NYTCB Project December 2023 – January 2024

Spinach Artichoke Dip

Sausage, Bean, and Corn Stew

Tarte Aux Pommes

Wallace Seawell’s Spinach Salad

As 2023 drew to a close, I fell back in love with this project. I’m sure it’s partly because I always feel like cooking new things at this time of year (hence this whole crazy adventure). In addition, life has gotten a little less hectic over the past couple of months, freeing up some time and energy to spend in the kitchen. In addition to the recipes below, we found ourselves revisiting quite a few old favorites, including Garlic-Kale Salad (of course), Jasmine Tea Rice, Miso Chicken, Saffron Rice with Pine Nuts, Roasted Cauliflower, Tarragon Sheet Pan Chicken, Pasta and Bean Soup, Beet Tzatziki, and the divine, if clumsily-named Dried Apricot, Cherry and Cranberry Infusion.

# 223 Sausage, Bean, and Corn Stew, 1988 (p. 558) This dish is, in many ways, a hybrid. It’s both soupy and solid, both fresh and comforting, both spicy and soothing. Hesser dubs it “the perfect bridge between summer and fall cooking”. I agree, but it was also lovely on a damp December evening. Due to the season, we had to use corn from the freezer, but it was dandy nonetheless. We ate it, sitting on the couch, with crusty french bread. (see photo above) Rating: 4/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

#224 Nina Simonds’s Broiled Halibut with Miso Glaze, 1997 (p. 431) This one has promise, but we want to make some adjustments next time. We used cod, as suggested in the headnote. The fish was tender and flavorful, but the ginger and salt were overpowering. Next time I may cut back on the ginger, and will definitely marinade for less time and may even put less glaze on the fish. We served this with the amazing Jasmine Tea Rice (p. 361) - which has become something of a go-to rice recipe - which improved things somewhat. The recipe has lots of potential, so we will keep at it. Unanimous rating: 3/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️

#225 Florence la Ganke’s Three-Day Marmalade, 1974 (based on a 1929 recipe) (p. 633) First, some disclaimers: I had never made marmalade before and have only tasted it a handful of times, but I love the way it looks and this seemed like a good introductory recipe. It was! When I make this again – and I will – I will slice the fruit more thinly and (I used the 1/8″ setting on my mandoline) and take it off the heat a little sooner. I love the combination of the grapefruit, lemon and orange. The result is a lovely looking (if slightly chunkier-than-I’d-like) spread that is at once sweet, tart and a tiny bit bitter – not unlike some of my favorite people. The recipe yielded 4 half-pint jars, three of which we gave away as holiday gifts. I hope everyone liked it! Rating: 4/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

#226 Spinach Artichoke Dip, 2017 (p. 96) As Hesser points out, this dip is a classic for good reasons. I love this recipe, mainly because it uses mozzarella instead of mayo, which I think produces a more satisfying (and more stretchy!) texture. Like many of the dip recipes in Hesser’s book, this one yields a generous amount – 2-3 cups (closer to 3) which she says serves 4-6 people. While making it, I wondered aloud, “Who eats 1/2 cup or more of spinach dip?” The answer came just now as I lunched on at least that much of the leftovers from last night’s party (see photo above). Rating: 4/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

#227 Southern Macaroni and Cheese, 2020 (p. 375) We thoroughly enjoyed this, and then we all felt like taking a nap. It was, as advertised, “creamy, salty and puddinglike”. It was also much easier to make than other recipes I’ve tried – no béchamel required! If you grate your cheese by hand, budget some time. There’s a lot of it here! Unanimous rating: 4/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

#228 Almond-Carrot Salad, 2007 (p. 200) We loved this! It’s unusal without being weird and the flavors are exceptionally complex and balanced for a dish that comes together so quickly. I accidentally chopped the herbs (haphazardly) before I noticed that I was supposed to add the leaves whole. No harm done! If you prep the raisins and almonds ahead of time, assembly is quick and easy. Unanimous rating: 5/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

#229 Arroz con Pollo, 2020 (p. 375) This was delicious, and oh so plentiful. The recipe says it serves 6-8 but it actually served 6 easily for dinner and then provided leftovers for several additional meals. The recipe looks intimidating, but only because it is helpfully detailed. I made the sofrito and marinated the chicken the night before. It took about an hour to pull it all together. Hesser is right about how easy it is to overcook the rice. Also, she is right about the fact that this dish is exceptionally comforting. I am eager to make it again if I can round up enough diners. Overall rating: 4/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

#230 Wallace Seawell’s Spinach Salad, 1972 (p. 178) This was just delightful, especially served with one of our favorite dishes from the book, Pasta and Bean Soup (p. 153). It was hearty and flavorful and the leftovers were almost as good. The leftover dressing and croutons enhanced our salads all week. Overall rating: 4/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

#231 Tarte Aux Pommes (French Apple Tart), 1980 (p. 882) I am completely intimidated by the number of desserts in this book, particlarly those in the Pies, Tarts, and Other Desserts chapter. However, this recipe was reassuring. I am a pie crust novice, but this one was very forgiving, if a little “rustic” looking in my inexperienced hands. The flavor and texture of the finished dish were excellent. I’m feeling better about the whole pie/tart enterprise! Unanimous rating 5/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

#232 Perfect Buttermilk Pancakes, 2016 (p. 686) These took a lot of adjusting, but in the end they were delicious. If you make them, heed Hesser’s Cooking Notes. We found that they worked better in our electric skillet heated to about 310° than on the stove. We also learned that using a scant 1/4 cup batter for each pancake worked best. Even then, we experienced the oozing problem that Hesser describes. The result were some funky-looking, absolutely yummy pancakes. Unanimous rating: 4/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

#233 Baked or Shirred Eggs, 1958 (p. 660) If you like poached eggs, butter, and/or food served in ramekins, then this recipe is for you! These were very nice, especially after adding some salt and pepper. A simple, yet not-so-ordinary breakfast treat. Unanimous rating: 4/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

#234 Barbecue Sauce, 1939 (p. 626) This no-fuss, tangy sauce was a perfect complement to pulled pork. It came together in about 5 minutes with ingredients I had on hand. Perfect! Unanimous rating: 5/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

#235 Salmon Cakes with Yogurt Chipotle Sauce, 1997 (p. 430) The sauce (made 2 days ahead) is a winner in itself. Simple and delicious, we used the leftovers for dipping veggies and spicing up sandwiches. The recipe for the salmon cakes, while seemingly straightforward, did not work as described. Maybe it was because my salmon was still a bit warm. Maybe it was that I didn’t pack the breadcrumbs tightly enough in the measuring cup – who knows? For whatever reason, the consistency of the mixture was too runny to form into cakes. Luckily, I had just received a package containing a set of 4-inch English muffin rings (ordered for a later recipe). I grabbed 6 of them, sprayed them with non-stick spray, arranged them on the baking sheet, divided the mixture between them, and sprinkled the tops with the bread crumbs I had reserved for coating the cakes. I then baked them for 7 minutes, removed the rings, flipped the baked the cakes for an additional 2-3 minutes. They were AMAZING! Seriously, JUST WONDERFUL – like the best crustless salmon quiche you’ve ever had. When I re-attempt this, I may try to correct the consistency problem or I may do exactly what I did this time. Recipe rating: 3/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️ Rating for the dish as prepared: 5/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

#236 French Dressing, 1941 (p. 626) This beautifully balanced, classic dressing could not be easier to make. There is no waste and no extra dishes to wash! It dressed our crispy salad for 4. Unanimous rating: 5/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

#237 Sweet (or Savory) Lassi, 1989 (p. 25) Yum! We opted for the “sweet” option to accompany our breakfast for dinner (Eggs Kejriwal) This wonderfully refreshing and satisfying beverage is a wonderful counterpoint to food with peppers and onions. We are looking forward to trying the savory version soon. Unanimous rating: 4/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

#238 Eggs Kejriwal, 2017 (p. 686) A perfect breakfast-for-dinner choice. We easily sized up the recipe to feed 3 people. We used Pepperidge Farm Farmhouse Hearty White bread and subbed parsley for the cilantro, because 1/3 of us hates cilantro. Overall rating: 4/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (really 4.5)

#239 Amazon Cake (Cocoa Cake), 2002 (p.830) I threw this together in less time than it took Keith to pick up or takeout dinner and the result was amazing! We ate it with no frosting, just a little whipped cream on top. So far, this is our favorite chocolate cake from the book (We only have 15 left to try 😳) It was extremely moist and flavorful and required only ingredients that I have on hand 100% of the time. The icing on the cake (!) is that it is also vegan. Love, love, love this one! 5/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

#240 No-Knead Bread, 2006 (p. 712) This somewhat lazy loaf featured large bubbles inside and a very (very) crispy crust. I didn’t have enough bread flour so I used half all-purpose flour. Overall a large and tasty loaf with minimal effort. The perfect winter weekend recipe. 5/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

#241 Cashew Butterscotch Chews, 1999 (p. 744) These look great and the recipe makes A LOT. Because they are so rich, I recommend cutting them smaller than the recipe calls for. They are yummy right away and also soften and mellow after a couple of days for a different experience. 4/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

#242 Scotch Broth, 1970 (p. 117) This was a great dinner soup – hearty and heartwarming. We used the 2-day method, letting the broth spend the night in the fridge so we could remove almost all of the fat. We used lamb shoulder chops as recommended. Or resident lamb-lover was thrilled! 4/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

NYTCB Project Summer and Fall 2023: Let’s Party!

