During my time living in dorm rooms and small apartments, I would find myself in need of many different appliances—a food processor for making hummus, a blender for vegetable smoothies, or even a mortar and pestle for muddling mojito-bound mint leaves. Luckily, there was one tiny, inconspicuous tool that solved all of these problems: the coffee grinder.
I always have several sheets of puff pastry in my freezer. It's unlike any other pastry dough: the layers of butter let out steam when the dough bakes (hence, the "puff" in puff pastry). The dough's flakiness perfectly compliments sweet and savory dishes, which makes it a totally versatile—and completely necessary—fixture in your kitchen!
Vegetables are perhaps the most important part of our diets, but often times they're an absolute pain to prepare. Cleaning every fleck of dirt off of dozens of leafy greens takes ages, and eliminating the more fibrous parts of certain veggies can be extremely tedious.
As the days get shorter and the weather cools down, I prepare to "hibernate." I add piles of blankets to my bed, wrap myself in layers of flannel, and—most importantly—eat as if I'm storing energy for winter.
Fall is the time for comfort foods—and what is more comforting than crusty bread slathered in melted cheese? Owning a fondue pot is both convenient and wonderful, but not all of us have the luxury of space for nonessential kitchen appliances. However, there are plenty of ways to make an absolutely delicious, lump-free fondue without the traditional equipment.
Preparing and serving seafood can be a daunting task. Fish is so delicate that one extra minute of heat can turn a juicy, flaky filet into a dried-out disaster. But that same fragility also allows us to use unconventional methods to chemically transform the fish into its cooked consistency.
There is something so satisfying about dipping your spoon into a perfectly smooth slice of cheesecake. There is something a bit less satisfying about it if the top of the cheesecake is cracked and cratered.
At-home cooks tend to be scared of soufflés. Either they don't rise at all or they end up all sad and lopsided. However, when successful, the end product cannot be matched in impressing your guests.
My favorite finishing touch to any dish is a tuile. Small, elegant, and simple—even its name makes it sound delicate. Tuiles are garnishes that are malleable when directly removed from the oven and crisp up as they cool down. I love them because they complement both savory and sweet dishes and can add a nice alternative texture to creamy dishes. Read on to learn how to transform this warm, workable dough into a variety of crispy, light accents.
Christmas is just around the corner, which means holiday wreaths are decorating many doors across the nation. While we're always fans of a practical DIY, we especially love the edible kind, which are great for last-minute decorations.
The sprouts, they're alive! Alive, I tell you—aaaaaaliiiiiive! (Cue dramatic music.) It's true: sprouts are a living food, and they're packed with more nutritional benefits than some raw vegetables. It's easy and fun to grow your own sprouts from seeds, legumes, and grains. Plus, watching them grow is incredibly satisfying—you're bringing new life into the world (and onto your plate)!
One of my favorite things to do when I visit my parents is cook. Aside from the fact that I adore cooking with my mom, there's something comforting about returning to the kitchen that I first started playing in 20 years ago. Nearly all of the tools and appliances are the same ones that I used as a kid, and the familiarity is palpable.
Ah, bello risotto. There are few comfort foods in the world that provide the same savory creaminess. Yet for all its simplicity, risotto has gotten a bad rap as a difficult dish to cook. In actuality, nothing is further from the truth.
Starbucks last big hit was definitely their Vanilla Sweet Cream Cold Brew, which became a permanent menu item—not just a summer fling—on May 31, 2016. It's the perfect blend of 20-hour cold brew and vanilla sweet cream; The result not only tastes great, but the cream makes is visually mesmerizing as it floats down through the brew.
Great news: you don't have to give up grains if you're avoiding gluten.
If I could survive on one food for the rest of my life, it would be pizza. The irresistible smell of baking pizza instantly makes me feel both comforted... and hungry!
Oven space is scarce on that fated fourth Thursday of November. Even if you can find a spare space for pumpkin pie on the bottom shelf, you risk turkey drippings overflowing from above and ruining your beautiful dessert — not to mention a burnt crust from different temperature requirements. The bottom line is: oven real estate is valuable, and it's tough to multitask cooking for Thanksgiving when every dish requires baking or roasting.
Lemons, limes, and even oranges compliment a wide variety of both food and drink: gin and tonic, poached salmon, shrimp cocktails, fajitas, and so on. And you can easily step up your hosting game by making citrus garnishes: a presentation that is both elegant and interesting.
Ah, the joys of bottomless brunch. Paying a flat rate for endless mimosas while having a long gossip over eggs Benedict is exactly how many of us love to spend our Saturdays. However, in practice, this isn't the sophisticated affair we all like to imagine. After refill number four we sway in our chair, doze off into our porridge, and end up tipping 50% because math is too hard. In short, not a very successful brunch.
Contrary to popular belief, sushi is not the raw fish that one gets at Japanese restaurants, but the rice that comes with it. It's hard to tell whether this popular misconception led to or came about because of the primary flavors that we think of in sushi are the fish. We often say a sushi restaurant has great fish, but almost never that it has great rice.
