Creating a culinary masterpiece should never involve an ingredients list longer than the last "Harry Potter" book or culinary skills that have been honed at le Cordon Bleu. In fact, often times the simplest preparation is the best and most satisfying.
Bartender Chris Bokelberg teaches bartending lessons in Bottoms Up. Chris and Natalie show how to infuse vodka with other flavors in this three part series on vodka infusion.
Now that summer is swiftly approaching, it's time to start wrapping your mind around that most enjoyable of summertime treats: Ice cream. While you can certainly go to the store and purchase bulk packages of rocky road, store-bought ice cream is full of gnarly-sounding ingredients that sound more like a chemical found in a mad scientist's lab than actual food (xanthan gum, anyone?).
This Indian dessert called butternut squash halwa is sweet and satisfying. Honey, golden raisins, cinnamon, and nutmeg perfectly accent the butternut squash's natural nutty flavor. Topped with a caramel sauce and roasted nuts...YUM!
We never thought that yummy chocolate cupcakes could get any better...until we saw this recipe. Combining the godlike perfection of chocolate cupcakes with oodles of chocolate icing, pilled on until tipping point, these high-hat chocolate cupcakes are outrageously overdone treats that have us drooling in our seats.
Why buy boring Bisquick mix? It is not difficult to make pancakes from scratch, and is actually quite a fun dish to make! Add whatever toppings you'd like and enjoy, this is also a great meal to cook with children! And, since they are made individually, you can mix and match flavors together in one meal.
Shoving a beer can up your Thanksgiving turkey's butt doesn't seem like the most dignified thing to do to your poor little bird, but for all intensive purposes beer can turkey is one of the best ways to prepare a turkey.
Quince is a fruit very similar to apples and pears in that it grows on a deciduous tree, but it is far too astringent to eat raw. Quinces are usually cooked for a long period of time until they lose some of that acidic flavor and become tender.
In this video, we learn how to cook country style green beans. To start, you will need to purchase two cans of green beans, it doesn't matter what style you buy, whatever you like. From here, pour the green beans and all the liquid into a sauce pan. Now, add in 1 tbsp oil (whatever kind you like) into the pan along with one packet of Goya ham flavored seasoning. This will season your dish as if 1/4 lb of smoked country ham has been added. Sprinkle this in and then heat it up and stir. When fi...
In this video, we learn how to cook bacon for a BLT. First, take an entire package of bacon and put it into the pan. After this, you will cook them until they are crunchy and all the way cooked. After this, take the bacon out of the pan and let the pieces drain on a paper towel. From here, fry your bread in the bacon grease to give it some extra flavor. After this, stack the bacon on your lettuce and tomato and then serve with your favorite sauces or just eat as it is. This is easy to make an...
The secret to Paula Deen's famous beef tenderloin dish? Bacon grease. Now that the holiday season is in full swing, don't you dare feel guilty about indulging a little...or adding a pound of lard to deep fry your next turkey.
With this video, we learn how to roast the perfect chicken. You want crisp skin with juicy chicken on the inside. To do this, you will take your raw chicken and rub it all around with some olive oil. Get into the small spots of the chicken so everywhere browns evenly. From here, you will add on any herbs or flavored butters that you want on the meat. After oiling, sprinkle with kosher salt and black pepper. Then, tie the legs of the chicken together and place the chicken on a roasting rack. P...
In this video, we learn how to make a soup bowl out of a coconut. This will add a ton of flavor to soups or drinks! To do this, you will need to make a wide opening to the top of the coconut. Take a cleaver with a strong, thick, and heavy heel. Then, score through the husk with the cleaver, looking for any weak spots. After you have scored the wide opening, go back around until you break through the shell. Once you break through, use the back corner of the knife to pry back the top. Pull it b...
In this tutorial, we learn how to make Maori fried bread. First, pour in some flour with lemon flavored kelp that has been crushed into a small consistency. Then, mix in some salt and baking soda. Then, add in the yeast and pour in some warm water. Knead this inside the bowl, then put aside and let sit for 30 minutes. When it's finished sitting, heat up canola oil in a large pan and cut the bread up into small pieces. Gently put the bread in the oil and let it fry until it's golden brown. Whe...
