Valentine's Day is right around the corner... which is the perfect excuse to ignite your inner cupid and bake a heart-shaped cake. If you have a heart-shaped cake or springform pan, you're all set. If not, don't worry—you don't need one! With a little ingenuity, you'll have a beautiful heart cake using the pans you already own.
Smelly foods are what make my culinary world "go 'round," so to speak. I grew up with fish sauce, learned to cook with and love fermented beans and veggies, and am one of the biggest garlic advocates I know... other than my husband, who thankfully shares the same smelly food sensibilities. (Let's put it this way: anyone that can stomach stinky tofu can handle anything I could possibly cook up.)
Chicken breasts have gotten a bad rap. Dry, flavorless, boring... poor white meat gets no love, and dark meat gets all of the credit for being sinfully flavorful and delicious. But the truth is, even though chicken breasts are lower in fat and calories, they can also be incredibly versatile and full of flavor... if they're prepared correctly. You're probably familiar with poaching, which is a technique that gently cooks more delicate meats such as chicken or fish fully submerged in a liquid b...
To me, the term muffin tin is a lot like Voldemort—it should never be uttered. Not for being evil, however... instead, it's because it's inaccurate.
A no-carb, gluten-free substitute for breadcrumbs. Sounds and probably tastes like cardboard, right? Unless you're talking about Pork Dust. Yes, you read that right. Pork. DUST.
Avocado is great in guacamole or as slices on a sandwich, but there's so much more you can do with this wonderful fruit (call it a vegetable, that's fine—but it's technically a fruit). While I could eat guac every single day, these are some of my favorite recipes to spice up avocados a bit, from making a guilty snack to a condiment and even dessert!
A simply frosted or glazed cupcake is like a blank canvas for creative decorations. Intricate cupcakes are works of art, but piping frosting or rolling fondant can be tricky. Luckily, even the most craft-challenged person can use pre-made decorations to create party-worthy cupcakes. Use chocolates or candies to make designs or other decorations and you can have endless fun (and very little stress) creating eye-catching treats.
Do you ever walk into a nice boutique, a friend's house, or a fancy restaurant, and think, “I wish my house smelled like this”? Because I sure do.
Summertime calls out for desserts that are easy to assemble and don't require heat. Voilà: crème de menthe grasshopper pies. They are minty, fresh, and cold, and are very easy to whip together with marshmallows and a microwave.
Show your significant other just how much you love them by surprising him or her with one of life's most precious, romantic gifts—bacon! Best thing is, this passionate treat works for any day of the year (Valentine's Day, a first date, anniversary, etc.), since love and bacon go hand in hand.
In my opinion, the greatest food hacks are the ones that help you cut way, way down on dishwashing. That's especially true when it comes to baked goods, which usually involves dirtying up a couple of mixing bowls, measuring cups and spoons, some kind of stirring implement, and the baking pan itself.
Salad greens are a staple in my house and for good reason: they're cheap, nutritious, and work as a base or an accompaniment for almost all meals. However, it's all too easy to forget about them and then pull out a bag filled with sludgy dark goo or yellow, inedible leaves.
Hopefully you never have to deal with a grease fire, but if it happens, how you handle it is important. A grease fire isn't like a regular fire, and trying to put it out the same way can make it worse. Grease fires are caused by letting oil get too hot, so the best way to prevent them is to never leave your kitchen unattended. Oil smokes before it burns, so if you see your pan start to smoke, take it off the heat before it has a chance to catch fire. If you're outside grilling, you can add a ...
The original Kit Kat was a mutton pie served at a political club in London during the 18th century, which is quite different than the chocolatey version we're familiar with today. Kit Kat bars have been around since 1911, are produced in 13 countries, and have been sold in over 200 flavors in Japan.
We all have our favorite cooking oils, but not everyone knows that they're not all interchangeable. Each type of oil is best for certain jobs, and they all have different smoke points and flavor profiles, which are the two most important criteria in determining which one to use.
There are so many kitchen gadgets that only do one thing. You can buy a special tool to strip the kernels off an ear of corn, de-stem your strawberries, or cut bananas into perfectly uniform slices, but that's all it'll do. It's easy to get carried away, and before you know it you find yourself designating an "everything" or "miscellaneous" drawer. Then there are the tools that have multiple functions, but you know you'd never use them often enough to justify spending the money. Unless you co...
