u/singyourownsongs

(I'm using u/ehherewegoagain's PITA (pain in the ass) and outcome (quality of finished dish) rating system.)

1. Pea Egg-Drop Macaroni Soup from Tenderheart by Hetty Lui McKinnon

This soup comes together quickly with pantry/freezer staples but it is definitely more than the sum of its parts. As with most pasta soups, the pasta will soak up most of the broth in any leftovers you might have, so consider having some extra broth on hand. If I had spinach or bok choy lying around, I probably would have thrown some in too. (PITA: 1, Outcome: 8)

2. One-Dish Halibut with Summer Vegetables from Dad, What’s for Dinner? by David Nayfeld**

I don’t have the budget for halibut, but cod worked nicely in its stead. The shishito heat roulette game was strong with this batch—and I’d used more than the recipe called for—but we enjoyed how they and the other veggies turned out in this low-and-slow sheet pan meal. (PITA: 2, Outcome: 9)

3. General Tso’s Tofu from Chinese Homestyle by Maggie Zhu*

This is a pretty straight-forward stir-fry, though marinating the tofu does add an extra step and a bit of time. My kids ate it, which is always a win, with only a bit of a fight about the included veggies. (PITA: 3, Outcome 7).

4. Tomato Salad with Tahini and Mint from Lemon, Love & Olive Oil by Mina Stone*

I forgot the mint, but it was still an OK tomato salad. Unfortunately, the lemon—which may have been added simply because it’s in the book’s title—made it all a bit too acidic and we didn’t quite finish it. This salad paired nicely with fried halloumi. (PITA: 2, Outcome: 6)

5. Za’atar Crumbed Halloumi from Feasts by Sabrina Ghayour***

When she says use fine breadcrumbs, she means it. Panko breadcrumbs are way too big to adhere well to the halloumi. If that’s all you have, grind them up in a food processor first, don’t just rush on like I did. That all being said, we really enjoyed this, both on its own and as a complement to the tomato salad. (PITA: 4 [I hate frying], Outcome: 8)

6. Whoopie Pie Bundt Cake from Bake from Scratch: Volume 10 by Brian Hart Hoffman*

I made this for my daughter’s 7th birthday. She picked it out, but wasn’t a huge fan because it was too sweet (marshmallow filling) but also not sweet enough (chocolate glaze made with bittersweet chocolate). Sad for her, but great for the rest of us as it was really good. This cake is definitely best eaten day of, as the marshmallow will ooze out over time, but I’d make it again. Rounder, simpler Bundt pans are better than more complex ones for this recipe. (PITA: 5, Outcome 9)

7. Speedy Salsa Spaghetti from Simply Jamie by Jamie Oliver*

This is indeed a speedy dish. It all comes together in the time it takes to cook the pasta. I didn’t have spaghetti, so I used small elbow macaroni and ate it more like a pasta salad. It tastes like bruschetta crossed with tapenade. Jamie calls for Parmesan, but I preferred the dish without it. (PITA: 1, Outcome: 8)

8. Turnips with Lemon Ricotta and Hazelnuts from Six Seasons of Pasta by Joshua McFadden

First off, I did not buy agrumato, the super trendy citrus-infused olive oil that McFadden and other restaurant chefs love these days; I just couldn’t justify spending $25+ on a bottle. If I had, agrumato is used in both the whipped lemon ricotta component as well as a drizzle over the finished dish. Instead, I subbed olive oil and some of the preserved lemon liquid in the ricotta. I had lovely hakurei turnips and greens from my farmers’ market and they shone in this dish. When we sat to eat it, my husband and I agreed this felt like we were eating a really good restaurant meal. The leftovers were pretty darn good too. (PITA: 4, Outcome: 10)

