They say that ignorance is bliss, and that is exactly how I feel about counting calories. They simply don't exist if I don't check them, right? For those of you who are much healthier than I am, General Electric wants to count them for you, via your microwave!
Chances are you've got a bunch of wooden takeout chopsticks doing nothing but cluttering up your utensils drawer. That's a darned shame, considering that chopsticks aren't just for shoveling food into your mouth—they're actually the best cooking tools a cook can have (plus they come in handy when you run out of extra-long matches). Sautéing, Grilling, Deep Frying, & Stir-Frying
Things smell, and whether or not those things smell good or not is up to you. For lingering food odors on your hands, try using stainless steel or coffee grounds to remove the stench. To de-stink smelly jars, use mustard and water. For cutting boards, use lemons and salt, and use cinnamon and sugar for your funky kitchen. In your fridge, combine baking soda and a sponge, or even just orange peels and salt.
French fries, like mashed or roast potatoes, are the type O blood of the food world—they're compatible with just about everybody. That's why it's so sad to bring home leftover frites (that's French for French fries) and have to toss them out the next day because they don't taste as good when they're reheated. Warning: Do Not Ever, Ever Use Your Microwave
Cleaning a blender thoroughly is a pain in the ass, especially when you try and get all the goop out from underneath the sharp blades without nicking your knuckles. Alas, it is a necessary chore, otherwise you end up with disgusting dried gunk that ends up in your next batch of pureed foods. Fortunately, there's an easier way to get your blender sparkling clean besides using easier-to-clean mason jars as you main jar, and the best part is that the appliance literally does all the work for you.
There's a better way to do just about anything, and it's even more apparent when it comes to shoving food down your throat.
Caramelized onions are one of those ingredients you can add that immediately makes any dish feel a little fancier. They have that delicious savory-sweet combination, they're great in almost anything, and they're surprisingly easy to pull off at home. So why don't more people make them?
Whether you call 'em soda, pop, fizz, or coke, carbonated soft drinks are among the least healthy beverages out there, yet they're consumed by millions of Americans every day. For those of you worried about your health, there are diet and zero-calorie options available, but are they really better for you?
Canned foods aren't only for Doomsday Preppers—they're great for camping trips and super quick meals on the go. When the hunger starts knocking, that can of goodies could be a savior during the Zombie Apocalypse or that day before grocery shopping.
Guacamole is one of those things that tastes far better than it looks. To someone who isn't a huge fan of avocados, guacamole's texture can appear slimy, and on top of that, its chunky green appearance brings up visions of Nickelodeon-style slime. What's even worse is the browning that occurs in just a few minutes of being exposed to air, and it's even worse if there's salt in it. I love guacamole, but that brown is enough to turn off even the most enthusiastic connoisseur. Few things are mor...
Every home cook has their most-hated kitchen task. For me, peeling hard-boiled eggs and garlic are pretty high up there. Actually, peeling just about anything is, but for every annoying job, there's a shortcut to make it easier.
Nachos are one of those foods that are really hard to hate. Cheese, salsa, guacamole, sour cream...what's not to love? They're a favorite at Mexican restaurants, concession stands, and even inspired their own kind of cheese, so what's the downside?
Cheetos fingers is defined as the unpleasant (but mostly pleasant), oddly-colored residue left on the thumb, index finger, and middle finger after ravenously eating through a bag of—you guessed it—Cheetos. It can usually be cleaned up by licking your fingers (my favorite) or washing your hands (boooooo). For the folks who enjoy the latter, Cheetos fingers are an annoyance. As someone who enjoys this idiosyncrasy, I've never quite understood the disgust in getting your fingers all cheesed up.
If you ask me, one of the best things about winter weather is drinking warm beverages to beat the cold. Coffee is my favorite, but hot chocolate is a close second. Whether it's the just-add-water mix from a pack or a spicy homemade Mexican variety, there's something comforting about sipping on warm, liquid chocolate. Looks delicious, doesn't it?
You knew that the food you eat gives you energy, but did you know it can actually power a thermal lance with enough heat to burn through steel? A thermal lance, as in, the tool used to demolish buildings and bridges.
There are plenty of ways to speed up your wireless network at home, some as simple as changing the placement of your router. While you can always buy equipment to boost your signal, there are plenty of cheap or free DIY solutions you can try as well.
Need some creepy visual effects for your alien flick, but don't want to spend a bunch of money? With some pretty basic materials, you can turn an empty aquarium into a "cloud tank," which can be used to create several different atmospheric effects. Before Hollywood started using CGI, cloud tanks were used for scenes in a lot of famous movies. Remember this one? Besides Raiders of the Lost Ark, cloud tanks also helped make some wonderful non-CGI effects in Independence Day, Close Encounters of...
Invented by Philadelphia tinsmith John L. Manson in 1858 for canning and preserving perishables, mason jars are experiencing a major resurgence in the DIY community. In addition to being a handy storage device for both food and non-food items, its old-timey, quaintly antiquated look also makes for good drinking glasses, candle holders, flower vases and eye-pleasing decorations.
As deeply as smartphones are integrated into our daily lives, it's no surprise that people are finding ways to use them to stay healthy. From detecting cancer and radiation to diagnosing STDs, phones have come a long way, baby.
In this video, I show you a technique for hacking a four foot mega magnifying lens out of your old projection TV. Not only are these TVs everywhere, they can be found easily—for FREE!