The drinking straw isn't just there to help you make annoying noises when you get to the bottom of your soda. That little tube of plastic is extremely versatile and can make your life a lot easier with a little know-how. Curious? Read on to find out more.
"The best season for food is the worst season for cooking." These words, spoken by food blogger Dave Klopfenstein of Dave's Kitchen, couldn't be more true.
The first written account of "stock" as a culinary staple goes back to 1653, when La Varenne's Cookery described boiling mushroom stems and table scraps with other ingredients (such as herbs and basic vegetables) in water to use for sauces. But really, the concept of stock has probably been around for as long as people have been using water to boil food.
It's universally known that broccoli, kale, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, and all cruciferous vegetables (also known as brassicas) are good for you—but you probably don't know exactly how good they really are.
SCRABBLE. To some it's just a game, but to me it's life or death. Well, not really, but it feels that way anyway. On a normal weekend, a game becomes much like Jon Thomas' "friendly game of death Scrabble."
Many lazy cooks skip rinsing off their grains before they cook 'em, but that's a big mistake for a few reasons. Some grains have coatings on them that need to be rinsed off to cook properly and taste good.
Apple doesn't include a calculator on the iPad and never did. One almost appeared over 12 years ago but was nothing more than a blown-up version of the iPhone app. Since then, the company still hasn't made an iPad-optimized calculator, and there is no shortage of third-party alternatives to fill the gap. It may happen one day, but for now, these are the best calculator apps for your iPad.
Work along with Laura and her friends in this how-to video as they make a beautiful bluebird ornament! Just follow Laura's step by step instructions and you'll have your very own ornament in no time. They're the perfect holiday gift! Watch this video activity tutorial and learn how to make a festive blue bird ornament. Make a blue bird Christmas ornament.
How about a change from the same old boring chicken breast for dinner? Laura Raposa will show you how to make this scrumptious stewed fava beans dish. It's not only delicious, but it's healthy too! Just follow along as Laura guides you through each step of the way. Pretty soon your family will be screaming for more fava beans!
I made this dress to attend a wedding, using a Laura Ashley pattern that is sadly now out of print (M5232, View C, http://mccallpattern.mccall.com/m5232-products-4726.php?page_id=522). It's supposed to be a modern style, but I used a stiff brocade as my fashion fabric. When I was done, I realized that the stiffness of the brocade made the skirt flare out and give it a 1950s style silhouette. I love this because it's like stealth vintage!
Meat and bourbon is a delicious marriage—whether it's bacon-infused bourbon, or bourbon drenched steaks. The recipe below is adapted from Nancy's bourbon-marinated rib eye recipe over at 'A Recipe a Day'. For this version, we used the classic New York strip, with a little sous vide twist (optional).
Laura Caddoo and VideoJug demonstrate how to make a cactus bite cocktail -- a tangy cocktail made with tequila, lemon juice, orange liqueur and whiskey. Perfect for a summers evening. First, make then lemon juice and add tequila. Then add Cointreau, Drambuie scotch whiskey, sugar, and a dash of bitters. Make a Cactus Bite cocktail.
Laura Caddoo and VideoJug demonstrate how to make a Diablo Hell Fire cocktail. A refreshing cocktail, devilishly delicious on a hot summer's day. You'll need ginger ale, creme de cassis, cachaca rum, and 1 lime to make this drink. Make a Diablo Hell Fire cocktail.
Laura Caddoo and VideoJug demonstrate how to make a Fruit Tingle cocktail -- A light and refreshing cherry delight. Tingle your taste buds with this fruity, invigorating cocktail! You'll need lemonade, vodka, cherry brandy, sugar, 1 orange wedge, and ice cubes for this drink. Make a Fruit Tingle cocktail.
Here is the movie trailers for the feature film "Little Fockers" directed by Paul Weitz Here are a collection of movie clips from the feature film "Little Fockers" cast:
It’s not as much work as it seems, and the payoff is big, so dig that pasta machine out of your cabinet and follow along with Laura Schenone, author of The Lost Ravioli Recipes of Hoboken. To get you started, use this recipe for fresh pasta dough. Make fresh homemade pasta.
Learn how to properly apply blush to your cheeks with Laura Leon. Properly apply blush for teens.
You won't have to jump into a time machine to get the psychedelic bag shown in this how-to video! Watch as Laura and her friends create a cool and colorful hobo bag from scratch! They're great to use for school, sleep overs or just hanging out with friends! You will need 2 pieces of fleece 20" x 20", 1 strip of fleece 36" x 3", a black marker, pins, scissors, a measuring tape, and the step-by-step instructions in this video activity tutorial. Make a tie dye hobo bag.
Laura shows her group of A-TV friends how to accessorize with this chic and easy to make belt in this how-to video. Being fashionable has never been simpler! You will need 2 D rings, a gross grain ribbon, a measuring tape, a needle, and thread. Follow along with this video kids' activity tutorial and learn how to make a d-ring grossgrain ribbon belt. Make a d-ring grossgrain ribbon belt.