In an attempt to accelerate our progress on this project and reawaken our entertaining skills, which had atrophied a bit during Covid, we threw three dinner parties this summer featuring recipes from the cookbook – mostly from the Drinks/Cocktail, Hors DoOeuvres/Snacks/Small Dishes, and Frozen Desserts chapters, with a few forays into other sections of the book. We were thrilled that so many of our friends and family were willing to participate in our experiment. We asked our guests to help us rate the recipes, which they did – enthusiastically. We had a great time, cooked some fun recipes, and got to see lots of our favorite people. If you’d like to see the menus for each dinner, you can check them out here. You will see all of the party recipes listed below along with the other dishes we made between June and early December. In keeping with the format we have been using all along, recipes are listed in the order in which we made them.

#174 The Bone, 2002 (p. 33) This was the more popular of the 2 DIY cocktails we served at the first summer party. It also has my favorite cocktail name ever. Rating: 4/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

#175 The Vesper, 2002 (p. 32) This was the less-loved, but more-discussed DIY cocktail at the first party. Reviews were mixed. All agreed that it’s mighty strong. Some creative types improved it by adding lime selzer. Rating: 3/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️

#176 Stuffed Hard-Cooked Eggs, 1957 (p. 56) These were perfectly fine, if a little bland. The anchovy was polarizing as anchovies often are. Rating: 3/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️

#177 Ginger Pork Balls with Pineapple Dipping Sauce, 1972 (p. 60) This was overwhelmingly the most popular dish at the first dinner party. That’s a good thing because it was a pain to make – messy and time-consuming, but apparently worth it. The recipe makes a lot, but there was not one meatball left at the end of the night. Rating: 5/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

#178 Julia Harrison Adams’s Pimento Cheese Spread, 1979 (p. 65) If you (like me) are a lover of 1970s-era cheese spreads, then you will love this stuff. Guests rated it as a “solid spread” I enjoyed the (very small amount of) leftovers as a sandwich spread the next day. Rating: 4/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

#179 Guacamole Tostadas, 1985 (p. 68) This is an overly-complicated version of a layered Tex-Mex dip. It was not bad, but also not great. Also, the proportions seemed off - way less guacamole than I would prefer. Rating: 3/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️

#180 Hot Cheese Olives, 2003 (p. 82) These take some time and patience to prepare, but they are delicious and were very popular. A couple of our guests confessed to becoming “obsessed” with them. I have been asked to bring them to at least 2 subsequent parties. Some suggested variations include using spicier cheese (to make them hot in flavor as well as temperature) and using different varieties of olives. Rating: 5/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

#181 Olive Oil-Tuna Spread with Lemon and Oregano, 2008 (p. 94) Personally, I love this stuff. It is not your typical tuna salad, which may be off-putting to some. It makes a lovely lunch dish or party appetizer. While not everyone was impressed, it disappeared quickly and I have been asked for the recipe several times. Rating: 4/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

#182 Buttery French TV Snacks (Croq-Télé) 2008 (p. 757) This cookbook features many recipes for small, crumbly cookies. These were not our favorites. While a few of our guests enjoyed them, most agreed they were not the stars of the show. Rating: 2/5 ⭐️⭐️

#183 Blueberry Ice Cream, 1988 (p. 778) This was lovely – very easy to make and very popular. It’s even better mixed half-and-half with Sour Cream Ice Cream (page 782). Rating: 4/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

#184 Sour Cream Ice Cream, 2005 (p. 782) This had a great flavor, but a very hard texture. Before freezing, mix it half and half with the Blueberry Ice Cream (page 778) for a real treat. Rating: 3/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️

#185 Strawberry Sorbet, 2006 (p. 783) This was very refreshing and tasty. The pieces of lemon were a bit off-putting. 3/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️

#186 Almond and Buttermilk Sorbet, 2007 (p. 785) The surprise favorite dessert of our first party. It was flavorful, refreshing and not too sweet. The almond and sugar topping was great and has potential beyond this recipe. Rating: 5/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

#187 Lorane Schiff’s Pesto Genovese, 1969 (p. 321) This pesto has an excellent balanced flavor and is a breeze to make. It’s our new go-to pesto recipe! Rating: 5/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

#188 Coconut Barley Pilaf with Corn, Chicken and Cashews, 2009 (p. 366) This was a delightful surprise! Delicious, fresh and satisfying, it made a great light summer supper. Rating: 4/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

#189 Haricots Verts with Balsamic Vinaigrette, 1987 (p. 232) A quick, tasty weeknight side dish that pleased the whole family, including our resident bean-hater. We used the leftover dressing on salad, which was lovely. Rating: 5/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

#190 Vodka Tonic with Mint, 1996 (p. 27) Our DIY testers liked this one, particularly the combination of mint and red pepper. Rating: 3/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️

#191 Makrut Lime Lemonade, 1995 (p. 26) Refreshing and fun to make, we served it as a DIY cocktail, so there was considerable variation in how people chose to mix the lemonade, club soda, and vodka. Overall, it was a hit and we can think of lots of other yummy uses for the lime-leaf syrup. Rating: 4/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

#192 Pâté Watch Hill Farm (p. 53) Even some who were put off by the idea of liver pâté enjoyed this very accessible version. The texture was very smooth and the flavor mild, but interesting. It went well with Sophie’s sourdough bread and crisp rye crackers as well as celery sticks. Rating: 4/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

#193 Grilled Onion Guacamole, 1993 (p. 71) Like the author, I am skeptical of recipes that take a perfectly good dish and propose all sorts of additions and variations. In fact, when I was preparing this, I wondered if the extra effort would be worth it – It was. Our guests gave this recipe a solid 5 and the comments convinced me to make it part of my regular apps rotation. Rating: 5/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

#194 Sweet-and-Spicy Pepper Stew, 2000 (p. 248) Good as a light summer stew and even better the next day mixed with pasta. I will make this every summer. Rating: 4/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

#195 Onion Rings, 1976 (p. 62) This deceptively-named dish drew mixed reviews. Basically onions on white bread with mayo, it has its charms, but was not for everyone. Rating: 3/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️

#196 Fried Chickpeas, 2005 (p. 86) I was disappointed in these, expecting them to be crispier and to hold up better. Guests were kind and focused on the flavor, which was good. I am taking off a star for texture, which was not. Rating: 2/5 ⭐️⭐️

#197 Potato, Ham and Piquillo Pepper Croquetas, (p. 93) The work-to-flavor ratio did not measure up for these. They looked great, but were ultimately (in the words of one guest) “underwhelming”. Rating: 2/5 ⭐️⭐️

#198 Asparagus Salad, 1882 (p. 216) The homemade mayo was a nice accompaniment to the asparagus. I cheated and used my mixer. Rating: 4/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

#199 Cherry and Coconut Brown Betty, 1910 (p. 864) This easy-to-make dessert disappeared very quickly. The only challenge was pitting the cherries! Rating: 4/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

#200 Fresh Blueberry Buckle, 1967 (p. 872) This was tasty and simple to make. The flavor was summery and conforting, but the texture was a bit dry. Next time I will remove it from the oven sooner. Rating: 4/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

#201 Tea Ice Cream (A Massachusetts Receipt), 1878 (p. 769) This stuff was amazing! I’m not sure what we were expecting, but this was a fantastic surprise. A perfect accompaniment to Blueberry Buckle, Cherry Coconut Brown Betty or pretty much any baked fruit dessert. Rating: 5/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

#202 Peach Bowl , 1948 (p. 20) This “punch” consists of naked peaches soaked in wine. Our guests agreed that it was more wine than peaches. Overall, it did not meet expectations. Rating: 2/5 ⭐️⭐️

#203 Patsy’s Bourbon Slush, 2000 (p. 31) This was a revelation and by far the best cocktail recipe we tried this summer. It was popular among those who don’t always love bourbon as well as those who always do. Going forward, we will be keeping a container of this in the freezer all summer! Rating: 5/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

#204 Salted and Deviled Almonds, 1897 (p. 51) These had a good flavor, but a strangely slippery texture. The recipe makes more than I expected. Rating: 3/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️

#205 Avocado Sandowsky, 1948 (p. 54) This was perhaps the most polarizing dish we served this summer. Interestingly, it was more popular among those who claimed to dislike avocados. Some found it bland. Rating: 4/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

#206 Nicole Kaplan’s Gougères, 2001 (p. 75) I don’t know who you are/were, Nicole Kaplan, but you changed my life! These little gems are at once airy, cheesy, and just the right combination of crispy and soft. I normally avoid anything that requires the use of a pastry bag. This is a notable exception. I made these a day ahead and froze them, with excellent results. Rating: 5/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

