Recipes By Samantha Seneviratne
147 recipes found
Homemade Cheez-Its
This cheez-its recipe makes tasty little cheese crackers that are extra-delicious when made from scratch. Try using cheddar and added cayenne for some kick.
Scotcheroos
Originally printed on the Rice Krispies box in the 1960s, Scotcheroos are Rice Krispies treats minus the marshmallow but with gobs of peanut butter, chocolate and butterscotch chips. Use either natural, unsweetened peanut butter or the more conventional stuff. Either will work just fine, with the natural version tasting a tad less sweet. For a twist, you could also swap the corn syrup for honey, golden syrup or a mix of both. Bittersweet chocolate, as opposed to semisweet, helps to balance the sweetness. A sprinkling of flaky salt and crushed peanuts aren’t traditional, but they look as good as they taste.
Apple Crumble
Apple crumble is one of those desserts all cooks should have in their back pockets. It’s a no-fuss favorite that works as well for dessert with a big scoop of ice cream as it does for breakfast with some plain, whole-milk yogurt. This recipe starts with a hefty crumb mixture, studded with pecans and old-fashioned rolled oats. Plenty of butter and sugar ensure the crumb stays crisp after baking, creating a delightful textural contrast between topping and tender fruit. Using a mix of sweet and tart apples that soften at slightly different rates also keeps this recipe interesting.
Pecan Squares
A cousin to the pecan pie, but much less fussy: Pecan squares are a kitchen classic. Here, we've updated a version that came to us in 1998 from William Grimes, scaling it down and moving away from the original pâte brisée. The pecans are mixed in an addictive caramel sauce, which — if you can stop eating it on its own — is spread over shortbread and baked until just set. The end result is sweet, but not cloying, balanced by the crust and sure to please.
Brookies
Why just eat a chocolate chip cookie when you could marry it with a dense, fudgy brownie? You do have to make two different batters, but each is whipped up in the same pot without any fancy equipment. You can swirl the two batters together to see both elements at first glance, or simply pour one on top of the other and create a surprise second layer. Either way, make sure to shower the top with extra chocolate.
Homemade Cracker Jack
A salty-sweet, caramel-coated popcorn often eaten at baseball games, Cracker Jack is one of the many well-known confections from Chicago. While molasses-covered popcorn was already popular in the Northeast, the creation of Cracker Jack’s special formula is credited to German brothers Frederick William and Louis Rueckheim. Besides coming up with the signature combination of popcorn, molasses and peanuts, they even devised a special package to keep it fresh and crisp. By the late 1800s, the snack was so loved that their company was producing four-and-a-half tons a day. This homemade version is best enjoyed the day it’s made, though it will keep for up to three days in an airtight container. Use large, red-skinned peanuts in this recipe if you can find them, as the skins lend a pleasant bitterness that works well with the molasses-caramel coating.
Tres Leches Cake
Tres leches, which means “three milks” in Spanish, refers to the whole milk, condensed milk and evaporated milk that make up a creamy soaking sauce for the baked cake. Over time, it saturates the cake, making it soft and luscious. While a thick garnish of softly whipped cream may seem excessive, it actually tempers the sweetness of the whole confection. Serve with some berries or sliced fruit to complete the presentation.
No-Bake Chocolate Mousse Bars
Ethereal and ready to melt in your mouth, chocolate mousse bars are easy to make and even easier to eat. With so few ingredients, it’s important to use a chocolate you would be perfectly happy to snack out of hand. The instant espresso powder is optional but adds depth to this simple dessert. To cut beautiful, neat slices, use a long sharp knife warmed in hot water and wiped clean before each cut.
No-Bake Cheesecake Bars
No-bake cheesecake is an excellent dessert for cooks with a lot of friends and not a lot of time. Unlike a traditional cheesecake, the no-bake variety is eggless, making it smooth, light, and all about the dairy. This version includes tangy Greek yogurt and a bit of whipped cream for added loft. Serve big squares with in-season fresh fruit or a dollop of fresh jam.
