The Ultimate Baking Bucket List
The things everyone should bake before they die
Page 102 Originally posted 5/9/2020 The flavor is good, but the outer edge of the cup has a really leathery texture. And I did not overcook them as the center was perfect. Mark Wilson didn’t mind that at all and loved the flavor, so take from that what you will … mostly that I am […]
Page 229 Originally posted 5/8/2020 I LOVE this version of the classic chicken parm! I was skeptical of using cracker crumbs and NOT using mozzarella, but it really works. About the only thing keeping it from being a solid 5 is the texture of the cheese topping. It’s really good, but just a tiny bit […]
Page 307 Originally posted 5/6/2020 Chocolate. Espresso. What’s not to love? It’s flourless, so it is super dense. You can’t tell where the ganache ends and the “cake” begins. That’s a feature, not a bug! This one is so rich you can only eat a tiny piece before the roof of your mouth starts tingling, […]
Page 205 Originally posted 5/4/2020 With gravy – 4.0 stars What this recipe gets right: cooked low and slow. Nothing transforms less-than-tender cuts of meat into fall apart succulent roast like a long hot bath in broth. My first roast back in the 80s was a disaster because I did not do that and I […]
Page 25 Used in Strawberry Pie and Lemon Pie I love this graham cracker crust recipe! It is the same one used in book 1 and it is still just as good. I often battle the crust for cheesecakes and no-bake pies that use a graham cracker crust – it crumbles when you cut and […]
Page 297 Originally posted 5/4/2020 Uses Graham Cracker Crust This is really good tasting but the consistency is not a pie so much as a pudding. And it isn’t just me and my preparation. Take a look at the picture in the book! I saw that and thought, “wow, were they short of time and […]
Page 90 Originally posted 5/3/2020 Served with Waffles. Man, she likes her salt. I think this would be a solid 4.5 without the sea salt. You are working your way through a wonderful waffle (her recipe, but I used buttermilk this morning) and you hit a big ole grain of sea salt. Now, if this […]
Page 309 Originally posted 5/2/2020 Uses Tart Shell Yes, I am having dessert for breakfast. We live in uncertain times! I made this yesterday and finished assembling it last night while waiting for various stages of the disastrous chicken asparagus slop to finish. The shell is awesome! The filling is pretty good, too. I love […]
Page 27 Originally posted 5/2/2020 Used in Lemon Lavender Tart Yes, I am having dessert for breakfast. We live in uncertain times! I made this yesterday and finished assembling it last night while waiting for various stages of the disastrous chicken asparagus slop to finish. The shell is awesome! The filling is pretty good, too. […]
Page 73 Originally posted 5/10/2020 Aaaaaand we have our first perfect score! Its Mother’s Day at the Wilson Hobbit House where we are having these gems as Second Breakfast. They are moist but airy, sweet with a touch of tart from the lemon. And they are not that hard to make. So, yeah, they are […]
Page 203 Originally posted 5/1/2020 Wow. I have a sink FULL of dishes, it took 2 hours to make, and THIS is the result?! Come on! First off, you have to cut it with a steak knife even after you get it on your plate because of the asparagus spears. Then the asparagus pears cause […]
Page 315 Originally posted 4/30/2020 If you like chocolate chip cookies, peanut butter, and walnuts you are going to really like this cookie. The oats give it a little body and chew, while the chips give you the taste. I could eat these until I made myself sick. Cool thing about this recipe is that […]
Page 245 Originally posted 4/30/2020 uses Becki’s Herb Butter The problem with ribeye steaks in general is the amount of fat that is embedded in the meat. I am NOT a fan of the sensation I get when I encounter a big ole vein of chewy fat running through the bite I just popped in […]
Page 53 Originally posted 4/30/2020 This has an interesting flavor but, honestly, I am not a big fan of sun-dried tomatoes. When paired with the Ribeye you get a nice melted pool of butter to drag your steak bites through, but I doubt I will use this again.
