The Kitchn Archive
2018
February

The Kitchn Archive: Feb 2018

7 Reasons to Keep Your Clothes in the Freezer
(Image credit: Lisa Diederich) From Apartment Therapy → Why You Should Keep Your Clothes in the Freezer null
The Kitchn
Feb 28, 2018
The Best Cookbook for the Instant Pot
Did you just order an Instant Pot during Amazon Prime Day? Welcome to the IP Club! Now, because you probably have no idea what you should actually do with the machine once it arrives, I strong suggest one more purchase: a cookbook. And not just any cookbook. I have a particular one in mind. There are two kinds of people in this world: the gadget minimalists and the gadget maximalists. And America’s hottest new appliance — the Instant Pot — is actually meant for both kinds.
Maria Ribas
Feb 28, 2018
Former Employees Dish on What You Don’t Know About Whole Foods, Starbucks, and Trader Joe’s
Apartment Therapy
Feb 28, 2018
The $1 IKEA Staples You’ll Always Find in My House
(Image credit: Emily Billings) From Apartment Therapy → Three $1 IKEA Staples You’ll Always Find in My House null
The Kitchn
Feb 28, 2018
This Hero Made Himself a Boyfriend Out of Boxed Wine Cartons
The internet has an unexpected new hero, thanks to one brave designer who took DIY to a whole new level and made himself a boyfriend out of boxes of wine, and it’s hilarious. Writer and artist Michael James Schneider lives in Portland, Oregon, where he has an amazing apartment, but apparently he does not have a boyfriend. So this week he took to Twitter and wrote that he’d solved the problem.
Elizabeth Licata
Feb 28, 2018
Make This Honey-Glazed Slow Cooker Chicken Right Now
A meal made in the slow cooker is a thing of beauty. Not only does it help you spend less time in the kitchen cooking, but it also promises a meal that’s hot and ready when you are. It’s also a great way to cook a little extra for the week ahead. This recipe is perfect for all those reasons. It combines easy ingredients, most of which you probably already have on hand, to make perfect pulled chicken with a rich glaze that will keep you coming back for more!
Sarah Rae Smith
Feb 28, 2018
4 Smart Reasons to Put a Coffee Filter in Your Flower Pots
(Image credit: Viv Yapp) From Apartment Therapy → Why You Should Always Put a Coffee Filter In Your Flower Pots null
The Kitchn
Feb 28, 2018
Our 10 Favorite Kitchen Towel Hooks for $20 or Less
Apartment Therapy
Feb 28, 2018
Want White Countertops? Here Are 6 Great Options.
(Image credit: Federico Paul) From Apartment Therapy → Want White Countertops? Here Are Your Best Bets null
The Kitchn
Feb 27, 2018
The Story Behind Costco’s $1.50 Hot Dog Deal
Costco became a global icon by offering some of the best deals a person could find. Whether it’s selling a cookie butter cheesecake the size of a wagon wheel, or four-and-a-half pounds of its own version of Nutella for $7.99, Costco has some wonderful affordable offerings. And probably the best steal in the whole building is the $1.50 hot dog and soda combo at the Costco food court. Costco’s hot dogs are an amazing deal. For just $1.
Elizabeth Licata
Feb 27, 2018
How I Broke My Ziplock Bag Habit
(Image credit: Joe Lingeman) From Apartment Therapy → How I Finally Broke My Ziplock Bag Habit null
The Kitchn
Feb 27, 2018
The Best Way to Clean Up Food Stains from Any Couch
Whether you’re throwing a party that gets a little rowdy or have a mishap while eating dinner in front of the television, every once in a while food is gonna drop on the couch. Unless you have the whole thing slipcovered in something you can pull off and throw into the washing machine, it can be tricky to remove stains thoroughly without getting water spots on the sofa.
Ayn-Monique Klahre
Feb 27, 2018
How I Meal Plan and Prep for 2 Humans and 2 Dogs Each Week
Just when meal planning was the biggest pain on my plate, I made it exponentially more tedious. Don’t get me wrong: I don’t begrudge my happy, healthy doggos a bit, but when we started preparing food for the combined hundred-plus pounds of pups in our house, answering the eternal “What do we make for dinner tonight?” question became double the trouble.
