Family Recipe File

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Author: Chef

  • Corn Tortillas ATK

    Source
    Source: Raw notes label this recipe as America’s Test Kitchen (ATK).

    Description

    Ingredients

    • YIELD Makes about 22 tortillas (Each 5-inches)
    • TIME 2½ hours
    • Why This Recipe Works
    • Corn Tortillas
    • Gather Your Ingredients
    • 2 cups (8 ounces) masa harina
    • 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
    • ¼ teaspoon salt
    • 1 ¼ cups warm water, plus extra as needed
    • Before You Begin
    • *

    Instructions

    1. While supermarket tortillas are convenient, they pale in comparison to homemade versions.
    2. Luckily, making them is easier than you might think.
    3. The ingredient list is short, the dough is forgiving, and you don’t need a tortilla press.
    4. Pressing the dough between a zipper-lock bag that has been cut open at the sides prevents it from sticking to the pie plate.
    5. Distribute your weight evenly over the dough when pressing.
    6. Using a clear pie plate makes it easy to see the tortilla.
    7. A tortilla press, of course, can also be used.
    8. You can find masa harina in the international aisle or near the flour.
    9. Cut sides of sandwich-size zipper-lock bag but leave bottom seam intact so that bag unfolds completely.
    10. Place open bag on counter and line large plate with 2 damp dish towels.
    11. Mix masa, 1 teaspoon oil, and salt together in medium bowl.
    12. Using rubber spatula, stir in warm water to form soft dough.
    13. Using your hands, knead dough in bowl, adding extra warm water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until dough is soft and tacky but not sticky (texture is like Play-Doh).
    14. Cover dough and set aside for 5 minutes.
    15. Meanwhile, heat remaining 1 teaspoon oil in 8-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering.
    16. Using paper towel, wipe out skillet, leaving thin film of oil on bottom.
    17. Pinch off 1-ounce piece of dough (about 2 tablespoons) and roll into smooth 1 1/4-inch ball.
    18. Cover remaining dough with damp paper towel.
    19. Place ball in center of open bag and fold other side of bag over ball.
    20. Using clear pie plate, press down on plastic to flatten ball into 5-inch disk, rotating plastic during pressing to ensure even thickness.
    21. Working quickly, gently peel plastic away from tortilla.
    22. Carefully place tortilla in skillet and cook, without moving it, until tortilla moves freely when pan is shaken, about 30 seconds.
    23. Flip tortilla and cook until edges curl and bottom surface is spotty brown, about 1 minute.
    24. Flip tortilla again and continue to cook until bottom surface is spotty brown and puffs up in center, 30 to 60 seconds.
    25. Place toasted tortilla between 2 damp dish towels; repeat shaping and cooking with remaining dough.
    26. (Cooled tortillas can be transferred to zipper-lock bag and refrigerated for up to 5 days.
    27. Reheat before serving.)
  • Homemade Naan ATK

    Source
    Source: Raw notes label this recipe as America’s Test Kitchen (ATK).

    Description

    Ingredients

    • YIELD Makes 4 pieces
    • TIME 1½ hours, plus 16 hours resting
    • Why This Recipe Works
    • Homemade Naan
    • Gather Your Ingredients
    • ½ cup ice water
    • ⅓ cup plain whole-milk yogurt
    • 3 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
    • 1 large egg yolk
    • 2 cups (10 ounces/283 grams) all-purpose flour
    • 1 ¼ teaspoons sugar
    • ½ teaspoon instant or rapid-rise yeast
    • 1 ¼ teaspoons salt
    • 1 ½ tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
    • Before You Begin
    • *

