Fine tip pens and spiral-bound planners help organize my jumble of ideas. Here are the goals I set for the new school year: I’m excited to get started! One way to make these goals a reality is to adjust my meal plan strategy. My younger son loves to eat leftovers, so having an extra serving that he can put in his lunch makes his job easier. Do you want to add quick, homemade recipes to your repertoire?...
Preparing the steak sous vide also ensures tender and succulent bulgogi, no matter what cut of meat you use. What Is Bulgogi? Bulgogi is a general term that literally means “fire meat.” It’s Korean barbecue at its most basic and usually involves beef that’s thinly sliced, marinated, and then quickly sautéed or grilled over high heat. Bulgogi has a complex flavor due to the marinade and sauce. Depending on who is making it and what goes into it, the finished dish can range from slightly sweet to very spicy....
Mounds of spaghetti, fork twirling strands in a spoon, tasty meatballs, trying to lift just the right amount from the bowl—these are some of my favorite memories from childhood. This particular spaghetti and meatballs recipe was given to us by Rick Mindermann of our local Italian grocery store Corti Brothers. Rick is one of these walking encyclopedias of food knowledge, whose enthusiasm for all things food and cooking is infectious....
When my 9-year old visiting nephew proclaimed, “Hey, this chicken is good!,” we knew we had a keeper! I’ve since made this recipe several times, with great results. Note the reader comments. People have subbed almonds and walnuts for the cashews, and parsley for the cilantro. Great for a summer cookout! Use gloves when handling jalapeños (or a plastic sandwich bag), or coat your hands with a little oil first, before cutting the peppers, and then wash hands with warm soap and water after....
Any and every kind of leftover can go inside a warm tortilla, usually with a healthy dose of pickled jalapenos. I can always sniff out a late-night snacker when the aroma of tortillas heating in a hot pan on the stove comes wafting through the house. Today’s tacos are more purposeful a deliberate meal instead of a secretive midnight snack! First, I marinate the chicken briefly in a spicy paste of ancho chile powder, oregano, cumin, and sweet orange juice while the grill is heating....
Food waste in the kitchen has always been a concern for me, but the pandemic brought new awareness to the matter. I felt more connected to the new CSA—we got an email the day before the pickup with a note from the farmer giving us updates on how the weather affected his crops so the thought of wasting what I knew was grown with care and a whole lot of effort was palpable....
This soup makes for some crazy-amazing comfort food. Not only is it vegan and gluten-free, but you won’t believe something so quick and easy can taste so amazing. The clever combo of sweet potatoes, canned tomatoes, Swiss chard, and creamy almond butter results in a righteous ride that will make you weak at the knees. Cauliflower rice makes this dish low in carbs, but you can also serve this stew with any grain you prefer....
A big jar of sweet and salty three-seed granola will keep everyone happy. Serve this granola for breakfast, eat it anytime of the day as a snack or sprinkle it over ice cream for dessert. What is Sweet and Salty Three-Seed Granola? With maple syrup, brown sugar, olive oil, and two kinds of salt this granola hops the fence from sweet to salty and back again. Like a bag of potato chips, it’ll have you coming back for more....
A few weeks ago I had some leftover olive tapenade from another cooking experiment and decided to toss it in with the sautéing chard. Wow, what a combo! We’re used to cooking up our greens with bacon, the bacon countering the bitterness of the greens. Well, oddly the olives and capers seem to do the same thing here, providing an earthy richness and a perky saltiness to balance the bitter of the green....
While drip coffee makers are relatively compact, they can vary in size, so consider your counter space and measure the space between your counter and cabinets. There’s also a wide variety of features available from simple 24-hour programming to built-in grinders, so determine what features you can’t live without. After conducting our own research, our top pick is the Braun BrewSense 12-Cup Drip Coffee Maker for easy-to-use programs and delicious coffee....
