Pies and soufflés: these are two dishes that can try even the most experienced cook. Berry pies can be especially challenging, since the high water content of cherries, strawberries, blueberries, and blackberries often leads to a big, leaky mess once you cut into your beautifu ...more
Dried fruit makes a great, healthy snack by itself, and it's a nice addition to both sweet and savory dishes. Most people assume you have to have a dehydrator to make it at home, but you don't really need one unless you plan on drying fruit pretty frequently. Your oven does th ...more
If you love sitting poolside with a slice of watermelon, then I've got a real treat for you. Picture yourself cooling off with a slice of juicy watermelon topped with fresh ingredients like soft cheeses, herbs, and fresh summer fruits. Watermelon pizza is a wondrous thing—a c ...more
Watermelon is the perfect snack for hot temperatures. It's hydrating, crisp, and refreshing, especially when it's chilled. Yet some people aren't content with leaving a good thing alone, which has given us many watermelon-based innovations, some great (vodka-filled watermelons ...more
Tomatoes are the perfect barometer for kitchen knives and knife skills. If you've ever watched an infomercial for a set of knives, you've surely seen the enthusiastic host waxing about how well the knives cut tomatoes. And if you've ever had your knives sharpened, you've most ...more
We like to think of ourselves as caprese connoisseurs. When we made our first batch of the iconic tomato salad, we became obsessed with the classic combo of fresh basil, sweet tomatoes, and creamy mozzarella cheese. But after a while, we wanted more than just the basic, layere ...more
A whole grilled pineapple is the perfect party dessert. It's beautiful, provides a natural centerpiece before you eat it, and can be sliced right on the spot and served with a dollop of ice cream. (Fresh mint leaves and a splash of liqueur on top taste pretty good, too.) Plus ...more
When it is too hot to use an oven but you want to have a dessert for a summer party, you can very easily make your own no-bake cake out of watermelon, whipped cream, chopped almonds, and fresh fruit. Simply slice off the top and bottom of a mini seedless watermelon so that it ...more
Several years ago, I moved to Brooklyn, New York, just outside a Spanish neighborhood. It was here that I was introduced to chayote. Fast-forward to present day: I live in Los Angeles and buy several chayote squash a week to cook with—yes, I said several. It's so versatile and ...more
Watermelons scream summer like no other fruit, and there's nothing like biting into a sweet one on a hot summer day. Although there's no exact right way to cut watermelon, there are many occasions when you might not want to cut it into wedges. It may be the classic cut, but th ...more
Few summertime drinks are as sweet, tart, and refreshing as lemonade. It can cool off even the hottest day and help you relax poolside, on the beach, or just sitting around the house. Don't Miss: Add a Burst of Flavor to Your Drinks with Fruity Ice Cubes Although basic lemo ...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
Whether it's college football, the NFL, basketball, soccer, or baseball, sporting events are prime opportunities to entertain. No matter what the sport, food that's easy to eat is a must. Your guests should be able to mingle, eat, and talk trash... all at the same time! So a m ...more
I used to brag that I could make a swan out of an apple, but chicks don't dig swans—they dig roses. So now I'm going to brag about making apple roses, because you would, too, if you could get them to look like this: Now that's an apple tart that will win the ladies over. (And ...more
Summertime means lots of parties, picnics, and barbecues—and wherever a group of fun-loving adults can be found basking in the sun's rays, delicious cocktails are sure to flow freely. The larger the party, however, the more glasses there are to keep track of. That leads to a ...more
One of the hottest trends in the food world right now is "spiralized" vegetables. I will confess that I am a bit suspicious of any diet or food fad that eliminates an entire food group for anything other than physician-ordered health reasons, but something really good has foll ...more
Listen, I'm not disparaging using really good knives—they can literally change your life, or at the very least, the way you work in the kitchen. However, there are many cutting and slicing tasks where you're better off using a sturdy pair of kitchen shears rather than a chef's ...more
You probably already know that cooking involves a ton of chemistry. Bread rises because of the reaction between the flour and leavener, and the delicious crust on your steak is formed by the Maillard reaction. Understanding the chemistry going on behind the scenes is one of th ...more
I have to confess: my egg slicer has been neglected ever since I bought it. I had ambitious dreams of using it to slice perfectly symmetrical slivers of hard-boiled egg into my salads... but the truth is, once I tucked it into a kitchen drawer, I completely forgot about it. Th ...more
We like to have a variety of cupcakes on hand when we're entertaining, but we don't want to spend too much time making separate recipes. No one has the time or the money for that—especially when you're hosting and you've got a bevy of other dishes to prepare. The cheap and ea ...more
