{Food Dish} Making the Roof Recipes in Real Life

LDS Living was so excited to include a few recipes from the Roof's new cookbook, Recipes from the Roof, in our March/April 2011 issue. We decided it would be fun if a few of us from the office each picked a recipe to make at home and tell you about our experience.

2881

Erin Hallstrom, Associate Publisher


Spinach Artichoke DipI am not sure what I love about this dip more: how easy it is, or how good it tastes.  There is not a lot involved in putting the dip together--the most effort required is to chop up the spinach and artichokes. (I love the texture it makes when you chop these up thin, but that is just my personal taste.) In an effort to be a little healthier, I used light sour cream and reduced fat cream cheese. Based on how good it tasted, I can't imagine it altered the taste significantly. Also, the recipe talks about serving grilled pita with the dip but I couldn't find pita bread at my store so I ended up buying pita chips instead--yum!

2873

Jamie Lawson, Managing Editor


Pear Salad with Walnuts and Gorganzola
 
I am well known at the office for my lack of cooking skills, so the thought of making something that I would actually have to take pictures of to share with the world was rather terrifying. I figured I couldn't goof up too much with a salad, right?
 
This salad was delicious and easy to make. And the combination of ingredients created the perfect balance of sweet and tangy--not to mention the variety of textures that made it that much more enjoyable to eat.
 
My only complaint is that with the somewhat monochromatic ingredients of salad greens, pears, walnuts, and currants, the final product isn't especially appealing to the eye. I suggest adding a few slides of strawberries or mandarin oranges for a pop of color.
2874

Kate Ensign-Lewis, Associate Editor


Fried Pickles

Being pregnant, I had to laugh a little at myself when I volunteered to make fried pickles. But The Roof's fried pickles had basically changed my life when I first tasted them a year ago, so I had to see if this home version would work.

I had one major reservation. While I can cook about anything, I CANNOT fry. Various attempts to make fried chicken have resulted in burned crusts with raw innards. (Triple cringe.) But this recipe had one major advantage: the inside did not have to be cooked. So, I thought I could venture without risking too much disappointment.

And it all turned out beautifully. I heated the oil and mixed the batter and flour mixtures together. (Note: I didn't use Old Bay seasoning because, when I saw it at the supermarket, it was right next to Cajun seasoning I already had, and I didn't want to spend more money. Pat on the back to me for being frugal.) I extracted my first pickle, dredged it in the flour, dipped it in the batter, and placed it in the oil. I waited anxiously, with tongs in hand (to turn the pickle), for the golden crust to reveal. After making seven, I sat down to enjoy the pickles with some homemade ranch. Yum! They weren't just like The Roof's pickles (restaurant recipes rarely turn out the same at home), but they were full of awesome, crunchy, salty goodness. I ate three--and I hate to think what my blood pressure looked like afterward.

I'll have to try them with ice cream next time.

2886

Ashley Evanson, Online Editor


White Raspberry Cake

The last time I tried to bake a cake was a disaster. Click here for exhibit A. I felt the need to redeem myself by baking something that actually resembled food and the Roof’s recipe for White Raspberry Cake looked easy enough.

And it was.

Seriously, you can’t mess up this cake. The recipe is simple (cake from a box, and pie filling from a can), but it tastes gourmet (it is from the Roof, after all). I highly recommend this recipe to anyone who wants to fool others into believing they can bake, and even to those who are pro bakers but just want a super, delicious dessert.
 

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