That’s why we’ve always had an appreciation for the bento box, a Japanese take on single-portion food containers. They can be used for a picnic, hiking trips, takeout, and of course, as a lunchbox. While you can opt for your food to be stored in one large compartment, many bento boxes are divided into smaller compartments. This is because “they usually contain a variety of goodies in one box,” explains Junya Watanabe, chef-partner of Matsuoka, a Japanese restaurant in San Diego....
Of course, having exposed blades means mandolines are inherently a little dangerous to have around. While many have handguards, more than a few of those are somewhat ineffective. One way to keep safe in the kitchen is to simply fold a clean kitchen towel and use that to protect your fingers while you glide the food along the slicer. To figure out which blades produce even slices and the handguards that are actually hazardous, Lindsey Danis tested our picks in her kitchen and updated this list....
When shopping for a pastry wheel, think about what you’ll be using it for and whether you need a fluted edge, a straight edge, or both. For instance, are you simply looking have a handy tool to neatly cut your dough to fit into your pan? Or are you also looking to level up your pies with a lattice top, or make your own ravioli? Also important: Look for something that’s comfortable to hold and easy to clean....
Peelers come in several different designs, and what works best for you often comes down to personal preference and what feels right in your hand. “As a former caterer who’s tried a variety of peelers over the years, I always reach for my classic straight edge peeler,” says Julie Blanner, creative editor and director of a lifestyle and cooking blog. “I appreciate the control I can get with a traditional peeler....
The cookware’s signature narrow base allows you to stir-fry with very little oil due to its traditionally thin construction, whether that’s carbon steel or stainless steel. Its unique design also means the wok is hotter at the bottom than it is on the sides, which means different heat zones so that all components of your dish—and a wok can hold a lot—can be cooked evenly. And lest you think the wok is a specialized piece of cookware, stir-fry isn’t the only thing it can do....
These golden yellow (and sometimes purple) versions of green beans are harvested young, and are sweet and tender. Here is a simple way to prepare them, with the subtle flavor of a mint infusion. How To Store and Prep Wax Beans Store wax beans, unwashed, in your refrigerator’s crisper for 3 to 5 days. When you’re ready to use the beans, rinse them under cool running water, and trim the stem ends....
Canola oil, also known as rapeseed oil, is one of the most recognized and easy to find. It’s an all-purpose cooking oil made from the seeds of the rape plant that’s well-suited for baking, sautéing, frying, and deep-frying. The vegetable oil is featured in everything from tender muffins and cakes to crispy onion rings and quick stir-frys. However, there is a lot of confusion that surrounds this particular cooking oil....
What Is the Difference Between Chicken Nuggets and Chicken Tenders? Not all breaded and fried chicken pieces are the same: classic chicken tenders should be made from the chicken breast’s tender (more on that below), while nuggets are primarily made from the ground and processed chicken meat including breast and thigh meat that is then formed into nuggets, dinos, and even rings. Chicken Tenders: Actually a Special Cut of Chicken! For most eaters there is little difference between tenders and fingers; after all, they both have a crispy breading with a long finger-like shape and are made from chicken....
I’ve always been a fan of wild rice, and yes, I know it’s not actually a rice, nor, for the most part, is it wild. It’s an edible grass, and most of what we eat is farmed from the Upper Midwest to California, although real wild rice can be had if you look. Wild rice is nuttier, firmer and murkier-tasting than white or brown rice—perfect for game, especially turkey. And what better way to serve wild rice with turkey than as a dressing?...
Yet I still make my to-do list the same way the very next morning! Until I morph into Superwoman, it’s just not going to happen. Fortunately, I’ve learned to stay realistic about dinner. This week, we’re using time-tested assists like the slow cooker, plus leaning on a light and quickly simmered soup, and the most favorite of my personal Hail Mary meals: Big Salad. Whether KISS means “keep it simple, stupid” or just a 70s glam-metal band, keeping dinner simple is one way to stay grounded....
