The Kitchn Archive: Mar 2017

Do You Need a Bonus Freezer? Take This Quiz.

If your eyes light up when you head through the frozen aisle at Costco, or your feet are at risk every time you open your freezer (a pint of Ben & Jerry’s can really do a number on your toes!), you’ve probably thought about getting another freezer. We know: It seems like such an indulgence! Would you even use it, have a place for it, or be able to justify the expense? Take this quiz and find out. A. One to two B. Three to four C. Five or more A. Whole Foods B.

Brittany Burke

Mar 31, 2017

7 Easy Home Habits Scientifically Proven to Make You Happier

(Image credit: Ellie Arciaga Lillstrom) From Apartment Therapy → 7 Home Habits Scientifically Proven to Make You Happier

The Kitchn

Mar 31, 2017

Un Cafecito, Por Favor: 5 Recipes to Help You Do Breakfast, Cuban-Style

It always starts with coffee, doesn’t it? When you’re introduced to a new food, a new way of eating, a new culture and its cuisine, there are so many gateways, but for me it always seems to be coffee. Sooty and astringent in Turkey, café bonbóns in Spain, and then giant saucers of café con leche in a now-closed Cuban restaurant — La Rosita — that used to sit on Broadway and 108th.

Hali Bey Ramdene

Mar 31, 2017

This New Security Camera Wants to Catch Your Office Lunch Thief

Every office has an anonymous, agile employee who steals other people’s delicious food from the communal kitchen. Those delicious meatballs you made for lunch? Gone. That bottle of gatorade you brought to work because you’re a little hungover from happy hour the night before? Vanished. Maybe you’ve been the victim of such an offense, or maybe you’re the office perpetrator.

Susmita Baral

Mar 31, 2017

4 Things to Know About Meat Safety

Ever had that moment when you can’t remember whether you touched the raw chicken and didn’t wash your hands? Sometimes we get into such a routine when making dinner that we forget some of the basics about the process — especially when it comes to meat handling and safety. Well, consider this your refresher course. We chatted with Stanley Rutledge, community coordinator at StopFoodborneIllness.org, to figure out some key tips for handling meat in the kitchen.

Amy Roberts

Mar 31, 2017

8 Ways to Use a Pegboard to Make Your Kitchen Better

In case you needed another reason to love a kitchen pegboard, here are eight.

Lisa Freedman

Mar 31, 2017

5 Things to Know About Cleaning Up Leaked Meat Juice

Handling raw meat isn’t really anyone’s favorite food-prep task. And if the juices leak, spill, or splash, you’ve got a tricky cleanup job on your hands, lest you risk serious food poisoning. Follow these tips to keep things de-germed. Smart grocery stores have plastic bag dispensers handy in the meat department so you can wrap up those meat trays.

Amy Roberts

Mar 31, 2017

Beyond KitchenAid: 8 Comparable Stand Mixers on the Market

Apartment Therapy

Mar 31, 2017

5 Signs You Need to Replace Your Microwave

Of all the appliances (large or small) in your kitchen, the microwave tends to have the shortest lifespan — around nine years or so. The good news? The new ones on the market are relatively inexpensive and you can get a decent one for less than $100. How will you know if it’s time to get a new one? Look for any of these five signs. That buzzing or banging you’ve been hearing lately? Yeah, that’s not normal.

Brittany Burke

Mar 30, 2017

These Chicken Meatballs Have a Cheesy Surprise Inside

When meatballs are on the menu, you know you’re in for a homey, comforting meal. But when those meatballs are stuffed with mozzarella, well, I’d say you’ve just taken dinner to a whole new level. Now, before you worry that stuffing cheese inside meatballs leans a bit too decadent, let me add that these particular meatballs are made with ground chicken instead of beef. So it all evens out in the end, right?

Lauren Kodiak

Mar 30, 2017

5 South Indian Bloggers Share Their New Year’s Traditions

For many of us, the New Year is well under way. By this point, we’ve already made and broken many of our healthful resolutions! But in South India, the New Year falls in spring, not winter — often, although not always, on the vernal equinox — and is accompanied by meticulous traditions in preparation for the celebratory feast. Of course, different states (Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Telengana) have different traditions.

