I don't often prepare carb-heavy meals for dinner. Most nights, I'm happy with a giant salad and some simply roasted fish or chicken. But in the late fall when the temperature drops, I start craving things like pasta, mashed potatoes, heaping bowls of couscous, and above all else, risotto.

Stonewall Kitchen's Butternut Squash Risotto Mix ($7.95) promises "perfectly cooked risotto" and "the wonderful taste of butternut squash and maple syrup," but I was skeptical. The box contained only carnaroli rice and a spice packet. I still had to add olive oil, butter, chicken stock, and "optional" white wine and Parmesan cheese.

Preparing the mix was no faster or easier than preparing risotto from scratch—I still had to stand at the stove stirring the pot for the better part of an hour. If the mix didn't simplify or shorten the risotto-making process, what exactly did it offer? The only way to evaluate it was on flavor.

I'll start with the good. I found the instructions for this mix to be spot-on. My risotto needed exactly four cups of hot chicken stock to achieve that thick and creamy yet still kind of soupy consistency. The carnaroli rice was obviously of high quality, and it retained a pleasing, nutty bite. The mix was also well seasoned—I found that I didn't need to make any adjustments with salt and pepper.

Unfortunately, my praise ends there. I found the flavor of this mix to be palatable at best. The risotto was a little bit sweet, but other than that I couldn't taste the butternut squash or maple syrup at all. Instead, it tasted overwhelmingly of dried (and frankly, kind of dusty) herbs. More than anything, it reminded me of powdered soup mix. Next time I'm hit with a major risotto craving, I'll stick to making it from scratch using Kenji's guide.

About the Author: Lucy Baker is a food writer and the author of The Boozy Baker: 75 Recipes for Spirited Sweets. She is currently at work on a second book about homemade food gifts. She lives in Brooklyn with her husband and dachshund.

[Photo: Lucy Baker]

A hearty, creamy bowl of soup makes a great cold weather meal. This mix--made entirely of freeze-dried and powdered ingredients--promised to be a "rich fall harvest blend of squash, apple and pumpkin with a touch of brown sugar." Could it pack any real vegetable flavor without any fresh vegetables?

Over the years I've been writing this column, I've reviewed many Crate & Barrel mixes, and enjoyed most of them. Perhaps the biggest exception was their Pumpkin Chowder mix, which I reviewed in 2009 and found underwhelming: "The instructions said to season the soup to taste, but this was ridiculous. I must have dumped a whole tablespoon of salt and several teaspoons of pepper before it was palatable." Two years later, I was curious--would this new soup mix be any better?

The package of mix ($7.95) consisted of layers of powdered butternut squash, pumpkin, sweet potato, and dehydrated apple. Additional ingredients included brown sugar, parboiled rice, toasted onion, and curry. To prepare the soup, I brought four cups of chicken stock and one cup of water to a simmer. I added the mix and simmered everything for 25 minutes. When the apple chunks were tender, I pureed the soup with an immersion blender and stirred in one cup of milk. I appreciated how quickly this soup came together (in under 40 minutes from start to finish). It's definitely the sort of thing I would prepare on a chilly, dark weekday evening.

Unfortunately my praise ends there. Like the pumpkin chowder two years ago, I found this soup to be exceedingly bland. It had a processed, dull vegetable taste, like cheap canned soup, and the curry was muted and completely lacking in heat. Again, I found myself aggressively seasoning the soup with salt and pepper in order to give it flavor. In a blind taste test, I'm not sure if I would be able to identify any of the key ingredients. In the end, I would not recommend this mix. You're far better off taking the time to make soup from scratch. Try this easy recipe for Roasted Butternut Squash Soup.

Lucy Baker is a food writer and the author of The Boozy Baker: 75 Recipes for Spirited Sweets. She is currently at work on a second book about homemade food gifts. She lives in Brooklyn with her husband and dachshund.

Ever wonder about a mix you've seen in the store? Is it any good? Could it replace something you'd otherwise make from scratch? Welcome to Mixed Review, where the whole point is putting mixes to the test! —The Mgmt.

