Food & Drink Articles

Cheat Sheet / Updated 02-07-2023

Cooking for yourself is a skill anyone can do, whether you are 16 years old or 96 years old. Making your own meals from scratch can be immensely satisfying while also saving you money, allowing more control over your nutritional intake, and providing an outlet to express your creativity. Being able to shop, prep, cook, and feed yourself is the ultimate in self-sufficiency that will bring you energy and joy for the rest of your life.

Cheat Sheet / Updated 02-07-2023

When going from a high-carb diet to a low-carb one, you’ll experience a substantial shift in your mindset, your ingredients, and even some of your cooking and baking techniques. Sometimes you may be tempted to cut out entire parts of the meal (such as dessert), but that isn’t a great long-term approach. Everything you do on keto should be sustainable; whether you choose to stick with it for years is entirely up to you, but the way you eat should be healthy enough to keep you going for that long.

Cheat Sheet / Updated 01-10-2023

Quality beer is widely available and relatively inexpensive, but choosing among all the various styles can be a little confusing without some help. A little beer knowledge can turn a daunting experience into an enjoyable one. Start with a list of handy beer descriptors, along with some great beer styles and brands to try. Then check out some pointers for buying, serving, tasting, evaluating, and dining with beer.

Article / Updated 12-20-2022

Most dinner plans start with a protein, pair it with a starch, and then add a vegetable. Why not combine the starch and vegetable instead? This delicious and satisfying soba noodle and edamame bean salad takes the guesswork out of your side dishes and makes the side dish the star of the plate. As you're making this salad, keep in mind that soba noodles are gluten-free because they’re made from buckwheat. They must be cooled quickly or the noodles will clump together. If you’re preparing these for someone who must eat gluten-free, be sure to check the label. Sometimes food manufacturers cut costs by adding wheat to the noodles. Preparation time: About 10 minutes Cooking time: 4 minutes Yield: Eight servings Ingredients 4 ounces soba noodles 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar 1/4 cup orange marmalade 2 tablespoons vegetable oil 1 tablespoon sesame oil 1 teaspoon grated ginger 1 teaspoon grated garlic 2 tablespoons lime juice 2 tablespoons soy sauce 2 Persian cucumbers, thinly sliced on the bias 1/2 cup grated carrots 1 cup shelled edamame 1 cup thinly sliced purple cabbage 1 cup canned-in-water mandarin oranges, drained 2 cups fried wonton noodles 1 tablespoon black sesame seeds Directions In a large pot, bring water to a boil. Add the soba noodles, stirring to submerge. Cook according to package instructions, about 2 to 4 minutes. While the soba noodles are cooking, ready an ice bath. Strain the cooked soba noodles and immediately submerge them into the ice bath, stirring to quickly cool the noodles. Next, in a serving bowl whisk together the vinegar, marmalade, vegetable oil, sesame oil, ginger, garlic, lime juice, and soy sauce. Add the cucumbers, carrots, edamame, cabbage, and mandarin oranges, stirring to combine. Strain the cold soba noodles. Add the soba noodles to the vegetables, tossing to coat. Add the fried wonton noodles and sesame seeds, tossing to mix the salad. Serve immediately. Serve with teriyaki chicken, ribs, or barbecue chicken. Per serving: Calories 231 (From Fat 93); Fat 10g (Saturated 1g); Cholesterol 0mg; Sodium 404mg; Carbohydrate 32g (Dietary Fiber 3g); Protein 6g. To vary the recipe, you can add thinly sliced red or orange bell pepper, green onion, chopped peanuts or cashews, and roasted sweet potatoes.