9. Earl Grey Cake with Meyer Lemon Curd and Vanilla Swiss Meringue Buttercream from Baked to Order by Ruth Mar Tam

This was my birthday cake and I was fortunate to have several uninterrupted weekend hours to make this. I combined elements from two recipes (as suggested in the book): the cake from the Earl Grey Bundt Cake (which normally receives a simple syrup soak and a glaze) and the curd and frosting from the Almond-Buttermilk Layer Cake. Rather than use a Bundt pan, I made two 8” layer cakes. If I’d had the time/patience, I might have sliced each layer in half, but I went with two layers with curd in the middle, all covered with buttercream. There were a lot of components—Earl Grey-infused butter, cake, curd, and Swiss meringue buttercream—but Ruth’s recipes are very well written and everything worked as it was supposed to. I absolutely loved the cake and curd, but the frosting is a bit one note. (PITA: 6, Outcome: 9)

10. Sungold Tomato & Rotisserie Chicken Enchiladas from San Francisco by Season by the San Francisco Chronicle (recipe by Christian Reynoso)*

This was another case of “My kids don’t want to eat this? Oh well, more for me!” My husband and I really enjoyed these enchiladas. I used the chicken drippings from the bottom of the rotisserie chicken container to amp up the onion broth used for the tortillas. If you still have access to sungolds wherever you live, make this before they disappear until next year. (PITA: 3, Outcome: 9)

11. Three-Seed Porridge with Caramelized Banana from Sesame by Rachel Simons* I’m normally a cold cereal person, but I had some time one morning and decided to give this a try. Regular oatmeal will always be easier, but I really liked the additions of chia and sunflower seeds and of course the caramelized bananas were infinitely more exciting than a sliced raw banana. (PITA: 2, Outcome 8)

12. Dilly Double Beans and Farro from Salad Freak by Jess Damuck*

I don’t know why it took me so long to make this recipe, but it was an excellent weeknight dish. I made it before running off to an evening event, eating my portion in the car; my husband had his an hour later and it was just as good, if not better after marinating a bit. The leftovers are great for lunch too. (PITA: 2, Outcome 9).

Honorable mentions (recipes I forgot to photograph):

13. Elote Potato Salad from Let’s Make It by Alfredo Garcia*

There was nothing fancy about this salad, but it hit the spot on warm night—and the lunches that followed (straight from the fridge). (PITA: 2 (4 if using fresh corn), Outcome: 9)

14. Stir-Fried Tofu with Ginger Green Beans from Milk Street Cook What You Have*

This was easier than the General Tso’s Tofu and I think we all liked it more. My 7yo loved the green beans! Fun fact: deep purple string beans turn green when cooked. (PITA: 2, Outcome 8)

15. Super Green Sheet-Pan Soup with Pesto Grilled Cheese Croutons from Crowded Kitchen by Beth Sinclair and Lexi Harrison*

I had never heard of these mother/daughter bloggers prior to finding their book at the library; however, this recipe looked simple enough and I hoped my kids would try it, given the soup is topped with pesto-grilled-cheese croutons. The method is easy: chop veggies, roast them in the oven, blend with broth into soup. Unfortunately, my blender didn’t like the roasted leeks and the texture never ended up as smooth as I would have liked. I had to hand off the sandwich-making to my non-cook husband—and made assumptions about his kitchen knowledge that proved false. All that to say, the adults ate it, the kids refused it, and my partner bungled the leftovers by putting the leftover croutons in the leftover soup. I might make this again, but if I do, I’ll cook the whole thing from start to finish. (PITA: 4, Outcome 6)

16. Creamy Cauliflower and Onion Gratin from Nothing Fancy by Allison Roman* This was one of those recipes that was extra satisfying because I had all the ingredients on hand (enough to make a half recipe). I liked this and think it would be great as a Thanksgiving side dish; however, I don’t think the sesame breadcrumb optional topping is necessary, especially as it got quite soggy on the leftovers. (PITA: 2, Outcome: 7)

*I borrowed these books from the San Francisco Public Library.

** I borrowed this book from the Daly City Public Library.

*** I borrowed this book from the Dublin City Library way back in 2019 when I was living in Ireland.

I’m not sure how many Finns we have here, but has anyone cooked from Vege! by Alex Nieminen and Riikka Sukula? I’m visiting Helsinki and, while perusing the amazing downtown library, I found this book. I flipped through it for a while and loved it so much that I bought it an hour later. Yes, it’s all in Finnish and no, I can’t read it, but that’s what translation apps are for.

