For the novice cook, fungi can be weird because, well, they're fungi. However, if you've been afraid to get acquainted with mushrooms, you've been missing out. Vegetarians love mushrooms and with good reason.
When I became serious about cooking, nearly every cookbook and guide I picked up emphasized the importance of using fresh stock, whether it was chicken, beef, or vegetable. When I didn't have time to make my own, I bought the highest quality boxed or canned stock I could find at the market.
Cooking spray is something of a gross necessity. The slimy, oddly-scented grease is perfect for keeping casserole dishes crust-free, but the oil splatter does a number on clean kitchen counters, and the lecithin ingredient can ruin nonstick cookware if not careful.
To flip, or not to flip, that is the real question. When you're nervously standing over the stove or grill, what do you do with that steak before you?
A perfectly cooked roast potato is a study in contrasts: the outside should be crisp, crunchy, and salty, while the inside is tender and fluffy. Too often, however, roast potatoes come out overcooked, greasy, and tough.
Sometimes you've got a head of lettuce that you want to eat but it lacks a certain youth. In other words, it's wilted and browning at the edges. Other times, you get to the grocery store near the end of day and the only lettuce or greens available look a little on the sad side. Never fear. You're not doomed to a meal of fast food or mouthfuls of soggy salad. You can easily revive those leaves and have something crisp, green, and delicious for your next meal, so don't dump it in the trash.
Some food jars seem like they're actually designed to prevent you from enjoying every last bit inside. The remnants of sticky foods like Nutella and peanut butter are almost impossible to scrape out with a knife or spoon, and it's a shame to throw out something that tastes so good—especially when it's the best part. A spatula could help you get that last drop out from the walls or bottom easier, but that's just ruining your chance at maximizing the full potential of those remains into somethi...
The debate over whether to deep-fry or roast a Thanksgiving turkey can get pretty heated. Both have their merits, but it's hard to argue with that crispy, golden brown skin and moist texture that the fryer gives. But what's better than a deep-fried turkey?
According to the CDC, less than 33 percent of adults eat the recommended servings of fruit each day in the United States. When it comes to vegetables, Americans are even worse, averaging less than 27 percent. Most adults should consume at least 2 servings of fruit and 3 servings of vegetables each day, depending on age, gender, and level of physical activity. Eating lots of fruits and veggies has been linked to a better immune system, faster weight loss, and way too many other health benefits...
In evolutionary times, we were far more likely to die from starvation than from diseases related to obesity. In those times, when food was available, it was best to stuff oneself.
If you want to start the party out right, you have to impress the crowd with your awesome bartending skills. While lighting cocktails on fire is a nice way to warm up the crowd, it's been done by thousands of bartenders across the globe. Plus, if you're not careful, you could end up like this guy:
There's a broken canister of mutant ooze leaking down into the sewers! But don't worry because this sticky slime is non-toxic, and it's so easy to make, a three-year-old can do it!
Spices are a necessary ingredient in any kitchen. It doesn't matter how good of chef you are—without proper spices, your food will always fall flat.
A rocket stove is a "rocket" combustion approach to preparing meals, which provides high combustion efficiency and efficient heat transfer to the cooking pot. Research suggests (through practical experience) that by using a rocket stove, you could save at least 50% of fuelwood, which is a significant savings for anyone's financial situation.
How to hack Pet Society! Pet Society cheats, tricks, hacks. Watch this video tutorial to learn how to poop in Pet Society (09/05/09).
If you were a real farmer, hay bales and their appropriate organization would be a big manner of logistics. As feed for your horses, pigs, and goats, they're prized (and inexpensive) food as well as great padding for barns.
We can't get enough of fresh herbs in our cooking, but that's just the problem: About 2 days after we purchase our sprigs of thyme and sage they look sadder than Ashton Kutcher's last romantic comedy.
Acne sucks - or, more correctly, acne oozes. Which is why it's so important to take care of your skin with oil-reducing, calming products. Most anti-acne medications you can buy are severely drying and irritating, meaning they can cause the adverse effect of making your skin compensate by producing even more oil.
Nice, professional holiday wreaths can cost upwards of $80 if you get them at stores or specially made. And with all the money you'll be spending over the holidays on presents and food, who needs to go bankrupt over a wreath?
