Here I am . . . with another episode of Unpacking My Cookbooks.
Last month, I left us all hanging . . . since I hadn’t chosen my next cookbook when I last posted. In the end, I decided to return to my original intention for this challenge by choosing one of my long time, go-to cookbooks — one full of family-favorite recipes I could make in my sleep. I wanted to challenge myself to try some different recipes for a change. Here’s the cookbook . . .
For me, this is one of . . . those . . . cookbooks. (I’m sure you have them, too.) Stained pages. Broken bindings. The book just automatically opens to favorite recipes my whole family loves. (In fact, both kids make many of the recipes from this book in their own adult lives.) This is my go-to cookbook for . . . baked ziti, pasta carbonara, sopa seca, chicken enchiladas, pad thai. And . . . it shows!
I’ve always liked Cooks Illustrated cookbooks, and I was a long-time subscriber to their magazine (back in the day). I have always appreciated their testing and reporting-back approaches, and the recipes are generally easy-to-follow with consistent results. I like the 30-minute nature of these recipes, although I tend to be a slow cook and often, I find things take me longer than the stated 30 minutes (usually closer to 45). I got my copy of The Best 30-Minute Recipe cookbook back in 2006, when it first came out, and it has been in heavy rotation in my kitchen ever since. (It’s still in print and available. Here’s an Amazon link, where it’s currently selling for $20.77.)
So. What did I cook?
First, I tried the Quick Maple-Glazed Pork Chops (p 211). I served them with a salad and the roasted sweet potatoes I “discovered” in my last challenge (only this time I remembered the chopped pistachios) (I told you they’d become a go-to recipe for me). These pork chops were really good – both Tom and I loved them – BUT it took me longer than 30 minutes, for sure. (Closer to 45.) I’m sure I’d get quicker at it if I made them a few more times. The glaze was perfection, I gotta say. Tom would’ve preferred eating two pork chops for dinner (the recipe makes 4 chops), but we opted to have a meal of leftovers the next day instead. The recipe does include two variations (one with star anise and one with orange essence) that also look delicious. If you’re looking for a nice, solid meat meal — and your family eats pork — this is a very nice option.
Next, I tried Pasta with Shrimp, Garlic, and Lemon (p172), served with roasted broccoli and pumpkin bread (Smitten Kitchen, if you’re interested). It was very tasty, and Tom loved it, but . . . for a 30-minute recipe (which translates to me as a quick way to get dinner on the table when you’re busy), it was awfully fussy. Not many ingredients, but a lot of steps — and prep dishes and pots. Which means – for me – even though this was delicious and we had plenty for leftovers, I probably won’t make it again. Just too much hassle (including clean up) for a “quick” meal.
Next, I tried Chicken Curry with Potatoes and Cauliflower (p 88). Winner-Winner-Chicken-Dinner! This one will certainly move into “regular rotation” status. Tom and I both enjoy curry, and this one did not disappoint. It was quick (I made it in slightly less than 30 minutes), and delicious. I served it over rice (I make my rice in a rice cooker), and it was a perfect one-dish dinner. Plenty of leftovers, too. I made a couple of recipe substitutions: I forgot to buy frozen peas when I was shopping, so I subbed in golden raisins. (Folks who know me well will think I did this on purpose — because I really don’t like peas. But I really did just forget. I use peas in recipes when called for because Tom likes them.) I also didn’t use cilantro (I’m one of those people who thinks cilantro tastes like soap. . .), so I added a few handsful of spinach instead. Both subs worked really well. I also used spicy curry (because we like a lot of spice), but it would be delicious with mild curry, too.
And to finish off the challenge, I made Penne with Chicken, Broccoli, and Sun-Dried Tomatoes (p 169). (My photo here does not show the actual dish very well, but you can see what it looked like in the big photo at the top of the page.) Although I noted that it was “pretty simple” in my notes, it did take me 45 minutes to make and . . . used a lot of pots. We really liked the flavor combination, though — it tasted “bright” and not “stodgy” like a lot of skillet pasta dishes can. This was really good, with plenty of leftovers, so it’s something I’ll definitely make again.
So. That’s four recipes . . . and I’ll make three of them again. Like I mentioned, this cookbook is one I already use a lot, so I consider this a successful exercise in expanding my options.
What’s next?
Well, inspired by the current season of The Great British Baking Show, I’m going to turn to a baking cookbook I’ve had on my shelf for a while . . .
I’ve got a couple of favorite recipes in this cookbook already, but I’m eager to try other options in the book. And I just love Dorie Greenspan. I think this is the perfect season for baking — and Tom is thrilled about my choice. So stay tuned! I’ll report back in about a month.
In the meantime, have you tried any good recipes lately? And are you a fan of The Great British Baking Show? (Who’s your favorite baker this season???)