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.
In this tutorial, we learn how to cook Jamaican curry garlic crab legs. First, place your crab legs in a large pot and sprinkle ground black pepper on them. Then, sprinkle on some garlic powder and curry that has been mixed with 1 c melted butter. Then, turn your stove on medium and let the crab legs cook for a few minutes. Then the oil heat up so the crab legs absorb the flavor. Add in 1 c water in the side of the pot so it doesn't cover the crab legs. Place the top on the pot and let it boi...
Now that we're knee-deep in fall, it's time to whip out those cool weather-combating spices like nutmeg, cinnamon, ginger, and cloves. Baked into cookies, pastries, and cakes, these warm spices add a sweet kick of flavor that either breaks or breaks a recipe.
In this tutorial, we learn how to make rock candy with ease. First, add 2 cups of pure sugar to boiling water. After this, stir in flavoring and food coloring then stir the mixture until it's thick. After this, remove from heat and let it cool. Then, pour in cooled water to the mixture and dip a skewer into the mixture, then roll around in sugar and place back into the jar using a paperclip to hold it on the top. You should see rock candy form in around 2-3 hours. Let the skewer sit for longe...
In this tutorial, we learn how to make cauliflower au gratin. First, cut the cauliflower into large florets, removing most of the stem to maximize the flavor. Wash out the vegetable thoroughly, then soak in vinegar and water overnight. After this, cook in boiling water for a few minutes, until it's slightly soft. Pour melted butter into a casserole dish, then drain your cauliflower and place it into the dish. Now, sprinkle parmesan cheese, bŽchamel sauce, and lots of cheese onto the cauliflow...
In this tutorial, we learn how to cook pan-seared asparagus with lemon and balsamic. First, trim the bottom of the asparagus, then sprinkle it with salt and olive oil. After this, push some foil down onto a casserole pan. After this, sear the asparagus but don't cook it all the way. Now, pour in vinegar, olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and pepper into the foil. Once the asparagus is seared, put it into the foil and wrap it up. Then, let this sit for five minutes and unwrap it. After a few minut...
Cereal, granola bars, yogurt: Your selection of breakfast seems kind of limited, no? Don't get us wrong: We have nothing against popping some Cap'n Crunches into our bowl, but sometimes it's fun - and delicious - to try out new breakfast flavors.
Molly Ringwald is well known for being pretty in pink, but in this food video she's making chicken the pretty one instead. While her spoiled, popular characters from the John Hughes films would never dare set foot into the kitchen to slave over a hot stove, Ringwald, who is now a mother of three, has no problem cooking up a delicious meal.
Generally, we hate putting in extra effort to prepare a food (waiting four hours for a stew to finally marinate and for all the beef to soak in the garlic, onions, and spices we tossed in? Boring). But we're willing to make that extra effort when it comes to shrimp because we love our shrimp recipes.
If you've ever tried to make cole slaw at home, you know there are two ways you can go about it: Stay at home and tarry away at the leaves of the cabbage yourself to get everything into tiny ribbon-like pieces.
There's nothing more refreshing than biting into a scintillating Jerk chicken salad marinated with a hot and spicy sauce of black pepper, scallions, orange juice, and...rum? That's right, rum will add the perfect zing of flavor to this salad.
Who said you could only cook one type of ethnic cuisine at a time? Define the term "fusion" by whipping up this chicken with cardamom-orange butter. The cardamon and orange add a scintillating dose of rich, Indian-inspired curry-like flavor that'll take your chicken from blah to mindblowingly delicious.
If you don't have Chinese five spice powder now, you'll soon be purchasing some after you take a gander at how delicious this recipe looks. Five spice powder is a blend of five savory spices that instantly adds flavor to any dish.
