The Kitchn Archive
2014
March

The Kitchn Archive: Mar 2014

Kitchn Archive - March 2014
Page 2
How To Make an IKEA “Fauxdenza”
(Image credit: June Bhongjan) From Apartment Therapy → How To Make an IKEA “Fauxdenza”
Faith Durand
Mar 17, 2014
The Kitchen Altar
Throughout time and many traditions, the household altar is often placed in the kitchen, the heart of the home and the place from which all activity flows. In some ways, the hearth itself is an altar, centering the household with the offering of food and nourishment, warmth, and a place to gather. In general, we don’t see many home altars these days, which is too bad.
Dana Velden
Mar 16, 2014
The Best Way to Keep Cut Avocado Fresh
Sometimes I don’t need a whole avocado, especially when I’m making food for just myself, so I’m often left with a spare avocado half. As we all know, the cut surface of an avocado quickly turns brown and slimy, making it hard to store it in the refrigerator for very long. Read on for my best tip ever for keeping a cut avocado green, fresh and tasty. (And no, it does not involve the pit!
Dana Velden
Mar 14, 2014
5 Fun Products for LEGO-Loving Adults
(Image credit: The Kitchn) From Apartment Therapy → 5 Fun Products for LEGO-Loving Adults
Faith Durand
Mar 14, 2014
Partner
A No-Stress Neighborly Nosh
This week, I’ve been sharing the plan and menu for a casual weeknight dinner party I threw with our neighbors and their little kids. Today, we’ll reveal how it all came together, how we kept it comfy and cheerful for the little kids while still making it a special night for us all. We hope it shows you, like it showed me, that dinner parties don’t always have to be elaborately planned affairs, but can simply be a bigger, prettier version of your everyday family meal.
Sponsored Post
Mar 14, 2014
Make This, Not That! Your Guide to Eating Naturally Green Food on St. Patrick’s Day
St. Patrick’s Day is one of those holidays that brings out the best and worst in food. There’s a lot of delicious beer drinking (a good thing), and Irish soda bread (another good thing), but then there’s that whole trend of using green food dye to turn everything you eat green (the bad thing). But if you are tempted to go all out on St.Patrick’s Day, have no fear! You can put away your green food coloring, and try these green things instead.
Ariel Knutson
Mar 13, 2014
Jenny McGruther’s 5 Essentials for a Warm and Nourishing Winter Kitchen
Jenny McGruther is a food educator and the voice behind the award-winning traditional foods website Nourished Kitchen. She teaches workshops and retreats on traditional foods, fermentation, and food activism. Her work emphasizes back-to-basics, old-world culinary techniques, and simple, traditional home cooking. Jenny lives with her family in the central mountains of Colorado, where she and her husband created and managed one of Colorado’s most progressive farmers’ markets.
Dana Velden
Mar 13, 2014
Recipe: The “Why You Don’t Need a Recipe for a Salad” Recipe
We’re talking about lunch and salads this week and I thought can I possibly write another recipe for a salad? I search for a lot of recipes online, I have a huge cookbook library, and I subscribe to many food magazines, but unless it’s a very esoteric, composed salad I had at a restaurant that I’m trying to emulate, salads are more of an ad-lib kind of thing in my kitchen.
Sara Kate Gillingham
Mar 13, 2014
Cure My Cooking Problem! Help Me Make Lunches That Can Last Well in the Fridge
How is Week 2 of your Cooking Cure? How is lunch going? I sense a couple trends: Many of you are Bored With Lunch. Others of you snack your way through the afternoon. And then others, like Bright Lights, dutifully pack a lunch, but work gets in the way, and the nice lunch deteriorates in the fridge. Can you relate? Do you have any suggestions for Bright Lights and lunches that last well for a whole week in the fridge?
Faith Durand
Mar 13, 2014
Quick Tip: Easily Peel a Clementine
Jennifer Hunter
Mar 13, 2014
The 5 Things I Prepare on Sunday Night for My Lunches
I spend most of my days working from home, typing words on a computer, baking and photographing cookies, then posting pictures of those cookies on the Internet. That sentence makes it all sounds idyllic, and while I’m certainly not complaining, my job presents its own set of challenges. Take lunch for example. It’s the toughest meal of the day for me, so I recently made a change.
Gina Eykemans
Mar 13, 2014
What Are Some Filling, Healthy Meals I Can Pack for My Hungry Husband?
