Haul out your Crock Pot. Grab a can of your favorite stout. Get ready to enjoy a big bowl of Irish-inspired beef stew piled atop a mound of garlic mashed potatoes.
Lisa Amtower, Recipe Tester
A list of all the recipes Lisa Amtower has tested.
A lifelong horsewoman and fox hunter, Lisa has been playing in the kitchen since she could reach the counter and get in her mom’s way. Growing up, she eagerly awaited the monthly arrival of Gourmet magazine, and much experimentation ensued with each issue. Her sister was a close collaborator in those endeavors. Lisa loves to plan for the next dinner party, and Thanksgiving is her most favorite day of the year.
Every Wednesday, Lisa teams up with three brilliant women at the local Salvation Army Community Center, where they produce up to 120 hot lunches for those in need. Creativity is the name of the game, and they all look forward to cooking hearty and healthy meals from the abundant food donations. They take turns being head chefs, and after every Wednesday service, they look forward to the next week.
Famously unfettered in the kitchen, Lisa admits that being a Leite’s Tester has brought new discipline to her cooking and made her even more adventurous. Lisa was hooked on Leite’s Culinaria when she took her first bite of David’s Ham and Cheddar Biscuits. Since then, her list of favorites has grown to include Beef Stew with Red Wine, Cranberry Upside-Down Cake for an exceptionally beautiful dinner party dessert, Raw Cranberry Sauce, which you may find her eating by the spoonful, Schug, and Harvest Bowl. She lives in upstate New York with horses, cats, and a husband.
Dutch Oven-Roast Chicken and Shallots
A handful of ingredients and one pot is all you need for this juicy, crisp-skinned roast chicken with shallots, garlic, and lemon.
Spicy Honey Lime Chicken
This easy-peasy marinated grilled chicken with sweet and spicy honey lime sauce is going to be on regular rotation at our dinner tables. We’re betting it will be at yours, too.
Honey Glazed Chicken with Garlic Confit
This simple, yet elegant roast chicken dinner features chicken pieces that are glazed with honey and vinegar, then slowly roasted in garlic confit until tender and golden. Do we have your attention?
Pan Seared Salmon with Sweet Tahini Sauce
This easy, elegant meal of crispy-skinned salmon, bathed in a rich, creamy honey and tahini sauce is going to be on repeat all year long.
Caramelized Onion and Tomato Jam
Not sure what to do with that mountain of sweet summer tomatoes? This sweet and savory tomato jam is the answer.
Lemon Garlic Shrimp Pasta
This easy meal of tender bucatini pasta all tangled up with sautéed shrimp and a lemony garlic butter sauce is on the table in just 30 minutes. You’re welcome.
Grilled Pork Burgers
Smoky grilled pork burgers, crunchy coleslaw, and creamy yum yum sauce, all in one unbelievably good handheld package. You’re welcome.
Swedish Cardamom Buns
The hardest part about making these delightful Swedish pastries is choosing which combination of butter filling and sweet glaze you want.
Marinated Lentil Salad
Love lentils? Us, too. Even if you don’t, give this recipe a whirl. The combination of lentils with a spiced nut vinaigrette, fresh basil, and slabs of feta cheese may change your mind.
Cheryl Day’s Bacon Cheddar Scones
These bacon and cheese-laden scones are reason enough to jump out of bed in the morning.
Apple, Fennel, and Orange Salad
This stealthy healthy salad combines arugula, fennel, red onion, and apple with a bright citrus dressing.
Cranberry Beans with Warm Spices
Move over boring beans. The addition of cinnamon, white wine, mint, and lemon elevates plain cooked beans to a crave-worthy bowl of comfort food.
Spaghetti with Anchovy and Lemon
A simple and easy dish, this spaghetti has umami notes from anchovies and a bright smack of citrus. Weeknight dinner solved.
Cranberry Upside-Down Cake
Tart and buttery, with a touch of orange liqueur, this cake is a showstopper. And it’s actually easier than it looks. You’re welcome!
Pumpkin, Roasted Squash, and Gruyère Strata
Make ahead and then, the next morning? Revel in your cleverness as everyone tucks into this lush, cheesy, pumpkin-filled brunch.
Schug
A brightly herbal, spicy, garlicky condiment that brings spice to anything you might want to dip in it. Seriously, it goes on nearly everything.
Jerk-Style Lentils
If you’re familiar with Caribbean food, you know how good jerk seasoning is. It adds a deeply spiced flavor to everything it touches and makes these lentils extraordinary.
White Bean Stew with Tomatoes and Rosemary
There’s something about a big old pot of beans–comforting, richly flavored, and filling. Tomatoes and rosemary add a little something special.
Macedonian Spiced Chicken
A handful of earthy, warm spices gives your standard, everyday roasted bird a whole new personality. There might not even be leftovers.