If you go to a county fair in the southern United States, you will find a wide selection of fried foods not found anywhere else. Some of these fried dishes have expanded beyond that area of the world, like fried okra, corn dogs, and funnel cake, but others have mostly been confined to a small …
If you’re like most people, you season ground beef by sprinkling some seasoning over the ground beef as it cooks. Most people don’t measure out how much seasoning they use with this method, nor do they season the food consistently. This works okay sometimes, making a surprisingly delicious beef dish from time to time. Other …
What makes eye of round steak stand out is how lean it is. In fact, it is one of the leanest steak cuts you can find, meaning it is healthier for you than most others. There is no need to trim the fat when the cut is already this lean. The low fat and low …
What is delicata squash? It’s a soft-fleshed squash that is versatile and rich in vitamins. You can most often find it at the grocery or the market during the winter, as that is when it is harvested, and it belongs to the same family of summer squash as zucchini, pattypan, and yellow crookneck squash. Because …
Why make pizza in the air fryer? There are a few good reasons. First of all, the air fryer is considered healthier than deep frying. There is a lot less oil involved, so you get fewer calories and less artery-clogging fat. It’s simply better for you. The other reason I want to share with you …
The flat iron steak gets its name from the fact that it is shaped like a traditional flat iron. This thin cut of beef comes from the shoulder of the cow, one of two parts of meat that are cut from the shoulder. The other piece of meat that is cut from there is the …
Did you know that you can cook a sweet potato in the microwave? This method is much faster than baking in the oven or roasting, and it produces some very similar results. I like to microwave sweet potatoes and white potatoes when I am short on time. You get a different texture than if you …
We are probably all familiar with stiffed chicken breasts. That’s a common holiday dish that always delights, but have you ever heard of stuffed pork chops? This one was a new dish for me not long ago, but I immediately got excited about the idea. The notion of sweet pork meat being stuffed with cheese, …
Proper freezer storage is vital if you are going to preserve food well. If your freezer storage container is made of low quality materials or is not airtight, then it won’t keep food fresh and safe. You may go to defrost your food from the freezer and find that it has freezer burn or has …
There are certain species that you will use more often than others. These are versatile spices and seasonings that can be used in a variety of dishes, so it makes sense to always have them on hand. When you ensure that you have certain species in your kitchen ant all times, you will be able …
Buffalo chicken wings are one of the most popular appetisers in the country, thanks to their incredible flavour, slightly spicy kick, and juiciness. You can find buffalo wings being served at most football games and any respectable restaurant that serves burgers. Buffalo wings are a party favourite, and even people who don’t like spicy foods …
Potato Kugel is a traditional Yiddish dish that wasn’t originally made with potatoes at all. It started as a pudding, really, made with noodles, bread dumplings and rice. Those who have made kugel before probably baked it in an oven, but this dish started as a steamed food, mostly because ovens weren’t widely available in …
Have you ever noticed a lumpy, oblong-shaped fruit with pointy ends in the produce section of your grocery? You might have had a peek at the bitter melon, also known by the name bitter gourd. It’s actually a close relation to the cucumber, pumpkin, squash, and zucchini families. It may look different depending on which …
Russians love their bread, and they have a special kind of bread that a lot of the world doesn’t even know about. That’s Russian black bread, which is really more brown than black, but that’s not important. What is important is that this is a rich and flavourful bread that will definitely change up the …
Have you ever tried to make your own pasta dough at home from scratch? It may not be the easiest thing, and you might be tempted to just buy pasta from the store after you try to make pasta on your own, but there are definitely some benefits. You can make pasta out of any …
Sometimes, I will do something very unhealthy and sit in my bed watching Netflix while snacking on a bowl of Cheetos. The Flamin’ Hot Cheetos are my favourites. I love the kick that they have, putting just enough spicy flavour in my mouth to make them exciting to eat. I’m not one for very spicy …