Learn to make some delicious homemade bread that's shaped like a flower. This Sri Lankan recipe for bread is easy to make and will be a family favorite for years to come. Watch for a simple slideshow of the recipe in action, and follow the directions below.
Black forest cake is one of the most decadent chocolate desserts you will ever taste. Rich layers of creamy, thick whipped cream sandwiched between chocolate cake and cherries. Mmmm.
The trouble with jewelry that's been made by a mass retailer or even a hipster/indie artist is that it's made without any care to your wrist, neck, or finger size. Often this means that bracelets may sling too big, or necklaces wrap around your neck too tight.
In this tutorial, we learn how to make & decorate a butterfly cake. First, you will use a butterfly shaped pan to bake the cake in so it's already shaped. After letting it cool, you can cover the entire thing in a thin layer of white icing. Then, fill some icing into bags, using different pastel colors. From here, you will use the star tip to dab the starts on the top of the butterfly, following the design. Continue to do this until you are finished with the entire thing, then you have the ch...
In this video, we learn how to make mince pies. Start out by sprinkling flour onto your counter and then rolling out your dough for the pies. Roll this out until it's thin, then cut out circles with a cookie cutter and place into a muffin pan. After this, fill with the mince filling and then a spoonful of cream cheese on top of that. After this, place the topping on these and secure with melted butter. Place these in the oven and bake them until they are golden brown. Let cool, then sprinkle ...
In this tutorial, we learn how to make crispy chicken thighs in a cherry-pear sauce. To make this, you will need: 8 chicken thighs, 1 1/4 c dried Bing cherries, 1 1/4 c chopped Bosc pears, 4 diced leeks, 2 c Marsala wine, and 1 c cream. First, you will bring the leeks, cherries, pears, and wine to a boil. After this, remove from the heat and then cover, allowing them to plump. After this, fry the seasoned chicken in oil, skin side down, on high heat until golden brown. From here, fry the leek...
In this video, we learn how to tort, level, and fill cake. When your cake bakes, you get a mound or crown at the top. You will want to cut this off, or else your cake will crack. The next step is to just stick a cake board underneath and remove it. You can also torte the cake, which means to use a cake leveler to make it completely even on the surface. After you do this, you can make a dam around the cake about 1/4" of the way in. use a coupler on your bed and fill it in so it can hold what y...
In this tutorial, we learn how to make an American apple pie. You will need: 2 c flour, 1 tsp salt, 3/4 c shortening, and 5-6 tbsp cold water for the crust. Mix all the ingredients together, then shape it into the pie dish to make the crust complete. Also shape the dough for the top of the pie. Next, prepare the filling with: 2/3 c sugar, 2 tbsp flour, 1/3 tsp cinnamon, 1/4 tsp nutmeg, 1/2 tsp lemon peel, 1 tsp lemon juice, 1 tbsp butter, milk, and 6 c thinly sliced apples. Mix the ingredient...
In this tutorial, we learn how to make caramel candies. Ingredients include: 1 cup granulated sugar, 1/4 c light corn syrup, 4 tbsp salted butter, 1 c heavy cream, and 1 tsp vanilla. To create this, you will combine all your ingredients in a large pot, stirring a little bit. Once the mixture has turned into caramel, stick a thermometer to make sure it's reached 250 degrees. When it is finished, pour this into a baking dish. Once you do this, smooth it out to cover the surface, then wait for i...
In this video, we learn how to make old fashioned sugar cookies. First, you will need 2 sticks of butter and 1 3/4 c sugar. Mix this together, then add in two eggs to the bowl and mix together again. Now, add in 2 3/4 c flour and mix this up with a spoon. Form into a large bowl, then roll out on a flat surface. After this, you can cut out round shapes or any other shape you would like. Bake the cookies in the oven until they are golden brown, then enjoy and eat with milk or ice cream.
What's better than either French toast or cupcakes? Both desserts combined into one monolithic sweet creation. Check out this food tutorial to learn how to bake French toaste flavored cupcakes.
