Chouquettes
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<br><br><b>Book:</b> <i>French Pastry Made Simple</i> by Molly Wilkinson<br><br>
<b>Chapter:</b> Pâte À Choux: The Multipurpose Dough! <br><br>
<b>Overall Score:</b> 8/12 <br><br>
<b>Recommended?</b> I’ve been watching people make choux pastry on TV for years, from British Bakeoff to Kids Baking Championship. Anytime I have seen a kid baker making it, I’ve kicked myself for being intimidated. Still, “make choux pastry” was an unfinished square on my 2025 bingo card. Even though I never worked up the nerve in 365 days of 2025, I went ahead and placed it in my 2026 bingo card. And, today, I did it! And, once again, it was way easier than I built it up to be in my head! I definitely made it as easy on myself as possible by selecting the chouquettes. How so? <br>
Arancini
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<br><br> <b>Book:</b> <i>Magnolia Table Volume 2</i> by Joanna Gaines<br><br>
<b>Chapter:</b> Appetizers & Starters<br><br>
<b>Overall Score:</b> 8/12<br><br>
<b>Recommended?</b> We love arancini! Who wouldn’t love little bites of fried risotto?! It’s a favorite out-to-dinner appetizer and brings back many fun memories of The Majestic steakhouse in downtown Kansas City. We used to order it every time we were there. I feel nostalgic thinking about sharing a plate of these while enjoying the live jazz! When G and I watched Joanna make <i>these</i> arancini on her cooking show a few years ago, we immediately put them on our must-try list. And there they stayed; the only thing holding us back was our fear of frying. Well, we conquered that fear this week! I think it was well worth the fried-food smell that lingered in our kitchen for a few hours. If you’re interested in trying some frying, this would be a great recipe to check out! <br>
Chocolate-Toffee Meringue Cookies
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<br><br><b>Book: </b> <i>My Vermont Table </i> by Gesine Bullock-Prado <br><br>
<b>Chapter:</b> Winter<br><br>
<b>Overall Score:</b> 9/12<br><br>
<b>Recommended?</b> I’ve seen a lot of recipes touted as “brownie” cookies, but none of them quite capture that quintessential crackly brownie crust the way these do. These cookies <i>literally</i> shine! Don’t worry about the fact that they’re from the Winter chapter. Make them in any (every!) season. When your heart can’t decide whether you want a cookie or a brownie, get the best of both worlds by making these. <br>
Chicken & Wild Rice Soup
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<br><b>Book:</b> Magnolia Table by Joanna Gaines<br><br>
<b>Chapter:</b> Soups & Salads<br><br>
<b>Overall Score:</b> 8/12<br><br>
<b>Recommended?</b> Yes! This would be great as a weekend meal or meal prep option for lunches. Seasonally, it fits for fall, winter, and spring. I can’t say I will be following Joanna’s lead by making this annually for New Year’s Eve, though!<br>
Cherry Icebox Ribbons
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<br><b>Book:</b> America's Test Kitchen The Perfect Cookie <br><br>
<b>Chapter:</b> Slice & Bake Sweets <br><br>
<b>Overall Score:</b> 8/12 <br><br>
<b>Recommended?</b> Yes! I have skimmed this chapter without noticing this recipe many times, but I’m so glad it caught my eye now! These would be great to make for a party or as a gift for a friend. <br>