Crisp as a cracker. Less sweet than a cookie. And certain to be safe from the kids as they have a distinct adult dark chocolate allure.
Kara Vitek, Recipe Tester
A list of all the recipes Kara Vitek has tested.
Pumpkin Spice Cookies
“Soft, spicy, holiday memory-invoking.” “Spiced perfectly.” “So easy.” “Lovely.” That’s what folks are saying about these.
Cheddar Biscuits
“Lovely.” “Perfectly light, fluffy, and irresistibly good.” “Easy peasy!” “Wow. Just wow.” That’s what folks are saying about these biscuits.
Corn Chowder with Bacon
A late-summer classic, this corn chowder is replete with corn, potatoes, onion, and bacon. Mmmm good.
Skillet Steak Peperonata
Wanna know how to stretch a single steak into supper for four without seeming skimpy? Your answer awaits.
Roast Chicken with Pancetta and Olives
“One of the best chicken recipes ever!” “Crisp-skinned.” “Juicy.” “Aromatic.” “Easy.” “Gorgeous.” “Heavenly.” That’s what we’re hearing from folks who’ve tried it.
Stir-Fried Cauliflower ~ Bong Cai Xao
The complex, almost caramelized taste of this sweetly savory side illustrates just why the last few years have seen a resurgence in respect for cauliflower.
Svelte Green Goddess Dip
This evocatively named dip isn’t the same as the one of yore. It’s got the same sumptuous taste, the same creamy texture, the same luminous color, just not the same calorie count.
Roasted Brussels Sprouts
So tantalizingly crisp at the edges, incredibly tender yet not mushy at the center, and lovely through and through. They’ll haunt you forever. In a good way.
Peanut Butter-Oatmeal-Chocolate Chip Cookies
One part oatmeal cookie, one part peanut butter cookie, one part chocolate chip cookie, and all parts irresistibly awesome.
Almond Biscotti
We find these unabashedly unconventional biscotti bewitching beyond belief. Different form. Same function. Far less fuss.
Beer Roasted Chicken
A crisp-skinned bird that’s inflected with orange and coriander for a very unique flair. And it comes together in a single pot, making it a cinch to prep as well as clean up afterward.
White Chocolate Cupcakes
Fine-crumbed and sparely sweet, these sophisticated little cakes do wonders for white chocolate’s tarnished reputation. Confection perfection.
Broiled Buffalo Wings
These lip-tingling wings boast far less oil-spattering-all-over-the-kitchen fuss and fewer calories than the classic that you’d find at the neighborhood bar. Not that you’ll be able to tell from the taste.
Oatmeal Cake
Oatmeal cake, to us, is synonymous with breakfast, seeing as there’s wholesome oatmeal beneath all that coconut and old-fashioned boiled frosting.
Coconut Blondies
Sweet! Gooey! Easy! Yum! Those are just a few of the lovely things we’re hearing about these coconutty blonde beauties. Taste for yourself.
Care Package Brownies
Designed to maintain their just-out-of-the-oven loveliness for days, these are ideal for sharing something sweet with the ones you care, whether via the USPS or porch delivery. Or save ’em all for yourself.
No-Knead Pumpkin-Sunflower Seed Bread
A sturdy, healthy whole-wheat loaf brimming with nutty goodness, this bread takes its crunch from pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, flax seeds. Fantastic as toast and for sandwiches.
Creamed Spinach
With its blend of mascarpone and Parmesan, this roux-less—and fuss-less—creamed spinach isn’t what you grew up with at your grandma’s table. And no one’s complaining about that.
Roast Pork Loin with Apples and Onions
This pork loin, with its fennel and garlic rub and apples and onions roasted on the same sheet pan, is about to become your new favorite supper salvation.