kitchn love letters

Sriracha-Honey Popcorn Clusters Will Be Your New Must-Have Movie Snack

unpopped popcorn kernels

vegetable oil

unsalted butter

honey

Sriracha hot sauce

salt

vanilla extract

baking soda

Storage: These popcorn clusters are best eaten within a day or two but will keep well in a sealed container at room temperature for up to 1 week.Reprinted with permission from The Kitchn Cookbook by Sara Kate Gillingham and Faith Durand; copyright © 2014. Published by Clarkson Potter Publishers, an imprint of Penguin Random House.

The Kitchn

Faith Durand

Step 1

Arrange two racks to divide the oven into thirds and heat the oven to 250℉. Line 2 rimmed baking sheets with parchment or aluminum foil.

Step 2

Place 3 of the popcorn kernels and 1 tablespoons vegetable oil in a 4-quart or larger heavy pot over medium heat. When the kernels pop, add the remaining kernels to the pan, shake to coat with oil, and cover. Pop the corn, shaking the pan occasionally, until the popping slows. Immediately transfer to a large heatproof bowl.

Step 3

Melt 1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter in a 2-quart saucepan over medium heat. Add 3/4 cup honey and increase the heat to medium-high. Bring to a rolling boil and cook for 4 minutes, stirring constantly with a heatproof spatula or wooden spoon as the mixture foams. Remove the pan from the heat.

Step 4

Add the Sriracha (2 tablespoons for mild; 3 tablespoons for spicy), 1 teaspoon kosher salt, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, and 1/4 teaspoon baking soda and stir to combine; the syrup will bubble and foam.

Step 5

Pour the hot syrup over the popcorn immediately, stirring the popcorn as you slowly pour. Once you’ve poured all the syrup over the popcorn, continue stirring until the popcorn is evenly coated. Divide the popcorn between the baking sheets and spread into an even layer.

Step 6

Bake for 1 hour, stirring the popcorn every 15 minutes. The finished popcorn will be a slightly darker shade, and will turn dry and crunchy once completely cooled.

Step 7

Wait a few minutes until the popcorn is cool enough to handle and then quickly press it into clusters with your hands. If the popcorn cools too much and won’t stick, put the sheets back in the oven for a few minutes until the popcorn is warm again. (The popcorn can also be cooled as is, without clustering, and eaten by the handful like regular popcorn.) Let the clusters cool completely. 

Prange&#8217;s Sour Cream Cinnamon Sugar Muffins

sugar

cinnamon

mace

kosher salt

Cooking spray or paper muffin liners

all-purpose flour

baking powder

eggs

sour cream

Storage: The muffins can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days; they do not freeze well. To reheat, loosely wrap a muffin in aluminum foil and bake at 400ºF for 5 minutes to warm through. 

Ivy Manning

Place 1 stick unsalted butter in the bowl of a stand mixer (or large bowl if using an electric hand mixer). Let sit at room temperature until softened. Meanwhile, coat a standard 12-well muffin pan generously with cooking spray, or line with paper liners.

Arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and heat the oven to 400ºF. 

Step 1: Make the topping:

Place 3 tablespoons unsalted butter in a small microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on high until melted, about 30 seconds. (Alternatively, melt in a small saucepan over medium heat.) Place 1/4 cup granulated sugar, 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1/8 teaspoon ground mace or nutmeg, and 1 pinch kosher salt in a small bowl and stir to combine.

Step 1: Make the muffins:

Place 2 cups all-purpose flour, 1 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, and 1/2 teaspoon ground mace in a medium bowl and whisk until combined.

Step 2: Make the muffins:

Add 3/4 cup granulated sugar to the bowl of butter. Beat with the paddle attachment on high speed until pale colored and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Beat in 2 large eggs, one at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl after each addition. Add 1 cup sour cream and 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract and beat until combined.

Step 3: Make the muffins:

Add about 3/4 of the flour mixture to the butter mixture. Fold in by hand with a rubber spatula until just combined (a few traces of dry flour are okay). Add the remaining flour mixture and stir until just combined, do not overmix.

Step 4: Make the muffins:

Divide the batter evenly between the muffin wells (they will be very full). Brush the top of each muffin generously with the melted butter. Sprinkle with the sugar-cinnamon mixture (scant 1 teaspoon per muffin). It will look like a lot of topping, but that’s a good thing. 

Step 5: Make the muffins:

Bake for 8 minutes. Do not open the oven door and reduce the oven temperature to 350°F. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean, 8 to 10 minutes more (dark pans will bake more quickly). Let the muffins cool in the pan for 5 minutes. Remove the muffins from the pan and serve warm or transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

This herbaceous, aromatic Persian soup is made with barley, lentils, rice, beans, and spices.