    Instructions

    1. We wanted a light and tender naan that could be made without a tandoor.
    2. We started with a moist dough with a fair amount of fat, which created a soft bread that was pleasantly chewy, but the real secret was the cooking method.
    3. While we thought a grill or preheated pizza stone would be the best cooking method, we discovered that they cooked the bread unevenly.
    4. A much better option was a covered skillet.
    5. The skillet delivers heat to the bottom and the top of the bread, producing naan that is nicely charred but still moist.
    6. This recipe worked best with a high-protein all-purpose flour such as King Arthur brand.
    7. Do not use nonfat yogurt in this recipe.
    8. A 12-inch nonstick skillet may be used in place of the cast-iron skillet.
    9. For efficiency, stretch the next ball of dough while each naan is cooking.
    10. In measuring cup or small bowl, combine water, yogurt, 3 tablespoons oil, and egg yolk.
    11. Process flour, sugar, and yeast in food processor until combined, about 2 seconds.
    12. With processor running, slowly add water mixture; process until dough is just combined and no dry flour remains, about 10 seconds.
    13. Let dough stand for 10 minutes.
    14. Add salt to dough and process until dough forms satiny, sticky ball that clears sides of workbowl, 30 to 60 seconds.
    15. Transfer dough to lightly floured work surface and knead until smooth, about 1 minute.
    16. Shape dough into tight ball and place in large, lightly oiled bowl.
    17. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 16 to 24 hours.
    18. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 200 degrees.
    19. Place heatproof plate on rack.
    20. Transfer dough to lightly floured work surface and divide into 4 equal pieces.
    21. Shape each piece into smooth, tight ball.
    22. Place dough balls on lightly oiled baking sheet, at least 2 inches apart; cover loosely with plastic coated with vegetable oil spray.
    23. Let stand for 15 to 20 minutes.
    24. Transfer 1 ball to lightly floured work surface and sprinkle with flour.
    25. Using hands and rolling pin, press and roll piece of dough into 9-inch round of even thickness, sprinkling dough and work surface with flour as needed to prevent sticking.
    26. Using fork, poke entire surface of round 20 to 25 times.
    27. Heat remaining 1 teaspoon oil in 12-inch cast-iron skillet over medium heat until shimmering.
    28. Wipe oil out of skillet completely with paper towels.
    29. Mist top of dough lightly with water.
    30. Place dough in pan, moistened side down; mist top surface of dough with water; and cover.
    31. Cook until bottom is browned in spots across surface, 2 to 4 minutes.
    32. Flip naan, cover, and continue to cook on second side until lightly browned, 2 to 3 minutes.
    33. (If naan puffs up, gently poke with fork to deflate.) Flip naan, brush top with about 1 teaspoon melted butter, transfer to plate in oven, and cover plate tightly with aluminum foil.
    34. Repeat rolling and cooking remaining 3 dough balls.
    35. Once last naan is baked, serve immediately.
  • Skillet Meat & Cheese Pasta

    Description

    Ingredients

    • Review raw notes for ingredients.

    Instructions

    1. Comfort food, comin' right up.TOTAL TIME: 0:20PREP: 0:05LEVEL: EASYYIELD: 4 SERVINGSINGREDIENTSkosher salt1 lb.
    2. pastaextra-virgin olive oil1 lb.
    3. ground beefFreshly ground black pepper3 garlic cloves, minced1 onion, chopped1 tsp.
    4. crushed red chili flakes1 tbsp.
    5. Worcestershire sauce2 tbsp.
    6. tomato paste1/2 c.
    7. chopped parsley, plus more for garnish2 c.
    8. grated mozzarellaDIRECTIONSBring an 8-quart stock pot of water to a boil and generously season with salt.
    9. Cook pasta according to al dente package directions less 1 minute.
    10. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water.
    11. Drain pasta without rinsing.Meanwhile in a large skillet over high heat add 1 tablespoon olive oil and brown beef while breaking up with a wooden spoon, about 2 minutes.
    12. Reduce to medium heat.
    13. Season with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper.
    14. Stir in garlic, onions, chili flakes, Worcestershire sauce, tomato paste, parsley, and 1/2 cup pasta water.
    15. Simmer until meat is tender, about 8 to 10 minutes.Toss in pasta and 1 cup mozzarella.
    16. Top with remaining cheese and cover with lid.
    17. Garnish with parsley and serve immediately.Judy Kim is a NYC-based food stylist, recipe developer, and photographer.
    18. She also writes recipes for her website The Judy Lab.

