I am generally not a morning person, so I need breakfast to be easy. I'm not going to turn on the oven, and there can't be a ton of ingredients involved. I usually gravitate towards simple things like breakfast tacos, eggs on toast, and smoothies. That's why I was super excited last week when I discovered a new-ish product from Trader Joe's that...

Continue Reading

This month we're looking back on all the strange and wonderful food jobs people have held during the summer. Whether it's a job at a local scoop shop, a grocery store, or the concession stand at a baseball field, the skills and memories you gather in those short, hot months usually turn out to be invaluable. Here's Bex vanKoot on her summer running...

Continue Reading

When you think of a silverware organizer, you probably think of a standard cutlery tray—a plastic bin with sections for knives, forks and spoons, with maybe an extra section or two for other miscellaneous utensils. But just because most of the options you come across are simple, that doesn't mean you're stuck settling for the basics. If a little pizzazz is what you...

Continue Reading

Even little kids, with their limited palates, know that meals are more fun when you get to have a bunch of snacky stuff versus just one main dish. (It's our favorite way to eat too!) That's why bento boxes are so darn popular with the school-aged crowd. Parents can fill various little compartments with pretzels, cheese cubes, fruit, and more. And you never...

Continue Reading

Keeping a bag of meatballs in the freezer means a quick meal is never far away, but that doesn't mean it always has to be spaghetti and meatballs or meatball subs. Yes, frozen meatballs do tend to be Italian flavored, but the seasoning is usually mild enough that we can easily change their flavor profile. Simmered in an easy teriyaki sauce made with...

Continue Reading

In case you've been looking for a reason to eat more carbs, this is a direct order from us: Stock up on some bread today! Why? The plastic tags used to keep the baggies closed will be useful long after you've eaten that last slice of seedless rye. Just check out these alternative uses for bread tags. 1. They can corral your chargers....

Continue Reading

Laap (also known as Larb) is regarded as the “unofficial” national dish of Laos. It’s made with many different minced meats including duck, pork, turkey but I really love this combination of chicken and shrimp. (more…) Laap (also known as Larb) is regarded as the “unofficial” national dish of Laos. It’s made with many different minced meats including duck, pork, turkey but I...

Continue Reading

These turkey burgers look beef burgers straight in the face and make them quiver a bit. These are far from the wimpy, dry-as-sandpaper turkey burgers you've had before. Instead, they are juicy, spicy from chili powder and cayenne, and fragrant from cumin and chopped shallots. Topped with melted Monterey Jack and lime-scented avocado mash, this is how you make a turkey burger that...

Continue Reading

Raise your hand if you have a lunch box or a tote that you use for packing lunches (either for you or your kids). We thought so. Yet you still probably have a pack of brown paper bags in your kitchen, right? You should! These things are pretty handy. Not only can use them to make your own puppets on a rainy day,...

Continue Reading

[Photographs: Vicky Wasik, J. Kenji López-Alt] Growing up, my fried chicken experience was mostly limited to the occasional trip to KFC. It wasn't until later that I realized just how crazy people get for the dish, arguing fiercely over the best recipes. At Serious Eats we're equal-opportunity fried chicken lovers, and every version and all we really want is two things: juicy meat...

Continue Reading

Hot days call for cool nights with the AC blasting — underneath the covers, wrapped up in blankets, with the warm glow of the TV. This August there are a ton of new shows and movies available including Wet Hot American Summer: Ten Years Later and The Matrix trilogy on Netflix. Looking for something a little more food-related to watch this coming month?...

Continue Reading

When my now-husband and I moved into our first apartment together two years ago, grocery shopping (like pretty much everything else on our agenda outside the office) was a glorious activity to be shared. Our local Trader Joe's — a beautiful converted bank in Brooklyn with ceilings far too high and light far too natural for even the hipster-est of markets — was...

Continue Reading

Take a quick survey of your kitchen utensils. We're willing to bet it's a pretty motley crew between the half-melted spatula you left on a hot stove for too long, the worn-out wooden spoon you've been carting from apartment to apartment since college, and the various other tools that have seen (much) better days. It's time to upgrade, and there's no better way...

Continue Reading

It's amazing to me how quickly my kitchen gets cluttered. Even though I tend to use the same things every day — the same pots and pans, same dishes, same glasses — my cabinets are totally full. Part of it is that we love to entertain, so in addition to the everyday stuff, we need the party stuff, like the big salad bowl,...

Continue Reading

I avoid mealy tomatoes from the grocery store all year long in anticipation of the summer and the sweetest tomatoes that come with it. Once they hit, in all their shapes, sizes, and colors, I can hardly get enough. Quickly a bucket list of sorts ensues, to ensure I consume them in all the very best ways before the last one lingers at...

Continue Reading

There are seemingly endless ways to cook chicken, but this one in particular should be at the top of your must-make list. With a Sriracha-honey marinade and plenty of fresh lime juice, these spicy-sweet-tangy chicken thighs pack a punch. Make it once and I guarantee your family will be begging for this dish all the time! I'm sorry in advance. The combination of...

Continue Reading

[Photographs: Vicky Wasik] Editor's Note: Please welcome Christina Ward, a master food preserver for Milwaukee County in Wisconsin and author of Preservation: The Art and Science of Canning, Fermentation and Dehydration. Over the next few weeks, she'll break down the science of and principles behind food preservation, with accompanying recipes so you can put your newfound knowledge to work. For those of us...

Continue Reading

On any week that's peppered with late nights at the office and activities like sports practice, piano lessons, or book club, getting dinner on the table can feel like a feat of Everest-like proportions. These are the nights to pull out your slow cooker and rely on it to do the heavy lifting leading up to dinnertime. Whether you need a dump-and-go recipe...

Continue Reading

If you like light, lemony pastas as much as I do, this easy casserole — and I mean so easy it all come together in one baking dish — is going to be your jam. Ravioli straight from the freezer goes into a trusty baking dish with a sauce of white wine, broth, garlic, and thyme. It magically thickens up during baking with...

Continue Reading

Home life right now is a little bit bananas. Just a few weeks ago we sold our home in Georgia and we are currently packing and planning a cross-country move and my husband is gone all week working and house hunting in our new city. So this week's meal plan is all about miracle meals — recipes I can cook with my eyes...

Continue Reading

There's really nothing like an impromptu dinner party after one of the hottest days of summer. There's something about the searing, slap-you-in-the-face heat that August brings that often becomes a balmy, pleasant night perfect for ice-cold beer, a platter of crudité, and whatever you have to clean out of the fridge. For affairs like this, (wo)manning the grill isn't an option. It's all...

Continue Reading

Cool, crunchy cucumbers are at their absolute best in summer. Whether you picked up one too many at the farmers market or your garden is overflowing with them, we've got 10 ways to help you put those cukes to work. From salads to soups to sandwich spreads, these are the best cucumber recipes on the internet. This salad combines crunchy cucumber and red...

Continue Reading

Here at Kitchn, I feel like we've established that German moms are superior cleaners. They clean things right away, aren't afraid to get on their hands and knees, and vacuum their floors with military precision. So recently I grilled a German girlfriend of mine, Steffi, who has two little kids the same age as mine, on her cleaning techniques. I wouldn't say Steffi...

Continue Reading