(I'm using u/ehherewegoagain's PITA (pain in the ass) and outcome (quality of finished dish) rating system.)

1. Buttermilk Pancakes with Variations from The Perfect Egg by Teri Lyn Fisher & Jenny Park

I made the Blueberry, Lemon, and Poppyseed variation two weekends in a row. Everyone loved them, even  my 6yo who doesn’t usually like cooked fruit or lemony things. (PITA: 3, Outcome: 10)

2. Corn, Tomatoes, and Crispy Bread from The Modern Cook's Year by Anna Jones*

Summer heirloom tomatoes and corn topped with pistachios and herbs is pretty hard to mess up. I had some green beans in my fridge, so I blanched them and served the salad over the beans. (PITA: 3 [I hate cutting corn off the cob], Outcome: 8)

3. Tomato Salad with Fried Capers and Pine Nuts from Epic Salads by Jessica Prescott*

Another tomato salad, this time served on top of her GOAT dressing, a lemony goat cheese mixture that she uses throughout the book on a variety of salads. We loved this combination and I’ll definitely make it again. (PITA: 2, Outcome: 9)

4. Warm Salad of Roasted Kale, Coconut, and Tomatoes from A Modern Way to Eat by Anna Jones*

It was a typically cold and foggy July day in San Francisco, so I thought making a warm salad might be nice. We liked this in concept, but there was way too much lime—some on the kale while it roasted, more in the dressing. Some bites were great, but others were so sour our mouths puckered. If I make this again, I’ll be more careful with the lime. (PITA: 2, Outcome: 6)

5. Lemony Tuna with Olives, Capers, Green Beans, and Parsley from Anything’s Pastable by Dan Pashman*

I absolutely love this pasta salad. I made it for the first time last year and was so happy I made it again this year. It’s excellent warm/room temperature day-of, but it’s pretty great out of the fridge for lunch. (PITA: 3, Outcome: 10)

6. Summer Pasta with Burst Sungolds from What's Gaby Cooking: Take It Easy by Gaby Dalkin*

This is a very simple pasta dish, but the flavors of the tomatoes and basil sing. I liked it so much that I ate the leftovers for breakfast. (PITA: 2, Outcome: 8)

7. Tomatoey Caramelized Onions & Beans from Dinner Tonight by Meliz Berg*

We were about to go on vacation and I was playing the “what can I make with what I need to eat up before we leave” game and I stumbled upon this recipe. Amazingly, I had all the ingredients (though I used a white onion in lieu of the yellow) and the recipe came together easily. The ragu is delicious on buttered toast, as called for in the recipe, but I think it would also be nice over polenta. (PITA: 1, Outcome: 9)

*I borrowed these books from the San Francisco Public Library.

(I'm using u/ehherewegoagain's PITA (pain in the ass) and outcome (quality of finished dish) rating system.)

1. Sweet & Sour Tsukune from Ohana Style by Sheldon Simeon*

This was not the best, but I’m including it here because the cookbook is new and popular. The method for cooking the meatballs didn’t work, I had to switch pans half way through, and the sauce was cloyingly sweet. Kids ate the meatballs but didn’t like the rest. I liked it well enough the day I made it, but the leftovers made me realize that I really didn’t enjoy it. (PITA: 5, Outcome: 4).

2. Cauliflower-Scallion Frittata with Harissa and Feta from Milk Street Vegetables*

This was quick and easy and excellent for dinner as well as leftover for lunch. (PITA: 2, Outcome: 8)

3. Steamed Broccolini with Crispy Garlic Sauce from Zahav Home by Michael Solomonov and Steven Cook*

I wasn’t a huge fan of the microwave steaming method, but the sauce was so, so good. I’d make it again using a stove-top steamer and I’d also make it with different vegetables (green beans, broccoli, etc.). (PITA: 4, Outcome: 9)

4. Red Pepper, Potato, and Peanut Sabzi form Indian-ish by Priya Krishna*

This is, essentially, a hash. We ate it as a main topped with yogurt, but it would also be great with a fried egg on top. The book also suggests scrambling some eggs and serving the eggs and sabzi inside warmed tortillas. (PITA: 2; Outcome: 8)

