Kitchn Archive - November 2017
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The Biggest Mistakes People Make When Setting Up a Buffet
When done correctly, a buffet dinner can look lovely and be far easier for a hungry crowd to navigate. Sure, it’s not as formal as a sit-down meal, but it allows guests to get what they want, when they want it, without worrying about offending the host by not eating certain things. Plus, it’s easy for the host to organize and clean up. Just make sure you don’t make any of these (totally avoidable) mistakes and you’ll wind up throwing the best buffet meal ever.
Nov 17, 2017
All the Hardest Things About Adult Friendships
(Image credit: Esteban Cortez) From Apartment Therapy → All the Hardest Things About Adult Friendships (And How to Deal with Them) null
Nov 17, 2017
This Chicken & Sweet Potato Skillet Is Ready in 30 Minutes
We’re in the Thanksgiving home stretch here, and people have turkey and stuffing and mashed potatoes on the brain. But as you ramp up for the big day, don’t forget that you do have to eat dinner this week — preferably something wholesome and quick like this skillet chicken with sweet potatoes. While this one-pan meal seems super basic — just chicken thighs and sweet potatoes, right? — it’s actually packed with flavor.
Nov 17, 2017
The Kitchen Appliance You Should Be Using to Pack Your Suitcase
When you pack your bags for a trip, you’re bringing along something you don’t need (something you probably don’t even realize is in there!): air. It’s in between your clothes, and inside the fibers of the cotton and the weave of the wool. Air might not weigh much, but it takes up valuable room that could be filled with necessities.
Nov 17, 2017
Ina Garten Just Shared Her Thanksgiving Menu and It Sounds Amazing
Thanksgiving is just one week away (I know, I know), so if you’re following Kitchn’s 10-day guide for the big day, then you’ve probably already planned your menu and are looking forward to your first shopping trip. So, what are you making this year? Are you going the more traditional route, or are you trying out some things you’ve seen floating around in magazines Well, if you’re still on the fence about a couple recipes on your menu, then I have good news for you.
Nov 16, 2017
5 Super-Smart Solutions for Super-Small Kitchen Woes
(Image credit: Nancy Mitchell) From Apartment Therapy → 5 Super-Smart Solutions for Super-Small Kitchen Woes null
Nov 16, 2017
You Need to See These Tiny Great British Bake Off Creations
Everyone who watches The Great British Bake Off wishes they could recreate all the contestants’ gorgeous, prize-winning pastries, but artist Lynn Allingham actually does. Hers are identical to the original masterworks in every way — except that hers are made of polymer clay and they’re small enough to balance on the head of a pin. Allingham is a jewelry maker and master miniaturist.
Nov 16, 2017
The Scary Reason I’ll Never Cook with Glass Pans Again
Chief among the sounds you never want to hear in your kitchen is an explosive shattering of glass. I’m here to tell you that the stuff of urban legend sometimes is true. Picture a cozy Sunday supper underway: my husband, Brian, is making his mom’s Yorkshire pudding to go with a beef roast and carrots and buttermilk-poached cauliflower. Our neighbors are over with their sweet toddler.
Nov 16, 2017
The Internet Is Freaking Out Over These Cheesy Toaster Pastries
I have some very upsetting news for you today, and I’m sorry in advance if it makes you uncomfortable or squirmish, but this story needs to be told. Someone thought it would be a good idea to put a slice of American cheese between two generic strawberry toaster pastries and eat it. As breakfast? As a snack? As dessert? Who knows.
Nov 16, 2017
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Recipe: Pumpkin Spice Galette
This rustic, easy-going galette takes the classic pumpkin pie and gives it a little creative freedom. The flaky, crumbly crust develops a beautiful buttery golden color as it bakes, and is so easy to work with that it may become your year-round go-to for easy seasonal baking. Galettes are the secret superhero of the baking world.
Nov 16, 2017
The Most Important Step When Cleaning Wine Glasses
I’ve spent a fair amount of time thinking about how to clean wine glasses. Few things bug me as much as going to someone’s house and being offered vino in a dirty-looking glass Now, my wine glasses don’t tend to get that dirty, because we keep them in a closed cabinet and use them fairly frequently. And my methods aren’t particularly fancy — I’ve found that unscented dish soap, hot water, and a gentle scrubby sponge do just fine!
