Holiday baking time is a fun time of the year with the kitchen filled with delicious aromas and an array of treats to share with friends and family. No matter what style or flavor is your favorite, follow these steps for the best cookies you’ve ever baked, every time. Use...
Warm Dough Make sure not to let the dough get warm. Use cold butter and ice water. Refrigerate the dough before you roll it out. If the butter warms it will be absorbed by the flour, become sticky, and make for a tough crust. Uneven Crust To get an even,...
I know that summer baking seems counter intuitive, but for some reason I feel compelled to keep baking in the warmer months of the year. Keeping your home cool can be though enough without the oven adding to the heat. Plus, adding in heat-sensitive ingredients and humidity and you can...
Have you ever found yourself making a recipe and realize that you don’t have an ingredient that it’s calling for? Here are a few ingredient alternatives that you might have on hand instead. Mayonnaise For 1 cup of mayonnaise use 1 cup sour cream or 1 cup plain yogurt with...
Kick up popcorn’s flavor with easy and creative combinations. ITALIAN STYLE Toss popcorn with finely grated Parmesan, a sprinkling of Italian seasoning, and red pepper flakes. SAVORY SESAME Drizzle lightly buttered popcorn with a small amount of sesame oil, then sprinkle with sesame seeds, and crushed seaweed snacks. CRABBY CORN...
Some people are natural bakers and some people learn as they go. I’m guessing that most people are the “learn as you go” types. Here are some little things that, are not giant revelations, but are useful tips to help you through your holiday baking. Unwrap Butter Before Bringing To...
Salted & Unsalted Butter Butter comes either salted or unsalted (also called sweet). Although all salted butter contains some amount of salt (salt used to be added as a preservative, but today it’s added primarily for flavor), some salted butters are noticeably salty. The problem is the word some. Since...
Choosing A Bird How big should you buy? If you don’t want leftovers then estimate 1 pound of turkey per person. If you do want leftovers then estimate 1 1/2 pounds per person. Fresh Or Frozen Should you buy fresh or frozen? Fresh will keep for 4 days in the...
Whether you’re a frequent or an occasional restaurant diner it’s nice to know a few inside tips on how to maximize your experience. If you’re health conscious, don’t buy into claims that the food you order will meet your needs. Most restaurants don’t make food that’s healthy. They’re job is...
Going out for dinner on Valentine’s Day is a risky affair. Even the best restaurants can have “overload difficulties” on such a busy night where couples have expectations of restaurant perfection. A better way to manage expectations is to take control of them yourself. Food is a language of love....