[Photos: Lucy Baker]

This year Rosh Hashanah falls smack in the middle of the week. Between work, recipe testing, and taking care of our new puppy, I just don't have time to prepare a lavish holiday feast from scratch. Williams-Sonoma recently released a jarred brisket starter made from tomatoes, brown sugar, and apple cider vinegar. All you have to do is pour it over the beef and braise in the oven or slow cooker. But would it be as good as a Jewish bubbe's?

All told, the jar of brisket starter looked like little more than gussied-up pasta sauce. And the $16 price tag was staggeringly high. Sure, I wanted to cut corners and save time, but I also wanted to prepare a delicious dinner worthy of a special occasion—without spending a fortune. The best braised brisket is meltingly tender, and tastes of onions, carrots, tomatoes, fresh herbs, and red wine. Could all of that big, bold flavor really come out of a single jar?

To prepare my brisket, I followed the instructions for the slow cooker method on the jar. First I seared the beef in a bit of vegetable oil in a hot pan until it was nice and crusty on all sides. Then I transferred it to my slow cooker and added some sliced carrots (and some parsnips for good measure). Lastly, I poured in the jar of brisket starter and set it to cook on high for five hours. From start to finish, the whole production took me about 15 minutes.

At the end of the day my brisket was fall-apart tender. The meat juices had simmered slowly was the starter, creating a thick, concentrated sauce that smelled of onions, beef, and tomato. It looked near perfect, but was that more of a testament to my slow cooker than the jarred brisket starter? How would it taste?

The best thing about the brisket starter was the way it flavored and tenderized the meat. Brisket is a tough cut, and the vinegar, sugar, tomatoes, and spices really penetrated the meat and imbued it with hearty, robust flavor. Every bite was incredibly rich and moist, and not the least bit tough or dry. My one caveat with the starter was that I found it a bit too sweet, and I missed the winey flavor that comes from pouring in a cup or two of red. At $16, I wanted a more sophisticated flavor. Go for it if you're in a serious time crunch and are willing to splurge. Otherwise, start from scratch using this recipe for Really Good Brisket.

There are some foods that are simply always better when you prepare them at home than when you order them in a restaurant. Crab cakes are at the top of that list. Too often, restaurant crab cakes are overly fried and breaded, resulting in heavy cakes that taste more like greasy fast food than delicate fresh crab. But making them at home can be time-consuming. While ingredient lists for crab cakes need not be long, a lot of recipes call for things like homemade mayonnaise, a bevy of aromatics, or spices you don't necessarily have on hand. Would Crate & Barrel's Chesapeake Crab Cake Mix ($3.95) streamline the process without compromising flavor?

The mix contained two packets, one filled with seasoned cracker crumbs and one filled with a mixture of dehydrated vegetables and herbs. I was most concerned with rehydrating the vegetables. What could be worse than biting into a tender crab cake and encountering a tough, bitter sliver of dried parsley? Fortunately, after only a few minutes soaking in one tablespoon of water, the veggies were generally revived (if not exactly fresh-looking).

The next step was to combine the rehydrated vegetables with one beaten egg, 1/4 cup of mayonnaise, and the contents of the cracker packet. Finally, I folded in one pound of lump crab meat and formed the mixture into six modest-sized cakes. If you are a fan of crab cakes with a crunchy crust, you might want to take the extra step of dredging these cakes in additional bread or cracker crumbs. As is, they looked a bit naked—the crumbs provided in the packet didn't amount to much.

I pan-fried my crab cakes and served them to a couple of hungry testers. For the most part they received favorable reviews. On the plus side, the texture of the cakes was spot on. Not a single one broke apart on the journey from pan to plate. They were moist and delicate, and the flavors were crab-forward. However, we found the spice somewhat lacking. Chesapeake crab cakes are noted for the kick of Old Bay, which we could detect only faintly in the Crate & Barrel cakes. The dehydrated vegetables also didn't add much. While I don't advocate many add-ins, a smattering of crunchy red bell pepper or minced onion highlights the sweetness of the crab meat. The dehydrated vegetables just didn't have any flavor or texture.

