135 big big recipes

Burrito is one of the easiest foods to make, and it's also delicious and filling. A quick way to make a tasty and nutritious meal.

A Weight Watchers-friendly oatmeal cookie made with banana, chunky peanut butter, raisins, and cinnamon. No added sugar, low-fat, and diabetic-friendly. Makes 2 big soft cookies in 15 minutes.

A novelty cake shaped like a giant hamburger! Golden pound cake topped with toasted sesame seeds, penuche frosting, cocoa "meat," and strawberry preserve "ketchup." A total showstopper for kids' parties.

Meat spagetti sauce that uses whisky. The best pasta sauce I have ever had. With a bushel of fresh in-season plum tomatoes I made enough for the winter. It was worth it! This is a reguler large size version.

Pillowy soft almond cookies made with almond filling for intense flavor, topped with sliced blanched almonds. Lightly golden, tender, and fragrant. Makes 2-3 dozen.

Creamy shrimp risotto built on homemade shrimp shell broth with arborio rice, white wine, fresh tomato, and Parmigiano-Reggiano. Inspired by the film Big Night. Date night worthy.

Shake-and-bake style chicken coated in seasoned self-rising flour with paprika, Italian dressing mix, and tomato soup mix. Baked in butter until golden and crispy on the outside, juicy within.

Oversized ravioli filled with mascarpone potatoes, sautéed mushrooms, and a whole egg yolk that oozes when you cut in. Topped with crispy pancetta and fresh tomato-basil sauce.

Beige brownies are old-school blondies built on brown sugar, vanilla, and chopped walnuts. One bowl, one pan, butterscotch-toned crumb. The chocolate-free brownie worth knowing.

Paper bag apple pie: a vintage baking trick that wraps the whole pie in a brown paper bag during baking. Tender apples, golden streusel top, and an evenly browned crust without scorching.

No-cook freezer pickles combine sliced cucumbers and onions with sweet vinegar brine, ready to pull from the freezer whenever guests arrive.

Baker's bread in a bag is mixed and kneaded entirely in a zip-top bag, no mixing bowl needed. A kid-friendly intro to yeast bread that bakes into a tender white loaf.

Freezer fajitas: marinated sirloin steak frozen with frozen fajita vegetables for a make-ahead Tex-Mex weeknight dinner. Thaw, sear, and serve in flour tortillas with salsa.

Cornmeal cookies blend stone-ground cornmeal with flour for a sandy, slightly crunchy crumb. Studded with dried cherries or raisins and warmed with nutmeg. An Italian-American Christmas tin staple.

Chicken and cherries jubilee braises whole chickens in cherry juice and chili sauce for 6 to 8 hours, finished with a sherry-brandy flambé cherry sauce. Retro slow-cooker showstopper.

Hot cherry fruit compote baked with rum, curry powder, candied ginger, and brown sugar. A retro holiday side dish for ham or turkey, or chill and serve as dessert with ice cream.