Dana McMahan
Feb 27, 2018
You Need These Philly Cheesesteak Sloppy Joes in Your Life
When you combine certain foods together they become extra special, like taco pizza or spaghetti and chili (which is still debatable if you’re not from Ohio). In this case, we’re talking about Philly cheesesteak sandwiches and sloppy Joes. If you’re like me, you will suddenly find yourself asking, “Where has this been all my life, and why do I not have some right now?
Sarah Rae Smith
Feb 27, 2018
Here’s What to Do with Cookbooks You Don’t Want Anymore
As much as we all love cookbooks, sometimes you hit a point where you just have to let a few go. But unless a cookbook is totally trashed or something flimsy you put together in grade school, you don’t really want to just throw them in the garbage. Someone else could get use out of them! Here’s what to do with cookbooks you don’t want anymore.
Ayn-Monique Klahre
Feb 26, 2018
5 Signs It’s Time to Get Rid of a Cookbook
Like most books, cookbooks are hard to part with. They can carry the sentimental weight of recipes you’ve loved, or dreams of the sort of cook you hoped to become, or the disappointment of diets failed, or meals that turned disastrous. But the reality is that most of us have only so much storage space for cookbooks, and at some point you may have to pare down.
Ayn-Monique Klahre
Feb 25, 2018
How a Trip to Italy Inspired My Family to Tackle Food Waste at Home
Several years ago, we spent time with friends in their Italian country house. (Yes, this was easily the best summer ever.) My friends are generous and lovely people, so there was always a full house, and we did a lot of cooking, which required a lot of food. The house was isolated, and my family learned to be even more mindful of food waste and extra trash. The grocery store was quite a drive and excess trash resulted in fines for our gracious hosts.
Anne Wolfe Postic
Feb 25, 2018
5 Recipes That Prove Cabbage Is the Betty White of the Produce Aisle
Like a superstar from classic TV shows that slipped out of the limelight, cabbage is making a comeback. We’re loving it more than ever because we’re seeing its versatility and charm with fresh eyes. It fills us with fond nostalgia, but we are excited about the new things it can do today. Cabbage is the Betty White of the produce aisle. I adore cabbage. I was raised by cabbage farmers who endowed me with a lifelong devotion to this under-appreciated staple.
Sheri Castle
Feb 24, 2018
The Most Ridiculous Things Our Pets Do in the Kitchen
While it’s not exactly hygienic to have your pets help with food prep, most cat and dog owners know the truth: It’s inevitable they will end up in the kitchen. Whether your pet’s in there to beg for food, demand attention, or judge your knife skills, it’s hard to keep those roving tongues at bay! Here are some of the weirdest, silliest, most disgusting things we let our pets do in the kitchen, according to a recent Facebook poll.
Ayn-Monique Klahre
Feb 24, 2018
Instant Pot Tells Customers to Stop Using This Model Due to Risk of Overheating
Not even a month after Milo Ventimiglia had to make a Super Bowl ad to tell everyone their Crock-Pots were safe and would not catch fire unless they were living in a fictional TV melodrama, Instant Pot is actually warning customers to check their slow cookers, because some of them have been reportedly overheating and melting.
Elizabeth Licata
Feb 23, 2018
5 Kitchen and Living Room Design Rules You Should Always Follow
Rules were meant to be broken, right? Sometimes! Other times, however, they should be taken very, very seriously. Having a few guidelines to follow can simplify the process, ensure your room looks good, and give you the freedom to hone your creativity in other areas. With that, here are five design rules you should always follow. Hanging curtain panels that are comically too short or too long is the equivalent of dressing yourself in ill-fitting clothing.
Jessica Isaac
Feb 23, 2018
Pinterest Is Obsessed with This Way to Store Cookbooks
Any time you have a lot of something, storage becomes difficult. And if these are things you probably use and/or want to put on display, it gets even tougher. Cookbooks are a perfect example. It’s not like you can stack them up in the corner of your dining room and call it a day. I mean, I guess you could, but doing so would make it incredibly annoying to access the book you want, which will almost inevitably always be the one all the way at the bottom.