Q: My husband has a very active metabolism. He eats all the time and cranks through food while he works 12 hours a day. This obviously has taken a toll on our food budget and he ends up turning to fast food for a quick fix. He can only carry so much and meals that must stay cold aren’t an option because he is on the road. What are some healthy meals I can make that will help keep him fed and satisfied all day long?
Anjali Prasertong
Mar 12, 2014
5 Savory Ways to Eat Yogurt for Lunch
Yogurt with fruit and granola is perhaps one of our most basic breakfasts — I think all of us here at The Kitchn eat it from time to time, if not more frequently. But yogurt is a flexible staple, one well-suited to lunch as well as breakfast, and easily made savory, if sweet isn’t your speed. Here are five ideas for working tangy yogurt into your lunch — all savory!
Faith Durand
Mar 12, 2014
10 Beautiful and Slightly Insane Bento Boxes on Pinterest
For some the challenge of making lunch is simply to remember to bring it to work, or trying to prep ahead of time. For others, it’s trying to perfect the art of the truly beautiful lunch bento box. One of the places that emphasizes the later, of course, is Pinterest. A rough search for lunch ideas on the social media site and you will be inundated with the most intricate and sometimes alarming kyaraben bento boxes.
Ariel Knutson
Mar 12, 2014
How I Cook: How Abby Cleans and Maintains Her Huge Chopping Board
While looking through Abby’s kitchen tour yesterday, did you notice the huge chopping board on her countertop? If there’s one thing Abby believes in, it’s her John Boos cutting board. She calls it a “beast” and it never leaves her countertop. Here’s why it’s so crucial to her kitchen, and how she keeps it in top-top shape: “I don’t have a lot of kitchen stuff,” Abby says.
Cambria Bold
Mar 12, 2014
Partner
Dinner Party Recipe: Broccoli, Tomato & Sausage Bake
When we began to brainstorm an original recipe to create for our No-Stress Neighborly Nosh Gathering, we knew we wanted a vegetable side dish that even a picky kid would love. A single link of Italian sausage (leftover from a previous pizza night) actually inspired the dish. It wasn’t enough to create a main dish around, but it was just enough to add a little something extra when tossed in with a head of broccoli and a handful of pantry ingredients.
Sponsored Post
Mar 12, 2014
Cure My Cooking Problem! I Need Protein-Heavy Vegetarian Freezer Lunches
What challenges are you coming up against as you look for new inspiration in your lunches? I loved this question from one of the Cure-takers about vegetarian freezer meals. Here’s what cuminafterall said: My lunch is almost always leftovers from the night before. I haven’t gotten bored with it (our dinners are quite varied!), but if we decide to eat out for dinner, it can be challenging to scrape together a lunch for the next day.
Faith Durand
Mar 12, 2014
Kitchen Tour: Farm & Fable’s Abby Ruettgers
Jennifer Hunter
Mar 12, 2014
5 Lunch Items You Can Freeze to Keep Your Lunch Cool
Sure, you could buy ice packs or even make your own — but you don’t have to. There are plenty of lunch items that can be frozen and packed, keeping the rest of your lunch cool as they thaw. Even better? At the end of the day there’s nothing extra to schlep home in your lunch bag. Freeze a bottle of water, juice, tea or iced coffee and sip your still-chilled drink alongside your lunch.
Anjali Prasertong
Mar 12, 2014
9 Dining Room Sideboard Alternatives
(Image credit: Alexis Buryk) From Apartment Therapy → 9 Dining Room Sideboard Alternatives
Cambria Bold
Mar 12, 2014
Leather in the Kitchen: Handles, Flooring, Even Cabinet Fronts!
I was taken with the DIY leather pulls in this rental kitchen when we first shared it here at The Kitchn, but I didn’t dare think that leather could actually be used even more broadly in kitchens. Turns out, it can be used for floors, backslashes, or the cabinet doors themselves. This is mostly thanks to a resin coating on the leather, making it easier to clean up in arguably the messiest room of the house.
Regina Yunghans
Mar 11, 2014
My 3 Lunch Goals for March
Day 7: Ask yourself 3 questions about your lunch habits. How sad is this lone chicken thigh? It’s the only thing leftover from last night’s dinner. We ate all the broccoli that went with it, and there wasn’t much of the freekeh and butternut squash salad to begin with, so that’s definitely gone.
Cambria Bold
Mar 11, 2014
15 Totally Delicious Sandwiches for Your Lunchbox
It wasn’t until about a year ago that I became an avid sandwich eater. Before the fateful day when I consumed The Perfect Sandwich, I never understood the appeal – why not just consume the ingredients in salad form? Why did everything turn out so soggy? But lo’, sandwiches have so much more to offer when done right. You see, it’s all about the quality of the ingredients (especially bread), and awesome spreads and lots of textures.
