It’s no secret that Bon Appétit editors cook a lot for work. So it should come as no surprise that we cook a lot during our off hours too. Here are the recipes we’re whipping up this month to get dinner on the table, entertain our friends, satisfy a sweet tooth, use up leftovers, and everything in between. For even more staff favorites, click here.
November 14
A popular tofu grain bowl
I somehow missed this tofu grain bowl when it was being developed in the Test Kitchen; it was gobbled up by staff promptly, which in our books means it’s a knockout. So, of course, I needed to try it for myself. Nutty grains (farro was my choice) sit underneath a punchy cabbage slaw, crisped tofu, stalks of tender broccolini, and creamy avocado. To finish, a savory-sweet miso honey dressing gets drizzled onto the artful bowl. Expectedly, the dish went fast in my home, in line with what I witnessed at work. —Nina Moskowitz, associate editor, cooking
Roasted squash with a Caesar farro salad
This week, I found myself in possession of two adorable honeynut squash. While the oven preheated, I halved them, scooped out the innards, and showered with salt and pepper. A big glug of oil went over, with a little pool in each cavity, where I added a small garlic clove. They roasted until the skins wrinkled and the flesh was tender. While the squash cooled, I smashed the roasted garlic cloves with an anchovy, then whisked the paste with lemon juice and tahini (basically this Caesar-ish dressing, minus the parm and mustard, which in hindsight I wish I’d added!). Half of the dressing went into some cooked farro with chopped parsley. I filled bowls with a scoop of the grain salad, then nestled a squash half into the mix. A final drizzle of dressing and dinner’s done. —Rebecca Firkser, Test Kitchen editor
Swapping tahini for the mayonnaise that you typically see in classic Caesar salads keeps things creamy but adds nutty earthiness to the tangy mustard and funk from Parmesan cheese.
Scorpio snack mix
I have a new Scorpio in my life: Our new Test Kitchen editor, Rebecca Firkser. She joined our team on the cusp of her birthday and requested a snack mix for her special day. In my mind, Chex mix makes the best one, and my Furikake-Ranch Snack Mix (sans Bugles as the store was out, *sob*) sprung to mind. Sweet and salty, with endless umami flavor driven by both the seaweed-heavy condiment and a touch of soy in the syrup, this snack has a pull over whoever is closest to the bowl. —Hana Asbrink, deputy food editor
Like all good snack mixes, this one is a reliable crowd-pleaser, hitting all of the sweet and salty notes. Plus, it’s wide open to swaps and modifications.
Cheesy roasted cabbage
My mind is already on Thanksgiving. In an effort to expand my meatless options for the big meal, I experimented with senior Test Kitchen editor Jesse Szewczyk’s Cheesy Roasted Cabbage Wedges. My grocery store was out of savoy cabbage and hazelnuts, but I was determined to make this dish, so I picked up a sugarcone cabbage, a new variety from Dan Barber’s Row 7 company, and used pistachios from my pantry. Doused in a luscious Gruyère sauce, the sweet cabbage gets a nice crispy edge with the parm crust. A sprinkle of parsley and lemon zest cuts through the creaminess, adding delightful brightness. After making it, I can confidently say this would be a lovely addition to the Thanksgiving feast for vegetarians and non-vegetarians alike. —Jaia Clingham-David, research fellow
Are these rich, hefty wedges a luscious side or meatless main? The answer is yes.
November 7
Sausage and brussels sprout pasta
The other night, my boyfriend suggested roasting brussels sprouts to pair alongside a sausage pasta. I coolly informed him that they could (and should) be folded into the pasta, per former Test Kitchen editor Kendra Vaculin’s Brussels Sprout Pasta recipe. It brings together crispy-edged spicy sausage and caramelized brussels, with nutty brown-butter-toasted pecans sprinkled on top. Instead of Pecorino, we tossed in smoked mozzarella, which turned out to be an unexpectedly perfect match. The result was hearty, savory, and exactly what we needed on a rainy weeknight. —Olivia Tarantino, senior commerce editor
This brussels sprout pasta recipe taps nutty brown butter, crunchy pecans, and hot Italian sausage to create an easy dinner bursting with fall flavors.
A stir-fry to have on repeat
My go-to weeknight dinner format is a stir-fry. It has everything you need: protein, veggies, and just enough sauce to coat a pile of rice. But there are only so many veggie-protein combos in the world, so staying creative is imperative to prevent burnout. Luckily my colleague Kate Kassin’s brilliantly unexpected Black Vinegar Chicken With Radishes has shaken things up, showing me just how delicious cooked radishes can be. Unlike their raw counterparts, cooked radishes have only a whiff of peppery spice, with a creamy potato-like texture. I’ve made a version of this recipe at least five times over the past year and have no plans of stopping. —Jesse Szewczyk, senior Test Kitchen editor
This gingery stir-fry comes together in under 30 minutes.
Venison and roasted squash
I spent the first half of the year cooking a lot of bison—so much so, I developed a burger recipe. Recently I’ve been experimenting with venison as another alternative red meat. My favorite cut has been these loin fillets from Maui Nui Venison. I season them generously with salt and pepper, sear hot and fast (I tend to set off my fire alarm), and pair with roasted squash from the Greenmarket. It’s a satiating meal that tastes even better the next day, served with rice for my work-from-home lunch. —Kate Kassin, editorial operations manager
Roasted squash loses its bland reputation and turns glossy and fragrant thanks to a gingery miso-glaze and a quick scallion oil.
Pancakes on the brain
I had pancakes on the brain all of last week, and a punnet of out-of-season blueberries that needed eating. Come Sunday morning, it was time for a berry-studded short stack with plenty of butter and a glug of dark amber maple syrup. I had vanilla almond milk on hand for my morning coffee, but no buttermilk, so these Perfectly Fluffy Pancakes came to my rescue. Lucky for me, senior Test Kitchen editor Shilpa Uskokovic’s recipe works just as well with nondairy milk as it does with the real stuff. It produces light, golden brown pancakes every time, relying on aluminum-free baking powder (it has to be aluminum-free if you don’t want your breakfast to taste like a tin can) for its lofty, tender structure. Even the infamous first pancake was a winner. —Kelsey Jane Youngman, senior service editor
Our best pancakes are easy to make on a moment’s notice with ingredients you have on hand.
Midnight short ribs
My friends and I took our annual trip up to the Berkshires, during which we make an effort to do as many fall-themed activities as possible. That means visiting the cows at a local farm, picking pumpkins, trying every cup of hot chocolate the surrounding towns have to offer, and celebrating a tradition we’ve come to refer to as “midnight short ribs.” Year after year we fail to start braising the meat until far too late in the evening for it to be done at a reasonable hour, but instead of trying to fix this we’ve taken to buying enough cheese and wine to tide us over until dinner. I opted for this classic red-wine-based recipe instead of the soy-infused one I’ve used in previous years. We served them over mashed potatoes, and they were a certified hit. To everyone’s surprise, this year’s short ribs were done in record time—9:30 p.m.! —Alaina Chou, commerce writer
This recipe for braised beef short ribs has many fans—and rightly so. Since it’s even better the next day, it’s perfect for entertaining.