Tag: cooking

Make This Now

Lauren12 Comments

Hi!  Welcome to a new series called “Make This Now” where I get all excited about recently used and loved recipes and then I try to translate that excitement into a convincing argument for you to try those recipes yourself.  I think we’re both gonna love this new series.  Right?!

The Best Soft Chocolate Chip Cookies

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It’s always best to come right out the gate with a recipe for “the best chocolate chip cookies ever!”

I find cookies to be annoying because there are SO MANY small factors that can totally change the way your cookies come out.  We’ve all seen those charts that show what all brown sugar cookies vs. brown & white sugar cookies look like, or what baking soda vs. baking powder cookies look like, etc., etc.  Look, I do not have time to test all these factors, so when these cookies came out PERFECTLY, I was OVERJOYED.  They totally made me forget that I had walked back to my car after yoga to find I had a flat tire.  Not to be dramatic but these were the best cookies I’ve ever made or eaten, the end.

Roasted Veg with Nutritional Yeast

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Going to overlook the fact that Bon App staffers cannot say “vegetables” and insist on saying “veg.”  And you can overlook my questionable at-home outfit choices.

Guys, are you using nutritional yeast?  You’re probably either thinking “um that’s so 5 years ago” or “what the hell is nutritional yeast?!”  But hear me out while I profess my love for that yellowy powder.  It is the best, most delicious, most life-changing ingredient, vegan or not.  Joey straight up eats SPOONFULS of it, he loves it that much.  You know, beer, Santiago’s breakfast burritos, candy and nutritional yeast.  A totally normal diet for an adult male.  Make the broccoli version of this recipe or make the squash version of this recipe, either way, your life is about to change for the better.

Cast-Iron Pan Pizza

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Not to be dramatic, but this was the best pizza Joey and I have ever made.  EVER.  And we’ve made A LOT of pizza.

Can we just acknowledge that the Bon Appétit Test Kitchen is probably the best place to work?  They are always sending SnapChat videos of fun stuff going on in there and then they do stuff like provide us with informal recipes for the best cast-iron skillet pizza and I could not be more appreciative.  BA Brad knows his stuff.  We watched that little video (click the link!) about five times and followed the directions to a T and were rewarded with this amazing pizza delight.  Seriously, I was so impressed.  And brushing honey onto the crust before it cools?  Why had I never thought of that genius move on my own?  MAKE IT NOW.Read More »

Thanksgiving 2015 Recipe Review

Lauren1 Comment

Hello from the other side… of November.  Okay, that was dumb but what I’m really trying to say is that IT’S DECEMBER.  As in snow-outside-my-window, office-Christmas-tree-being-put-up (right now!), me-sending-psycho-“LET’S DO ALL THE HOLIDAY THINGS!!!”-texts-to-Joey December.  I officially declare this the month of feasting, holiday get together-ing and classy boozing.  So here’s all the recipes I used for Thanksgiving to get you inspired!

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Good Old American White Rolls

For whatever reason, I can never get stuff with yeast to rise, but I turned the oven to 200° for 5 minutes, then turned it off and stuck the dough inside and these rose perfectly.  They turned out just like a classic white dinner roll should.  Oh and they were HUGE.

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(Oh my god.  I just pulled that picture from a 2010 blog post, for real.)

The Best Vegan Green Bean Casserole

I’ve made this every year for the past six years and it never disappoints.  I made it gluten free this year by subbing arrowroot powder for flour and yes, it did change the consistency/color of the sauce but I think I was the only one who noticed.  And look, I know that picture shows panko but just buy the fried onions in a can.  It’s so worth it this one time a year.

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Maple Garlic Whipped Sweet Potatoes

If you ask me, this was the best thing we made this year.  But if you ask my sister, it tasted like salami and if you ask Joey, it was too garlicky.  Psh, more leftovers for me!  P.S. Note those rolls again because: YUM.

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Pumpkin-Caramel Tart with Toasted-Hazelnut Crust

Uh serious yum.  Leave it to Bon Appétit to create an updated version of the good ol’ pumpkin pie.  I loved the subtle caramel flavor and I really loved that you could make this two days ahead.  And who knew it was that easy to make caramel sauce?  A dangerous discovery!

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New England Express

DING, DING, DING!  This was a crowd favorite!  Because A) The thyme syrup can be made ahead of time B) The rest can be mixed together in a matter of minutes and C) The rum is dangerously hard to detect.  We doubled the recipe and had no trouble drinking almost all of it.  Definite keeper.

Happy Wednesday!