Fondant is a type of smooth, thick, yet pliable icing that can be made in sheets to decorate cakes, cookies, and cupcakes. Because it's effectively the polymer clay of the cake decorating world, it holds its shape very well, which means you can employ it to create complex flow ...more
This how-to video is about how to make the classic Filipino dessert - The cassava cake. Ingredients required: 1)Grated cassava 2)Coconut milk 3)Evaporated milk 4)Condensed milk 5)Grated cheese 6)Melted butter 7)Sugar 8)3 eggs Procedure: This cake has be prepared in t ...more
Even as someone with super pale skin that burns instead of tanning, I don't use sunscreen nearly as often as I should. Or, uh...ever. My skin cancer prevention routine mostly involves hiding from the sun as much as humanly possible. If you're like me and hate the greasy feelin ...more
Lettuce is not just for salads, it's a versatile green that you can use in hundreds of different ways. So many people in America toss their lettuce when it starts to wilt, thinking that it's too far gone to make a nice, crisp salad. But you can cook with lettuce like you would ...more
You want to limit anything that gets in the way of drinking your beer, so use these tips to get rid of that extra foam. You Will Need Olive oil or cooking oil Foamy beer A spoon WARNING: Don't drink unless you're of legal age. Drink responsibly, and never drink and drive. ...more
Tonic water, seltzer water, club soda, and mineral water: these 4 types of "bubbly water" are often, erroneously, used interchangeably. But the truth is that each possesses unique qualities and uses that set them apart from each other. Most experts can tell types of bubbly wat ...more
Prefer a clear, hand-rubbed, "antique" finish to the shiny or satin sheen of varnishes? Then you will want to use a tung oil-based topcoat applied over an oil-based stain when you are staining or refinishing your special piece of furniture. Tung oil is an easy-to-use transpar ...more
Sure, you can buy Rice Krispies or something similar - but making your own puffed rice at home is not too difficult, and is much healthier! This techinque works with any starch. Fully cook your rice, and then dry it out (it usually needs about 24 hours to dry completely). Then ...more
Approximately 380 billion plastic bags are used in the United States every year. That’s more than 1,200 bags per U.S. resident and more than 54 times the number of people who live on the planet. That's why here in Santa Monica, thanks to a city-wide plastic bag ban, you won't ...more
When we tell folks how often we use apple cider vinegar, they are baffled and bewildered. "I've had a bottle sitting in my pantry for 10 years," is the response we encounter most. And "I never use it!" Some have never even used apple cider vinegar at all in their lifetime, bel ...more
Last week, I showed you why your refrigerator is one of the best tools in the kitchen when it comes to saving money and preserving food at its tastiest. But did you know your freezer is another underutilized ally in the cooking game? Chances are, you've been using your freeze ...more
Oatmeal may not be the most exciting breakfast option in the world, but in uncooked form the oats can be used to neutralize odors in your refrigerator, relieve your dog's itchy skin, soak up kitchen oil spills and treat your poison ivy or chicken pox itch. Sick of cooking oat ...more
It goes without saying that a pizza stone is one of the keys to making a perfect pizza. The science behind pizza stones is relatively simple: the stone conducts and holds heat, which keeps the oven temperature steady even when a cold ingredient (such as an uncooked pizza) is i ...more
Cooking spray is super convenient to have around, but it can be expensive compared to regular old oil, and sometimes comes with some nasty sounding additives like dimethylpolysiloxane and dimethyl silicone. Making your own couldn't be simpler, and with a DIY version, you can ...more
Leaving scissors wet or forgetting them outside can cause them to rust. Rusty scissors, if you can even open them, will leave brown marks on everything you attempt to cut through. Attempt is the truth—rust dulls the blades of the scissors making it virtually impossible to cut ...more
Sometimes the idea of cooking fish, especially for a group of guests, can be intimidating. There's the fear of the fish not cooking right, or sticking to the pan or grill. And even if you cook it right and the fish doesn't stick, you're left with the inevitable fishy-smelling ...more
Cooking spray is something of a gross necessity. The slimy, oddly-scented grease is perfect for keeping casserole dishes crust-free, but the oil splatter does a number on clean kitchen counters, and the lecithin ingredient can ruin nonstick cookware if not careful. Despite th ...more
If there ever was a day to eat green candy, St. Patrick's Day would be it. But is there something better than the banality of green candy swarming the streets on St. Patty's Day? Yes—glowing green candy, and Instructables user BrittLiv wants us to show you how it's done. She ...more
Pickles come in all shapes, sizes, and names (gherkins in the UK, cornichons in France). There are even crazy flavors such as koolickles—dill pickles soaked in a mixture of Kool-Aid and brine, an American South favorite. Whatever sort of pickle tickles your fancy, you can coun ...more
It's not just about a pretty twist of lemon peel; it's about the lemon zest and the citrusy oil, and all of that nestling in your glass and interacting with your cocktail's ingredients, says CHOW. This is an important technique for bartenders. Learn how to make the perfect lem ...more
