Jelly cake
shrimp stock

7 Amazing Things You Can Do With Shrimp Stock

Disposing of shrimp shells is like throwing away rich ocean flavors that can turn various seafood dishes from mundane to insane! Making shrimp stock from scratch is incredibly easy. And it’s unbelievably versatile, too. Adding shrimp stock to traditional dishes with shrimp or any other seafood helps maintain flavors that the use of vegetable or…

Turkey

Four Ways to Cook a Perfect Turkey: Roasting, Foil Test, Foil Wrapped, and Barbeque Methods

Whether you’re one of those who do not have the Thanksgiving turkey recipe you got from your mom or grandma, you’re in the right place at the right time. This post will guide you on how to be the quintessential Thanksgiving host — you will come across foolproof tips and tricks on how to go…

Hors d'Oeuvres

How to Serve Hors d’Oeuvres

Some people stay away from using the phrase “hors d’oeuvres” for fear of pronouncing it incorrectly and running the risk of sounding uncultured. But then there are also those that steer clear of serving them altogether for fear of doing it all wrong and flushing money down the drain instead of making the event extra…

apple pie

Is Apple Pie Good for You?

Mmmm…apple pie!  That good ol’ American dessert evokes images of summer picnics and Thanksgiving feasts.  But sometimes, diving into a slice of homemade apple pie may leave you with a nagging sense of guilt as you wonder if it’s a healthy choice.  While there is no denying that it’s good for the senses, you can’t…

Menudo

Menudo Mix: All You Need to Know and More

Menudo Mix, Hibiscus, Cumin Seed… tiny clear, cellophane packets of these spices hang on racks in supermarkets and Latin markets throughout the southwest, and wherever large Latin communities shop. Sealed with a paper label noting their contents, usually printed in Spanish and English, the packets are more affordable than those in the traditional spice aisle….

Sauerkraft

Weinkraut vs. Sauerkraut: Similarities and Differences

Fermented foods are some of the healthiest on the planet. That’s because they are packed with good bacteria that offer an assortment of benefits, from improved digestion, bolstered immune system to lifted mood. One very good example of fermented food is sauerkraut. Although it can be consumed on its own or added to salads, deviled…

scrapple

Is Scrapple Good or Bad for You?

Popular in Pennsylvania, you may be wondering if you should also welcome scrapple to your kitchen. The name may be intimidating you to a certain extent, but the wonderful reviews about it may be drawing you to it. Despite having fillers and the word “crap” on its name, scrapple is healthy. As a matter of…

food and chianti

What Food Goes With Chianti

There isn’t perhaps another wine that puts the Italian culture and ethos in a bottle as good as the Chianti. So it only makes sense that this wine is as exclusive as they get, getting produced only in the Chianti region of Tuscany, Central Italy. The Italian wine community holds the Chianti at a high…

barefoot wines

Is Barefoot Wine Good?

Barefoot wine has the attention of wine lovers worldwide, all due to the excellent flavor they pack into their wines for a meager price compared to other brands. Their wines may bring a charm to the table, but are their products really that good? In my opinion, Barefoot wines provide great taste across all their…

cooking with chianti wine

Can You Cook With Chianti Wine?

A chilled glass of Chianti wine with a meal featuring tomatoes (think typical Tuscan recipes) goes together effortlessly. The pairing brings out the sweet, tart, and earthy notes in the wine, making for an unforgettable food experience. So, naturally, one wonders, can you also use Chianti to cook? You most definitely can! Chianti is one…

Raw Zucchini Noodles

Can You Eat Raw Zucchini Noodles?

Many health- and weight-conscious people go for zucchini noodles. Also known as zoodles, they are low in carbohydrates and free of gluten. And because they are made from a vegetable (although zucchini is technically a fruit), you might be wondering if it’s perfectly okay to eat zucchini noodles raw. Zucchini noodles can be eaten raw….

tea leaves

Are Tea Leaves Edible?

It’s customary to throw away loose tea leaves or tea bags after being steeped once or sometimes twice or thrice. But because they are the dried leaves of the camellia sinensis plant, you might be wondering if you can eat them. If a cup of tea is healthy, then the leaves from which it comes…

Peanut Oil

Substituting Peanut Oil for Vegetable Oil: When and How

Have you ever experienced cooking then realized that you do not have your usual vegetable oil for the recipe? Peanut oil can serve as a substitute for other vegetable oils, most especially for recipes that call for high-heat cooking. It can be used for cooking, baking, making soaps, and is sometimes used by pharmaceutical companies…

Can You Drink Expired Tea?

Can You Drink Expired Tea?

According to the Tea Association of the USA, more than half of all Americans drink tea on any given day. If you are one of them, chances are that you have some expired sample tea bags or loose leaf tea in your pantry. Should you throw them away or keep enjoying them? Drinking expired tea…

Burgundy

12 Good Burgundy Wines for Cooking

Choosing the right Burgundy wine is important not only for sipping purposes but for cooking uses, too. This is especially true if you are planning to serve a meat dish with an opulent wine-based sauce. Some good Burgundy wines for cooking are those with fruity and floral notes and mild tannins. While white Burgundy wine…

Cooking BBQ Chicken with Wine

Best Red Wines for Cooking Chicken

Everyday can seem like a red-letter day when you cook chicken with red wine. But chefs themselves say you should skip red cooking wine and opt for red drinking wine instead. The best red wine for cooking chicken is something that’s flavorful and light-bodied and has moderate to low amounts of tannins in order to…

marshmallows

Healthy Substitute for Marshmallows

Historians believe Ancient Egyptians were the first to enjoy marshmallows. Ancient Egyptians’ marshmallows were different though. They used theirs as candy and medicine. We used ours solely as a treat, and it’s not really healthy. Every time I think about how much sugar is in s’mores that my children love, I get worried. But don’t…

decanter

What Do You Put in a Decanter?

