Kristina R., Recipe Tester

A list of all the recipes Kristina R. has tested.

A peach and crème fraîche pie sitting on a window sill with a pitcher nearby.

Peach and Crème Fraîche Pie

Whether you seek convention or innovation, you’ll find it in this haute yet humble peach pie, which draws on tradition yet still wields some surprises.

Eight beef empanadas on a rectangular platter with a bowl of relish on the side.

Beef Empanadas

Savory little somethings with a surprise for those of you unfamiliar with the flamboyant flavors of Latin America.

A red velvet cake with cream cheese frosting on a cake stand

Red Velvet Cake

We’re hearing that this red velvet cake recipe with its mascarpone and cream cheese frosting surpasses all other renditions. Judge for yourself.

A close view of swirled cream cheese frosting.

Homemade Cream Cheese Frosting

Cream cheese frosting is adored for both its creaminess and cream cheesiness. This lighter-textured version even doubles up on the cheese factor. Get ready to lick that bowl.

A whole cooked wheat beer roasted chicken in a deep oval baking dish.

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.

A red Dutch oven filled with beer-braised chicken with root vegetables on a wooden surface.

Beer-Braised Chicken Thighs

Chicken thighs are coaxed to incredible taste and tenderness in this stew that sneaks in root vegetables bathed in beer. Simple to make. Complex in taste. Unforgettable all around.

A cast iron skillet filled with baked macaroni and cheese.

Baked Macaroni and Cheese

This toss-it-together-and-shove-it-in-the-oven casserole is exactly what macaroni and cheese ought to be—easy, cheesy, crumb-topped, and knee-wobblingly indulgent.

An earthenware bowl with an open lasagna of mushrooms, pine nuts, and thyme in it and a fork resting in the bowl and a glass of white wine in the background.

Open Mushroom Lasagna

Elegance was never achieved with such ease. Simply stack cooked lasagna noodles with sautéed ‘shrooms and smother with a luxurious cream sauce. Everyday extravagance.

A glass jar filled with apple cider vinaigrette with a spoon resting in it.

Apple Cider Vinaigrette

This slightly sweet, subtly tangy, entirely apple-y vinaigrette recipe is going to come in far more handy than you can ever imagine.

A brown bowl filled with stir-fried pea shoots

Wok-Fried Pea Shoots

A brief fling in the wok with a little garlic and sesame oil is all that’s needed to coax these delicate pea shoots to tender, aromatic perfection.

A square of polenta with layers of meat sauce on a plate with a fork, two glasses of wine

Polenta Cake with Meat Sauce

In this inspired Italian creation, traditional lasagna noodles are supplanted by polenta. Trust us, you’ll feel no guilt nor regret over forsaking custom.

A pint-sized canning jar filled with garlic confit, sprigs of thyme and rosemary, and a partially separated head of garlic lying beside the jar.

Garlic Confit

Cloves of garlic are slowly simmered in oil until unthinkably tender, intensely aromatic, subtly sweet, and insanely irresistible.

Cut yellow roasted cherry tomatoes on a sheet of parchment paper.

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.

A soup bowl filled with French newlywed soup, and a small dish of shallots beside it.

French Newlywed Soup

This luxurious white bean soup, loaded with garlic aplenty, is served to newlyweds in bed the morning after…um, well, you know. Sustenance, people. Sustenance.