With its knobby texture, ginger root is easier to tackle with a spoon than a knife.
Halloween Treats - Witch Fingers
Photo: Monika Bartyzel.
These crunchy Halloween cookies have run their way back and forth across the Web, but we've come up with twists and style updates that are sure to please. Hit the jump and visit the gallery for inspiration.
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Seasonal Salads on the Grill
Photo: Gena Knox.
Fall is full of some of my favorite ingredients, and the colors and textures of all the seasonal fruits and vegetables create amazing salads. Grilling pears and apples adds a smoky flavor, and a good quality cheese and simple dressing brings the dish together. You can top salads with toasted nuts, pomegranate seeds or even pumpkin seeds. Grilled portobello mushrooms also lend a nice, earthy flavor during the cooler months.
Get creative with seasonal ingredients, buy local and use fall nights to create delicious grilled dinners for your family and friends.
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Tip of the Day - Brining Basics
Because poultry has to be cooked through, it has a tendency to dry out. Brining not only adds flavor, but also produces tender, juicy meat.
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Halloween Cupcake Ideas - Graveyard Cupcakes
Cupcake graveyard. Photo: Monika Bartyzel.
The type of pastry you choose to make is secondary to what you put on top, and there's no end to the possibilities.
After the jump, find everything you need to make your own graveyard cupcake extravaganza.
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Wisconsin Apple Pie and Cheese Don't Always Go Together
Photo: longpig, Flickr.
The Wisconsin State Journal debunked the myth that Wisconsin requires apple pie to be served with cheese at restaurants in the state. The paper asked Connie Von Der Heide at the Wisconsin State Law Library whether or not state law required cheese to accompany the pie after a reader inquired about it.
"It certainly sounds plausible since after all this is the Dairy State, but the answer is no," she said. "The 1935 Laws of Wis., ch. 106 came close; it required serving a small amount of cheese and butter with meals in restaurants (effective from June 1935 to March 1937)."
What crazy food laws have you heard of? Let us know in the comments below.
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Healthier Ramen Noodles
Ramen noodles. Photo: Jennifer Iserloh.
The old college girl in me just can't get over the crush I used to have on the 33-cents-a-pop ramen noodle package. (Beef was my favorite flavor.) So now that my budget has grown and my waistline has shrunk, I still like to make room for ramen noodles in my kitchen.
Get the recipe for healthier ramen after the jump.
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Spicy Beans and Sun-Dried Tomatoes
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| Photo: Jennifer Iserloh |
I had a Gorgonzola-stuffed pear -- which I still think about to this day -- and creamy, luscious bow-tie pasta with plumped sun-dried tomatoes soaked in oil.
These tomatoes are so sweet and tangy. Why did they fall out of favor?
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Dulce De Leche - An Easy Dessert Enhancer
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| Photo: Jennifer Iserloh |
I will warn you -– it is dangerous. I could eat it out of the container with a spoon, but it can also be extremely versatile when used sparingly as a topping for healthier ingredients to make hundreds of fast desserts.
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Empanadas Make Leftovers Irresistible
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| Photo: Jennifer Iserloh. |
I wondered if that's why Americans waste about 27 percent of their available food. But what if you could turn those tidbits into something luscious? I guarantee that you won't be tempted to toss that handful of broccoli florets, those spoonfuls of blue cheese crumbles or your remaining half a jar of olives.
First I took a look in my freezer before proceeding on to my self-imposed "Top Chef" challenge. Frozen dough disks didn't look that interesting resting in my freezer door, until I remembered that they're Goya empanada wrappers that you can fill with just about anything. Bingo!
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Winter Squash on the Grill
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| Photo: Erica George Dines Photography. |
And there are so many ingredients that complement winter squash -- from sage and thyme to sweeter flavors like orange, maple and bourbon. Even sausage and bacon are perfect matches for this fall favorite.
Grilled winter squash make a nice addition to everything from risotto to salads and can be a great side to serve with roasted meats or as a main vegetarian dish. Some of my favorite cheeses -- like goat, blue cheese and feta -- round out the smoky sweetness for melt-in-your-mouth flavor.
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Homemade Tamari Almonds
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| Photo: Jennifer Iserloh. |
Since I had a bottle of low-sodium tamari taking up space in the cupboard, I shopped for the plain, raw almonds with the skins on and tried my hand at homemade tamari almonds.
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LeNell It All - Little Bit of Country
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| LeNell Smothers. |
The moving truck rolls into Brooklyn this week. The big international move to Mexico has been brutal to organize, but -- lucky me! -- I had the very cool cats called Ladies United for the Preservation of Endangered Cocktails (LUPEC) host a splendid Hasta Luego shindig in my honor.
One of the members, Elayne Duke, served up an original creation she called "Little Bit of Country," that's perfect for the chill coming in the air these days. Her cocktail pretty much sums me up: kick of bourbon, little sweetness, nice tartness, touch of spiciness and just enough bitter to balance it all out. My Granny sent me a fabulous leopard-print dress to wear that just had to have a pink feather boa for the party ... and I sported my cowboy boots for a "little bit of country."
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Tip of the Day - Cucumber Juice Cocktails
Have a few summer cucumbers lingering in the fridge? Put them to good use by juicing them for refreshing cocktails or family-friendly mocktails.
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Pierogies the Easy Way
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| Photo: Jennifer Iserloh. |
I'm sure that the experts from the famous Pierogie Plus, a 10-minute drive from my family's house, would swat me for not making the dough myself. But when I crave my favorite treat, I use wonton wrappers to make them, an idea my clever cousin Frank came up with.
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What Can I Get You Folks? - Server Revenge
Reality-Show Celebrities Serve Up Chef Curtis Stone's 'Hundred-Dollar Burger'
Foods Celebrity Chefs Hate