Love orchids? Then you'll love them even more when they're made of sugar and topping your next baked creation. Sugar orchids sound difficult to put together, but really they require nothing more than a little patience and sugarpaste. To learn how to make them, check out this cake decorating tutorial.
In this tutorial, we learn how to make Mediterranean pita bread. First, you will need to gather, flour, sugar, yeast, salt olive oil, and water to make this. Now, measure out 1 tsp of sugar and empty 1 packet of yeast into it, then add 1/2 c of warm water. Let this sit for around 15 minutes until it's foamy. Now, measure out 2 c white flour with 2 c wheat flour, then add in 2 tsp of salt and mix these up in a large bowl. Now, add in 1 c warm water to the dough and then add in the yeast mixtur...
In this tutorial, we learn how to make prosciutto eggplant calzone with Guy Fiore. First, take dough and work it out on a flat floured surface. Then, mix the pine nuts with the cheese mixture, and cut up your prosciutto. Add on the eggplant and other ingredients into the center of the dough alone with a generous amount of parmesan cheese. After this, push the calzone down and twist the side to make it into a pocket shape. Place this onto a baking sheet, then wash it with an egg. Place into th...
Bacon is the cornerstone of many comfort food combinations: Baked potatoes topped with bacon bits, bacon served alongside a biscuit and eggs for breakfast, bacon burgers.
The biggest thing that scares us when we're out to make something from a recipe is, well, the recipe. Usually you can't get away with anything less than ten items on the ingredients list, all of which we have to scour for in our pantry or purchase at the store.
We never thought this would happen. A cherry pie AND cupcake in one? We have officially died and gone to foodie heaven. Make sure you take a closer inspection of these cherry pie/cupcake hybrids, however: These are actually cupcakes decorated to resemble cherry pies using frosting.
Use fresh cherries, sugar, cinnamon and almonds to make these delicious cupcakes. The mascarpone frosting is made with real butter, mascarpone cheese, icing sugar and a fresh vanilla pod. Mix, bake, frost and top with cherries for a delicious dessert.
Love the taste of crusty, old-world style bread? Well, you don't have to get it from an exquisite bakery anymore! You can make it right in your own kitchen. Watch this video recipe to learn how to make this delicious Hungarian potato bread, an old-world classic.
In this video, we learn how to cook pizza at home. First, butter or grease the bottom of a baking pan. Next, purchase pre-made dough from the grocery store and lay it out onto the pan, then spread it. Roll out the dough until it's the shape of the pan, then spoon on your sauce onto the dough up until you reach the crust. After you have spread as much dough as you would like, add on your favorite toppings to the pizza. You can place on sausage first if you like meat, before you place on cheese...
In this video, we learn how to make Indian suka aloo. First, add butter to a wok, then add in cumin seeds, sliced onions, salt, sliced garlic, sliced ginger, sliced green chili, turmeric powder, and then mix together. After these have browned, add in chopped coriander leaves, then add in a pinch of cumin seed powder and chili powder. After this, add in sliced potatoes and toss all the ingredients together until the potatoes are browned. Now, add in more salt and cook on a slow flame for 10-12...
In this video, we learn how to prepare chicken for grilling. First, lay the chicken down onto a baking dish and pour over your favorite type of marinade and place it in the fridge overnight with plastic. A good marinade includes: onions, red pepper flakes, salt, sugar, soy sauce, and salt. You can include any more spices or seasonings that you would like, then mix it all together. After you have your chicken marinated overnight, you can start to grill it and cook it thoroughly. Serve during t...
You know how people always get frustrated when they open up a Valentine's Day chocolate gift box to find no labeling device for the chocolates there, forcing them to taste test each one to see if they like 'em? Recreate this frustration and relish in the schadenfreude by baking these melt in your mouth chocolate bars, each one filled with something different, from caramel and peanuts to almonds and more chocolate.
When we see the word "baguette" in a recipe, we know it's bound to be delish. In this case, we're talking about a Polish baguette, also known as a Zapiekanka. This greasy bread is a popular Polish street food, and in the version you'll learn to make in the video it's filled with oodles of cheese, mushrooms, ham, and any other vegetables and meat you'd like to add.
