Spiced Roasted Cauliflower With Feta and Garlic from NYT

  • 1 small head cauliflower
  • 3 garlic cloves, smashed
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for serving
  • 2 teaspoons fennel or cumin seed
  • 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
  • Pinch of red-pepper flakes
  • Kosher salt and ground pepper
  • 1ounce feta cheese, sliced or crumbled
  • ¼ cup parsley, tender leaves and stems, coarsely chopped
  • ¼ cup cilantro, mint or dill, tender leaves and stems, coarsely chopped
    lemon zest and juice
  1. Heat oven to 450 degrees. Slice cauliflower lengthwise into ½-inch thick slices, including the core and leaves. (Some of the first slices will crumble and fall apart. This is O.K., and will be useful when you want those crispier bits.)
  2. Place cauliflower (slices and crumbles) and garlic on a rimmed baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle with fennel seed, turmeric and red-pepper flakes, and season with salt and pepper.
  3. Roast, without disturbing, until cauliflower has turned a deep golden brown and crisped up in spots, 25 to 30 minutes. Using a spatula, flip the larger steaks and stir the smaller bits around and continue to roast until completely and evenly browned, another 8 to 10 minutes.
  4. Remove from heat and transfer to a large serving platter. Top with feta, herbs and a drizzle of olive oil.

Spiced Roasted Cauliflower With Feta and Garlic from NYT

  • 1 small head cauliflower
  • 6 garlic cloves, smashed
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for serving
  • 2 teaspoons fennel or cumin seed
  • 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
  • Pinch of red-pepper flakes
  • Kosher salt and ground pepper
  • 1 ounce feta cheese, sliced or crumbled
  • ¼ cup parsley, tender leaves and stems, coarsely chopped
  • ¼ cup cilantro, mint or dill, tender leaves and stems, coarsely chopped

  • Heat oven to 450 degrees. Slice cauliflower lengthwise into ½-inch thick slices, including the core and leaves. (Some of the first slices will crumble and fall apart. This is O.K., and will be useful when you want those crispier bits.)
  • Place cauliflower (slices and crumbles) and garlic on a rimmed baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle with fennel seed, turmeric and red-pepper flakes, and season with salt and pepper.
  • Roast, without disturbing, until cauliflower has turned a deep golden brown and crisped up in spots, 25 to 30 minutes. Using a spatula, flip the larger steaks and stir the smaller bits around and continue to roast until completely and evenly browned, another 8 to 10 minutes.
  • Remove from heat and transfer to a large serving platter. Top with feta, herbs and a drizzle of olive oil.

Melissa Clark’s IP steel-cut oats

1 tablespoon unsalted butter, plus more for serving
1 cup steel-cut oats
¼ cup dried currants or dried fruit
1 tablespoon maple syrup, plus more for serving
¼ teaspoon kosher salt Flaky sea salt, for serving (optional)

Using the sauté function, melt the butter in the pressure cooker. Then stir in the oats, currants, syrup, and salt; stir until the oats are toasted and fragrant, about 3 minutes. Stir in 3 ¼ cups water, cover, and cook on high pressure for 10 minutes. Let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes; then release the remaining pressure manually. Serve with additional maple syrup, butter, and a sprinkling of flaky sea salt if desired.

4-6 servings

Strawberry summer cake from smitten kitchen

strawberry barley summer cake
  • 6 tablespoons (85 grams) unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus extra for pie plate
  • 1 1/2 cups (188 grams) all-purpose flour (can swap 3/4 cup or 94 grams all-purpose flour with 3/4 cup or 75 grams of barley flour, see Note)
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon table salt
  • 1 cup (200 grams) plus 2 tablespoons (25 grams) granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 1/2 cup (118 ml) milk
  • 1 teaspoon (5 ml) vanilla extract
  • 1 pound (450 grams) strawberries, hulled and halved

Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Butter a 9- or 10-inch springform or cake pan. The 10-inch would make a thinner cake.