#207 Cheese Ball with Cumin, Mint and Pistachios, 2003 (p. 84) With surprising flavors and an intriguing appearance, this was a guest favorite and was completely devoured. Rating: 4/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

#208 Seasoned Olives, 2007 (p. 89) This is a perfect example of a recipe I would not have made were it not for this project. “Why”, my old self would wonder, “should I mess around with perfectly good olives?” I found the answer to that question on August 17, when this was the highest-rated appetizer at the party. I have made it subsequently and gotten rave reviews every time – even from self-described olive-haters. Rating: 5/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

#209 Potted Salmon, 1880 (p. 408) This was a weird one. The texture was fine and it was fairly straghtforward to prepare, but we found that 21st-century folks were thrown for a loop by the taste of mace. I would try this again with different seasonings. Rating: 3/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️

#210 Couscous Salad, 1988 (p. 330) I was very excited about making this, but it did not live up to my expectations. There were so many different flavors, but they kind of cancelled each other out. It makes alot – way more than 16 servings. Rating: 3/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️

#211 Tomato, Fig, Goat Cheese, Basil, and Olive Salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette, 2002 (p. 195) Delicious and beautiful. What will really stick with me is the technique of dressing the greens separaely from the other ingredients and then serving the whole thing on a platter – genius! Rating: 4/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

#212 Leeks Vinaigrette, 1960 (p. 219) This was pretty complicated to make and was not a crowd-pleaser. Maybe a small-plates dinner was not the best place to roll this out. Rating: 3/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️

#213 Canestrelli (Shortbread from Ovada), 1989 (p. 739) Best cookie yet! Crispy and buttery with a great balance between sweet and salty and a beautiful texture. Just delicious! Rating: 5/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

#214 Red Wine Ice Cream, 2004 (p. 781) As I was making this, I knew it was either going to be great or kind of awful. Sadly, it was not great. Rating: 2/5 ⭐️⭐️

#215 Kosher Pickles the Right Way, 1995 (p. 637) Even our resident pickle-lovers declared these dreadful. Not sure what went wrong… Rating: 0/5

#216 Last-of-the-Summer Pesto, 2007 (p. 643) A solid, fresh-tasting pesto. Rating: 4/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

#217 Eggs Suffragette, 1909 (p. 52) These were OK, but just OK. 3/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️

#218 Crunchy Noodle Kugel Á la Great-Aunt Martha, 2007 (p. 917) We didn’t love the flavors of this kugel, but I will definitely borrow the technique. I am a big fan of the crunchy bits of the kugel and not so much of the spongy middle. No spongy middle here – Just the good parts! I will be riffing on this method in the future. Rating: 3/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️

#219 Dijon And Cognac Beef Stew, 2001 (p. 578) I made this 2 days ahead for a dinner party and it was absolutely wonderful. I reheated it at 250° for 1 hour and served it over egg noodles. It could not have been better! Rating: 5/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

#220 Pistachio Gelato, 2005 (p. 782) This recipe exceeded expectations. The flavor and texture were excellent! Rating: 5/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

#221 Cherry Spumoni, 2006 (p. 784) This exceptionally clearly-written recipe produced a marvelously flavorful ice cream with superb texture. We used mini chocolate chips and slivered almonds. So. Good. Rating: 5/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

#222 Cranberry Pistachio Biscotti, 1995 (p. 741) This was my first time making biscotti, but it won’t be my last. These were delicious and crispy without breaking your teeth. I used roasted, unsalted pistachios. In my oven, the first bake took 29 minutes and the second bake 11 minutes. Rating: 5/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Cold Day Salad

Dressing from The Pioneer Woman https://www.thepioneerwoman.com/food-cooking/recipes/a104726/ultimate-winter-salad/)

Salad:

• 5 oz mixed baby spinach and baby arugula
• 1/2 cup thin strips of cabbage, cut about 1 inch long
• 1/2 cup shredded carrots
• 1 small apple thinly sliced and roughly chopped
• 1/4 cup roasted pumpkin seeds
• 1/3 cup pomegranate arils
• 4 ounces Gorgonzola cheese, crumbled

Dressing

• ½ cup red wine vinegar
• 4 teaspoons whole grain or dijon mustard
• 4 teaspoon. maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
• ½ cup olive oil

Toss together the spinach, arugula, cabbage, carrots, and pomegranate. Top with pumpkin seeds and cheese. Add dressing to taste and toss. There will be leftover dressing. In our house, this makes enough dressing for about 3 salads, but your mileage may vary.

Jeff Raleigh’s Favorite Italian Salad

Adapted from The Essential New York Times Cookbook by Amanda Hesser. Original recipe by Craig Claiborne.

Dressing

• 1 clove garlic
• ¼ cup olive oil
• 1 Tablespoon red wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon mayonnaise
• 1 teaspoon dry mustard
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 2-3 cranks freshly ground black pepper

Salad

• 1 head romaine or other sturdy lettuce, trimmed and cut into bite-size pieces
• ½ fennel bulb, trimmed and coarsely chopped
• 3 anchovy filets, finely chopped
• 1 Tablespoon capers
• 2 hard-boiled eggs, sliced
• Grated parmesan for serving

Mince or press the garlic and add to the olive oil in a small bowl.

Mix the remaining dressing ingredients in a jar and shake well.

Put all of the salad ingredients except Parmesan, in a salad bowl.

Strain the olive oil to remove the garlic pieces. Discard the garlic and add the oil to the salad dressing jar. Shake again. 

When ready to serve, Toss the salad with the dressing and top with Parmesan. 

-Serves 6-ish people

NYTCB Project February – June(!) 2023: So much for monthly posts

Not only have I failed to live up to my goal of posting monthly, but to make matters even worse, I did not take a single photograph of any of these dishes, many of which were truly a feast for they eyes! I know that I will be revisiting many of them, so I will try to remember to take a shot and edit this post accordingly. Until then, happy summer and happy cooking!!

#132 Junior’s Cheesecake, 1996 (p. 822) I love this recipe for several reasons. It’s just long enough to be clear without getting too complicated. It yields a simple, flavorful cheesecake with an excellent smooth texture and a nice compact size. I don’t make cheesecake very often, because my daughter, Sophie, makes the best cheesecake in all the world, but if I need to, I will use this recipe. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5/5

#133 Sophie Grigson’s Parmesan Cake, 1989 (p. 70) This was a lovely surprise – salty, soft, and comforting. It was delicious served warm with soup for dinner on a chilly February night. I am eager to try the other applications described in the headnote. Overall rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4/5 (2/6)

#134 Creamy Salad Dressing, 1978 (p. 634) Creamy indeed – and tangy! I would like to experiment with this as a dressing for cabbage slaw. We used it on everyday green salads where it performed admirably. Overall rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4/5

#135 Bloody Mary, 1958 (p. 21) I am not a Bloody Mary fan, which is one reason why we foisted this on our dinner group. Full disclosure: the conditions were less than scientific with much DIY-ing and freestyling involved. Still, the consensus was that this was not the best recipe for this classic cocktail. We also learned that there are lots of opinions about what makes a good one. Overall rating: ⭐️⭐️ 2/5

#136 Fresh and Smoked Salmon Spread, 1998 (p. 72) Tasty and plentiful. We had a 14 people for a pot luck dinner with 2 other appetizers and we had a lot left over despite the fact that people really liked this. We were not sorry. It might be tasty with capers added. Overall rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4/5

#137 Coconut Oat Pilaf, 2009 (p. 681) This is a weird one. It’s in the Breakfast and Bruch chapter. I served it at a breakfast-for-dinner gathering. Reactions were all over the place. Some thought it was great, others were not so sure (My friends are very kind). Some declared it bitter, others experienced it as sweet. Some added fruit and reported it improved the taste. I am at a loss for when, where or why I would serve this again. Overall rating: ?/5

#138 Chopped Salad of Romaine, Arugula, Dill and Lemon, 2001 (p. 192) I am a big fan of chopped salads. This one did not disappoint. It was flavorful, satisfying, and made a great make-and-take dish. Next time I will use a bit less olive oil. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4/5

#139 Spiced Pecans, 2003 (p. 81) This is the complex, spicy cousin of the spiced nuts I have made for years. If you actually know me you know the nuts I mean. This version is wonderfully interesting without being weird. It’s super easy to make and has gotten raves each time I have served it. It is already in semi-regular rotation. It’s a keeper! Overall rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5/5 (2-26)

#140 Ruth’s Oatmeal Crisps, 1992 (p. 740) A big winner! Crispy and not too sweet. This is my favorite cookie recipe from the book so far. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4/5

#141 Cremini Mushroom Pasta with Wilted Arugula, Goat Cheese, and Extra Virgin Olive Oil, 1999 (p. 343) Very creamy and delicious with ALOT of mushrooms. This makes more than 4 servings. Next time we will try adding anchovies. Overall rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4/5

#142 Feta Spread, 1994 (p. 70) This is a delicious dip, but too runny to work as a spread . Next time I will chop the peppers more finely and serve it as a dip with endive, celery, hefty cucumber slices, pita chips and/or Tostitos scoops. Overall rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4/5 (2/27)

