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The Kitchn’s Recipe Showdown Is My Secret Weapon 👀🍰

November 09, 2025

I couldn’t be happier to be back in my kitchen — it’s small, cozy, and brings me so much happiness. I could honestly be in there all day! The past two weeks have been all about getting back into my cooking routine after some time away. I made a ton of recipes (and forgot to take photos of a few... oops).

Halloween came and went in a flash. I baked for Lucia’s school party and made extra treats for her and her friends. That night, my friend and I spent the evening baking while handing out candy to my very first trick-or-treaters. In what feels like a blink, Halloween is over, we’ve already celebrated our first Friendsgiving, and Thanksgiving is just around the corner. Before we know it, Christmas will be here. I’m soaking in every bit of the season and feeling so inspired in the kitchen.

Have you ever heard of The Kitchn’s Recipe Showdown series, where they test four to six versions of a dish and crown one the winner? It’s my secret hack for finding reliable, delicious recipes fast. My mom’s friend first introduced me to it through their Key Lime Pie showdown — and we were blown away. Since then, I’ve tried more than 40 of their winning recipes, and I’ve discovered so many treasures.

Some favorites so far:

If you’re feeling the holiday cooking stress start to creep in, check out The Kitchn’s Recipe Showdown. It’s an easy way to find your next go-to recipe, and maybe even a new favorite for your holiday table.

And if you’re still in the mood for fall flavors, explore my pumpkin favorites here 🎃🍂

Recipes Made So Far This Year:

Goal: To try seven new recipes each week 🗓️, aiming for 365 this year!

Number of Recipes Made This Week: Week 43: 7 ✔️ & Week 44: 10 ✔️

Number of New Recipes Tested as of 11/2: 539

Weeks Achieving Seven or More New Recipes: 42 out of 44

This Week’s Recipe Test Summary

Impress Someone🌟

Gelatina de Guayaba – Mama 🍮
I’ve spent so much time cooking with my mom, but never her treasured recipes. This is the start of me tackling them one by one. I grew up on Jell-O, but this homemade version with fresh guavas completely blew me away. These family treasures are the kind of recipes I have to keep private.


Chocolate Protein Brownie Bites – Ambitious Kitchen 🍫💪
I’ve been making healthy treats for my sister and the kids, but this one stood out. I didn’t even get to share them! I used my favorite almond butter (a gift from my sister), and the flavor was incredible. A sweet option for anyone avoiding processed sugars.

Brown Butter & Maple Chewy Pumpkin Cookies – Butternut Bakery 🎃🍪🧈
A Kitchn Winner for best pumpkin cookie! I’ve already baked these twice—once for Lucia’s Halloween school party and again for Friendsgiving. My sister and her friends loved them. One of my friends said it was the best snickerdoodle they’d had in years, and my sister’s reaction was “Ohh, Ms. Fields!” That’s a win. Honestly, I’d rename them Pumpkin Snickerdoodles.

Would Make Again 👍

Easy Maple Sesame Salmon – Sally’s Baking Addiction 🐟🍁🥢
Another salmon lunch recipe that’s timeless. Quick, flavorful, and always reliable when I need a satisfying meal fast.

Toasted Nori with Sesame Seeds – Food.com 🌊
Simple but so flavorful—perfect for topping plain jasmine rice with a little kick of spice.

Penne with Heirloom Tomatoes, Basil, Green Beans and Feta – NYT Cooking by Martha Rose Shulman 🍅🌿🧀
I might have made this three times in one week after trying it! It’s light yet filling, fresh, and feels so healthy. A true winner—and I’m craving it again already.

Roasted Baby Potatoes – skinnytaste
A fun twist on roasted potatoes: coat the pan with oil and spices before adding the potatoes so they crisp up in the seasoning. Super flavorful and perfectly golden.

Single Serve Pistachio White Chocolate Rice Krispie Treat – Broma Bakery 🤍
I didn’t actually get to try this one. The portion was too small to share, and I gave it to my sister. She gave it her full stamp of approval!

Matcha Pudding – munchinwithmaddie 🍵
I found this recipe on my mom’s iPad, and it’s easily the best matcha pudding I’ve made. It’s so smooth and flavorful that I even add a scoop to my yogurt bowl.

Brown Butter and Butternut Loaf – Food52 🍞🧈🍂
Halloween bake night with my friend—we made this while waiting for trick-or-treaters. It’s a twist on your usual fall pumpkin bread: made with butternut squash, just a touch of spice, and plenty of butter. Moist, delicate, and absolutely delicious. My friend, her partner, and cousin all gave it a solid 10/10.

Would Not Make Again 👎

For me, these landed in the ‘not again’ pile—either just okay, replaced by a better version I already know, or not enjoyable. My rule of thumb is: would I make this for my mom or mother-in-law? If not, it doesn’t make the cut.

I’d love to hear your thoughts, suggestions, or any recipe requests you might have. Just respond directly to this email.

You can also find me on Instagram and YouTube for more behind-the-scenes cooking, recipe testing, and weekly favorites.

See you next week. Keep cooking! 👋 

Vale from ValeCooks

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