The Life-Changing Persian Soup I&#8217;ve Been Making for 15 Years (and Counting)

onions

garlic

olive oil

mint

kosher salt,

onion

black pepper

cumin

coriander

turmeric

white basmati rice

pearled barley

French green lentils

(about 15-ounce) can garbanzo or cannellini beans

baby spinach (about 2 cups)

parsley

cilantro

Plain Greek yogurt,

Make ahead: The caramelized onions can be made 1 day ahead and refrigerated in an airtight container. Let come to room temperature before serving.Storage: Leftovers can be refrigerated in an airtight container up to 4 days. If the soup has thickened, thin out with water when reheating.

Amelia Rampe

Step 1: Make the caramelized onion garnish:

Thinly slice 2 large yellow onions. Coarsely chop 4 garlic cloves. Heat 1/4 cup olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add the onions and a pinch of kosher salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until deep golden brown, about 20 minutes, adjusting the heat as needed.

Step 2: Make the caramelized onion garnish:

Add the garlic, 3 tablespoons dried mint, and 1 teaspoon kosher salt, and stir to combine. Taste and season with more kosher salt as needed.

Step 1: Make the aash-e jow: 

Peel and dice 1 large yellow onion. Heat 1/4 cup olive oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat until shimmering. Add the onion and a pinch of kosher salt and cook until tender and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add 2 teaspoons kosher salt, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, 1 teaspoon ground cumin, 1 teaspoon ground coriander, and 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric. Stir until the spices coat the onion, about 1 minute more.

Step 2: Make the aash-e jow: 

Add 1/2 cup basmati rice, 1/2 cup pearled barley, and 1/2 cup French lentils, and stir until well combined. Add 8 cups water and bring to simmer.

Step 3: Make the aash-e jow: 

Cover and simmer until the grains and lentils are al dente, about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, drain and rinse 1 can garbanzo or cannellini beans. Coarsely chop 2 ounces spinach until you have 2 cups. Coarsely chop the leaves from 1 bunch fresh parsley leaves until you have 1 cup. Coarsely chop 1 bunch cilantro leaves and tender stems until you have 1 cup.

Step 4: Make the aash-e jow: 

Add the beans, parsley, cilantro, and spinach to the rice mixture. Stir and bring back to a simmer. Cook uncovered, stirring occasionally and making sure to scrape the bottom of the pot, until grains are tender and cooked through and soup has thickened but is still a bit loose, about 15 minutes more. (Add more water if it gets too thick.) Taste and season with kosher salt as needed. Serve with a dollop of Greek yogurt and garnish with the reserved caramelized onions.

Tear into this simple bread and you&#x27;ll be delighted to find a gorgeous swirl of cheese baked in the center of the loaf. 

I Finally Cracked the Code to My Mom&#8217;s Cheddar Swirl Bread

active dry yeast

water

canola oil,

cheddar cheese

Storage: Wrap cooled loaves loosely in aluminum foil or a resealable zip-top bag and store at room temperature for up to 4 days, or wrap in plastic wrap and aluminum foil and freeze for up to 3 months.

Patty Catalano

Place 1 cup nonfat dry milk powder, 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, and 2 packets active dry yeast in the bowl of a stand mixer (or large bowl if kneading by hand). Add 2 1/4 cups warm water and whisk until the dry ingredients are dissolved. Let sit until foamy, about 10 minutes.

Add 2 tablespoons kosher salt and 3 tablespoons canola oil, and whisk to combine. Add 6 cups of the all-purpose flour. Mix with the hook attachment on low speed until a dough forms and most of the flour is incorporated, 1 to 2 minutes. Increase the speed to medium and mix until the dough pulls aways from the side of the bowl and forms a smooth ball that doesn’t sag and springs back when poked, about 15 minutes (If making by hand, stir the flour in with a wooden spoon, then knead the dough by hand on the counter.) If the dough is very sticky, add more flour 1 tablespoon at a time until it is no longer tacky.

Transfer the dough to a floured work surface and form into a ball. Clean and dry the bowl. Coat the bowl with a thin layer of canola oil. Place the dough in the bowl, turn to coat in the oil, and arrange seam-side down.

Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a kitchen towel. Let rise in a warm, draft-free place until doubled in volume, about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, coat 2 (8 or 8 1/2-inch) metal loaf pans with canola oil. Grate 8 ounces sharp yellow cheddar cheese on the large holes of a box grater (about 2 cups).