Page 213 Originally posted 4/29/2020 The fried asparagus spears are a little odd but add an additional layer of flavor. This is tasty but Mark and I agree it has veered toward the highbrow as opposed to the straight up good food we prefer. I would make it again without the asparagus ribbons – a […]
Page 36 Originally posted 4/28/2020 I love my personal red sauce so it is with grudging admiration that I say this is a pretty darn good sauce. No wine in it (that’s my glass for personal consumption) but it is tasty. If you don’t have your own sauce this one is worth your attention. It’s […]
Page 45 Originally posted 4/28/2020 It’s good bread, but it doesn’t have quite the crust texture I was expecting. However, rosemary and salt are awesome on bread and the whole combo goes really well with pasta and sauce (any sauce). The rosemary came from my container herb garden on the deck. 🌱
Page 220 Originally posted 4/27/2020 Made with Homemade Pizza Dough This pizza is really good with just a little kick to the sauce, and all us “Fried Green Tomatoes” fans know that the secret’s in the sauce. We have homemade pizza religiously on Valentine’s Day and I will be pulling this out next February for […]
Page 29 Originally posted 4/27/2020 Used in BBQ Chicken Pizza This pizza is really good with just a little kick to the sauce, and all us “Fried Green Tomatoes” fans know that the secret’s in the sauce. We have homemade pizza religiously on Valentine’s Day and I will be pulling this out next February for […]
Page 89 Originally posted 4/27/2020 These are much better than the recipe on the box of Bisquick! They make a waffle with a nice, crisp crust and soft center. What I love about a waffle is the pockets it has for melted butter and syrup to pool and soak in. Mmmmmmmm. Yummy. My only complaint […]
Page 83 Originally posted 4/25/2020 Problems with this recipe: 1- Way too much leek. It needs a cup measurement because my 3 large leeks were just too, too much.2- Leeks have to be thoroughly rinsed to get the dirt out of the crevices, and the recipe doesn’t tell you that. I rinsed them and let […]
Page 217 Originally posted 4/24/2020 Served with Green Bean Casserole It’s fried meat with milk gravy so of COURSE it gets at least a 4. I had to add butter to make the roux hit the right consistency so someone who didn’t know what it should look like might not get good gravy from this […]
Page 189 Originally posted 4/24/2020 Full disclosure – I do not like green bean casserole. I make it for Mark at Thanksgiving because I love him but can do without it myself. So comparing this to the mushroom soup recipe, this one wins hands down. But it’s still green bean casserole. And it takes a […]
Page 81 Originally posted 4/23/2020 When I was a kid my mom would do breakfast for dinner as a way to change up the routine. So after weeks of isolation I thought tonight was a good time to take a leaf from her book and do a really hearty breakfast for dinner. 🍳 The flavor […]
Page 267 Originally posted 4/22/2020 Do-over on 8/28/2020 with an updated score. I obviously did something wrong because this came out a soupy mess. A TASTY soupy mess, but a soupy mess none the less. I will have to give it another chance at some point when I have leftover chicken and see if it […]
Page 169 Originally posted 4/21/2020 Meh. Given the choice I would much rather have Kahlua carrots as a side dish. The ends on these get scorched and the herbs are a so-so tasting combination. I think mine look better than the picture in the book, which I do not find appetizing at all. And compared […]
Page 197 Originally posted 4/21/2020 Sheet pan meals are awesome, and I have to say, for a chicken NOT cooked in a clay pot this is pretty good. I love the wine/lemon/herb sauce. In fact, I am considering co-opting the sauce and cooking in a claypot instead of the sheet pan. The veggies get a […]
Page 253 Originally posted 4/19/2020 Yummy comfort food on a gray day. The cream cheese adds a bit of nuance to the sauce that I personally like but may not be everyone’s cup of tea. The cut of meat is always a make-or-break on this one so don’t skimp, and take the time to trim […]
Page 119 Originally posted 4/18/2020 This is a great way to add some veggies to your diet without feeling like you are eating vegetables. It is packed with zucchini, squash, carrots, onions, celery, spinach and the pasta, beans, and basil 🌿 kick up the texture and flavor. I had to substitute bow ties for the […]
Page 251 Originally posted 4/18/2020 WOW! I have never had one of these before and I have spent 50-cough years missing out on this delectable sammich. If you find this on the menu somewhere give it a go! That said, it was a sloppy MESS to make. Found out the hard way you cannot slide […]
Page 85 Originally posted 4/18/2020 Served with Maple Butter I am a firm believer that there are not many things on this earth that pecans and butter do not improve. So start with a really good pancake that is super light, add pecans and maple butter and, voila! Brunchtastic eats! The recipe for the pancakes […]
Page 91 Originally posted 4/18/2020 Served with Pecan Pancakes I am a firm believer that there are not many things on this earth that pecans and butter do not improve. So start with a really good pancake that is super light, add pecans and maple butter and, voila! Brunchtastic eats! The recipe for the pancakes […]
Page 277 Originally posted 4/15/2020 Holy cow, these are rich! I’m talking 2000 calories per piece kind of rich. And it makes a BIG batch. I’m not sure my insulin production is going to be able to keep up with the demand if I can’t find someone to help us finish these, and the social […]
Page 269 Originally posted 4/15/2020 These were pretty quick and easy and made for a really nice entree. I LOVED the fresh sage! It made a huge difference in the taste as compared to when I have used rubbed sage in the past. Pro-tip – turn the pounded chicken over so the smooth side is […]
Page 131 Originally posted 4/15/2020 I like a good salad. In fact, I only like GOOD salads. It may be healthy but if it isn’t tasty I’m not eating it. This is not a salad I will go out of my way to make, but if someone else makes it I will eat it. The […]
Page 23 Originally posted 4/13/2020 Made with French Silk Pie This is the same recipe as the first cookbook. I have to say that having made several pie crusts from scratch over the last year I am not nearly as likely to put off baking a quiche or pie if I don’t have a store-bought […]
Page 281 4/13/2020 Made with Homemade Pie Crust It’s basically chocolate mousse in a pie shell so you really can’t get below a 3.5, and all in all this is a decent mousse. But it doesn’t have the texture I wanted to see in either the filling or the crust. The filling is too loose […]
Page 225 Originally posted 4/12/2020 Originally posted with Homemade Noodles The Florentine is a pretty easy recipe so if you are usually intimidated by fancy cream sauces this is a good one to take on. I love the lemony tang and mellow wine flavor combo. If you have the book this is a must try […]
Page 33 Originally posted 4/12/2020 Originally posted with Chicken Florentine The Florentine is a pretty easy recipe so if you are usually intimidated by fancy cream sauces this is a good one to take on. I love the lemony tang and mellow wine flavor combo. If you have the book this is a must try […]
Page 103 Originally posted 4/12/2020 Potatoes, onions, tri-colored peppers, cheese, sausage with a kick from the jalapeño and paprika makes for a hearty and tasty breakfast. I hear you ask, “How did you get a yellow pepper when you posted yesterday that there weren’t any at the store?” Well, these came from the freezer. Thank […]