    Notes

    • Imported from incomplete raw notes; ingredient list needs a quick review.
  • Shepherd’s Pie

    Description

    Ingredients

    • 2 pounds of potatoes
    • 1/2 cup cream
    • 3 tablespoons butter
    • 3 cups sharp cheddar, shredded
    • 1 1/2 pounds ground beef (or shredded chicken)
    • 1 large onion
    • 1 cup thin carrot slices
    • 4 to 6 ounces mixed mushrooms, chopped
    • 2 tablespoons butter
    • 2 tablespoons flour
    • 1 cup beef broth (or chicken broth)
    • 2 teaspoon worcestershire sauce
    • 1 cup frozen corn
    • 1 cup frozen peas

    Instructions

    1. Boil the potatoes in salted water until soft.
    2. Drain and add the cream, butter and half of the cheddar cheese.
    3. Mash and add salt and pepper to taste.
    4. In a large pan, brown the beef and then set aside (If using chicken, cook and shred).
    5. In some butter or olive oil, saute the onions and carrots until soft, then add the mushrooms.
    6. In a small saucepan, whisk the 2 tablespoons butter and 2 tablespoons flour over medium heat for about 2 minutes.
    7. Add the broth and worcestershire and cook, whisking, for 1 minute.
    8. Add the sauce and meat to the veggies, and add the frozen corn and peas.
    9. In a greased 9×13, put the meat and veggie mix, then top with the mashed potatoes.
    10. sprinkle on the rest of the cheddar and broil.
    11. Freezing instructions:
    12. Line the 9×13 with parchment paper, then proceed with all steps except broiling.
    13. Put the pan in the freezer until frozen solid.
    14. Lift out of the pan using the edges of the parchment and wrap in plastic wrap and/or freezer paper.
    15. Label and return to the freezer.
    16. To cook a frozen casserole, unwrap the plastic wrap and parchment paper and place the casserole into a 9×13.
    17. Put into a cold oven and turn oven to 350 degrees.
    18. Once oven reaches temperature, bake for 30 minutes, covering with foil if cheese is getting too brown.
    19. Check the internal temperature to make sure that the center is hot (at least 160 degrees), then leave foil off and broil, if cheese has not browned.
  • Beef & Broccoli

    Description

    Ingredients

    • FOR THE MARINADE
    • Juice of 1/2 lime
    • Kosher salt
    • Freshly ground black pepper
    • 3 cloves garlic, minced
    • 1 head broccoli, cut into florets
    • Sesame seeds, for garnish
    • Thinly sliced green onions, for garnish

    Instructions

    1. 2/3 c.
    2. low-sodium soy sauce, divided
    3. 3 tbsp.
    4. packed brown sugar, divided
    5. 2 tbsp.
    6. cornstarch, divided
    7. 1 lb.
    8. sirloin steak, sliced thinly against grain
    9. vegetable oil
    10. 1/3 c.
    11. low-sodium beef (or chicken) broth
    12. 2 tsp.
    13. Sriracha (optional)
    14. In a medium bowl, whisk 1/3 cup soy sauce, lime juice, 1 tablespoon brown sugar, and 1 tablespoon cornstarch until combined.
    15. Add steak, season with salt and pepper, and toss until steak is coated.
    16. Marinate 20 minutes.
    17. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat oil.
    18. Add steak in a single layer, working in batches if needed, and cook until seared, about 2 minutes per side.
    19. Remove steak and set aside.
    20. Stir in garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
    21. Stir in remaining 1 tablespoon cornstarch until garlic is coated, then stir in broth, remaining 2 tablespoons brown sugar, remaining 1/3 cup soy sauce, and Sriracha.
    22. Bring mixture to a simmer.
    23. Add broccoli and simmer until tender, about 5 minutes.
    24. Season sauce with salt and pepper (if necessary), then return steak to skillet.
    25. Garnish with sesame seeds and green onions before serving.
  • Steak Fingers & Gravy

    Description

    Ingredients

    • Steak Fingers
    • 1 pound flank steak, sliced into strips
    • 1 cup flour
    • 1 tsp seasoned salt
    • ½ tsp black pepper
    • ¼ tsp cayenne
    • 2 eggs
    • 1 cup milk
    • 2 crisco bars
    • Gravy
    • 2 cups milk
    • 2-4 Tbls flour
    • ¼ cup grease

