Food Hacks Features
How To: Inject Tons of Flavor into Boring Dried Pasta by Toasting It
One of the common complaints about dry pasta is that it lacks depth of flavor. This is why, once cooked, it often pairs best with bold and complexly flavored sauces.
How To: Burn Your Cake? Keep Calm & Make Delicious Desserts
We've all been there before. Preheated the oven, popped in the cake, and then became distracted by this, that, or the other... until we either smelled burning or had the smoke detector pierce our eardrums.
News: Here's the Truth About the "Yoga Mat" Chemical in Your Subway Bread
Editor's Note: The claims by Vani Hari which were originally detailed in the article below about azodicarbonamide were unscientific in nature. This article has been updated to reflect that and provide more scientific context on the issue.
How To: Stop Tossing Food—Expiration Dates Mean Nothing
I'll admit it: I ignore expiration dates. No matter if it's a sell-by date, "best if used before" date, or even a use-by date, I don't care. I just check for signs of food decay and keep on eating.
Stop Your Sloshing: How to Carry a Hot Cup of Joe Without Spilling Any Coffee on You
For the vast majority of people, coffee is a must-have in the morning. It provides a stimulating effect that not only wakes you up, but sets your mood and attitude for the rest of the day. Personally, I wouldn't get anything done without coffee.
Weird Ingredient Wednesday: The Geoduck, a Mollusk as Weird as It Is Phallic
When you think of bivalves, such as manila clams and oysters, you tend to think of the meat as being nicely tucked in the shell. Anything else would be scary, right?
Good Veggies Gone Bad: When to Throw Out Those Onions, Mushrooms, & Greens in Your Fridge
Most of us lead busy, work-filled lives, often clocking in a 9-to-5 five days a week. And when that clock signifies the hour to leave, the last thing on anyone's mind is: "Time to go to the grocery store to pick up more fresh produce!" (Well, to be fair... maybe more people are psyched about this, but I know with certainty that I am not one of them.)
How To: Make Pizza Dough with Only Two Ingredients & Why It Works
Any pizza lover knows that a quality crust is crucial to the whole experience. Good pizza crust should be delicious on its own, for once you get to the edge, it will be without any toppings, sauce, or cheese to disguise a bad character. It should be redolent of fresh, good wheat and taste full-bodied, rather than flat, flabby, or metallic, the way so many big chain and frozen pizza crusts do. The exterior should be crisp, while the interior contains an airy crumb as well as having a tender, s...
How To: Screw McDonald's—Make Your Own Big Macs, Egg McMuffins, & Other Famous Mickey D's Meals at Home!
McDonald's is probably the most recognizable fast food chain in the entire world, with over 34,000 restaurants in more than 100 countries. In may not be the healthiest place to get a meal, but like millions of kids in America, I grew up on McDonald's unquestionably delicious products—and I'm still alive.
How To: Make Perfectly Fluffy Mashed Potatoes Without Adding More Butter or Milk
Mashed potatoes are universally beloved, and for a good reason — they're cheap, tasty, and relatively easy to make. What's more, they're adaptable to just about every dietary regimen, whether you're vegan, gluten-free, or lactose-intolerant. And they're a staple for holidays such as Thanksgiving.
Countertop Hacking: 5 Ways to Increase Your Workspace in a Tiny Kitchen
Too little counter space has been the biggest annoyance in every kitchen of every apartment I've ever rented. They've all been either super small or awkwardly shaped, which means choosing between appliances and prep space. You either live with it or learn to adjust.
How To: Squeeze Juice from Lemons & Other Citrus Fruits Without Any Special Tools
Store-bought citrus reamers and squeezers are great for extracting all of the juice out of lemons, limes, and oranges, but if you're not squeezing fresh juice every week, you probably don't have one—and have never even thought about buying one.
How To: 6 Easy Edible Bowls You Can Make at Home
Even though we love taco salads and bread bowl soups, edible bowls and dishes have now gone far beyond those oldies-but-goodies. Using food as serving dishes helps with cleanup, reduces food waste, and makes your spread more creative and interesting.