Whisk flour or flours, baking powder and salt together in a small bowl. In a larger bowl, beat butter and 1 cup sugar until pale and fluffy with an electric mixer, about 3 minutes. Mix in egg, milk and vanilla until just combined. Add dry mixture gradually, mixing until just smooth.

Pour into prepared pan. Arrange strawberries, cut side down, on top of batter, as closely as possible in a single layer (though I had to overlap a few to get them all in). Sprinkle remaining 2 tablespoons sugar over berries.

Bake cake for 10 minutes then reduce oven temperature to 325°F and bake cake until golden brown and a tester comes out free of wet batter, about 50 minutes to 60 minutes. (Gooey strawberries on the tester are a given.) Let cool in pan on a rack. Cut into wedges. Serve with lightly whipped cream.

Do ahead: Cake can be stored at room temperature for up to 2 days, loosely covered, but good luck with that.

No-Knead Crusty Cherry Walnut Bread from Kitty’s Kozy Kitchen

  • 3 cups + 2 Tablespoons  all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons coarse sea salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon instant yeast
  • 3/4 cup chopped nuts ( walnuts or pecans)
  • 3/4 cup dried cherries (dried cranberries or apricots would be good, too)
  • 1 Tablespoon honey
  • 1 and 1/2 cups warm water (about 95 degrees)
  • 6 quart or higher dutch oven or 2 smaller dutch ovens, if making small loaves,  or any large oven-safe pot with a lid.
  1.  Stir the first 6 ingredients together in a large bowl. Stir in the warm water. The dough will be pretty sticky– you want a sticky dough!  Gently shape into a ball as best you can. Cover tightly with plastic wrap or aluminum foil. Set on the counter at room temperature,  and allow to rise for 12-18 hours. The dough will double in size, stick to the sides of the bowl, and be covered in air bubbles.
  2. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and, using lightly floured hands, shape into a ball as best you can. Transfer dough to a large piece of parchment paper. (Large enough to fit inside your pot and one that is safe under such high heat. 
  3. Using a very sharp knife, gently score an X into the top. Cover dough lightly with plastic wrap and leave alone for 30 minutes.
  4. During this 30 minutes, preheat the oven to 475 degrees.  Place your dutch oven (with the lid) or heavy duty pot inside for 30 minutes so that it’s extremely hot before the dough is placed inside. After 30 minutes, remove the dutch oven from the oven and carefully place the dough inside by lifting it up with the parchment paper and sticking it all– the parchment paper included– inside the pot. Cover with the lid.
  5. Bake for 25 minutes with the lid on. Carefully remove the lid and continue baking for 8-10 more minutes until the bread is golden brown. Remove pot from the oven, carefully remove the bread from the pot, and allow to cool on the counter for 30 minutes before breaking/slicing/serving.
  6. Cover and store leftover bread at room temperature for 1 week.

Marcella’s Broccoli and Potato Soup

  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
  • 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 cups yellow onion, julienned
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 3 garlic cloves, peeled and minced (about 1 tablespoon)
  • 2 cups Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled, medium dice
  • 1/2 cups broccoli florets, no stems
  • 1/2 cups stock, chicken or vegetable
  • 6 smallish fresh basil leaves, torn
  • 1/2 cup Parmesan, grated
  1. In a 3 1/2-quart heavy-bottomed pot, combine the olive oil and half the butter. Place the pot over medium heat. Once the butter begins to melt, add the onions. Season them with a pinch of salt and freshly ground black pepper.
  2. Saute the onions until they become golden. Don’t rush this step and adjust the heat as necessary to keep them from browning too fast. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant.
  3. Add the potatoes. Stir them to coat with oil and let them sizzle away for a minute or two. Add the broccoli and do the same as you did with the potatoes. Add the stock.
  4. Bring the stock to a boil. Taste the broth and adjust the seasoning. Go easy on the salt though because the Parmesan has lots and will act as seasoning as well.
  5. Simmer the soup until the broccoli and potatoes are tender. The broccoli is not going to remain vibrant green, but if it is good broccoli it won’t be olive drab either.
  6. Once the potatoes have cooked through, add the parmesan, the remaining butter, and the basil. Stir to combine and serve with more black pepper.

