Oh, and then there is the bacon. If you’re part of the ‘everything goes better with bacon’ club, you won’t be able to resist this dish. Here are a few tricks that make poaching eggs stress-free. One, salt the water generously: the salt makes the eggs buoyant. About 10 seconds after you’ve dropped the eggs into the simmering water, drag a wooden spoon around the edge of the pot. It creates a gentle whirlpool and the eggs float freely instead of sticking to the bottom of the pot....

This is a dish that I’ve never had outside of my own home. My father claims that there are restaurants in Minnesota (where he grew up) that serve spareribs and sauerkraut. But I certainly have never seen them as a menu item here in California. Too bad, too! This is a perfect dish for a cold winter day. We serve them over boiled potatoes with ketchup. The sweet tang of the ketchup is a perfect complement to the savory spareribs and potatoes....

What Are Stuffed Cabbage Rolls? True to their name, stuffed cabbage rolls are little bundles of cabbage leaves that have been stuffed and cooked with a mixture of ground pork, onions, paprika, and other spices, and braised in tomato sauce. They are typically served with a sour cream-based sauce with plenty of sauerkraut. This is comfort food at its best. The interplay of sweet, sour, and savory flavors — tangy sour cream and sauerkraut with sweet tomatoes and savory onions and pork — make for a heavenly combo....

Classic Cheese-Stuffed Shells It’s a weeknight and the hordes are hangry. That’s where these shells come in, baked with enough cheese and tomato to rival a big, fat pizza. But these shells are so much more rewarding! Seriously, who can resist a beautiful dish of golden, cheese-topped pasta in red sauce? Start by making the sauce, and while the sauce simmers, bring a pot of water to a boil and cook the shells....

Look no further. This is the tart. As my father says, “don’t change a thing.” It’s actually much easier to make than it looks! First the crust. It needs to be firm enough to hold the tart, but not so firm that it is tough and chewy. (Who wants a chewy crust? Yikes!) The perfect tart crust is similar to a butter pie crust, but with the addition of powdered sugar, and little vanilla, and an egg....

Another factor for their popularity is the different coating materials. Many who are leery of nonstick cookware turn to ceramic for that same property, but without PTFE, PFOA, and PFOS. It’s important to note that ceramic cookware does need a bit more care when it comes to maintenance. The surface can be easily scratched by strong metal utensils, scouring pads, or abrasive cleaners. If cared for well, these pots and pans can last you for years....

However, the invention we know as the slow cooker didn’t come to be until the 1940s when an electrical engineer named Irving Naxon developed a cooker that would mimic the way his Lithuanian grandmother prepared a traditional Jewish cholent stew in a pot in the oven. From this sprung the Crock-Pot, a self-standing, still-crucial small kitchen appliance whose name is still synonymous, to this day, to the slow cooker. There are a plethora of slow cooker options to choose from nowadays, all with different features, which makes choosing the right one a little less straightforward....

And while there are food gift baskets for every type of occasion and recipient, there are a few general principles to keep in mind. To help guide you, I interviewed etiquette experts for their top tips for sending a gift basket, including when to send one, how much to spend, and what to write in your note. In the end, our top choice was the Harry & David Classic Favorites Gift Box for its variety and the high quality of its gourmet treats....

There are three different types of popcorn makers: stovetop, microwave, and hot air. While stovetop models give you the most control over your popcorn and make it easiest to season, microwave popcorn makers can be incredibly convenient. On the other hand, hot air models are useful for people with small kitchens or who want minimal work and clean-up. To help you decide which popcorn makers should be in your kitchen, we tested a few side-by-side at our Lab’s dedicated test kitchen, rating each on their ease of use, the crispiness and flavor of the final popcorn, and ease of cleaning afterward....

Even though spring is officially here, I’m enjoying the last legs of wintery weather, and any excuse to make something hearty and warm such as this Italian tomato and bread soup. Pappa al Pomodoro is this soup’s official name. (Bless the Italians, they make everything sound so much fun.) It’s a rustic soup made with tomatoes, garlic, onions, stock, and of course, bread—preferably a good Italian loaf. Even though it’s a tomato soup, you don’t have to wait until August or September to enjoy it!...

