The Kitchn Archive
2016
February

The Kitchn Archive: Feb 2016

5 Sweet Bites to Make in Your Slow Cooker
The slow cooker has been our answer for soups, stews, hands-off dinners, and even the occasional breakfast. But it doesn’t stop there — this handy appliance is also your ticket to satisfying your sweet tooth. From candies to confections, your slow cooker is also capable of making sweet treats.
Kelli Foster
Feb 29, 2016
The Temperature Rule to Follow When Converting a Dutch Oven Recipe to a Slow Cooker
Have a Dutch oven recipe you really love, but don’t feel like turning on the oven or stove? Get out your slow cooker! It takes a simple adjustment, but for most recipes these two pieces of cooking equipment can be used interchangeably. So many recipes that call for a Dutch oven, like soups, stews, and braises, all cook using the same principle as a slow cooker — low, slow cooking.
Kelli Foster
Feb 29, 2016
Help! Everything Burns in My Stainless Steel Pans
Q: I just switched from nonstick pans to stainless steel pans, but now everything I cook sticks on there, unless I use copious amounts of oil. What can I do to make cooking with these a little easier? Sent by Alexandra Editor: Alexandra, the solution isn’t in adding more fat, but rather when you add it. Stainless steel needs to be preheated before you add fat to the pan.
Hali Bey Ramdene
Feb 29, 2016
10 Ways to Repurpose Wine Corks
(Image credit: The Kitchn) From Apartment Therapy → 10 Not-Cheesy Things You Can Make with the Corks from All that Wine You Drank this Winter
The Kitchn
Feb 29, 2016
Brooklyn Then & Now
The borough depicted in Brooklyn, one of this year’s Oscar contenders for Best Picture, is a nostalgic, blue-collar departure from today’s posh condos flaunting shiny granite kitchens. While 21st-century Brooklyn remains proudly anchored to its deep ethnic roots, it is no longer defined by middle-class families savoring carefree afternoons on brownstone stoops or parish dances (leading, many immigrant women hoped, to a potential suitor).
Alia Akkam
Feb 27, 2016
5 Smart Tips That Will Help You Actually Pack a Lunch
In theory, packing a lunch sounds like a simple thing. But it’s always those simple things that turn out to be the toughest to tackle. Even with the best of intentions and best-laid plans, packing a lunch can be a tall order. But these smart tips will make it a little easier for you. Follow Ariel’s lead and start by planning to pack your lunch a few days a week, rather than jumping into the deep end and committing to every day right off the bat.
Kelli Foster
Feb 27, 2016
3 Reasons Why You Should Make Rice in the Oven
When it comes to cooking rice, the options are many. You can choose the tried-and-true stovetop method, or a more hands-off approach with the help of a rice cooker or an electric pressure cooker. But the simplest and easiest approach involves your oven. Whatever kind of rice you’re cooking — long-grain, short-grain, white, brown, or wild rice — it can all be cooked in the oven.
Kelli Foster
Feb 26, 2016
In Defense of White Zinfandel
Whether adored or despised, White Zinfandel is like Donald Trump: inescapable. Its constant presence on store shelves not only hooked millions of young American palates on wine instead of sweetened cocktails and sodas, but also inspired its haters to prove pink could be chic, dry, and bottled instead of three-liter box material.
Laura Burgess
Feb 26, 2016
What’s the Deal with Blue Ginger?
Have you ever sliced into a knob of ginger to find a faint blue-green ring circling the perimeter? Don’t be alarmed — your ginger isn’t bad. In fact, there are a few reasons why your ginger might appear blue, and none about them are bad. How blue is your ginger?
Hali Bey Ramdene
Feb 26, 2016
Food Wars: Star Wars vs. Star Trek
I am both a Trekkie and Wars-ie (not a real thing; nor should it be), and there’s no way I’m picking sides on which franchise is better. I have loved and hated them both fairly equally. (However, it is possible I’ve hated Star Trek with a deeper enmity fueled by alcohol-saturated recaps, because: Enterprise.) But Star Trek has always been the sci-fi franchise with food porn in spades — until now.