#143 Brie Butter with Fresh Bread, 1983 (p. 535) This was lovely and the recipe makes a lot! I served it for a mahjong night, so it sat out for a while. Toward the end it began to separate, so next time I would not leave it out as long. Also, removing the rind from the brie – which seemed simlple on paper – proved to be an ordeal. Next time I will try this method. If you have any other suggestions, please share them in the comments. ⭐️⭐️⭐️ 3/5

#144 Lemon Cake, 2003 (p. 832) There are a lot of steps to this one, but it’s worth it! The first time I made it, I did steps 1 – 5 a day ahead. I was rewarded with a moist, oh-so-lemony cake. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5/5

#145 Fern Berman’s Ginger and Lentil Soup, 1996 (p. 137) This made for a sweet and comfy weeknight dinner. While it probably won’t become my go-to lentil soup recipe, I will return it it for a change of pace. As promised, it freezes well. Overall rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4/5 (2-28)

#146 Beet and Ginger Soup with Cucumber, 2001 (p. 147) If you roast the beets ahead of time, this comes together very easily, if somewhat messily. It is a terrific soup, refreshing and light with lots of flavor. Hesser relates how she created it as an “antidote to all the rich restaurant food [she]h had to eat…” In that vein, it would be great to make after Thanksgiving or a similar string of rich holiday meals. Overall rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4/5

#147 Crostini with Eggplant and Pine Nut Puree, 2002 (p. 77) This was excellent and very popular at a potluck dinner with lots of other choices. I used toasted baguette slices as the base. Make extra! Overall rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4/5

#148 Caramelized Bacon, 2008 (p. 91) This is a great idea. I will try again, but the first attempt was less than successful. The technique involves coating bacon strips with brown sugar and then cooking them. How could this be bad? I had a hard time interpreting the instructions about how generously to coat the bacon. The result was VERY sticky. People (including me) wanted to like this, but it was too treacherous. I am sure there is a way to achieve the desired effect without endangering my guests’ fillings. I will try again before I publish a rating. Stay tuned.

#149 Jasmine Tea Rice, 2006 (p. 361) A revelation! The texture was amazingly fluffy and moist. The flavor was subtle but satisfying. It paired beautifully with the mango chutney chicken on page 495. Overall rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5/5

#150 Chicken Roasted with Sour Cream, Lemon Juice and Mango Chutney, 2001 (p. 495) For this, I used 1 pound of thin-sliced boneless, skinless chicken breast with excellent results. We enjoyed this with Jasmine Tea Rice (above) and a simple salad. Overall rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️4/5

#151 Jordan Marsh’s Blueberry Muffins, 1987 (p. 670) This is our new go-to muffin recipe. Smashing the blueberries is brilliant. A perfect recipe! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5/5

#152 Eli Zabar’s Egg Salad Sandwich, 2011 (p. 398) I am something of an egg salad snob, and this is one of the best I’ve had. The dill was perfect. It is best eaten right away. Overall rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4/5

#153 Clementine’s Tuna Macaroni Salad, 2006 (p. 455) This is magical stuff. I have already made it at least 3 times for different occasions and it was devoured quickly every time. The cornichons and chow-chow are brilliant additions. I am thinking of adding hard-boiled egg whites to future versions. Overall rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5/5

#154 Chicken Wings with Oyster Sauce, 1979 (p. 475) Chicken wings are not my thing, but even the wing-lovers around here agreed that these were not great. Overall rating: ⭐️⭐️ 2/5

#155 Warm Eggplant Salad with Sesame and Shallots, 2006 (p. 200) This was just OK as a salad, but I was inspired to try it as a vegetarian entree by mixing the eggplant and dressing with brown rice. This produced a flavorful and comforting – if somewhat visually underwhelming – concoction. The dressing was delicious and could definitely be put to other uses. Overall rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️ 3/5

#156 Charlie Bird’s Farrro Salad, 2013 (p. 201) This was a satisfying and surprising side that transcends seasons. Since I cannot eat pistachios, I made half with (for the purposes of science) and half without (to avoid hospitalization). Both were very good! Next time I will try substituting pine nuts so that we can all eat the same thing. Overall rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4/5

#157 Saffron Rice with Pine Nuts, 1985 (p. 328) This was an excellent – and pretty quick – weeknight side dish. We enjoyed it with Flattened Chicken. Overall rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4/5

#158 Flattened Chicken Thighs with Roasted Lemon Slices, 2016 (p. 515) This was a fun one! I make a half batch and was pleasanlty surprised at how easy it was. The recipe looks intimidating, but that’s moslty because it is very clear and exact. Many of the steps can be (and were) done ahead of time. This paired well with Saffron Rice with Pine Nuts. Overall rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4/5

#159 Butter Chicken, 2014 (p. 514) This one did not come out the way I had hoped (sorry, Book Squad). The sauce was very good, but the chicken itself was a bit rubbery. The recipe is vague on the question of whether to reomove the chicken skin. Looking back, I’m convinced I should have removed it. I will give this one another try, but for now I’m giving it ⭐️⭐️⭐️ 3/5

#160 Breaded Chicken Breasts with Parmesan Cheese, 1987 (p. 480) I have been pleasantly surprised by the number of excellent weeknight dinners we have enjoyed from this collection. This is recipe is one of the best. Solid recipe that pleased everyone. It took a bit longer to cook than was indicated. Overall rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4/5

#161 An Incredible Date Nut Bread, 1977 (p. 703) Simple, delicious and very satisfying. The outside is wonderfully crispy. It literally melts in the mouth! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4/5

#162 Baked Chickpeas, 1999 (p. 295) We had these as a side dish with steak they were delicious. Then they were delicious the next day on a salad. We soaked the beans for more than 24 hours, baked them covered for 50 minutes and then uncovered for another 10-15. Overall rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4/5

#163 Chifonnade Salad, 1898 (p. 171) I was not able to find curly endive or decent roma tomatoes at my grocery store, so I substituted baby arugula and quartered grape tomatoes with good result. The old-timely dressing technique was new to me, but it produced a rich and delicious dressing that really pulled this all together. I am looking forward to pulling this one out again. Overall rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4/5

#164 The Cuke, 2006 (p. 38) Easy-to-make, refreshing, potent. Everything I like in a cocktail. I predicit this will be making many future appearances. Overall rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5/5

#165 Beet Tzatziki, 2006 (p. 88) You should make this to experience it’s outrageous pinkness if for no other reason. Luckily, it tastes good too. I served it with multi-grain crackers, but it would work well with other dippable things. It was a very nice starter on a summer night. Overall rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4/5

#166 Via Carota’s Insalata Verde, 2019 (p. 205) I loved this dressing! The large leaves make an impression, but were kind of intimidating to eat. Also, it was a challenge to obtain all of the various lettuces called for. I liked the simplicity of the salad and the fact that I could prep all the parts ahead of time. Overall rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4/5

#167 Jean Yves Legarve’s Spaghetti with Lemon and Aparagus Sauce, 1986 (p. 329) This is light and summery and makes more than the recipe indicates. Practically perfect in every way. Overall rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5/5

#168 Eggplant Involtini, 2003 (p. 256) This is one of those dishes that seems intimidating (at least to me), but that is made completely managageable by a well-written recipe. It came together easily and was delicious and fancy-feeling. I can’t wait to make (eat) this again! Overall rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5/5

#169 Dick Taeuber’s Cordial Pie, 1975 (p. 874) I just lover the story and the idea behind this pie, which reminds us that any good recipe is just a formula that we can creatively alter if we understand the underlying ratios. I attempted the chocolate-mint version of this, learning in the process that 70’s style liqueurs are not easy to find. The filling did not thicken much. on the stove, to the point where i feared the thing would not come together at all. As I result I semi-abandoned it in the fridge only to discover that it had semi-solidified. I rescued it just in time, although unfortunately there were a few lumps as a result of my negligence. If you attempt this one, do heed the warning about leaving it in the fridge too long. The finished product was strange and boozy – which is not completely bad.

#170 Strawberry Ice Cream, 1941 (p. 774) Just. Excellent. Fresh, creamy and easy to make! I’m finally feeling good about buying that ice cream machine. Unanimous rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5/5

#171 World’s Best Chocolate Cake, 2017 (p. 840) While this was a perfectly good cake, I can’t say that it lived up to it’s hyperbolic name. I used bittersweet chocolate and made the ganache. It was devoured enthusiastically and made a lovely birthday/ Father’s Day dessert. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4/5

#172 Slow Cooker Pork Tacos with Hoisin and Ginger, 2015 (p. 606) The meat is very good, but the slaw is the star of this one! It made a tasty, unconventionally-seasoned taco dinner and – as suggested -rice bowls for lunch the next day. Overall rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4/5

#173 Cucumber-Goat Cheese Dip with Radishes and Scallions, 1993 (p. 70) The taste was great for a dip, but the consistency was more like a salad dressing. I am inclined to follow Hesser’s advice and use it that way with a romaine salad. Even after chilling the “dip” was still very runny. I would rate the flavor as a 5 and the consistency 2.5. for an average of ⭐️⭐️⭐️ 3/5 (6/16)

NYTCB Project January 2023: Launching Year 2

So many sticky notes! … And after a year there are quite a few sticky pages as well.