In this video, we learn how to make pork shoulder barbecue. First, heat up the grill with charcoal until it's hot all over. After this, prepare your pork shoulder by placing the entire piece of meat into a brine. If the liquid is saltier than the meat itself, it will cause the meat liquid to draw into the meat. After this, inject the meat with flavors that you like. The pork shoulder is many muscles, so you have to make sure to poke the injection into several of the right spots. When you're d...
In this tutorial, we learn how to prepare a pomegranate for eating. These are very messy fruits, so make sure you place it on a surface that has a plate underneath it. Take a sharp knife and cut down the center of the pomegranate until you reach the bottom. Now, quarter the halves and push the skin back so the seeds are exposed. As you do this, you can pick the seeds off and eat them, or place into a bowl to eat later on. When finished, enjoy eating these delicious seeds with your favorite fl...
Peach cobblers aren't traditionally the fastest desserts to make. They require creating the pie crust, cutting up the fresh peaches, and then assembling it all together into a pretty looking cake.
Swiss chard is definitely not one of the best known leafy green vegetables. Far overshadowed by its cousin, spinach, and its distant relative, arugula, swiss chard often gets overlooked but the teeming green leaves promise incredible flavor if you add them to your cooking.
When it comes to making food for special occasions, traditional American foods like bbq pork, hot dogs, and apple pies get old fast. While they're super tasty, it's refreshing to switch up your foodstuff line up every now and then. For a dessert that's delicious and very pretty, check out this lovely Lebanese knafeh na'ama dessert, a pie-like concoction made with very fine dough. Check out the video for the recipe!
If you grow herbs in your backyard, you may not realize how versatile some of the herbs may be. Of course they can be used to prepare food and add a certain spice or flavor, but they can also be used to prepare tea as well.
The French sure know how to make good food. Beignets, which are fried French doughnuts, are like American doughnuts but are much more tender and soft, and the flavor is not quite as sugary as the American stuff. This makes beignets easily savorable alone for those who don't like too much sugar and with mountains of powdered sugar for those with a sweet tooth.
In this video, Skinny and Mini teach us how to prepare a crudite. This is a vegetable display for your guests. First, you can chop up all of your different vegetables. Some ideas include: carrots, celery, peppers, mushrooms, and broccoli. A good tip is to blanch your broccoli before you serve it and wipe off your mushrooms. Serve this to your guests with several types of dipping sauces to experiment with flavors. You can also be creative and make your own types of dipping sauces. This is a gr...
The Holy Grail of chicken has just been found by an unsuspecting reporter of the Chicago Tribune. Yes, that's right: The secret 11 herbs and spices in Colonel Sanders' Original Recipe chicken has finally been revealed, and it looks legit as hell.
In this tutorial, we learn how to make seared salmon with shrimp and asparagus. First, heat a skillet up and melt butter and garlic inside of it. After this, let the salmon sear on both sides, then place it in an oven dish and bake in the oven until it's cooked thoroughly. While this is cooking, add some more butter to your skillet and then add in the shrimp. Cook the shrimp until they are pink all the way through, and add in garlic and salt for flavor. When finished, serve with the salmon an...
Instead of picking up a Digiorno pizza from Albertson's tonight, try doing something a little different for a change. As many a good cook knows, fresh always tastes better, enhancing the overall flavor of your dish (not to mention offering heftier amounts of nutrients).
In this tutorial, we learn how to roast peppers on the burner of a gas stove. All you need to do this is a gas range and a pepper. First turn your gas range onto high, then set your paper right in the middle of the burner. As the pepper starts to char, it will infuse the flavor into the entire pepper. Keep the pepper on the heat until it is black on the side, then you can use it to add into different recipes! After once side is black, make sure you use tongs to turn it on different sides, so ...
These Mediterranean fig tree desserts are what Fig Newtons wish they could be. Crafted out of puff pastries wrapped around figs and then stuffed with mascarpone cheese, these babies are a wonderfully delicious way to end your meal. Also, spices like nutmeg and cinnamon add a sweet flavor as well as antioxidants to the dessert dish.
