From James's kitchen
Tested, annotated, and worth returning to. Browse dependable recipes for everyday cooking, relaxed weekends, and occasions worth sharing.
454 recipes
265There 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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266This is an easy sauce that works on any type of pasta. The mushrooms give the sauce a hearty, slow cooked flavor. To obtain the best texture, be careful not to break up the meat too much when cooking it with the milk in step 4. With additional cooking and s…
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267Trifles 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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268Potato and leek soup is a classic French recipe that couldn’t be more comforting on a cold winter day. It’s an easy recipe that requires only a few ingredients. The addition of a bread slice is typical in gazpacho recipes and adds to the “creamy” texture of…
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269Another 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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270These 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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271Cranberry 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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272If 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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273I 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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274These 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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275This 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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276If 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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277Food 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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278This makes a great weekend breakfast for two. I love anything that I can make ahead and just pop in the oven the next morning. It’s light and fluffy and a breeze to throw together. “Fines herbes”, or fine herbs, are a staple of French cuisine and almost alw…
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279Date 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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280I 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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281This 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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282I 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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283My friend Pat Loud asked if I could make a dessert for a party she was hosting at her home. The guest of honor was Cherry Vanilla - the famed rock goddess, publicist extraordinaire, poet and performance artist. The evening was to celebrate the release of he…
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284This is a great change of pace from traditional chocolate brownies. The oatmeal and butterscotch compliment each perfectly – buttery, chewy, delicious bars.
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285This makes a cozy supper for two using leftover pot roast (see recipe - Click here for French Style Pot Roast recipe ).
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286I love make-ahead recipes, whether it’s the main course or dessert, it’s nice to have some of the work done in advance. Blueberry Pie is one of my favorites, but can be tricky because the juicy berries can create a challenge for maintaining a crispy crust.…
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287Sometimes I forget how much I like a good pot roast. Perfect for a Sunday dinner especially in the fall and winter months. This dish is somewhere between a beef stew and a Boeuf Bourguignon and is best served with potatoes or buttered noodles.
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288This is a perfect summer pasta dish, based on the Italian classic Insalata Caprese. The success of this recipe depends on a few high-quality ingredients, including ripe, in-season tomatoes, fresh basil, and the best olive oil.
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