Article / Updated 12-20-2022

Cobb salads are decorative in design, so they're as colorful and beautiful as they are delicious. Place the toppings in lines or around the edges, or toss it all together if you prefer! You can vary the Cobb salad by adding sliced cucumbers, chopped bell pepper, grated carrot, or croutons, too. For this recipe, the chicken breast can be marinated up to eight hours. If you prefer grilled chicken, grill for 8 to 10 minutes on each side over medium-high heat until cooked to an internal temperature of 165 degrees. Preparation time: About 30 minutes Cooking time: 35 minutes Yield: Eight servings Ingredients: 1/2 cup red wine vinegar 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard 2 teaspoons honey 2 garlic cloves, minced 1 teaspoon sea salt 1 teaspoon cracked pepper 1 cup extra-virgin olive oil 2 skinless, boneless chicken breasts 8 slices bacon, crumbled or chopped 6 cups romaine lettuce, chopped 3 hard-boiled eggs, chopped 1 ripe avocado, cubed 2 Roma tomatoes, seeded and diced 1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese or grated cheddar cheese 2 green onions, thinly sliced Directions Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a medium bowl, whisk together the vinegar, mustard, honey, garlic, salt, pepper, and olive oil. Transfer 1 cup of this salad dressing to another bowl, and place the chicken breasts into that bowl. Allow the chicken to marinade for 30 minutes, flipping to coat both sides of the chicken. Meanwhile, place the bacon on the parchment paper and bake until crispy, about 15 minutes. Remove the bacon from the parchment paper, and add the marinated chicken breasts. Bake until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees, about 20 minutes. Let the chicken rest for 5 minutes; then cube the chicken into small, bite-size pieces. In a large bowl, toss the lettuce with the remaining dressing. Adjust the salt and pepper as needed. With tongs, remove the dressed lettuce to a serving plate. In lines, top with the eggs, avocado, tomatoes, cheese, onions, crumbled bacon, and chicken. Serve immediately. Per serving: Calories 432 (From Fat 348); Fat 39g (Saturated 8g); Cholesterol 117mg; Sodium 644mg; Carbohydrate 6g (Dietary Fiber 2g); Protein 16g.

Article / Updated 12-05-2022

Not another kitchen gadget, right? Overall, I am a fan of an excellent knife and solid cutting board for most salad recipes. Tools can help with storage and preparation techniques, and they can enhance your use of ingredients. When you’re making a salad, you don’t need much — just a good knife, a solid cutting board, and a fun way to serve your salad. Those are the basics. But if you want to create some cool cuts or create salads that have roasted or spiralized vegetables, you may want to grab some more tools. If you love stocking up on kitchen gadgets, use this list as your excuse to cut loose! But you don’t need all the fancy tools to make a successful salad. Useful tools for great salads You can find each of the following items (listed roughly in order from most important to least important) at Williams-Sonoma or on Amazon: Chef’s knife: A 6- or 8-inch chef’s knife is ideal for many tasks when you’re making salads. Top-rated knife brands include Mercer, Opinel, Victorinox, Wüsthof, and Zwilling. Keep in mind: One good knife is better than a bunch of cheap knives. Cutting board: Many people keep a couple of different colored cutting boards on hand to identify what they use them for — for example, green for produce, red for meats, and white for breads.The advantage of plastic cutting boards is that they’re usually dishwasher safe. Wood cutting boards are my favorite, though, and I oil mine with mineral oil every couple of weeks to keep the boards in top shape. IKEA has inexpensive wood cutting boards; if you keep wood cutting boards oiled, they’ll hold up to heavy use. Plus, wood cutting boards break down in landfills, unlike plastic. Paring knife: A paring knife is handy for smaller knife skills or hand peeling. Tongs: A variety of sizes exist. In my kitchen, I keep three sets of tongs on hand for turning meats or tofu in a frying pan, grilling, and tossing salads. Salad spinner: Salad spinners really help prolong the life of your greens. Wash them as soon as you get them and spin them dry to have lettuce ready any day of the week. OXO makes a small salad spinner that’s a great starting point. Food processor: Whether I’m whipping up a dressing or slicing vegetables, I regularly use my food processor. I’ve had a Cuisinart food processor for almost 30 years, and it still works well. You can find less expensive brands and more expensive brands — just consider your budget and what works best for your kitchen space. Bread knife: A well-made serrated knife is great for slicing your favorite crusty French bread to serve with your salad. Vegetable peeler: A multifunctional peeler can help with finite cuts, such as a julienne. The Deiss PRO Dual Julienne and Vegetable Peeler is well rated and can be found on Amazon. Mandoline slicing tool: I have owned both a giant mandoline and a hand-held version, but I prefer a simple hand-held mandolin. The OXO Good Grips Simple Mandoline Slicer is easy to use and is dishwasher safe. Be mindful and use the guard when using a mandoline — even experienced chefs have cut the tips of fingers on a mandoline. Spiralizer: You can make zoodles (vegetable noodles) or curly fries in an instant with a spiralizer. The Spiralizer 7-Blade Vegetable Slicer has earned top marks but is bulky and large. Look for one that fits in your kitchen and works well for your preferred vegetables. Read the reviews before making a purchase. Blender: Blenders can be good when whipping up larger batches of dressings or blending soups. If you have a food processor, you may not need a blender. Sheet pans: While I was living in Europe, I fell in love with cast-iron and heavy black steel pans. I like how these are versatile and can be used on the stovetop, on a grill, or in the oven. Cast iron also heats evenly. Aluminum pans are lightweight and easy to use in the oven. USA Pan Bakeware is a good brand for lightweight baking sheets and can be found on Amazon. Digital thermometer: Many people still cut into meat to check for doneness, but I always encourage the use of a meat thermometer to check for doneness instead. A digital thermometer is inexpensive (ranging from $15 to $30) and quickly registers temperature, giving you an accurate measurement of the food’s internal temperature. Taking advantage of a multicooker Rice, grains, and legumes — important parts of many salad recipes — can be made to perfection in a multicooker, like an Instant Pot, for example. Making grains or legumes in bulk and freezing them will help future meals come together quickly. Multicookers are particularly useful when making bowl meals, which often have a grain, a legume, and raw and roasted vegetables with a dressing.

