Itâs no secret that BA 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 weâre 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.
February 16
Crispy, cheesy cauliflower
Cauliflower rice and I do not have the best history. In college, Iâd steam the watery veg and use it in place of rice in my âburrito bowls,â which involved ground turkey, a packet of taco seasoning, and (questionably) zucchini. Iâll spare you further details. What you do need to know is that this recipe from senior test kitchen editor Jesse Szewczyk redeemed riced cauliflower for me. Pan-fried with a mix of panko, Parmesan, and tons of fresh herbs, the cauliflower rice transforms into crispy falafel-like balls Iâd happily eat over a salad or a swoop of lemony yogurt. âZoe Denenberg, associate cooking & SEO editor
Black sesame rice treats
When it comes to the Super Bowl, Iâm in it for the snacks and the halftime show. I couldnât tell you what a sack is, but I can tell you that these Black Sesame Rice Krispies Treats were second only to Usherâs performance. I took the butter a little further than the recipe recommended for an added depth, but it didnât need it. The sesame seeds and flaky salt make for a grown-up version of this nostalgic treat. It was ooey-gooey and very fun to pull apart throughout the game and commercials. âUrmila Ramakrishnan, associate director of social media
Fuchsia pasta
I love any recipe in which my oven does the bulk of the work, so I knew I had to try these Dilly Beet Noodles. The process is very simpleâroasted beets get tossed into a food processor or blender with some flavorful fixings for an ideal (and very colorful!) noodle sauce. The flavor payoff was huge. The final dish was savory and earthy and played well with the sour cream and sauerkraut on top. Iâll definitely be adding it to my regular dinner rotation. âOlivia Quintana, associate social media manager
Air fryer cauli bites
Iâve made Jesse Szewczykâs Air Fryer Buffalo Cauliflower twice in the past month: Once for game day, and once for a weeknight dinner. It fit the bill for both occasions. Dredging the florets in a thick, highly seasoned batter helps them crisp up in the air fryer; drizzling them with a buttery Buffalo sauce completes the hot wings effect. My advice: Donât wait for football season to roll back around to make these spicy bites. âZ.D.
Fudgy, crackly brownies
I should preface by saying I attempted to make these brownies but was very bad at reading instructions. Despite that, they came out really nice and fudgy with that crackly top. My mistakes? I used hot cocoa powder instead of Dutch-process cocoa powder, which meant there was added sugar and a little salt from the mix I used. I also used double the semisweet chocolate chips instead of bittersweet chocolate for melting and semisweet to mix in. Sorry, Chris. But they still turned out so good. âU.R.
February 9
Make-ahead broccoli salad
If you make this Broccoli Spoon Salad, you might as well double it. Thatâs what I did. The leftovers are a stellar lunch with some yogurt and bread. Part of our Bon Appétit 56, this recipe is meant to be messed with: I swapped in raisins instead of dates and NY Shukâs shawarma spice instead of ras-el-hanout. It was great the next day, and the day after that too. âEmma Laperruque, senior cooking editor
This salad puts all the best textures on a spoon: crisp, raw broccoli; chewy, sticky dates; and crunchy toasted pistachios. The ras-el-hanout, a Moroccan spice blend featuring aromatic and warm spices, adds a smoky depth to the bright citrusy dressing, which soaks into the broccoli as it sits. Donât have ras-el-hanout? Garam masala, baharat, or curry powder will also work. And if youâre a meal prepper, this is a great make-ahead salad—it only gets better with a little time.
