From Scratch

I’ve learned two good tricks in the past week I’d like to pass along. One is for cooking the pasta, the other for cooking the sauce.
First, the pasta. If you have trouble achieving a perfect al dente, give this a try. The trick is from Darina Allen, the noted Irish chef and cookbook author. Bring […]

Whenever I can devise a recipe that does double duty in my interfaith life, I am happy. This lightened-up take on a favorite worked for Easter and will work for Passover, when dairy is appropriate. In fact, I can envision this any time a plated dessert is needed.
For those not familiar with Passover dietary laws, grains are […]

You might have a kitchen cabinet like one of mine: under-counter, storing heavy things such as cast iron cookware, bulky things such as a lobster pot, and small things that don’t get used very often. My hand mixer fell into that latter category and it was tucked in the back, requiring me to move at […]

Did you know teal is the hot color for Easter eggs this year? The 125-year-old PAAS company, whose name (which comes from the Pennsylvania Dutch word for ‘passen’, or Easter) is synonymous with egg decorating kits, says teal has replaced purple as the most popular color. The company also says Americans who decorate eggs will fancy up an […]

In the food section of today’s Washington Post, Jane Black test-drives the Knork and other new utensils, including a clever one called a ramen spoon, for eating foods with noodles and broth, and Curvware, an ergonomic take on the humble knife and fork. She gave all of them a test-drive and the increasingly multi-media Post allows us to watch. [embedded video]

It’s so easy to get into a rut, isn’t it? We have a few favorite recipes for certain foods and make them time and again until someone hollers uncle. Well, what to do with it this time?
A fabulous-looking recipe on my friend brightfeather’s blog reminded me I’m close to being in a rut with spinach, […]

I like this bread a lot. It’s perfect for snacking, whether as an afternoon pick-me-up or for kids after school. It’s terrific tucked into a backpack while hiking or trail walking. A schmear of cream cheese would be delightful but I prefer it on its own. It’s just sweet enough.
It’s a small loaf, only one pound […]

I love trying new products, even though I know some will disappoint me. It’s a bit like dating when you’re young and willing to wait for a new guy who promises to call to actually do so. Sometimes he calls in two or three days, other times you’re sitting by the phone a week later, checking to make […]

For decades foodies turned their noses up at the slow cooker, one of the most popular countertop appliances in America. Some of the disdain was justified, when so many recipes were nothing more than a hunk of protein topped by a couple cans of cream of mushroom or cream of chicken soup — or both. […]

Stores these days are full of snacks and candy packaged in little 100-calorie portions. But what about 100 calories of real food? How much of a potato or yogurt is that? It’s one thing to say ‘this much’ or ‘that much’, it’s another to see it and, having seen it, probably easier to remember.
So let’s look. The […]

Even though I drink hot coffee year-round, hot chocolate is, for me, a seasonal drink and it’s one of the joys of winter. I’ve made it for years with Mexican chocolate but with dark chocolate so easy to find these days — and heart-healthy — I decided to create a new version that would be […]

There’s always something to learn. I did not know pure maple syrup can be kept in the freezer.
I learned that tip from Good Housekeeping online, which has a wonderful three-page, printable chart of the best ways to store food and for how long. There are separate pages for dry goods, condiments and perishables.
I’ve long followed […]

Decorating cutout cookies can be as simple as sprinkling sugar on them before they head into the oven or as involved as designs far more elaborate than I’ve done here. When going beyond a minimal approach, we need royal icing, the familiar cement for making gingerbread houses.
But it doesn’t have to be a tooth-chipping mortar. We control […]

If cake batters and cookie doughs could talk they might say, “I’m not bad. I’m just mixed that way.”
The purpose of creaming is to create air bubbles…
Creaming is a basic, essential technique that countless people get wrong. Many cakes and cookies, especially cutout cookies, begin with this step. It’s no time for shortcuts or impatience. […]

You know the dilemma: you need a gift for someone who likes to cook or bake. Perhaps the cook in your life is like me and has been outfitting a kitchen for years, someone you think has everything. And maybe you don’t cook or bake at all and are at a loss.
Here are some ideas. They […]