This recipe shows how to make a tamarind paste substitute at home with just four common ingredients. Tamarind paste is a product that is often called for in Thai cooking. It is also something that the average cook does not normally stock. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Some of the links…
How are your fudge making skills? Do you end up with foolproof fudge that forms nice little parcels, or do you find it a challenge? These cooking tips for making perfect fudge, will give you wonderful results every time from now on. It’s hard to believe, after a summer of gardening, that the beginning of…
Thanksgiving will soon be here and for many of us, that means pies will be featured on the dessert menu. These pie crust decorating ideas will take your Thanksgiving pies to a whole new level. Homemade pies have never looked as appealing as these beautiful and easy pie crust designs. With stenciled pie crust tops,…
An antipasto platter is a delicious combination of cheeses, vegetables and meats, usually served with good wines. It’s a great way to start an evening with friends and is very easy to put together. The holidays are filled with opportunities to gather with friends. What better way to start a party than with an antipasto…
Breakfast just got more fun with this playful idea for making eggs. If you are like me, you will have a whole host of cookie cutters that you rarely use. Put them to a creative use by making cookie cutter eggs. Breakfast is considered by many to be the most important meal of the day.…
Do you wonder what to do with that large lump of hard brown sugar? These easy tips for softening brown sugar will have it soft and usable in no time at all. Here are 6 of my best tips to make brown sugar soft again, and suggestions for how to store it for a longer…
Peeling Garlic is one of those chores that makes you say “oh no! All those tiny things again?” But it does not have to be hard. This easy way to peel garlic cooking trick will peel an entire head of garlic in just seconds. I once saw an idea similar to this used on the…
From making eggs with cookie cutters to whipping cream with a whisk and storing ginger in vodka, these 11 genius food hacks will make life in the kitchen more fun and cooking easier, too. Getting great food on the table doesn’t have to be a complicated process. Just take advantage of these simple DIY food…
One of my favorite vegetables is fresh corn on the cob. And one of my least favorite vegetables is corn on the cob with a lot of silk remnants sticking to it. Cooking corn in the microwave is the easy way to get silk-free corn every time! These easy tips show how easy it is…
A single coconut will give you 3 or 4 cups cups of fresh, flaked coconut. But now you have the problem of storing fresh coconut. How do you keep that delightful, flaky bit of goodness in a state that will stay edible for as long as possible? The tasty coconut is so versatile that it…
There are many onion varieties so it’s easy to get confused about them. A common question that I get asked is “are shallots and onions the same?” This guide to shallots vs onions will answer not only this question but will also show how shallots are different from other onion types. This post may contain affiliate links.…
A steamer basket is a great way to cook a single vegetable or several of them at once by cooking them over boiling water. But to do this correctly, you need to have a good idea of vegetable steaming times. One of the joys of summer is cooking fresh vegetables from my vegetable garden. The…
We all know that parchment paper is great for easy clean up after kitchen but it has so many more uses. These creative uses for parchment paper may give you some ideas you hadn’t thought of. I love anything that makes my life easier in the kitchen or around the home. I’m always on the…
Shallots are a small bulb like plant with a taste that is somewhere between garlic and onion. The flavor is milder and sweeter than onions. But what can you do if you don’t have time to shop, or can’t find shallots for your recipe? Use these shallot substitutes, instead! There are many types of this…
Shallots are starting to be seen in grocery stores more and often lately. What are shallots? Like onions and garlic, shallots are a member of the allium family. Their flavor is richer and sweeter and they are very versatile in recipes. This guide will show you how to use, store and grow shallots at home.…
A silicone baking mat can take high heat and replace parchment paper for baking & food preparation. I like to use them in lots of unusual ways in my kitchen. You can use them for cookies, of course, but there are lots of other creative Silpat baking mat uses, as well. With a silicone baking…
Crock Pots are a huge help in the kitchen. They make meal prep a cinch and give a wonderful aroma as the meal cooks, almost by itself. But be sure to avoid these slow cooker mistakes. If you open the lid, fill pot too full or add ingredients in the wrong order, you may end…
There are many healthy kitchen swaps that you can use all year round for weight loss success. Implementing these food swaps will make sure that those extra pounds won’t find themselves on your thighs and rear next year. For many of us, the start of the year means making a New Year’s resolution to lose…
Vinegar is a versatile and effective household product that is more useful than just for making salad dressing. There are dozens of vinegar uses in the home. From soaking your sponges to keeping your counters free of ants, this product is a must have. I recently had to deal with ants in my kitchen and tested some…
One of the latest trends in the diet industry is a gluten free diet. And for many of those people a gluten free diet is not necessary at all. The Diet was designed primarily for those who suffer from Celiac Disease. If you are someone who follows this diet, either to lose weight or for…
If mealtime is stressful for you, these recipe substitutes and replacements will be a big help in getting your meals on the table in no time at all. Are there times when you are missing just one ingredient and can’t make a recipe? Perhaps you are following a meal plan or trying to lose weight…
This is hands down my favorite spice rub mix. I use it almost every time we grill steaks. It is a wonderful blend of some of my favorite spices. It keeps well and goes quickly. It is the perfect rub to use on all sorts meats for the grill. It’s barbecue time! Make your own…
Peeling onions is something that many cooks do on a daily basis but the job brings along tears. Do you know why onions make you cry? There are many types of this versatile vegetable and most will make you cry when you chop them. Find out about the onion varieties here. For years, I wore gas…
I had a scare late last year that had me in the hospital for a few weeks worrying about my heart and my health. In the end, untreated high blood pressure was the culprit. I am managing it now with medication and diet, but it was a big wake up call for me. All of…
Each year, at the end of December, I take stock of what worked (and what didn’t!) on my blog. Sometimes, I am surprised when a blog post makes my top 10 list for the past year when I wasn’t expecting it. Other times, I think “not you again” when a tried and true favorite post…
Entertaining this time of the year is so much fun. I love to celebrate with our friends and family during the holidays. Everyone is always in such a good mood, and it gives me a chance to try out new recipes and decorating ideas. Setting up a pretty festive table does not have to be…
