Blog Posts by bon appétit magazine

Elinor CarucciBy Bon Appétit

From elegant Cumin-Roasted Potatoes with Caviar to savory Pancetta Crisps with Goat Cheese and Pear, these party-perfect hors d'oeuvres are sure to please.

1. Citrus Arancine with Pecorino Cheese
These deep-fried rice balls hail from Sicily. Arancine are often made with leftover risotto, but this recipe-from Decatur, Georgia's Cakes & Ale, one of our Top Ten Restaurants in America-calls for freshly made risotto. A piece of cheese is tucked into the rice mixture, then the rice balls are breaded and fried until golden. To learn how to make Arancine, see our Test Kitchen's How to Shape Arancine tip.

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) butter
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 cup finely chopped shallots (about 2 large)
• 1 1/2 cups arborio rice (about 10 ounces)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup dry white wine
• 4 1/2 cups to 5 cups low-salt chicken broth, divided
• 1 teaspoon fennel pollen* or freshly

Emily SimonsIn our column, Junk Food Makeover, we challenge culinary nutritionist Tricia Williams to recreate iconic snacks with more wholesome, better-for-you recipes.

Tricia Williams, Bon Appetit

The Challenge
Ah yes, the snack that smiles back. Moms love them because they're one of the only cheesy snacks that doesn't leave kids' fingers (and consequently, the sofa) orange. But, like other convenient processed foods, they're not the healthiest option. Don't let the sly grin on those cute little marine animals charm you; they're vicious.

"Most people don't know that Goldfish contain MSG, because it's not listed on the label," says our Junk Food Makeover nutritionist, Tricia Williams Yikes. "MSG plays with our sense of satiety, leaving us still hungry. Just put a kid in front of a bag of goldfish and see what happens." To produce a healthier version of the snack, Williams says, "We needed something else to provide the cheesy flavor, so we used Daiya, a vegan cheese made of tapioca and arrowroot

Conde Nast Digital StudioMarissa Lippert, Bon Appetit

Bad news: Drenching your salad in fat-free dressing or eating granola by the handful isn't doing you any favors. The good news? We're here to bust some snacking myths-and provide you with truly healthy alternatives.

1. Granola
In small doses, granola is super satisfying and can provide many health benefits (it's high in fiber and unsaturated fats, which lower cholesterol). But add in excess sugar and chow down portions that could feed three people, and this iconic hippie-friendly snack isn't so wholesome anymore. Look for brands that are low in sugar like 18 Rabbits, artisanal mixes sold at your nearest farmers market, or make your own, and keep in mind that a 1/2 cup serving averages about 200-250 calories.
Recipes:
Everyday Granola
Quick Omega Three Granola

Alexander HoElizabeth Gunnison, Bon Appetit

Those of you getting ready to host a crowd of hungry football fans this weekend may be looking towards hummus as a lighter alternative to the bacony, creamy, cheesy explosion that is the rest of your Super Bowl Sunday menu. We applaud you! Hummus is not only delicious, but also loaded with protein, fiber, vitamin C, and lots of other virtuous nutrients. Making your own hummus from scratch can be as simple as combining chickpeas and a few other ingredients in a food processor and pressing "puree"; but then again, with all the solid store-bought options out there, would anyone even notice the difference? Our testers weigh in.

The Contenders

Sabra Classic Hummus vs. Bon Appetit's Hummus and Crudites

Hummus is a cold dip or spread traditionally made from pureed chickpeas, sesame, lemon juice, and olive oil that hails from the eastern Mediterranean. It's thought to date back as far as 13th Century Egypt, and remains a dietary staple in Levantine countries

Our Junk Food Makeover nutritionist's In our column, Junk Food Makeover, we challenge culinary nutritionist Tricia Williams to recreate iconic snacks with more wholesome, better-for-you recipes.

Tricia Williams, Bon Appetit

The Challenge
As we're glued to our televisions this weekend for NFL playoffs, we'll have one concern in the back of our minds: What is there to eat around here? Maybe there will be chips and beer on hand--but football makes us crave wings. It's just a fact.

As you know, we're on a cleanse and don't exactly want to sacrifice our healthy streak for the last few weeks of pro football season (well, ok, kind of), and spicy buffalo wings are made with a whole lot of butter, not to mention that trip they take to the deep-fryer. So we challenged our Junk Food Makeover nutritionist to clean up our game day indulgence.

"The real challenge was balancing the flavor of the sauce," Tricia says. "The butter helps bring all the flavors together. But we had to take it out. We ditched the premade hot sauce and

Misha GravenorJulia Bainbridge, Bon Appetit

Hallelujah, the weekend is in sight, and you need a no-brainer dinner tonight. We've got you covered.

There are many great things about this recipe:

1. Its ingredients clock in at under $10.

2. It takes 30 minutes to make, start to finish.

3. It makes extra. Enough, in fact, to top chili dogs the day after the Super Bowl, when you're drowning your sorrows in comfort food because the Patriots won. (What? We're not biased.)

But most of all, we love it because it's vegetarian. A mixture of onions, black beans, and chopped canned tomatoes, and their juices get a kick from chili powder, cumin, cinnamon, and a healthy dose of orange juice (le secret ingredient). So make it--in 30 minutes, for $10--so you can focus on what's really important that day: buying primo beer. 
Go Giants! (What?)

Vegetarian Black Bean Chili with Orange and Cumin

Ingredients
2 oranges
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups chopped onions
4 garlic cloves, pressed
4 teaspoons chili

Matt DuckorHunter Lewis, Bon Appetit

Few tools are as essential to the BA Test Kitchen as the cast-iron skillet. Durable, affordable, and virtually nonstick, it's a workhorse: We sear fish, saute vegetables, scramble eggs, and even make pizzas in them. And because cast iron conducts and holds heat so well, it's the best choice for skillet-fried chicken. It's also the only kitchen tool that I'm emotionally attached to. Maybe that's because I'll be able to pass mine on to my grandkids if I maintain it properly.

Most new cast iron pots and pans these days come pre-seasoned, meaning the manufacturer applies a vegetable-based oil to the cast iron and bakes it at a high temperature so the oil penetrates the iron. (If your cookware didn't come seasoned, just coat it with cooking oil and bake it at 350° for an hour. Wipe off the oil, and it's ready to use.) This process creates a nice seasoned pan to get started with, but for a real, authentic patina, it's still crucial that you maintain your cast

Conde Nast Digital StudioLet's put the debates to rest. Perfect fried chicken--golden brown, with a flaky-crisp crust and juicy meat--is easily accomplished at home. Here's how to achieve irresistible goodness every time, from the ultimate spice rub to a delicate dredge. (And yes, the pan you use matters, too.)

Hunter Lewis, Bon Appetit

We could go on for days singing chicken-fried hallelujahs to comfort food's holy grail, but sentimentality won't get you a crunchy, superbly seasoned bird. Our guide to the right ingredients, technique, and tools will. So put on your apron, grab a cast-iron skillet and a cold one (lemonade, sweet tea, beer-your call), and let's start frying.

1. The Bird: Think Smaller
Fried chicken was traditionally a spring dish in the South, and the young chickens used were dainty compared with today's hefty birds. To approximate those pared-down poultry, cut a three- to four-pounder into ten pieces, or use the equivalent weight in thighs, drumsticks, and breasts. (If you fry anything larger