Brown butter brownies
As much as I love boxed brownie mixâplain and doctored-upâhomemade brownies scratch a different itch entirely. I whipped up this recipe from Snacking Bakes by Yossy Arefi to bring to a friendâs and it was a hit. Brown butter sizzled and popped and perfumed my whole apartment. After I spooned the batter into the pan, I added chocolate fèves to the top for polka-dot pools of chocolate. It was a win, all around. âAntara Sinha, associate cooking editor
Chocolate chip cookies
If you havenât made these perfect chocolate chip cookies yet, consider this your call to action. The recipe uses many of the same ingredients youâd find in a standard CCC, but what you donât see are the countless attempts Chris Morocco made to get the balance of each flavor just right, striking harmony between nutty, chocolaty, caramelized, and yes, salty. Itâs no wonder this recipe has over 1,400 reviews and a near-perfect 5 stars. âCarly Westerfield, recipe copy and production assistant
Crunchy coleslaw
It came out of nowhereâa craving for coleslaw. Crunchy, creamy, no bells-and-whistles coleslaw. The sort that my mom and I used to buy by the pint at the supermarket, throw in our bike baskets, and wheel home with the sun in our eyes. Call it the winter blues. I turned to this classic recipe from Gourmet. My fridge had no sour cream, but full-fat Greek yogurt was a great swap. Served with veggie cheeseburgers and a can of apricot baked beans, it tasted like peak July. Even as my space heater blasted my calves. âE.L.
Buttery pav bhaji
My husband and I recently committed to eating more vegetables and cooking more Indian food, and this Pav Bhaji With So Much Butter hit both goals. Itâs got peas, carrot, cauliflower, potato, and bell pepperâand lots of flavor. A take on the Indian street food, it works well as leftovers because the base is soft and mushy, but that does mean you need the raw onion on top for some textural contrast. The recipe, which is part of the Bon Appétit 56, makes a strong argument for always having frozen vegetables. âSerena Dai, editorial director
February 2
Spicy-sweet fennel
It was a classic conundrum: two fennel bulbs and zero plans. Then I remembered this Crunchy Gochujang Fennel from Sohui Kim. You blanch fennel slices until they turn glassy, then toss them in a kicky gochujang dressing, enriched with sesame oil and sweetened with honey. The only thing I didnât have on hand was fresh ginger, but my freezer saved me with its supply of ginger cubes. It was so delicious, Iâm going to use my other fennel bulb for the same thing. âEmma Laperruque, senior cooking editor
Glazed lemon cake
One of the best parts of my job is getting to dig through Gourmet archives to find gems like this. Itâs a simple one-layer butter cake thatâs bursting with the aroma of lemon zest. Once itâs out of the oven, you brush a lemon juice glaze all over the warm cake. As the cake cools, the glaze soaks in and forms a delicate shellacâalmost like a glazed doughnutâon the surface. If you must, you can dust the cake with powdered sugar for a pretty finish, but I actually prefer it without that final flourish. The undusted cake has a wonderfully sharp tang and almost juicy bite thatâll brighten any winter morning or casual dinner party. âJoe Sevier, senior SEO editor
Cozy lentil soup
After running a series of errands on an especially chilly day, this soup was the obvious choice for dinner when I was craving something warm, hearty, and cozy. Instead of sweet potatoes I dropped in some cubed butternut squash that I snagged from the test kitchen earlier in the week. I didnât have brown or green lentils, but had plenty of toor dal that I used instead. And nixing the fish sauce made this meal entirely plant-based. I know Iâll be looking forward to the leftovers this whole week. âAntara Sinha, associate cooking editor
Savory yogurt bowls
Yogurt parfaits are great, but nine times out of 10, I want a savory breakfast over sweet. Thatâs where savory yogurt bowls come in. I’ve been making different versions depending on the veggies I have in the fridge. The latest was inspired by Gathered Nutrition: piquant harissa, smoked paprika, and a kiss of sweetness from honey. I love these bowls because I can spice the yogurt with pantry staples, combine it with roasted vegetables from the night before, and add some crispy beans. A fried egg is always a welcome addition too. Itâs a satisfying breakfast that keeps me full until lunch. âUrmila Ramakrishnan, associate director of social media
Tahini blueberry smoothie
I am a big fan of smoothies for breakfast, and itâs become an almost daily treat. Usually itâs more spontaneous and I blend whatever Iâm trying to use up in my kitchenâwilted kale, some back-of-the-freezer banana, the bottom of the bag of some dried fruits left over from a baking project. This time, I went with an actual recipe: this nutty, cinnamony one by associate food editor Kendra Vaculin. Vanilla extract in a smoothie is a game changer, giving it an almost milkshake vibe. âA.S.
