Tips for Shaping Pizza Dough
Over the Christmas break my daughter took a pizza cooking class. I watched the kids in her class trying to shape their pizza dough. It was a little…
Asparagus 101
When I was a kid, I hated asparagus. My grandma would make it for special occasions. She would boil it for a long time. A long time. It would turn an…
Baking Bacon- Less Messy Method
Who doesn't love bacon? Not me. I don't not like bacon (that was probably too much for a Monday.) Who doesn't like cleaning up after frying bacon?…
Grater 101- Types of Graters and What to Use Them For
This weekend I watched as somebody used a box grater in a most improper fashion. I will name no names, to protect the innocent. But as I watched I…
How to Make Easy to Peel Hard Boiled Eggs
This weekend there's gonna be a lot of eggs sacrificed in the name of Easter. But just because you are doing to dye the eggs, doesn't mean you have…
How to Cut an Avocado
Avocados. Some people love them, some people hate them. I think they are divine! Creamy and delicious. Not only do they taste good, but they are…
How to Make Your Own Sourdough Starter
A few months ago, my sourdough starter met a tragic end. It was accidentally thrown away. I had cultivated that starter from scratch and had been…
How to Chop an Onion
Welcome to the New Year! 2015 is sure to be an exciting year. To kick off the year, I thought I'd start with the most requested "How to cut stuff"…
How to Open a Pomegranate
The pomegranate. Whoever invented that fruit was on his own program. It's like no other fruit, there is no rhyme or reason to it. It's delicious, but…
Countdown to Thanksgiving- The Best Apple Varieties for Pie – A Taste Test
I don't know if I've ever been so excited about a post! The biggest pie holiday of the year is just around the corner. You must have…
How To Cut A Butternut Squash
It's winter squash season. Ever wondered why they are called winter squash? It's because they ripen just at the end of the growing season. And…
The Basics of Cutting-Knife Skills Series Part 3
Welcome back to our knife skill series. In the first part series we learned the anatomy of knives. In the second we learned about…
How to Roast Garlic
Garlic is a superhero of the kitchen. You know the superhero, but do you know his alter ego? He happens to be mild mannered every day kind of…
10 Tips For Perfect Caramel Apples
Caramel apples are one of the yummiest fall treats there can possibly be. But making them sometimes leaves you feeling disappointed. What you end up…
Fruit Fly Remedy
*Warning* This post contains graphic material not suitable to people who are opposed to harming fruit flies. Can I get an"amen" from all those…
Taking Care of Your Knives- Knife Skill Series 2
Welcome to Part 2 of our Knife Skill Series. In the first part of our knife skill series we learned the anatomy of knives. Today we will follow up…
Removing Mildew Smell from Your Washcloths
Washcloths have their very own funk. No matter how vigilant you are about laying them flat to dry, instead of in a ball at the bottom of the sink,…
Anatomy of a Knife- Knife Skills Part 1
Ask anybody in the culinary arena what the most important kitchen tool is and they will all have the same answer. It won't be the blender, food…
Reusing Frying Oil
I tell myself that I don't fry foods very often. But I really don't know what "often" means. I've never seen any national statistics on the average…
All-In-One Kitchen Resource Guide
Do you hate it when you are cooking dinner and you realize that you need bread flour and you don't have bread flour? Or when you need to triple a…
The Coolest Way to Separate Eggs
There are so many recipes that call for egg whites or egg yolks separately. And there are a lot of ways to separate eggs. But this is officially the…
How to Split and Seed a Vanilla Bean
A few weeks ago I shared my Crème Brûlée recipe with you. After posting it, I got this response from my Mom, "Hold everything! All that stuff…
THE trick to flaky pie crust
Pie crust, also known as pâte brisée. It is the nemesis of many cooks. I would guess that it accounts for many feelings of inadequacy and failure…
How to Temper Chocolate
How to temper chocolate, the easy(ier) way Ever melted chocolate to coat something and when it hardened again it had gross white spots all over…
How to Revive a Dry Vanilla Bean
Welcome to part 2 of the vanilla bean tutorials. In the first tutorial you learned how to split and seed a vanilla bean. Vanilla beans are pricey!…
Anita’s Kitchen Code of Ethics
What basic ingredients are worth the extra cost and effort. I'm an actual human being. I have a husband, kids, a job, all that kind of good stuff.…