Fehmida Zakeer

Mar 29, 2017

5 Mistakes to Avoid When Cooking Pot Roast

I did not grow up eating pot roast, a fact much lamented by my husband who puts pot roast on his long list of favorite foods from his childhood. In the early years of our relationship, I tried regularly to impress him with a luscious, fork-tender recipe like the one he grew up eating. Many mistake=riddled dishes of mushy vegetables and stringy meat followed before I finally learned a proper technique for this beloved dish.

Meghan Splawn

Mar 29, 2017

How Often Should You Be Cleaning Your Kitchen Cabinets?

When was the last time you cleaned the inside of your cabinets? Was it yesterday? Or was it more like whenever you moved into your place? You probably wipe down your counters and floors on a nightly (or at least a very regular basis), but what about the places where you actually store your plates? You know, the things you put your food all over? Or the cups your put your mouth on? Here’s how often you should be cleaning them. Ideally, you’ll be cleaning these things once a quarter.

Lisa Freedman

Mar 29, 2017

Use a Pegboard to Store All Your Baking Gear

If you like to dabble in the world of DIY baked goods, you know the hobby comes with a lot of random tools. All those cookie cutters, wooden spoons, measuring cups, canisters of flour … the list goes on. Luckily, it’s all pretty cute stuff, which means it’ll look downright adorable on a pegboard. Here’s how to store your baking gear while also putting it on display. Cookie cutters may as well double as wall art when not in use.

Lisa Freedman

Mar 29, 2017

5 Things I Learned About Grocery Shopping in College That I Still Use Today

Navigating the grocery store was a shock when I went to college. I grew up with my mom buying everything for the household, and suddenly I was alone and struggling to make breakfast, lunch, and dinner a reality. How did I create a budget? What’s the deal with leftovers? Just like everything in college, grocery shopping was a learning curve and I made plenty of mistakes along the way. During my freshman year I had no concept of budgeting when it came to grocery shopping.

Allanah Dykes

Mar 29, 2017

How to Create Space in Your Life for Consistent Cooking

The more connected we become, the harder it is to find space for consistent cooking. Everyday life means being constantly connected to tons of things and people simultaneously through texts, emails, Tweets, and Facebook and Instagram posts. The same goes with food. It’s far easier to rely on takeout — especially when there’s an easy app that can deliver meals to your door with a click of a button. The thing is, cooking does take an amount of pre-meditation.

Nneka M. Okona

Mar 29, 2017

8 Inexpensive Materials That Look Great in the Kitchen

(Image credit: The Kitchn) From Apartment Therapy → Savings Stretchers: 8 Times Inexpensive Materials Looked Really Great in the Kitchen

The Kitchn

Mar 29, 2017

Recipe: Cuban Medianoche Sandwiches

It’s a very particular kind of morning we’re talking about when we say this is the Cuban sandwich you want for breakfast — specifically the kind that starts closer to noon than it does to nine, and one where the night before might’ve included lots of dancing. That, or those mornings when you wake up ravenous and ready for something truly hearty to eat. The Cuban medianoche is a close sibling to the more famous cubano.

Hali Bey Ramdene

Mar 29, 2017

10 Savvy Ways to Organize and Store Small Appliances

Apartment Therapy

Mar 29, 2017

If You Love Milk & Cookies, You Need to Make This Cake

Dunking a cookie in a cold glass of milk is one of life’s greatest pleasures. The crispy cookie slightly softens as it absorbs the milk, while the milk takes on the cookie’s flavor. When you’re done eating your cookie (or, who are we kidding, a few cookies) you get to wash it down with that sweet glass of milk — it’s basically a two-for-one deal. Kitchn contributor Tessa Huff played off this nostalgic treat and transformed it into a whimsical three-layer cake.

Lauren Kodiak

Mar 29, 2017

See Miami Through the Eyes of Award-Winning Chef Michelle Bernstein

When you think of Miami, what do you think of? A place to catch some rays with a frosty beverage in your hand and miles of sandy beaches at your feet? A place where salsa dance beats and international flavors create a tangible energy and sizzling nightlife scene? This is the Miami you see in the movies and hear about in songs. This is the Miami that everyone knows. But Miami is so much more than this — especially when it comes to food.

