The Cooking Guide
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Ingredients to always keep on hand Photos
The secret to fast, no-fail meals is having the right ingredients on hand. A well-stocked pantry can offer endless possibilities for desperation dinners. Stocking a pantry takes a bit of investment up front, but once it's filled, your pantry can become an oversized recipe box, full of potential... more
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Follow your senses to up your game Photo
Before you slice into a tomato, chop an onion, pull out a skillet — before you even turn on the stove — turn on your senses. more
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How small touches can push a dish from simple to gourmet Photo
You vow to become a better cook, to expand your range beyond the dozen dishes you prepare from memory, to give your dishes a gourmet spin. more
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Tomato sauce: the long and the short of it
With a can of good tomatoes and 15 minutes, you can even make a sauce vastly superior to (and cheaper than) anything you can buy in a jar. more
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Expedient ingredients: Turn leftover eggs, onions , you name it , into clean-out-the-fridge dishes
With a little creativity, you can stop waste and stretch precious food dollars. more
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Enjoy Girl Scout cookies beyond dessert with these recipes
Enjoy Girl Scout cookies beyond dessert with these recipes more
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Dijon's good for a bite
Dijon mustard is one of my go-to ingredients for making sauces, dips and glazes. more
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Lemons add just-right bite
If capers or roasted lemons are not typically in your cooking repertoire, give them a try in today's dish. This chicken recipe is simple to make, and the capers and lemons lend sweet, sour and salty notes. more
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Versatile cranberry orange mini muffins make a breakfast, brunch or holiday appetizer
Like a choir of holiday angels, cranberries wear the halo of good health. more
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Monkey bread: It's play dough for bakers Photo
Of all the heirloom family recipes tucked away in my converted shoe box (iPhone apps have nothing on 3-by-5 cards), one for monkey bread ranks second only to my great-grandmother's biscuits as the most tattered. more
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How to store fresh herbs for a taste of summer all year
Wondering what to do with that abundance of garden-fresh herbs you've carefully tended all summer long? more
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Perfect wine pairings for hard to match foods
There are four real wine killers out there: artichokes, asparagus, chilies and vinegar. No need to switch to water. You've got some of the nation's savviest wine-food pairers watching your back. more
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How to peel and seed a tomato
To peel a tomato, cut a shallow "X" in the blossom end, then blanch the tomato in a pot of boiling water just until the skin begins to peel away from the cut -- from five to 30 seconds; the timing will vary depending on the ripeness of the tomato. Rinse under cool running water. The peel... more
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Food storage do's and don't's Photos
Many of us take the safety of our food for granted -- until a nationwide outbreak of food-borne illness occurs or there's a major food recall. While you don't have control over food-safety recalls, you can control how you handle and store the food in your own kitchen. The good news is... more
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Tomatos: How to dry to perfection, preserving the bounty of summer
It's that time of year when chefs see red. Call it tomato love. more
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4 steps to cracking an egg one-handed Photos
First, hold your egg-cracking hand up, palm facing you, with your ring finger and pinkie curled down. Hold your index and middle fingers about an inch apart, pointing up, as if you're going to poke someone in the eyes. more
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Should you still eat that?
Can it really be that bad? You leave a plate of meatballs in the microwave overnight and in the morning they look like they could still go back in the fridge to be saved for another day. more
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Smart steak cuts for lean times Photo
In the old days, say about this time last year, it wasn't so hard to throw a bang-up backyard barbecue, but now... more
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How to order wine like an expert Photo
OK, so you don't know a box wine from a baby brunello and that big dinner with colleagues/clients/current object of obsession is just a day away. You want to be dining and wining but will likely be dining and whining ... especially if all you can say to the waiter is, "Got any... more
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Ten ways to be a grill master Photos
Even if you've only ever watched from afar, the art of grilling is possible to master for almost anyone. Whether you're a cook-out virgin or you've been grilling for decades, take a look at these tips to improve your skills. more
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How to make homemade ice cream
No question, the supermarket freezer case is chock-full of delicious ice cream. So why make your own? "Homemade ice cream is one of the easiest yet smartest desserts to serve -- ready to go when you want it," noted Alex Barker, author of "500 Ice Creams, Sorbets & Gelatos" (Sellers... more
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Ask yourself questions before buying a grill
Thinking of buying a grill? The Hearth, Patio & Barbecue Association suggests asking yourself these questions: more
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How to hard-cook an egg
Hard-cooking eggs is easy; try these instructions from the American Egg Board (aeb.org): more
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Best grills to buy: Bring on the meat Photos
Consumer Reports tested 37 grills and found these to be the best buys: more
