Sarah Rae Smith

Sarah Rae Smith has lived all across the Midwest and currently calls the bratwurst-laden city of Sheboygan home. She seeks out kitchens that make the best pie and farmers with fresh eggs.
A Clever Use for IKEA’s Magnetic Knife Strip
If you do a lot of painting projects, you'll love this.
Jan 13, 2023
How Much Turkey per Person? Use This Rule of Thumb.
Plus, how to make sure you have plenty of leftovers.
Nov 19, 2022
How To Make Flour Tortillas From Scratch
Good flour tortillas are a thing of beauty. Once you know the taste of fresh handmade tortillas, well let’s just say you’re missing out. Before we were making them ourselves we would drive across town to pick up the best of the best, but not any more because making them is as simple as mix, roll, heat and eat!Homemade flour tortillas come together with just a couple basic ingredients.
Apr 19, 2022
9 Inspiring Ideas to Help You Organize All the Stuff Under Your Sink
Organizing Tips from The Kitchn
Including the best way to store clean (and dirty!) towels, brilliant ideas for hanging spray bottles, a hack for stashing trash bags, and more.
Aug 2, 2021
Get Hotter Coals Faster with a Charcoal Chimney Starter (Here’s How)
Here's exactly how to light your coals with a chimney and some tricks for getting the coals hotter, faster.
May 19, 2020
The Top Beer and Wine Trends for 2018, According to Whole Foods
Even though we’re already into the month of March (seriously, where did February go?), Whole Foods Market has shared their trend predictions for beer and wine in 2018. You can expect lots more wine in cans, bigger bottles, and lighter brews on the horizon. Tailgaters, party planners, and anyone who needs to refresh their tastebuds from one too many heavy craft brews will rejoice.
Mar 12, 2018
Ina Garten’s Response to Jennifer Garner’s Cooking Videos Is Just So Ina
Since December, Jennifer Garner has been channeling her inner Barefoot Contessa and posting the most heart-warming videos of herself cooking on Facebook. Called “The Pretend Cooking Show,” Jennifer’s homemade videos are nowhere near the production value of Ina Garten’s shows, but her videos certainly have the same heart. I remember watching the video the first time and immediately wondering what Ina thought about these videos.
Mar 8, 2018
Watch This Soothing Video of Someone Cutting a Potato
Sharpening your kitchen knives can feel like a chore. You know they’re getting dull when they can’t cut through things with ease, but we tell ourselves that one more dinner won’t hurt, or that this weekend you’ll make the time (but you don’t, do you?). Well, I’m here to provide some inspiration. An Instagram post from dewclaw_knives is getting a lot of attention because of the mesmerizing way the person cuts a potato.
Mar 8, 2018
The Most Popular Jelly Bean Flavor in America Is Disturbing
Over the past 10 years, Candystore.com has been recording the highest-selling jelly bean flavors per state in addition to tallying thousands of votes from individuals across America. (I know, right? We’re all in the wrong profession. We could have been candy counters all along!) Trends come and go in the food world, but even with the influx of new flavors hitting the market, black licorice had been the number one flavor in the country for almost 50 years.
Mar 8, 2018
Walmart to Introduce Budget-Friendly Meal Kits
It seems like everyone these days has a meal kit. There are the big ones, like Blue Apron, Hello Fresh, and Plated, but then Martha Stewart launched her own. And then (to no one’s surprise) Amazon did too. Now Walmart has set out to change the meal kit game, with meals that take 15 minutes to cook and cost $8 to $15 for two meals.
Mar 6, 2018
Baby Eats Pizza for the First Time and Has the Best Reaction
Do you remember the first time you ever tried a slice of pizza? Was it homemade or from Papa John’s? Did it have any toppings or was it pure cheese? My guess is, unfortunately, that you don’t remember. What a loss! That’s why it’s so special that one parent took a photo of his daughter right after she finished her first bite. Her reaction is very telling.
Mar 6, 2018
A New Grocery Store in Amsterdam Has a Plastic-Free Aisle
This past Wednesday a new location of the grocery chain Ekoplaza opened up in Amsterdam. According to the Washington Post, it sounds like a pretty normal supermarket, except for one key difference: There’s an entire aisle that is plastic-free. Instead, the close-to-700 items that are displayed in that aisle are stored in metal, plastic, cardboard, and compostable materials. In this aisle you’ll find everything from vegetables and yogurt to meat and tea.
Mar 5, 2018
The Oscar Swag Bags This Year Are Worth Over $100,000
Remember when you were little and you went to your friend’s birthday party and before you left their mom pulled out those sweet swag bags that involved trivial stuff that you didn’t really need, but you loved anyway? The Oscars are totally like that, but their swag bags are, well, incredible. Also, they are worth over $100,000. So, there’s that.
Mar 3, 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!
Feb 28, 2018
Pink Lettuce Is About to Take Over Your Instagram Feed
Usually when I think of pink food, it might be rosé, or a donut, or some unicorn-themed drink from Starbucks — but not today. Today I’m talking about pink lettuce. You know, like the stuff you find in a salad? Lately I’ve been seeing it all over Instagram and it’s not just a post-Valentine’s Day gimmick. I promise! Pink has been everywhere the last couple years. We’ve seen it in hair color, home design trends, and fashion.
Feb 27, 2018
Pyrex Is Bringing Back a Super-Popular Vintage Pattern
Pyrex never really went out of style, and in recent years the cult containers have made quite a resurgence with people snatching up new and vintage pieces alike. We love that Pyrex containers don’t usually hold smells and are as aesthetically pleasing in our fridge as they are on our shelves.
