Chocolate bowls are the perfect way to serve up all kinds of delicious treats.
Yes, you can make chocolate bowls at home! Just melt (in the microwave or a double boiler) chocolate–white, milk or dark chocolate will do, and you can even melt candy bars with almonds and other bits of goodness already in them. Dip a balloon into the melted chocolate, and dip again into a bowl of candy sprinkles. Once the chocolate cools and hardens, carefully deflate the balloon with a pin prick and toss it.
Remove cherry pits before you serve a bowl of cherries and you won’t have to worry about your kids chocking on the pits–or spitting them out at their siblings. First, wash the cherries. Use a narrow-necked bottle, like a wine bottle or an old-fashioned soda bottle. If the cherry has […]
Keep ice cream soft and ready for the whole family to enjoy with one simple trick: a freezer bag. No one likes to wait for ice cream to soften–especially kids! When you bring your favorite frozen confection home from the store, put it in a Ziploc bag before you put it […]
Keep basil fresh for up to a week with a simple cup of water. This method is similar to keeping a bouquet of cut flowers fresh. First, trim the stems of the basil with a sharp knife. Then, place the bunch into a glass of water. Cover with a plastic […]
Portion snacks before you indulge yourself so you’ll never have to say, “I can’t believe I ate that whole bag of cookies!” It’s easy to keep reaching into a bag of chips or a package of chocolate chip cookies until there’s nothing left. And then you feel bad. Enjoy your snacks […]
Cook pasta with less water and less mess. Most packaged pasta advises you to boil something like six quarts of water before adding the dry pasta. Then, once the pasta is cooked, you end up pouring all that water down the drain (and sometimes getting burned by the steam while […]
Crunchy taco shells are so easy to make, you’ll wonder why you hadn’t made them before. Here’s an easy way to make hot, delicious and crunchy taco shells at home. Start with flour tortillas. Drape each one over a few rungs of your oven rack and bake at 350 for […]
Punch holes in a simple paper bag–the school lunch variety or a heavier small bag from the grocery store–to create the ideal storage for onions, garlic and shallots. Fold the bag in half lengthwise and use a regular hand-held hole puncher to make holes every inch or so; then fold […]
A snack station is a great way to get the kids involved in packing their lunches on school days. Select snack items–pretzels, crackers, cheese sticks, almonds, and other healthy choices–that you approve of and that your kids enjoy. Pack the snacks in Ziploc bags and place in the “snack station” in […]
Bacon fried Oreos combine the best of so many taste sensations: sweet, salty, juicy, crispy and smoky. What more could there be to LOVE? Here’s how to make them at home. Start with a pack of Oreos (we recommend the new thin version), a pound of sliced bacon and some toothpicks. […]
Super juicy turkey is what every cook is aiming for at the holidays, and any time. Nobody wants to spend hours in the kitchen only to end up with a dried-out bird. The best-kept secret to a juicy turkey is this: cheesecloth. First, melt a stick of butter and season […]
The bacon weave is the most delicious way to enjoy a sandwich, and it fits perfectly into a Paleo, Primal or otherwise protein-forward diet. To add a little spice, protein or tastiness to the next sandwich you make, start with a few pieces of bacon. You can weave them into a square […]
Chill a beverage quickly with this hack. When friends show up unannounced, or when you’re simply in the mood for a nice, chilled beverage, you probably don’t want to wait. In fact, there are really no good times to wait for a chilled drink, and you shouldn’t have to. Beer, […]
These egg muffins are so easy to make that they qualify for “hack” status. This recipe will save time when you make a dozen at once, then enjoy one or two for breakfast each morning all week long. Chop and mix your favorite vegetables (or the ones you need to […]
Chill wine the easy, efficient and stylish way: use frozen grapes. No time to chill your wine? Don’t even think about adding ice cubes, which will quickly dilute the wine. Instead, keep some frozen grapes handy in your freezer. Add the grapes to the grown-up “grape juice” and for a […]
Cookies are everyone’s favorite–especially during the holidays. You’ve probably spent a lot of time cooking up your mom’s favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe. Now here’s the way to wrap up those treats with style. For a holiday cookie swap, or just bringing treats over to the neighbors, forget about the standard paper […]