best fudgy chocolate brownie cookies from cafe delities


½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 cup white granulated sugar
½ cup melted butter
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 egg
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 ⅓ cups all purpose flour or plain flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
 ½ teaspoon salt
 ⅓ cup semi sweet chocolate chips add more if desired

  • Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line 2 cookie sheets or baking trays with parchment paper (baking paper). 
  • In a medium-sized bowl, mix together the cocoa powder, white sugar, butter and vegetable oil. Beat in egg and vanilla until fully incorporated.
  • Add the flour, baking powder, and salt; stir the dry ingredients first before mixing them through the wet ingredients until a dough forms (do not over beat). Fold in the chocolate chips.
  • Scoop out 1-2 tablespoonful of dough with a cookie scoop (or small ice cream scoop), and place onto prepared baking sheets. Press them down as thick or thin as you want your cookies to come out. 
  • Bake in hot preheated oven for 10-12 minutes. The cookies will come out soft from the oven but will harden up as they cool. (Be careful not to over bake as they will dry out.)
  • Allow to cool on the cookie sheet for 10 minutes before transferring to wire racks to cool.

Tip: Take the cookies out of the oven while they are still slightly soft in the centre and let them cool. This will provide you with that gooey, soft texture. 

best cocoa brownies from smitten kitchen

  • 10 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
  • 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder (natural or Dutch-process)
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt (or a heaping 1/4 teaspoon flaky salt, as I used)
  • 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 2 large eggs, cold
  • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 2/3 cup walnut or pecan pieces (optional)

Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat the oven to 325°F. Line the bottom and sides of an 8×8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper or foil, leaving an overhang on two opposite sides.

Combine the butter, sugar, cocoa, and salt in a medium heatproof bowl and (Medrich’s method) set the bowl in a wide skillet of barely simmering water. Stir from time to time until the butter is melted and the mixture is smooth and hot enough that you want to remove your finger fairly quickly after dipping it in to test. Or (Deb’s method) you can melt the butter with the cocoa in a microwave too.

Both methods: Set the bowl aside briefly until the mixture is only warm, not hot. It looks gritty at this point, but don’t fret — it smooths out once the eggs and flour are added.

Stir in the vanilla with a wooden spoon. Add the eggs one at a time, stirring vigorously after each one. When the batter looks thick, shiny, and well blended, add the flour and stir until you cannot see it any longer, then beat vigorously for 40 strokes with the wooden spoon or a rubber spatula. Stir in the nuts, if using. Spread evenly in the lined pan.

Bake until a toothpick plunged into the center emerges slightly moist with batter, 20 to 25 minutes is Medrich’s suggestion but it took me at least 10 minutes longer to get them set. Let cool completely on a rack. (I go further and throw mine in the fridge or freezer for a while; it’s the only way I can get them to cut with clean lines.)

Lift up the ends of the parchment or foil liner, and transfer the brownies to a cutting board. Cut into 16 or 25 squares.

Thai Spice Sweet Tea from chef john

  • 4 1/4 cups water
  • 4 cardamom pods
  • 3 whole star anise
  • 3 whole cloves
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon 
  • 1/2 teaspoon tamarind paste (optional)
  • 1/3 cup white sugar, or to taste
  • 5 bags rooibos tea
  • 2 bags black tea
  • 3/4 cup coconut milk, blended smooth or milk

  • Add water to a saucepan, and place over medium-high heat.
  • Crush cardamom pods with mortar and pestle or flat of a knife. Add cardamom, star anise, cloves, cinnamon, and tamarind to the saucepan, and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes.
  • Add tea bags; stir to combine. As soon as water returns to a simmer, turn off heat, and steep for 5 minutes.
  • Stir in sugar, and let stand 5 minutes more. Strain into a container, squeezing tea bags thoroughly. Wrap container and refrigerate until very cold, about 1 hour.
  • To serve, fill a tall glass with ice. Pour in tea; top with a generous splash of coconut milk.