Dinner SOS by Bon Appétit

Alison Roman is back to talk about her new cookbook, Nothing Fancy, which just came out yesterday. It’s as beautiful as her first and filled with recipes developed around the idea of having people over. That’s right: not entertaining, just having people over. Here she explains how the book came together—and how hosting friends doesn’t have to be a big fussy thing.

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It’s that old, familiar season, and we’re not just talking about eggnog, we’re talking about the season of “Best Of” lists. Here at BA, we’ve got plenty of best recipe round-ups in the pipeline, but those lists only tell half the story. In our eyes, the best recipes aren’t always the ones that “break the internet” (though sometimes they are—we’re looking at you Caramel Apple Cookies). They’re the ones that surprised us, taught us something new, or became our back-pocket go-tos week after week and month after month. This week, Amanda is joined by senior cooking editor Sarah Jampel and Test Kitchen director Chris Morocco to talk about which of this year’s recipes have stuck with them most. The result is a Best Of list that’s a bit less objective, a lot more opinionated, but still extremely delicious. Then, associate food editor Kendra Vaculin is back to talk about her favorite holiday recipes for kids.

Stuff we talk about in this episode:

• BA's official Top Ten Recipes List of 2021: https://bonappetit.com/gallery/most-popular-recipes-2021
• Roxanna Jullapat’s Granola Scones recipe: https://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/granola-scones
• Bon Appétit on Roxanna Jullapat’s Book, Mother Grains: https://www.bonappetit.com/story/mother-grains-roxana-jullapat
• Shilpa Uskokovic’s Air Fryer Chile-Honey-Glazed Fries recipe : https://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/chile-honey-glazed-fries
• Hetty McKinnon’s Pea and Ricotta Potstickers With Homemade Dumpling Wrappers recipe: https://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/pea-and-ricotta-potstickers
• Dumpling Articles from Hetty McKinnon:
• How to Fold Dumplings For Novices and Experts with Hetty McKinnon: https://www.bonappetit.com/story/dumpling-folding-guide
• The Many Ways to Cook Dumplings, Explained: https://www.bonappetit.com/story/dumpling-cooking-methods
• Hetty’s 12 Tips for Homemade Dumplings : https://www.bonappetit.com/story/dumpling-making-tips
• Hetty McKinnon’s article on the dumpling dowel: https://www.bonappetit.com/story/dumpling-dowel
• Kelly Janke’s Salted Caramel Apple Cookies recipe : https://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/salted-caramel-apple-cookies
• Rachel Gurjar’s Yogurt-Marinated Mushrooms With Flatbread recipe: https://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/yogurt-marinated-mushrooms-with-flatbread
• Andy Baraghani’s Za’atar Chicken Cutlets With Cabbage Salad recipe: https://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/zaatar-chicken-cutlets-with-cabbage-salad
• Asha Loupy’s Cheesy Tomato Hand Pies recipe: https://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/cheesy-tomato-hand-pies
• Red Jacket Orchards (Sarah’s Choice Apple Cider) website: https://redjacketorchards.com/
• Kendra Vaculin’s Recipes for Cooking with Kids
• Candy Cane Ice Cream in a Bag : https://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/candy-cane-ice-cream-in-a-bag
• Sohla El-Waylly’s Salty-Sweet Party Mix: https://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/sweet-and-savory-miso-party-mix
• BA Party Mix: https://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/ba-party-mix
• Splatter Paint Sugar Cookies: https://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/spatter-paint-sugar-cookies

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A great bolognese is easy—it just takes a handful of tried and true techniques and some patience. This week, we talk through the recipe for BA's Best Bolognese, as well as a vegetarian spin, Cauliflower Bolognese. After that, we run through a beginner's guide to buying better wine.

Get the recipes from this episode:

BA's Best Bolognese

Cauliflower Bolognese

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Maybe you’re like us: Year after year, we tell ourselves that THIS Thanksgiving is going to be the simple one. Then, year after year, we find ourselves back in the kitchen, feeling way too stressed out while juggling 15 recipes for sides, salads, desserts, and of course, a massive turkey that refuses to finish cooking. Why do we do this to ourselves? And is there another way? Associate food editor Kendra Vaculin thinks there is, and she’s here this week, along with test kitchen director Chris Morocco, to talk through her super-simplified menu for this year’s feast, which you can find in the November issue of the magazine. Tune in for tips on maximizing oven space and hot takes on why no one needs a roasting pan. Plus, Chris makes the case for yet another “compelling and dynamic” salad.

Stuff we talk about in this episode:

• Bon Appétit’s Thanksgiving, Simplified Menu: https://www.bonappetit.com/gallery/thanksgiving-dinner-simplified
• More on Cheryl Day’s Desserts : https://www.bonappetit.com/story/cheryl-day-southern-baking
• Diana Yen’s Pumpkin-Tahini Mousse Pie recipe: https://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/pumpkin-tahini-mousse-pie
• Kendra Vaculin’s Kale Salad With Pecan Vinaigrette recipe : https://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/kale-salad-with-pecan-vinaigrette
• Kendra Vaculin’s Green Beans and Mushrooms With Crispy Shallots recipe: https://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/green-beans-and-mushrooms-with-crispy-shallots
• Kendra Vaculin’s Stuffing Biscuits recipe : https://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/stuffing-biscuits
• Kendra Vaculin’s Twice-Roasted Squash With Vanilla, Maple, and Chile recipe: https://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/twice-roasted-squash-with-vanilla-maple-and-chile
• Kendra Vaculin’s Sheet-Pan Turkey and Gravy recipe: https://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/sheet-pan-turkey-and-gravy
• Nordic Ware Half Sheet Pan: https://market.bonappetit.com/products/half-sheet-1
• Nordic Ware Baking and Cooling Grid : https://market.bonappetit.com/products/large-baking-cooling-grid-1
• Chris Morocco’s Burnished Potato Nuggets recipe: https://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/burnished-potato-nuggets

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Our caller this week, Maya, really thinks about how she cooks. She’s identified more than a dozen types of recipes that she knows she can rely on, and even adapt. But, she’s in search of more like these. She wants more meal frameworks that will allow her to think outside the bounds of following a recipe. So, Chris taps Claire Saffitz to help Maya discover more meal types to add to her repertoire.

Recipes featured in the episode:

From Chris, One pan chicken thighs with burst tomatoes, harissa, and feta

From Claire, Cold Noodles i.e.: Cold Miso-Sesame Noodles, Ramen with Steak and Sesame-Ginger Dressing, Rice Noodles with Shrimp and Coconut-Lime Dressing, Udon with Chicken and Garlicky Peanut Dressing, Soba with Tofu and Miso-Mustard Dressing, Cutlet & a Salad: i.e. Cutlet Story, japanese curry w Chicken Katsu