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.
Jessica DeStefano, Recipe Tester
A list of all the recipes Jessica DeStefano has tested.
Cinnamon Pecan Blondies
Chewy, buttery, and teeming with toffee flavor, these are a sophisticated take on those made-from-a-box blondies you scarfed down with your carton of milk in the school cafeteria.
Lobster Fra Diavolo
Lend a little swanky to everyday spaghetti by gilding it with chunks of sweet, sweet lobster and juuuuust the perfect hit of chile pepper.
Rhubarb and Tequila Cocktail
Stunning and sophisticated, this cocktail relies on rhubarb for tartness, orange for intrigue, sugar for sweetness, and tequila for an afternoon nap.
Chilaquiles
Essentially eggs scrambled with chips (or day-old tortillas) and salsa, chilaquiles is equally enticing in the a.m. as the p.m., with a cup of hot joe or a bottle of cold cerveza.
Roasted Sweet Potato and Feta Salad
There’s a lot to like here. The caramelized sweetness of sweet potatoes and onions. The salty and tangy creaminess of feta. And the knowing that you’re doing something decent for yourself without it tasting like penance.
Apple Chips
Why pay an absurd amount of money for a teensy bag containing a couple shriveled slices when you can instead DIY a slew of slightly sweet and eminently easy snacks?
Sautéed Broccoli Rabe with Potatoes
Rabe. Raab. Rapini. Call it what you will, but it’s never better than when jumbled with sautéed garlic and crisped potatoes.
Roasted Cherry Tomatoes
“Little explosions of flavor” is how the author describes these luscious little orbs of yellow, orange, or red goodness. We don’t disagree. Neither will you.