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 […]
Penny pie weights are an old-school hack for an all-time favorite: pie. If you’ve ever tried to make a pie crust from scratch, it may have turned out a bit differently than you’d planned. Without using pie weights when you bake the crust, it can turn into something that looks […]
A fat separator is the secret to perfect gravy. And it’s one of those tools that you might not have known you needed, but will wonder how you lived without. If you are new to the culinary scene–that is, you’ve been eating at Mom’s all your life–you may have never […]
Keep gravy warm without using up precious real estate on your stovetop! During the holidays, when you’ve got friends and family mulling around in the kitchen and “helping” you cook, stovetop space is in demand. Rather than keeping your gravy warm in a stove-top saucepan, put it in a Thermos. […]
Fix overcooked turkey the easy way: chicken broth. It’s easy to overcook the turkey (unless you’ve slow-roasted it overnight). Then your friends and family show up, and you’ve got precious little to show for a day of prepping and cooking for the holiday. What to do? Revive too-dry turkey with chicken […]
50 shades of gravy will keep you and your guests satisfied throughout the holiday season. You want your gravy to be thick, juicy and tasty. But what if your bird just doesn’t have the juice? The most popular turkey of the season is the one that lived happily, running free […]
A DIY roasting tray is easy enough to make when you get a bit creative. We love creative DIY cooking ideas, like this roasting tray made of aluminum foil. But what if you’re out of foil? It’s the holiday, and the store is closed (or your friends and family have […]
Crimp pie crust the simple way and you can serve a pie that looks like it was made by a professional baker. When making pie from scratch (or making store-bought crust look homemade), you could use a specialized crimper to crimp the edges of your pie crust. If you can’t seem to […]
Post recipes on the cupboard, wall or refrigerator to make family cooking effortless. Families who cook together have a lot of fun! Whether you are preparing a full holiday meal or just making cookies, the best way for several people to work on a cooking project together is with a recipe […]
Cook stuffing in a muffin tin to make the most of your holiday meals. When you have leftover stuffing, place single portions in a muffin tin and bake. Depending on how dense the stuffing is (that is, how much sausage you put in), it should bake in about 15-20 minutes at 350. […]
A simple pie crust is what you need when you’re making a single-crust pie–like pumpkin pie or pecan pie. Here’s the way to make sure that the crust holds its shape. Once you’ve rolled out the dough and placed it in a pie tin (or Pyrex dish), put it in the […]
Holiday food prep is one thing you shouldn’t have to worry about this year. Chopping onions may make you cry, but cooking a holiday meal shouldn’t cause you to shed tears! Among the best things about holidays: spending time with family and friends, and of course enjoying great food. Among […]
Fluffy mashed potatoes are everybody’s favorite, and now you can make them easily with one simple trick. The perfect fluffy mashed potatoes have a secret ingredient: baking powder. Here’s a simple recipe for mashed potatoes, with just a touch of baking powder. You won’t be able to see it or […]
An easy DIY roasting rack may mean the difference between a perfect turkey and a total flop. You’ve spent your hard-earned money on a turkey and all the fixings, plus dessert and drinks. Now you’re preparing to cook the bird and the recipe mentions a roasting rack–like everyone happens to […]
Roast a turkey overnight to get an exceptionally moist and juicy bird and you’ll free up the oven for cooking appetizers and sides. A few points to note: Do not stuff the turkey (cook the stuffing separately–you might want to cook it in a muffin tin for fun); Use a roasting rack […]
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 […]
Create font based on your very own handwriting. Just a few years ago, creating a font took months of work by a graphic designer. Today, you can create a font based on your own handwriting, the easy way. High tech meets low tech at a website that will walk you through the […]
DIY nail art can be simple, fun and oh-so chic–all you need are a couple of Band-Aids. First, paint your nails with a base color. You can add a clear top-coat over the base, or over your “art” or, for a super long-lasting manicure, over both. Place the end of […]
Perfect mascara can be yours, at last. You want to coat all your lashes, from the base all the way up–but it can get messy. Try this: hold a business card at the base of your lashes. The card will absorb the extra mascara that would otherwise end up all […]
Remove water stains from your coffee tables, dining room table or even your piano bench (!) with the concentrated heat of your hair dryer. My friend used a Dyson supersonic hair dryer but honestly, any hair dryer will do. Cool glasses of water or hot cops of tea–along with those […]
Post recipes on the cupboard, wall or refrigerator to make family cooking effortless. Families who cook together have a lot of fun! Whether you are preparing a full holiday meal or just making cookies, the best way for several people to work on a cooking project together is with a recipe […]
Fix overcooked turkey the easy way: chicken broth. It’s easy to overcook the turkey (unless you’ve slow-roasted it overnight). Then your friends and family show up, and you’ve got precious little to show for a day of prepping and cooking for the holiday. What to do? Revive too-dry turkey with chicken […]
Penny pie weights are an old-school hack for an all-time favorite: pie. If you’ve ever tried to make a pie crust from scratch, it may have turned out a bit differently than you’d planned. Without using pie weights when you bake the crust, it can turn into something that looks […]
Roast a turkey overnight to get an exceptionally moist and juicy bird and you’ll free up the oven for cooking appetizers and sides. A few points to note: Do not stuff the turkey (cook the stuffing separately–you might want to cook it in a muffin tin for fun); Use a roasting rack […]
Keep gravy warm without using up precious real estate on your stovetop! During the holidays, when you’ve got friends and family mulling around in the kitchen and “helping” you cook, stovetop space is in demand. Rather than keeping your gravy warm in a stove-top saucepan, put it in a Thermos. […]
Crimp pie crust the simple way and you can serve a pie that looks like it was made by a professional baker. When making pie from scratch (or making store-bought crust look homemade), you could use a specialized crimper to crimp the edges of your pie crust. If you can’t seem to […]
Penny pie weights are an old-school hack for an all-time favorite: pie. If you’ve ever tried to make a pie crust from scratch, it may have turned out a bit differently than you’d planned. Without using pie weights when you bake the crust, it can turn into something that looks […]
Post recipes on the cupboard, wall or refrigerator to make family cooking effortless. Families who cook together have a lot of fun! Whether you are preparing a full holiday meal or just making cookies, the best way for several people to work on a cooking project together is with a recipe […]
A fat separator is the secret to perfect gravy. And it’s one of those tools that you might not have known you needed, but will wonder how you lived without. If you are new to the culinary scene–that is, you’ve been eating at Mom’s all your life–you may have never […]
Holiday food prep is one thing you shouldn’t have to worry about this year. Chopping onions may make you cry, but cooking a holiday meal shouldn’t cause you to shed tears! Among the best things about holidays: spending time with family and friends, and of course enjoying great food. Among […]
