It’s no secret that Bon Appétit editors cook a lot for work. So it should come as no surprise that we cook a lot during our off hours too. Here are the recipes we’re whipping up this month to get dinner on the table, entertain our friends, satisfy a sweet tooth, use up leftovers, and everything in between. For even more staff favorites, click here.
November 13
Every fall I stuff my pantry with cans of pumpkin purée. And fortunately our annual Pumpkin Week tells me exactly what to do with the haul. I’m always in search of more savory uses for the ingredient, and my coworker Jesse Szewczyk’s Pumpkin Black Bean Enchiladas were right up my alley. I did a mix of black and kidney beans (what was around) and I toned down the spice for my toddler who—the universe laughs—refused to eat them anyway, instead opting to smear the sauce all over his clothes. C’est la vie! —Emma Laperruque, cooking director
There is a new vendor at my greenmarket who makes incredible buffalo milk yogurt. My favorite is flavored with tangy, floral passion fruit. It’s not too sweet and works beautifully with fruit and granola. To showcase its power as a sauce, I made David Tamarkin’s apple olive oil cake (baked in an 8" round instead of a loaf) and served the yogurt underneath. For the cake, you shred a couple of apples then squeeze out their juices, which you can then drink for a baker’s treat. —Joe Sevier, senior editor, SEO & cooking
One of my favorite things is to use a banana bread recipe to make muffins and call it meal prep. I pack this gluten-free batter into tins, sprinkle on some flaxseed and pecans, and reduce the bake time. They can easily pass for breakfast, an afternoon snack, or dessert, and the recipe yields enough muffins to be enjoyed throughout the week with a scoop of yogurt or swipe of nut butter. —Kate Kassin, editorial operations manager
With a recipe entitled Bob’s Chicken and Cabbage Salad, I’m sure you’re wondering: Who the heck is Bob? Author Melissa Broder’s late father, who happened to be fervently devoted to purple cabbage. Well, Bob, me too—especially after trying this one. Per the instructions, I chopped up half a head of cabbage, baby bok choy, scallions, bean sprouts, and water chestnuts, then tossed the roughage with pulled chicken. This time around, I did cheat with a store-bought rotisserie bird to jump-start cooking (it was 8 p.m. when I started, okay?). That also meant halving the heavenly soy-ginger dressing, since I no longer needed some of it for the marinade. —Nina Moskowitz, associate editor, cooking
November 6
My Test Kitchen buddy Rebecca Firkser has a wild little pasta up her sleeve that I can’t get enough of: Butternut Pasta With Sausage and Dates. When she first made it for the team, I was blown away. I would have never thought to throw dates into a pasta, but alas, it’s delicious. Each bite has something sweet, something creamy, a bit of crunch, and endless fun. —Jesse Szewczyk, senior Test Kitchen editor
Since my son started daycare in September, our household has been sick more than it has been healthy. So it makes sense that I have been on a chicken soup kick. I have it for lunch and dinner and drink mugfuls of stock between meals. My latest batch was my colleague Rebecca Firkser’s Toasted Orzo Chicken Soup, which has a beautifully spiced broth and lots of nourishing spinach. It may not be a cure-all, but close enough. —Emma Laperruque, cooking director
Delicata squash should be as popular as butternut. It’s far easier to cut (no hacks or hacking necessary), the thin skin is not only edible but tasty, and it’s got a sweet potato-like flesh that’s creamy and, well, sweet. I usually treat it simply (oil, salt and pepper, hot oven, done), but I treated myself to my former colleague Rachel Gurjar’s gussied-up Roasted Delicata Squash With Crispy Onions and I’m so glad I did. The squash itself takes no extra effort, but gathering up some toppings, like store-bought fried onions tossed with extra spices, juicy pomegranate seeds, and seasoned yogurt, transformed it into a dish I was proud to serve to guests. —Kelsey Jane Youngman, senior cooking editor
We have a new Friday tradition at our house: Pasta Alla Vodka and Caesar salad. Not rocket science, I know, but after a rough-and-tumble week of work and school, we are all reaching for some semblance of comfort. It is also easy enough to whip up that I can often beat the timing of our former Friday tradition, take-out pizza. The Caesar dressing is usually made in advance (I keep a batch in the fridge because my family lurves it) and the pasta of choice is usually rigatoni. It cooks in about the same amount of time as the sauce—I just love when that happens. —Hana Asbrink, deputy food editor
There’s nothing more perfect than a tuna melt. Buttery slices of sourdough or rye that leave a shine of grease on your fingers. Tuna salad mashed into tender flakes, speckled with crisp celery, onion, and herbs. A blanket of American cheese, so stretchy it’ll rival a mozzarella stick. And a mandatory pickle, to offer added tangy solace after each bite. I ate mine with salt-and-vinegar kettle chips stuffed inside because that’s how my favorite diner does it. —Nina Moskowitz, associate editor, cooking