Magic Cookie Bars
Coconut dream bars. Magic cookie bars. Hello Dolly bars. You’ve seen these classic treats at bake sales, holiday parties and potlucks over the years. But they tend to crumble when cut, thanks to a thin graham cracker crust. And, topped with gobs of super-sweet shredded coconut, sweetened condensed milk and semisweet chocolate, they have a cloying bite that may be too much for even the sweetest tooth. This version starts with a thicker graham cracker cookie base. It's baked with an egg, a bit of brown sugar and some leavener, which makes it pleasantly dense and chewy and means that it cuts nicely and stands up well to the decadent toppings. Next, unsweetened flaked coconut and dark chocolate are layered with plenty of chopped pecans and condensed milk. The slightly bitter chocolate and toasty coconut tame the sweetness of the condensed milk, which caramelizes as it cooks, making the whole package well-balanced and full of flavor.
Blueberry Pie Bars
At first glance, these bars may look like every other fruit crumble bar you’ve had, but they have a secret. Between the jammy fruit and buttery shortbread is a bonus layer of sweetened cream cheese you never knew you needed until now. Wild blueberries are less watery than conventional blueberries and have a more concentrated blueberry flavor that works beautifully in this recipe. They are available frozen and need not be thawed before using, but you can use whichever variety you find. These bars will be delicious no matter what.
Peanut Butter Pie
Dead simple to make, this pie hits all the right notes. Sweet, nutty peanut butter mellows next to the tang of rich cream cheese and gets a lift from a little whipped cream. But if that doesn’t convince you, the chocolate cookie crust may. This version relies on five ingredients, instead of pre-made cookies, with the cocoa giving it a deep chocolate flavor. The crust is pressed into a well-buttered pie plate, baked, then cooled, ready to be filled and chilled. When it's time to serve, you have options: Finish it with a decorative chocolate topping or a puff of lightly sweetened whipped cream and a sprinkling of cocoa powder.
Drop Biscuits
Drop biscuits are heavenly, and considering how little work they are to put together, they're also a real kitchen miracle. A few pantry staples and a hot oven are all you need for crunchy golden biscuits with soft interiors. They are excellent on their own, but a bit of butter and jam doesn't hurt either. Once you’ve nailed the basic version, try stirring in some cracked black pepper and Parmigiano-Reggiano, finely chopped tender herbs or chocolate chips.
Instant Pot Khichdi
Khichdi is a comforting and mild South Asian stew typically made with lentils and rice. This version is made with long-grain rice and yellow moong dal (or split mung beans), softened tomatoes and onion, then flavored with a cumin, coriander and turmeric, but each family has their own recipe. To bulk it up, you could add some grated carrot or zucchini with the onion, or wilt baby spinach in at the end. But topped with a drizzle of ghee, some plain yogurt and fresh cilantro, it’s a warming, homey meal just as it is.
Chocolate Pumpkin Swirl Muffins
These chocolate-and-pumpkin muffins make a perfect breakfast on the go, the two flavors united by a hint of cinnamon. If you’d like to dress them up for a party, start by adding 2 tablespoons of finely chopped chocolate to the chocolate batter before scooping it into the cups and skip the sugar topping. Bake and cool the muffins, then top them with a simple cream cheese frosting: Beat together 8 ounces softened cream cheese, 4 tablespoons room-temperature unsalted butter and 1/2 cup sifted confectioners’ sugar. Spread the frosting liberally on the muffins and top with chocolate sprinkles.
Rhubarb Quick Bread
Beautiful pink rhubarb at the markets signals spring's arrival. A bit sour on their own, the stalks work beautifully with sweet strawberries and blueberries, and citrus. This buttery loaf is made with a bit of orange zest, which perfectly complements rhubarb’s pleasant tang. Dress the cooled loaf with a simple glaze of confectioners’ sugar and orange juice, if you like, or serve fat slices with vanilla ice cream. Leftovers are nice toasted in a skillet with plenty of salty butter.