Ultimately, while this mix was quick, easy, and yielded well-textured crab cakes, the flavor didn't live up to the Chesapeake name. I would skip it unless you're really in a hurry.

Ever wonder about a mix you've seen in the store? Is it any good? Could it replace something you'd otherwise make from scratch? Welcome to Mixed Review, where the whole point is putting mixes to the test! —The Mgmt.

[Photo: Lucy Baker]

When you think of grilling, you don't often think of bread. But flatbread is perfect for backyard cookouts. At its best it resembles bubbly, charred pita with a crispy crust and an airy, chewy interior. It pairs well with grilled veggies, and can even double as a pizza crust.

Canterbury Naturals' flatbread mixes are available in four flavors (Tuscan Aged Parmesan, Mediterranean Savory Herb, Old World Sundried Tomato, and Harvest Wheat Olive and Garlic). Once prepared, the dough can be either baked or grilled. I tested out the Old World Sundried Tomato version, and since I live in Brooklyn and don't have a backyard, I baked it in the oven.

One of the best aspects of this mix is the ease and speed of preparation. To prepare the dough, I combined the yeast packet (included) with one tablespoon of olive oil, 3/4 cup warm water, and the flatbread mix. Then I kneaded the dough for two minutes and let it rise, covered, for 30 minutes. All in all, my dough was ready to go in under 35 minutes.

Next I divided the dough into eight pieces and rolled each one out into a rough circle. I drizzled the circles with olive oil and sprinkled them with the contents of the spice packet, which is a blend of onion, tomato, garlic, sea salt, chili pepper, oregano, and cilantro. After seven minutes in a 375°F oven they were puffy and fragrant--though not toasty or golden brown as I had hoped.

The flatbreads were tender and easy to pull apart, pleasingly chewy, and perfect for sopping up leftover olive oil or grilling sauces. While I couldn't detect any significant sundried tomato flavor, the flatbreads were garlicky and spicy, and had a nice hint of salt. I would definitely recommend them as an accompaniment to grilled fish, eggplant, or saucy chicken.

Ever wonder about a mix you've seen in the store? Is it any good? Could it replace something you'd otherwise make from scratch? Welcome to Mixed Review, where the whole point is putting mixes to the test! —The Mgmt.

[Photo: Lucy Baker]

Gluten-free baking mixes have been available for a long time at health food and specialty stores, but it's only recently that everyday supermarkets have gotten into the game. Betty Crocker now has a line of easy, inexpensive, and readily available gluten free mixes. This week I baked a batch of the chocolate chip cookies.

What's in the mix? It's a combination of rice flour, potato starch, and potato flour, plus sugar and chocolate chips. To prepare the cookie dough, I first beat together one egg, one stick of softened butter, and one teaspoon of vanilla extract (be sure to use gluten-free vanilla if you are gluten intolerant!). Then I added the mix and stirred it with a wooden spoon until it began to come together.

It's worth noting that this mix is extremely crumbly. It doesn't form a cohesive dough so much as a bowlful of wet sand. In order to form individual cookies I had to scoop out spoonfuls of dough and pack them together with my hands. That said, I tried a bite and it had the same guilty pleasure cookie dough flavor as regular mixes.

After a quick ten minutes in the oven my cookies looked perfect. The centers had mounds of molten chocolate chips, and the edges were thin, crispy, and golden brown. But much like the dough, the cookies were extremely crumbly and fragile. One even broke in half just because it was slightly off kilter on top of the pile.

Flavor-wise, the cookies were very good but not spectacular. What I liked best was the hint of salt on the finish, which complemented the chocolate chips and brought out the brown butter flavor of the cookies. But the texture, as with many gluten-free baked goods, was off. The cookies were slightly coarse and mealy. They lacked any tenderness or gooey moisture. Ultimately I would recommend these cookies only if you are really allergic to gluten and desperate for a junk food fix.

