If you use your microwave to quickly soften butter for baking, you know that the difference between "perfectly soft" and "melty mess" is a matter of seconds. But before you grab a fresh stick to start over, check out America's Test Kitchen's great tip for reviving overly soft butter — all it takes is a couple minutes and a few ice cubes. More

Are you looking for an inexpensive way to box up treats this holiday season? Leave it to Martha Stewart to provide the perfect solution. All you'll need is a craft punch (or some scissors) and a little wax paper. More

Oven space is always at a premium in the hours (and even the days) leading up to a big dinner like Thanksgiving. So here's a crazy idea: why not make make your dinner rolls in the slow cooker? More

In the hours before Thanksgiving, most cooks are so focused on getting the meal on the table that appetizers are the last things on their minds. And that's just fine, says Sam Sifton. Appetizers don't belong at Thanksgiving. More

On preparing to attend a chili cook-off last weekend, I simply wasn't feeling the competitive spirit. What I was feeling was a hankering for some warm, cloud-like cinnamon rolls. So, instead of bringing a pot of chili, I opted to bring cinnamon rolls as a dessert for after the competition was over. And while I wasn't competing, these big boys took the cake (so to speak) with one secret ingredient: potatoes! More

There isn't a meatball on the planet that I'll shy away from, and I'm always game for a new version. Enter these meatballs, which are packed with mozzarella, making them quite the party surprise. More

Sometimes the dinner table needs a little fun. It doesn't matter if you have kids or not, this trick for dying cooked pasta is simple, eye-catching and makes mouths happy. More

Duck confit is one of those dishes I figured I would never make at home. Poaching duck legs in fat sounds messy, difficult and expensive — duck fat isn't cheap. But I learned there is an easier, cheaper way to make duck confit, and now I'm tempted to give this classic cooking and preservation technique a try. More

During my last Maker Tour, one of the co-founders of Jester King told me his favorite thing to eat with beer was cheese. I have to admit that I was a little surprised by that. I've certainly done cheese and wine pairings, but cheese and beer was something I hadn't yet tried. I just had to see what I was missing. More

Pinterest tells me I should dip my bite sized pieces of fresh fruit in Greek yogurt and freeze them. Apparently it's amazing, but I wouldn't know because it always seemed a little messy. But this version gets the job done in less time with easier-to-eat results! More