    Instructions

    1. Combine flour, seasoned salt, cayenne, salt, and pepper into a bowl.
    2. Whisk together.
    3. Ilk and eggs in a separate dish.
    4. Bread the strips of steak and put in oil.
    5. Fry until batter is brown and crispy (check the steak for doneness).
    6. For the gravy: in separate skillet, add the grease and flour on medium-high heat, whisking constantly.
    7. It will form into a paste.
    8. Whisk until it is a golden brown.
    9. Pour in milk and stir constantly.
    10. Allow gravy to cook and thicken.
    11. Add more milk if it is too thick.
    12. Salt and pepper to taste.
  • Ultimate Banana Bread

    Description

    Ingredients

    • YIELD Serves 10 (Makes one 9-inch loaf)
    • TIME 2½ hours
    • Why This Recipe Works
    • Ultimate Banana Bread
    • Gather Your Ingredients
    • 1 ¾ cups (8 3/4 ounces/248 grams) unbleached all-purpose flour
    • 1 teaspoon baking soda
    • ½ teaspoon table salt
    • 6 large very ripe bananas (about 2 1/4 pounds), peeled (see note)
    • 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
    • 2 large eggs
    • ¾ cup (5 1/4 ounces/149 grams) packed light brown sugar
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
    • ½ cup walnuts, toasted and coarsely chopped (optional)
    • 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
    • Before You Begin
    • *

    Instructions

    1. We added banana flavor without introducing too much moisture to our banana bread recipe by microwaving the fruit and draining it.
    2. We then simmered the banana liquid in a saucepan until it reduced and incorporated it into the batter.
    3. We used brown sugar instead of granulated and swapped out oil for the nutty richness of butter.
    4. Toasted walnuts gave our banana bread recipe a pleasing crunch, and a sixth banana sliced thin and caramelized on top of the loaf gave our banana bread an enticingly crisp, crunchy top.
    5. Be sure to use very ripe, heavily speckled (or even black) bananas in this recipe.
    6. This recipe can be made using 5 thawed frozen bananas; since they release a lot of liquid naturally, they can bypass the microwaving in step 2 and go directly into the fine-mesh strainer.
    7. Do not use a thawed frozen banana in step 4; it will be too soft to slice.
    8. Instead, simply sprinkle the top of the loaf with sugar.
    9. The test kitchen’s preferred loaf pan measures 8½ by 4½ inches; if you use a 9 by 5-inch loaf pan, start checking for doneness five minutes earlier than advised in the recipe.
    10. The texture is best when the loaf is eaten fresh, but it can be stored (cool completely first), covered tightly with plastic wrap, for up to 3 days.
    11. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees.
    12. Spray 8½ by 4½-inch loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray.
    13. Whisk flour, baking soda, and salt together in large bowl.
    14. Place 5 bananas in microwave-safe bowl; cover with plastic wrap and cut several steam vents in plastic with paring knife.
    15. Microwave on high power until bananas are soft and have released liquid, about 5 minutes.
    16. Transfer bananas to fine-mesh strainer placed over medium bowl and allow to drain, stirring occasionally, 15 minutes (you should have ½ to ¾ cup liquid).
    17. Transfer liquid to medium saucepan and cook over medium-high heat until reduced to ¼ cup, about 5 minutes.
    18. Remove pan from heat, stir reduced liquid into bananas, and mash with potato masher until fairly smooth.
    19. Whisk in butter, eggs, brown sugar, and vanilla.
    20. Pour banana mixture into flour mixture and stir until just combined with some streaks of flour remaining.
    21. Gently fold in walnuts, if using.
    22. Scrape batter into prepared pan.
    23. Slice remaining banana diagonally into ¼-inch-thick slices.
    24. Shingle banana slices on top of either side of loaf, leaving 1½-inch-wide space down center to ensure even rise.
    25. Sprinkle granulated sugar evenly over loaf.
    26. Bake until toothpick inserted in center of loaf comes out clean, 55 to 75 minutes.
    27. Cool bread in pan on wire rack 15 minutes, then remove loaf from pan and continue to cool on wire rack.
    28. Serve warm or at room temperature.
  • Flour Tortillas ATK

    Source
    Source: Raw notes label this recipe as America’s Test Kitchen (ATK).