Punch down the center of the dough. Cover again and let the dough rest for 10 minutes. Transfer the dough to a floured work surface. The dough should be soft to the touch and not sticky, but it’s okay to sprinkle with flour if the dough feels sticky in spots. Divide the dough into 2 portions (about 1 1/2 pounds each).

Working with one piece at a time, roll the dough out into a 8x15-inch rectangle that’s about 1/4-inch thick, with a shorter edge closer to you. If the dough starts to shrink back, let it rest for a few minutes and then try again.

Flip the dough over. Sprinkle with half of the cheese, leaving 1/2-inch border at the top and bottom. Starting at the shorter end closest to you, tightly roll up the dough. Pinch the seam closed. Transfer to a loaf pan seam-side down. Repeat with the remaining dough and cheese.

Step 8

Cover the loaves with plastic wrap or a kitchen towel and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 hour, or refrigerate overnight. If the dough has been refrigerated, let sit at room temperature until the dough rises slightly above the top of the pan, 1 hour and 15 minutes to 1 1/2 hours.

Step 9

Thirty minutes before the loaves are ready, arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and heat the oven to 350°F.

Step 10

Uncover and bake until dark golden brown, an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center of a loaf registers at least 200°F, and the bottom of a loaf sounds hollow when tapped, 40 to 50 minutes. Check after 30 minutes and loosely cover the loaves with aluminum foil if they’re browning too quickly.

Step 11

Remove the loaves from the pans (run a thin knife around the pan first if the loaves stick), lay on their sides on a wire rack, and let cool completely.

A summery squash-filled pasta adapted slightly from Rolando Beramendi’s book AUTENTICO: Cooking the Italian Way. 

This Zucchini Pasta Changed the Way I Think About Summer Squash

zucchini (about 2 1/4 pounds total)

Kosher or coarse sea salt

Tellicherry black peppercorns

spaghetti

Pecorino Romano cheese

Variations:Zucchini, Burst Tomatoes, and AnchoviesDecrease the zucchini to 1 1/2 pounds. Then, in Step 3, after all the zucchini is added and the squash just starts to caramelize, add 2 cups cherry tomatoes, 2 crushed garlic cloves, 4 to 6 anchovy fillets, and a pinch of red pepper flakes if desired. Give everything a stir and allow it to cook undisturbed until a few of the tomatoes start to burst and the anchovies have melted into the oil, 4 to 5 minutes.Gently press the tomatoes, encouraging them to burst, and continue to cook until the sauce looks thick and jammy, but most of the tomatoes still remain whole, 1 to 2 minutes. Reduce the heat to low until the pasta is cooked and follow the instructions in Step 5.Zucchini with Olives, Basil &amp; Ricotta salataDecrease the zucchini to 2 pounds. In Step 5, toss 1/2 cup coarsely chopped pitted green olives and a couple handfuls of torn fresh basil leaves in with the zucchini and pasta. Substitute 1 cup coarsely grated ricotta salata cheese for the Pecorino and toss the cheese in off the heat right before serving.Zucchini with Tinned Tuna &amp; LemonDecrease the zucchini to 2 pounds. In Step 5, off the heat, add 1 (4-ounce) can drained good-quantity tuna, the finely grated zest of 1 medium lemon, and 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice. Skip the Pecorino Romano and add 1/2 cup coarsely chopped fresh parsley leaves or tender green herb of your choice, such as basil and dill.Storage: Leftovers can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 4 days.Adapted from AUTENTICO: Cooking Italian, the Authentic Way by Rolando Beramendi with Rebekah Peppler. Copyright © 2017 by Rolando Beramendi. Used by permission of St. Martin’s Press. All Rights Reserved.

Asha Loupy

Trim and cut 8 medium zucchini crosswise into rounds of different thicknesses (1/4 to 1/2-inch thick). Layer in a colander, seasoning each layer with a generous pinch of kosher or coarse sea salt. Set aside to rest for 30 minutes.

Rinse the zucchini, then pat dry with paper towels or a clean kitchen towel.

Heat 1 cup olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add a quarter of the sliced zucchini in a single layer, but do not stir. Every 2 to 3 minutes, add another quarter of the zucchini, layering them without stirring. Once all the zucchini has been added, cook, gently stirring every few minutes, until the zucchini range in color from light gold to dark golden brown, and in texture from soft to crisp, 20 to 25 minutes total. Season with crushed Tellicherry black peppercorns.

While the zucchini is cooking, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add 1 pound dried spaghetti, letting it soften and submerge itself in the water. Once the pasta is submerged, give it a stir so it doesn’t stick on the bottom. Cook to al dente, about 1 minute less than the package instructions.

Reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water. Drain the spaghetti and immediately add it to the zucchini. With the heat still on medium, add 2 tablespoons of the pasta cooking water, sprinkle with 1 cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese, and, using tongs, gently lift and toss the spaghetti to mix well. If the sauce is looking a little thick, add another splash or two of pasta cooking water. Season with more salt and pepper as needed. Bring the skillet to the table and serve immediately.

A hearty vegetarian breakfast strata, packed with Gruyere and spinach and baked until puffed and golden. 

The Overnight Christmas Breakfast I Make Every Single Year

bread

unsalted butter, softened

shallots,

spinach,

Salt and pepper

white wine

Gruyère cheese, shredded (1 1/2 cups)

half-and-half

Weighing down the strata: Two 1-pound boxes of brown or powdered sugar, laid side by side over the plastic wrap-covered surface and then topped with a heavy cast-iron skillet, make ideal weights for this strata. A 1-gallon zipper-lock bag filled with about 2 pounds of sugar or rice also works well. Drying the bread: Instead of toasting the bread in the oven in step 1, you can leave the bread slices out overnight to dry. Doubling the recipe: To double this recipe, use a 13 by 9-inch baking dish greased with 11/2 tablespoons of butter and increase the baking time to 1 hour and 20 minutes. Ingredient substitutions: Feel free to substitute any good melting cheese, such as Havarti, sharp cheddar, or Colby, for the Gruyère. Use a medium-dry white wine, such as Sauvignon Blanc.Reprinted with permission from Cooks Illustrated.

Grace Elkus

Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 225°F. Arrange bread in single layer on baking sheet and bake until dry and crisp, about 40 minutes, flipping slices halfway through baking. When cooled, spread 1 side of slices with 2 tablespoons butter; set aside.

Meanwhile, melt 2 tablespoons butter in 10-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add shallots and cook until softened and translucent, about 3 minutes. Add spinach, season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until spinach is warmed through, about 2 minutes. Transfer to medium bowl; set aside. Add wine to skillet, increase heat to medium-high, and simmer until reduced to 1/4 cup, 2 to 3 minutes; set aside.

Grease an 8-inch square baking dish with remaining 1 tablespoon butter. Arrange half of bread slices, buttered side up, in single layer in dish. Sprinkle half of spinach mixture and 1/2 cup Gruyère evenly over bread slices. Repeat layering with remaining bread slices, remaining spinach mixture, and 1/2 cup Gruyère. Whisk eggs in medium bowl until combined, then whisk in half-and-half, reduced wine, and 1 teaspoon salt and season with pepper. Pour egg mixture evenly over bread layers. Wrap dish tightly in plastic wrap, pressing plastic flush to surface of strata. Weigh down strata and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 24 hours.

Heat oven to 325°F. Remove dish from refrigerator and let sit at room temperature for 20 minutes. Remove weights and plastic and sprinkle remaining 1/2 cup Gruyère evenly over top of strata. Bake until edges and center are barely puffed and edges have pulled away slightly from sides of dish, 50 to 55 minutes. Let cool on wire rack for 5 minutes. Serve.

Cheese tortellini and fresh veggies highlight the delicate flavor of the no-waste lemon peel broth in this comforting soup.

The Last Thing You Should Do Before Throwing Away Spent Lemons

celery stalks, including leaves

garlic bulbs, sliced in half horizontally

lemons

sea salt

black peppercorns

store-bought tortellini

Lemon Peel Broth

spinach

peas,

lemon juice

basil leaves

Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling

red pepper flakes (optional)

Sea salt and black pepper

To store broth: Allow it to cool to room temperature after cooking. Transfer it to airtight containers and refrigerate for up to 1 week or freeze for up to 3 months.Reprinted with permission from Love &amp; Lemons Simple Feel Good Food © 2023 by Jeanine Donofrio. Excerpted by permission of Avery, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC. Photography by Jeanine Donofrio. All rights reserved.

Jeanine Donofrio

Step 1: Make the lemon peel broth:

Place all the ingredients in a large pot and bring to a boil.

Step 2: Make the lemon peel broth:

Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, for 30 minutes.

Step 3: Make the lemon peel broth:

Strain and discard the vegetables, peppercorns, and lemon peels. Season to taste.

Step 1: Make the tortellini soup:

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.

Step 2: Make the tortellini soup:

Prepare the tortellini according to the package instructions, cooking until al dente.