Now that 17 years have passed since that first date and I’m a working mom with two active children, I decided to develop a more robust version of the soup I’d had so many years before. Easy Weeknight Tortellini Soup I wanted this soup to be hearty enough to count as the entire meal and easy enough to make on a weeknight, while also leaving enough left over for lunch the next day....

I can’t confirm or deny either birthplace, but after one bite of this moist confection, you’ll understand why everyone wants to lay claim to it. What Is Tres Leches Cake? Regardless of its exact origin, tres leches cake (literally “three milks” cake) is definitely a Hispanic dessert that has been enjoyed for years by folks in most, if not all, Spanish-speaking countries. Tres leches is comprised of a milk-soaked sponge cake that’s topped with whipped cream....

Be careful. You might want to make more of this gravy than you think you need because once vegans and omnivores alike taste it, you will want to lick your plate clean. How to Make Vegan Gravy With Mushrooms Oven-roasted onions and cremini mushrooms (also called baby bellas because they are actually baby Portobello mushrooms) give the gravy a fantastic depth of flavor. Roasting actually intensifies the flavor of most vegetables, and mushrooms are no exception....

Thus, you may appreciate that Dad, spending an afternoon making this vegetarian chili with vegetables that he had bought at the farmers market that morning, would only put so much care into a meat-free chili, his dinner, if that chili were darn good. This vegetarian chili is that good. Vegetarian Chili Success It’s excellent! Spicy, flavorful, delicious. Of course, my mother did have to convince Dad that no, we didn’t need steak in addition to the chili, it was to remain a meatless chili—the beans were full of protein....

Vegetarian Lasagna: A Crowd-Pleasing Recipe Be warned, though. This vegetarian spinach and mushroom lasagna is so good your guests may ask for it again and again—for every potluck, for every holiday feast. They’ll get those puppy dog eyes when they look at you and say, “Oh, how about that veggie lasagna, it’s so good, and everyone can eat it—could you bring that?” And you’ll be slightly annoyed because, perhaps you were hoping to squeeze by with a simple potato salad, even though you signed up for a main....

What Is Allspice? Allspice, sometimes called Jamaica pepper or pimento, comes from the allspice tree, a tropical evergreen in the myrtle family that is native to the West Indies and Central America. It features prominently in Caribbean cuisines as well as Middle Eastern and traditional Latin American recipes. Flavor: Tastes like a combination of cloves, cinnamon, and nutmeg How to use: Infuse pickling liquids, broths, and beverages, like mulled cider and wine It was first imported into Europe in the 1600s and, as a result, became a common ingredient in spice blends for European seasonal pastries like German lebkuchen and gingerbread....

And for me, the reigning waffle in the land is the yeasted Belgian waffle. Characteristically taller and thicker with deeper pockets than the average waffle, the Belgian version is the ideal vehicle for syrup, whipped cream, or summertime berries. What’s the Difference Between Belgian and Regular Waffles? Belgian waffle batter is traditionally leavened with yeast (like this recipe) but there are recipes out there that just use baking powder and soda....

What would make them happy is a dessert worthy of a 5-star restaurant made at home so they can enjoy it in their recliner. This year, treat Dad to a dessert that he doesn’t have to pay six bucks a serving for. This extensive list has some unique sweets as well as some beloved classics that any Pop would be happy to scoop up bite after bite. Lighter fare desserts like parfaits are easily adjustable to fruits that are available in your markets....

These 19 last minute party snacks and appetizers are just the thing when you want to gather, but don’t have a lot of time to plan. You’ll find recipes that range from entirely unfussy to just a bit fancy. And all of them are easy enough to do an hour or so before guests arrive. Since it’s always nice to have a few festive tricks up your sleeve, here are some ideas to get the party started....