What do you do when you run out of cheese? Instead of running to the store to buy some more, why not make it at home on your own? Maybe the idea has never occurred and you don’t know how to make cheddar cheese, but once you learn how to make it, you might be …
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 …
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, …
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Potato Kugel is a traditional Yiddish dish that wasn’t originally made with potatoes at all.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 …
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. …
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 …
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 …
I love pizza as much as the next person, but I know how unhealthy it can be. Even homemade pizza can be oily and loaded with carbs, so I feel like I need to balance it out with something healthy. Instead of loading up the dinner table with buffalo wings, fries, or cheese sticks to …
One of the most respected and well-known cooks in the world is Ina Garten, known more widely as Barefoot Contessa. She has her own series of cookbooks, a television show, and a large following online. People often come to her first as a source of advice for how to make foods they have never tried …
Have you ever tasted juicy tender chicken breasts and wondered how they turned out so succulent? I was always asking other people what their secrets were for making food taste a certain way when I first started cooking. I still do that, and I learned some good tricks and tips on how to make chicken …
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 …
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 …
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. …
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 …
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 …
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 …
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 …
Did you know that there is a right way and a wrong way to cut flank steak? That’s true of lots of different kinds of meat. Cutting them the wrong way results in a cut that isn’t quite right. Steak is really tricky when it comes to cuts and how to slice it properly. The …
Texas toast is thick and buttery and a perfect addition to a hearty dinner. It makes for a great side dish with pasta, chicken, mashed potatoes, or roasted vegetables. Texas toast gets its name from its supposed origins at a place called the Pig Stand in Denton, Texas. According to the stories, a bakery ordered …
If you have a sweet tooth and have never heard of spumoni, then it’s a real shame. But you most probably have as this Italian gelato is extremely popular. What’s more, is that there’s a National Spumoni Day celebrated in the US every year on the 21st of August and Canada on the 13th of …
Reverse searing is a method used to cook steaks, especially the thicker ones. The process of reverse searing a beef steak relies on baking it in the oven then following up with searing the steak, hence the name. If you want to know how to it the right way, you’re in for a treat! Today, …
Although the word “poached” might give you a false impression that it’s a difficult way to cook salmon, it’s actually one of the easiest methods and some ideas on what to serve with poached salmon Poaching generally refers to cooking tender meat and other food gently in a broth over low heat. Poaching a salmon …
Potato soup is probably my favourite soup, and that’s mostly because of how many tasty things you can put in it and still call it potato soup. I like to throw tons of cheese in mine, as well as mushrooms, garlic, and onions. Then, I top it off with chives, parsley, or bacon bits. Making …
Pumpkin pie crust usually comes in one of two varieties. You will find pumpkin pie neatly seated in a soft, flaky pastry pie crust or in a crispy, crunchy graham cracker pie crust. You get two very different experiences, and neither one is bad. I like to mix it up and switch between the two …
Eggplants are a versatile vegetable that go by a few names. They are known as aubergine, baingan and melongene, as well as a few other monikers. What I love about eggplants is how they have a chewy texture to them that makes them a good substitute for meat. They are very popular among vegetarians for …
The mortar and pestle has been around for thousands of years as one of the first culinary tools used. Even before super sharp kitchen knives were in use, chefs around the world were making us of the mortar and pestle to create fragrant, delicious dishes. A lot of us probably chop our lettuce, garlic, cinnamon …
Who doesn’t love the smell of freshly prepared peanuts? And the taste- that’s simply one of the best snacks you can have, and it’s healthy too. In some countries, roasted peanuts are a street food and a very popular one. Do you know why they sell so well and some people are actually able to …
Warm, mushy cream of wheat is a staple of the Southern United States diet, usually served for breakfast. It’s made from milled wheat and known in various places around the world as porridge or farina. Depending on where you go and who is making it, cream of wheat can be made in a lot of …
Have you ever tried to cook sous vide lobster tail at home? While many people are wary of cooking sous vide, it’s actually one of the easiest ways to cook delicious meals. We’re going to cook lobster sous vide step by step and show you one of the tastiest sous vide lobster recipes you’ll ever …
It’s crazy how the simplest of ingredients can make all the difference in the culinary world. Maybe the simplicity of the ingredients in today’s recipe is because they’re subserving. They all complement the rockstar of the plate: the crab. From Chinese and Thai origins comes today’s recipe: Thai crab fried rice. Just by talking about …
I like roasting vegetables because of how easy it is to prepare them this way. You don’t have to constantly keep an eye on them to make sure they don’t overcook like you would if you were cooking them on the stove. You can simply season your veggies and pop them into the oven, forgetting …
Have you heard about the new trend in desserts known as rolled ice cream? It is quite popular on the East Coast, but it is making its way westward as this trend gains momentum. You may know rolled ice cream by one of its other names- stir fried ice cream or ice pan ice cream. …
If you want to try out the unique and ultra-versatile duck meat, you’re in for a grand treat! In today’s article, we’ll walk you through a step by step guide that shows you how to make 3 delicious duck breast recipes. So without further ado, let’s dive in! How to Cook Pan Seared Wild Duck …
There is nothing like a comforting risotto as part of my meal to make me feel all warm inside. I love how creamy and thick it is, almost like a porridge. Anyone who has eaten risotto before knows that it is best when accompanied by some other foods as part of a meal, though. It …
Before plums become ripe, they are slightly bitter and tough. Then, as they ripen, they become softer and sweeter, at which point they can be used in pies, jams, jellies, and other tasty dishes. Unlike apples or peaches, most people don’t have much idea of what to do with ripe plums besides eat them plain. …
I love the idea of making our own soda at home, and there are tons of copycat recipes floating around to try to hack the original name brand recipes. You will find variations on all of these, so if for whatever reason you don’t like the homemade Sprite recipe I am going to share with …
Red Bull is a common pick-me-up that is sold everywhere. For people who don’t want the sophistication of coffee and would prefer not to struggle with giving the barista their order when they are tired, they can simply chug a Red Bull. The brand name is synonymous with a quick energy boost, though it doesn’t …
When you want a quick boost of electrolytes during a sports match, you chug down some Gatorade. When you don’t want to pay the high cost of Gatorade prices in stores, you make it yourself. If you have seen our guide on making your on coca cola at home then you will love this. Like …
Fanta is one of my favourite ways to have orange juice, and as anyone who has tried it knows, it’s more than just orange juice. This refreshing carbonated drink is perfect when chilled, and it is a great remedy for a hot day, giving you the pep of a carbonated beverage and the fruitiness of …