Article / Updated 12-02-2022

Ideal latkes (potato pancakes) are lacy and crisp — and this recipe delivers. Delicious potato latkes are a Hanukkah tradition in many Jewish families, but they're always a hit at any kind of party, at dinners, or as a savory snack. Serve them with applesauce, sour cream, or yogurt. In kosher kitchens, sour cream is not served with latkes if they accompany meat or poultry dishes, but you may find applesauce on the table. Usually, you don’t need additional toppings for latkes when they are companions for main dishes like stews or any that come with a sauce. You simply spoon some of the sauce over the latkes, too. Light and Crispy Latkes (Potato Pancakes) Special tool: Food processor with large grating disc or hand grater Preparation time: 20 minutes Cooking time: 30 minutes Yield: 4 servings (12 to 15 pancakes) Keeping kosher: Pareve 1-1/4 pounds large potatoes, peeled 1 medium onion 1 egg, lightly beaten 1 teaspoon salt 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon white pepper 2 tablespoons flour 1/2 teaspoon baking powder 1/2 cup vegetable oil, more if needed Using coarse grating disc of a food processor or large holes of a hand grater, grate potatoes and onions, alternating them. Transfer the mixture to a colander. Squeeze mixture by handfuls to press out as much liquid as possible; discard liquid. Put potato-onion mixture in a bowl. Add egg, salt, pepper, flour, and baking powder. Heat 1/2 cup oil in a deep heavy 10- to 12-inch skillet. For each pancake, add about 2 tablespoons of potato mixture to pan. Add 3 or 4 more pancakes. Flatten with back of a spoon so that each measures 2-1/2 inches. Fry over medium heat for 4 to 5 minutes. Using 2 pancake turners, turn them carefully. Fry second side about 4 minutes, or until pancakes are golden brown and crisp. Drain on a plate lined with paper towels. Stir potato mixture before frying each new batch. If all the oil is absorbed during frying, add 2 or 3 tablespoons more oil to pan. Serve hot.

