From James's kitchen
Tested, annotated, and worth returning to. Browse dependable recipes for everyday cooking, relaxed weekends, and occasions worth sharing.
454 recipes
25I first saw this version of Spice Bundt cake in Maida Heatter's Book of Great American Desserts . Maida was known as the “Queen of Cake” and lived to the age of 102; if you’re not familiar with her recipes, I highly recommend seeking out one of her cookbook…
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26Pecan pie is always a favorite around Thanksgiving and the holidays, and this is a great alternative to a traditional pie recipe. It still has the rich caramel flavor, but the crisp, buttery crust is enhanced with ground pecans and the filling has notes of…
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27Pasticceria Gollini in Vignola, Italy, not far from Modena, is home to a much-celebrated flourless chocolate cake known as torta Barozzi. Created in 1886 by pastry chef Eugenio Gollini and named for Jacopo Barozzi da Vignola, a 16th-century architect, this…
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28This surprisingly delicious chicken soup is quick to prepare and requires only a handful of readily available ingredients. I store it I the freezer in individual serving size containers, and just grab on when I need a fast bite.
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29A fresh twist on an old classic. This is one of the most popular summer dishes that I make. Everyone raves, but the key is not so much the recipe (which is simple and basic) but rather the availability of summer ripe peaches at their peak of freshness.
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30I try to make this recipe (which I found years ago in a Cook’s Illustrated magazine) every summer when tomatoes are in peak season. Inspired by the classic caprese salad, this pasta uses just a few ingredients that depends on high quality ingredients – ripe…
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31Sometimes a single layer cake is all you need for a small gathering, and they can look just as festive as a traditional layer cake. This cake is light, tender, and the banana flavor is enhanced with sour cream and lemon. I use cream cheese frosting on this…
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32A few years ago, I was lucky enough to spend some time with friends in Israel during the Purim holiday, and one of the many highlights was exploring Jerusalem’s Machane Yehuda Market, often referred to as "The Shuk". It is the largest market in Jerusalem wi…
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33I found this recipe in a new cookbook from America’s Test Kitchen – Toast Oven Perfection. I’m often cooking for two and my toaster oven speeds up the whole process and delivers the same results as a traditional oven. The boneless short ribs and celery root…
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34This "perfect" recipe is from the December / January 2009 issue of Cook’s Country magazine, and they really are spectacular. I’ve added an easy recipe for strawberry butter, because if you’ve had had the popovers at Neiman Marcus, you know that is how they…
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35When I saw this posted on America’s Test Kitchen's Instagram , I knew I had to try it. It is a perfect holiday dessert, with all the traditional flavor of eggnog baked into a rich and creamy custard pie. The whipped cream is unique and particularly deliciou…
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36Butter Chicken (Murgh Makhani) is an enormously popular dish that you will find served in practically every Indian restaurant around the world. Tender chicken in a rich and creamy sauce with bold flavors that are vibrant and complex. This recipe from Cook’s…
Read recipe37This surprisingly easy soup from Cook’s Country magazine is streamlined by using a store-bought rotisserie chicken and it delivers all the comfort and flavor one expects from homemade chicken soup. The addition of ginger gives the broth a delicious boost wi…
Read recipe38I found this recipe in the September/October 2020 issue of Bake From Scratch . If you’re not familiar with the magazine, I highly recommend it, the recipes are innovative, delicious, and well tested, and this one is no exception. Made with a simple pound ca…
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39Not only is this a great fall cake recipe, but it’s also perfect for Rosh Hashanah. Baked with traditional ingredients of apple and honey, this moist bundt cake is a great way to celebrate the Jewish New Year.
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40This makes a perfect side dish for Butter Chicken, Chicken Tikka Masala, or Tandoori. Rinsing the rice is an important step which delivers a light and fluffy dish with grains that are separate and distinct.
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41I’m always searching for a great recipe for lemon pound cake, or tea bread, the kind I remember having in Paris, moist but light, and loaded with lemon flavor. This might be the best one I’ve tried, which I discovered on an episode of Milk Street TV called…
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42This is a fantastic summer dish which I first tried at Alan Jackson’s restaurant/marketplace Lemonade . The edamame are a great base for salads because of their bright, fresh flavor and watermelon radish add great color and crunch while the sesame ginger dr…
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43Peach cobbler is a timeless summer dessert that is easy to throw together and this recipe makes just enough for two generous portions. I think this dessert is best made with fresh peaches at the peak of the season, but frozen peaches will work in a pinch. S…
Read recipe44This is a relatively easy recipe that can be prepared quickly and results in incredibly flavorful chicken. It is from the cookbook - Milk Street: Tuesday Nights: More than 200 Simple Weeknight Suppers that Deliver Bold Flavor, Fast . It’s filled with easy t…
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45Generally, lasagna is reserved for large gatherings, but this scaled down recipe makes a mini version that serves two generous portions. Using jarred tomato sauce saves time, but you can use your favorite homemade if you have it on hand.
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46These pancakes might be my favorite – fluffy, tender, flavorful, satisfying, and somewhat healthier than most recipes. It is from a great cookbook called Nutritious Delicious (currently on sale at America’s Test Kitchen !) which features a collection of “br…
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47Fool is a popular British dessert that is similar to Eton Mess but without the crumbled meringue shells. It is super easy to throw together – any combination of berries and cream will work, but they look particularly festive in tall stemmed glasses. This ve…
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48If you’re a fan of The Great British Baking Show, you may remember this recipe from an episode where the bakers are challenged by Mary Berry to make a Bakewell Tart , an English confection consisting of a short pastry shell beneath layers of jam, frangipane…
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