Step 3: Make the tortellini soup:

Step 4: Make the tortellini soup:

Warm the broth in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-low heat until heated through, about 2 minutes.

Step 5: Make the tortellini soup:

Add the cooked tortellini, spinach, peas, lemon juice, and half the basil. Stir until the spinach is wilted, about 1 minute. Season to taste.

Step 6: Make the tortellini soup:

Portion the soup into bowls and top with a drizzle of olive oil, the remaining basil, several grinds of pepper, and pinches of red pepper flakes, if desired.

A fast and fancy red pepper appetizer recipe from Sheela Prakash’s cookbook, “Mediterranean Everyday”.

You Need to Know About &#8220;Slinky&#8221; Red Peppers

sherry vinegar

capers, chopped if large (rinsed well if salt-packed)

Kosher salt

Storage: Leftovers can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 4 days.Reprinted with permission from Mediterranean Every Day © 2020 Quarto Publishing Group USA Inc. Text © 2020 Sheela Prakash Photography: Kristin Teig Photography. First Published in 2020 by The Harvard Common Press, an imprint of The Quarto Group.

Kelli Foster

In a medium bowl, combine the roasted peppers, olive oil, vinegar, capers, a pinch of salt, and several grinds of black pepper. Stir and let marinate for about 20 minutes at room temperature, or refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 1 week. Let the peppers come to room temperature before serving with toasted baguette slices or sturdy crackers.

This Beloved Condiment Is the Secret Ingredient in My Favorite Creamy Pasta

black peppercorns (see tip)

peppercorns

Lao Gan Ma chili crisp,

mafalde pasta (aka mafaldine

(4 ounces) finely grated Pecorino Romano,

Ingredient/Equipment Variations: Use a mortar and pestle, rolling pin, or the bottom of a pot or pan to crack whole black peppercorns (and Sichuan peppercorns, if using) into chunks. You want them coarser than if you had ground them in a pepper mill or spice grinder.General Tips: You don’t have to use the Sichuan peppercorns to get great results, but they do add a depth to the heat that I think takes this dish to the next level.From the book ANYTHING’S PASTABLE by Dan Pashman. Copyright © 2024 by Dan Pashman. Reprinted by permission of HarperCollins Publishers.

James Park

Bring 4 quarts of water and the salt to a boil in a large pot.

Toast the black and Sichuan peppercorns, if using, in a large, high-sided skillet over medium-low heat, shaking the pan frequently, until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes; transfer to a bowl, reserving the skillet.

Melt the butter in the reserved skillet over medium-low heat. Add 2 teaspoons of the pepper mixture and cook, stirring, until the butter just begins to brown, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the chili crisp and cook, stirring occasionally, until the chili flakes become fragrant and sizzle, 2 to 3 minutes; remove the pan from the heat. (At this point the sauce can sit, covered, for up to 2 hours.)

Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook for 1 minute less than the low end of the package instructions. Meanwhile, place the Pecorino in a large heatproof bowl and set aside. A few minutes before the pasta is done, transfer 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water to the bowl with the Pecorino and whisk until no lumps remain.

Use tongs to transfer the pasta directly to the skillet and place it over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring constantly, until any water has evaporated and the pasta is evenly coated with the chili mixture, 1 to 2 minutes.

Immediately transfer the pasta to the bowl with the cheese mixture, scraping out the skillet. Add 1/4 cup of the pasta water and use the tongs to rapidly toss everything together until the pasta is well coated and the cheese is dissolved. (There should be extra sauce pooling in the bowl at first, but it should all cling to the pasta after 1 to 2 minutes of stirring. If the sauce looks too thick after 1 minute, add more pasta water 1 tablespoon at a time until smooth and creamy.)

Transfer the pasta to a serving dish or individual bowls, sprinkle with more Pecorino and the remaining pepper mixture, and serve with more chili crisp, if desired.

In this twist on the timeless recipe from Julee Rosso and Sheila Lukins’s The Silver Palate cookbook, prunes are replaced with dates while date molasses lends a touch of sweetness.

Top 11 kitchn love letters recipes from across the web

The most viewed kitchn love letters recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 6,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engine

Top Tags

Sriracha-Honey Popcorn Clusters Wil...

Prange’s Sour Cream Cinnamon ...

The Life-Changing Persian Soup I&#8...

I Finally Cracked the Code to My Mo...

This Zucchini Pasta Changed the Way...

The Overnight Christmas Breakfast I...

The Last Thing You Should Do Before...

You Need to Know About “Slink...

This Beloved Condiment Is the Secre...

Ottolenghi’s Chicken Marbella...

Ginger Scallion Noodles