In 2006, one of Fine Cooking Magazine’s regular offerings (which devout subscribers will remember) was a Recipe Foldout. And it was precisely that—four pages that housed eight short recipes that boasted dinner in 30 minutes or less.
Printed on heavy, perforated card stock with enough gutter clearance for a three-hole punch, this section subliminally invited subscribers to pull out and collect the recipes in a loose-leaf notebook for future reference because they were that good! These furiously fast and delicious recipes must have generated lots of positive feedback because the recipe foldout evolved into the much-loved Make It Tonight department in the first new issue of 2007.
Make It Tonight was the department many readers (including me) would immediately turn to in each new issue to see what was cooking. MIT-style recipes inspired me as a professional chef and food editor to create stress-free, flavor-forward food with short ingredient lists.
Aside from the recipes I developed for MIT during my time at FC, many others remain personal favorites. For example, Pasta with Roasted Cauliflower, Arugula & Prosciutto by Pam Anderson, which originally appeared on the back cover of issue #96 in 2009. This wonderful dish was selected as one of Fine Cooking’s top-rated recipes in the magazine’s 25th-anniversary issue (February/March 2019, #157).
Download the original recipe PDF.
Vegetarians can leave out the prosciutto.
Vegans can leave out the prosciutto and replace grated cheese with nutritional yeast.
Let me know if you try the recipe, my variation, or make a version of your own. You know I love hearing from you!
—Chef Diana
Giving credit where credit is due:
2009 – Original Recipe PDF
— Food Stying: Allison Kreitler
— Photography: Scott Phillips
2020 – Recipe Demo, Modifications & Tips: Chef Diana
2023 – Photography, Videography & Edits: Russ Murray / remages
Instagram & TikTok (vertical format):
Chef Diana Andrews 