I need my cup of coffee in the morning to boost my energy levels and wake me all the way up, and I know a lot of other people feel the same way. Some people need a couple cups in the morning just to get started, but I don’t have it that bad, yet. I …
In-N-Out has a very small menu but is known around the country for their animal style fries. It’s pretty amazing that a fast food joint with so few choices does do well and has such a great reputation. I guess it is a case of making what you know and getting really good at it. …
I know that to some people, each kind of cooking oil is interchangeable. One seems just as good as another, but substituting one for the other doesn’t always work out well. I know some people are curious about when cooking, can you substitute coconut oil for olive oil vs canola oil? All of these different …
Turkey burgers are the leaner, healthier (and some would say tastier) burger patties. They are a better choice for those of us who like to indulge our cravings for burgers far too often. Instead of stopping by the fast food restaurant to grab a greasy, artery-clogging cheeseburger, we can make up a turkey burger patty …
Guava paste is a common Latin American condiment, used in a lot of different ways, but it’s not as familiar to us in the United States. I came across some in a gift basket I received not that long ago and wasn’t entirely sure what to do with it, and you may have had a …
I think the sweet potato gets overlooked sometimes and is considered a not quite standard potato. The slow roasted baked potato is a favourite for family dinners, as it shows effort was put into the meal and honestly tastes amazing. The slow roasting creates a delicate texture and brings out all of the lovely flavours, …
Can anything really top the gooey, chocolatey goodness of chocolate chip cookies? I don’t think so, and this cookie is a staple of many a picnic, sporting event, cookout, and school lunch. It’s the dessert we all have in common- popular among kids and adults both. If you have ever made chocolate chip cookies, then …
Piri Piri chicken is a traditional Portuguese food that isn’t very common in the United States. There is a chain of restaurants called Nando’s that serves Piri Piri chicken as its signature dish. You won’t find these restaurants all over the states, though. They are only located in Chicago and Washington, DC. You may not …
If you have never made cheese quesadillas before, you might be surprised at how easy they are to make. The trickiest part, really, is just getting the right cooking equipment for it. Flipping the quesadilla over while it is cooking can be tricky as well, but I will get to how to do that later …
Pan fried fish is one of the simplest and quickest ways to cook your haddock. I will show you how to cook haddock in a pan and make it come out beautifully crispy every time. You won’t need a lot of ingredients for the recipe I am going to show you, and you don’t need …
Who doesn’t love the crispy, crunchy taste of battered fish? It pairs nicely with some steamed vegetables and mashed potatoes or with a plate of fries. Battered or breaded fish (have you tried cornmeal instead of breadcrumbs?) filet is very simple and quick to make. It’s much easier than fried chicken, I find, cooks faster, …
One of the most challenging parts of cooking a leg of lamb can be carving it. Some people get intimidated by the work they have to do, and not having much experience in carving this particular cut of meat can make them hesitant to even try cooking the lamb. The way you carve the lamb …
Campbell’s soup is already pretty good, and even though I like to make a lot of foods myself from scratch, I don’t feel bad about popping open a can of Campbell’s and having it for a meal sometimes. But at the end of the day, it’s still canned soup, with all of its shortcomings and …
Common Burger Mistakes There are some common mistakes people make with burgers that they will keep on making until they learn a better way. I know some people cook burgers that crumble when they grill them up, and they think it is because of the quality of the meat rather than their cooking method. Yes, …
Why is it the spicy foods that tend to stick to your fingers? After cooking with chilli powder to slicing hot peppers, I can feel and see the residue on my fingers afterwards. As much as I love cooking with hot and spicy stuff, I don’t like having to struggle to get my fingers clean. …
I like the idea of a bundt cake and how the cake comes out looking decorative and is shaped differently from the traditional rectangle to simple circular shape of a regular cake. However, I have had some bad experiences with bundt cake, especially the bundt pan. It’s not the cake that is so much to …
Let me count the ways I love zucchini- I love it in zucchini bread, I love it grilled, and I love it in soup. It’s great as a kebab or as part of a stir fry, and I like to add it to salad as well to give the salad a bit of variety. Zucchini …