Ever wonder about a mix you've seen in the store? Is it any good? Could it replace something you'd otherwise make from scratch? Welcome to Mixed Review, where the whole point is putting mixes to the test! —The Mgmt.

[Photo: Lucy Baker]

I tried out Rick Bayless's Frontera Guacamole Mix last weekend, when I was hosting a barbeque and didn't have time to make guac from scratch. Normally I don't mind all the mashing, mincing, and dicing, but in the summer I'm all about easy entertaining. Was it worth the price? And, more importantly, were my guests fooled into thinking I made it myself?

At $3.99, this mix is a great bargain. The ingredient list is short, fresh, and all-natural: tomatillos, tomatoes, chilies, onions, cilantro, garlic, and cane sugar. To prepare the guacamole all I had to do was mash up four avocados, add the mix, and stir. I was really impressed with the guac's appearance: it had big chunks of charred tomatillo, spicy chili flakes, and a sprinkling of bright green cilantro.

The flavor easily passed for homemade, too. The guacamole came out perfectly seasoned—I didn't even need to add salt and pepper. It tasted fresh and mildly spicy, with the garlic and cilantro in perfect balance. Most of my guests were completely fooled. When I revealed it was made from a mix, however, they did have a few comments. Some noted the lack of lime juice, while others missed the bracing bite of red onion, or the burst of heat provided by minced jalapenos.

One observant friend noted that "it tastes like avocados mixed up with a jar of tomatillo salsa, which is exactly how I make guacamole when I'm in a hurry." He was absolutely right. (But Rick Bayless makes a pretty mean tomatillo salsa.) I would highly recommend this mix if you are preparing guacamole as part of a larger party menu. It was bright, balanced, and flavorful, and will definitely save you a bit of time and energy in the kitchen.

I like to start my day off on a healthy note, which means I don't often indulge at breakfast. But I do have a weakness for pancakes—fluffy golden-brown stacks topped with a fat pat of butter and dripping with pure maple syrup. Needless to say, I was excited to try out Kodiak Cakes Whole Wheat, Oat and Honey Flapjack Mix ($7.95). They mix is made with 100% whole grains and egg whites, and has no added fat or sugar.

One of my closest friends had an unfortunate pancake experience as a child. A well-intentioned but overbearing grandparent made him sit at the kitchen table until he finished all his pancakes. The stack was massive, leaden, and oozing with sticky syrup. It was an epic struggle, but my friend finally managed to eat every last bite. Then he promptly threw up. He hasn't eaten pancakes since.

Even though I love pancakes, I understand where my friend is coming from. Too often they're heavy, greasy, or gummy. They can sit in your stomach like a brick for hours after breakfast, making you feel sluggish, stuffed, and woozy. But there are also pancakes that are wonderfully light and airy, pancakes that have delicately crisped edges and spongy centers to absorb all that delicious butter and syrup. Ordering them in a restaurant--or preparing them from a boxed mix--is always a gamble. What kind of pancakes will they be?

Preparing the batter was a snap. All I had to do was combine 1 cup of mix with 1 cup of water. Once the batter was ladled into the hot skillet the pancakes cooked beautifully. The batter didn't spread too thinly, and the pancakes puffed up quickly and were easy to flip. Usually when I make pancakes, the results are a bit sloppy and amoeba-shaped. These came out so perfectly you might think I was a short order cook.

Taste-wise, I'd give these pancakes stellar marks. The predominant flavors were of toasted oats and slightly malty wheat. They reminded me a bit of oatmeal, only lighter and less filling. Despite a hint of honey, they were more savory than sweet. You could easily top them with crème fraiche and smoked salmon as a sort of giant buckwheat blini. Then again, they would also be terrific with bananas, or a few handfuls of summer berries.

I highly recommend this mix. Not only are the pancakes a cinch to make and impressive to look at, the flavor is a complex blend of wholesome and indulgent. These are pancakes I could feel good about eating any morning of the week.

