Rihanna, Taylor Swift, and More Share Their Favorite Recipes

All of us who love cooking have our favorite go to recipes. Your favorite artists are no different. Many musicians spend much of their time traveling, whether they are touring or recording/promoting their work. Eating at some of the world’s top restaurants and having personal chefs may seem glamorous but even that can get old after awhile. Having more time to cook their own meals is something that many musicians miss while on the road.

Justin Timberlake, Rihanna, and Taylor Swift are just a few of the artists who have admitted to having a love for cooking. I have compiled a list of recipes that have been shared by some of our favorite musicians. From family recipes passed down through the generations to dishes they have concocted on their own, all of them are worth trying for yourself.

 

Rihanna: Mac-A-Rih’s (Macaroni and Cheese)

Rihanna told Esquire magazine that this was among one of her favorite recipes that she discovered completely by accident when her gas was shut off while she was trying to make macaroni and cheese. After trying the recipe with this texture and taste she has been making it the same way ever since.

Serves 4–6

• 450g small elbow macaroni
• Salt (to cook macaroni)
• 1 medium white onion, grated
• 1 red bell pepper, julienned
• 6 spring onions, sliced
• ¼ cup yellow mustard
• ¼ cup ketchup
• 1 ½tbsps Eaton’s Jamaican Scotch Bonnet Pepper Sauce
• 900g Colby-Jack cheese, shredded
• 1 cup water

METHOD
Follow the directions on the package and cook the macaroni and drain in a colander. Leave a little of the water back in the pot, maybe a quarter cup or so. Place the macaroni back in the pot and return it to the stove. On a low flame, add the onion, bell peppers and half the spring onions and mix together with a rubber spatula. Once combined, add the mustard, ketchup and pepper sauce and mix together. Add the cheese a handful at a time and incorporate. If the sauce is too stiff, add more water to loosen to  your desired consistency. Top with remaining spring onions and serve immediately.

Lady Gaga: Germanotta Meatballs & Spaghetti Sauce

Lady Gaga’s family loves to cook so she had many recipes to choose from when she was asked to share her favorite. She decided on this recipe which she shared with Good Morning America after it was passed down to her by her grandmother. It has been a Germanotta family staple for generations and is a favorite dinner of Lady Gaga.

 

2 Chainz: Crab Cakes with Mango Salsa

Rapper 2 Chainz shared this recipe with ABC.  It’s one of his favorite recipes to cook when he’s not on the road or busy in the studio.

Ingredients

Crab Cakes:

• 1 pound jumbo lump crab meat
• 2 large eggs
• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire Sauce
• 1/4 cup Italian bread crumbs
• 3 tablespoons mayonnaise
• 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
• Old Bay Seasoning (to taste)
• 1 Lemon
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• less than 1 tablespoon green scallion (sliced thin)
• 1 stick Butter

Mango Salsa:

• 2 Mangos (peeled and diced)
• 1/2 small Purple Onion (diced)
• Cilantro (chopped to taste)
• Kosher Salt and Black Pepper
• 1 Lime
• 4 tablespoons Olive Oil

Step-by-step directions:

Mango Salsa: 

• Preheat oven to 375F. Mix salsa ingredients together and place in fridge to chill.

Crab Cakes:

• Place crab meat into bowl, and crack 2 eggs into same bowl. Season mixture with Old Bay, Worcestershire sauce, green scallion, mayo, mustard, bread crumbs, juice of 1/2 lemon and olive oil. Knead mixture in bowl.
• Melt butter into baking pan of your choice. Form 4 to 6 crab cakes and place into baking pan, and put in oven. After 10 minutes open oven, tilt pan to accumulate melted butter, and baste crab cakes with butter. Close oven, cook 10 more minutes, baste and repeat until top of cakes are golden brown. Approximate cooking time is 25 minutes.
• Spread salsa evenly and serve cakes on top.

 

Justin Timberlake: Granny Sadie’s Coconut Cake

Justin Timberlake just became a quadruple threat. Not only can he sing,dance, and act but now we know that he can bake. Like Lady Gaga he comes from a family who loves to cook so he too had many recipes to pick from. His favorite cake recipe was passed to him by his grandmother, Sadie Bomar. He told People magazine that he only bakes her recipes. He claims that the key ingredient is the sour cream. The sour cream to coconut ratio may seem a little off but he swears that it is perfect. This recipe actually looks super easy and would be great to try for Easter.

1 (18.25-oz.) white cake mix
8 oz. sour cream
1 1/2 cup sugar
3 (7-oz.) packages sweetened, flake coconut

1. Prepare cake mix according to package directions, using two 8 or 9-inch round pans.  Once cakes are cool, slice in half to form four layers.

2. In a bowl, mix together sour cream, sugar and two of the packages of coconut. Place one cake layer on a serving plate. Ice the top with the coconut mixture. Repeat with the next two layers. Place the last layer on top and cover entire cake with remaining icing.

3. Sprinkle some of the coconut from the third package on the top of the cake. Apply the rest to the sides, patting it on with the palm of your hand. Keep cake in a cool place or refrigerate. Bring to room temperature before serving.

 

Taylor Swift: Chai Tea Eggnog Cookies

Christmas has always been an especially important time for Taylor Swift after growing up on her family’s Christmas tree farm. She shared this recipe for her favorite holidays with Seventeen magazine. This was not among recipes that were passed down through her family, however. She simply took a sugar cookie recipe from JoyTheBaker.com and gave it her own special twist with the eggnog icing. Although these would be perfect for Christmas they would taste as good any day of the year.

Ingredients

1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup powdered sugar

1 large egg

2 teaspoons vanilla extract, or the seeds of 1 vanilla bean

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 chai tea packet

1 cup powdered sugar

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1 tablespoon eggnog

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheet with parchment paper or grease with butter or cooking spray.

2. Using a mixer, beat the butter in a large bowl on medium for about 1 minute. Add the vegetable oil, granulated sugar, powdered sugar, egg and vanilla, beating on medium speed until each ingredient is completely incorporated.

3. Cut one chai tea packet open and empty the crushed tea leaves into the batter.

4. Stir in the flour, baking soda and salt using mixer set on low.

5. Refrigerate the dough for 1 hour or freeze for 15 minutes so it’s easier to handle.

6. Dollop 1 tablespoon of cookie dough onto the cookie sheet about 2 inches apart. Press the dough evenly with your fingers or palm to 1/4-inch thickness.

7. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes before eating.

8. Next mix your powdered sugar, nutmeg, cinnamon, and eggnog to create the icing. Then spoon it over your cookies once they’ve cooled.

9. Finish them by sprinkling cinnamon on top.

These are just a few of my favorite musician recipes that I found but there are so many more out there to try. I also suggest looking up recipes for Elvis Presley’s Famous Fried Peanut Butter and Banana Sandwich, Beyonce’s Green Bean Stir Fry (passed down to her by her mother), and also Rihanna’s Sweet Limeade (which would be perfect for a summer get together). Now get to cooking…and enjoy!