Maybe it’s because I am still riding the new-year energy, but I am happy to be posting just a month’s worth of recipes this time. Having reflected on the first year, I have decided to make my goal a more manageable minimum of 3 new recipes per week. We were away for a week in January, so we only managed 9 this month. Hopefully, it will average up over the course of the year. I also hope to post at least once a month. We’ll see how that goes!

I am grateful for the interest so many have shown in this project. As promised, here are some reflections as we head into the second year of this adventure:

On the book itself: I continue to be awestruck by the time, energy, and expertise Hesser and her team brought to bear. I am so grateful to them for bringing this book into the world. One of the reasons I chose this book is that it represents the work of many, many chefs, cooks, and recipe-writers, many of them non-professionals. That, and the fact that the age of the recipes spans more than a century, makes this an extremely eclectic and varied collection. This variety comes with challenges. Despite Hesser’s extensive editing, recipes are inconsistent in their level of specificity. Many recipes use terms like “small” or “large” in lieu of measurements. Words like “thick” (how thick?) and “cooked” (how cooked?) have generated some anxiety. I am a pretty experienced cook, so I have managed, but I think this presents some unnecessary difficulty for beginners. The lack of photos is a blessing and a curse. The book is huge as it is. Adding a lot of photos would have made it unmanageable (and unliftable!) However, there have been times when I wished I had a visual for reference. Overall, I am still in love with this amazing volume, even if I find myself talking back to it sometimes. It truly contains multitudes.

Stuff we have purchased: I have had some questions about what, if anything, we have had to buy especially for the project. The short answer is “a lot”. Here is a partial list:

• an ice cream maker
• a mandoline
• 2 kinds of special mustard
• a lifetime supply of juniper berries
• a pastry cutter (and then I found the one I had taken when we cleaned out my mom’s house, so if you need one I have an extra)
• several cake pans, a cake “keeper”, an offset icing knife, and a package of cake testers ( I have spent my life until now avoiding cake-baking)
• 2 frozen rabbits
• 4 kinds of olive oil
• a food mill
• a metal “kitchen” ruler
• a coffee grinder that I use just for spices
• an unreasonably large jar of Chinese sesame paste
• quark (look it up)
• a panini press
• 3 kinds of olives I had never heard of
• soooo. much. butter.

I’m sure that list will continue to grow. In the meantime, here are the recipes we made for the first time in January. As always, I am indebted to my numerous, often involuntary, tasters. Stay warm and happy cooking!

#124 Warm Cabbage Salad with Goat Cheese and Capers, 1990 (p. 181) This is my favorite kind of recipe: Quick to make, but complex, interesting, and delicious. It is notable that everyone in the family went for seconds – not the norm around here for cabbage-based dishes. It is excellent warm, but also very good cold the next day. I will make this again (and again) Overall rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4/5

#125 Cauliflower Soup with Cremini Mushrooms and Walnut Oil, 2001 (p. 147) This simple soup was flavorful and satisfying, if not very visually appealing. Overall rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️ 3.5/5

#126 Black Bean Soup with Salsa, 1987 (p. 129) This soup had amazing flavor, inspiring SAH to deem it “heavenly”. In the book, this soup is paired with the Jalepeno Corn Bread Muffins we made back in December. While we didn’t make the two together this time, I would definitely do so in the future. They would complement each other very well. This soup has much to recommend it, but it had a huge amount of liquid, which made the consistency a bit strange. I double-checked the recipe to make sure I had used the right amount. We ended up draining off a good deal of the broth to use as cooking liquid for rice. Overall rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️ 3/5

#127 Pumpkin-Black Bean Soup, 1986 (p. 127) It’s true! We love black bean soup around here. This recipe did not disappoint. In contrast with #126 the texture is thicker and “softer” and the flavor profile is less traditional. Despite the fact that the pumpkin gets top billing, it is very much in the background. Overall rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4/5

#128 Georgia Pecan Turkey Salad, 1998 (p.487) This was an excellent way to use the leftover Turkey breast we’ve had hanging around in the freezer since Thanksgiving. It was tasty and fun, more so because the combination of sweet pickle relish and celery salt reminds me of the way my mom used to make tuna salad. This was delicious on freshly baked buttermilk biscuits. Overall rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4/5

#129 Old South Buttermilk Biscuits, 1949 (p. 698) This recipe had me asking myself (out loud), “Why don’t I make homemade biscuits more often?” These were crispy on the outside and wonderfully soft and flaky on the inside. Yum! Overall rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4/5

#130 White Bark Balls, 2007 (p. 755) These were a bit of a disappointment, both in terms of how the recipe was written and how they turned out. Don’t get me wrong, the combo of Rice Krispies, peanut butter, and white chocolate could not be all that bad, but tthe flavor and texture were blander than expected. Also, despite the fact that I made them the exact size specified (I used the ruler referenced above.), the recipe yielded only 20 balls. If I make this again (and I might…) I will attempt to make them smaller, which will almost certainly improve the overall result. Unanimous rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️ 3/5

#131 Marina Anagnostou’s Spanakopetes (Spinach Triangles), 1978 (p. 64) and #132 Mediterranean Lentil Salad with Lemon–Thyme Vinaigrette, 1993 (p. 291) I paired these as a vegetarian dinner for my patient and supportive book group. We had read Call me Athena: Girl from Detroit by Colby Cedar Smith, so I was going for a Greek-ish theme. Both dishes were tasty and satisfying without being too heavy. I still don’t love working with phyllo dough, but the instructions for the spinach triangles were excellent and the result was visually pleasing as well as delicious. The lentil salad serves more than the recipe indicates. I have since doubled it and taken it to a potluck for 30 people. Overall rating for both: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4/5

NYTCB Project: Closing Out the Year

Lots of Meatiness as we moved from fall to winter:
Spoon Lamb, Shepherd’s Pie with Curried Meat, and Marinated Flank Steak with Lime, Chile, and Basil Slaw

Welp, it’s been a year since we started on this culinary journey! Hard to believe. We didn’t reach our goal of cooking 200 recipes in the first year, but that’s OK. It’s been a ton of fun so far. Thanks to all of you who have been roped into this escapade as taste testers. I have some reflections to share in a future post, but for now here are the recipes we cooked for the first time in November and December.

#109 Marinated Flank Steak with Lime, Chile and Basil Slaw, 1999 (p. 570) Thanks to unusually warm weather that extended into early November, we were able to squeeze in one last grilled dinner. Both the steak and the slaw were amazing. Next time, we will double the amount of slaw. Even though I messed up by adding the basil with the other vegetables, it came out beautifully. This will definitely be part of our regular rotation when grilling season rolls around again. Overall rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5/5

#110 Supernatural Brownies, 2007 (p. 362) I believe we have found the perfect brownie recipe. These really do melt in your mouth. Unanimous rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5/5

#111 Fresh Salmon and Lime Cakes, 2000 (p. 438) I love a good salmon cake and this recipe has much to recommend it. It is a good weeknight recipe and the overall flavor was excellent. Be sure that the oil is VERY hot before adding the cakes. The instructions were not completely clear about how to shape them. Mine were about as tall as they were wide, which was not optimal. In the future, I will experiment with a shorter shape. Overall rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️ 3/5

#112 Shepherd’s Pie with Curried Meat, 1984 (p. 554) This recipe was relatively simple with clear instructions. It benefitted from the addition of a little parmesan cheese. Next time (and there will be a next time) we will try adding some cream cheese to the mashed potatoes. We froze the leftovers, which held up better than expected – and were quickly devoured by SAH who was staying with us over the holidays. Overall rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️ 3.5/5

#113 Pasta with Fast Sausage Ragu, 2001 (p. 351) This recipe delivered on all of its promises. It was fast and immensely satisfying on a cold night. It’s so simple, but a bit more special than your typical weeknight red sauce. Overall rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5/5

#114 Jalepeno Corn Bread Muffins, 1987 (p. 129) If you like your corn muffins salty, spicy, and substantial, this is the recipe for you. I used standard muffin tins and ended up with 10 very generous muffins. Overall rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4/5

#115 Coconut Loaf Cake, 1998 (p. 825) This thing is amazing. It is the best cake we have tried so far and that’s saying a lot. It is simply brilliant. Do use a high-quality coconut. I used Let’s Do Organic brand found locally at Papa Joe’s Market. Make it now. And save some for me. Overall rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5/5

#116 Barley Risotto, 1990 (p. 336) This was one of those recipes that seemed to be missing some key information. Specifically, it calls for “barley” without any additional explanation. We searched for several weeks at grocery stores, gourmet and otherwise, and could only find “pearled barley”, which the internet told us was not the same as just “barley”. Reluctant to go the mail-order route, we decided to attempt it with the pearled variety and the result was delicious! Hooray! Also, we have had good luck with using vegetable broth from a carton, which shaves an hour off the prep time and makes this a very manageable weeknight recipe. Overall rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5/5