Ever wonder about a mix you've seen in the store? Is it any good? Could it replace something you'd otherwise make from scratch? Welcome to Mixed Review, where the whole point is putting mixes to the test! —The Mgmt.

[Photos: Lucy Baker]

Justin Esch and Dave Lefkow believe that "everything should taste like bacon." To that end, they have developed a successful line of bacon flavored products that includes microwave popcorn, mayonnaise, seasoned salts, lip balm, and even baby formula. But here's the thing: none of them contain any actual bacon.

In fact, all their products are kosher certified. How bacony could bacon-less food really be? I prepared J & D's Bacon Ranch Dressing & Dip Mix ($2.99) to find out.

So if there isn't any bacon, what exactly is in the mix? It's a combination of seasonings including salt, vinegar powder, garlic, chives, sugar, onion, paprika, and smoke flavor, and preservatives like maltodextrin (which is a common ingredient in dried soup mixes).

The package includes instructions for preparing the mix as a creamy salad dressing or as a thicker dip for chips and crudité. I opted for the salad dressing, so I whisked the contents of the packet together with 3/4 cup of mayonnaise and 3/4 cup of buttermilk. Once prepared, the dressing was almost as thick as a dip anyway, and could certainly be used as one.

Did it taste like bacon? The answer is both yes and no. If it's possible for something to taste like bacon without being meaty or porky, this dressing achieved it. The sweet, salty, and smoky flavors were definitely reminiscent of bacon. But if you drink a glass of tomato juice you might be reminded of a bloody mary, even though there is no horseradish, lemon, or vodka. That is to say, the two are similar but by no means the same.

I don't mean to disparage this mix. On the contrary--I actually thought it was quite tasty, and I don't usually care for ranch dressing. Creamy, tangy, and flavored with lots of paprika, garlic, and chives, it would go very well with a green salad as part of fried chicken or BBQ dinner. It would also make a delicious sandwich spread. I might use my leftovers in place of mayo on (what else?) a BLT.

Ever wonder about a mix you've seen in the store? Is it any good? Could it replace something you'd otherwise make from scratch? Welcome to Mixed Review, where the whole point is putting mixes to the test! —The Mgmt.

[Photos: Lucy Baker]

Irish soda bread comes in many varieties. It can be sprinkled with caraway seeds or studded with raisins or currants. The hallmark of a good loaf is a crunchy, crumbly crust and a moist, tender interior. Slightly sweet with a hint of buttermilk tang, Irish soda bread bears a strong resemblance to the British scone. It's dead simple to bake from scratch, but in case you're short on time this St. Patrick's Day, I tested out Sticky Fingers Bakeries Irish Soda Bread Mix ($5.99).

Irish soda bread is usually baked either in a cast iron skillet or in a freeform round loaf on a baking sheet. The signature crisscross cut into the top allows the bread to expand. In a break from tradition, the Sticky Fingers mix is baked in a standard 9x5-inch loaf pan, with no cut through the top. I was curious to see how this would affect the texture of the soda bread. Would it retain its sandy crumb? Or would it come out denser, like banana bread or pound cake?

As straightforward as soda bread recipes are, this mix was even easier--bordering on effortless. All I had to do was combine the mix with one cup of water and spoon it into a greased and floured loaf pan. After 40 minutes in the oven, my soda bread had a deep golden crust and an intoxicating sweet oaty scent that filled my kitchen.

What I liked best about the Sticky Fingers soda bread was the flavor. It tasted fresh and natural, and struck a nice balance between tangy and sugary. The raisins were plump, juicy, and abundant, and the caraway seeds added a subtle hint of licorice that stopped short of full-on rye bread flavor. What I didn't love quite so much was the soda bread's texture. There was nothing wrong with it--to the contrary, it was consistent and downy, and cut into perfect slices. But it didn't have that crumbly, dry-yet-tender, scone-like texture of true Irish soda bread. It tasted more like a loaf cake, albeit a delicious one.

