How-To

The Real Reason Your Pears Won't Ripen

Despite your best intentions (and smidge of impatience), glaring at a fresh pear won't help it ripen any faster. Unlike other tree-borne fruits, pears ripen after they're harvested, not while nuzzled on the tree. Once picked, grocers keep pears chilled, so they stay firm until you're ready to enjoy.

By Robin Miller Read More

You Should Never Throw Away Asparagus Ends. Here's Why

Asparagus may be good for you, but the typical American only eats about 1.75 pounds of the stalks each year, making it one of the less consumed vegetables in the U.S. Maybe it's because of all those rumors that it makes your urine a smelly or maybe you feel wasteful and intimidated by the vegetable.

By Karen Hart Read More

The One Ingredient Swap You Should Make With Pecan Pie

There are always the classics like pumpkin pie, but the ultimate choice seems to be pecan. It doesn't get much better than the sweet and nutty pie -- especially if it has a splash of bourbon in it too. The only downside of pecan pie is that it frequently has quite a lot of corn syrup in the filling.

By Molly Harris Read More

Here's What You Can Do To Fix Runny Curry

A key element to any successful curry dish is having a sauce that is not only complex and flavorful, but rich in consistency as well. If you've ever tried to replicate your favorite Thai or Indian restaurant curry and ended up with a watery and unsatisfying knockoff, there are ways to fix that.

By Gina LaVecchia Ragone Read More

What You Can Do To Make Lettuce Crisp

If you are like most households, you probably find yourself buying lettuce well before you plan to use it, only to open up the refrigerator to find it wilted or worse. Luckily there are great tricks and tips to resuscitate the foundational ingredient of your salads and sandwiches.

By Karen Hart Read More

Here's How To Properly Smoke A Turkey On The Grill

Smoking a turkey, whether it's for Thanksgiving dinner or another special occasion, is a delicious and easy way to cook up a whole bird. You don't even have to own a smoker to do it. The result will be a juicy bird with delicious smoky flavor, and you won't have to give up your oven for hours.

By Andrea Beck Read More

The Secrets To Making Delicious Pho In An Instant Pot

Pho, when done right, can be one of the most comforting dishes of all time. The only caveat? Getting the broth right can take long hours. You can drastically cut down on the overall cooking time by using an Instant Pot. Read on to know the tricks that can help you.

By Boshika Gupta Read More

You've Been De-Boning Chicken Wings Wrong This Whole Time

Deboning chicken wings probably isn't something you're going to do every night, especially because getting rid of all those smaller bones can be kind of a pain for the amount of meat you end up with. Your usual method of deboning is probably just pulling out the bones as you eat.

By Andrea Beck Read More

Here's What You Can Do To Keep Pork Chops From Drying Out

When pork chops are cooked to juicy perfection, they're hard to beat. When pork chops come out of the oven dry and leathery, however, you might as well toss them to the dog. Here are several prep steps you can take to ensure lip-smacking chops.

By Liz Barrett Foster Read More

Here's How To Get Rid Of Olive Oil's Bitterness

While that bitter taste may be a hallmark of extra-virgin olive oil, it is not a hallmark of emulsion recipes. Read on to find out how you can get rid of it.

By Karen Hart Read More

What Is Horseradish And What Does It Taste Like?

Have you ever ordered prime rib and had your mouth catch fire when you took a bite of the mystery white sauce that accompanied it? Surprise! That was horseradish. The spiciness from horseradish dissipates quickly, like wasabi.

By Liz Barrett Foster Read More

The Untold Truth Of Atlantic Beach Pie

Atlantic Beach Pie is a North Carolina phenomenon: neither completely lemon nor lime, free of graham-crackers, and topped with whipped cream instead of meringue, it's close to other citrus pies but also something completely different.

By Sophie Putka Read More

If You're Not Pairing Your Halloween Candy With Cheese, You're Missing Out

Halloween is here again, and this year there's more to look forward to than just candy. Though you probably know you can pair candy with wine, we're here to tell you you can pair it with cheese too! Match all three for a scary good Halloween-worthy charcuterie board this year.

