If you like The America's Test Kitchen Family Cookbook

[kristenk]

Which recipes are your favorites?

I have that one and like it, but I haven't really made very many recipes from it. I'm more interested in entree recommendations, but if there's another type of recipe that you really love, please let me know!

[fivi2]

I make the stovetop mac and cheese regularly. dds seem to like it.

I did the baked ziti, but I added ground turkey - we liked it.

hmmm.... I know there are others, but can't think right now. I also like reading through it for tips and advice.

[leslieu]

Really like the barbecued Pork ribs - Yummi

I make the banana bread with and without chocolate every couple months either to drop off to a new mommy or when I have overly ripe bananas laying around. Super easy.

Chicken piccata is yummi and a nice change from the roasted/ over fried chicken.


I really haven't had a recipes I didn't like or not work.

hth

[MommyAllison]

I like their marinade for chicken kebabs. Last time I used sage & french tarragon as the herbs and it turned out fantastic.

eta: German Chocolate Cake is also fab

[urquie]

this is the only decent chicken tikka masala i've had that wasn't from a restaurant! you can use the sauce over any type of meat or beans (they also do a recipe for shrimp i think).

Chicken Tikka Masala
from the Episode: Indian Favorites, Simplified

This dish is best when prepared with whole-milk yogurt, but low-fat yogurt can be substituted. For a spicier dish, do not remove the ribs and seeds from the chile. If you prefer, substitute 2 teaspoons ground coriander, 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom, 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon, and 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper for the garam masala. The sauce can be made ahead, refrigerated for up to 4 days in an airtight container, and gently reheated before adding the hot chicken. Serve with basmati rice.

Serves 4 to 6

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon table salt
2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts , trimmed of fat
1 cup plain whole-milk yogurt (see note above)
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 medium garlic cloves , minced or pressed through a garlic press (about 2 teaspoons)
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger

Masala Sauce
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 medium onion , diced fine (about 1 1/4 cups)
2 medium garlic cloves , minced or pressed through a garlic press (about 2 teaspoons)
2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
1 fresh serrano chile , ribs and seeds removed, flesh minced (see note above)
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 tablespoon garam masala (see note above)
1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
2 teaspoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon table salt
2/3 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves

1. FOR THE CHICKEN: Combine cumin, coriander, cayenne, and salt in small bowl. Sprinkle both sides of chicken with spice mixture, pressing gently so mixture adheres. Place chicken on plate, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 30 to 60 minutes. In large bowl, whisk together yogurt, oil, garlic, and ginger; set aside.

2. FOR THE SAUCE: Heat oil in large Dutch oven over medium heat until shimmering. Add onion and cook, stirring frequently, until light golden, 8 to 10 minutes. Add garlic, ginger, chile, tomato paste, and garam masala; cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant, about 3 minutes. Add crushed tomatoes, sugar, and salt; bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in cream and return to simmer. Remove pan from heat and cover to keep warm.

3. While sauce simmers, adjust oven rack to upper-middle position (about 6 inches from heating element) and heat broiler. Using tongs, dip chicken into yogurt mixture (chicken should be coated with thick layer of yogurt) and arrange on wire rack set in foil-lined rimmed baking sheet or broiler pan. Discard excess yogurt mixture. Broil chicken until thickest parts register 160 degrees on instant-read thermometer and exterior is lightly charred in spots, 10 to 18 minutes, flipping chicken halfway through cooking.

4. Let chicken rest 5 minutes, then cut into 1-inch chunks and stir into warm sauce (do not simmer chicken in sauce). Stir in cilantro, adjust seasoning with salt, and serve.

[urquie]

this is amazing, best i've ever had!

Simple Pot Roast with Root Vegetables
Serves 6 to 8
5 hours 20 minutes (4+ hours simmering)

1 boneless chuck roast about 3 ½ lbs (book says chuck eye, but butchers say they only come in 1 lb size)
salt and ground black pepper
2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 medium onion, chopped medium
1 small carrot, chopped medium--more can be added if you prefer
1 small celery rib, chopped medium

2 medium garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons sugar

1 cup canned chicken broth
1 cup canned beef broth
1 sprig fresh thyme -- can use 1 tablespoon dried thyme
1-1 ½ cups water

1 ½ lbs small red potatoes (about 9), halved if larger than 1 ½ inches in diameter
1 ½ lbs carrots, peeled and sliced ½ inches thick
1 lb parsnips, peeled and sliced 1/2inch thick
Try adding mushrooms and onions

1/4 cup dry red wine


Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 300 degrees. Thoroughly pat roast dry with paper towels; sprinkle generously with salt and pepper.

Heat oil in large heavy-bottomed Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering but not smoking. Brown roast thoroughly on all sides, reducing heat if fat begins to smoke, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer roast to large plate; set aside.

Reduce heat to medium; add onion, carrot and celery to pot and cook, stirring occasionally, until beginning to brown, 6 to 8 minutes. Add garlic and sugar; cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add broth & thyme, scraping bottom of pan with wooden spoon to loosen browned bits.

Return roast and any accumulated juices to pot; add enough water to come halfway up sides of roast. Bring liquid to simmer over medium heat. Then wrap pot lid in foil (it seals the gap between the lid & the pot to keep in the steam), and cover the pan tightly with the lid. Transfer pot to oven. Cook, turning roast every 30 minutes, for 3 ½ hours.