#117 Salty Sweet Peanut Butter Sandies, 2014 (p. 758) Reactions to these adorable little peanut butter balls varied widely, with some tasters proclaiming them “amazing” and others, including me, finding them a little weird. They are very peanut-buttery and quite substantial. Also, if you use a 2-teaspoon cookie scoop as directed, you will end up with a lot more than the 3-4 dozen promised. Overall rating: ⭐️⭐️ ⭐️ 3.5/5

#118 Takeout-Style Sesame Noodles, 2007 (p. 362) This is a dandy recipe that avoids the pitfalls I have encountered in past attempts to cook homemade sesame noodles. The texture and flavor were wonderful! We ate this as a main dish, but it could (will!) make an excellent side dish or serve well as part of a buffet. Overall rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5/5

#119 Mrs. Raymond Schenks’s Pumpkin Cake, 1980 (p. 812) Another polarizing confection, this was heavier than expected, which turned some people off and delighted others. Watch it carefully at the end as it’s one of those that can go from underbaked to overbaked very quickly. Overall rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️ 3.5/5

#120 An Honest Loaf of French Bread, 1978 (p. 704) Honest, maybe. Confusing, for sure. I will admit to some frustration with this one. As I have said before, the lack of photos in this cookbook is challenging at times, and there is no better example than this recipe. Step 8, which describes how to shape the loaf, remains a mystery to me despite having read it at least 10 times. It didn’t help that I made this on the coldest day of the year, which meant it took forever to rise. The result was a perfectly decent, if underproved (shades of Paul Hollywood!) loaf of French bread (as promised in the title) Overall rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️ 3/5

#121 Spoon Lamb, 1998 (p. 564) For reasons I won’t go into here, we ended up making this with a bone-in lamb shoulder roast instead of the boneless, trimmed roast called for in the recipe. The result was delicious if a bit fattier than we are used to. I am confident that had we used the recommended cut of meat, there would have been less fat. As I write this, the price of meat is out of control and I admit to being skeptical about investing so much in a piece of meat that was going to cook for 4 hours, but I am here to say that I would do it again! Overall rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4/5

#122 Rice with Peas (Jamaican Rice with Coconut and Red Beans), 2008 (p. 364) I love this stuff. Deceptively simple and deeply satisfying, it makes a fine vegan main dish. In addition, it has endless potential as a side dish and was just yummy with the addition of some leftover bacon we had hanging around. I think it would be excellent with pulled pork, chicken, or fish. Overall rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4.5/5

#123 Stir-Fried Chicken with Creamed Corn, 2002 (p. 498) Based on the title and my lifelong aversion to creamed corn, I approached this one with trepidation. Thankfully, the reassuring headnote turned out to be accurate. This came together very quickly and was surprisingly flavorful and satisfying. Once again, I was reminded of the benefits of this project as there is absolutely no chance that I would have made or eaten this under any other circumstances. Next time I will pair it with String Beans with Ginger and Garlic (p. 261). Overall rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4/5

NYTCB Project June – October 2022: It’s Been Awhile!

So much for counting the weeks… It’s been an eventful summer and fall with kids moving in and out, home improvements, and the resumption of many activities that were paused due to the pandemic. This project continues, albeit with a few more breaks than before. The original 5-year timeline may be overly ambitious. Time will tell. On the bright side, we have been able to share our experimental creations with a wider audience. During the warmer months, we leaned heavily on the salad chapter, took advantage of our new grill, and made a lot of things with zucchini (Amanda Hesser must really like zucchini). More gatherings meant more chances to concoct some sweet treats as well. Here’s some (most) of what the Rehfwitzim have been cooking since Memorial Day:

#73 Spicy, Garlicky Cashew Chicken, 2007 (p. 509) So. So. So. Good. Unanimous rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5/5

#74 Lemon Cheese Pie, 1963 (p. 870) The flavor was excellent, but the filling did not set. It may be due to my timidity in cooking the custard and/or my mediocre meringue skills. I loved a lot about this recipe, including the delightfully tangy crust. I will definitely retry this one. Rating: 🤔 Inconclusive.

#75 Chocolate Caramels, 1881 (p. 730) If you’d like to spend the better part of an hour stirring a pot of hot sugar, only to end up with a weirdly-flavored substance that threatens to ruin a lot of expensive dental work, then this recipe is for you. As I stirred and stirred, my sympathy was directed toward the cooks of 1881 who did not have an audiobook to divert them during this tiresome chore. My friend, Sarah Chisholm, who had the misfortune of being one of the taste testers on this one, theorized that molasses is different now (worse) than in the 19th century, which would partially explain this situation. But only partially. Overall rating: ⭐️ 1/5 (Keith said it “wasn’t that bad”. Dear, dear Keith.)

#76 Joyce Goldstein’s Pickled Salmon, 1988 (p. 422) I had my doubts about this one, but it turned out to be a gem. This is a perfect example of why it is good to cook an entire book. I would probably have skipped this otherwise and that would have been a shame. I halved the recipe and still had lots of salmon to play with. We tried it on toasted pumpernickel with mayo, on a green salad, and with Spinach Artichoke Pasta. In every case, it was delicious. This would make an excellent brunch dish. Overall rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4/5

50’s Appetizer Trio: #77 Cucumber Sandwiches, 1958, #78 Egg and Olive Canapes, 1959, #79 Florentine Dip, 1959 (pp. 57-59) All of these were fun, tasty, and relatively easy to make. It is hard to find Bermuda onions in 2022, so I substituted a Vidalia onion in the cucumber sandwiches with good results. I used Pepperidge Farm Very Thin white sandwich bread for both the sandwiches and canapes and served the dip with vegetables. The dip was wonderful and would go well with chips or crackers. Overall rating for sandwiches and canapes: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4/5 if you’re in the mood for mayo. For the dip: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5/5

#80 The Best Spinach Dip, with Chipotle and Lime, 2007 (p. 88) This refreshing take on an old (gooey) favorite works well as a dip and also makes an excellent sandwich spread. Overall rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5/5

#81 Garden Minestrone, 1973 (p. 118) This one was just OK, but has promise with a few changes. The onion slices were too big (Perhaps I misunderstood the directions) and overall it didn’t exactly work texture or flavor-wise. The amount of lima beans seemed excessive, but I am not a big fan of lima beans… Overall rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️ 3/5

#82 Italian Salad, 1958 (p. 175) This salad made frequent appearances all summer. It is well-balanced and interesting without being weird. Overall rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5/5

#83 ‘Ino’s Tuna with Black Olive Pesto Panini, 2003 (p. 393) We had never made panini before, so this was a lot of fun. I like the fact that we almost always have the ingredients for this in our pantry/freezer, so it could be an easy weeknight supper. We used Kalamata olives, but I am eager to try making this again with Gaeta olives now that I have located them. It was a bit oily, so I may cut back on the olive oil in the pesto as well. Overall rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️ 3/5

#84 Poisson a L’Huile (Salmon with Sauternes and Olive Oil), 1874 (p. 407) This was yummy, but very rich and filling. My advice is to put more vinaigrette on the fish than you think you need. Overall rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4/5

#85 Salmon Salad, 1881 (p. 410) We took the author’s advice and used the leftovers from the Poisson a L’Huile to make this. This salad had very good flavor, but there seemed to be more liquid than was necessary. We may need to try this again… Overall rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️ 3/5

#86 Shredded Brussels Sprouts with Bacon and Pine Nuts, 1990 This is a terrific side dish that also makes a great salad topping the next day. This is destined to make an appearance again soon – probably at Thanksgiving. Overall rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4/5

#87 Green Bean Salad with Savory Topping (p. 175) This one still has us scratching our heads. It is basically a bean salad with egg salad on top. Both salads were tasty, but the combination was just OK. It also seemed like a lot of dressing for the beans. If I make this again (and I might) I will cut the beans into smaller pieces. I admit that I didn’t marinade the beans as long as the recipe called for, which surely affected the final result. Overall rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️ 3/5 (maybe 2.5/5)

#88 Baked Mushrooms, 1877 (p. 214) This fresh, simple side dish was a great companion for steak or grilled chicken. Felt more like something from 1977 than from 1877. Overall rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4/5

#89 Chopped Salad with Lemon Zest Vinaigrette, 1998 (p. 185) This is another instant favorite. We found it necessary to make some modifications, but the recipe is forgiving and never failed to impress. When we couldn’t find watercress, we used a mixture of chopped baby spinach and baby arugula. We also subbed halved grape and/or cherry tomatoes for the whole tomatoes. The real star is the dressing, which is simple, fresh, and interesting. As a bonus, it is a good salad to make-and-take. Overall rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4/5

#90 Dock’s Coleslaw, 1999 (p. 188) A tasty and interesting take on traditional cole slaw. When I make it again (and I will) I will ease up on the caraway and celery seeds. Overall rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4/5