    Description

    Ingredients

    • YIELD Makes 12 (6-inch) tortillas
    • TIME 50 minutes, plus 30 minutes chilling
    • Why This Recipe Works
    • Homemade Taco-Size Flour Tortillas
    • Gather Your Ingredients
    • 2 cups (10 ounces) all-purpose flour
    • 1¼ teaspoons table salt
    • 5 tablespoons lard, cut into ½-inch chunks
    • ⅔ cup warm tap water
    • Before You Begin
    • *

    Instructions

    1. Great flour tortillas have a supple, almost fluffy texture and just the right amount of savory flavor.
    2. This recipe was inspired by teachings we learned from cookbook author and food historian Melissa Guerra.
    3. We found that the ideal consistency of dough for a flour tortilla came from the right balance of flour, fat, and water.
    4. Using lard gave a deeply savory flavor (though shortening also worked).
    5. Chilling the dough and dusting the counter with flour before rolling prevented the tortillas from sticking to the countertop.
    6. A preheated cast-iron skillet mimicked the traditional comal, a type of griddle traditionally used in Mexico.
    7. Keeping a careful eye on the tortillas while cooking and adjusting the heat as necessary helped us achieve lightly browned tortillas that were perfectly cooked through.
    8. You can substitute shortening for the lard.
    9. If you don't have a cast-iron skillet, you can use a 12-inch nonstick skillet; to do so, heat 1 teaspoon of vegetable oil in the skillet over medium heat until shimmering.
    10. Wipe out the skillet with paper towels, leaving a thin film of oil on the bottom, before adding the dough rounds in step
    11. This recipe is an updated version of one we first published in
    12. Combine flour and salt in large bowl.
    13. Using your fingers, rub lard into flour mixture until mixture resembles coarse meal.
    14. Stir in warm water until evenly combined.
    15. Transfer dough to clean counter and knead briefly to form smooth, cohesive ball, about 30 seconds.
    16. Divide dough into 12 equal pieces (about 1½ ounces, or 2 tablespoons, each).
    17. Roll each piece into smooth ball between your palms and transfer to plate.
    18. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until dough is firm, at least 30 minutes or up to 2 days.
    19. Cut twelve 6-inch squares of parchment paper.
    20. Working with 1 piece of dough at a time (keep remaining pieces covered), roll each dough ball into 6-inch round on lightly floured counter.
    21. Transfer each dough round to 1 parchment square, stacking rounds on top of each other with parchment squares in between.
    22. Heat 12-inch cast-iron skillet over medium heat for 5 minutes.
    23. Place 1 dough round in skillet and cook until surface begins to bubble and bottom is spotty brown, about 1 minute.
    24. (If not browned after 1 minute, turn heat up slightly.
    25. If browning too quickly, reduce heat.) Flip and cook until spotty brown on second side, 30 to 45 seconds.
    26. Transfer tortilla to plate and cover with clean dish towel.
    27. Repeat with remaining dough rounds, stacking cooked tortillas under towel.
    28. Serve.
    29. TO MAKE AHEAD: Cooled tortillas can be layered between parchment paper squares, covered with plastic wrap, and refrigerated for up to 3 days.
    30. To serve, discard plastic, cover tortillas with clean dish towel, and microwave at 50 percent power until heated through, about 20 seconds.
  • Drop Biscuits ATK

    Source
    Source: Raw notes label this recipe as America’s Test Kitchen (ATK).