Ariel Knutson
Mar 11, 2014
Salad Swag: 3 Cures for the Common Salad
It’s Lunch Week at The Kitchn, which means that salads are the star. Oh wait, what’s that? Salads are your lunch of last resort? You’d prefer a good grilled cheese? Well, perhaps you’re not eating a swanky enough salad to keep you interested. There’s nothing so satisfying as a hearty salad chock-full of intriguing bits of nuts, fruit, cheese, and perhaps a seductive handful of bacon.
Faith Durand
Mar 11, 2014
Recipe: Pita Pockets with Crunchy Romaine, Roasted Beets, Chicken & Manchego Cheese
While it’s no one’s idea of a fun time, there are just days when eating lunch at one’s desk is inevitable. For those moments, there are pita pockets. Easy to transport, easy to eat one-handed, easy to stuff with just about anything. These particular pockets took form on just such a busy weekday. There was some leftover chicken in the fridge from the night before, as well as some leftover salad with beets, crunchy romaine lettuce, and a tangy mustard vinaigrette.
Emma Christensen
Mar 11, 2014
Video: How To Unroll a Clementine
Love clementines, mandarin oranges and other citrus fruits, but hate peeling them? Or just looking to add a little fun to your lunch hour? Then don’t peel that clementine — unroll it instead! To do it, cut off the ends, score the skin and unroll your clementine into a “caterpillar” of segments that are easy to pop off the skin and eat. Watch the technique in action in the video above! Have you ever unrolled a clementine or other citrus fruit?
Anjali Prasertong
Mar 11, 2014
Tips to Keep Cats Off Kitchen Counters
(Image credit: The Kitchn) From Apartment Therapy → Tips to Keep Cats Off Kitchen Counters
Cambria Bold
Mar 11, 2014
Pop-Up Sponges from Trader Joe’s
Faith Durand
Mar 10, 2014
What’s the Best General, Comprehensive Cookbook to Buy?
Q: I have been wanting an “everything” type of cookbook, but I have limited space. Is Joy of Cooking or Mark Bittman’s How To Cook Everything more essential? Or is The Essential New York Times Cookbook by Amanda Hesser a better choice? Should I buy all of them? I’m a bit confused on what should be my first choice and would appreciate any advice from you and your readers! Sent by Chelsey Editor: Chelsey, I think it depends on what kind of food you normally cook.
Anjali Prasertong
Mar 10, 2014
What You Should Know About Black Tea
Beyond the label of black versus green tea, each of these categories includes a rich array of aromas and flavors. Today we’re taking a closer look at black tea in its various forms, from smoky and chocolatey to bright and citrusy. Wondering when to add milk, or which variety is better for iced tea? Step right in… Black tea comes from a shrub called Camellia sinensis.
Emily Han
Mar 10, 2014
Recipe: Squash & Lemongrass Soup with Spiced Pumpkin Seeds
Looking for a fresh option for lunch? This is an ideal fall and winter soup: creamy without being heavy (and without cream!), bright, and packing an unexpected and zesty lemongrass flavor. This is the recipe to have on hand when you feel like making soup, but actually want to be eating it 30 minutes later. It comes together incredibly quickly and combines rich squash with a crunchy garnish. The lemongrass flavor comes through bright and clear, with a little help from the ginger.
Stephanie Barlow
Mar 10, 2014
How to Clean Coffee Stains From Your Mugs
Jennifer Hunter
Mar 10, 2014
In Case of Emergency: 5 Foods to Keep in Your Desk for Last-Minute Lunches
You woke up late and didn’t have time to throw anything together before rushing out the door. Or — much worse — you made a great lunch the night before and forgot it at home. Whatever the reason, now you’re at work and the clock is inching towards lunch time. Not to worry! If you keep these five essentials in your desk, you’ll always have an emergency work lunch on hand.
Anjali Prasertong
Mar 10, 2014
Dan’s Kitchen Renovation: Finishing Details
(Image credit: The Kitchn) From Apartment Therapy → Dan’s Kitchen Renovation: Finishing Details
Cambria Bold
Mar 10, 2014
On Counting What is Precious
On counting what is precious. In famine, the number of dried beans in the cupboard; in abundance, piles of chicken bones and empty wine bottles. In sorrow, so many tears that they over-salt the soup; in happiness, the number of place settings at a wedding feast. In middle age, candles on the cake; in youth, the frosting roses. In celebration, bubbles in a champagne glass; in mourning, the number of bites taken from a sandwich, delivered to your door draped in a napkin (none).