Lisa Freedman
Feb 23, 2018
Your Best Tricks for Making Dish Duty Easier and More Fun
Doing the dishes falls somewhere between death and taxes in the realm of life’s certainties: Whether you’re eating cereal out of a bowl or making a gourmet meal, someone’s going to have to clean those dishes up! So the real question is, does it have to be such a slog? We reached out to our readers on Facebook to get their best tricks for doing the dishes faster and making the process easier — here’s what you suggested. “Clean as you go.
Ayn-Monique Klahre
Feb 23, 2018
Netflix’s “Nailed It” Is a Hilarious TV Baking Competition for Amateur Chefs
Pinterest is a great resource that has done a lot of good for the world. It’s given us a source for gorgeous, creative recipes for virtually any diet or ingredient in the world. It’s provided endless DIY inspiration for makeup, crafts, home decor, and more, and it has seriously raised the bar on children’s birthday cakes. But hands-down my favorite thing about Pinterest is that it gave rise to the hilarious meme of cake failures emblazoned with the phrase, “Nailed it!
Elizabeth Licata
Feb 22, 2018
Use Pantry Staples to Make This Spicy Cauliflower Side
If you believe cauliflower is a bit too bland for your liking, this recipe will certainly change your mind. It utilizes frozen cauliflower florets, which means making it can be a cinch. To top things off, it’s also covered in a creamy cheese sauce. I mean, who can say no to that? By using frozen cauliflower instead of fresh, you can pull out a bag whenever the desire for this recipe arises — it’ll taste as fresh as the day it was picked!
Sarah Rae Smith
Feb 22, 2018
Our 10 Favorite Kitchen Towel Hooks for $20 or Less
Get your kitchen towels off those grubby appliance handles! A hook is the most hygienic way to keep your kitchen towels handy, and most can be installed in a matter of minutes, or even seconds. Plus, there are so many good-looking options out there that you can easily find a hook that will either punch up your space or blend seamlessly into your decor, as if it’s always been there.
Ayn-Monique Klahre
Feb 22, 2018
What’s the Difference Between Enameled and Cast Iron Dutch Ovens?
When it comes to outfitting your cookware collection with a Dutch oven (a total workhorse and truly worthwhile investment for any kitchen), you’ve got a choice to make: Will you go for an enameled Dutch oven (technically a French oven) or the traditional cast iron version? They can be used in just about all the same ways, and both move seamlessly between the stovetop and oven, but there are a few distinctions that set them apart.
Kelli Foster
Feb 22, 2018
The One Thing You Need to Ensure a Clutter-Free Kitchen
In my family, everything happens in the kitchen: work, bill paying, meal planning, arts and crafts, homework, evening gardening. Oh, right — and cooking and dining, too. Even though those are the main purposes of the space, so much other gear can creep into the kitchen it seems like sometimes there’s no space at the kitchen table to eat, or on the kitchen counter to prep food!
Ayn-Monique Klahre
Feb 22, 2018
Bill Gates Doesn’t Know How Much Groceries Really Cost
Do really, really rich people compare prices at Trader Joe’s and Costco like us plebeians? Do they know where to buy the cheapest bananas, or that Costco has four-and-a-half-pound tubs of knockoff Nutella for under $8? To no one’s surprise, the answer is probably no. Or at least that’s the case when it comes to Microsoft billionaire Bill Gates.
Ariel Knutson
Feb 21, 2018
Costco Just Made All Your Dessert Dreams Come True
Nutella is one of the most popular and versatile spreads there is. You can put it on toast or graham crackers, pour it over ice cream, use it as an ingredient in any number of simple and fancy desserts, dip fruit into it, or you can just eat it right out of the jar with a spoon. Now Costco is making it even easier to obtain an extraordinary amount of chocolate-hazelnut spread, because they have their own Kirkland Signature Hazelnut Spread with Cocoa.
Elizabeth Licata
Feb 21, 2018
Mary Berry’s New Cooking Show Is Going to Be a Classic
Earlier this year Mary Berry announced that she’d gotten rid of her dining room to remodel herself a much larger kitchen, and it sounds like that was a good plan. Her new show will take place in her own home, and she’s going to need room for all of us. Mary Berry is coming back to television this year with a new BBC One show called Classic Mary Berry, and she’s bringing all her lovely blouses and pristine hairdos with her. I could not be more excited.