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Past cookbooks I’ve unpacked:
Season Two
Lemon Love & Olive Oil (Mina Stone) — September 2023
Season One
Smitten Kitchen Keepers (Deb Perelman) — May 2023
Love Real Food (Kathryne Taylor) — April 2023
I Dream of Dinner (so you don’t have to) (Ali Slagle) – March 2023
Dinner in One (Melissa Clark) – February 2023
Bittman Bread (Mark Bittman and Kerri Conan) – January 2023
Go-To Dinners (Ina Garten) – December 2022
How to Cook Everything Vegetarian (Mark Bittman) – November 2022
Oh yum, Kym! To all of these things… they all look so delicious! But really…. I can’t wait for your month with Dorrie ( I love her too… she is my favorite baker! ) XO
I also subscribed to Cook’s Illustrated and loved how thoroughly they tested ingredients and methods to arrive at a recipe. They can get a little fussy and over the top or at least require more work than I’m willing to put into dinner, but this cookbook sounds almost perfect. Maple Glazed Pork Chops would be a good dinner in our house, and I’m curious how a maple glaze would taste on venison steak. But I must admit that I ordered this cookbook and then came back to comment based on a potential 30-minute pad Thai recipe. It’s one of my favorite things to eat but our nearest good Thai place is too far away, and most recipes I’ve looked at are far too complicated. Thank you for another good cookbook review and I’m looking forward to Dorie next month!
I’m another former subscriber to Cook’s Illustrated (back in the day). These recipes all look really good to me Kym. I’m heading over to the link you provided to think about ordering this book (of course, I could order ALL the cookbooks you have previewed so far, but maybe I should stick with the X number I have on my shelves…). Next month should be sweet!! I did try a new curry recipe last night, but it fell a little flat for us (and we both like curry).
I’m a little skeptical of Cook’s Illustrated recipes. I swear some of them should just start out with: “Take out every pot, pan, and implement you own…” But I have a copy of their All Time Best Chinese recipes which I use all the time (Chinese restaurants are slowly disappearing around here as parents retire and their children have more lucrative careers). Plus, I can control the amount of sodium in the recipes when I make my own.
So based on your review, I ordered a copy of this one. Thanks for the reviews.
It almost always takes me longer to make a new recipe for the first time, then muscle memory starts to kick in after that (if it’s made the cut) and it gets a lot quicker. Usually. I’m looking forward to next month!! Yum.
Oh, this looks so delicious! Our summer meals are fresh and simple (I try to do the cooking part outside when it’s hot) but this week, home from vacation to colder weather, I made cozier things and we both enjoyed it. I AM watching the GBB Show this season, and am rooting for Tasha or Saku.
I love this project so much, Kym, and always look forward to your reports. That curried chicken looks like a recipe we’d love (with raisins, Marc’s not fond of peas). I think these “quick recipes” should factor in clean-up/dishwashing time, too. It has to be a very special meal for me to use more than one pan! … and I’m excited about November’s recipes … yum!
I have to say that I’m jealous that you have an adventurous eater in your house; I think the curry dish sounds amazing, but the other two members of my family wouldn’t touch it! The pasta dish sounds like a possibility, though!
Kiddo and I just started watching the new season of Bake Off, and our favorite is Tasha! We’ve only gotten through three episodes so far, though, so no spoilers please!
I love this project and it’s inspired me to dive back into some of my many cookbooks. I love next month’s book. A friend and I baked our way through it last year. My favorite book of hers is still Baking: From My Hone to Yours but this one was good, too.
A new season of Great British Baking Show?! Hallelujah! I have been waiting for it. All of your dishes look scruptious — I may need (another) cookbook!
Just grabbed the last copy on Amazon. (You must have caused a run on this book:)). Came a little late to the party with Cook’s and judging by the pots and pans issues I can see why my instincts proved me right. BUT they had some great tips now and then and 30 minutes hooked me in. Thank you. Curry chicken would work for us with either peas or golden raisins. Those aren’t the areas of our particular pickiness:). Thanks for the link!
I’d definitely like to try the chicken curry recipe as we don’t have good local Indian food near us. I also love that there were lots of leftovers as that’s my favorite thing for lunch! And Cook’s Illustrated is wonderful. One of my favorite cookbooks in my collection is their Cover & Bake and I use it for macaroni & cheese and so much more. I made Ina Garten’s shrimp with angel hair pasta last night and it was yummy and pretty simple.
I do admire you for looking at cookbooks and trying new recipes. I try hard to enjoy cooking because we all have to eat but honestly it isn’t my favorite thing. I have a nice cookbook collection so I can’t use that as an excuse. I’m anxious to see what you choose from the baking cookbook.
Like Sarah I also long for an adventurous eater! I think the penne/chicken might make the cut too. I was a long subscriber to CI as well…there’s a compilation around here somewhere…perhaps I should give it a look? Love these posts Kym!