While you can go to the doctor to have an unsightly mole professionally removed, there is a good chance that a DIY home remedy can reduce or completely eliminate the appearance of your mole using items found in your kitchen or medicine cabinet for a much cheaper price. For an ...more
Chicken breasts have gotten a bad rap. Dry, flavorless, boring... poor white meat gets no love, and dark meat gets all of the credit for being sinfully flavorful and delicious. But the truth is, even though chicken breasts are lower in fat and calories, they can also be incred ...more
Whether you want to prevent your cat from scratching up the couch or deter stray cats from using your front yard as their personal litter box, a DIY cat repellent spray can go a long way in keeping unwanted furry guests away. For a super-easy recipe, simply boil orange peels ...more
Now that we are in the thick of flip-flop and sandal weather, it is important to make sure that you are taking good care of your feet. Specifically, to treat the bottom of your heels if they are starting to get cracked and dry. Cracked heels can occur when the bottom of your ...more
Don't like mincing garlic into tiny pieces with a knife? No matter how you mince garlic, it will never be as easy as this kitchen trick. You won't even need a knife—just a fork! It's a great hack for kids just learning how to cook or if you only need about one or two cloves fo ...more
Contrary to popular belief, sushi is not the raw fish that one gets at Japanese restaurants, but the rice that comes with it. It's hard to tell whether this popular misconception led to or came about because of the primary flavors that we think of in sushi are the fish. We oft ...more
Infiniti is like no other car, it has emotion, it has soul, it inspires. There's a difference between being physically transported and emotionally moved, and you can tell them apart when you sit inside this magnificent automobile. Although the Infiniti is like a dream car, it ...more
A lot of fruits start to turn colors once they've been cut due to an enzyme called polyphenol oxidase that turns the fruit colors when it's exposed to oxygen. You can prevent this reaction in apples with a honey-water bath, but what about avocados? Many claim that leaving the ...more
Want to sear the perfect restaurant-quality steak in the comforts of your own kitchen? Use a cast iron skillet. Though cast iron skillets requires more care and maintenance than your run-of-the-mill frying pan, they can do so much more and last you for a lifetime. Cast iron ...more
Is your zipper stuck on your favorite sweatshirt or jacket? It's not a lost cause! Fix a stuck zipper with just a few household items. You Will Need: • Tweezers • A pencil • Bar soap • Lip balm • Petroleum jelly • Olive oil • A cotton swab Step 1: Start Tugging Gently tug ...more
Will the predicted apocalyptic date—December 21st, 2012—really be the end of the world? In this ongoing five-part series, we examine what would happen if zombies, nuclear weapons, cyber wars, earthquakes, or aliens actually destroyed our planet—and how you might survive. End ...more
Cleanliness is next to godliness. My interpretation of that age-old adage means that keeping your house clean is just as un-fun and boring as being a goody two shoes. That's why they call things like laundry and doing dishes "chores," I assume. Yuck. Lucky for you, though, we ...more
It's universally known that broccoli, kale, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, and all cruciferous vegetables (also known as brassicas) are good for you—but you probably don't know exactly how good they really are. A recent study by Johns Hopkins University and the University of ...more
If you've ever turned on an episode of Iron Chef or Top Chef, chances are you've seen a contestant in gloves and goggles, yielding a canister that looks far more fit for a chemistry lab than for a kitchen. Wonder what's in the canister? Liquid nitrogen, the go-to tool/ingredie ...more
A butcher block table (or counter) is a solid, wooden table. Originating in butcher shops (hence the name), this has become a popular household item. Butcher block tables and counters are durable and attractive looking. The downside of butcher block is that the wood is so poro ...more
This sounds a little crazy, and it is—in a good way. Cooking food in the dishwasher while it cleans your dishes multitasks your appliance and saves time and energy. And who doesn't want to spend less time over a hot stove? How Dishwasher Cooking Works Most dishwashers wash on ...more
Dry gobi manchurian, aka Cauliflower manchurian, is a tantalizing Indian Chinese appetizer and very different from the gravy version. The cauliflower has a crispy coating and is tossed with a mouth-watering spicy sauce. It can be picked up with a toothpick or fork and enjoyed ...more
There are tons of ways to make simple DIY lamps out of things you have lying around at home. If you've got an empty container, (even an orange or tuna can), there's probably a way to upcycle it into a lamp of some sort, and they can come in handy if you ever lose power. After ...more
This is the easiest cookie batch you'll ever bake, I promise. And no, take-and-bake cookie dough doesn't count. With this recipe, it'll take you less than 20 minutes to go from your sad, cookie-less life to cookies in your absolute favorite flavor... of cake. You see, this "r ...more
Tater tots have a bad rap as a soggy cafeteria staple, but bake them at home and they crisp up nicely in the oven. Drain any unwanted oil from them on paper towels and they become perfectly crunchy on the outside and fluffy on the inside. They're also highly underrated as an ...more