By Molly Harris Read More

This Is The Best Type Of Apple For Baking

If you're going to go to all the trouble of making an apple pie or crisp, make sure it's worth all the slicing, peeling, and chopping by choosing the best apple for the job. You might not have thought about it before, but different varieties of apples each have their own niche in the kitchen.

By Andrea Beck Read More

Trader Joe's Two-Ingredient Ice Cream Hack Changes Everything

There's a hack for absolutely everything these days. No matter what you're craving and needed five minutes ago, you can probably find an easy version to make at home. This trick is clearly basic, as it only calls for two ingredients, but there are plenty of people who love the ice cream alternative.

By Molly Harris Read More

Why You Should Start Adding Sugar To Your Brine

Once you get your salt solution down, you can get fancy and add all kinds of herbs, cut-up vegetables, citrus fruits, and seasonings to your brine. But there is another ingredient that you might want to consider adding to your brine: sugar.

By Karen Hart Read More

Here's What You Can Substitute For Lard

Lard often gets a bad rap. If you find yourself doing the Heisman when a recipe calls for this rendered pig's fat or you can't help but shrink back in sheer horror at the thought of scooping this greasy ingredient out of the jar, there are plenty of options you can use as a lard substitute.

By Karen Hart Read More

You Should Really Try Grilling Fruit. Here's Why

A Saturday afternoon grill party just wouldn't be complete without some juicy hamburgers, plump hot dogs, and fresh grilled peaches. Wait, peaches? Yes. There are several desserts that are healthier than you may think, including grilled fruit.

By Liz Barrett Foster Read More

Here's How To Thaw And Brine Meat At The Same Time

Freezing meat is a good way to stock up and make sure you always have a backup option for dinner when you need it. The downside is you have to wait for it to thaw before you can start cooking. But if you planned on brining your meat before cooking, you can save yourself some time.

By Andrea Beck Read More

You've Been Filling Stuffed Pasta All Wrong

If you're a fan of stuffed pastas, but worried that they were too difficult to make at home, then you might have avoided cooking them in the past. However, we're here to tell you that -- provided you have the right tools -- making stuffed pasta can actually be quite simple.

By Molly Harris Read More

What You Can Do To Make Sure Your Yorkshire Pudding Rises

A Sunday roast isn't a Sunday roast without Yorkshire pudding. The dish relies on steam to create the puffed puddings with a golden brown and crisp exterior and a light, soft center. For a Yorkshire pudding novice, however, this can be a daunting task. Here are a few simple tips.

By Audrey Michels Read More

This Is The Temperature You Should Be Frying Your Chicken At

If you don't know the right temperature to fry your chicken at, you may wind up with a total disaster on the plate.

By Megan Scott Read More

The Croissant Cereal Trend That's Taking Over The Internet

Croissant cereal is the latest in a trend of mini cereals that gained traction during quarantine and is showing no sign of stopping. The craze began with mini pancake cereal and we thought it may have truly ended with sushi cereal, but then miniature donut cereal became a thing too.

By Megan Scott Read More

Tricks To Help Save Money At Your Local Farmers Market

There's something so special about shopping at the farmers market. However, there are a few key strategies for shopping to get the most bang for your buck.

By Molly Harris Read More

The Strange Hack You Can Use To Clean Deep-Fry Oil

Frying food at home can be really delicious, but the clean up is always a pain. Between waiting for the oil to cool and deciding if it's worth keeping or tossing, the cleanup process isn't exactly quick and easy. That's why this hack is one you have to try. It makes cleaning oil so much easier.

By Molly Harris Read More

Here's Why You Should Sous Vide Your Corn

The vacuum-bag-and-temperature-controlled-water method might not be immediately obvious for a prospective corn cooker. But, if you give it a shot, you might just find that the method takes this already delicious veggie to a whole new level. Here's why you should sous vide your corn.

By Pauli Poisuo Read More

You've Been Storing Gingerbread Cookies Wrong This Whole Time

Aside from the humans who eat them, gingerbread people's biggest problem is exposure to humidity and moisture. So gingerbread cookies need to be stored in certain conditions to make sure they maintain freshness and texture until you're ready for the yummy to enter your tummy.

By A. C. Grimes Read More