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Better Flavor, Fresher Longer: Or, Why You Should Bother with Whole Spices

There's no denying the convenience of an already-ground spice, but I'm here to make a case for why you should consider adding a few whole spices to your seasoning line-up. Four words: better flavor, fresher longer. Convinced?!

Would You Eat Fresh Snow?

This past weekend Winter Storm Nemo walloped the East Coast. While online and holed up in my apartment Friday afternoon waiting out the storm, I came across a few recipes made with snow. The gist: don't let all that snow go to waste! How about a ginger snow cocktail? Maple syrup and butter snow taffy? And of course, snow ice cream? I was equal parts intrigued and a little appalled. More

5 More Uses For Your French Press!

Single use tools are forbidden in my kitchen. Garlic peeler? No way, just smash it with a knife. Ice cream scoop? A big spoon will do just fine. Oh, but the French press breaks the rule. When it's not filled with fresh coffee it just sits there, taking up space. Just how many other uses can a French press handle? As it turns out, far more than I realized. More

Use a Muffin Tin to Make Giant Ice Cubes

Spring is on the horizon (I'm being optimistic because I hate snow — just go with it), and there's bound to be a baby or wedding shower in your near future, or possibly a birthday. Or the Oscars! Don't forget about the Oscars! And when that happens, you should be armed with extra large ice cubes. Here's why... More

Simple & Sweet: Cut Your Carrots Into Hearts

Looking for a sweet way to dress up your soups, salads or stews? Sophistimom has an easy step-by-step tutorial for cutting carrots into heart-shaped coins perfect for Valentine's Day, or anytime you want to add a little love to your cooking.

Too Much Granola? Freeze It For Later!

I went on a bit of a granola bender the other week for reasons best left between me and my obsessive brain. The upshot of this, as you can probably guess, was that I ended up with a lot of granola sitting on my counter. After foisting jars of it onto my friends and snacking on it every afternoon, I still had more granola than I could conceivably eat before it went stale. The solution? Freeze it.

Bok Choy, Pineapple & More: 17 Plants You Can Grow From Kitchen Scraps Black Thumb Gardener

Last year we wrote about how simple it is to re-grow bunches of celery and green onions on a windowsill, but it turns out those experiments are just the beginning. Black Thumb Gardener has a list of 17 plants that can be grown from kitchen scraps, including ginger, sweet potatoes, lemongrass, and even pineapple.

Great Idea: Turn Salmon Skin Into "Bacon" Video

This tip will forever transform the way you think about fish skin. First of all, don't throw it away! Instead season and bake the skin on its own for a crisp, salty, and very bacon-like treat. This video from CHOW shows you how: More

What It Really Means to "Salt to Taste"

Salt to taste. Such a simple and innocent instruction. We've all read those words a million times over the years without thinking anything of it. Ever wonder what it really means? More

DIY Earl Grey Tea for Earl Grey Tea Haters (and Lovers, Too!)

Here's a fun, simple, very rewarding DIY project to help lift the January doldrums: make your own Earl Grey (or Lady Grey) tea! I can personally attest that this tea will win over even those of you who, like me, usually don't care for Earl Grey. The process itself is easy but it does offer one challenge: sourcing fresh bergamot fruit. Read on for my very simple homemade Earl Grey tea recipe. More