How To

No yard? No grill? No problem! Trust me when I tell you that you — yes, you! — can still make world-class, fall-off-the-bone barbecue ribs in your oven at home. It’s not even that hard. Cross my heart. Today’s video will tell you everything you need to know. The secret to great ribs is cooking them low and slow — something our ovens are really good at doing! All you need is some patience and some barbecue sauce, and barbecue spareribs can be yours.

You don’t need fancy butter, designer pie tins, or a pastry degree in order to make a pie from scratch — all you need is gumption. It doesn’t have to be perfect; it just needs to pair well with ice cream. In today’s video, watch just how easy it is to transform butter and flour into a gorgeous pie of your very own. Only one question remains: What are you going to put inside your perfectly flaky pie crust? Blueberries? Peaches? Apples?

If a homemade pizza night isn’t already in your regular rotation, it should be. Even when you’re making the dough from scratch, this is an easy meal to fit into just about any schedule, and you get to pick any toppings you want! Check out this video — Faith is here to show us all just how easy making pizza at home can be.

This right here — this cheese-stuffed loaf — this is how you guarantee that any party you throw will be a smashing success. Cheese and bread are already a first-rate combination, of course, but this particular delivery method is just brilliant. I dare anyone standing in the vicinity to resist pulling off cheesy bite after cheesy bite. Dinner can burn and the power can go out, and everyone will still be perfectly content. Want to know how this party insurance can be yours?

A few years ago, I learned a trick that changed my life. No, seriously, it was a complete game-changer in the care of my kitchen sink. This is a tip you’ll shrug off and then eventually grudgingly try. And then you’ll say, “Oh man, that was so easy and awesome! Why didn’t I do that sooner?” The key, my friends, to the most shiny and luxuriously polished stainless steel sink, is very cheap, very simple, and very weird: flour. Why would you want to polish your sink?

Perfectly wonderful and pricey clothes can meet their match with one quick spill or unexpected splatter. Often small and inconspicuous, grease stains have put quite a few of my husband’s dress shirts in the “do not wear” pile. The real problem arose, however, when my own brand new, on-sale, perfectly fitting pants suddenly sported a nasty grease spot. Unacceptable.

Tabbouleh is one of those dishes that lends itself towards improvisation, which is both a blessing and a curse. The blessing is that we can feel free to throw it together without a lot of stress and worry, which has resulted in many delicious, creative variations. The curse is that this kind of abandon can lead to the essence of an herb-intense tabbouleh getting lost.

My wife and I usually meal plan for the week on Sunday mornings. We get a stack of magazines, I pull up a recipe planning site on my iPad, and we pick items that are simple and drool-worthy. With our selections made we go grocery shopping, often returning home with a pile of fresh produce. About midweek, though, we’d forget some of our recipe decisions and leave our veggies to veg-out beyond edibility. We needed a more prominent visual reminder. We needed a chalkboard meal plan menu!

Do you love granola? Do you make it at home? Here is our very best recipe for you — a step-by-step tutorial to help you make wonderful granola, and also to let you customize it to your taste. This is a basic template to memorize and customize in your own kitchen, to please your every granola desire.

Is there anything better than the smell of a fresh ice cream cone? I always thought you needed a fancy press and shaping tools. Turns out all you need is a baking sheet and a $3 prop from the crafts store!Tuiles are crispy lightweight cookies that can be molded into shapes while hot out of the oven. This version, adapted from Epicurious, uses ground almonds for a delicate, almond-scented cone.

There are two secrets to very good, very crispy diner-style hash browns. The first is squeezing the shredded potatoes as dry as possible. The second is a generous — though not gratuitous, mind you — amount of butter. Here is how it’s done. Definitely use a cast-iron skillet to cook your hash browns if you have one.

I’ll admit it, I’m a coconut fiend. I eat or drink from this luscious fruit daily. I sip on coconut water and sprinkle generous handfuls of the unsweetened, dried variety all over my morning bowl of oatmeal. But all that is kiddie stuff compared to this coconut butter. It’s a sure-fire way to get the maximum concentration of rich, velvety coconut flavor and texture in each bite. Coconut butter is unlike coconut oil; it’s an entirely different animal.

Have you ever made warm, silky, cinnamon-spiked applesauce? It’s the simplest thing in the world, and it’s a good way to use up windfall apples, or ones with brown spots on the edge of going bad. If you’ve never tried this simple cooking DIY, then why not celebrate fall with a little pot of applesauce this week? You only need apples, water, a bit of citrus peel (if you want) and cinnamon (if you’re so inclined).

Fettuccine alfredo is one of those dishes that is somehow more than the sum of its parts. Of course, when those parts are primarily butter, cream, cheese, and pasta, it’s extremely hard to go wrong. There are dozens of slightly different ways to make this dish. Parmesan and butter all on their own are traditional, but a splash of cream does have the advantage of making the alfredo extra delicious (not to mention indulgent).

