Hazelnut thyme matchsticks are thin, crisp crackers made with ground hazelnuts, cheese, and butter. The matchsticks are perfect with soup or as a snack.
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.
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.