How To: Make Smoked Ice for One-of-a-Kind Cocktails
A long time ago I was reading an issue of Saveur and saw an article about a trendsetting bar in Portland. The bartender at the joint had started making enormous blocks of smoked ice for his cocktails. When a patron ordered a drink that called for the smoked ice, the bartender would chip off a large chunk and place it in a glass with the booze. Then, as the ice slowly melted, the drink would take on more and more smoky notes, and the flavor profile of the beverage would change with every passi...
How To: This Quick & Easy Shortcut Minces Garlic in Seconds
Don't like mincing garlic into tiny pieces with a knife? No matter how you mince garlic, it will never be as easy as this kitchen trick. You won't even need a knife—just a fork! It's a great hack for kids just learning how to cook or if you only need about one or two cloves for your recipe and feel like speeding things up a bit.
How To: 5 Fantastic Ways to Cook with Leftover Lemon Peels
Lemon peels have long been known for their ability to be home remedies for cleaning and medicinal needs. In the kitchen, they are equally as useful and can transform many common dishes and drinks into more memorable ones with just a hint of citrus. To give you some ideas, below are five ways that lemon peels can spruce up your recipes.
How To: Say 'So Long' to Soggy Hash Browns with This Crispy Hack
Hash browns are a breakfast staple and for good reason: they're simple, salty, and crispy, and so delicious that you can easily down several servings of them in one sitting. Basically, they're the French fries of breakfast.
How To: The Easiest Way to Serve Stubborn Ice Cream Isn't with a Scooper
Rock-hard ice cream is the bane of my culinary existence. If I try and scoop it out with a spoon, the spoon invariably bends. If I use a traditional ice cream scooper, I end up with a torqued wrist and one or two pathetic curls of ice cream for my efforts.
How To: 7 Aphrodisiac Cocktails to Put You in the Mood
There are so many cutesy pink, red, and heart-shaped desserts and drinks put out on Valentine's Day, but none of those really get you into a low-light mood. Instead, turn up the heat with one of these aphrodisiac cocktails for grown-ups.
How To: Five Ways to Repurpose Shellfish Shells
When I was a little kid, I was obsessed with shells. And while most of my shell collection came from combing the beach for treasure, some of it came from a different source: dinner. Whenever my parents had fresh clams or mussels, I would take the leftover shells, soak them overnight in soapy water, and add them to my collection.
Turkey Day Hacks: 7 Alternatives to Traditional Stuffing
When it comes to Thanksgiving, some people live for stuffing (or dressing, if that's what you call it). Personally, I love all stuffing, even the boxed kind. However, even the classics can start to feel a little staid and dull after a while.
How To: 10 Insanely Delicious Pizza Dough Hacks
If I could survive on one food for the rest of my life, it would be pizza. The irresistible smell of baking pizza instantly makes me feel both comforted... and hungry!
News: The All-Natural Secret to Turning Food Purple
Even if you haven't heard of ube (pronounced "OO-beh"), you've probably seen pictures of desserts made with this brilliant purple yam.
How To: These 'Eggs in Clouds' Are the Heavenly New Way to Enjoy Breakfast
Scrambled, sunny side up, hard-boiled, soft-boiled, over easy, and poached: there are only so many ways to cook an egg before you get bored and look for inspiration somewhere else.
How To: Why Kitchen Shears Are the Best Tool You Aren't Using
Listen, I'm not disparaging using really good knives—they can literally change your life, or at the very least, the way you work in the kitchen. However, there are many cutting and slicing tasks where you're better off using a sturdy pair of kitchen shears rather than a chef's or even a paring knife.
How To: Make Ramen Noodles in Your Keurig Coffee Brewer - Correct Setting
This video will show you how to make Ramen noodles in your Keurig Coffee brewer, and the correct setting to use.
How To: Transform a Loaf of Bread into a Stuffed Sandwich Fit for a Picnic
We like picnicking of all sorts, from picnics in bright, sunny weather to grey or rain-drizzled picnics. So it's not a stretch to say that we've become quite good at packing sandwiches to enjoy later. But we're always looking for a better way to do things, and that includes our sandwich making—and we think we've found the best way to make a sandwich ever.
