As good as they were (and they were really good!), I don’t want to turn on the oven for eight hours and hang around to stir them every once in a while. (Maybe next time I’ll try cooking the beans in a pressure cooker!) That’s what makes this stovetop recipe using canned beans so appealing. It tastes like they were made completely from scratch, but they are ready in forty minutes or less with very little hands-on time....

Esquites, also known as elote en vaso, is a very special way to prepare corn in Mexico. White Mexican corn kernels are gently fried in butter, then cooked with epazote leaves (an herb) and chiles. Once the pot of corn releases its distinctive sweet aroma, it is ready to serve with a variety of toppings. Traditionally served hot in plastic or Styrofoam cups with some of the cooking liquid, the esquites is topped with mayo, a dollop of crema, ground chiles, a good amount of lime juice, a sprinkle of queso cotija, and a generous dash of spicy salsa....

Galangal holds a special place in many Asian cuisines, including Cambodian, Indian, Chinese, Thai, Indonesian, and Vietnamese foods. Popular applications of the ingredient include tom yum and tom kha gai, soups consumed in Thailand and Laos, and Soto ayam, a traditional Indonesian chicken soup. Another common way to cook with the ingredient is to steep galangal in water for tea. Galangal vs. Ginger Despite belonging to the same family, there are significant differences in appearance, flavor, and texture between galangal and ginger....

Tips for Successful Gluten-Free Baking When a gluten-free bread or baked good doesn’t taste quite right, it’s usually because of the texture. Gluten is an elastic protein found in wheat (and barley and rye) that gives structure and a satisfying chewiness. Without it, gluten-free baked goods have the potential to be dense, crumbly, and disappointing even if the flavor is on point. But they don’t have to be! With the right recipe, you can end up with a final product that is just as good or, dare I say, even better than the gluten-filled version....

It’s sweet, tart, and all too easy to sip. Enjoy it for happy hour on the porch, or even as part of a lazy weekend brunch! What’s a Gold Rush Cocktail and What’s in It? A Gold Rush is a simple whiskey-based cocktail that was created at the now-closed New York City bar, Milk & Honey, in the mid-2000s by T.J. Siegel.The cocktail is essentially a riff on a classic Whiskey Sour, which is made with a whiskey, be it bourbon, rye, or even Scotch, along with lemon juice, simple syrup, egg white, and a dash of Angostura bitters....

Corned beef is essentially beef cured in a salt brine, with some pickling spices for added flavor. It gets its name “corn” from an old English word for grain, or small pieces of hard things the size of grain, such as salt. How Is Corned Beef Made? Over the years, many of my friends have encouraged me to cure my own corned beef, insisting that it wasn’t hard to do, and well worth the effort....

If it’s fig season and you’re meeting my mother for the first time, right after “nice to meet you” you’ll hear, “do you like figs?” with a look of hopeful anticipation. Mom can never find enough neighbors, friends, ladies at the exercise class to give figs to so she dries and freezes some, and with others makes a wonderful fig microwave jam. Microwave jam, what’s that? Mom’s Jamming Secret: The Microwave That, my friends, is the way my mother makes jams....

This taco seasoning is a spice blend that’s smoky and herby. It eliminates the need to pull out multiple spice jars when you get a craving for big, bold flavors. It will cover all the spice bases for your next epic Taco Tuesday. What’s in My Taco Seasoning This taco seasoning begins with chili powder. Chili powder is not spicy. In fact, it’s a blend of spices: ground red chili peppers, oregano, garlic, and sometimes salt....

For such a simple item, there are a lot of factors to consider when selecting a cutting board. A cutting board seems relatively benign, but improper use can make it one of the most bacteria-laden items in a kitchen. Here’s how to choose a cutting board that makes sense for your budget and lifestyle, and how to keep it safe and sanitary. Things to Consider When Choosing a Cutting Board First of all, relax....

But if you follow a vegan diet or you’re thinking of transitioning to one, meal planning can be even more of a lifesaver than it is for omnivores. Here are the major reasons why it can be so helpful to meal plan as a vegan. Why It’s So Helpful to Meal Plan As a Vegan Less ego depletion. As a plant-based eater, you may have spent the day abstaining from non-vegan doughnuts in the breakroom and settling for a side salad at a restaurant lunch....

Here’s how you can do the same and feed your belly, not your trash can. Oxygen and Moisture Are the Enemies of Lettuce Oxygen and excess moisture are the two biggest factors in lettuce rotting. Get your lettuce dry and seal it well to keep oxygen out, and you’ll be surprised at how long it will keep. For Starters, Buy Fresh Lettuce Make sure you’re buying fresh lettuce in the first place....

Let’s cut right to the chase: If you smell or look at a package of raw chicken and it gives you the willies in a way other raw chicken does not, think twice about using it. Bacteria causes spoilage, as I’m sure you know. We’re programmed to worry about salmonella, since salmonella can be present on chicken that looks totally fine. But if you cook chicken to 165°F, it’s safe to eat....

In the summer this issue is compounded since there’s no way I’m turning on my stove or oven just for a quick lunch. This is when I lean heavily on salad kits. You know, the pouches or already-washed lettuces, chopped veggies, toppings, and a weird little packet of dressing. They’re often lined up near the fresh produce, available in a variety of different flavors like Southwestern and Caesar. My preferred bagged salads often come from Trader Joe’s, and the grocery chain switches out flavors fairly regularly....

From amaranth to wheat berries, here are the cooking times and tips to know. How to Cook Grains in the Instant Pot Cooking all manner of grains in the Instant Pot is as easy as adding the grains and water to the pot, closing the lid, then selecting the time at high pressure based on the chart you’ll find at the end of this post. Once the cooking program ends, let the grains rest for 10 minutes then release the pressure, open the pot, fluff with a fork, and enjoy!...

This Juneteenth, I’m going to let you in on a little secret. It is so hard for many Black people to intuitively cook meals just for one. Maybe it has something to do with our lineage. I mean, most of us learn how to cook from our moms, grandmothers, aunties, and other predecessors. And when they cook, they do it big. Sunday dinners, family reunion barbecues, plate lunches after church service, you name it....

Easy Chicken for Two! This chicken is my new favorite dish. It takes almost no prep time, uses one pot and one pan, and tastes dreamy with lots of lemon, herbs, and my favorite green olives! Marinating the chicken in yogurt tenderizes the chicken, while maintaining a relatively neutral flavor. Golden chicken atop a plate of lemony, saucy, pasta is my kind of meal. It tastes great with little effort and its so pretty to look at, too!...

It’s been a long year and we are all ready for a tall glass of lemonade, perhaps an ice-cold cocktail, and an outdoor gathering filled with happy kids running through sprinklers and adults holding plates piled high with grilled hamburgers, summer side salads, and, of course, dessert. Consider us your one-stop shop for grilling guidance, burger recipes for carnivores, pescatarians, flexitarians and vegetarians alike, buns, sauces, sides, and salads. We’ll even throw a few pitcher drinks and sweet treats your way....

The Traditional Ingredients for a Mai Tai Nutty, you say? That’s right. If you’re going to make a proper Mai Tai, the essential ingredient is orgeat (pronounced ohr-zsa, like Zsa Zsa Gabor), a sweet almond syrup made from almonds, sugar, and orange blossom water. The Mai Tai belongs to the family of drinks called sours, which are made with a base spirit, a sweetener, and citrus. A lot of classic drinks are based on the sour, like the vodka sour, the whiskey sour, and the margarita, which is a tequila sour....