A cast iron skillet is simple to clean and easy to maintain. Learn how to clean and season your cast iron with tips from our Test Kitchen.
Archive | Kitchen Tips & Tools
Some days, you need to get in and out of the kitchen and get on with your day. That means faster prep, a little planning, and some cooking fundamentals. These tips and tricks help you feel great about what you’re making, even when you’re in a time crunch.
What’s a Dutch Oven and Why Do You Need One?
A Dutch oven is a large, wide, deep pan with a tight-fitting lid. Learn how to cook with it using our top-rated Dutch oven recipes.
Why Use Clay Cookware?
Earthenware is versatile, beautiful, and can last a lifetime. Here’s why clay-pot cooking and baking can improve the recipes you love to make.
Why Buy Good Vanilla
Good vanilla is a baker’s best friend. Even though only a small amount is used in cakes, cookies, frosting, and ice cream, it’s an ingredient that can elevate your desserts from good to great. But not all vanillas are created equal. If you’re looking for desserts that really shine, replace imitation vanilla (which contains wood […]
13 Smart Kitchen Tools You Never Knew You Needed
We’re always looking for ways to make our lives a little bit easier every day. Sometimes though, we just deal with a challenge or annoyance out of habit or because we don’t know there’s another way. When it comes to cooking, something that we spend much of our lives thinking about, talking about, and doing, […]
How to Make a Gingerbread House From Scratch
A gingerbread house is a wonderful way to decorate for the holidays and fun for the whole family. There’s nothing like the warm, sweet smell of molasses, ginger, and cinnamon baking in the oven to remind us of the magic of the season, surrounded by family and friends, celebrating together. The true joy of cookie […]
How to Make Soft Pretzels & Pretzel Bites
Mall pretzels are pretty good, but warm, chewy, soft pretzels fresh out of the oven are so much better. Why shell out big bucks at the mall or ballpark with no guarantee of freshness (how long has it been hanging under the heat lamp?), when you can easily make a whole batch at home for […]
How to Meal Plan in 5 Simple Steps
Have you ever been caught with no idea what to make for dinner and no time to shop? We all have. By using the 3 P’s—planning recipe, purchasing groceries, and prepping ingredients—you won’t have to start from scratch every night. Meal planning works best when you take it one stage at a time; there’s no […]
Microwave Meals and Sides in the Micro-Cooker®
Our iconic Micro-Cooker® is a game-changer when it comes to making quick, healthy, and easy weeknight meals and side dishes. Specially designed for microwave cooking, these workhorses come in different sizes—1 qt. (1 L), 2 qt. (2 L), and 3 qt. (3 L) and are BPA-free. Great to steam veggies, melt chocolate or butter, poach […]
5 Fast, No-Fail Ways to Cook Chicken
Because it’s lean, versatile, and delicious, lots of favorite recipes call for chicken. Instead of buying canned chicken or shelling out extra dough for a pre-cooked rotisserie chicken, here are easy ways to perfectly cook chicken in a microwave, slow cooker, pressure cooker, oven, or on the stove. Talk about winner, winner chicken dinner! If […]