Womans day. - The new Womans Day cookbook: simple recipes for every occasion

Womans Day Food Department Food Editor: Nancy L. DellAria Managing Food Editor: Marisol Vera Associate Food Editor: Ellen Greene Associate Editors: Susan F. Kadel, Terry Grieco Kenny, Donna Meadow Test Kitchen Assistant: Dionisia Colon Administrative Assistant: Kristie Cherry Copyright 2005 Filipacchi Publishing USA, Inc. First published in the United States of America by Filipacchi Publishing 1633 Broadway New York, NY 10019 Womans Day is a registered trademark of Hachette Filipacchi Media U.S., Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical,including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing fromthe publisher.

First eBook Edition: May 2010 ISBN: 978-1-933231-91-4

BY JANE CHESNUTT, EDITOR IN CHIEF For me, its the . These are the Womans Day recipes that we turn to time and time again, that never let us down or fail to give us pleasure. Here weve happily collectedthese, along with 352 others from our pages, into our newest cookbook. All of these recipes were developed in our test kitchen, which in many ways is as different from a real kitchen as it couldbe. Sitting on the 42nd floor of a large midtown Manhattan office building, its made up of four individual kitchens in onelarge room, a pantry (which is itself larger than most kitchens) and a dining room with sweeping views of the Hudson River,the Empire State Building and, off in the distance, the Statue of Liberty. What goes on there, however, has nothing to do with the soaring skyline and everything to do with how America likes to cookand eat.

In the 10 years since our last big cookbook, so much has changed. Go into most supermarkets today and the producesection will not only be stocked with a wide array of fresh fruits and vegetables, but also with such wonderful conveniencesas greens washed and bagged, ready for a salad, and cut-up melon just right for a childs lunchbox. Our tastes have changed, too, as America has moved far beyond meat-and-potatoes to embrace everything from sushi to Thai food.The way we filled our plates for yearsthat big piece of meat, the hearty serving of potatoes and a smaller side of a greenvegetablehas gone the way of vinyl LPs and rotary-dial phones. Now we know that, whether for maintaining a healthy weightor preventing disease, whole grains, fruits and vegetables should take up most of the room on a plate. The food pages of Womans Day dont just reflect these changes but help lead the way. Our philosophy is simple: to produce foolproof recipes that haveas few ingredients as possible, that you can get on the table quickly and that are, above all, delicious.

Speaking of delicious, Im willing to bet youll find a favorite among the dessert recipes weve collected here. Its no accidentthat more than half of our covers in a year feature desserts: Whether its the always-popular cheesecake or apple pie or somethinga little fancier, like the , people love them. When you make a homemade dessert, theres notonly the pleasure of preparing it but the satisfaction that comes from sharing it, and that, when you come down to it, iswhat cooking is all about. Brad originally made the chicken drumsticks because he needed a quick and easy recipe one night and had all the ingredientson hand. Now the two little girls he first served it to are away at school and ask him to make it for them when theyre backbecause it tastes like home. Believe it or not, its not uncommon for us to get requests for Womans Day recipes from the 40s because the original is so worn out it cant be read any longer.

Nothing thrills us more than to hearthat a recipe has been torn from the pages of the magazine, because then we know weve done our job, that weve created somethinguseful and meaningful, that helps provide not only sustenance, but something a little more, something that becomes part ofyour everyday meals or special occasions. I hope you find a new tradition here. Bon apptit!

BY ELIZABETH ALSTON It has been a daunting task selecting just 355 recipes from well over a thousand published in Womans Day magazine over the last 4 years. I tried to select a variety of recipes you will find useful, easy and, most of all, delicious. In the chicken chapter, forexample, you will find recipes for a whole bird, but also for breasts, legs, drumsticks, thighs and so on. The line underthe recipe title lists the cut.

Weve also listed what you need: a baking dish, a grill (outdoor or stovetop), your oven,or a slow cooker (we know slow is hot again so weve included many slow-cooker recipes in this book). Ordinary pots and pansare not in the listing because we feel everyone has a selection of pots; nor does that line indicate if the recipe is cookedstovetop because we feel you are willing to turn on the stove, if not always the oven. With those crucial bits of informationyou can make a quick decision: to read the recipe further, or find another that suits your needs. There are of course lots of great ideas for quick, weeknight dinners, because thats where everyone tends to get stuck ina rut. I hope you will find some that become family favorites. But there are also hearty recipes for when guests come overand for special occasions such as Thanksgiving and the Fourth of July.

All the recipes have been developed and tested in theWomans Day test kitchen. Testing includes not only the cooking, but also getting approval from some very discerning palatesthose ofour colleagues. And after that, the recipes have to be written and edited so you, the reader, can make them without hesitationor questions. Anticipating some of your questions, weve collected the following: My purpose here is to make sure we are on the same track. Experienced cooks will say, I know that, but beginners may not.At the risk of sounding nave, here goes: EQUIPMENT Many of our recipes call for a large skillet or a large, deep skillet. Using the right size and shape is important.

The Womans Day test kitchen recommends the following:

IF THE RECIPE CALLS FOR A	USE ONE
Large skillet	At least 10 in. across the bottom with sides at least 2 in. high
Large deep skillet	At least 10 in. across the bottom with sides at least 3 in. high

Checking the diameter across the bottom is essential because what may be described on the label as a 10-in. across the rim but not across the bottom where most of the cooking gets started. across the rim but not across the bottom where most of the cooking gets started.

A wide bottom means you can brownmore pieces of meat, fish or chicken, or meatballs at a time (see ). Or if you are cooking greens in theskillet more of the leaves will be exposed to heat, getting cooking off to a fast start. Your best bet, if you are in the market for a new pan, is to look for what is called a saut pan. It has straight sides andcomes with a lid. CHECK FORA NONSTICK FINISH, preferably integrated into the material of which the pan is made (rather than a coating). A HEAVY BOTTOM that will distribute heat evenly and help prevent burning. A COMFORTABLE HANDLE, ideally one that can also go into the oven or under the broiler. A COMFORTABLE HANDLE, ideally one that can also go into the oven or under the broiler.

A small helper handle opposite the main one is good forlifting the pan in and out of the oven, or off the stove. A LID, PREFERABLY GLASS, so when food is cooking covered you can check progress without lifting the lid. (Lifting the lid reduces the temperatureand slows cooking.) Last, but not least, to keep a nonstick pan in good condition, use silicone or wooden tools (not metal, no matter what themanufacturer says) and (repeat: no matter what the manufacturer says) keep nonstick pans out of the dishwasher.