From James's kitchen
Tested, annotated, and worth returning to. Browse dependable recipes for everyday cooking, relaxed weekends, and occasions worth sharing.
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217This is a great way to prepare filet mignon for an elegant at home dinner. It’s best to have all of the ingredients prepped, measured, and set aside – it makes the recipe much easier to follow. Use a nice Cabernet, there will be plenty leftover to enjoy wit…
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218Apricot Squares are perfect to make during the winter months when good fresh fruit can be tough to find. They are similar to the Date Nut Bars and Raspberry Squares but the apricot crust is more like shortbread. Feel free to experiment with other dried frui…
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219This is a great comfort food recipe that’s easy to prepare and is a nice change of pace from the traditional chicken pot pie. It reminds me of the recipe for Fish Pie from J. Sheeky’s in London - a great restaurant in the West End. They use a mix of salmon,…
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220These chips are great with Homemade Onion Dip ( Click here for recipe ) or any favorite salsa, hummus, or dip. You can also make great Tortilla chips using the same method.
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221I’m always looking for new citrus desserts which I think make a nice finish to a great meal. This recipe from Cooks Country is reminiscent of Key Lime Pie, though milder and much creamier.
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222This makes a great appetizer (to take to a Super Bowl party) and is so easy to do that you’ll never bother with the dried onion soup mix version. Serve with crackers, red bell pepper sticks or better yet, make some homemade pita chips.
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223White Bean Chicken Chili is a great alternative to traditional chili and makes a great dish for Super Bowl Sunday. Adjust the heat in this dish by adding the minced ribs and seeds from the jalapeño as directed in step 6. If Anaheim chiles cannot be found, a…
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224These are delicious on their own, or you can dip the bottoms of each macaroon in melted semi-sweet chocolate and then let them cool on wax paper.
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225I have at least 5 favorite banana bread recipes – but never tire of trying new variations. Some days I like to make 100% whole wheat bread, other times I will add mini chocolate chips, or lime zest and coconut. America’s Test Kitchen described this recipe a…
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226There is a wonderful little coffee shop in Silver Lake called Millie’s Café. When I lived in that area it was my favorite breakfast spot and I always ordered Millie’s Special – scrambled eggs with spinach and cream cheese. They serve theirs with a homemade…
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227Trifles are a festive and elegant dessert, perfect for holiday gatherings.The earliest known use of the name trifle was for a thick cream flavored with sugar, ginger and rosewater, the recipe for which was published in England, 1596, in a book called "The G…
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228Another classic Christmas cookie - Shortbread is a traditional Scottish dessert that consists of three basic ingredients: flour, sugar, and butter. According to Wikpedia, this cookie resulted from medieval biscuit bread, which was a twice baked, enriched br…
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229These incredible cookies graced the cover of Cook’s “Holiday Baking” issue and I couldn’t wait to try the recipe. Similar to shortbread, they are buttery and rich, like a chocolate Lorna Doone. The bittersweet glaze heightens the chocolate indulgence perfec…
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230Cranberry bread was always a staple in my house around the holidays. The mini loaves make great gifts and they freeze well, so you can make them ahead. Perfect on Christmas morning with some cream cheese and jam.
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231If you’re looking for an easy sugar cookie that doesn’t require rolling and cookie cutters – this recipe is for you. Use high quality unsalted butter – like Lurpak or Kerrigold – to achieve the best flavor. The cookies can be rolled in regular sugar, but it…
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232I made some mini red velvet cupcakes to take to a friend’s Christmas party. I used the recipe that I posted earlier for cupcakes (click - World's Best Red Velvet Cupcakes ) but for this batch, I switched to a rich cream cheese frosting. I sprinkled them wit…
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233These spicy little chicken tenders are quick and easy to make and a perfect party appetizer. You can save a little time by using store bought taco seasoning, but it's worth making up a batch of the homemade.
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234This is a fantastic and easy recipe from my friend Pat Loud which was passed down from her mother. She serves it at nearly every party that I’ve attended and it’s always a big hit. As with most good recipes, the amounts are somewhat flexible – in other word…
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235If you want some holiday aroma in the kitchen, bake up a batch of these muffins. They have great ginger flavor, especially if you use the crystallized ginger topping.
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236Food historians differ on the origin of this popular cake. This cake is incredibly moist with light cocoa flavor. You vary the amount of cocoa to your own taste; I prefer the full 4 tablespoons which gives the cake a nice crimson red color. In the south, it…
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237Date Nut Bars are rather old fashioned and pretty common in New England bakeries. This is similar to the Raspberry Squares recipe ( click here ) but I’ve added some whole wheat flour and a few spices to compliment the dates. On my drives from Los Angeles to…
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238I recently watched Mark Bittman make this on the Today show and thought it sounded like a great recipe. It’s so easy to throw together because it all cooks in one roasting pan and does not require pureeing. The apples lend a nice sweetness and the sage work…
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239This is a quick and tasty way to use up leftover Thanksgiving turkey (also works great with a supermarket rotisserie chicken). You can make homemade biscuits, but the ready-made biscuits make the recipe a breeze to put together. You can serve the pot pie ri…
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240I saw this recipe in the new holiday issue of Cook’s Illustrated magazine (pick up a copy – it’s full of great recipes) I liked the idea of a thick crumb topping and also liked that it used frozen blueberries – which are much easier to find this time of yea…
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