Stephanie Lucianovic
Feb 26, 2016
7 Creative Ways to Repurpose a Bar Cart
(Image credit: The Kitchn) From Apartment Therapy → 7 Other Ways to Use a Bar Cart
The Kitchn
Feb 26, 2016
Let’s Talk About Closing A Bag of Chips For A Second
Apartment Therapy
Feb 26, 2016
Why Chefs Love This Baking Staple
If we had to guess, we’d say that the 9×13-inch pan is the piece of bakeware most people have in their kitchens. Yes, there are probably some out there who prefer an 8×8-inch pan, but the 9×13 still reigns supreme — and for good reason. It comes standard in a variety of materials (metal, glass, and ceramic), which means it really is perfect for every dish and cooking style.
Kristin Appenbrink
Feb 25, 2016
What Is Rosé?
If there’s one thing Americans can agree on, it’s rosé wine. No longer confined to the brief season between Memorial Day and Labor Day, rosé is poised to maintain its lead in the U.S. growth charts, beating out white wine and craft beer with imports booming for the fifth straight year. And not only is there more of the pink stuff, but there’s also more depth than ever before. So it seems like a good time to pause and consider: What exactly is rosé?
Laura Burgess
Feb 25, 2016
5 Ways to Use Seltzer in Your Cooking
If you’re anything like me, you drink carbonated water by the bucket. From cans of La Croix to freshly aerated bottles from my Soda Stream, seltzer is my regular drink of choice. But this fizzy drink is good for far more than just drinking. Those tiny bubbles that fizz and pop, the ones that make seltzer such a wonderful beverage, are also what make it such a smart ingredient in cooking and baking. Yes, it’s all about the bubbles.
Kelli Foster
Feb 25, 2016
3 Eco-Friendly Habits That Will Save You Money
(Image credit: Theresa Gonzalez) From Apartment Therapy → Easy Green: 3 Money-Saving (& Eco-Friendly) Habits To Start Today
The Kitchn
Feb 25, 2016
5 Common Freezer Stocking Mistakes and How to Avoid Them
Apartment Therapy
Feb 25, 2016
Make Ginger Butter and Put It on Everything
My motto in life? Give me toast, or give me death. That’s a bit of stretch, but not too far given I’m very fond of the stuff and eat a slice of it every morning. Mostly I’m a swipe of Kerrygold kind of girl. Definitely an add a sprinkle of salt before taking a bite kind of girl, but now, I’m a don’t forget the ginger kind of girl. Because ginger has made my butter better. I keep my butter out so it’s soft enough to spread over toast on a moment’s notice.
Hali Bey Ramdene
Feb 24, 2016
On Trend: Matte Black Kitchen Goods
(Image credit: Melissa DiRenzo) From Apartment Therapy → Get In My Kitchen: On Trend Matte Black Kitchen Goods
The Kitchn
Feb 24, 2016
5 Simple Ways to Make Your Home Smell Fantastic
Apartment Therapy
Feb 24, 2016
Make This Roasted Cabbage with Farro & Feta for Dinner Tonight
I’m serious. Head to the grocery store and stock up on all the ingredients you’ll need to make this dish for dinner tonight. Cabbage, orange, farro, and feta — you definitely won’t be disappointed. This is a great recipe to make in the winter, as it uses in-season produce and warms up your kitchen, thanks to all the oven action.
Lauren Kodiak
Feb 24, 2016
16 Ways to Cure the Winter Blues
(Image credit: http://www.shutterstock.com/gallery-154447p1.html) shutterstock From Apartment Therapy → Sixteen Ways to Beat the Winter Doldrums
The Kitchn
Feb 23, 2016
23 Make-Ahead Work Lunches
Apartment Therapy
Feb 23, 2016
9 Cute & Cozy Breakfast Nooks
(Image credit: The Kitchn) From Apartment Therapy → 9 Cozy & Beautiful Breakfast Nooks Worth Waking Up To
The Kitchn
Feb 22, 2016
This Is Probably the Best Garlic Bread You’ll Ever Make
Spaghetti and meatballs are great, but hands down the best part of any Italian meal is the garlic bread. This version, affectionally dubbed “OMG Garlic Bread,” has lemon zest, fresh basil, and Parmesan. It’s probably the best garlic bread you’ll ever make. The heart and soul of this recipe is the chunky garlic paste, which calls for a whole head of garlic, a whole stick of butter, Parmesan, fresh basil, lemon zest, and red pepper flakes.