5. Roast Chicken with Cipollini Pearl Onions, White Beans, and Lemon from Cooking in Real Life by Lidey Heuck

This is meant to be an easy meal, so there’s no dry-brining or seasoning of the chicken. I think it would benefit from being seasoned/salted a few hours ahead of time at least, but it was pretty tasty as is. I’ve never used pearl onions and was afraid of how long it would take to peel them, but the recipe includes a useful tip (submerge for 1-2 minutes in hot water) for removing the skins. I liked the post-roast bean addition and will consider doing with other recipes in the future. (PITA: 4, Outcome: 9)

6. Arugula and Romaine Salad with Radish, Shaved Parm, Pistachios & Mint from Cooking in Real Life by Lidey Heuck

Lidey notes that this is her favorite salad and now I understand why. We’re not big radish eaters, but my husband and I both really enjoyed the combination of flavors and textures and I’ll definitely make it again. The salad was an excellent complement to the roast chicken. (PITA: 2, Outcome: 10)

7. Lemon-Dill Tuna Patties from The Feel Good Foodie Cookbook by Yumna Jawad

These are easy, flavorful, and kid-friendly. (PITA: 1, Outcome: 9)

8. Lemon-Feta Broccoli from The Feel Good Foodie Cookbook by Yumna Jawad

I served this dish with the tuna patties. While the kids were less interested in the broccoli than the tuna patties, they did eat it, which is a win in my book. (PITA: 2, Outcome 8)

Honorable mentions (recipes I forgot to photograph):

9. Courgette and Feta Fritters with Preserved Lemons, Dill, and Mint from Mediterra by Ben Tish*

I’ve made many a zucchini fritter, but these might be my new favorite. There’s a lot of chopping in the prep (hence the higher PITA score), but that’s ok because the fritters are so flavorful. They are great warm, but they were also great out of the fridge as a snack. (PITA: 4, Outcome: 10)

10. Sheet Pan Salmon Niçoise Salad from Home is Where the Eggs Are by Molly Yeh

If a Niçoise salad is on a menu, there’s a good chance I’ll order it. I really enjoyed this one, even if there was A LOT of coercion required to get my 6yo to eat it. I served all the components separately and let each person make their own combo. The eggs cook in the oven while the veggies roast and my only change for next time would be to rotate the eggs halfway through to ensure a more-even cook. As written, they are soft-boiled on one side and hardboiled on the other, which makes peeling difficult. (PITA: 4, Outcome: 8)

11. Marinated Halloumi Skewers from Flavor (US) / Flavour (UK) by Sabrina Ghayour.

These were indeed flavorful and were excellent served with my local hummus shop’s fluffy fresh pita bread. (PITA: 2, Outcome: 9)

*I borrowed these books from the San Francisco Public Library.

(I'm using u/ehherewegoagain's PITA (pain in the ass) and outcome (quality of finished dish) rating system.)

1. Stone Fruit Halloumi Salad from Everyday Dinners by Jessica Merchant*

We went cherry and peach picking the weekend before I made this and the fresh fruit along with the halloumi and basil vinaigrette made for a lovely light weekday meal. (PITA: 4, Outcome: 10)

2. Mee Goreng from Everyday Cook by Donal Skehan*

Aside from halving the amount of sambal oelek (it was still plenty for us), I made this exactly as written and really enjoyed it. If you, like me, end up with quite a lot of leftover bean sprouts, check out my honorable mentions section for what to do with them. (PITA: 4, Outcome: 9)

3. Sheet Pan Soy-Glazed Meatloaf & Veggies from Skinnytaste High Protein by Gina Homolka*

I still had baby bok choy after making the Mee Goreng, so I picked this recipe to use some of them in a different way. The kids liked the meatloaf (which I made with coarse oat flour rather than quick oats), my husband liked the veggies, and I liked it all well enough. (PITA: 4, Outcome: 7)