In the end, I would recommend this mix if you are looking for a quick fix, or a unique loaf cake to compliment a non-traditional St. Patrick's Day meal. If authenticity is your goal, stick to from-scratch versions.

Ever wonder about a mix you've seen in the store? Is it any good? Could it replace something you'd otherwise make from scratch? Welcome to Mixed Review, where the whole point is putting mixes to the test! —The Mgmt.

If you're having people over to watch the playoffs this weekend, or hosting a Super Bowl party on February 6th, odds are you'll be serving chili. Of course, awesome recipes for homemade chili abound. But if you're already making guacamole, onion dip, wings, brownies, and other football-friendly foods, why not cut yourself some slack? I tried out Crate & Barrel's new Frontera Chili Starter ($8.95) to see if it would be good enough to serve on game day.

The name "Frontera" might ring a bell. Indeed, the recipe for this Southwestern style chili starter was developed by none other than Rick Bayless, owner of Frontera and Topolobampo restaurants in Chicago, and Top Chef Masters season one winner. Since Bayless obviously knows a thing or two about chilies I was eager to taste his particular spice blend, which includes chipotles, green chilies, and ancho pepper.

The chili starter can be used with ground beef, ground turkey, vegetables, or beans. In an attempt to be somewhat healthy, I decided to make mine with lean ground turkey. I thought about adding some black beans, too, but the jar said that there were already black beans in the mix.

The first step in preparing the chili was to cook the turkey in a large pot until it was nicely browned. Then I added the chili starter and one cup of water (you could also use broth. Red wine or beer never hurt chili either!). The final step was simply to let everything bubble away for 20 minutes, stirring frequently to keep the bottom from scorching. The instructions said to partially cover the pot, but the chili looked pretty soupy to me so I left the lid off completely in the hopes of thickening it a bit more.

After 20 minutes my chili was just about the perfect consistency. Not too chunky but not too saucy either, it begged the question, "Do I use a fork or a spoon?" The flavors were robust and hearty. I tasted lots of garlic, as well as onions, bell peppers, oregano, and brown sugar. The heat level was mild but present. This definitely isn't five-alarm chili, but it will keep you reaching for your beer. My only complaint had to do with the beans, or rather the lack of beans. While the ratio of tomatoes to sauce to turkey was well balanced, there weren't nearly enough black beans in the mix. I had to hunt for them in my bowl as opposed to finding them in every bite.

In the end I would say the Crate & Barrel Frontera Chili Starter yields a very good, very basic Southwestern chili. If you're short on time, or would rather devote yourself fully to the game, it is a solid alternative to preparing chili from scratch. I would suggest adding an additional cup of black beans, and, if you like your chili on the fiery side, a pinch or two of chipotle or other ground hot pepper.

Ever wonder about a boxed mix you've seen in the store? Is it any good? Could it replace something you'd otherwise make from scratch? Welcome to Mixed Review, where the whole point is putting boxed mixes to the test! —The Mgmt.

I have a granola bar almost every morning for breakfast. To me, they are just about the perfect food. On the one hand, they are healthy and satisfying, filled with whole grains, oats, and dried fruit. On the other hand, they are a bit like candy bars: sweet, crunchy-chewy, and frequently laced with peanut butter and chocolate chips. But much as I love them, lately I've been feeling like I'm in a granola bar rut. I buy the same box week in and week out. So I decided to test out King Arthur Flour's All-Natural Cranberry-Sunflower Granola Bar Mix ($9.95). I was hoping for my old breakfast standby elevated to new heights--fresher and more flavorful, like something you might find in a glass jar atop you local bakery's counter.

The King Arthur Flour mix is quite versatile. It comes with different instructions for making crunchy granola bars or chewy ones. You can use honey or maple syrup. Add in up to 1 1/2 cups of additional ingredients if you like (such as dried coconut, chocolate chips, or raisins) but it's certainly not necessary.