#91 Chocolate Ice Box “Cake”, 1948 (p. 797) We made this for KLH’s birthday and it was a lot of fun. I accidentally added the vanilla with the sugar before whipping the cream, but no harm was done. The hardest part was locating the chocolate wafers in the grocery store. I finally found them not, as I had expected, with the cookies, but with the ice cream toppings.🤔 To make it a little more special, I grated some chocolate on top. Unanimous rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5/5

#92 Spoonbread Potato Salad, 1997 (p. 291) This is a near-perfect classic potato salad recipe. It takes some time to make, but it is worth it. So so so good. Unanimous rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5/5

#93 Thai Beef Salad, 1994 (p. 562) We served this with the Pad Thai-Style Rice Salad and it was excellent. We used mini-cucumbers, which were a nice size. Make sure to slice the meat very thinly. Overall rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4/5

#94 Pad Thai-Style Rice Salad, 2008 (p. 365) This excellent dish would be great for a potluck. It also makes the best lunch leftovers ever. This will become part of the regular lunch/dinner rotation going forward. Overall rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4/5

#95 Potato Salad with Beets, 1878 (p. 274) Although the vivid color is somewhat disconcerting, this interesting and flavorful take on potato salad was an excellent companion to grilled chicken and steak. Pickling the beets adds a satisfying degree of complexity. Despite what the book says, this recipe serves more than 4 – more like 8 – people. Overall rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4/5

#96 Bademaiya’s Justly Famous Bombay Chile and Cilantro Chicken, 1998 (p. 486) Just. Amazing. This is easy to make and yields simply wonderful results. The sauce would be excellent with lots of other fish, chicken, and vegetable dishes as well. I used a coffee grinder to grind the spice mixture. Unanimous rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️5/5

#97 Zucchini and Vermouth, 1984 (p. 227) This recipe reminded me why I am doing this wacky project. If I weren’t, it is almost certain that I would have bypassed this recipe. I am SO glad I didn’t. It is not possible to describe the way that this quick and simple technique completely transforms the flavor and texture of what I must admit, is not my favorite vegetable. If you only make one recipe from this book, it should probably be this one. Overall rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5/5

#98 Lemon-Garlic Kale Salad (p. 201) I made this for the first time 6 weeks ago and since then I have made it at least 4 more times and have served it to over 100 people in all. Without exception, it has gotten rave reviews, even from kale-haters. Again, the secret is the dressing. If possible, use a better-than-average olive oil. It is great for lunch the next day. Unanimous rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5/5

#99 Baked Zucchini with Herbs and Tomatoes, 2001 This is a good use of summer produce. The flavor was nice, but there was a lot of oil. Next time I will try cutting back a bit. Overall rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️ 3/5

#100 Trenette, Fagiolini, e Patate al Pesto (Pasta, Green Beans and Potatoes with Pesto), 1997 (p. 340) This one did not work well for us. The proportions seemed off and the potatoes added a strange texture to what would otherwise have been a perfectly fine pasta dish. I will, however, adopt the practice of heating the bowl before using it to toss the pasta with the sauce. Pure genius. Overall rating: ⭐️⭐️ 2/5

#101 Shirley Estabrook Wood’s Zucchini Bread, 1981 (p. 705) This simple recipe makes a good (not great) zucchini loaf. It smelled better than it tasted. Overall rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️ 3/5

#102 Salmon and Tomatoes in Foil, 2001 (p. 439) While this recipe produces an attractive and tasty dish, the result does not justify the waste (of time and materials) involved in wrapping each filet with foil and then unwrapping it all 5 minutes later. I can see doing this if you want to prepare the fish ahead of time, but that is not what we did. Overall rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️ 3/5

#103 Saltimbocca, 2001 (p. 579) I’m pretty sure this was the first time I had ever cooked veal. Also, due to the lack of illustrations, there was some guessing involved in how to put this together. All in all, it turned out pretty well. It was very rich and I remembered that veal is not my favorite in terms of flavor, but it was fun and different and it felt fancy, so that’s all good. Overall rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️ 3/5

#104 Chocolate Dump-It Cake, 2002 (p. 832) We made this for SAH’s birthday and it may become our family birthday cake as it has in the author’s family. Easy, moist, just dense enough with an interesting easy-to-make icing – what’s not to like? Overall rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5/5

#105 Whole-Grain Banana Yogurt Muffins, 2018 (p. 687) After a grocery-delivery miscommunication resulted in the delivery of 7 BUNCHES of bananas in place of the 7 bananas I had ordered, we went looking for all of the banana recipes (see below). I’m so glad we found this one. While I don’t make as many muffins as I did when I had little kids, I will definitely be making these again and they will likely become my go-to. Flavorful, moist and just sweet enough, they are nearly perfect. Unanimous rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5/5

#106 Banana Tea Bread, 1947 (p. 697) In the wake of the Bananavalanche of 2022, we prepared this and froze it until October. It froze well and made a perfectly nice banana loaf, but it will not replace my regular banana bread recipe. Overall rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️ 3/5

#107 Cream of Carrot Soup, 1974 (p. 119) This is as much a potato soup as a carrot soup. While the technique for this exceptionally creamy soup is labor- and dirty-dish-intensive, the result is wonderful. I sipped – and then greedily swallowed – mine hot from a mug on a chilly late-October evening, but I can see how it would also be delicious cold. Overall rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5/5

#108 Chocolate Guinness Cake, 2004 (p. 834) Unlike the Guinness brownies I made one long-ago St. Patrick’s day, this confection is delicious. Not-too-sweet and with a pleasing caramel undertone and just the right amount of topping (not quite icing, not quite frosting). As the author says, it is best eaten the day it is made. Overall rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4/5

NYTCB Project Weeks 8 – 22: So Busy Cooking, No Time to Post 😎

No, we have not given up on our quest to cook this entire book! It’s just that life has made it tough to sit down and document our culinary exploits. Winter has turned to spring here in Detroit since we posted last. We are looking forward to exploring more salads and fruity desserts in the coming weeks. Hopefully it won’t be 3 1/2 months before we post again. Here’s what we have been up to since February:

#28 Welsh Rarebit, 1875 (p. 385) Gooey cheese sauce? Yes, please! This weirdly tasty concoction, paired with a simple salad made a wonderful light dinner. The leftovers were just as yummy. Overall rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4/5

#29 Laura Goodenough’s Apple Coffee Cake, 1968 (p. 665) We enjoyed this deliciously moist and light cake warm with whipped cream. It was just as delicious the next day, lightly toasted for breakfast. Unanimous rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5/5

#30 Chocolate Quakes, 2002 (p. 749) These light flavorful cookies melt in your mouth and travel well. The recipe makes a smallish batch. Unanimous rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5/5

#31 Moroccan Chicken with Olives, 2002 (p. 497) We made this with bone-in thighs and drumsticks. It made an excellent weekend family dinner and was interesting and delicious enough to serve to company. Unanimous rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5/5

#32 Moroccan Carrot Salad, 1995 (p. 183) This salad is beautiful and smells amazing, but we found the texture a bit grainy and the flavors were a bit overwhelming. Overall rating: ⭐️⭐️ ⭐️ 3/5

#33 Ed Giobbi’s Rabbit Caccitora, 1980 (p. 476) The hardest part of this recipe was finding rabbit at a local grocery store. Once that was accomplished, the recipe came together relatively easily. Despite our high hopes, we found this recipe very disappointing. We discovered that rabbit is not for us. Despite the flavorful broth, it tasted “rodenty”. We may try this again with chicken. ⭐️ 1/5

#34 Mango Ice Cream, 2002 (p. 781) Refreshing, not too sweet. Great after a spicy dinner. Overall rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4/5

#35 Salade Nicoise, 1967 (p. 176) Takes a long time to assemble, but the results are satisfying and, ultimately, worth it. This was a treat and a throwback to 7th grade home-ec. Overall rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4/5

#36 Malaysian-Inspired Pork Stew with Traditional Garnishes, 1999 (p. 571) Not as complicated as it looks. Excellent flavor. This will be part of the regular rotation. Overall rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5/5

#37 Pizza with Caramelized Onions, Figs, Bacon, and Blue Cheese, 2009 (p. 396) This was delicious and different. The flavors are very bold and rich, so it is quite filling. Does not make great leftovers. Overall rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4/5

#38 Raw Spinach Salad, 1947 (p. 173) Good, basic old-fashioned Spinach salad. Not great for leftovers because the bacon fat gets gross. Overall rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2 3.5/5

#39 Yucatan Fish with Crisp Garlic, 2003 (p. 447) 5/5 We used halibut and served this on corn tortillas with a little queso fresco. Excellent weeknight dinner. We will be coming back to this one for sure. Overall rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5/5

#40 Pork and Squash in Coconut Milk, 2001 (p. 573) This is a tasty, hearty stew-like dinner. We used squash that had been frozen. I’m thinking the texture might have been better if that had not been the case. We were disappointed that it did not make great leftovers. Overall rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️ 3/5

#41 String Beans with Ginger and Garlic, 2006 (p. 261) Excellent, simple yet flavorful side dish. Have made this a few times already. Overall rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5/5

#42 Spiced Chickpea Stew with Coconut and Turmeric, 2018 (p. 162) Soooooo good. Now we know what all the fuss was about. Overall rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5/5