Nov 16, 2017
What It Was Like Living Above a Whole Foods for a Year
(Image credit: Bloomicon) shutterstock From Apartment Therapy → What it Was Like Living Above a Whole Foods for a Year null
Nov 16, 2017
This Bacon Baked Brie Bread Bowl Is Everything
With all the holiday parties and potlucks coming up over the next couple of months, you’re going to need an impressive yet easy appetizer. This bacon baked brie bread bowl is just the ticket. Bring it with you and you’re guaranteed to be invited back next year. Baked brie is already a beloved appetizer, but serve it in a garlic-butter bread bowl stuffed with bacon, candied walnuts, and mozzarella and you’ve really got a crowd-pleaser on your hands.
Nov 16, 2017
Modernist Bread on 5 Things You Didn’t Know About Yeast
Baking is applied microbiology. That may seem like an odd way to look at it, but it is only a modest exaggeration. All yeast breads and sourdoughs owe their shapes and textures to the actions of microbes, living creatures that are microscopic in size and typically consist of just a single cell. Despite its size, yeast is a powerhouse of an ingredient.
Nov 15, 2017
I’ve Found the Secret to Tackling My Most-Hated Chore
(Image credit: Jacqueline Marque) From Apartment Therapy → I’ve Found the Secret to Tackling My Most-Hated Chore null
Nov 15, 2017
This Smart Hack Makes Grocery Store Sushi Taste Better
Grocery store sushi is extremely convenient, and it’s way less expensive than sushi from a restaurant. Some grocery store sushi is even quite tasty, although in general everybody understands that the $10 plate of sushi from the grocery store is not going to be quite the same quality as the sushi you pay $30 for at your friendly neighborhood sushi restaurant.
Nov 15, 2017
Once-Banned Kinder Eggs Are Finally Coming to the U.S.
Kinder Eggs, also known as Kinder Surprise, are egg-shaped chocolates with a small toy prize inside, and they’re wildly famous and popular treats in Europe and much of the rest of the world. Unfortunately, they’re banned in the U.S. because it’s illegal to sell candy with non-edible objects inside it, on the grounds that the object is a choking hazard. For years, Americans who wanted Kinder Eggs had to travel abroad, or try to smuggle them through customs.
Nov 15, 2017
Stove Top Stuffing Just Created the Ultimate Thanksgiving Dinner Pants
With Thanksgiving only a week away, you should already be prepping for the year’s biggest meal. Yes, that means picking up your broiler bird and making some side dishes ahead, but it’s also a prime time to start formulating your dinner-eating game plan. Will you opt for extra mashed potatoes and skip out on green bean casserole? Or take half servings of everything to pace yourself for the next round?
Nov 15, 2017
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Recipe: Easy Sesame Almonds
Keeping a trusty recipe in your back pocket with the holiday season fast approaching is a win-win for all. When the whirlwind of festivities and gatherings gets to be slightly overwhelming, you’ll need a snack that’s easy to throw together but elegant enough to put out during cocktail hour, and these smoky and sweet almonds are just the ticket to help you win at entertaining.
Nov 15, 2017
Do Yourself a Favor This Year and Just Buy the Keg
I’ve hosted my family’s Thanksgiving for the last few years, and each year I use a secret weapon that makes our gatherings of about a dozen people more fun, more festive, and slightly less stressful for me as a host. It isn’t a turkey-basting hack, or a killer mise en place game, or a Martha Stewart doppelganger helping me carefully garnish each salad. It is, simply, a keg full of beer. The keg has been a game-changer for entertaining.
Nov 15, 2017
These Hot Honey Sweet Potatoes Will Win Friendsgiving
If you’re celebrating Friendsgiving this weekend and were tasked with bringing a side dish, I’ve got just the thing for you: hot honey sweet potatoes. Roasted with butter and brown sugar and then drizzled with a spicy jalapeño-infused honey, these are not your Aunt Rita’s sweet potatoes — and that’s exactly the point. Friendsgiving is a more relaxed version of Thanksgiving.