Jesse Bratter

Mar 29, 2017

A Plant Pro Tells All: The 3 Most Important Things a Plant Needs

(Image credit: Nancy Mitchell) From Apartment Therapy → A Plant Pro Demystifies the 3 Most Important Things a Plant Needs

The Kitchn

Mar 28, 2017

5 Things You Should Know About Cleaning Stainless Steel

Apartment Therapy

Mar 28, 2017

5 Ways to Help You Stop Spending So Much Money on Coffee

Apartment Therapy

Mar 28, 2017

Recipe: One-Bowl Vanilla Sheet Cake with Sprinkles

This vanilla stunner only requires one bowl for mixing and one pan for making, making it extra easy.

Meghan Splawn

Mar 28, 2017

This 3-Ingredient Braised Cabbage Is the Dreamiest Side Dish

Sometimes dinner inspiration starts with a side rather than the main dish. Case in point? This braised purple cabbage. With only three ingredients, humble cabbage is transformed into an outrageously delicious side dish that just might steal the show come dinnertime. The best part about this dish is that it is almost entirely hands-off. All you have to do is cut the cabbage into wedges and arrange them in a baking dish.

Lauren Kodiak

Mar 28, 2017

Are Microwave Drawers Worth the Extra Expense?

I’m going to take a wild guess and assume that your favorite thing about your kitchen is not the microwave. The gorgeous morning light? Sure. The reclaimed wood table? Definitely. Your new oven? Yay! The microwave? Well, that’s usually more of a functional necessity than anyone’s hallmark piece. That’s not to mention that it poses its own set of design challenges. You could leave it floating on a countertop, but then your work space might look cluttered.

Brittany Burke

Mar 27, 2017

Use a Pegboard as a Pantry

Not all of us have kitchens with pantries. Sure, it’d be nice and it’s a total #goal, but sometimes square footage has to be saved for things like refrigerators. And ovens. The good news? If you have a wall, you can have a pantry! It’s true! Just look at this makeshift pantry above and steal some of these ideas for your kitchen, er, wall. Just like a real pantry with doors and shelves, baskets are going to be your best friend here.

Lisa Freedman

Mar 27, 2017

Who’s Cleaner: Men or Women? We Finally Have Some Answers.

(Image credit: Wavebreakmedia) shutterstock From Apartment Therapy → Who’s Cleaner: Men or Women? We Finally Have Answers

The Kitchn

Mar 27, 2017

5 Ways to Stop Spending So Much Money on Coffee

Spending less money on coffee is easy: Get less-involved drinks, join a loyalty program, etc. This post is not about how to do that (you already know how!). This post is about how to avoid that expensive money trap that is the coffee shop in the first place. Yes, I know there are some who would argue that going out for coffee is totally worth it, but if you’re trying to stop spending money on coffee, the best way to do so is just to stop going out. Here’s how.

Lisa Freedman

Mar 27, 2017

8 IKEA Finds That Double Duty as Travel Essentials

Apartment Therapy

Mar 27, 2017

The First-Time International Traveler’s Ultimate Survival Guide

(Image credit: Esteban Cortez) From Apartment Therapy → The First-Time International Traveler’s Survival Guide

The Kitchn

Mar 27, 2017

This Crispy Walnut Chicken with Vegetables Is Made on One Sheet Pan

When you’re tired at the end of a long day (like maybe today) and you don’t feel like making anything too complicated for dinner, this sheet pan chicken will be there for you. After a little prep work, everything cooks together on one pan in the oven, leaving you free to change into comfy clothes, pour a glass of wine, and maybe even read a few pages of that book you started a month ago. While baked chicken might sound bland or boring, this recipe is far from that.

Lauren Kodiak

Mar 27, 2017

Our Favorite Trader Joe’s Items That Save Us Time in the Kitchen

Discover something new to help make your time in the kitchen a little bit easier.

Kelli Foster

Mar 26, 2017

Our Editors’ Favorite Meal Planning Tips

I wish I could say that I am an expert on meal planning, but I have it far from figured out. Each weekend I try to be a little better than the weekend before, getting myself as organized as I can be at that moment for the week ahead. I fail a lot, to be honest. Luckily, there’s frozen tortellini and my colleagues, who never cease to amaze me with their abundance of great meal planning tricks and tips.

Sheela Prakash

Mar 26, 2017

This Latin Television Host’s Miami Kitchen Has a Message for Us All

Who: Ingrid Hoffmann, cookbook author and television host of Simply Delicioso and Top Chef Estrellas Where: Miami, Florida On television, Ingrid Hoffmann comes across as warm and energetic, with a real zest for mindful living and eating. In person, the host of Food Network’s Simply Delicioso is just the same: an enthusiastic consumer of all that life and food have to offer.