Elizabeth Licata
Feb 21, 2018
Watch This Man Make Fancy Sushi for His Cats
I have a new internet crush. I love a person who cooks and who loves cats, and almost nobody takes cooking and cat-pampering as seriously as the home cook and cat-lover behind the popular Jun’s Kitchen YouTube channel. While most of his cooking videos are about making food for humans, he also has three adorable kitties, and he loves them so much he makes them their own extremely fancy sushi.
Elizabeth Licata
Feb 21, 2018
This Part DIY Kitchen Reno Took 1.5 Years — And Was So Totally Worth It
Not only did this kitchen receive a major aesthetic upgrade, but the project also achieved the Holy Grail of renovation dreams. In the words of the condo owner, “Same footprint, more space.” Hashtag goals indeed. So elegant! Malcolm Simmons of Mas Means More did such a fantastic job on this project. Is it strange that my favorite part is the cupboard above the refrigerator? It elongates the fridge and adds grace to a necessary appliance.
Tess Wilson
Feb 21, 2018
Ina Garten Just Shared Her Favorite Pizza on Instagram
If you stop and think about the best pizza you’ve ever had in your life, what comes to mind? I lived in Chicago for many years, so the competition for best pie is pretty steep. Is the pizza just topped with cheese? Is it topped with farm-raised meats? Is it deep-dish, thin-crust, or wood-fired? Is a pizza even a pizza if it doesn’t have tomato sauce? The options are almost endless.
Sarah Rae Smith
Feb 20, 2018
Starbucks Is Coming Out with a New Color-Changing Cold Brew in Asia
Do you love the colorful, Instagram-ready swirls of the Unicorn Frappuccino, but want something to drink that is not an enormous sugar bomb? Well, Starbucks is coming out with a new kind of color-changing cold brew coffee that is like drinking a rainbow in a glass — a very caffeinated rainbow. According to Delish, Starbucks’ new Butterfly Pea Lemonade Cold Brew is a layered coffee drink, and it gets all swirly and psychedelic when stirred.
Elizabeth Licata
Feb 20, 2018
10 Hidden Cabinet Hacks That Dramatically Increased My Kitchen Storage
Unless you designed your kitchen from scratch, with a custom layout and cabinets, it’s probably not perfect for your needs. But new cabinets can quickly eat up a small remodeling budget, and re-designing the kitchen isn’t usually an option if you rent. And I won’t even get into the environmental impact of trashing old cabinets and producing new ones. Fortunately, there are a lot of clever DIY ways to make the most of your current kitchen cabinets.
Rachel Jacks
Feb 20, 2018
Make This Sheet Pan Balsamic Chicken and Broccoli for Dinner
February is not my favorite month. While I’d like to think I’d spend time in my kitchen making long, labor-intensive dinners, like lasagna bolognese or a two-day tomato sauce, I don’t have the energy for it. Winter tends to bring me down a bit and getting dinner on the table needs to be fairly effortless. That’s why I was excited to discover this easy chicken and broccoli dinner that packs a ton of flavor and only takes 30 minutes to make in the oven.
Sarah Rae Smith
Feb 20, 2018
This Cleaner Should Be Your Dutch Oven’s New BFF
I’m a huge fan of my Dutch oven. I break it out so often in the wintertime for hearty foods like delicious stews and braised meats that by the end of the season it’s ready to hibernate! And every once in a while I abuse the poor thing by making something without enough liquid, or leaving it on the stove for so long that I end up with burnt bits everywhere.
Ayn-Monique Klahre
Feb 20, 2018
This Simple Task Has Given My Pup a Whole New Life
It’s hard to imagine a feeling worse than watching someone you love suffer and not be able to help. When our cuddle-pup Truffle, a then-12-year-old fluffball Pomeranian, began slowing down early last year, my husband and I were worried, but attributed it to his age. Then he just stopped moving, period. My heart cracked in two the day I left him in the kitchen and came back 30 minutes later to find him in the same spot, sitting stock still.
