) 

I also really liked but haven't blogged on 

• Twice-Baked Potatoes - January 1999
• Pasta with Sun-Dried Tomatoes, Cauliflower and Thyme-Infused Cream - January 2004 
• Hearty Lentil Soup - January 2004 
• Chocolate Sour Cream Bundt Cake - January 2004 

I was thinking about adding all the January magazine recipes from Cook's Illustrated that I still want to try, but that list is about 30 recipes long, so I will not add them here until they are tried and become favorites. I wish I could try them all this winter, but it probably won't happen. That list includes: 

• French Toast
• Chicago Style Deep Dish Pizza
• Apple Turnovers
• All Beef Meatloaf 
• Gingerbread
• Crossaints (someday!!) 
• and lots more