Jesse Bratter

Mar 26, 2017

I Learned Too Late That My Grandma Was Way More Fun than Me

Although I grew up in the Arizona desert, in many ways mine was a Southern childhood. After my parents’ divorce, a few plot twists worthy of a Carson McCullers novel delivered me at the age of 4 into my grandparents’ care. My Grandmother Maye, originally from Arkansas, still spoke with the thick drawl of her youth, and cooked as if she still lived in the Gulf Coastal Plain.

Sharon Van Epps

Mar 25, 2017

You Have to See The Inside of This Miami Chef’s Igloo-Shaped House

Apartment Therapy

Mar 24, 2017

Why Bacon Is the Most Economical Way to Eat Meat

A few weeks ago, I had a very illuminating conversation with a few friends on bacon. We got on the topic because we were talking about meal planning, and how it’s been the answer to budgeting and cooking fatigue. Everyone in the car was newly or nearly 30, so it felt like an all-around appropriate conversation to have.

Hali Bey Ramdene

Mar 24, 2017

Traditional Grocery Stores Can’t Keep Up with Digital Shopping

Those who regularly shop at the grocery stores may have noticed a trend over the past few years: the prices are getting better and better. It’s not an illusion — chain supermarkets have been lowering their rates to keep up with the competitive times. USA Today reports the pricing scale is offering shoppers great bargains, but it’s taking the axe to grocery store’s profits.

Susmita Baral

Mar 24, 2017

Your Kitchen Table Needs This Clever Pegboard Hack

It’s been no secret lately how much we love pegboards. We love them in a drawer to organize dishes; we really love them on a wall to hold, well, anything; and now, we love them on the table! Just look at this wedding table centerpiece from Fabulously Designed, a luxury flower and events company based in Las Vegas and Southern California. The idea is actually super simple (and affordable) to pull off: Have someone at your local hardware store cut a pegboard down to the length of your table.

Lisa Freedman

Mar 24, 2017

Start This Batter Tonight for the Best Waffles Tomorrow Morning

Tomorrow is International Waffle Day, which means it’s pretty much mandatory that you kick off your Saturday with a batch of waffles. But don’t wait to pull out your flour and milk until tomorrow morning — start the batter tonight and let it rest for truly exquisite results. Mixing some of the ingredients tonight — water, honey, yeast, flour, butter, salt, and milk — is like a little gift to your future self.

Lauren Kodiak

Mar 24, 2017

5 Smart Tips for Organizing Your Corner Cabinets

Apartment Therapy

Mar 23, 2017

7 Things I Never Do When Creating a Weekly Meal Plan

I started meal planning five years ago after my daughter was born and, y’all, I made a lot of mistakes. Some of these mistakes were small, like forgetting a key ingredient at the grocery store, while other mistakes were expensive and painful (pour one out for that marathon of freezer meals I made and never cooked).

Meghan Splawn

Mar 23, 2017

My Smartest Tip for Saving Money on Takeout

My husband and I rely on takeout more often than I’d like to admit. If I haven’t had the time to meal plan (or grocery shop) for the week, chances are we’re having cereal or takeout for dinner. One of those things can be inexpensive (two boxes for $5? Yes, please!), while the other can add up — very quickly. Luckily, we’ve figured out one little hack to help us keep our weekly food bills under budget.

Lisa Freedman

Mar 23, 2017

Have a Kitchen Pegboard? Here’s How You Get Visitors to Put Dishes Away Correctly.

The party problem: Your friends, bless their hearts, always help out after a dinner party by drying and putting away the dishes, while you wash. The only problem? They don’t know where things go and you always spend the next few days hunting for your cast iron skillet. The party trick: If you have a pegboard, outline every item. This will make the job of putting stuff away so easy, a child could do it.

Lisa Freedman

Mar 23, 2017

Use a Pegboard as an Herb Garden

Those of you with a green thumb know that growing an herb garden in the kitchen can be tricky — especially if space is limited. Put a few pots on your windowsill and they’re just begging to be knocked over. Put ’em too close the range and they’ll wilt faster than you can chop ’em. But hang them on a pegboard and, well, you’ve got the perfect solution.

Lisa Freedman

Mar 23, 2017

5 Reasons You Shouldn’t Keep Your Trash Can in a Cabinet

Apartment Therapy

Mar 23, 2017