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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73If you're a fan of fudgy, dark chocolate brownies, then you’ll love these cookies. Extremely moist and incredibly rich, these cookies pack a wallop of flavor. The powdered sugar gives them a festive holiday look but they are great any time of the year.
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74Thanksgiving is nearly upon us, so it’s time to start mastering one of this holiday’s classic desserts. There are tons of pumpkin pie recipes, and in November all of the food shows and magazines are filled with both classic and innovative recipes. I’ve trie…
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75America’s Test Kitchen recently published a new cookbook called Naturally Sweet ( available here ) which features classic desserts and baked goods using recipes that rely only on natural, less-processed sweeteners like Sucanat (unrefined cane sugar), coconu…
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76In California, it’s quite common to find a little “south-of-the-border” influence in many of our recipes, as is the case with this Mexican themed chopped salad. It is bursting with vibrant flavors and while perfect for lunch, it’s also hearty enough to serv…
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77Trifles are such an easy dessert to throw together and great to serve during the summer when berries are at their peak. This version has a few extra steps, but makes a festive presentation for the 4 th of July.
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78This is a bright colorful spring/summer salad that packs flavor and nutrition in every bite. Thanks to fresh veggies, citrus and quinoa, it’s loaded with vitamin C, vitamin A, fiber, folate, iron and lutein. Quinoa, with its high protein content, nutty flav…
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79This colorful tart has all the flavors of summer – ripe red tomatoes, bright green zucchini, and lots of aromatic basil atop a three cheese filling. And you don’t need the skills of Julia Child to make this recipe – a foolproof “press-in” tart crust from Co…
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80This is a great recipe that certainly warrants spending a little extra on high quality beef (friends in NYC should head to Lobel’s ) and it’s perfect for a special occasion dinner at home. Rather than just sprinkle pepper over the steaks, the team at Cook’s…
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81This simple, fresh, colorful chopped salad can be found everywhere in Israel, from roadside falafel stands to high end restaurants, and is served for breakfast, lunch and dinner. The variations are endless but the base always includes finely chopped tomatoe…
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82Matzo (or matzoh or matzah) is the perfect crunchy, flaky base for a thin coating of buttery caramel, melted chocolate and a sprinkling of chopped nuts salt. It’s an addictive treat that’s perfect for Passover. Matzo is unleavened bread that first appeared…
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83Linzer cookies are based on the famous Linzertorte - a delicious tart made using a rich buttery dough with ground nuts, lemon zest, and cinnamon. It is one of the oldest known tart recipes, discovered in an Austrian abbey that dates back to 1653. The tart i…
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84My sister gave me a great cookbook from Cook’s Illustrated – The Best Skillet Recipes – which I’ve been working my way through. The recipes are always foolproof and are very easy to follow, and this one is no exception. Creamy ricotta and crisp salty prosci…
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85This is an excellent dinner recipe that’s completely satisfying and requires only one pan! I love home cooking but hate all the kitchen cleanup some dishes require. This hearty comfort food can be thrown together fast and requires just a few simple ingredie…
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86I discovered Chicken Paprikash on a recent trip to Budapest. You can read more about the trip and the recipe here --> Hungarian Chicken Paprikash
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87I think homemade gifts are always appropriate, especially around the holidays. Baked goods, like cookies or brownies are nice, but can be a challenge, because they often need to baked, wrapped, delivered and consumed within 48 hours. Nuts on the other hand,…
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88It may sound a little cliché, but many of my California friends are vegetarian or vegan and it can often be a challenge to prepare a menu that still tastes great for everyone. I’ve managed to come up with a few winning main course recipes – like hearty vegg…
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89There’s nothing like fresh sweet corn in the summer, especially from a local farm. While eating corn straight from the cob with melted butter is probably the most traditional method, it’s nice to add a few other ingredients to perk things up. Sweet corn pai…
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90With the warmer months approaching, it’s time to start enjoying some spring and summer recipes. In California, strawberry season is in full swing and it is big business here considering the Golden State is the nation's leading producer of strawberries. In 2…
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91This is the perfect time of year to serve fresh asparagus and one great method for cooking is an indoor grill pan. I generally prefer the thin stalks for steaming and fat stalks for grilling, but use whatever you want – fat, thin, green or white. Choose bun…
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92I love hearty spicy chili, especially during the winter months. This one is quick to make with just basic ingredients and guaranteed to warm you up on a cold day. The variety of beans – red kidney, black and pinto – gives the chili a nice “meaty” quality. I…
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93This is a fantastic and easy recipe from my dear friend Pat Loud which was passed down from her mother. She serves it at nearly every party that I’ve ever attended and it’s always a big hit. As with most good recipes, the amounts are somewhat flexible – in…
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94This is a delicious fall/winter soup that makes a perfect first course at Thanksgiving. It’s packed with carrot flavor that’s enhanced by a double dose of ginger. Cook’s Illustrated suggested adding fresh carrot juice to enhance the flavor of the soup which…
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95Brussels Sprouts seem to be one of those vegetables that you either love or hate, but honestly, when prepared correctly, they’re absolutely delicious. There are numerous ways to fix them – steam, roast, bake – but this recipe uses a raw preparation and a si…
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96Now that we’re in the peak of apple picking season, it's time to post one of my favorite apple pie recipes. Some people find making pies a daunting task. There are stories, mostly said in hushed tones, about my mother throwing more than a few pie crusts aga…
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