The shininess of the new year has worn off. If you’re like us, February is when you turn to tried-and-true, homey, comforting recipes—soups and stews, or quick-breads and baking projects that heat up your kitchen. Here are our favorite recipes we made this week—when we weren’t cooking for work. And if you want to see last month’s batch of staff favorites, click here.February 3Party-time chocolate cakeWhen I’m invited to a party, I always offer to bring dessert. Because (1) it’s the nice thing to do and (2) it gives me an excuse to bake without having to watch a plate of cookies go stale on my counter. Last weekend I needed a crowd-friendly recipe, and this chocolate sheet cake from BA’s resident baking maven Shilpa Uskokovic immediately came to mind. The cake was everything I hoped for: intensely moist from plenty of buttermilk, deeply chocolaty from good cocoa powder (my preference is Hershey’s Special Dark, which turned the cake almost jet-black). I added an extra splash of vanilla extract to the brown butter frosting, which gave it toasted marshmallow vibes. Invite me to a party so I have an excuse to bake it again. —Zoe Denenberg, associate cooking & SEO editorHow do you make chocolate sheet cake better? Just add brown butter frosting, whose nuttiness is enhanced by an ingredient found in most grocery stores.View RecipeWeeknight cassouletIn a meeting a little while ago, a few editors were discussing what makes a cassoulet a cassoulet, leading us to this speedy weeknight number by Dawn Perry on Food52. Perry immediately concedes up top: “I was nervous to call this a ‘cassoulet’ at all, seeing as it eschews traditional ingredients, methods, and even the vessel for which the dish is named.” Instead, brothy canned cannellini beans, some sliced chicken sausage (I love Seemore), and a crackly panko crust that turns golden under the broiler made for a one-skillet meal that’s cassoulet-like in its warmth and coziness, but with about five percent of the work. —Antara Sinha, associate food editor Seedy, nutty sconesWhat I love most about this Roxanna Jullapat recipe is its versatility. When I set out to make them this weekend, I quickly discovered I didn’t have the right quantity of all the ingredients called for. What did I do? Supplemented half the dates with prunes and half the flaxseed with chia seeds. I also swapped out the currants for chopped crystalized ginger and eschewed the almonds for walnuts and the pumpkin seeds for pecans. Then came the cream. This was a last-minute bake, so I reached for the closest heavy cream substitute, which ended up being part whole-milk Greek yogurt and part olive oil. What I’m trying to say is: I made an entirely different recipe. But, armed with Jullapat’s weighted measures, I had full confidence that the scones would emerge from the oven beautiful, flaky, and tender. I was right. —Joe Sevier, cooking & SEO editorScones full of the textures and flavors of a granola bar—a hint of sweetness comes from copious dried fruit and a sprinkle of raw sugar.View RecipeCreamy vegan tofu noodlesIt’s well known at this point that my household is Hetty McKinnon–obsessed. Our latest weeknight hit: tender wheat noodles tossed in a genius sauce made from blended tofu, garlic, a little sugar, and Chinese five spice. The whole thing is topped with a punchy dressing, featuring all stars like chili crisp, scallions, vinegar, and soy sauce. Each twirl of noodles is slicked with a creamy, nutty base that’s livened up by the spicy-savory dressing. No one said a word while eating, which is how you know it’s a keeper. Also, it comes together in under 30 minutes. An all-around win. —Ali Francis, staff writerVelvety squash soup Maybe it was my 45th bowl of butternut squash in one season, maybe it was the 75th. Whenever the precise moment, at some point a few years ago, I couldn’t tolerate what I came to think of as the tyranny of butternut squash soup any longer. But something about Gregory Gourdet’s Creamy Butternut Squash and Plantain Soup made me relent. It might have been the visuals, not just the signature lush orange of butternut, but also the colorful garnish of pickled green apples, shallots, and cilantro. Or perhaps it was the addition of plantain, which I’d never knowingly had puréed in a soup before. I had to give it a try and I’m so glad I did. The plantain added a light starchiness which complemented the zip of the ginger. I used a serrano instead of a habanero, a little less coconut milk than called for, and a little more ginger than indicated. I served it to friends and when the bowls came back clean, I knew it was a success. —Dawn Davis, editor in chiefComfort and flavor are at the heart of this velvety squash and plantain soup loaded with aromatics and topped with a crunchy apple garnish. View Recipe
(read more)