Decanters are glass vessels made with the intention of storing your drinks for easy access. They are often crafted so beautifully that they can even become a statement piece on your kitchen counter. But once you find a decanter, what should you put in it? You can put any type of liquor or wine in…

How to Tell If Ranch is Bad

How to Tell If Ranch is Bad

If it has a crunch, it’s likely to taste so much better with ranch! It’s no wonder why, according to a recent study, 40% of Americans named ranch as their favorite dressing. However, the main ingredients that make ranch so unforgettable are the same things that make this well-loved dressing and dip highly perishable. Ranch…

powdered sugar

Does Powdered Sugar Have Gluten?

So, you just came across a pack of powdered sugar that says “gluten-free” at the grocery store. Does this mean that some brands of powdered sugar have gluten in them? Generally speaking, powdered sugar is 100% free of gluten. That’s because the cornstarch added to it as an anti-caking agent is gluten-free. However, some cornstarch…

slimy carrots

Are Slimy Carrots Bad for You?

Like many vegetables, carrots are susceptible to being covered with slime after a while. This is especially true for baby carrots — some of them can end up slimy even when refrigerated and still in their original packaging. But does this mean that you should dispose of carrots the minute they become slippery to the…

sugar

Is Sugar a Dry or Wet Ingredient?

It’s plain to see that sugar is dry. But the recipe you are looking at suggests otherwise — it says that sugar is a wet ingredient. And now you can’t help but wonder if the author is talking about some type of dripping-wet sugar that your favorite supermarket or baking supplies store doesn’t seem to…

Cutting board and raw chicken

Using the Same Cutting Board for Raw Chicken and Raw Beef

So, you love wowing your family and friends with your scrumptious chicken or beef masterpieces. Unfortunately, E. coli, salmonella and other microbes love to thrive on these meat products, too. And they can easily spread from raw or undercooked chicken and beef to other ingredients via your cutting board. Using different cutting boards for raw…

Does Freezing Kill Salmonella?

Does Freezing Kill Salmonella?

Salmonella can put your digestive tract in shambles for a few days. Needless to say, it’s a must to ensure that there is no salmonella present in food before you put it in your mouth. And this might leave you wondering if storing potentially contaminated food in the freezer can kill salmonella. Freezing does not…

microwave

Here’s What Should You Do If Microwave Has a Crack Inside

Microwaves are great for heating food, especially if you’re in a hurry. They work better than ovens for this purpose, and that’s why many people own them. However, there has been a misconception surrounding microwave use, especially when they’re cracked or have a hole inside. Some people are cautious of radiation when using microwaves that…

onions

Do You Wash Onions? When and Why?

According to a 2021 report by the Environmental Working Group (EWG), a non-profit organization dedicated to helping people live healthy lives, onions are some of the cleanest vegetables on the planet. And this might leave you wondering if washing onions is necessary or a complete waste of time. Washing onions, in many instances, is unnecessary….

salt

What Is Cheese Salt?

If you’ve never tried to make cheese yourself, you might not be aware of salt’s role in the process. Without cheese salt, cheese would be less nutritious. It would also be subject to quality issues like acidity and decay. Cheese salt is a non-iodized salt that is used in making cheese. Cheese salt is responsible…

corn

Can You Eat Raw Sweet Corn?

Corn is a popular side dish and can be cooked in many different ways. However, many corn farmers and gourmets around the world are aware of how delicious this vegetable is without being cooked at all. Sweet corn can be eaten raw as long as the corn kernels are ripe. Sweet corn is usually eaten…

Shrimps

16 Best Shrimp Substitutes [Regular, Vegetarian, non-shellfish]

Whether you’re in a grilling mood, making pasta, or creating a delicious salad, one of the best ingredients to enhance your meal is shrimp. Its delicate yet distinctive flavor can be the piece that ties many dishes together, and its meatiness (if cooked correctly) can add that perfect texture to a softer dish like pasta…

Extract

Top 12 Flavor Extracts For Baking

Whenever you are working with a bland or flavorless recipe, the quickest way to spruce it up is with some quality extract flavors made explicitly for baking. These products are designed to spice up (or sweeten) desserts and baked goods, giving them the specific taste without the hassle of using that specific item. While there…

Potatoes

Can You Overcook Potatoes

Everyone loves a delicious potato recipe. You can cook potatoes in a variety of ways which makes them so amiable for a side dish. You can do no wrong with potatoes, well maybe. So can they be overcooked? As a general rule, you can overcook potatoes. This goes with all types of food, although with…

french bread

How to Reheat Frozen French Bread

French bread is one of the best bread varieties out there because it is crispy on the outside and pillowy soft on the inside. Grocery stores sell frozen french bread so that you can enjoy this delicacy whenever a craving hits, but how should you reheat it for the most enjoyable eating experience every time?…