Nov 15, 2017
The One and Only Garlic Shortcut You Need This Thanksgiving
Yes, yes I know. We’ve talked at length about garlic hacks. We all love the taste and despise the prep work. We’ve talked before about how to peel garlic with the help of the microwave, a cocktail shaker (bonus cardio workout), or a few bowls. In addition, we’ve also chatted about peeling individual cloves with your bare hands (hulk smash) and with the side of your knife (old school — no hacks involved).
Nov 14, 2017
Here’s How People Really Feel About Hosting Thanksgiving
(Image credit: Leela Cyd) From Apartment Therapy → A Third of Americans Would Rather Do This Than Host Thanksgiving null
Nov 14, 2017
These Two Surprising Ingredients Make Super-Tall Pancakes
There are a million ways to make a stack of gorgeous pancakes. You can make them with buttermilk, cornmeal, sweet potatoes, ricotta, and even cream cheese. And then, of course, there’s the controversial two-ingredient pancake that’s made from just banana and eggs. There’s so many variations that it begs the question: What exactly does constitute as a pancake? If the ingredients don’t matter, is it how the pancakes look? Do pancakes need to be dense, flat, and round?
Nov 14, 2017
Yes, It Is Possible to Freeze Your Sourdough Starter
One of the most important discoveries we made while developing and refining the recipes in Modernist Bread is that yeast is among the most resilient life-forms we’ve ever encountered (and we encounter many in our lab, which we share with a bunch of biologists). As it turns out, freezing temperatures do not kill all the yeast and lactic acid bacteria in a preferment or starter. Some die, but most remain dormant while frozen.
Nov 14, 2017
Here’s What Your Birth Month Says About Your Home
(Image credit: Esteban Cortez) From Apartment Therapy → What Your Birth Month Says About Your Home null
Nov 14, 2017
Make These Smitten Kitchen Chicken Marsala Meatballs ASAP
If you love chicken marsala, you’ve got to try this smart twist on the classic dish. Instead of pounding chicken breast until thin and dredging it in flour, you can quickly whip up a batch of these mini meatballs. Made with ground chicken and simmered in a creamy sauce, this is weeknight comfort food at its finest. This ingenious idea comes from Deb Perelman‘s new cookbook, Smitten Kitchen Every Day, via Tracy Benjamin at Shutterbean.
Nov 14, 2017
This $7 Shiraz from Aldi Beat a $375 Bottle of Wine in Competition
In excellent news for the wine-drinkers of the world, Aldi has done it again. The discount grocery chain has a $7 bottle of Shiraz from Australia that has been named one of the best wines in the world, and it just beat a $375 bottle in competition. Aldi’s One Road Shiraz is a medium-bodied red with a flavor that’s described as “clean and fruit driven with no sign of wood. It retails for $6.99 in Australia, which is just about $5.35 in the U.S.
Nov 13, 2017
Alton Brown Has One Simple Step for Better Bacon
Making bacon is an art form, and everyone has their own special way of cooking it at home. It doesn’t matter if you bake it in the oven, prepare it on the stovetop, or throw it on the grill — it usually results in something tasty. While you might be set in your ways on how to make your perfect bacon, there’s always something to learn from the pros. Thats why when we saw this smart tip from Alton Brown on how he makes better bacon, we were especially intrigued.
Nov 13, 2017
Tour Joy the Baker’s Beautiful New Orleans Bakehouse
(Image credit: Jacqueline Marque) From Apartment Therapy → Tour Joy the Baker’s Beautiful New Orleans Bakehouse null
Nov 13, 2017
Your Favorite Childhood Snack Brand Chose the Most Alarming Way to Break Huge News
When I was a child in the ’80s, every gas station and lunch box in town was filled with Little Debbie snacks. Everyone had a favorite treat. That’s why last week, when the Little Debbie social media team tweeted out that one of their four largest-selling confections “had to go forever,” the internet collectively freaked out. The worst part? They asked their fans to choose which one to retire.
