I don't use white sugar much at home these days. Now I reach for a more unrefined cane sugar like turbinado, or experiment with maple syrup or honey as sweeteners. But the problem with this, for bakers in particular, is that you have to be careful about adding extra liquid to a recipe because it changes the entire composition and structure. So what's a good solution if you want to add a deep, dark sweetener like maple syrup? Pick up a bag of maple sugar! More

We think we know oatmeal, but according to food historian Anne Mendelson, we do not. Old-school oatmeal (and she means truly old-school) bears little resemblance to the thick, chewy, raisin-studded porridge that most of us know and love. But Mendelson insists that the pioneers had it better. More

Bread has a bad reputation these days, but that doesn't mean we should overlook one of its most irresistible forms: toast! Whole wheat or brioche, sourdough or seeded, a slice of toasted bread is a base for all kinds of toppings that make a light yet satisfying meal any time of the day. If you're looking for some fresh inspiration, check out these 10 recipes, which top toast with combinations like sweet citrus butter, herbed goat cheese and smoked salmon, Stilton and pickled pears, and more. More

This time of year can be a tricky one for inspired breakfasts. Oatmeal is my go-to on weekdays, and on the weekends we often flail for something a bit more interesting but no more complex. With this morning tart, flail no more!
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If there was ever such a thing as legal crack, I think brown sugar-glazed bacon would be it. Not that I have much of a reference point, but I could.not.stop shoveling these sweet, savory strips of heaven into my mouth. Truth be told, I had to hide it from myself, which left me thinking about it, dreaming about it, until I had some more. More

Q: I am getting married this summer and most of our guests will be from out of town. We're hosting an open house the day after and don't want to have to pay or deal with catering another event. Any ideas for food we could make ahead and freeze?

Sent by Samantha More

My feelings on oatmeal are pretty simple. It's a warm, satisfying breakfast that I eat often in the winter because of the aforementioned, but also because it's so darn easy to make. So then, imagine my surprise when I learned that Trader Joe's is now making frozen discs of oatmeal you quickly reheat for breakfast, taking instant to a whole new level. Was oatmeal so time consuming to begin with? More

Recently, while nosing around in the freezer section of the market, I noticed that frozen fruit mixes labeled "tropical" always contain banana, pineapple and strawberry. I found the same thing in the dried fruit section. Strawberry? Doesn't "tropical" refer to the steamy and fertile band of earth near the equator, between the tropics of Capircorn and Cancer? This is not a place where strawberries thrive.

So I began to ask myself about truly tropical food combinations, and I thought of doctoring up some banana bread. More

I'm not sure what it is lately, but cinnamon rolls have been on my mind. I charged into January with granola and satsumas in the morning, but the time has come for a quick foray into something a bit sweeter. More

Is one of your resolutions to eat less meat this year? From the minds behind the Meat Free Monday campaign, this beautifully photographed cookbook will walk you through an entire year of meat-free Mondays. That's breakfast, lunch, and dinner taken care of....every Monday...for an entire year. Fruits, vegetables, and grains galore. What's not to love? More