Coffee Mugs: They're Not Just for Coffee
Coffee mugs: nothing proliferates more quickly in my kitchen cabinets. People are always handing them out as gifts or as swag, plus I always seem to find a vintage model or two at a garage sale that I'm compelled to buy. I used to do a yearly purge of my excess muggage, but it turns out it's a good idea to hold on to one or two extras.
How To: DIY Functional Fidget Spinner Cookies
Video: . Step by Step Video
How To: 12 Food Hacks for Perfect French Toast, Every Time
French toast is one of those things that everybody kind of knows how to make, but few people know how to do really well. And while the dish originally does hail from France (its original name, pain perdu, means lost or wasted bread), it has become a beloved American breakfast dish.
How To: 8 Food Hacks That Make Instant Mashed Potatoes a Pantry Essential
Look, I'm no food snob. I once dedicated an entire day to eating only deep-fried things (butter, Twinkies, Oreos, pickles) at the Minnesota State Fair. But even I draw the line at instant mashed potatoes. I mean, why bother? It's not that hard to make perfectly delicious and fluffy mashers yourself.
How To: Why You Shouldn't Rinse Raw Meat Before Cooking It (Even if Your Recipe Says To)
Both professional and home cooks have been rinsing raw chicken and turkey before cooking it for what seems like forever. It's one of those divisive practices—either you do it or you don't, and people tend to be rather opinionated on their stances.
How To: 7 Delicious Reasons Why You Shouldn’t Throw Away Stale Bagels
Confession: I love bagels. I love to make them, but above all, I love to eat them. In college I ran a mini-bagel business from my kitchen, and on bagel-making day, it wasn't uncommon for me to eat the circular goodies for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Yet even with my obsession I can't always eat bagels fast enough to keep them from going stale. That's why I started learning ways to use bagels even when they're a day or three past their prime. As it turns out, there are a million and one thin...
How To: 5 Ways to Make Crispier French Fries, Chicken Nuggets, & Bacon at Home
I know Americans love to hate on the French, but from my standpoint, they've given us a lot of things we should all be thankful for, like French kissing, casual sex, Pepé le Pew, and of course, French fries. Well, maybe not...
How To: 5 Lightning-Fast Tricks for Peeling Annoying Fruits and Vegetables
I think part of the reason why I don’t eat more vegetables or fruits is because there's always a process—a simple one, but a process nonetheless. Having to wash my fruits and veggies is just flat out annoying. I just want to eat them, not take a shower with them.
How To: 8 Easy Ways to Enjoy Eating Octopus
The octopus is famous for its bulbous head, enormous eyes, and four pairs of long arms. The stuff of legends and nightmares, octopi have been featured in stories, artwork, and meals galore. But how do you eat this distinctive looking, bilaterally symmetrical sea creature?
How To: Make Milk-Filled Cookie Cups & Shot Glasses at Home
Food is a necessity, sure, but every now and then it's so satisfying to eat something because it is fun and delicious. While eating a whole tub of homemade ice cream might satisfy your need for gluttony, there's a way to take it even further—make your dinnerware edible.
How To: Keep Sliced Pears and Apples from Turning Brown
To prevent sliced fruits like apples and pears from oxidizing and turning brown before serving, start by juicing one lemon.
How To: The Secret to Making Deliciously Soft Cookies Is Cake Mix
This is the easiest cookie batch you'll ever bake, I promise. And no, take-and-bake cookie dough doesn't count. With this recipe, it'll take you less than 20 minutes to go from your sad, cookie-less life to cookies in your absolute favorite flavor... of cake.
Ingredients 101: Toasting Nuts Is a Necessary Evil & Here's Why
People tend to skip toasting nuts in recipes or before adding them to salads because it seems time-consuming and the margin for error is high. However, skipping this step is a big mistake. Why? Because when you skip toasting your nuts (go ahead, you can laugh, we're all doing it), you sacrifice flavor and texture. And not just a little flavor, but a lot. Alton Brown recommends wok-frying peanuts before making your own nut butter for this very reason.