Sugared raspberries are an elegant touch for any dessert. They are at once crunchy and soft, bursting with sweetness and natural flavor. They are a real surprise when you bite into one and the liquid juices meld with crystals of sugar. Best of all, you can apply this same technique to other seasonal fruits: Blueberries, Italian plums, blackberries, even rose petals are wonderful when sugared. You don’t need very many of these sparkling sweets — they are very potent.

My first stop at any street fair during the summer is the frozen lemonade stand. Imagine lemonade, already a refreshing beverage, but frozen and shaved into a soft snowy mound directly in your glass. When the sun is beating down and there are funnel cakes and corn dogs yet to be found, there’s nothing better.Frozen lemonade is a bit different than its cousin, the Lemon Shake-Up. This is more like a granita, and in fact, it technically is a granita.

Do you love mayonnaise? Ever tried making it yourself? It’s really so easy — it takes nothing more than an egg, some oil, and a pinch of salt. And if you think you don’t like mayonnaise, then you should give this a try too. It may just change your mind. Watch how we do it here in this video; there’s almost nothing to it!This recipe makes about 1/2 cup of mayonnaise.

Matcha, a powdered form of green tea found mostly in Japan, is usually associated with intricate tea ceremonies where the tea is whisked and served in a special tatami-floored teahouse. It’s a beautiful tradition but it has also kept many people from enjoying this delicious, creamy, slightly bitter/sweet beverage. It is possible to enjoy a bowl of matcha in your own kitchen using just a few key ingredients and utensils and a little less formality.

How many kitchen gadgets are also museum pieces? The Chemex coffee maker not only has a place in the Museum of Modern Art, its elegance and function have earned it a permanent place on my kitchen counter. Making a cup of coffee with this simple brewer isn’t quite as easy as pushing a button, but the rich, clean results are worth it.IngredientsCoffee beans, ground or wholeFiltered waterEquipmentChemex coffee brewerChemex paper filterKettleBurr grinder (if starting with whole beans)1.

This shredded braised beef in a rich sauce with a spicy kick tastes better than you can imagine. Really, it’s that good. And cooking it in a slow cooker means you can have it ready and waiting when you come home from work! Want more smart tutorials for getting things done around the home? See more How To posts We’re looking for great examples of your own household intelligence too! Submit your own tutorials or ideas here!

Perhaps even more so than with black tea, there’s a world of difference between loose leaf green tea and the stuff that comes in a tea bag. While it’s brewing technique a little fussier than dropping a tea bag into some hot water, the subtle, yet complex, flavor profile of a quality green tea is well worth seeking out. Read on for my method.While black tea and green tea have some obvious things in common, they need to be brewed in significantly different ways.

Ever wondered how to crack an egg with just one hand? Those chefs on TV make it look so easy. Well, it is! And it’s more than a party trick; being able to crack an egg with one hand lets you stir or whisk with the other as you add your eggs. It’s actually pretty useful. Here’s a quick little video (less than a minute long) where Emma demonstrates the keys to cracking an egg with just one hand.IngredientsEggsEquipmentA bowlJust one hand!1.

Brewing up a pot of good quality loose leaf tea is a kitchen ritual that has saved my sanity more than once. There’s something about taking the time and care to do it right that soothes my soul and encourages contentment. Read on for my rather detailed step-by-step method for brewing a proper pot of black tea. But later in the day, I’m ready for a more refined experience and brewing up some good quality loose leaf tea is often just the treat I’m looking for.

There are few greater joys in life than a few pieces of perfectly fried tempura-battered vegetables. Eating fried vegetables is an oxymoron — sort of like committing a healthy sin. They’re not difficult to make at home and can be the perfect way to have the family gather round for some serious fun and conversation. Plus it’s a great way to clean out the fridge!

This week we’ve talked about making tortillas (withwithoutinstant corn flour Want more smart tutorials for getting things done around the home? See more How To posts We’re looking for great examples of your own household intelligence too! Submit your own tutorials or ideas here!

When we were developing our recipe for homemade mallomars last week, we decided to go the extra mile and temper our chocolate before dipping. This definitely isn’t something we do every day, but when it’s a special treat, we like the satiny texture and glossy finish that tempering gives the chocolate. Besides, for all its reputation for fussiness, tempering chocolate isn’t all that hard to do at home!

I don’t usually use the microwave to poach my breakfast egg, but it can come in very handy for a lunch egg. Lentils, brown rice, or a salad can be elevated from a side dish to a main dish with a tender, gooey poached egg on top. Here’s how to make a quick, freshly poached egg in the office microwave. Huge caveat, before you try this: Remember that microwaves come in lots of different configurations.

We absolutely love that rich, thick Greek-style yogurt, especially for mid-afternoon snacks and quick desserts. Whether you use regular store-bought yogurt or make your own, it’s ridiculously easy to turn it into Greek yogurt.All you need is a strainer, a bowl, and some cheesecloth. Fold the cheesecloth a few times so it forms several layers and lay it inside the strainer. Set the strainer over the bowl. Pour the yogurt into the lined strainer.