Pumpkin Bread
Moist and tender, delicately flavored with pumpkin and cinnamon, this humble loaf needs no bells and whistles. If you want to go big, throw in more spices, like nutmeg and cloves, a hearty handful of chopped bittersweet chocolate or a tablespoon of orange zest. Stir in some chopped walnuts or pecans for added crunch, or scatter some pepitas or crushed gingersnaps over the top. My favorite adornment is a simple cream cheese glaze. Mix together four ounces of cream cheese, a couple tablespoons of warm milk, a tablespoon of confectioners’ sugar and a pinch of salt. Drizzle it over the cooled loaf.
Cinnamon Apple Quick Bread With Apple Cider Glaze
Warm spices, applesauce and a shredded tart apple make this homespun loaf comforting, but the gooey apple-cider glaze makes it stand out. You might want to double the amount of glaze, and drizzle it over ice cream, pancakes or maybe even your morning oatmeal.
Banana Pancakes
For the fluffiest results, be sure to mix this banana-and-buttermilk pancake batter as minimally as possible. Fold it just until streaks of flour have disappeared but not enough to smooth out the lumps. As they sizzle in plenty of melted butter, they will puff up and develop crisp edges and fluffy, tender interiors. Keep the cooked pancakes warm on a rack in a 200-degree oven while cooking off the rest of the batter and they will all stay hot and ready for serving.
Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups
These chocolate peanut butter cups are dangerously simple to make, with just a few ingredients that you probably have in the pantry right now. They come together faster than a trip to the convenience store. And they are completely customizable. Once you’ve gotten your fill of the standard peanut butter cup, try honey-sweetened cashew butter cups. Or cinnamon-spiked almond butter cups. Drizzle the finished cups with a bit of white or milk chocolate, some flaky sea salt or a sprinkle of finely chopped nuts for an upgraded presentation. Or sneak a tiny dollop of raspberry jam underneath the peanut butter layer for another delightfully classic pairing. The possibilities are endless.
Strawberry Eton Mess
Eton mess is a classic British dessert made of a mixture of fresh fruit, cream and crushed baked meringue. It’s deliciously simple and perfect for lazy summer days when berries are in season and the less time spent in the kitchen the better. Of course, you could make meringue cookies from scratch, but if you choose to buy them, there will be very little work to do. A little lime zest and juice gives this simple dessert an essential sweet-tart edge, though lemon would do the trick as well.
Mississippi Mud Pie
Mississippi mud pies come in all shapes and sizes: No two are exactly alike. They can have one layer, or five, and include ice cream or meringue, a flourless cake, nuts, fudge sauce and even brownie. This version, inspired by the towering beauty made by Matt Lewis and Renato Poliafito of Baked in Brooklyn and written about in their book, "Baked Explorations," features a graham cracker base, a dense brownie, chocolate custard and whipped cream. Needless to say, a little goes a long way. Share it with 16 to 32 of your closest friends. And a tip for serving: To ensure a clean release, give the underside and sides of the cake pan a 10-second blast with a hairdryer.
Cloverleaf Rolls
A basket of cloverleaf rolls might look humble sitting next to a burnished bird or a crown roast, but don’t underestimate its importance at a meal. Buttery and salt-kissed, the little pillows are essential from beginning to end. Start dinner with a warm roll, maybe two, split and swiped with butter. End it with another one or two used to mop up the delicious dregs of gravy. Throw in a few more in the middle because they are just too good not to. Let's hope it is a big basket. Thank goodness the recipe doubles easily. They're at their very best served warm.
Instant Pot Carrot-Saffron Risotto
An electric pressure cooker is so worth the precious counter space it takes up. Not only does food cook in a fraction of the time, but the results are rich and flavorful. Use this recipe as a guide, and sub out whatever vegetables and flavorings you have on hand. Zucchini and mint, mushrooms and thyme, or shredded butternut squash and rosemary would all be lovely in place of the carrots and saffron.