Now I am a brown rice master. What changed? I became patient. You can’t rush good rice. Soon, you too, will be on the road to brown rice success! Brown vs. White Rice Brown rice is a whole grain. The outer hull is still on there (that’s what makes it brown). It’s got the germ and bran, as well. These things give it more fiber, a slightly nutty flavor, and a chewy texture....

This grain is so versatile that if you cooked quinoa every week, you could never use it in the same recipe twice! What Is Quinoa? Quinoa “grains” are actually the seeds from an annual flowering plant in the amaranth family, most closely related to spinach. Familiar grains like rice and wheat are seeds from grasses, and they have a different structure (bran, germ, and endosperm), so technically quinoa is classified as a pseudo-cereal, since it is neither a grain nor a cereal....

Here’s what that means, and how to set it up! What is Searing? Searing is a cooking technique where food is cooked at a high temperature until a browned crust forms due to the Maillard reaction. High heat causes the molecules to rearrange themselves and sets off multiple chain reactions that brown the steak and unlock the flavor and aroma. The high heat zone of the grill should be around 500℉ for perfectly seared steak....

Leftover, cooked vegetables paired with a little cheese and folded into eggs present a much more cheerful meal than a bowl of vegetables haphazardly reheated in the microwave! French Vs. American Omelettes It seems that the French invented omelettes, possibly stealing the idea from the Romans. Let’s leave the argument there and just say that the omelette has a long history. A French omelette starts out with beaten eggs in the pan (just like scrambled eggs)....

If you’ve had cake pops before, then you know why they’re a tried-and-true favorite. Once you’ve tried them, you’ll see why these little gems of joy need to be at every celebratory occasion under the sun! I’m going to walk you through making them step-by-step. What Are Cake Pops? Cake pops are a soft and sweet mixture of crumbled cake and frosting. You roll that mixture into a ball, then dip it in chocolate and add sprinkles!...

Two Ways to Toast Walnuts Below you’ll find all the details for two terrific methods for toasting walnuts: One uses a skillet on the stove, the other a sheet pan in the oven. Whichever approach you choose is based on personal preference, but I find the oven method best for bigger batches with more even results. When I need just a handful and don’t want to fire up the oven, I opt for the skillet method....

So when I first heard about Allie’s Banana Bread, a company that ships unique flavors of homemade banana bread across the country, I was immediately intrigued. I’ve heard of companies shipping cookies and cupcakes and even ice cream, but banana bread? Not so much. And let me tell you, when I finally tried it, it completely exceeded my expectations. Not only are the unique flavors (Oreo! Reese’s!) wildly creative and delicious, it’s also the moistest banana bread I’ve ever had—period....

This beef stew can even be left on the warm setting all day long, so you can start it in the morning, then come home to a hot dinner. Adapting Slow Cooker Beef Stew to the Instant Pot This stew is an adaptation of one of Elise’s tried-and-true recipes from the Simply Recipes archives. Instead of four to eight hours, the recipe only takes about an hour and a half to make in the Instant Pot!...

If you’ve never had risotto, now’s your moment. Prepared traditionally, this exquisite touchstone of Northern Italian cuisine is high-starch, short-grain rice that’s babied and fussed over and stirred and stirred and slowly fed multiple ladles of flavorful, simmering stock. When it looks right, you stop. The grains of rice swell bit by bit, and instead of being fluffy and distinct, like a pilaf, they swim in a creamy pool of savory liquid that’s finished with butter and finely grated hard cheese....

This scramble is great any time of day. But in my house growing up, we always had it for dinner, with thick slices of San Francisco sourdough bread served alongside. Back in the 80s, my dad used frozen spinach, canned mushrooms, and granulated garlic in his version of Joe’s Special. The mushrooms were optional at the diner, but my dad always included them. A Fresh, Homemade Take on a Diner Favorite The recipe I make now is a fresh and modern take on my dad’s version....

Kale is plentiful in the markets these days, mostly because it’s one vegetable that seems to thrive in cold temperatures. Kale and Italian sausage are one of those heavenly combinations, and together with beans, onions, tomatoes, and stock? Truly delicious. Sprinkle with a little Parmesan to serve, so good! Do you have a favorite soup that makes generous use of kale? Please let us know about it in the comments....

The Origins of the Lemon Drop Martini The Lemon Drop Martini is a creation stemming from the 1970’s. It can be traced back to the long defunct bar Henry Africa’s in San Francisco (one of the early “fern bars” that wooed women with leafy greenery and homey trappings), however the creator has been lost to history. Lemon Drops were a 19th century candy, and here the candy, both sweet and tart, has been transformed into a drink with a similar flavor profile....

This recipe with pasta, butternut squash, and bacon is easy enough that you could likely pull it off during the week, but it feels fancy enough—thanks to the brown butter—that you could serve it for guests, too. Recipes like this are so versatile! You can serve them in a lot of different contexts—weeknight meals or fancy dinner parties—and because of that, they’re more likely to make repeat appearances at my house....

There are some drinks that you just wouldn’t want to turn into a frozen drink. Frozen Martini? No thanks. But some cocktails translate wonderfully from on the rocks, into an icy, blended drink. A Frozen Margarita may not be novel, but with solid ingredients, it can be your delicious, go-to summer drink. And sure, it requires you take out your blender, but at least you can blend up a bunch to have on hand when the fancy strikes!...

Treats, like ladoos, are delicious but a little tricky to make. Here’s an easy version inspired by the fall harvest in New England, where I’m from, and my favorite mithai flavors: pumpkin ladoo with coconut and hints of spice. In Massachusetts, varieties of squash and pumpkins grow in abundance in the fall, and they are wonderful in desserts. And with a bit of help from classic American fudge techniques, these ladoo come together quickly and easily....

Sadly though, in March and April, the fruits are lacking or absent. The bulk of the citrus, with their bright and cheery flavors, are now slinking out of season, and berries and peaches are still a bit far off. It is a time that all at home bakers suffer; the annual wait for colorful and vibrant fruit. Still, all hope is not lost. Rhubarb, with its sleek ruby red stalks, beckons the curious voyeur to come and gaze upon its slender form....