Lately, I've gotten into the habit of making my own corn chips, a process that has proved to be deeply satisfying on so many levels. First, and most importantly, the end result is absolutely superior to the commercial brands in both taste and texture. I bake my chips with just the thinnest coating of oil, so the resulting chip bakes up satisfyingly crisp with a very slight chew and not at all greasy. The corn comes through strong and clear, not at all like the salt-lick flavor of most commercial chips. Here's a step-by-step guide to making these lighter, healthier chips at home. More

The unwritten subtitle on this one is really "without creating a gigantic mess in your kitchen." As delicious as they are, pomegranates are notorious for leaving your counters, your cupboards, and yourself splattered with sticky deep-red juice. Here's how to do it while keeping the crime-scene-like mess to a minimum. More

In my opinion, sweet potatoes are a superfood on many levels. Not only are they incredibly nutritious (a 1-cup serving offers 65% of our daily requirement for vitamin C and as much as 700% of the recommended daily requirement for vitamin A), they also have a fairly low glycemic index of 17. They're also easy to find, easy to store, easy to cook, and they can function equally in sweet or savory recipes. But most importantly, they're delicious. More

It's no small thing to commit to cooking meals at home, especially when every recipe you pick up assumes you already know how to do things like sauté mushrooms and cook the couscous. That's why we've spent the last year giving you lots of lessons on basic cooking skills along with some core recipes to use again and again. Here are 15 essential lessons and recipes we think every cook should know. More

There's something special about going the extra mile and adding fresh vanilla to your recipes, especially when vanilla is the primary flavor. Many recipes call for scraping the vanilla pod of its seeds, a process that is simple but can get messy and wasteful. Read on for our no-fuss method for scraping the seeds from a vanilla bean — and what to do with the pod afterwards. More

There is no resisting rugelach, no matter how nubbly or imperfectly rolled. They're buttery, flaky, and just the right amount of sweet. You can fill them with anything from ground nuts and honey to peanut butter and chocolate — the only real constant is using cream cheese to make a super-tender dough. Here's how you can make them at home. More

Roasting nuts is a step that some cooks skip, which is unfortunate because this simple effort can really bump a dish (or a cookie!) from good to amazing. Roasting nuts deepens their flavor, making them even more nutty and complex. It also gives them a crisper texture, which is one of the reasons we add nuts to our food. There are two basic ways to roast nuts in the oven: dry or with a small amount of oil. Read on for instructions for both methods and when you should use them. More

Here is a bread that is as much a pleasure to look at as it is to eat. Check out that braiding! And the way it practically glows on the table! Slice yourself a piece and cherish the pillow-soft interior, simultaneously rich and slightly sweet. Challah is a bread that should be in everyone's repertoire. For celebrating everything from Hanukkah to Sunday supper, challah is the just the bread for the job. More

We've been featuring great homemade food gifts here on The Kitchn this week, and with holiday leftovers abound one can always appreciate a savory condiment to freshen things up and add new flavors. Today we're going to show you how to make a Cranberry Mostarda, with the help of Chef Mat Clouser of Swift's Attic. Then we're going to wrap things up and gift some to our friends for the holidays. More

If you peek inside my cupboards, you'll see countless little jars of herb and honey concoctions that are both delicious and healing. Making herb-infused honey has become one of my favorite ways to use leftover sprigs of thyme from cooking dinner, a handful of wild mint found while foraging, or the buds of an edible flower bouquet. It couldn't be easier to do. And if you start now, there's plenty of time to make them for holiday gifts, too. More