It’s not just about how lovely a turkey imbued with smoke would be. It’s also about how lovely more space in the oven on Thanksgiving would be.
Eydie Desser, Recipe Tester
A list of all the recipes Eydie Desser has tested.
Eydie Desser is from deep in the heart of Texas—Beaumont, to be exact, where the air is so thick and the sun is so hot, it’ll melt your fat like butter. She inherited her passion for cooking from her mother, who loved butter so much that she wrote a family cookbook titled Just Add Butter. Desser took a hiatus from her advertising career to attend the French Culinary Institute, where she earned her Grand Diplôme in Culinary Arts. She and her husband live in Santa Monica, CA, where she works as a cooking instructor and happily tests recipes for Leite’s Culinaria (much to the delight of her family and friends).
Plum-Blueberry Upside-Down Cake
This purple-stained cake—er, what’s left of it—calls for just old-fashioned goodness and the season’s most compelling fruits. Got milk?
Huckleberry Crisp
Sweetly tart and laced with spice, this huckleberry (or blueberry, if you’d rather) crisp recipe is gonna rock your world.
Chicken, Sweet Potato, and Bacon Casserole
“Simple.” “Delicious.” “Awesome.” “Lovely.” “Wonderful.” “What’s not to love?” That’s what folks are saying about this almost obscenely satisfying casserole.
Easy Chili
A stash of chili in the freezer is a simple trick that will rock your weeknight supper world. Imagine chili dogs as everyday indulgence!
Chicken with Mustard ~ Poulet à la Moutarde
With this recipe, you can assure anyone who asks “Parlez-vous poulet?” that yes, in fact, you do. Quite fluently.
Cheese Crackers
Yup. We went there. To that homemade Cheez-It place. Go ahead. Admit it. You’re awfully glad that we did.
Tomato and Green Bean Salad
You don’t have to be Greek for this amalgam of tomatoes, green beans, red onion, and feta to taste like home.
Smoky Gazpacho
Sometimes a little unexpected tweak to tradition isn’t a bad thing. Nope. Not a bad thing at all…
Crème Fraîche Potato Salad
A British take on potato salad that’s both simple and sublime, this summery staple draws on the tart richness of crème fraîche and the pucker of lemon.
Roasted Asparagus
Think a recipe for roast asparagus isn’t necessary? We thought so, too…until we tried this. Lovely spears time after time. Not at all mushy. And never tough.
Strawberry Cheesecake Ice Cream
This nifty little number has all the uber richness of cheesecake and all the luxe creaminess of ice cream but with barely any effort. No ice cream maker required.
Grilled Thai Beef Salad
Spicy. Sweet. Tangy. Irresistible. Just what we want in something that’s hot off the grill and destined for dinner. Not to mention an easy way to get your greens down.
Carrot and Lentil Soup
“Beautiful.” “Filled with flavors.” “A tad spicy.” “Simple.” “Perfect!” That’s just a taste of what our testers are saying about this soup. Sort of makes you want some, doesn’t it?
Blueberry Crumble
Need to bring something to a backyard bash when all you want is mad crazy gratitude and an empty dish to take home? This blueberry crumble with a crumbly oatmeal cookie topping is your answer.
Blackened Ahi with Soy-Mustard Sauce
Fresh tuna smothered with blackening spices and, if desired, dressed with an Asian influenced soy sauce-based beurre blanc. Sigh.
Grilled Flank Steak with Chile Rub
If you can master this über basic recipe, you can grill a steak waaaaay better than any of your friends. Promise.
Chicken Caesar Salad
This take on the classic contains no raw egg, so make it for everyone you love—even the old, the young, and the preggers.
Beef Short Ribs with Chile Rub
We swoon to short ribs prepared almost any way. But especially when braised with coffee and chiles. That is to say, this way.
Classic Dinner Rolls
Practically instant gratification with its blink-and-you’ll-miss-it rise and its straightforward mixing method. And oooooh the taste!