Dana Velden
Mar 9, 2014
I’d Forgotten That Breakfast Is the Best… Until Today.
Day 5: Make breakfast today and plan next week’s breakfasts. This morning I woke and up and made breakfast in a clean kitchen. And it felt so good. As I shared yesterday, my biggest deterrent to cooking everyday is a messy kitchen, so one of my goals for this Cooking Cure has been to clean the kitchen after every meal. Last night I cleaned the kitchen both before and after dinner (hopefully I won’t be doing that again for a long time!
Cambria Bold
Mar 7, 2014
Cure My Cooking Problem! Help Me Learn How to Cook Satisfying Meals for One
We got an email to our cooking cure (at) thekitchn.com inbox from Sophie, who is working with the challenge of cooking just for herself. Is this part of your own Cooking Cure challenge? I thought this question deserved its own space for ideas and suggestions. Read on for Sophie’s whole question! Q: I am a graduate student in Australia who works part-time and lives in a share house.
Faith Durand
Mar 7, 2014
Video: A Surprising Tip for the Best Bacon (With Less Mess)
Earlier this year we shared a surprising tip that we had just discovered: You make better bacon (with less mess) by cooking it in water. Weird, right? But it really works! We decided that it would be better shown in video — take a look! You can see more details on my first tests of this method here: Weird Tip That Really Works: For Perfect Bacon, Add a Little Water to the Pan Have you ever tried this?
Anjali Prasertong
Mar 7, 2014
5 Luxurious Stands for Pour Over Coffee (Plus Some Pour Over Basics)
My husband and I really love our coffee. Do you? Maybe you too have a French press, an Aeropress, a Chemex, and a good burr grinder. (Oh, coffee toys; what a dangerous habit!) But there’s one sort of coffee we don’t make right now, and that’s pour over, a simple yet craftsmanlike method of slowly and meditatively soaking coffee grounds set in a filter over a cup or pitcher. It’s one of the simplest ways to brew, but ironically it also offers some of the fanciest toys.
Faith Durand
Mar 7, 2014
An Easy Way to Clean a Greasy Stovetop
Jennifer Hunter
Mar 7, 2014
A Pallet Frame Herb Garden in the Kitchen
Almost every element in Ellenkate and Tim’s Chicago rental apartment is DIY’ed in some capacity. From the wooden bar area “hand-distressed with apple cider vinegar and steel wool” to the hand-built loft bed, this couple loves working together on projects for their home.
Cambria Bold
Mar 7, 2014
Tips to Help You Care for Copper Pots
(Image credit: Emil Evans) From Apartment Therapy → Tips to Help You Care for Copper Pots
Cambria Bold
Mar 7, 2014
Why Getting Ready to Make Breakfast Is Harder Than Actually Making Breakfast
Day 4: Stock your kitchen for one new breakfast. In between blog posts and coworker chats this morning, I slipped away for a half hour to go to the grocery store. I needed just a few items for my new-and-improved breakfast tomorrow morning (I’m making this sandwich), and wanted to beat the after-work rush.
Cambria Bold
Mar 6, 2014
What Do Your Egg Choices Say About Your Personality?
Jennifer Hunter
Mar 6, 2014
How To Cook Bacon: Three Easy Methods
As the old saying goes, “There’s more than one way to cook a slice of bacon.” …Wait, that’s not a saying? Well, it should be — because we know of at least three great ways to cook bacon and each has its place in the kitchen. Whether you need just a couple slices in a hurry or a big platter of crispy bacon to feed a brunch crowd, these three methods will have you covered.
Emma Christensen
Mar 6, 2014
11 Industrial-Style Kitchens
(Image credit: The Kitchn) From Apartment Therapy → 11 Industrial-Style Kitchens
Cambria Bold
Mar 6, 2014
What Every Cook Should Know: 10 Breakfast Survival Skills
Jennifer Hunter
Mar 5, 2014
Tip: Use a Probe Thermometer for Foolproof Hard-Boiled Eggs
It isn’t difficult to hard-boil an egg, but it is easy to wander away from the kitchen while the water heats up, only to return to a pot of eggs that have been at a rolling boil for who-knows-how-long. For the forgetful or impatient among us, here is a tip to make sure that never happens again. Brandon at Kitchen Konfidence uses his probe thermometer to track the temperature while bringing a pot of eggs and water to a boil.
Anjali Prasertong
Mar 5, 2014