Valentine's Day is only two weeks away - are you prepared with ample sweets for your sweet? Make sure that dessert is taken care of on Cupid's lovey dovey holiday by baking these easy as cake whoopie pies.
You either hate carrots or you love them. To some, they're super crisp and taste better than chips, while to others they're strictly rabbit food.
Faux bois is a fancy schmancy French term for fake wood. And faux bois prints on furniture, pillows, as wallpaper, and even as ingrained barks of chocolate are all the rage right now.
With Thanksgiving just a week away and Christmas arriving steadily, you're going to inevitably get stuck in the kitchen rolling dough, baking pies, and using a bunch of food processng gadgets.
When we think of holiday songs, usually "White Christmas," Bing Crosby, and lots of fake snow falling on Bing Crosby while he sings "White Christmas" come to mind. Thanksgiving songs are often neglected or get lost in the shuffle during the very Christmas-centered holiday season.
In this video, we learn how to study effectively in college. First of all, make sure you don't have an distractions around you. Find a place where you can study quietly where nobody will bother you and where you won't break your concentration. Find a way to study that works for you, study something that you don't know and write it down to help you remember it better. Try studying alone or with another person, whichever works better for you. Make sure to get enough sleep and eat something befo...
And you thought decorating the cake was hard. Once the last ruffle of icing is piped on and you've crowned your creation with a pretty fondant flower, it's time to bring it to where it needs to go, whether that's a birthday party or simply back home to devour.
In the mood for something exotic tasting tonight? Then look no further than this food video. Press "play" to learn how to whip up a wood grilled peppercorn crusted salmon seasoned with wasabi soy sauce.
What's the difference between grilling on a pan in your kitchen and grilling outside with wood chips? It's definitely not just the surface you cook on that changes.
In this tutorial, we learn how to cook a pumpkin. First, place foil on a baking dish where you will cook the pumpkin. Then, cut the pumpkin in half and scoop out all of the insides out into a bowl. Next, rub olive oil inside the pumpkins and on the outside of them and place onto the baking sheet. Now, bake these in the oven at 375 at the bottom rack in the oven for 30 minutes. Test out to see if their done by sticking a knife in and seeing if it comes out easily. Then, scoop the insides out a...
In this video, we learn how to make rock salt animals with your kids. You can use any kind of animal including a snake or alligator. To start, cut out the shape on a piece of white construction paper. After this, you will need to mix up some water color in a shallow dish. You can make this by mixing up water with some food coloring. Now, dissolve the rock salt into it and then let the child brush the mixture onto the top of the piece of paper. Let this dry overnight, then when finished it wil...
In this tutorial, we learn how to choose the appropriate color for cake decorating. First, spoon your icing into a bowl and then add in a small amount of food coloring. Start to mix this together, then add in additional icing if you want a darker or a brighter color to your icing. Experiment with different colors if you feel comfortable with using different ones. Take a parchment bag and roll it into a full, then stripe up the bag. Then, fill the parchment with some icing and this will create...
In this tutorial, we learn how to make a homemade compost tumbler. Find a large barrel and mount it on a wood frame. You can use recycled materials, like an old pickle barrel if you can find one. There should be an axle in the middle of the wooden posts that runs through the tumbler as well. There should be a pipe in the middle bottom of the barrel to run air through, that will exit through the top where the handles are at. The aeration system will help your compost work properly, so you can ...
In this video, we learn how to create a marbleized water look with icing. This is a colorful and eye catching way to put icing on a cake to make a memorable piece! First, spoon your icing into a small bowl and then make a rice cereal treat and shape it into a circle. To start to decorate this, you will pipe on green icing to the sides and front of the ball to make it look like a fish. Then, pipe some of the icing onto a flat surface with red confectioner's sugar. Once this is covered and hard...
In this tutorial, we learn how to make a gift basket of healthy stuff for a pregnant mom. First, go to Whole Foods Market, which carries everything that you need! First, think about what your mommy needs and what she is going to need after she has a baby! First, place in some books that have to do with pregnancy. Then, stock the basket with some supplements, prenatal vitamins, organic teas, a loofa, ginger pills, and bath salts. Once you give this to your expecting mom, she will thank you and...
In this video, we learn how to make & decorate a bearing birthday balloon cake. Use a three dimensional pan to make this and use pound cake for a more firm cake. Start with outlining the mouth and doing the facial features. Then, fill the ears in with pink and place stars with icing piping onto the top of the entire area of the bear. To put the bear on the cake, you will place a plastic food rod into the bottom and into the top of the cake. Use markings on the cake to place him in perfectly t...
In this tutorial, we learn how to kill a cockroach kindly. If you currently use insecticides to kill bugs and insects in your home, rethink it! These fumes can be toxic to your health and the health of your family. To help avoid getting cockroaches, make sure you dust and sweep often, throw away food around the house, and keep it clean! If you do have these bugs, you can first pour some beer in a glass, then put bread in the glass along with some petroleum jelly. Next, you will set this on yo...
Beef Wellington is one of our favorite dishes, but beef tends to be one of the priciest cuts of meat out there. If you're trying to save money while still eating delicious comfort food, check out this recipe video. You'll learn how to make a pork Wellington, with pork tenderloin substituted for beef to reduce costs. Proscuitto and Dijon mustard make this Wellington extremely rich and with a tangy kick of flavor.
The quality of the turkey you roast in the oven on Thanksgiving day is tantamount to how successful your Thanksgiving table will be - turkey is, after all, the center of the celebration for most families (unless, of course, you're going the tofurky route).