During the summer, fresh strawberries are everywhere: at your neighborhood farmers market and in many desserts like strawberry shortcake and strawberry rhubarb pie, to name just a couple. Bringing home a few baskets of the ruby red fruit always seems like a good idea... until ...more
As a child, you probably spent some time trailing an adult at the grocery store. You lovingly eyed the aisle with brightly colored fruit snacks, reaching for the tempting boxes, placing them discreetly in the cart only to be told, "No! That's JUNK FOOD. You can't have it." Do ...more
A cold drink on a hot day is a welcome sight; but a cold drink with ice-encased fruit is both both refreshing and irresistible. Fruit-infused cubes give water a burst of flavor, dress up cocktails or iced tea, add elegance to punch bowls, and will impress everyone. They're al ...more
Keeping apples or avocados from browning after being cut is impossible; within minutes of being exposed to air, these fruits (yes, avocado is a fruit) begin to brown. No matter what you try—adding lemon juice, keeping the pits in place, immediately sealing the produce in an ai ...more
I grew up in a rural town, and that meant that we dehydrated a lot of food. Even with a hungry family of five, there was no way that we could eat all of the season's tomatoes before they molded, or all of the orchard's apples before they grew soft, or all of the wild mushrooms ...more
We've told you how a rice cooker can work as a DIY sous vide machine and make amazing risotto the lazy way, but did you know that it can also make pancakes, bread, mashed potatoes, and poached fruit? Rice Cooker Pancakes Of course, when we say "pancake," it's more like a lit ...more
The best sangria I ever had in my life was made by a Spanish friend for my birthday party. The ingredients included a giant box of Franzia red, one bottle of Bombay Sapphire Blue, one cup of sugar, a liter of 7-Up, and some cinnamon sticks. She put everything but the 7-Up in a ...more
How many of us actually drink enough water? It's one of the easiest ways to improve your health, but most people don't get nearly as much as they should. We've grown so accustomed to soda, coffee, and sugary juices that water just seems bland by comparison. That's why drinks l ...more
When a headache strikes, I reach for the nearest painkiller. Forget closing my eyes, laying down, or even applying an ice pack—I seek the quickest and most immediate relief possible, and normally that comes in the form of pills. However, fast relief can be found from another, ...more
Avocados aren't just having a moment—they're having an extended stay in the spotlight. From mainstays like guacamole to buzz-worthy variations of avocado toast, this silky green fruit is the Hulk of the food world right now. I, for one, welcome any avo-centric trend with open ...more
Summer means watermelon. Juicy, pink-fleshed, and ever-so-tasty, this pepo is a seasonal sensation. But while cost effective, purchasing a whole, large watermelon can lead to melon monotony and maybe even a rotting rind in the fridge. To keep that from ever happening, here are ...more
The freezer section at your local grocery store may have plenty of popsicle flavors, but they're mostly going to be the same old fruit-flavored varities you've been shoving in your mouths for years. None of those will truly get your tastebuds rolling like some creative homemad ...more
Edible bowls are glorious for plenty of reasons. They create fewer dishes, they're pretty to look at, and, well... you can eat them. There are many different options out there you can choose, like bacon cups, hollowed out apples, and molded hash browns, but these are 6 persona ...more
In many places, May has given way to a surplus of strawberries cluttering the produce aisle. These sweet berries are great in a wide variety of delicious baked goods, from pies to cakes and everything in between. Don't Miss: The Secret to Making Strawberries Taste Like Candy ...more
When it's frigid outside, all you can think about is getting inside and shutting out the cold. But sometimes even the largest house can get a bit, well, stuffy. One of the best ways to make the most of the situation is by making mulled cider in your slow cooker. Start the mul ...more
For those who like grilling fruit and desserts in general, we take it up a notch with this great video tutorial that shows you how to make a great dish from cooking Peaches directly on hot coals. In this recipe, rather than halving the fruit first and making that familiar cha ...more
Avocado is great in guacamole or as slices on a sandwich, but there's so much more you can do with this wonderful fruit (call it a vegetable, that's fine—but it's technically a fruit). While I could eat guac every single day, these are some of my favorite recipes to spice up a ...more
Your grater and microplane may look like single-purpose tools, but they're actually one of the most diverse appliances in your kitchen. Sure, everyone knows to use a grater on cheese and a microplane on citrus zest, but why stop there? Here are 10 things you may not have thoug ...more
A good chef's knife is a thing of beauty and, with proper care, a joy forever. It can totally change the way you cook and turn even the dullest prep work into a glee-filled task. I once spent a happy, messy afternoon turning beef and beets into a credible Russian borscht with ...more
I love pomegranates. I don't even mind the mind-numbing task of picking out the arils (which is what those ruby-colored seed-like things in the pomegranate are called). However, I'm always on the lookout for new, easy ways to peel it that don't make my kitchen look like a crim ...more
