From chocolate cakes to butterscotch pudding, there's something here for everyone!

“Begin by cooking the onions …” is perhaps the most common phrases in savory recipes the world over. But what does this mean exactly, and what if you have to ‘sweat’ your onions instead, or cook them ‘until translucent’? Read on for our handy guide (with pictures!) on how to cook an onion. Onions are the backbone of most savory dishes but they can produce a wide range of flavors depending on how you cook the onions.

Roasting nuts deepens their flavor, making them even more nutty and complex.

How often do you cook wild rice? Maybe once a year to make a pilaf of some sort? Or perhaps as an addition to your Thanksgiving stuffing? Maybe you don’t cook it at all? But you should! This chewy, nutty-tasting grain definitely deserves a spot at the table year-round. It’s time to shake up your side dishes — here’s how to make a pot of perfectly cooked wild rice to have with dinner tonight.

If you have heavy cream, you can make butter.

Here on the West Coast, the fruit trees are blooming and the asparagus has arrived in the markets, so there’s no doubt about it: spring is here. Hooray! Let’s take a look at one of the most basic ways of cooking this springtime treat: blanching. I find asparagus, a member of the lily family, to be an intriguing vegetable. The spears shoot up quickly, growing 6 to 10 inches in one day and must be harvested the day it sprouts from the ground.

Knowing how to make chocolate ganache requires understanding just two things: proportion and temperature.

What, make my own croutons? Can’t I just buy them in a cellophane bag at the grocery store? Well, sure you can and they might even be somewhat decent. But homemade croutons take things to whole other level, and given how quick and easy they are, there’s no reason not to step up and make them yourself. Read on for our simple instructions on how to make three variations on the crouton: the cube, the slice, and the chunk.

A perfect accompaniment to your afternoon cup of tea.

Wheat berries are a versatile whole grain, full of vitamins and fiber, with a sweet, nutty taste and a delightful chewy texture. They can take a fair amount of time to cook (up to 50 minutes or more), so making a big batch in the beginning of the week and storing it in the refrigerator is both a smart idea and a great beginning to many quick, healthy meals throughout the weekRead on for more about wheat berries and an easy method for turning them into a delicious and healthy refrigerator staple.

Grenadine is that bright red, super sweet syrup that helps put the sun in a Tequila Sunrise, makes a Shirley Temple blush, or improve holiday cocktails. It also occasionally puts the cherry in cherry cokes, but actually, grenadine is traditionally made from pomegranates (grenadine is French for pomegranate) and has a lot more going for it when you make your own.

Barley is one of those wonderful grains that doesn’t get the attention it deserves. With a chewy texture and nutty flavor, barley is a delicious whole grain that can be used in a number of ways, way beyond the classic beef and barley soup. It is also a very nutritious and healthy food, with lots of fiber and a number of trace minerals like selenium, manganese and phosphorus. The most important thing to know about barley is that it comes in two basic forms: hulled and pearl.

Salmon is one of the most versatile proteins to work with in the kitchen. It’s delicious and universally loved, quite good for you, and very easy to prepare. Salmon still retains its fancy and festive reputation, even though it is more readily available these days and can be purchased at a decent price point from most grocery stores. My favorite way to cook salmon is in the oven, very low and slow, with a pan of water for moist heat.

These recipes teach the art of assembling a meal without turning on the oven.

Emma’s post this morning reminded me of one of my favorite, if slightly unusual, breakfasts: warm applesauce, cheddar cheese cubes and toasted whole almonds. The applesauce melts the cheese slightly and the almonds provide a nice crunch. The flavor is tangy-sweet from the applesauce (which must be homemade) melding with the salty richness of the cheddar. If you’ve ever put a slice of cheese on an apple pie, you’ll know why this works!

When summer’s heat arrives, it’s hard to to think of preparing, much as less eating, hot food. We want something cool, quick and refreshing. We also want to use the fresh bounty that starts filling our grocery stores, farmer’s markets and back-yard gardens.This soup couldn’t be simpler: just cold buttermilk, a couple of chopped tomatoes and some basil. It can even be made with pesto, if opening a jar sounds easier than snipping a few basil leaves.

A fruit compote is a good thing to have on hand, especially if it’s as versatile as this one. As is, you can encourage its sweetness by serving it over yogurt for breakfast or over ice cream for an after-dinner dessert. Stir in a little cracked pepper or minced thyme and you’ll encourage a savoriness that goes well on a cheese tray. A touch of minced chili and a little more lime juice and it would pair well with roast pork. Read on for the recipe!

This is the ideal French toast: browned and crispy on the outside and creamy on the inside.

Snacks and apps for when the red carpet is a spectator sport.