4. Caramel Cod with Fragrant Lime Coconut Rice from Family Style by Peter Som*

Another hit from this cookbook! I’m not going to lie, my kitchen smelled like fish sauce for a full day even with my air purifier running, but the fish was so tasty I could overlook that. There was lots of leftover sauce, so I saved it for future meals. The rice is excellent—way better than the coconut rice in Molly Baz’s More is More. Finally, it would be a much prettier dish if I liked cilantro, which is supposed to be the garnish on the dish. (PITA: 5 [mostly for the lingering smell of fish sauce, otherwise a 3], Outcome: 9)

5. Greens and Herbs Butter Bean Pasta from Big Veg Energy by Christina Soteriou*

I wish I could say my kids enthusiastically ate this, but they did eat it. My husband and I especially enjoyed the drizzle of pomegranate molasses over the top. (PITA: 2, Outcome: 7)

6. Tomatoes with Cottage Cheese and Bagel Seeds from Smitten Kitchen Keepers by Deb Perelman

A short but sweet recipe that got me out of a breakfast rut. If you use store-bought everything bagel seasoning, be sure to adjust the salt in the recipe accordingly, as those mixes often already contain salt. (PITA: 1, Outcome: 9)

7. Chilly Silken Tofu with Tomato Salad from Chinese Enough by Kristina Cho

I made this just for me and my husband. He’s come to like most tofu recipes, having not eaten much (if at all) before we met, but he realized eating this that he’s not a fan of silken tofu. More for me! (PITA: 2 [cutting and artfully displaying the silken tofu took this recipe from a 1 to a 2], Outcome: 8)

8. Stewed Chickpeas with Peppers and Zucchini from Simply Julia by Julia Turshen

This came together quickly with ingredients I already had on hand. My husband and I were both surprised by how much more we liked than we expected to. While the kids didn’t eat it, they did enjoy the mayo-based sauce with their carrot sticks. (PITA: 2, Outcome: 8)

9. Jirjir - Arugula Salad from Imad’s Syrian Kitchen by Imad Alarnab*

This is an incredibly easy but very flavorful salad perfect for a warm evening. It comes together in five minutes if you cube the watermelon ahead of time. (PITA: 1, Outcome: 9)

10. Chickpea Spread with Caramelized Onions and Parsley from Polish’d by Michal Korkosz*

As with all recipes requiring well-caramelized onions, this is not one to make when you’re short on time or patience. However, the end-result is so, so good. This would be an excellent potluck offering as it is vegan and (unsurprisingly) nut- and gluten-free. (PITA: 3 [it always takes longer to caramelize onions than the recipe said it will], Outcome: 10)

Honorable mentions (recipes I forgot to photograph and/or are from food blogs):

• Bean Sprout Stir Fry from The Omnivore’s Cookbook blog by Maggie Zhu
I had about 14 oz of bean sprouts leftover after making the Mee Goreng and this was a great way to use them up. We ate them alongside a tofu and broccoli stir fry, also from this blog. (PITA: 2 [for picking through the bean sprouts], Outcome: 7)

• Classic Mac from The Mac + Cheese Cookbook by Allison Arevalo and Erin Wade (of Homeroom in Oakland)*
I asked my 12yo what he wanted for dinner after soccer practice and he requested mac and cheese. He’d previously asked me to borrow this book from the library, so I figured I’d make this recipe. It’s simple and rich and was exactly what he wanted. (PITA: 3, Outcome: 10)

• Chocolate, Banana, and Oat Cookies from Bake Smart by Samantha Seneviratne
These were tasty and we all liked them, but they are very sticky and also a bit crumbly. (PITA: 2, Outcome: 6)

*I borrowed these books from the San Francisco Public Library.

1. Tangy Stir-Fried Cabbage and Glass Noodles from Tenderheart by Hetty Lui McKinnon

🚨The fairly picky 12yo liked it and said I should make it again! I repeat, my tween ate this! 🚨 Sadly, the 6yo did not, but the rest of us enjoyed it. (PITA: 3, Outcome 8)

2. Almond Butter Banana Bread from Dessert Person by Claire Saffitz

I made this once several years ago, but because I’m always wanting to try new recipes, I hadn’t made it since. However, I had ripe bananas and a large jar of almond butter, so it was the perfect time to revisit this recipe. Considering my family finished it in 24 hours, I guess I’ll need to make it again soon. (PITA: 4, Outcome: 10) 

