How To: Skip the Fondant—Make Picture-Perfect Cakes with Paper Towels Instead
Fondant looks pretty, but man, it sure does taste weird. Don't Miss:
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How To: Strawberry Stems Aren't Waste—They're Perfect for Pesto
We're year-round pesto eaters. We eat pesto outdoors in the summertime on a light pasta with a glass of rosé. We eat pesto in the wintertime by the fire atop a bowl of soup with a warm mug of tea. We eat pesto with scrambled eggs for breakfast, pesto-slathered sandwiches for lunch, and baked pesto chicken for dinner.
How To: Vegans Rejoice! Finally, a Damn Good Substitute for Bacon
Seaweed isn't just for rolling sushi anymore. The food science world is introducing chefs and home cooks to dulse (rhymes with pulse), kale's wacky seaweed cousin that tastes surprisingly like bacon and may even be the next big superfood.
How To: 5 Must-Know Tips for Better Home-Baked Cakes
It's very easy to get your hands on a good cake. These days, a store-bought cake or even one made from boxed cake mix will usually be pretty good. Heck, make the first simple recipe you find on the internet, and it's likely to taste fine.
How To: Can't Find Choco Chip Oreos? We've Got You Covered
Back in July, Oreo released their newest, limited-edition flavor, Choco Chip. These one-of-a-kind cookies are made up of golden, vanilla chocolate chip wafers with a chocolate chip creme filling.
How To: Take Your Brownies to the Next Level with Add-Ins & Toppings
The decadent, chewy, fresh-from-the-oven brownie is a classic American dessert. US History Scene states that the first brownies ever made were a result of socialite Bertha Potter Palmer's request of her chef at Chicago's Palmer House Hotel in 1893 "to create a dessert that could be tucked into a box lunch for ladies to eat while attending the Columbian Exposition."
How To: 8 Edible Reasons to Be Obsessed with Apple Cider Vinegar
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, believe it or not.
How To: Liquor Up Your Pie Crusts to Make Them Flaky AF
Pie crusts are pretty intimidating if you're an at-home baker with little experience, since there's a lot of science behind making them. A perfectly flaky crust that's golden brown—not charred and black along the edges—requires careful attention, a foolproof recipe, and some decent baking skills.
How To: Turn Gummy Bears into Popsicles... And 9 Other Crazy Ways to Eat 'Em
The iconic, lovable gummy bear originated in Germany, where it goes by the name Gummibär— but that's not what makes it so much fun. The base of gummy bears is made up of gelatin, which gives them the signature elasticity that makes you feel like a kid again. But the fun doesn't have to stop there.
How To: Add Mustard... And 9 Other Hacks That'll Make Lemonade Pop
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.
How To: No-Bake Energy Bites Are the Perfect On-the-Go Snack for Summer
Turning your oven on in the summer is just asking to convert your house into a sauna. No matter how badly you want to bake cookies during a heat wave, having to deal with the boost in temperature is a deterrent at best.
How To: Hot Damn! These Homemade Popsicle Ideas Look Epic
The magic of an ice cold popsicle on a hot summer's day is undeniable, whether you're a child or a kid-at-heart. Neon-colored, store-bought popsicles may have a special place in your memory, but homemade popsicles are pretty hard to beat. Here's how to create delicious frozen treats that will both delight your inner child and tickle your adult taste buds!
How To: Cook Rice in Casseroles for Less Cleanup Afterward
Often, the most frustrating part of crafting the perfect dinner is feeling like you have to clean every single pot and pan in your kitchen after cooking just one meal. With so many components, it can feel like each step of a single dish requires its very own pot.
How To: 5 Ways to Turn Watermelon into Sweet & Savory Pizzas
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 creative take on the classic watermelon salad, only pizza-fied!
How To: Don't Be Basic—Chocolate Cups Aren't Just for Peanut Butter
We can't resist a good peanut butter cup—especially when it's homemade. But it's not just the peanut butter or the chocolate that makes us pledge our undying love to these sweet treats over and over again. Nope. What really drives us wild about them is their shape. Yup: we love candy cups.
How To: Turn Your Sour Milk into an Unbelievably Tasty Jam
Wait, don't dump that milk! It may have a slightly sour smell and be expiring tomorrow, but you can still put it to good use by making sour milk jam.
How To: Use Cake Flour to Get Pillowy Soft-Baked Cookies
For those of you that prefer a soft-baked cookie that is fluffy in the middle, using cake flour instead of regular all-purpose (AP) flour is your secret baking weapon. "But I don't have cake flour," you protest. Fear not: if your kitchen is sans cake flour, you can easily whip some up by mixing together AP flour and a little bit of cornstarch for the same results.
How To: Upgrade Eggs Instantly with Milk, Beer & Other Creative Poaching Liquids
You can put spices in a scramble or fry an egg in bacon fat, so why poach eggs in just plain water? Water doesn't add any flavor whatsoever, so you're wasting a valuable opportunity to give your poached eggs more oomph—an extra important step if you're not frying your poached eggs afterward.
How To: Banish Baked Cakes—Icebox Cakes Are So Much Easier!
With the warm summer months right around the corner, just the thought of having to bake anything in your oven may have you perspiring profusely. But you don't want to give up dessert, especially not luscious, layered cakes, so what's a sweaty sweets-lover to do?
How To: Making Gorgeous Avocado Ribbons Is Easier Than You Think
Avocados have been the darling of the food world for quite some time now—so you'd think that we might have already exhausted the ways in which to enjoy this amazing fruit.
News: 10 Bizarre Egg Gadgets That Are Total Fails
Why, for the love of God, do people keep inventing ridiculous devices that make the simplest things more complicated in the name of convenience? This may be a rhetorical question that will forever go unanswered—because these crazy gadgets just keep rolling out, one after the other.