Why buy rosemary in the store and pay money for sad-looking herbs when you can grow it yourself? Then, you can dry the rosemary to use in your own foods, adding some flavour, a wonderful aroma, and some colour to a variety of dishes. How do you dry rosemary? I want to show you my …
If you own a convection oven or are looking to get one, you probably have some questions about how it differs from a regular oven. It will cook your food differently, so you cannot use the same recipes you would use for a traditional oven with your convection oven. Baking cake in a convection oven …
I never grew up in a home where pasta sauce was made from scratch, and I am not a big fan of making it myself. There are plenty of foods I will make using the base ingredients, but pasta sauce isn’t usually one of them because of how messy and time consuming it can be. …
Pie is my reward food when I am on a diet. I take a little slice at the end of the week if I have done well on eating what I am supposed to and avoiding what I’m not supposed to eat. I would eat more pie if I didn’t know very well what it …
Cherry peppers are delightfully sweet and so cute. I just love these little guys, and they make for some great dish once you know how to use them. They cannot be cooked and prepared the same way as spicy peppers and then you expect the same result. Because of their sweet flavour, you want to …
Can you trust your nose to tell you when a turkey is done cooking? When you smell the lovely scent wafting through the kitchen and the rest of the house, does that mean the turkey has finished cooking? It would be a shame to take it out of the oven, slice it open and find …
Brown sugar has a look and a flavour to it that takes it useful in recipes for cookies, brownies and a variety of baked goods and desserts. Dark brown sugar is even richer and browner and might not be available in stores near you. Did you know that you can make your own brown sugar …
Tri-tip steak refers to the triangle cut of the loin butt from the cow. It’s a muscular part with a bit of fatty tissue to it, so it’s savoury and can be a little tough if not cooked properly. This is of the those pieces of meat that a lot of people have heard of …
If you are growing your own cherry tomatoes or buying them in large bags to save money, you probably need to know how to can cherry tomatoes. Preserving them will help them last much longer, so you don’t feel obligated to use them quickly and you don’t end up throwing any of them away. Like …
When I looked up what dry ice is made from, I was kind of surprised, and I bet you will be surprised to learn as well that it isn’t made from water. It’s not technically ice, as it comes from a gaseous form of carbon dioxide. I thought that was so weird, and what is …
The Delicate Art of Spiciness I like a bit of spiciness to some dishes, especially Mexican foods and Cajun dishes. That heat that’s added by chilli pepper, jalapenos and other seasonings can take a dish that is simply decent and elevate it, making it more interesting. I’m a fan of adding the unexpected spiciness as …
Probably one of the best inventions after sliced bread is the boneless chicken. Since chickens are full of bones, you have to put in the work to debone them. I want to tell you my method for how to debone a chicken thigh, which is one of the tougher cuts of chicken to remove the …
You have to be careful how you reheat rice. Most people will just use the microwave, but is that the best way to reheat rice? If you reheat the rice improperly or wait too long to reheat it, you could experience food poisoning. There is a bacteria called Bacillus cereus that latches onto rice and …
When you use butternut squash to make a soup or chilli or some other dish, do you end up with some leftovers? I usually do if I used a whole squash, because butternut squash can be quite big and you don’t usually need a lot of it for an individual recipe. Even when making butternut …
I look at tomato puree as a base ingredient, as I use it to make tomato paste, tomato sauce, and tomato soup. I like to use it for a number of recipes, and having it at home and prepared to use is convenient for me. It tastes way better than the store bought stuff packaged …
Probably my favourite dipping sauce, garlic butter is great for making steak, shrimp, Italian bread, and pizza more appealing. If you make it right, garlic butter sauce can be packed with flavour and is the perfect addition to any number of meals. It can be used to transform decent or even bland foods into something …
A good marinade can really change up the flavour of chicken and make it far more savoury. The length of time you marinade makes a different, and you don’t always need to marinate for a long time for the marinade to do its job and be effective. You can also find some of our other …