Like any good video game these days, controversy is a must, and that's exactly what Homefront provides. It's a good old-fashioned, controversial hot potato—isn't that the way war always is? It plays out like this: North Korea faces sanctions from the United Nations on nuclea ...more
The OnePlus 5 doesn't have too many weak spots, at least not when you consider the price. But you might feel that the company with the slogan, "Never Settle," might have actually settled a bit with its camera. The OnePlus 5 and 5T don't have bad imaging specs, but they could u ...more
Ever since the much-lauded effects of the Mediterranean diet became widely known, people have been buying olive oil by the gallon. A diet that prevents heart disease, is based on fresh, seasonal foods, and includes a tasty as hell fat like olive oil? Duh—that's a no-brainer. ...more
People tend to skip toasting nuts in recipes or before adding them to salads because it seems time-consuming and the margin for error is high. However, skipping this step is a big mistake. Why? Because when you skip toasting your nuts (go ahead, you can laugh, we're all doing ...more
Right now is that magical time of year when the general public decides to embrace their inner fattie and get baking in the kitchen. Hello, pies and cakes and cookies and everything carbs. Goodbye, diets—see you in the next year, when you cripple us with unbridled guilt and lon ...more
Oil is vital to maintaining the health of your engine, but if it's leaving the areas of the car where it's needed it can cause major damage. Watch this video to learn how to diagnose whether a misfire is being caused by a cracked cylinder head or leaking head gasket allowing o ...more
Most wood furniture is long-lasting, durable, and resistant to great wear and tear over the years. However, set a single sweaty, wet cup or bottle on the surface of your favorite wood dining table, or your prominently placed wooden coffee table, and you'll end up with a round ...more
Gatorade: its popular red flavor can stain the whitest fabric, and its sweet taste is oddly refreshing after breaking a sweat. If you've ever participated in a sport, you probably spent halftime at games and practice breaks chugging the stuff. Though it made its name as a spor ...more
In this tutorial, we learn how to change the oil in your motorcycle. You will need: a drain pan, funnel, oil, screwdriver, filter, and paper towels. First, grab your oil pan and find your drain plug. Then, remove the plug and let the oil drain. After this has drained out, repl ...more
Your waffle maker might just be the most underutilized tool in your kitchen. This one appliance can make bacon, eggs, hash browns, cupcakes, falafel, mac and cheese, and cinnamon rolls much more quickly and with less mess than traditional methods. Plus, the results all come ou ...more
This video gives a step by step tutorial how to service a Peugeot 206 with the 1.4 liter engine. Please note that the video is not in English, but you can follow along by watching the video and following the written instructions below. Work under the car. Change the oil and r ...more
What's a cataplana? It's a delicious Portuguese dish and the cookware it's made in, shaped like a clam. So make sure you have a cataplana before you try out this recipe for Portuguese cataplana. It's super tasty, with lisbon sauce, stew, and seafood! Traditionally, a copper c ...more
When you sauté kale, it tends to retain all of its nutritional value, whereas boiling and steaming kale will kill the vitamin-enriched goodness. So, this simple kale side dish should be in every cook's recipe box. Kale by itself has a rather bitter flavor, but when cooked in s ...more
The original Kit Kat was a mutton pie served at a political club in London during the 18th century, which is quite different than the chocolatey version we're familiar with today. Kit Kat bars have been around since 1911, are produced in 13 countries, and have been sold in ove ...more
Creating a haunted house for Halloween was a big deal when I was growing up, and the neighborhood kids were always coming up with ways to try and out-do each other when it came to this frightful night. One beloved game was to blindfold the participants and play the Withered Co ...more
Hash browns are a breakfast staple and for good reason: they're simple, salty, and crispy, and so delicious that you can easily down several servings of them in one sitting. Basically, they're the French fries of breakfast. Despite their simplicity, hash browns can be difficu ...more
If you're looking for a curly hairstyle that doesn't use traditional hair rollers, then twist-flex rods is your solution. Flexi-rod curlers allow you to achieve different types of curls, like spiral curls and loose curls, depending on the size of the twistable, flexible rods. ...more
Early in the morning, there's almost nothing worse than discovering your razor is dull midway through your pre-work routine. No matter how hard you try to preserve those precious blades, it can seem like they're dull every time you reach for the razor. With one, seconds-long s ...more
As a kid, my mother would always bring the noodles onto the table in a colander, then bring the pot of sauce she cooked separately. So I grew up with the idea that pasta and sauce were two separate entities that you combined table-side, and continued to eat pasta that way well ...more
The best thing since the creation of bread may just be... sliced bread. Soft bread slices have the perfect absorbent texture for picking up tiny pieces of broken glass, gently cleaning dust off your precious oil paintings, and even safely removing splinters from your finger wh ...more