Add the potatoes, sliced carrots and parsnips, submerging them in the liquid. Continue to cook in the oven until the beef and vegetable are tender, 45 minutes to 1 hour.

Transfer roast to carving board; tent with foil to keep warm. Transfer the vegetables to a serving platter and cover with foil to keep warm. Let the liquid in pot to settle for 5 minutes, then use wide spoon to skim fat off surface. Add red wine and simmer for 5 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

[urquie]

another family favorite! i always forget the nuts.

Roasted Green Beans with Red Onion and Walnuts
from the Episode: A New Way with Turkey

An aluminum foil liner prevents burning on dark nonstick baking sheets. When using baking sheets with a light finish, foil is not required, but we recommend it for easy cleanup.

Serves 4
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon honey
1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme leaves
2 medium cloves garlic , thin sliced
1 pound green beans , stem ends snapped off
1/2 medium red onion , cut into 1/2-inch-thick wedges
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/3 cup chopped walnuts (toasted)

1. Combine vinegar, honey, thyme, and garlic in small bowl; set aside.
2. Adjust oven rack to middle position; heat oven to 450 degrees. Line rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil; spread beans and onion wedges on baking sheet. Drizzle with oil; using hands, toss to coat evenly. Sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt, toss to coat, and distribute in even layer. Roast 10 minutes.
3. Remove baking sheet from oven. Using tongs, coat beans and onion evenly with vinegar/honey mixture; redistribute in even layer. Continue roasting until onions and beans are dark golden brown in spots and beans have started to shrivel, 10 to 12 minutes longer.
4. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper and toss well to combine. Transfer to serving dish, sprinkle with walnuts, and serve.

[hillview]

I have made the following:
portobella burgers -- everyone ate them
chicken broth with chicken noodle soup -- also a universal hit
Gazpacho soup -- DH loved it, kids didn't eat it however babysitter heated it (?) so unclear
Glazed carrots -- universal hit
Creamed spinach -- DS #2 tried it; everyone else loves it (i make double)
Mushroom risotto -- universal hit
Simple cheese lasagna -- make almost weekly; everyone LOVES it; keeps well -- several days in fridge; YUMMY; cookbook is worth JUST this recipe imo
Baked macaroni and cheese -- universal hit; keeps ok -- 2 days
Baked ziti with tomatoes and mozz -- universal hit (DS #2 is hit or miss) and keeps ok, 2 days
Skillet lasagna -- not a hit; pales compared to cheese lasagna
Fritta -- hit
Scrambled eggs in puff pastry -- universal hit (DH even)
Pan-fried salmon cakes -- adults really liked it; DS #1 liked it; DS #2 not so much
Fast and crunchy baked cod -- everyone liked it
Pan-seared chicken breasts with cream and mushroom sauce -- universal hit
Chicken marsala -- I messed it up; TBD
Chicken fingers -- kid hit
Chicken fajita -- adult hit; kids not so much (and I thought they'd LOVE it)
Fiesta casserole -- kids liked it; didn't keep well

We don't like spicy so if something calls for hot pepper etc we don't use it.

HTH! I am SO impressed with my list
/hillary

[shoxie]

These are great - thx, mamas!

[urquie]

these were grubbin' - restaurant quality!

Oven-Fried Onion Rings
from the Episode: Drive-In Specials


We had the best results with kettle-cooked potato chips.

Makes 24 rings, serving 4 to 6
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 large egg , at room temperature
1/2 cup buttermilk , at room temperature
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
30 Saltine crackers
4 cups kettle-cooked potato chips , crumbled into smaller pieces
2 large yellow onions , cut evenly into 1/2-inch-thick rounds
6 tablespoons vegetable oil


See Illustrations Below: Deep-Fried Coating without the Deep Fryer

1. Adjust oven racks to lower-middle and upper-middle positions and heat oven to 450 degrees. Place 1/4 cup flour in shallow baking dish. Beat egg and buttermilk together in medium bowl. Whisk remaining 1/4 cup flour, cayenne, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper into buttermilk mixture. Pulse saltines and chips together in food processor until finely ground and place in separate shallow baking dish.

2. Pull apart the rings in each round, discarding any that are less than 2 inches in diameter. Working one at a time, dredge each onion ring in flour, shaking off excess. Dip in buttermilk mixture, allowing excess to drip back into bowl, then drop into crumb coating, turning ring to coat evenly. Transfer to large plate and repeat with remaining onion rings.

3. Pour 3 tablespoons oil onto each of two rimmed baking sheets. Place in oven and heat until just smoking, about 8 minutes. Carefully tilt heated sheets to coat evenly with oil, then arrange onion rings on sheets. Bake, flipping onion rings over and switching and rotating position of baking sheets halfway through baking, until golden brown on both sides, about 15 minutes. Transfer onion rings to plates lined with paper towels to drain briefly. Serve immediately.

MAKE AHEAD
Oven-Fried Onion Rings can be breaded in advance and refrigerated for up to an hour. Let them sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before baking; if baked straight from the fridge, the onions will not soften properly and will remain crunchy.

Step-by-Step: Deep-Fried Coating without the Deep Fryer:
KETTLE CHIPS: When crumbled, these chips produce a golden brown crust that almost seems deep-fried.
SALTINES: Crushed crackers add a nice salty kick and absorb excess grease from the potato chips.