Dana McMahan
Feb 19, 2018
Disney Fans Are Going to Flip Over This New Homewares Store
Big news, Disney fans! Now you can deck out your whole house, courtesy of the mouse. That’s right — a new store dedicated exclusively to housewares has opened at Disneyland in Southern California. Located in the Downtown Disney District, Disney Home sells (you guessed it) Disney-themed home goods from glassware and linens, to kitchen accessories and more, according to a Disney Parks blog post about the opening. The curated assortment will also change seasonally.
Tara Bellucci
Feb 19, 2018
9 Lessons to Learn from These Airbnb Kitchens in Korea
With everyone headed to PyeongChang for the Olympics, we thought we’d check out some local Airbnb spaces. Because many of the most popular Korean rentals are located in teeny-tiny apartments in the big cities, we were not surprised to find many smart storage and organizing features in their kitchens! Here are a few lessons we can all learn from Airbnb kitchens in Korea — whether we’re Olympics-bound or not.
Ayn-Monique Klahre
Feb 19, 2018
These Crispy Pesto Smashed Potatoes Are an Easy Side Dish
When you’re whipping up a weeknight meal, you want the side to be as quick and easy as the main. Enter: these pesto smashed potatoes. Between the bright pesto, salty Parmesan, and crispy potatoes, this is a side dish that might just steal the whole dinner show. (Wait, is it still a side dish if you eat the entire pan’s worth? Maybe don’t answer that!
Sarah Rae Smith
Feb 19, 2018
My Friend and I Created a Pie Contest for Our Hometown and This Is What We Learned
Three years ago I lamented to my dear friend Joya Rose that I missed the chance of a lifetime to enter a pie contest in Los Angeles. She said we should create our own in our small town of Santa Barbara, and we did just that. This was our third year running the #SBPieContest. There were 27 pies to be judged, broken out into seven categories: sweet, savory, special diet, kids, wildcard, traditional, and people’s choice.
Leela Cyd
Feb 18, 2018
All the Things We’ve Learned About the Instant Pot Since Writing About It in 2015
We’ve been using and writing about the Instant Pot for years now (since 2015!) and man have we learned a lot. Aside from just general usage (what’s this button do?), we’ve picked up a few tricks, pointers, and valuable lessons. Take a look and add your own takeaways in the comments section! We don’t want to be sticklers or anything, but it’s called the Instant Pot. Not the Instapot. It had to be said!
Lisa Freedman
Feb 18, 2018
How To Rescue Your Favorite Cookbook from Spills and Stains
Some cooks like to keep their cookbooks pristine. Others consider those blotched, wrinkled pages an homage to all the wonderful meals they’ve enjoyed. Wherever you fall on that spectrum, there are a few practical reasons you’d want to minimize food spills on your cookbooks.
Ayn-Monique Klahre
Feb 16, 2018
The Only French Fries You Should Make at Home
Let’s talk about french fries at home. I haven’t ever experienced a french fry from my own kitchen that truly rivals a fast food fry. I’ve tried almost every brand of frozen fries and every oven-frying tip and trick. And as someone who is not afraid to fry in the name of good food, I’ve tried several fried recipes at home too. But only one method has delivered on a satisfying french fry time and time again in everything from my home kitchen to vacation rentals.
Meghan Splawn
Feb 16, 2018
These Honey-Sriracha Meatballs Make Meal Prep Easy
There are two types of people who do weekly meal prep. The first is the health-conscious person who’s counting something (calories, protein, sugar) to make sure they hit their target goals for the day. The other type of person is the one who wants to simplify their morning routine and save a buck on lunch so they aren’t continuously spending the cash to eat out. Good news! When it comes to this recipe, it doesn’t matter which category you fit in, as it appeases both.
Sarah Rae Smith
Feb 16, 2018
Remember This Helpful Tip When Shopping for Bacon
When I was growing up there weren’t a ton of options when it came to buying bacon. It was just, you know, bacon. Now when you stand in front of the bacon section at the store there are endless options to consider. Do you want less sodium? Do you want turkey bacon? What about Paleo bacon (whatever that means)? And don’t even get me started on all the different kind of seasoning options there are. So, how do you know what to spend your money on?
Sarah Rae Smith
Feb 15, 2018