A good, sharp knife is a cook's best friend, which is why there's so much passionate debate about what kind you should get. Most enthusiastic home cooks opt for a stainless steel knife, but it turns out there's a different option that the pros favor, and that's carbon steel.
Look, I'm no food snob. I once dedicated an entire day to eating only deep-fried things (butter, Twinkies, Oreos, pickles) at the Minnesota State Fair. But even I draw the line at instant mashed potatoes. I mean, why bother? It's not that hard to make perfectly delicious and fluffy mashers yourself.
One of my favorite things is finding an easy way to make what is normally a complex dish. Case in point: pasta sauce. Usually its depth of flavor is the result of fresh herbs, shallots, tomatoes, seasonings, olive oil, and a touch of dairy being cooked and added in stages. Long simmering mellows out each component's inherent character and turns pasta sauce into something that is far greater than the sum of its parts.
Okay, it's true: even the highest quality instant coffee is never going to replace really good fresh beans (and properly cleaning your coffee maker) when it comes to creating a great cup of joe. However, instant coffee does have all kinds of uses in the kitchen, as the smart folks over at Reddit observed.
Broccoli is super. Not only is it jam-packed with nutrients like vitamin C, vitamin A, folic acid, calcium and fibre, but it's one veggie that refuses to be just a side-dish. Nobody puts broccoli in the corner.
Butter can be even more delicious than it already is. While that may be a shocking claim, it's most definitely true. Many new cooks and even seasoned chefs don't realize this, but the few minutes it takes to do these things will pay you back exponentially when it comes to that buttery taste.
Many home cooks were taught never to press down on a burger as it cooks since that would ruin your all-beef patty by getting it to release the juices it needs to stay tender and moist.
The Spanish and Portuguese introduced many things (some desirable, some not, depending on your POV) to Mexico in the sixteenth century: Christianity, language, and lots of flora and fauna.
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
Bottled water is a rip-off. Not only is it pretty much the same stuff that comes out of your tap for free, but plastic bottles are rarely recycled and thus account for a huge amount of the waste that's overflowing our landfills. Next Up: Water Bottles You Can Eat
What would you say if I told you it was entirely possible—even desirable—to cook anything from a simple dinner to a great loaf of bread without using measuring cups, spoons, or a scale?
When you come home from the grocery store, you probably put away every single fruit and vegetable in the bins and drawers in your refrigerator. Any fifth grader knows that fridges work to preserve food, thus everything should go in there, right? Nope!
First off—Happy Independence Day! Since it's the 4th of July, let's make this week's roundup short and sweet, so you can all get back to your holiday festivities.
This exercise tutorial is the very definition of the statement, "no pain, no gain." Along with completing challenging cardio and strength training routines like jumping jacks and push-ups, you absolutely MUST moniter your diet in order to see fat burning results. Here are a few food habits you need to keep in mind:
BMX: Catch Some Air If Ernest Michaux, inventor of the modern bicycle, could see what people are doing with his creation, he'd freak out. The art of creative biking has never been more challenging and rewarding than it is now. Check out the tricks for a guide to BMX mayhem. Watch this video tutorial to see how to perform a wall tap bar spin on a BMX bicycle.
BMX: Catch Some Air If Ernest Michaux, inventor of the modern bicycle, could see what people are doing with his creation, he'd freak out. The art of creative biking has never been more challenging and rewarding than it is now. Check out the tricks for a guide to BMX mayhem. Watch this video tutorial to see how to perform a 540 caballero on a BMX bicycle.
Learn how to do flat bench dumbbell power press drop set. Presented by Real Jock Gay Fitness Health & Life.
Use a resistance band to work out: your chest There are lots of creative ways to use resistance bands. This video is about building stronger chest muscles with resistance bands. Resistance bands challenge your muscles in a different way.
It's time for Kratos to rescue Pandora. But is she dead or alive? Once you reach her, can you both survive the challenges of the Labyrinth and all its traps? If you need help, this guide should help. Watch the walkthrough for Rescuing Pandora in God of War III on PS3.
In this video from DavidWygant he teaches about using the ultimate opening line with women. He talks about approach anxiety and how you can talk to women about that very thing. He also talks about the 10 PM rule. Talk to the girls before 10 pm because by around 10 she will be so annoyed by being hit on all night. You can even approach her early in the night and discuss about maybe who she is meeting up with. Make a joke about your phones! Maybe you both receive text messages from your friends...
Chaos reigns in this Shadow Arena Challenge of the Drowned Pass on the Xbox 360 game Darksiders. You need to enter the Shadow Realm and defeat four portals to free Vulgrim.
Kill in the Defender Shadow Arena Challenge in the Drowned Pass on the Xbox 360 game Darksiders. You need to enter the Shadow Realm and defeat four portals to free Vulgrim.
Get ready for one heck of a battle in the Shadow Arena Challenge in the Drowned Pass on the Xbox 360 game Darksiders. You need to enter the Shadow Realm and defeat four portals to free Vulgrim.
Prepare for battle in the Shadow Arena Challenge in the Choking Ground on the Xbox 360 game Darksiders. Meet the requirements of each portal to free the Tormented Gate so that you may proceed.
This Shadow Arena Challenge isn't the easiest in the Choking Ground on the Xbox 360 game Darksiders. Meet the requirements of each portal to free the Tormented Gate so that you may proceed.