You know how sometimes you'll look up a recipe from a famous chef, and then when you take a gander at the ingredients list it looks longer than the last "Harry Potter" book? Complex, "high art" dishes sometimes do requires what seems like a million ingredients - and precise stirring and heating times - to accomplish.
If mac'n'cheese and Bisquick pancake mix had a love child, this is without a doubt how it would look like. If you're feeling a wee bit tired today and don't want to put in too much effort to get your junk food fix, then check out this video to learn a recipe for quick mac'n'cheese pie.
When the weather turns cooler and you begin to see the first signs of snow outside, you know it's time to whip out the comfort foods. And there's really nothing better to help you warm up inside than a nice, hearty stew.
Comedian and actor Adam Sandler may be famous for his irreverant Jewish holiday hymn "The Chanukah Song," but he's also written several other holiday tunes that are of festive interest.
In this tutorial, we learn how to make the Victorian cocktail. To start, you will first need a martini glass, mandarin-infused vodka, St. Germain, and bitter juice. Pour an ounce of each of these into the shaker with some cubed ice. Then, use a spoon to mix this together instead of shaking it. Do this until the sorbet comes out of it and then strain it into the martini glass. From here, add a bit of food coloring to the glass in the middle. From here, garnish with a blood orange peel and you ...
Is your family's dinner conversation making you more bored than the last time you visited your great Aunt Edna's sewing room and she gave you a two-hour tour? Then find a fun and creative way to get through dinner by checking out this video.
Peppermint is a great scent to have around during the holidays. It not only reminds us of Christmas, but taking a whiff of peppermint also awakens the senses and suppresses appetite (good for all that food you're going to be eating).
We know that Thanksgiving isn't the likeliest of holidays on which to send greeting cards. With Christmas in such close promixity, Thanksgiving usually gets relagated to being solely a food holiday where the turkey is the main attraction.
Back in college, frosting a cake was pretty much a one-step process. You took the cake out of the oven, let it cool for a bit, then whipped out your Pillsbury Doughboy rainbow sprinkle frosting and slapped it onto the cake using a spatula.
Unless you're a certified pastry chef working at a restaurant or bakery, you probably don't have a professional cake stand which lets you frost a cake easily without getting any extraneous icing on the plate.
Gnocchi a thick dumpling dish traditionally made with potatoes or bread crumbs. But rules are made to be broken, right? If you love gnocchi but are getting a little tired of using the same recipe each time to prepare the dish, check out this food video.
Love brownies but in desperate need of a new and interesting way to serve them to your friends and family? Then look no further than this food video.
We know the easy thing to do when you desire a fruit topping for your ice cream or dessert is to run to the store and purchase that squeeze bottle of strawberry "jam." But with all the gnarly chemicals and high fructose corn syrup that composes most of these toppings, you're probably getting more artificial gunk than actual strawberries.
Salmon is one of the absolute best types of fish to eat, but many people don't enjoy it because it tastes particularly "fishy" and a little too strong. But the "fishy" flavor of salmon can easily be tempered with a sweet sauce, tangy sauce.
Chicken pot pie is a classic treat that will never not be enjoyed, but sometimes you want to spice things up a little and experience new and interesting flavors without totally pushing the boundaries.
Salmon is hands-down one of the best foods you can eat, period. Wild Alaskan salmon is the best fish to consume, with loads of heart-healthy Omega-3 fatty acids and enough protein to keep you full and satisfied until your next meal.
Sometimes a dish your preparing simply doesn't call for soggy tomatoes still filled with its interior webbing and seeds. That's when you need to know how to seed a tomato.
Preserving lemons can sometimes take weeks to accomplish, especially if you want the marinade to absorb well. But what if you want to make preserved lemons as a gift for a hostess in a few days and you simply lack the time?
Mmm mmm. There are loads of things we love about fall - the cooler weather, the leaves changing color, the return of the pumpkin spice latte at Starbuck's - but one of our favorite things is the seasonal comfort food. Soups are a must-have when the temperatures drop, and what better soups to chow down on than pumpkin soup and broccoli soup on a cool fall night?
We know what you're thinking. Eels are long, creepy water snakes with slimy skin. Why the hell would you want to eat that?
If you're a steak lover then you know you have to whip out a nice portion of your paycheck to get a quality steak, especially if you're at a five-star restaurant. But with steaks costing upwards of $70 a piece, why not just make some at home to save your hard-earned cash?