Lauren Kodiak
Feb 22, 2016
Eat Better To Sleep Better
Apartment Therapy
Feb 22, 2016
Recipe: Sugar-Free Citrus & Fruit Sprinkles
On a new-year-new-you kick and all about that clean-eating life? God knows I’m not, but I’m all about experimenting in the kitchen and looking into ways to cut out any unecessary added sugar and preservatives. Enter these technicolor “sprinkles,” made from at-home dehydrated citrus zest and unsweetened, freeze-dried fruit.
Carrie Boyd
Feb 19, 2016
Got Leftover Rice? Waffle it!
I don’t know about you, but if there was a competition for most-used appliance in my kitchen, my waffle iron would easily come in last place. In fact, it wouldn’t even be a competition at all — one look at the dust collecting on it and all bets are off. The good news for waffle irons around the world is that there are people who are much more clever than I am and have found ways to lift the waffle iron out of its single-use appliance stigma.
Sheela Prakash
Feb 19, 2016
25 Creative Ways to Save Money in 2016
(Image credit: Jacqueline Marque) From Apartment Therapy → See How Much You Can Save In 2016: 25 Creative Ways to Save Money This Year
The Kitchn
Feb 19, 2016
Keeping Your Kitchen Tidy May Help You Lose Weight
From The Kitchn → Trying to Lose Weight? Tidying Your Kitchen Could Help.
Apartment Therapy
Feb 19, 2016
Science Says: Organic Meat Is Better for You
Considering how nebulous an “organic” label can be, structuring your grocery budget around the available options isn’t always easy. However, a recent study might provide some helpful direction. Using a statistical technique called meta-analysis, researchers in Europe found that organic meat and milk contain 50 percent more heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids than conventionally raised alternatives.
Kaitlin Flannery
Feb 18, 2016
10 Regional Specialties Presidential Candidates Should Try Out
Apartment Therapy
Feb 18, 2016
The History of Chicago Deep-Dish Pizza
In the United States of Pizza, crust is a mark of origin. Cracker-thin means California, one step thicker signals the coal-fired ovens of New Haven, while blistered and thick-enough-to-fold-n’-go means New York. Deep-dish, of course, hails from Chicago, and like many New Yorkers I didn’t understand its charm. With a daughter attending college in Chicago, though, I’ve had the chance for plenty of location taste testing.
Tami Weiser
Feb 17, 2016
Why Can’t I Reduce the Amount of Sugar in a Cake?
It’s really tempting to reduce the sugar in a cake recipe. The average vanilla layer cake recipe is made with at least one cup of granulated sugar. A whole cup of sugar to make two layers of vanilla cake does seem like a lot, but that sugar does more than just sweeten the cake layers. Here are the most important ways sugar impacts your cakes.
Janice Lawandi
Feb 17, 2016
Tips for Making Your Own Sleepytime Tisane
Drinking herbal, caffeine-free teas, also known as tisanes, is a wonderful way to wind down at the end of a long day. And while it’s convenient to pick up a box of herbal tea bags or a relaxing loose-leaf blend, it’s a whole lot more fun to create your own custom mix. It also happens to be quite easy to do. To make your own tisane, it’s as simple as mixing and matching a couple dried herbs and spices together.
Sheela Prakash
Feb 17, 2016
Mix and Match Grains to Create the Flavor You Desire
The other day my mom asked me where I learned to cook (because we both know it certainly wasn’t from her). I didn’t have to think too long for an answer: “From PBS and cookbooks,” I said. One of my favorite PBS shows, which I later had the chance to work on, was Ming Tsai’s Simply Ming. That’s where I learned how to tea-smoke fish, braise short ribs, and make Ming’s house 50-50 rice.
Hali Bey Ramdene
Feb 17, 2016
The Not-So-Secret Thoughts of My Hungry Dog
My dog, Goblin, is what dog trainers like to call “food-motivated.” She will do anything for a morsel of something good and always tries out her most plaintive puppy dog eyes on every friend who comes to visit for dinner. It’s kind of pathetic — especially because begging for food off our plates has never, ever worked. But the endearing-slash-annoying thing about dogs that every dog lover knows is that they never stop hoping.