I decided to make crunchy granola bars with coconut and chocolate chips. I poured the mix into a bowl and added the requisite 4 tablespoons of melted unsalted butter and 2 tablespoons of honey. I stirred and stirred, working at the mixture of oats, nuts, and fruit with my trusty wooden spoon. But no matter how much I worked the "dough," I couldn't moisten all the ingredients. The bottom of the bowl was filled with dry, grainy powder.

On to my backup plan: chewy granola bars. The recipe for chewy bars called for an additional 2 tablespoons of honey and 1 tablespoon of water. Now I was cooking with fire. There were just enough wet ingredients to lightly coat everything in my bowl.

Next, I spread the granola mixture evenly into a 9x13-inch baking pan lined with parchment paper. Though the instructions didn't direct me to, I pressed the mixture down gently but firmly (as if I was making a crumb crust). Then I slid the baking pan into a 350°F oven for 25 minutes.

The Results?

My granola bars emerged fragrant, golden-brown, and bubbling at the edges. I let them rest for five minutes, and then scored them into bars with a greased chef's knife. When hot, they were extremely soft and pliable, almost to the point of falling apart. I was concerned that they wouldn't hold their bar shape.

It turns out my worries were unfounded. Once they had cooled completely my granola bars firmed up well. Texturally, they were on the line between chewy and crunchy. Not quite as sticky as a Quaker granola bar, but not quite as snappy as a Nature Valley, either. More importantly, the flavor was just what I had hoped for. They tasted freshly toasted, filled with oats and honey. While I couldn't really taste the sunflower seeds, there were big chunks of pecans and nuggets of tart dried cranberries, and the coconut and chocolate I tossed in added a hint of indulgence.

Overall, I found this mix exceptionally easy to prepare and the results terrific. These granola bars tasted like something your friend's hippie mom would bake and serve you after school. I highly recommend them.

Ever wonder about a boxed mix you've seen in the store? Is it any good? Could it replace something you'd otherwise make from scratch? Welcome to Mixed Review, where the whole point is putting boxed mixes to the test! —The Mgmt.

Last week, the folks at Serious Eats World Headquarters published an exhaustive stuffing taste test. But their test was limited to readily available supermarket mixes, which left some of you wondering—what about the specialty mixes at gourmet shops?

Recently, Williams Sonoma debuted a line of stuffing mixes from Southern California's famed La Brea bakery. I'm sure I don't need to tell you about Nancy Silverton, La Brea's owner. But in a nutshell, she is one of the country's most esteemed bakers, credited with the revival of artisanal bread that began a little more than 20 years ago.

For this week's Mixed Review, I tested La Brea's Harvest Blend Stuffing Mix ($12) and compared it to regular old Stovetop (less than $2 at most supermarkets). Considering that the La Brea mix consisted of croutons and little packets of dried cranberries and pecans, could it really be worth the money?

Preparing the La Brea mix was only slightly easier than making stuffing from scratch (then again, let's face it: making stuffing from scratch isn't that hard). First, I sauteed an onion and three stalks of celery in some olive oil with a pinch of salt and pepper. Then I transferred the mixture to a bowl and added the croutons, dried cranberries, and pecans. The croutons were big and chunky and redolent with rosemary, but the pecans seemed a little soggy and flat, as if they could use a good toasting.

I ladled about three and a half cups of warmed chicken stock over the mix, tossing it to make sure all the croutons were well saturated. Then I spread it in a 9x13-inch glass baking dish covered it with foil, and baked it for 20 minutes. Then I removed the foil and baked it for an additional 30 minutes, until the stuffing was crispy and brown on top. Whew.All told, preparing the mix took 30 minutes of active time and 50 minutes of baking time. Not to mention I went through a cutting board, chopping knife, saute pan, mixing bowl, saucepan and ladle (for the stock), and a baking dish.

By contrast, the Stovetop took about six minutes to prepare. I brought one and a half cups of water and four tablespoons of butter to a boil, dumped in the packet of mix, covered the pot, and let it stand for five minutes. Done and done.

Which Tasted Better?

