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Sometimes a dish is so delightful and surprising I just have to learn how to make it. Often I'm disappointed by the difficulty level. But at Nickel & Diner I was surprise to learn how easily their perfect little bites of ricotta dumplings come to be.
Read MoreThere are few things better than chess pie - it's basically just butter and sugar. Who can argue with that? But then I discovered Popina's Chocolate chess pie, courtesy of chef Chris McDade. It takes one of the best things in the world and combines it with chocolate, arguably the other best thing.
Read MoreI am lucky enough to read a lot of great cookbooks every year, but few of them fundamentally change the way I cook. But Raquel Pelzel's Sheet Pan Suppers Meatless did just that. Who knew you could cook rice, quinoa and even mac and cheese on a sheet pan?
Read MoreI'm such a sucker for rice balls of any kind. But what about if you could make rice balls even better by injecting a bit of cheese into the proceedings? We went to Trappizino to get their recipe for suppli, a rice ball that has a surprising cheesy interior.
Read MoreWe found the perfect twist on the classic chicken and dumplings from Chef Thomas Boemer of Revival and Corner Table in Minneapolis. It's like a pot pie with a biscuit on top - and you will never look at either dish the same again.
Read MoreYou might be familiar with Korean food, but there's growing interest in Korean Temple Food. Based on the diet of monks, it avoids meat and aliums like garlic or onion. But it's anything but boring - instead they focus on fermenting and other techniques to give a unique and exciting flavor. We delved into a simple recipe for pan-fried potatoes you can try at home.
Read MoreScott Conant is known for his stints on shows like Food Network's Chopped, but he is renowned for his pasta. If you've ever been to one of his restaurants you know that he has a seemingly magic touch.
Read MoreI love all the techniques that let a food sit passively and improve itself - pickling, brining and marinating all tend to make things better in my book. Why do more work when you can just let the liquid do it for you? Short ribs are particularly great for this, and Cote seems to have it down to a science.
Read MoreStawberries are no exception. Those tiny, perfect summer strawberries seem to be needed in everything this time of year. But I am always looking for the savory option. I want to take the summer fruit out of its typical sweet context. So when I had an abundance of strawberries recently I decided to do more than just add them to my spinach salad.
Read MoreWhen the ingredients are good, I am a big fan of simplicity. In the dead of winter I am ready for braises and long-simmering soups. But in the summer just give me a few fresh ingredients and try not to mess them up.
Read MoreIt's hard to draw the line between a salad and a vegetable side dish sometimes, but I think that middle ground is actually a pretty great spot. There's no reason why raw vegetables can't marry with cooked. And this time of year I am partial to also combining the best of summer: raw tomatoes with anything charred from a grill or broiler. So this 'salad' accomplishes it all.
Read MoreFew things are as comforting as fried rice. It's that perfect food when you're sick/hungover/tired/ravenous. But why are we in a rut with making fried rice in the same style over and over again?
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