Article / Updated 11-18-2022

Listen to the article:Download audio Hosting Thanksgiving this year? Guess what? It’s actually possible to host a fantastic Thanksgiving meal and not get completely stressed out! Try these Thanksgiving hosting tips, which come from several excellent articles on Dummies.com. And, have a happy, fun, yet peaceful, holiday. Find even more great advice in our “Have a Beautiful (and Tasty) Thanksgiving” collection. Carefully determine your menu: Start planning as early as you can and consider what you’d love to do versus what’s actually feasible. Plan to have a couple of items that are more difficult and take more time, and a few items that are quick and easy. Include room in your meal budget for beverages: Don’t forget the soda; wine, beer, spirits, and mixes; and maybe some hot drinks, like cozy hot apple cider with cinnamon sticks (maybe even spiked with some rum for the adults). And don’t forget the ice! Prepare some items in advance: The more side dishes and appetizers you can prepare in advance, the easier the big day will be. Here's a solid list of make-ahead Thanksgiving dishes you can prepare before the holidays. Follow a tried-and-true recipe for your turkey: There’s a time for experimentation in cooking and a time when you’re having 10 people over for dinner and you need to get it right. This would be the latter. Don’t be a hero: Ask for help, and the trick is knowing when you need it. Be realistic; if you simply have too much to do, make some calls. Can a family member make one of the side dishes or pick up the soda? People love being needed, and the goal is to have a fun, delicious Thanksgiving! Add color and style to your platter: An easy way to create a beautiful turkey platter presentation is to garnish around the edges with a few different types of fruits and vegetables, such as: cranberries, small apples, a pomegranate sliced in half, piles of leafy greens or fresh herbs (like whole basil), and red and green grapes. Set up early: If possible, get your decorating done and table set at least a day before Thanksgiving. It’s one less thing you’ll have to worry about on the holiday. Ensure you have the essentials: Your shopping list should include supplies for your dinner party, including paper napkins, paper towels, disposable dinnerware (if you don’t have enough glasses, plates, silverware, etc.), pot holders and trivets, and containers for leftovers. Take a timeout: On Thanksgiving Day, build some downtime into your preparations. Your mind and body will work better if you can take a break. For 15 minutes or a half hour, put your feet up, watch the Thanksgiving Day Parade on TV, read an article, or just stare out the window. Involve the kids: Getting your kids involved in preparing for the holiday is good for you and them. Depending on their ages, kids can help with setting the table, decorating, helping guests, and cleanup. Older children can help with cooking tasks and the drivers can help with shopping.

Cheat Sheet / Updated 11-15-2022

Listen to the article:Download audio When crafting that perfect salad, you need to know how to select the best green for the bowl and whisk up a simple and delicious salad dressing. If you’re in a hurry, you need tips for pulling together a quick and easy salad, too. Get your salad bowls ready — here are some tips to get started!

Article / Updated 11-01-2022

Thanksgiving really lends itself to inexpensive decorating, which is nice because we all know what a chunk the upcoming holidays can take out of the old budget. It's also a wonderful holiday to share decorating with kids. Nature provides the most wonderful decorating materials for free. A quick trip to the backyard, a farmers market, or the park can sometimes give you everything you need to decorate gracefully and sufficiently. Infuse a little color into your world by decorating with an artist’s canvas! Purchase a few pre-stretched and primed canvases at your local arts and crafts supply store. Use these as your seasonal accent pieces! Kids can finish them in several ways: Wallpaper them: Have you ever seen abandoned wallpaper books at your local paint and wall coverings store? Often, these retailers pile up discontinued wallpaper sample books available free to any takers. Here’s your chance to use small samples for a big effect. Choose a few wallpaper samples in complementing colors and let them cover the canvases. Depending on their age, you might have to help with the measuring, cutting and pasting.! Attach objects to them. A spoon, knife, fork, pine cone, leaf, or other objet d’art can be tied or glued to the center of a blank canvas for a three-dimensional piece of art. Change the objects to reflect each season. You can paint, paper, or attach and reattach findings to them for each season. Because canvases are inexpensive, you can replace them when needed or add to your collection as desired. Use these little pieces of art to color block a wall or use where you’d normally place a picture. Children would also enjoy the following holiday decorating projects: Gather autumn leaves: Rake and create! Freshly fallen leaves are perfect for spreading out on a table around candles and centerpieces or stringing one on top of the other for a stacked leaf garland. To help get everyone psyched up, be sure to rake up a separate pile of leaves that the kids, and the kid in you, can take a tumble in. The plus? You get your yard raked. Create centerpieces: Gather an assortment of mini pumpkins, gourds, nuts, candles, and baskets or plates for each child. Place a large pillar candle in the middle of the basket or plate and then let each child start placing the items around the base of the candles until her she gets the desired look. Frame your children’s art: Find some simple frames that complement your décor and give the frames a special place in your home, which can be a corner in the family room. Decorate the infamous “children’s table” at Thanksgiving with children’s art. Better yet, display it on the dessert table.