How To: Give Stale Donuts a Crispy New Life by Turning Them into Chips
In the moment, buying a dozen donuts always seems like a good idea. In retrospect, however, it's always too much... and you inevitably end up with a box of stale donuts a few days later.
How To: 9 Savory Ways to Use This Season's Strawberries
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.
How To: Make a Python Basic Unix Password Cracker!
Greetings fellow students! I'm currently reading a book called "Violent Python: A Cookbook for Hackers, Forensic Analysts, Penetration Testers and Security Engineers"
How To: Brûlée Your Hard-Boiled Eggs & 9 More Ways to Use Your Extra Oeufs
We keep at least half a dozen hard-boiled eggs in the fridge for times when we're on the go and need a quick snack. Often, we eat them sliced in half with a pinch of sea salt and black pepper, or we just make some deviled eggs or a quick egg salad—but these gets old very quick, and our creativity tells us to do otherwise.
How To: 5 Awesome Ingredients You Didn't Know You Could Juice
When we initially started juicing, we tended to gravitate towards the widely popular juice staples—carrots, cucumbers, celery, kale, spinach, and apples. However, as we grew more comfortable with these fruits and vegetables (and honestly, a bit bored), we realized there are other unsung juicing ingredients that are just as tasty and nutritious.
How To: Mug Cake Tips That'll Change How You 'Bake' Cakes Forever
There are countless recipes for mug cakes (and breads) on the internet, but not all of them are good. Mug cakes promise a warm, moist, and fluffy cake after a few minutes and with minimal work... but sometimes, all you end up with is a chewy, rubbery mess.
How To: The Absolute Best Way to Prepare & Cook Artichokes
You've probably noticed artichokes at the front and center of your local grocery store or farmer's market recently, as spring is artichoke season; They may look like strange, complicated vegetables if you've never cooked them before.
News: This Hack Makes Rolling Sushi, Pinwheels & Roulades a Cinch
Plastic wrap is, arguably, man's greatest invention—or at least, the 2000 Year Old Man thought so. Its primary use is to protect food from getting dried out in the fridge or on the counter; but if that's all you're only using it for, you're missing out.
How To: The Delicious Trick to 1-Minute Lemonade at Home
If you love quenching your thirst with an ice-cold glass of lemonade but aren't a fan of artificial powder mixes, then this hack is for you. When your next lemonade craving strikes, instead of reaching for a glorified Kool-Aid packet, get an instant sip of summer by using pre-made, frozen lemon cubes to create your favorite drink. And this recipe isn't just easy to make, it's perfect for any number of servings, from single to several, or even a pitcher, if necessary.
How To: These 5 Recipes Prove That Tea Is a Delicious Addition to Anything
A cup of ginger tea with lemon first thing in the morning, a pick-me-up cup of green tea (or matcha) to fight off the afternoon slump and a soothing cup of chamomile tea to help me unwind before bed—I would be lying if I said I weren't a major tea enthusiast.
How To: 5 Fantastic Ways to Cook with Leftover Lemon Peels
Lemon peels have long been known for their ability to be home remedies for cleaning and medicinal needs. In the kitchen, they are equally as useful and can transform many common dishes and drinks into more memorable ones with just a hint of citrus. To give you some ideas, below are five ways that lemon peels can spruce up your recipes.
How To: 8 Easy Ways to Remove Cigarette Smoke Smells from Your Car
The lingering smell of cigarette smoke can bother just about anyone, including smokers themselves. Unfortunately, it can be quite difficult to mask or completely get rid of the smell altogether. While you can go through extremes like washing and even repainting the walls in your home, those options don't exist when the odor is in your car.
How To: Greek Yogurt Makes a Surprisingly Great Substitute for Mayo & Other Dairy
Greek yogurt has always been in my regular snack rotation. Packed with more protein than plain yogurt, it fills me up and stabilizes my energy with its low levels of carbohydrates and sugar.
How To: 5 Amazing Ways to Bake with Coconut Oil
I remember the first time I used coconut oil; the whole kitchen was filled with a fragrant aroma that reminded me of the tropics. After learning it was a healthier alternative to traditional cooking oil—not to mention a great source of the good-for-you saturated fat—I was hooked.
How To: Cook Any Cuisine Perfectly by Knowing the Right Ingredients to Use, Part 2
Eating out is great, but being able to cook the delicious ethnic foods you eat at restaurants is even better. It may seem daunting to put together a bunch of ingredients with which you might not be familiar (some with names you've never even heard of!), but with the guidelines below, you'll be making your own versions of ethnic favorites in no time.
How To: This Is the Best Way to Cook a Perfect, Sumptuous Duck Breast
Many home cooks struggle to cook duck breast because they cook it as they would chicken. But not all poultry is created equal, and duck is definitely unlike chicken.
How To: Ripen Bananas Faster with These 3 Simple Tricks
A trip to any grocery store's produce section will quickly reveal that bananas are often picked from the tree well before their prime—which is necessary for them to arrive at our local store without going bad. In fact, bananas are refrigerated en route to our supermarkets in order to stave off the ripening process... which makes sense, since they travel quite the distance (from the Tropics around South America or Africa to our proverbial doorstep).
Weird Ingredient Wednesday: 5 Kinds of Flower Waters
You might be familiar with the use of zucchini blossoms in cooking and maybe even know how to make herbal simple syrups. But if you really want to show off as someone who knows how to use flowering plants in food, try adding some flower water to your cooking/baking repertoire.
How To: Citrus Fruit… Your New Favorite Facial Cleanser?
Switching your favorite facial cleanser isn't an easy choice. Since everyone's skin type can range from dry, to oily, to some complicated combination of both... well, let's just say that the conventional wisdom is to stick to what you know works.