Recipes
/Home & Leisure
/ArcaMax
Strawberry Smoosh
Best Food for Kids Before and After School
When I was a grade-schooler my brother and I would walk home from school each day. He was one grade behind me. It was about a mile from school to the house. If we didn’t get any other exercise at least we got that.
I do know that we went out to play after school but when we got home and ...Read more
Best Bites: Coffee Mate Kit Kat creamer
Coffee Mate makes my go-to coffee creamer: Italian Sweet Creme. It’s just the right mix of sugar and creaminess, and it stands up well to my dark roast coffee.
So I was intrigued with Coffee Mate’s newest flavor: Kit Kat. It’s just as creamy as any Coffee Mate product but the flavor is more robust, with definite chocolate flavor to perk ...Read more
Quick pickling captures summer in jar
I’m not a patient cook, so traditional pickling is off the table. Too much is involved — boiling the water, sterilizing the jars, finding the right tongs — and there’s anxiety over whether or not the lid has properly sealed.
Then I stumbled across several easy and extremely fast recipes for small-batch condiments that take just a few ...Read more
Make your own chicken shawarma, no rotisserie needed
Shawarma, the inexpensive protein beloved by young traveling backpackers all over the world, is usually prepared by stacking thin marinated slices of lamb, chicken or beef in an inverted cone on a large, upright rotisserie.
The meat gets browned and crispy as cooks occasionally shave off the outside pieces to stuff into pitas or pile onto rice....Read more
Why some people enjoy pain-inducing and face-puckering foods
Six hours. That’s how long it took prolific pepper breeder “Smokin” Ed Currie to recover from his ultimate creation: Pepper X. Recognized in October 2023 by the Guinness World Records, it’s the hottest on the planet.
A “millisecond” of flavor followed by a quarter-day of intestinal cramping, the 2,693,000 Scoville Heat Unit fruit is...Read more
Quick Fix: Smothered Pork Chops with Mustard Shallot Sauce
A rich, creamy sauce coats vegetables and pork chops for this one-pan dinner. I used bone-in thin-cut pork chops for this dinner. The bone adds extra flavor to the sauce and thin-cut chops take only a few minutes to cook.
Sliced red cabbage, mushrooms and shallots “smother” the chops adding flavor and texture to the dish. I like ...Read more
Gretchen's table: Gluten-free gnocchi with lemon, peas and spinach goes down easy
Come dinnertime, pasta made with corn, rice, lentils or chickpeas can be a godsend to those with gluten sensitivities. But it also can break their hearts, just a little.
Not only is gluten-free pasta super expensive when compared to "regular" spaghetti, rigatoni and other noodles made with milled durum wheat, but it's tough to find a gluten-...Read more
Beware of Malört? The allure of scary tastes, and a new book on the revered and reviled spirit
I am not a fan of doing stories about people I know but I held my nose the other day and met Josh Noel at a bar. He’s the former beer and spirits writer for this newspaper. I held my nose because he wrote a smart new book about Malört, a subject that requires a little nose holding. Regardless of your history with this Chicago-bred atrocity, ...Read more
Sometimes, you just have to speak sharply to your refrigerator
I swear this was an actual conversation:
My wife: The refrigerator is a bad refrigerator. We hate it. We’re going to replace it.
Me: No, the refrigerator is a good refrigerator. We love it because it’s so wonderful and we want to keep it forever.
The conversation was, naturally, held within earshot of the refrigerator. That’s why we ...Read more
Enchanting Elysium Eggplant Parmesan
Step into the enchanting fields of Elysium with this delightful Eggplant Parmesan. A heartwarming and belly-filling dish that brings together the earthy goodness of eggplant with the soul-satisfying richness of cheese, as enchanting and captivating as the Elysian fields.
Ingredients 2 medium eggplants, sliced 1 jar of marinara ...Read more
Captivating Camembert Fig Toasts
Immerse yourself in the delight of French cheese and Mediterranean fruit with these toasts. Captivating Camembert Fig Toasts are a quick yet delectable treat.
Ingredients French bread Camembert cheese FigsInstructions Toast the French bread slices.
Spread Camembert cheese on each slice.
Top with sliced ...Read more
Speedy Spaghetti Aglio e Olio
This quick and delightful pasta dish is as simple as it is satisfying. A true Italian classic that’s perfect for a quick, weekday meal.
Ingredients: 200g spaghetti 4 cloves garlic 1/2 cup olive oil 1 tsp red pepper flakes Salt to taste 1/4 cup chopped parsleyInstructions: Cook the spaghetti as per the package ...Read more
Divine Dutch Baby Pancake
This puffy, golden wonder known as the Dutch Baby Pancake is more than just a meal, it's a delightful spectacle.
Ingredients Eggs Flour MilkInstructions Blend eggs, flour, and milk, then pour into a hot, buttered skillet.
Bake until the pancake is puffed and golden.
The Divine Dutch Baby Pancake is like a ...Read more
It's been 60 years since LBJ made food stamps permanent to end hunger, but food insecurity is still high
PHILADELPHIA — J. Jhondi Harrell, the founder and executive director of the Center for Returning Citizens (TCRC), remembers life before food stamps.
When he was 12, his father, a long-distance truck driver, had a heart attack. That was in 1967, and the family's economic well-being plummeted as his mother became the sole provider. To help make...Read more
Dawn's Embrace Avocado Toast
Wake up to the tender caress of the morning sun with Dawn's Embrace Avocado Toast. Creamy avocado spread on a slice of crispy toast is as revitalizing and energizing as the first light of dawn.
Ingredients 1 ripe avocado 2 slices of whole grain bread Salt and pepper to taste Lemon juice to taste A sprinkle of red pepper ...Read more
Take this season’s tomato salads to the next level
In caprese salad, mozzarella and basil enhance tomato slices with freshness and dairy richness. We wanted to borrow that formula but shake up a few of the traditional components.
Heirloom tomato slices, packed with ample, flavorful juice, were large enough to cut into thick slabs and shingle with salty pan-seared slices of halloumi. A simple ...Read more
Lunchtime Luminosity Quiche Lorraine
Bring a ray of light to your day with Lunchtime Luminosity Quiche Lorraine. The fluffy egg filling with savory bacon and cheese is as delightful and satisfying as a radiant lunchtime sun.
Ingredients 1 pre-made pie crust 4 eggs 1/2 cup milk 1/2 cup cooked bacon, chopped 1/2 cup shredded cheeseInstructions Preheat your ...Read more
Sundown Splendor Stuffed Bell Peppers
Relish the deep hues of sundown with Sundown Splendor Stuffed Bell Peppers. The combination of savory meat and rice stuffed into colorful bell peppers is as delightful and striking as a beautiful sundown.
Ingredients 4 bell peppers 1/2 pound ground meat (beef, turkey, or chicken) 1 cup cooked rice 1/4 cup grated cheddar ...Read more
Dairy Queen embraces fall with BOGO Blizzard deal and seasonal menu
Let’s face it — saying goodbye to summer can be tough. But Dairy Queen is here to soften the blow with a fall treat that might just have you cheering for cooler weather.
For two weeks (from Sept. 9-22) the dairy chain is offering a two-for-one Blizzard deal. To take advantage of this delicious offer, download the DQ Mobile App and head to ...Read more
Pop quiz: Students can ace any kitchen test with '3 Ingredient College Cookbook'
PITTSBURGH -- Cooking every day is not easy. It’s even harder when you have to juggle school, work, extracurriculars or a full-time job with it.
While I would love to spend three hours each day experimenting with elaborate dishes, being in college or doing a full-time summer internship means that I’m always looking for quick recipes for ...Read more