Nov 13, 2017
The One Thing I Always Forget to Buy for Thanksgiving
I consider myself to be a good hostess. When I have guests over, my house is clean, my menu is planned, and I like to think I’m not flustered by the actual meal prep. I want to enjoy my guests’ company instead of staying holed up in the kitchen. That said, there is always one thing I forget every single time I entertain. Do you suffer from the same absent-mindedness as I do? Ice! I never fail to forget it!
Nov 13, 2017
This Is the Secret to a Stress-Free Thanksgiving (or Friendsgiving!) Potluck
Because it is possible to have too many sweet potato side dishes.
Sep 26, 2024
5 On-the-Go Thanksgiving Sides You Still Have Time to Make
Growing up, nearly all Thanksgiving dinners were spent at my grandma’s house, and in classic potluck style; everyone brought the sides and desserts so her only duty in the kitchen was the turkey and gravy. For me, this meant a morning making several dishes we could easily pack up and that would handle the drive to our holiday dinner. This year I’m drawing on all those helpful tips I’ve picked up throughout the years as I ready to prep some of these delicious dishes.
Nov 11, 2017
Dr. Oz Has Some Surprising Feelings About Costco Chicken
There is no denying that the three-pound, five-dollar rotisserie chicken from Costco is not only a time saver for quick weeknight meals, but also a great way to make your dollar stretch. I mean, one person can eat the same chicken for five straight days! But as you toss that rotisserie chicken into your cart, are you checking the ingredient label? Truth be told I haven’t been, but I might start — and here’s why. Last year the infamous Dr.
Nov 10, 2017
You Have to See How This Beautiful Pasta Is Made
For the last few years, the folks over at Barilla have held a tasty competition where they see who can come up with the most innovative pasta design. As you might know, how a noodle or pasta shape is made can affect how it tastes, feels in your mouth, and holds onto sauce. Italian grandmas would be ecstatic if they only knew their handmade craft has been turned into something so, so cool. Want to see how it works?
Nov 10, 2017
What Everyone’s Missing About That $110 Box of Dolce & Gabbana Pasta
Are you looking for the perfect gift for that hard-to-shop-for person on your list? Sure you are. We all are! Well, Dolce & Gabbana might have you covered. Just in time for the holidays, the fashion label is releasing a tin of pasta that contains four different varieties in a cool, collectible tin for $110. They’re only making 1,000 pieces available in the U.S.
Nov 10, 2017
The Most Ooey, Gooey Cheese Pulls You Can Find on Instagram
Instagram is home to many a food sensation. There’s #putaneggonit, and #eeeeeats, and of course #meatsweats, among other popular hashtags that let food lovers rejoice in photographs and videos of mouth-watering dishes. One of my favorite hashtags, #cheesepull, has over 11,000 images. Get on the dairy appreciation train and take a look at some of the most stretchy, gooey, melty displays of cheese on the ‘gram that we could find. Chicago Pizza is a hotly debated food.
Nov 10, 2017
5 Tips for Commuting to Work with Your Thanksgiving Potluck Contribution
Office Thanksgiving is a great time to see your boss loosen up, catch up on gossip, and show off your sweet cooking skills! But first you’ve got to get your dish there — in one piece! Here are five tips for commuting to work with your Thanksgiving potluck contribution. You probably won’t have access to an oven to heat up your dish, and the office fridge may be too full for cool dishes, so plan to leave home with your dish at serving temperature, and then keep it that way.
Nov 10, 2017
Starbucks Just Released Two New Holiday Drinks
The world is still coming down from the combined sugar rush of Halloween and Starbucks’ viral Zombie Frappuccino, but the coffee giant is ready to get the holiday season started. Starbucks just released two new holiday drinks — the Toasted White Chocolate Mocha and Chestnut Praline Chai Latte — and they both sound very exciting. The Toasted White Chocolate Mocha is made with a special new toasted white chocolate syrup, espresso, steamed milk, and whipped cream.
Nov 9, 2017
The Worst Potluck Horror Stories of All Time
The potluck is a time-honored tradition that makes most of us pull out our slow cookers, dust off our festive-themed holiday serving dishes, and indulge in way (way) too many cookies. However, it’s also a time when the best of intentions go awry. From raw chicken to accidental babysitters, here are some of the most cringeworthy potluck experiences ever. Rose B.
Nov 9, 2017