    Description

    Ingredients

    • YIELD Makes 12 Biscuits
    • TIME 50 minutes
    • Why This Recipe Works
    • Best Drop Biscuits
    • Gather Your Ingredients
    • 2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour (10 ounces/283 grams)
    • 2 teaspoons baking powder
    • ½ teaspoon baking soda
    • 1 teaspoon sugar
    • ¾ teaspoon table salt
    • 1 cup buttermilk (cold)
    • Before You Begin
    • *

    Instructions

    1. We wanted a drop biscuit recipe that would offer a no-nonsense alternative to traditional rolled biscuits, with the same tenderness and buttery flavor.
    2. Replacing milk with buttermilk intensified the flavor and improved the texture of our biscuit recipe.
    3. Allowing melted butter to clump in the buttermilk added height, since the water in the butter expanded and evaporated in the oven.
    4. 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly (about 5 minutes), plus 2 tablespoons melted butter for brushing biscuits
    5. If buttermilk isn't available, powdered buttermilk added according to package instructions or clabbered milk can be used instead.
    6. To make clabbered milk, mix 1 cup milk with 1 tablespoon lemon juice and let stand 10 minutes.
    7. A 1/4-cup (#16)
    8. portion scoop can be used to portion the batter.
    9. To refresh day-old biscuits, heat them in a 300-degree oven for 10 minutes.
    10. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 475 degrees.
    11. Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, sugar, and salt in large bowl.
    12. Combine buttermilk and 8 tablespoons melted butter in medium bowl, stirring until butter forms small clumps (see photo below).
    13. Add buttermilk mixture to dry ingredients and stir with rubber spatula until just incorporated and batter pulls away from sides of bowl.
    14. Using greased 1/4-cup dry measure, scoop level amount of batter and drop onto parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet (biscuits should measure about 2 1/4 inches in diameter and 1 1/4 inches high).
    15. Repeat with remaining batter, spacing biscuits about 1 1/2 inches apart.
    16. Bake until tops are golden brown and crisp, 12 to 14 minutes.
    17. Brush biscuit tops with remaining 2 tablespoons melted butter.
    18. Transfer to wire rack and let cool 5 minutes before serving.
  • Dinner rolls

    Description

    Ingredients

    • Tangzhong:
    • 2 Tbsp (20g) bread flour
    • 2 Tbsp (27g) water
    • 4 Tbsp (60g) whole milk
    • Bread Dough:
    • 2.5 cups (320g) bread flour
    • 1 Tbsp (9g) active dry yeast (instant works as well)
    • 3/4 tsp (3g) fine sea salt
    • 1/2 cup (120g) whole milk
    • 1/4 cup (56g) granulated sugar
    • 3 Tbsp (42g) unsalted butter, softened
    • 1 whole egg, room temperature
    • Egg wash:
    • one egg
    • splash of whole milk (about 2 tablespoons)
    • Garlic Butter
    • 1-2 cloves garlic
    • 1/4 cup (56g) unsalted butter

    Instructions

    1. For the tangzhong, add all ingredients together over medium heat, and constantly whisk until it becomes a paste.
    2. Once thick, remove from heat and let it cool to room temperature.
    3. For the primed yeast mixture, add and mix together.
    4. Store in a warm area and let sit for 10 minutes.
    5. In a stand mixer bowl, add the dry ingredients.
    6. Add in milk and yeast mixture, the tangzhong mix, and a whole egg.
    7. Mix on low speed, scraping the sides occasionally.
    8. When dough starts coming together, increase speed to medium-low.
    9. Gradually add butter until incorporated and nothing sticks to the sides.
    10. About 5-7 minutes.
    11. Dump dough onto a work surface and roll into a tight ball.
    12. Place dough into a lightly greased bowl and cover with a damp towel.
    13. Let rise at room temperature for 1-2 hours, or doubled in size.
    14. Punch dough down and dump onto a lightly floured work surface, and divide into 9 equal pieces (75 g each).
    15. Lightly grease a 9×9 inch baking dish, roll dough pieces into small tight balls and place into the baking dish in rows of three.
    16. Cover with a damp towel and let proof for 1-2 hours.
    17. Brush with egg wash (egg beaten together with a splash of whole milk).
    18. Bake in a preheated oven set to 350F for 28-30 minutes.
    19. For the garlic butter, finely chop garlic and add to a cold pan with unsalted butter.
    20. Heat over medium heat.
    21. Sweat the garlic for 30 seconds and immediately remove from the heat.
    22. Remove buns from oven and immediately brush with garlic butter and flaky salt.