Get ready for this Shadow Arena Challenge in the Choking Ground on the Xbox 360 game Darksiders. Meet the requirements of each portal to free the Tormented Gate so that you may proceed.
You must complete four shadow arena challenges in this level of the Xbox 360 game Darksiders. In the Choking Grounds, there's the Speed Brawl, Aerial Brawl, Venomous, and the Gory End. Once you enter the Chocking Grounds, head straight ahead and into the gazebo-like structure to find Vulgrim. Make some purchases and then set out to venture around this new area. Explore the cemetery around Vulgrim and destroy 7 of the cross tombstones you find here. Now head back by the entrance to these groun...
No need to figure out the 20th puzzle, entitled "The Origin of the Species", in Assassin's Creed 2. Here's the answers! Puzzle wheel: Start by turning the fifth ring right ten times, then turn the fourth ring left twice. Then rotate the third (and first) rings right twice, the second ring right five times and the first ring left three times. Image 1: Highlight the eye at the top of the painting. Code wheel puzzle: Ignore the numbers and focus on the Assassin motto: “Nothing is true, everythin...
Here's the answers to the 19th puzzle, titled "The Fourth Day", in Assassin's Creed 2. Image set: What used to be worshipped by every primitive culture under the…? That’s right, the sun. Pick the five images that focus on it. Image: Find the tiny image of Earth in the lower-left quadrant of the sun. For more info, watch the whole gameplay.
The 18th puzzle is called "Synapses". See how to solve it in Assassin's Creed 2. Code wheel puzzle: Your first clue is to line up 5 with a single tree-looking symbol. The key here is the weird-looking equation on the left, which offers a hint as to the progression of the symbols.
Figure out the 17th puzzle, entitled "The Bunker", in Assassin's Creed 2. Code wheel puzzle: Here’s a tricky one; your clues are “<” and “2,” and the only advice you’ll get from your handlers is that maybe there’s “something we can count” on the strange symbols. In this case that “something” is the number of times each symbol bends sharply. Don’t expect consistency across the wheel on this one; just take a look at what symbols flank the blank spaces and pick a shape with the number of bends t...
This one's pretty easy. Here's the solution to the 16th puzzle, entitled "The Cavalry", in Assassin's Creed 2. Image 1: Just move the cursor to the word “Tunguska.” Image 2: Move the cursor onto the staff and drag it onto Tesla’s photo. For more info, watch the whole gameplay.
Get all of the info on the 15th puzzle, entitled "Guardians", in Assassin's Creed 2. Puzzle wheel: Seemingly every other ring is linked here, so we’ll cut straight to the chase: Turn the third (and fourth) rings right twice, the fifth (and first) right four times, the fourth (and first) right five times, the fifth (and first) left five times and the second left five times. Finally, move the fifth (and second) rings right five times. Image: Another gimme – just move the Assassin logo over the ...
The 14th puzzle, entitled "Bloodlines", isn't really that hard in Assassin's Creed 2. Set 1: Highlight the images that depict women and gods in amorous entanglements (especially if those gods are disguised as animals). For more info, watch the whole gameplay.
This is the 12th puzzle, entitled "Titans of Industry", in Assassin's Creed 2. Code wheel puzzle 1: The key here is in the “4=1” on the blueprint at the left of the screen. Line up the red 4 over the gray 1 and input the following code: 917240. Image 1: This one’s the opposite of the light-bulb “puzzle” from before – just move the dollar sign over the bulbs to extinguish them. Image 2: Highlight the glowing ball at the center of the image. Code wheel puzzle 2: Your hints here are the “2” on t...
Find out how to solve the 11th puzzle, entitled "The Inventor", in Assassin's Creed 2. Image 1: Just move the lightning bolt over the bulbs to bring them to life. Image 2: Highlight the area just at the base of the tower, between the two windows, to find this hidden image. Image 3: Move the pointer onto Tesla’s lap. For more info, watch the whole gameplay.
Figure out the 10th puzzle, Apollo, in Assassin's Creed 2. Image 1: Highlight the lunar lander just down and to the left of the moon. Puzzle wheel: Another linked-ring rotation puzzle. Your job here is to align all the channels; do this by moving the fifth ring to the left six times, the second ring to the left four times, the fourth ring to the right three times and the third ring to the left five times. Then snap the first ring into place. Image 2: Move the cursor down between the flag and ...
Execute the 9th puzzle, called Hat Trick, in Assassin's Creed 2. Image 1: Move the cursor onto Houdini’s torso. Image 2: Move the cursor over Gandhi’s heart. Code wheel puzzle: Your hint here is pretty obvious; there’s a big, glaring “6=1” next to Oswald’s picture. So move the red wheel so that the 6 is over the gray 1, and plug in the corresponding numbers. For more info, watch the whole gameplay.
Learn about the 8th puzzle, titled Martyrs, in Assassin's Creed 2. Image 1: Highlight Czar Nicholas’ staff. Image 2: Highlight Joan of Arc’s sword. Image 3: Move the fireball to Joan of Arc’s portrait. Image 4: Move the photo of Rasputin onto Czar Nicholas’ portrait. For more info, watch the whole gameplay.
This is about the 7th puzzle in Assassin's Creed 2. Keep on seeking, and you should find… in the first image set, the key word here is "red", so pick the images in which that color shines the brightest. In the second image, highlight the area to the right of Jesus’ hips to reveal a Piece of Eden. For more info, watch the whole gameplay.