Not surprisingly, the La Brea mix was the winner by far. While super easy and convenient, the Stovetop mix was soggy, too salty, and aggressively seasoned. The La Brea mix was the perfect texture. Each bite was a combination of soft bread and crunchy toast. The rosemary was prominent without being overpowering, and the cranberries added a nice tart note. But the pecans got lost, and overall I wanted just a bit more flavor. A hint of sea salt would have been nice, a few more herbs, or an additional kind of dried fruit.

In the end I would say that making stuffing from scratch is your best option. But if you're set on using a store-bought mix this Thanksgiving, the La Brea Harvest Blend is a solid (if expensive) choice. Save the Stovetop for busy weeknights--it has no place on holiday tables.

"The Trader Joe's cornbread was some of the best cornbread I've tasted, from a mix or otherwise."

Ever wonder about a boxed mix you've seen in the store? Is it any good? Could it replace something you'd otherwise make from scratch? Welcome to Mixed Review, where the whole point is putting boxed mixes to the test! —The Mgmt.

Two years ago, I did a roundup of standard supermarket cornbread mixes for this column and was generally unimpressed with all of them. They were gummy, thin, and cloyingly sweet. I called Jiffy, my top choice, "solid, if not sensational" and recommended doctoring it up with add-ins like sun-dried tomatoes, poppy seeds, and pecans.

This year, I thought it was time to revisit the cornbread basket by comparing two readily available specialty mixes: Crate & Barrel's Buttermilk Cornbread Mix ($8.95) and Trader Joe's Cornbread Mix ($2.69).

Before getting started, I considered my criteria for truly exceptional cornbread. First, it must be thick. There is nothing worse than thin, pancake-flat cornbread. Second, it should have golden-brown edges (cornbread edge pieces are the best!); a well-toasted bottom; and a slightly crunchy, toothsome bite. Third, it must strike a balance between sweet and savory. I want my cornbread to retain the flavors of sweet yellow corn, but I don't want it to taste like cake minus the frosting. Ideally, it should have hints of salt, toasted grains, and buttermilk.

Crate & Barrel

With my standards set in place, I set about baking both batches of cornbread. First up was the Crate & Barrel mix. At close to $9, it was easily the most expensive cornbread mix I'd ever come across. I was eager to see if it would live up to its price tag. Following the directions on the package, I added two eggs, 1 1/4 cups of milk (I used 2%), and 1/2 cup (one stick) of melted unsalted butter. Then I spread the batter in a 9x9-inch pan and baked it for 40 minutes.

When the Crate & Barrel cornbread was done and cut into squares, the first aspect that impressed me was its height. The cornbread was definitely thick, fluffy, and crumbly. Unfortunately, however, it was quite pale in color. There were no crispy corners, and the bottom was only slightly more browned than the top. The consistency of the cornbread was good. It was moist without being dense, and had a sturdier, more "bready" mouthfeel than cake. The cornbread had a slightly tangy buttermilk flavor, but ultimately it was too sweet. I had a hard time picturing it as an accompaniment to a savory dish like chili or roast turkey.

Trader Joe's

Like most of Trader Joe's products, at $2.69 I found the cornbread mix very reasonably priced. True, it wasn't as cheap as Jiffy, which cost less than $1, but I suspected it would yield much tastier results. When I emptied the mix into a bowl, I was surprised and pleased to see that it contained whole kernels of dried corn. I added one egg, 1/2 cup vegetable oil, and 3/4 cup 2% milk. Then I spooned the batter into an 8x8-inch pan and baked it for 35 minutes.

The difference in results was significant. While the Trader Joe's cornbread mix didn't rise quite as high as the Crate & Barrel mix, the top was a deep bronze color and the edges were dark and crispy. It had a mealier, heartier consistency, and while sweet, wasn't the least bit desserty. I loved the perfectly caramelized crunchy edges, and the contrast in texture the whole kernels of corn provided in the middle. The Trader Joe's cornbread was some of the best cornbread I've tasted, from a mix or otherwise. I would highly recommend it for your Thanksgiving table.