3. Smoked Salmon Deviled Eggs from Barefoot Contessa: How Easy Is That? by Ina Garten*

My whole family loves deviled eggs which is good because we dyed (and then immediately refrigerated) two dozen eggs. The recipe calls for hard-boiling 8 extra large eggs, so I used 10 of my large pre-boiled ones but I could have used a dozen given the amount of leftover filling I had. (PITA: 4, Outcome: 9)

4. Vibrant Spring Green, Dill, and Pistachio Orzo from The Green Batch Cookbook by Sam Gates*

I cook a lot, frequent San Francisco’s bountiful farmers’ markets, and have lived in Australia and Ireland, but I didn’t know until I made this dish that the “Spring Green” in the recipe title refers to young, immature cabbage plants. Collards are supposed to be a good substitute, but my Trader Joe’s doesn’t carry them and I didn’t have time to stop elsewhere that day so I subbed baby broccoli. This dish was delicious day of, but also excellent as leftovers throughout the week. (PITA: 5 [lots of chopping], Outcome: 9)

5. Sweet Potato and Black Sesame Bundt Cake from Tenderheart by Hetty Lui McKinnon

This was the first of two cakes I made for a cake fundraiser I hosted. I knew there would be a lot of chocolate and lemon cakes, so I thought I’d make something super different. I really loved the flavors of this—and it’s great for breakfast too, as it’s not very sweet. (PITA: 4, Outcome: 8)

6. Triple-Chocolate Layer Cake from Bake from Scratch: Volume 5 by Brian Hart Hoffman*

There were two ingredient errors on my part: One, none of my regular grocery stores had Dutch-processed cocoa powder—an ingredient I used to always have on hand—for the dark chocolate layer. Two, I melted white chocolate chips for the frosting, which meant that the frosting seized after the initial crumb coat due to the stabilizers in the chips. Nonetheless, my 12yo LOVED this and my fundraiser guests and I did too. (PITA: 6, Outcome 8)

7. Walnut Golden Raisin Soda Bread from Bake from Scratch: Volume 2 by Brian Hart Hoffman*

I made this one for a post-concert reception and it went fast. I wish I’d made a loaf to keep, but it’s so easy I will definitely make it again soon. (PITA: 3, Outcome: 10).

8. Spatchcock Chicken with Hungarian Seasoning from Zahav Home by Michael Solomonov and Steven Cook*

I prepped this in the morning before dashing out for an event, leaving the cooking instructions behind for my husband (who rarely cooks more than a fried egg). He had just taken it out of the oven when I got home and it took only a few minutes to make the sauce. The chicken was tender and flavorful and the veggies rounded out the meal. (PITA: 3 [spatchcocking the chicken, otherwise a 2], Outcome 10)

9. Cacio e Pepe Udon from To Asia, With Love by Hetty Lui McKinnon

So easy and so good. I used frozen udon noodles (don’t bother with the dried ones; the texture will be all wrong). Grating the pecorino was the “hardest” part of making this. There is a lot of salt and umami, so the 6yo wasn’t a fan, but that was fine because there was more for the rest of us! I definitely recommend pairing this with a light and acidic veggie side. (PITA: 1, Outcome: 10).

Honorable mentions (recipes I forgot to photograph):

10. My Baked Ziti from Crave by Karen Akunowicz*

This was a hit with the whole family. I used chickpea pasta because I’ve realized that I can’t taste it or really notice the texture in baked pasta dishes and it’s a great way to get my kids some extra protein. It’s pretty heavy on ricotta, so an acidic side salad is a must. (PITA: 3 [but 1 if you use jarred sauce instead of making it from scratch], Outcome: 8)

11. Grilled Chicken with Yogurt and Shawarma Spices from Cooking in Real Life by Lidey Heuck Another dish the 6yo refused to eat (she didn’t like this combo of shawarma spices), but the rest of this loved. The spiced yogurt marinade makes the chicken incredibly tender and flavorful. I don’t have a grill or a very good grill pan, but cast iron skillets did the trick. (PITA: 3, Outcome: 9).

 

*I borrowed these books from the San Francisco Public Library.