Anjali Prasertong
Feb 17, 2016
10 Smart Examples of Magnetic Storage
(Image credit: Leanne Bertram) From Apartment Therapy → Good Ideas: 10 Ways Magnetic Storage Can Save Your Life
The Kitchn
Feb 17, 2016
Why Pets Make Excellent Company in the Kitchen
Apartment Therapy
Feb 17, 2016
This Golden Milk Cocoa Will Make You a Morning Person
Have you heard of golden milk? This warm beverage, which combines ground turmeric, milk, and coconut oil, is beloved by natural health enthusiasts for its anti-inflammatory properties. This recipe takes things one step further with the addition of cocoa powder. It’s just like hot cocoa — only way better because you can have it for breakfast. There’s one ingredient in this recipe I wasn’t familiar with: ashwagandha powder.
Lauren Kodiak
Feb 17, 2016
What’s the Difference Between Bundt Pans, Sponge Cake Pans, and Chiffon Pans?
Size matters, and so does shape. This truism is never as true as when you are baking in tube pans. Each has a specific purpose and usage, and they aren’t easily interchangeable. Does that mean that if you want to bake a Bundt and a chiffon cake or an angel food cake that you need different pans? The answer is a firm yes. Tube pans share one distinction: the tube down the center. But some have sloped sides, some drop straight from top to bottom, and some are decoratively fluted.
Tami Weiser
Feb 16, 2016
In Defense of Dump-and-Bake Casseroles
In the Midwest (where Superman and Bob Dylan are from, BTW), a casserole is not just a one-pan meal. It is how we cook, how we gather, and even how we think — a potluck attitude where everybody is expected to bring something to the table.
Jeni Britton Bauer
Feb 16, 2016
Tiny Video: How to Make Poached Eggs in the Oven
Making a bunch of poached eggs for a brunch party may seem intimidating — especially if you’re cracking one egg at a time into a simmering pot of water. How do you ensure that each egg is hot and perfectly yolk-y in the middle? It takes a lot of patience and practice. Lucky for you, there’s an easier way to get the job done. All you need is a muffin tin and your oven. As you can see in the video, making poached eggs in the oven is surprisingly easy.
Ariel Knutson
Feb 16, 2016
Yes, the Paddle That Came with Your Rice Cooker Has a Purpose
Open up your rice cooker, and in addition to your new appliance you’ll find a plastic paddle. Your first instinct may be to think you already have plenty of wooden spoons, spatulas, and cooking utensils, so the last thing you need is a flimsy plastic one taking up space. You may even be quick to toss it, deeming it useless. But not so fast — this paddle actually has an important purpose.
Kelli Foster
Feb 16, 2016
Recipe: Deep-Dish Chicago-Style Sausage and Mushroom Skillet Pizza
Chicago deep-dish pizza is a uniquely American dish that has proven challenging to replicate at home. This is not an imitator recipe; it is a modern interpretation with a serious homage to the past and a crust that is worth every minute of your time. This crust is inspired by the buttery, light crusts of Chicago deep-dish pies, with enough real butter to make Lou Malnati’s proud.
Tami Weiser
Feb 16, 2016
2 Winter-Inspired Table Settings for Easy Entertaining
(Image credit: Lauren Kolyn) From Apartment Therapy → Easy Entertaining Inspiration: Simple Winter Tabletops Done Two Ways
The Kitchn
Feb 16, 2016
Tips for Handling Hosting Hiccups
Apartment Therapy
Feb 16, 2016
Geothermal Greenhouses Could Bring Citrus Groves to the Midwest
Citrus groves are the stuff of dreams for this midwestern lady! We’re lucky to have some lovely peaches and cherries come summer, but oranges and lemons? Not a chance. Brutal winters and cold temperatures just don’t fit the bill for a juicy grapefruit to roll from the tree to my bowl. But thanks to the efficient nature of geothermal greenhouses, that could soon change!
Kaitlin Flannery
Feb 15, 2016