This is, without any doubt, the BEST brined chicken recipe we’ve EVER tasted. Seriously. (And did we mention how quick and easy it is?!)
Annie A., Recipe Tester
A list of all the recipes Annie A. has tested.
Annie is the kind of person who always reads and rereads food scenes in books, though she didn’t really learn to cook until her mid-twenties. Her “younger, far more kitchen-fluent” sister gave her her first cookbook, the iconic Lynne Rosetto Kasper’s, How to Eat Dinner, to help get her started on her adventures in cookery. From there, she just kept stepping a little further into the kitchen, discovering food writing (Ruth Reichl and Laurie Colwin forever) and picking up recipes she loved along the way. She calls herself “a highly untrained home cook—with very little counter space,” but she loves the creativity and comfort she finds when she spends time in the kitchen, which is what brought her to recipe testing for Leite’s Culinaria. Her favorite recipe so far? “This carrot cake. Sooo good. And don’t miss this blueberry-lemon layer cake, either. Take it from a true dessert person,” she says.
Hazelnut Thyme Matchsticks
Hazelnut thyme matchsticks are thin, crisp crackers made with ground hazelnuts, cheese, and butter. The matchsticks are perfect with soup or as a snack.
Green Beans with Browned Butter and Almonds
If regular green beans aren’t cutting it anymore, give this elegant yet easy side dish a try. They’re full of flavor and look impressive, too.
Herbed Bread and Celery Stuffing
A classic. Bread stuffing filled with celery, onion, thyme, basil, and parsley that’s synonymous with Thanksgiving (though honestly, it’s equally welcome any time with roast chicken).
Apple Cinnamon Pull-Apart Bread
An irresistible and tender, sweet and creamy, loaf of fall goodness. A slice of apple cinnamon bread a day, isn’t that what they say?
Carrot Cake
“This was beyond the best carrot cake I have ever had.” That’s what we’re hearing about this cake, which ingeniously relies on puréed, rather than grated, carrots.
Chicken Perloo
A richly warming, comforting combination of earthy spices and smoky chicken. Comes together easily and brings everyone to the table.
Charred Greens with Garlic
An exceptionally tasty way to prepare a side of supergreens that’ll give your dinner a little boost. Red pepper flakes and raw garlic make it even better.
Pasta with Anchovies and Onions
If you know Chris McDade, you know he loves the salty umami bombs known as anchovies. Let this effortless pasta show you why we’re obsessed, too.
Focaccia
Easier to shape than a boule, focaccia is the next bread you may want to master making at home. Just slice it and eat it as-is with its dimpled herb-flecked surface.
Shrimp with Chorizo
What did our discerning testers say about this recipe? “Wildy satisfying.” “Zesty.” “Quick and tasty.” “A marriage made in heaven.” “A stunning nosh.” And they should know.
Broccoli with Peanut Sauce
Say hello to the most failproof way we know to get everyone to eat their veggies—and just about anything else you can dip or dunk or douse.
Blueberry Lemon Layer Cake
Pretty much guaranteed to be one of those desserts that makes people do face-plants onto their dessert plates. A David Leite original recipe.
Red Wine Spaghetti
This ingenious approach to spaghetti requires just your usual boxed pasta, a bottle of wine, and 30 minutes. Gorgeousness ensues.
Citrus Poppy Seed Cake
A harmony of sweet citrus notes nudges the classic lemon poppy seed cake in a less one-dimensional direction here. We may even be thinking of this as a 5D cake.
Fresh Tomato Tart
A perfectly flaky crust. A simple goat cheese filling. Some fresh pesto. And those spectacular heirloom tomatoes sitting on your counter. Surprisingly simple. Impressively spectacular.
Sautéed Summer Squash
Five ingredients. Fifteen minutes. And with just that you’re rewarded with an enticing side that doesn’t make you dread being healthy. Quite the opposite, actually.
Vegan Fudge Brownies
Proof that spectacularly fudgy, messily gooey, intensely chocolatey brownies can be made without butter or eggs.
Classic Apple Pie
The secret to this classic? Could be the two types of apples, one tart and one sweet. Then again, the uber buttery pie crust ain’t bad, either.
Baked Ziti
Italian comfort food of the most indulgent sort. Gotta love it.