If you are cooking your meals instead of eating out, you are already saving a lot of money — but these 15 tips offer ways to save even more. This year we showed you how to extend the life of delicate (and pricey!) summer berries, instantly improve the taste of inexpensive balsamic vinegar, vacuum seal without any special equipment, preserve fresh herbs by freezing them in olive oil, and more money-saving tricks to make the most of your grocery shopping budget. More

This past year we really took to heart the plight of the newbie cook: how do I set up my kitchen? What are the essential tools, appliances, and cookware to have at the ready? To help with this, we put together our own guides to cookware, bakeware, tools, and all the essential non-food products one needs to start off successfully in the kitchen, which we've included here. Rounding out this list is a post on great chef's knives, the best multi-tasking tool every kitchen should have (but especially small ones), and why it's worth it to splurge on one particular cooking thermometer. More

Want to make your gift of homemade cookies a little more special? Wrap them up on a pretty vintage plate specially chosen for the recipient, and make the plate part of the gift. And while they add a ton of class, small, charming plates like this don't cost much — just a couple dollars tops at a local thrift store. More

There are only so many homemade cookies a person can eat before they go stale. But give the gift of homemade frozen cookie dough, and you've just guaranteed several weeks or months of freshly-baked cookie goodness for the recipient. More

It's easy to find a luxurious cooking gift when you have $100 to spend, but how about when you have $20? Most cooks have a mental list of ingredients or tools they would love to have, but that are a little too expensive for everyday cooking. As dear as they may be to the recipient, these items usually make very reasonable gifts. Here are 15 small, indulgent gifts sure to be appreciated by the cooks on your shopping list — and they're all $30 and under. More

Calling all home brewers: thinking of giving away a few bottles of your beer this holiday season? Make it fancy with a special label! The good folks behind the jam labelizer have devised a new label-making system especially for beer brewers. More

Finding affordable, airtight containers to package food gifts in a pretty way is one of the challenges of giving homemade treats. Plain white soup or ice cream containers fit the bill — they're sturdy yet lightweight, and are ready to be decorated however you like. More

I'm not against a little mood lighting, but I usually never have anywhere practical to store candle holders or containers! So I'm a fan of this festive look that puts kitchen staples to good use. More

Holiday baking doesn't have to be a big, expensive production. With a little planning and some careful shopping, you can turn out a generous parade of cakes, cookies and candies on a less-than-generous budget. Here are five tips for baking up a storm without breaking the bank: More

A few years ago I started seeing fresh herbs pop up in the produce section of my local grocer, usually in the $4-$5 price range. Now that summer has gone and my fresh herb supply is gone, I was pleasantly surprised to run across these small herb packets again, but this time for only a dollar! More