From James's kitchen
Tested, annotated, and worth returning to. Browse dependable recipes for everyday cooking, relaxed weekends, and occasions worth sharing.
454 recipes
01This vibrant, flavor-packed dish is perfect for easy entertaining or effortless weeknight dinners. Juicy, marinated chicken roasts atop a bed of colorful vegetables—artichokes, asparagus, cherry tomatoes, and lemon slices—infused with briny capers and fresh…
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02I’ve been making banana bread since I was a kid. My first recipe came from a local PTA cookbook, and over the years, I’ve tried many versions. For a long time, my go-to was a Martha Stewart recipe that added sour cream for extra richness. Then in 2018, King…
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03This charming six-inch carrot cake is ideal for small celebrations or intimate gatherings. Moist and full of classic carrot cake flavor, it's perfectly balanced by a rich, not-too-sweet cream cheese frosting. Whether you're serving two with leftovers, slici…
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04This is one of my favorite recipes from Test Kitchen. IT’s got the perfect balance and tar lime and sweetness. You can use the suggested whipped cream or substitute a meringue topping.
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05The first written record of this cake is from 1577 and is thought to have originated in wealthy households in the 16th and 17th centuries in Galicia, Spain when families wanted to incorporate exotic ingredients like almonds and sugar into their cuisine. It…
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06I tried this recipe from Milk Street last year and it was a big hit at Thanksgiving. Using a tart pan produces an elegant presentation for traditional pumpkin pie. They started with their fuss-free pie dough, made easily in the food processor, and it can be…
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07This is probably my most requested cake and after trying it, you'll understand why! It's an easy recipe, but it's worth finding the best Dutch processed cocoa powder. It's terrific with fluffy vanilla buttercream (we call it a tuxedo cake) or for chocolate…
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08This quick and easy meatball recipe from Cook’s Country utilizes a few shortcuts that make it an easy recipe for weeknight cooking. Their technique of simmering the meatballs in the tomato sauce in the ambient heat of the oven cooks them evenly without requ…
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09This frosting may be made with milk, semisweet, or bittersweet chocolate. Cool the chocolate to between 85 and 100 degrees before adding it to the butter mixture.
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10One of my favorite summer strawberry recipes from Cooks Country magazine. The recipe comes together in stages, starting with a traditional graham cracker crust, a creamy cheesecake center, and a mousse-like strawberry topping resulting in a light, delicious…
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11This easy to make, rustic cake is an ideal way to showcase summer-ripe plums or apricots (or pluots, a plum-apricot hybrid) Try to choose ripe, medium plums that still have a little firmness as soft juicy fruits will make the center of the cake soggy. Itali…
Read recipe12I watched Milk Street’s resident baking expert Rose Hattabaugh make this tart on their Facebook page and knew that I had to try it. Super-fast and easy to throw together (thanks to the “press-in” tart crust) this is great for a last-minute dessert. They str…
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13This is a quick and easy way to cook chicken cutlets. As with most coatings, it helps to have everything lined up in order, to make the assembly quick and easy. You can easily do a salad version by adding some arugula to the cherry tomatoes.
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14Pain d’épices is a French spice cake (or quick bread) that is well-known as a Christmas time pastry in the northeast of France, especially in the regions of Dijon, Alsace, and Reims. It’s a classic French recipe that’s easy to make and doesn’t require a mix…
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15Sometimes a half dozen is just enough, and this recipe works well in my Breville Toaster oven. They come together quickly and ideal for using up overripe bananas. Perfectly domed because of the extra baking powder and higher than normal oven temperature, th…
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16This is a super-fast spicy, creamy, and cheesy short cut recipe that epitomizes comfort food. It can easily be doubled or even tripled depending on the number of people you are serving. This version generally serves 4 generous portions. Serve with rice and…
Read recipe17This is an easy and delicious appetizer, especially when you can find the best authentic Greek feta. It's great with wedges of warm pita bread or slices of baguette. Even after the feta has been eaten, the remaining oil is great for dipping with bread.
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18This cake is so delicious, always a hit with friends and no one can tell that it’s a reduced sugar recipe. It’s one of the many fantastic recipes found in from America’s Test Kitchen cookbooks called Naturally Sweet. Sucanat is not found in many grocery sto…
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19Galettes, also known as free form tarts, are less fussy that traditional fluted edge tarts. They can be sweet or savory, and the crust is crisp, butter, and rustic in appearance. I first saw this recipe in the April / May 2021 “Strawberry Celebration” issue…
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20I’m always hesitant to try recipes that claim to be healthier versions of classic desserts, but this one is a winner. Perfect balance of sweet and tart, with a crisp graham cracker crust. It is from the cookbook Naturally Sweet , which has over a hundred re…
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21This is one of my all-time favorite loaf cakes (aka tea bread) that I first discovered at Tartine Bakery in LA. It is dense, moist, tender, and delicious; it’s often sold out at the bakery which is not surprising because it’s just so good! Acclaimed pastry…
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22This recipe is adapted from one in America’s Test Kitchen magazine called “ Nutritious Delicious” and it delivers perfectly moist, tender, and flavorful blueberry muffins.
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23Pork tenderloin is a quick and easy option for a quick weeknight dinner. Look for the small packages of individually wrapped “natural” pork tenderloin – not enhanced or seasoned. The combination of maple syrup, mustard and smoked paprika add great flavor to…
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24I first saw these potatoes prepared on an episode of Milk Street Kitchen and thought they looked delicious. Their version is modeled after the potatoes they had tasted at Samoborska Klet restaurant in Zagreb and is a simple one-pot recipe. The potatoes are…
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