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?
Feb 27, 2018
This Honey-Sriracha Salmon Is What Dreams Are Made Of
Are you looking for a fresh take on salmon to make your weeknight meals a little more fun? This recipe is the answer. It strikes a perfect balance between salty, sweet, and spicy, ensuring your evening meal isn’t a snooze. And it’s all thanks to the easy honey-Sriracha marinade. This salmon recipe takes only eight minutes to prepare, with an hour of hands-off time for the fish to marinate in a mixture of garlic, soy sauce, Sriracha, honey, and some water.
Feb 26, 2018
This Broccoli Mac & Cheese Comes Together in 30 Minutes
On busy weeknights when the family comes home and you only have a short while between basketball practice or your evening grad school class, you want comfort and you want it in a hurry. That said, you also want a meal that everyone will eat without complaining because sometimes life is more simple with less whining.
Feb 23, 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!
Feb 22, 2018
You Only Need 5 Ingredients for This Chili Recipe
Everyone has a favorite chili recipe. Maybe it’s a family recipe or something at your favorite restaurant in town, but we all have one. Over the years, chili has gotten a bit … complicated. There are so many things to sneak in, from lentils and quinoa to exotic seasonings and beers. But sometimes you just want simple, easy, beloved chili. Perfect for game night, family night, all the nights!
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.
Feb 20, 2018
Mandy Moore’s New Pantry Will Make You Very Jealous
If you’ve been following Mandy Moore’s Instagram for some time, then you know she’s in the process of moving into a new home with her fiancé, Taylor Goldsmith. For the last few months she’s been posting consistent updates on how the renovations are coming along, including what she’s been planning for her kitchen. She recently posted the end result of her pantry, and it’s absolutely stunning and massive and will make you extremely jealous.
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.
Feb 20, 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!
Feb 19, 2018
Ina Garten Shares the Best Thing to Eat for a Broken Heart
For Valentine’s Day this year, Ina Garten went on the TODAY show and talked all things love and food — two things she’s very well-versed in. Best known for her incredible cookbooks and TV show on the Food Network, the Barefoot Contessa has been married to her best friend, Jeffrey, for 49 years now and their love has garnered its own kind of fame. She even dedicated her latest cookbook to all the recipes she likes making for her husband.
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.
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?
Feb 15, 2018
Make This Creamy Lasagna Chicken Soup for Dinner Tonight
I love lasagna. There, I said it. I’m not afraid to admit my love for this carb-heavy, cheese-laden dish in a time of watching waistlines and dietary restrictions. That said, lasagna can be so time-consuming to prepare. This soup is the solution to having “lasagna” on a weeknight. It’s not quite lasagna, but it’s reminiscent of it — and you can whip it up in a moment’s notice.
Feb 15, 2018
These Chocolate Cupcakes Have a Sweet Surprise
It isn’t often that a recipe, especially for a pairing of classic flavors like chocolate and strawberry, catches me off-guard and truly surprises me. This one for chocolate-strawberry cupcakes, however, has a unique ingredient that could be the key to the best frosting ever. The classic combo of strawberries and chocolate is undeniable and often makes appearances on the internet around Valentine’s Day (chocolate-covered strawberries, anyone?).
Feb 14, 2018
Make This Flank Steak with Chimichurri for Valentine’s Day
I have a hard-and-fast rule that you should not eat out if you can make the dish better at home — especially on Valentine’s Day. This recipe for flank steak with a flavorful chimichurri sauce looks like it falls under that category. It’s just what the love doctor ordered! Something about Valentine’s Day calls for a hearty protein that you don’t eat all the time. Meat says I love you, right? Well if it does, you should probably cook it longer! (Sorry not sorry.
Feb 13, 2018
10 Hilarious Names for Food Items That Are More Accurate than the Real Ones
We take the names of ingredients we shop for at the grocery store for granted. We make lists of foods to acquire at the store, prepare meals with these ingredients, and then put those meals on social media, but I’d wager that many of us (myself included) haven’t put a great deal of thought into who gave things their proper names in the first place. Why isn’t a watermelon radish called a “prison potato”?
Feb 12, 2018
This Buffalo Chickpea Chili Is Loaded with Veggies
Growing up in the heartland of the Midwest, I come from a family who loves their chili thick and packed full of just about everything. I have a hard time loving chili from other people, as it’s often just a sloppy mix of beans and meat and doesn’t remind me of home. This chili, however, is so packed full of awesomeness it’s hard to go wrong. As a bonus, it has an unusual flavor profile that makes it reminiscent of some of my favorite tailgating foods.
Feb 12, 2018
Make These Peanut Butter Swirl Brownies Tonight
The classic combo of peanuts and chocolate can do no wrong — especially when it comes to brownies. That said, most recipes that have this tasty combination feel a little lopsided. You take a bite and are hoping for the perfect pairing of peanut butter and chocolate in your mouth, but the peanut butter seems like an afterthought. This recipe, however, is a perfect 50-50 mash-up. Oh, did I mention they’re also filled with chopped peanut butter cups? Yeah.
Feb 9, 2018
Make This Firecracker Chicken in Your Slow Cooker
This winter has been particularly cold in the Midwest. To help warm things up, I plan on making every spicy dish I know. This recipe brings the heat, packs a flavor punch, and, best of all, is made in the slow cooker so your hands-on cooking time is minimal. A win for everyone! This slow cooker chicken recipe is the perfect thing for those looking for some serious heat. This recipe combines chicken, buffalo sauce, and some red chili flake at the end to keep you sweating.
Feb 8, 2018