Ideas & Tips — Kitchen

Thanksgiving's here, and you've followed all your family's traditional recipes, or maybe just looked up how to cook a turkey online. In any case, you've just pulled the bird out of the oven, it's sitting imposingly on your dining room table: Now what? If you've never carved a turkey before, approaching it from the first time can be a harrowing maze of sinewy, bony roadblocks. Here's our step-by-step advice for getting the most meat out of your bird: Set the bird down breast-side up and remove the legs. Use the carving knife to slice the skin between the legs and the...

Continuing in the Thanksgiving vein, let's talk about the confusing and intimidating process of preparing to host the big meal. Especially if this is your first time hosting Thanksgiving dinner for a large group, the sheer amount of food and supplies needed combined with the exhausting preparation process can leave your head spinning. To make sure you don't find yourself missing some crucial element on Thanksgiving itself, follow this list of things to take care of before hosting: Make sure you have all the necessary cookware and serving items. Once you have your menu planned out, mentally walk through the preparation...

Along with the colorful leaves, cooler nights and Halloween candy, the autumn season also produces some of the most delectable produce. From September to November, grapes, pears and sweet potatoes spring from the earth in full bounty and supply us with new culinary opportunities to enjoy before winter arrives.  Additionally, it is true that almost any food can be grown somewhere year-round throughout the planet. But packing and shipping fruit to all corners of the world can be costly both financially and environmentally, due to the impact of shipping vehicles. Local food choices, according to an article from Greatist.com, may not only be more nutritious...

Spaghetti is a dish that comes with a deep, long history and is popular for a number of reasons, including both its taste and the ease with which it can be prepared. However, though there is no official set of guidelines for what comprises the perfect serving of spaghetti, these common tips are worth remembering the next time you plan to make a batch of pasta: Olive oil etiquette: Though there will never be a consensus regarding how olive oil should be used with spaghetti, some people believe that it shouldn't go anywhere near the pasta while it is still...

Some healthy meals to get your day started on the right foot and keep you full until lunch. For a summer mid-day meal, we love light, healthy fare that takes minimum of preparation and doesn't require heating up the kitchen. After all, who wants to stand over a hot stove when the mercury is climbing! Try these delicious ideas for tomorrow's lunch:  Beans: Pre-cooked beans are fast and filling when you mix them with fresh vegetables and seasonings for a quick meal. Try this recipe from Martha Stewart, which uses a little Parmesan, basil and lemons to add flavor.  Chilled...