That’s right, you don’t actually need a yogurt maker to make homemade yogurt. People were turning leftover milk into yogurt for years before these little machines came along, after all! Here are three ways you can make fantastic yogurt using equipment you already own.In order to thicken and set properly, yogurt needs to be kept at around 110°F for 4-6 hours. That’s why yogurt makers, which hold a steady temperature, are so handy.

Yesterday we mentioned the beer push up pops that are being served in New York, but since a trip out isn’t on the agenda for us, we decided to take matters into our own hands. We learned lots of tricks along the way and although this isn’t the healthiest summer treat you can eat — that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try it at least once!

This method for making ice cream in a bag is very popular with our readers, but honestly, I find it to be a bit of a pain. I think I’ve found a better way to make ice cream without a machine.A bite of ice cream made with this method. It has been in the freezer for about 1 hour, so it isn’t completely solid or cured yet. You can see how smooth it is, with only a bit of texturing from ice crystals. This recipe was predominantly made up of milk, so this is to be expected.

Do you have a little bit of whipping cream dying a slow death in your fridge? (Maybe the perfect amount to whip in a french press?) A fool is one of the quickest, easiest, and most awesomely named desserts we know. If you’ve got some whipping cream, you really only need two more things.Sugar and fruit! That’s it.Now, the recipe pictured above (and linked below) calls for more than three ingredients, illustrating the fact that your fool can get fancy, if you fancy fancy fools.

Sometimes a dessert or baked good needs a little something extra for a final touch. We always turn to spun sugar for crowd pleasing ooohs and aaahs. It takes very little time and isn’t as scary as you might think. So get your candy thermometers ready, it’s time to make a mini-mess!

As much as we enjoy a bowl of velvety ice cream, slowly melting on our spoon — we don’t always have time to enjoy such luxuries. That doesn’t mean our sweet tooth magically goes away, so instead we make up our own ice cream bites, easy to pop in your mouth the next time you swing past the freezer!MaterialsIce cream of your choosingMagic Shell Ice Cream Sauce ToolsBench scraperPan to hold ice cream (sheet pan or cake pan)Sheet panParchment paperPlastic wrap 1.

Have you ever wanted to make a panini or some other form of pressed sandwich, but you didn’t want to shell out the money for an unitasker like a sandwich press? Besides, sandwich presses take up space. In this post, we’ll show you how you can make panini-like sandwiches using kitchen equipment that you probably already have!What You Need• Two cast iron skillets.

With fall on the horizon, we find ourselves craving something a little hearty that will carry us through the rest of the day with gusto. Oatmeal is an easy and inexpensive option; let us show you how to make your own instant, ready-in-two-minutes version for work, home, or even on the go!

We have to be very careful not to have leftovers whenever we make a batch of crème anglaise, otherwise we find ourselves sneaking spoonfuls whenever we pass the fridge. Also called English or stirred custard, this is a rich sweet sauce perfect for drizzling over fruit, a slice of warm cake, or heck, even pancakes!

How do you fry an egg? Do you do it fast, with a smear of butter? Or all bubbly, with lots of olive oil, like the Spanish do? Here’s one basic way to fry an egg — it’s simple and foolproof. Want more smart tutorials for getting things done around the home? See more How To posts We’re looking for great examples of your own household intelligence too! Submit your own tutorials or ideas here!

For a long time we avoided poached eggs out of a misplaced impression that they were extra-difficult or tricky. But they are not! A perfect poached egg is quick, simple, and foolproof. Here’s how we make poached eggs now. Want more smart tutorials for getting things done around the home? See more How To posts We’re looking for great examples of your own household intelligence too! Submit your own tutorials or ideas here!

The sun is finally shining again in our corner of the world, but there’s still a thick blanket of snow on the ground. So we turned to one of our favorite books, Little House in the Big Woods, and made a snow treatWe always loved the descriptions of making maple syrup and the subsequent maple taffy sessions in Laura Ingalls Wilder’s Little House in the Big Woods. (More about those scenes here.) So we finally decided to give it a try!It’s very easy to make maple syrup taffy.

We focus a lot on the dough and crust when we talk about pies, since this is often the most intimidating part for new pie-bakers. And yet if your filling isn’t delicious as well, then what’s the point? Fruit filling is what makes us love pie. The opportunity to use fresh, seasonal fruit with a minimum of preparation or fuss, letting the fruit’s flavors shine out clearly – it’s one of the best things about baking.

Food blogging introduced us to Spanish fried eggs. All credit goes to In Praise of Sardines, where this method of huevos fritos captured our attention. We’ve haven’t fried an egg any other way since. What’s a Spanish fried egg? It’s an egg fried very quickly in very, very hot olive oil. Some use olive oil AND butter but just olive oil does fine. What you get in a Spanish fried egg is a crispy, delicate white that crunches then practically melts in your mouth.