#43 Red Lentil Soup with Lemon, 2008 (p. 158) This is our new favorite lentil soup! Overall rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5/5

#44 Cheese Crusts, 1896 (p. 387) Weirdly satisfying since they are just basically little pieces of bread with cheese melted on top. We ate these with the Red Lentil soup and they were wonderful. Used artisan white bread. Overall rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4/5

#45 Teddie’s Apple Cake, 1973 (p. 804) This is a more rustic apple cake than #29. We used Honeycrisp apples. It was amazing. The book club agrees! Overall rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5/5

#46 Cucumbers in Cream, 1977 (p. 225) Refreshing and simple. We will be revisiting this in the summer for sure. Served with Buffalo Chicken and it was a great combination. Overall rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4/5

#47 Creamy Farro and Chickpea Soup, 1998 (p. 141) Hearty and delicious. So far the soup chapter is the star of this cook book (although the cake chapter is also a strong contender) Overall rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5/5

#48 Steamed Spinach with Balsamic Butter, 1983 (p. 227) Something different and tasty. Went well with the Farro/Chickpea Soup. Overall rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4/5

#49 Blue Cheese Dip, 1953 (p. 55) A blast from the past. This brought me back to swiping snacks from the kitchen when my mom had bridge club. Millenials like it too! Overall rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4/5

#50 Zahav’s Hummus Tehina, 2015 (p. 95) Very light-texured hummus. Tasty and lovely to look at too. Overall rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4/5

#51 Konigsberger Klopse (Meatballs in Creamy Caper Sauce),1975 (p. 547) We made this with 1/2 beef and 1/2 pork. The texture was loose, but the meatballs were flavorful and satisfying. We made it with Noodles Romanoff as suggested, but that made for a lot of sour cream in one meal. If/when we make it again it will be with plain egg noodles or rice.⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2 3.5/5

#52 Noodles Romanoff, 1970 (p. 321) This would make a yummy side dish for roast chicken or lamb. We served it with Konigsberger Klopse for a sour creamy ’70s-type-of dinner, but I think it would be better with something simple and salty. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2 4.5/5

#53 Fennel and Apple Salad with Juniper, 1999 (p. 186) Refreshing in every sense of the word. A wonderful light crisp salad with wintery ingredients. A mandoline is a must to slice the apples and fennel paper thin. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4/5

#54 “Rabbit” Soup with Garlic, Peppers and Chorizo, 2002 (p. 148) Not eager to repeat our rabbit experience (see above) we decided to substitute chicken here and boy are we glad we did. Despite the long recipe, this is not a difficult dish to make and the result is a satisfying soup with layers of yumminess. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2 4.5/5

#55 Caramelized Onion and Quark Dip, 2003 (p. 83) Quark. Quark? Quark! I had never heard of this creamy, cheesy substance before I read this recipe. Once I located it (at Papa Joe’s) I was glad to make its acquaintance. This dip was well-received and paired well with veggies, crackers, and pretzel thins. All of this was made more enjoyable by the fact that we got to keep saying “quark”. KLH would like to try using more sour cream and less quark next time. ⭐️⭐️⭐️ 3.5/5

#56 Risotto with Radicchio and Sausage, 1989 (p. 332) Although it contains ingredients we love, this one didn’t work for our raters. They found it bitter and the texture a bit unpleasant. ⭐️⭐️1/2 2.5/5

#57 Shrimp in Green Sauce, 2003 (p. 446) This is a great weeknight dinner. We have made it several times and plan to make it part of the regular rotation. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5/5

#58 Mezzaluna Salad, 1990 (p. 182) This is an exceptionally flavorful, refreshing, and balanced salad. We paired it with Macaroni with Ham and Cheese. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4/5

#59 Macaroni with Ham and Cheese, 1988 (p. 329) So, the title says it all. Comfort food at it’s best with a salty twist. It made a perfect Sunday dinner paired with Mezzaluna Salad. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5/5

#60 Brown-Butter Salmon with Lemon and Harissa, 2018 (p. 461) This relatively simple recipe is great for a weeknight dinner or for company. It is simply wonderful in every way. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5/5

#61 Crisp Smashed Potatoes with Onions and Parsley, 2017 (p. 308) A great accompaniment to almost anything. We paired it with Green Goddess Chicken, but this would be just as delicious on a brunch menu. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5/5

#62 Green Goddess Chicken, 2013 (p. 512) This chicken was delicious and so so so tender! We turned down the oven halfway through. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2 4.5/5

#63 Meat and Spinach Loaf, 1974 (p. 544) This recipe received conflicting ratings. I found it too crumbly. Our resident meatloaf expert loved it. We made it with all beef, which may have contributed to the texture issue. I would definitely try again with a mix of meats. ⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2 3.5/5

#64 Even-Greater American Pound Cake, 2008 (p. 839) Incrediby rich and delightful in every way! I’m guessing it has to do with the fact that it contains at least 4 kinds of fat. This will make you very popular. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5/5

#65 Maple Shortbread Bars, 2001 (p. 748) Another crowd-pleaser. If you’re not sure what you want for dessert this is a good choice – part pecan pie, part cookie, with a mapley bonus. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5/5

#66 Baked Rajma (Punjabi-Style Red Beans with Cream), 2020 (p. 311) This is definitely in my top five entree recipes from this project. The texture is perfect and the flavor is wonderful – warm and fresh at the same time. Best of all, it is a true pantry recipe so we can whip it up any time! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5/5

#67 Lidia Bastianich’s Swiss Chard and Scallion Fritatta, 1991 (p. 670) This is a great make-ahead brunch, lunch, or dinner recipe. The brilliant technique of cooking half the eggs to form a crust is – truly – life-changing. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4/5

#68 Gingersnaps, 1992 (p. 740) While I still prefer my old gingersnap recipe, this one is a close contender. I especially appreciate their neat appearance and gentle snap. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4/5

#69 Spaghettini with Vegetables and Pepper Vodka Sauce, 1988 (p. 331) This is an excellent recipe – much more exact and reproducible than others in the book. It does not taste like an 80’s pasta dish. It is at once rich and light. This is my new favorite vodka pasta recipe! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5/5

#70 Miso Chicken, 2015 (p. 515) Sooo easy and sooo tasty! This dish works in any season and with a variety of accompaniments. It is best when hot. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4/5

#71 Lemony Carrot and Cauliflower Soup, 2013 (p. 159) Layers of flavor make this soup extra delightful. We used coriander from a jar. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5/5

#72 Chicken Paprikash, 1980 (p. 476) Paired with buttered noodles, this really took us back to the 70’s/80’s. Flavorful, comforting, and quick to make. We used a combination of bone-in thighs and drumsticks. Next time I would use just thighs. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4/5

NYTCB Project Weeks 6 and 7: Jackpot!

Butternut Squash and Cider Soup: Pretty, but didn’t make the cut. 😞

Out of these 6 recipes, 5 will definitely make it into our permanent repertoire.

#22 Almond Cake (p. 829) This simple, delicious, melt-in-your-mouth delight did not look too promising when it came out of the oven. Powdedered sugar helped. I’m not a great baker and had never made a cake recipe using the food processor, so my confidence was low. Fortunatley, Amanda Hesser and her mother-in-law (the author of this masterpiece) knew what they were doing. Unanimous rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5/5

#23 Steamed Fish with Thyme and Tomato Vinaigrette (p. 425) Although we made this on a winter evening, its fresh, lively flavor reminded us of warmer weather. This recipe works great on a weeknight, especially if you were to make the vinaigrette ahead of time. Overall rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4/5

#24 Roasted Cauliflower (p. 248) This is not so much a recipe as a technique. We roast cauliflower all the time with various seasonings, our go-to being salt, pepper and olive oil. What makes this different – and it was a game-changer for us – is slicing the cauliflower. The change in texture and flavor due to increased carmelezation created at least one cauliflower convert in our family. Overall rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5/5

#25 Butternut Squash and Cider Soup (p. 135) I admit that I am ambivalent about squash soup. This was not the best we have made. It did evoke Thanksgiving flavors as the author’s note suggests. Perhaps it was the cider we chose, but the flavor was somewhat flat. Not bad, but not great either. Unanimous rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️ 3/5

#26 Drunken Beans (p. 290) We ate these over rice with the Staff Meal Chicken (#27) Just. Perfect. The texture and flavor were all that you want in a warm, comforting pot of beans. Overall rating ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5/5

#27 Staff Meal Chicken with Salsa Verde (p. 499) This is one of those recipes that has you scratching your head when you are making it, but makes perfect sense when you put it in your mouth. It worked very well as a weeknight dinner. We marinaded the chicken overnight and just popped it in the oven. Leftovers are wonderful in salads, sandwiches, bowls, etc. Due to time and ingredient limitations, we did not make the salsa verde. We used our go-to Mrs. Renfro’s Green Salsa, which was great as always. I’m sure we will make this again and will give the homemade salsa a try. Unanimous rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5/5

Replays: Dried Apricot, Cherry, and Cranberry Infusion is becoming a regular thing. Just perfect on a cold Friday night.