Grilled meat may be a staple of summer barbecues, but grilled cheese should have a place at your outdoor feast as well. I don't mean taking a slice or two of cheese, slapping it between two pieces of bread, and putting it in a pan to create a grilled cheese sandwich. No, I mea ...more
When it comes to your baby and your time, nothing but the best and most efficient will do. These high standards carry through every aspect of your life as a new parent, from diapers to strollers and especially to food. Luckily, making your own baby food isn't as complicated a ...more
Lemons and limes might be among the most useful fruits in the kitchen and even beyond. Their bright, tart flavor livens up just about any dish, while their mildly acidic nature makes them incredibly useful when you want to clean your house safely. We already knew lemons were g ...more
Believe it or not, you can put your money to use very efficiently in a new way: your credit or debit card can serve as a blade in desperate situations. (It might even be handier than dental floss as a brilliant substitution for specialized kitchen tools.) While I wouldn't take ...more
To optimize your day, chug down 16 ounces of water first thing in the morning. Your body is already dehydrated after a full night's sleep, and studies have shown that drinking water immediately after you wake up increases your metabolism by a significant amount for the first 9 ...more
Using a metal or silicone muffin tin, you can bake, freeze, or whip up a wide variety of snacks, appetizers, and desserts that aren't just cupcakes and muffins. They can be savory appetizers or single-portion meals, like meatloaves, quiches, pizzas, and mini-lasagnas. Or, the ...more
Autumn is a time of year when everything looks, smells, and tastes good. The scents of cinnamon and spices are everywhere you go, and even the dead leaves that fall off the trees are pretty. In particular, the fruits and vegetables of the season are gorgeous. But let's get se ...more
Apples are great snacks, and they're often paired with peanut butter or sliced cheese for a well-rounded energy boost of carbs, fat, and protein. The apples are an important part of the equation, as they are low-calorie and full of vitamins, nutrients, fiber, and lots of other ...more
A few years ago I went hog-wild trying to achieve a zero-waste lifestyle. I didn't succeed, but the experiment taught me that we throw away things we could—and should—be using more. In ye olde days of our forefathers, people generally used every part of the animal in cooking. ...more
When I first started cooking, if I saw lemon juice or zest in a recipe, I almost always left it out. Unless it was a main component, I never thought it made much of a difference in the overall flavor of the dish, but I couldn't have been more wrong. Citrus fruits can make a w ...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
Lemons, limes, and even oranges compliment a wide variety of both food and drink: gin and tonic, poached salmon, shrimp cocktails, fajitas, and so on. And you can easily step up your hosting game by making citrus garnishes: a presentation that is both elegant and interesting. ...more
Baking thinly sliced salami in the oven changes it to an awesome and savory crispy snack. They're dippable, crowd-pleasing, and healthier than your average slice of salami —the amount of oil that drains from each slice is a little scary! These high-protein crisps have lots of ...more
How to do the sliced banana magic trick! Fool your friends and be the life of the party with this awesome magic trick! This video will show you how to cut a banana before you even peel it! All that you will need for this cool trick is a needle and a banana. Video: . Step 1: Ge ...more
Candles can be pretty expensive, which is why most of you probably resort to flashlights during a power outage. But when your batteries run out, you're out of luck, unless you know one of these methods for making a DIY emergency candle out of household junk. In this video, I ...more
Brains? If you've ever played Plants vs. Zombies, then you already know that brains are a delightful treat for our undead brethren. For those of us still living, we can still indulge in some brain-related dining for Halloween next week. If you're holding a dinner party or just ...more
Even the most unadventurous eaters can usually be coaxed to take a bite of an exotic fruit (except, perhaps, the notoriously stinky durian). After all, fruit is sweet, juicy, and filled with natural sugars. Don't Miss: Bite into Black Sapote, the Chocolate Pudding Fruit So d ...more
Cooks both humble and great are constantly trying to figure out how to get the most juice out of lemons and limes. Why? Because they add so much freaking flavor to everything and are endlessly useful in cooking. Sometimes, it's even a matter of squeezing the most out of your m ...more
To the best of my recollection, Fruit Ninja was one of the first touchscreen games that appeared to really take advantage of the new paradigm of user input, turning the player's finger into a produce-slicing katana. At first blush, the latest title from Halfbrick Studios, mak ...more
Tender is the name of the game when it comes to cooking damn delicious meat, but achieving that succulent texture isn't always easy. Thanks to the folks over at Cook's Illustrated, though, we now know there's a simple, foolproof trick to take when tackling meat tenderness... ...more