ArcaMax

French toast is a breakfast classic— serve it with a platter of crispy bacon ...Read more

Christmas, Hanukkah and Kwanzaa are fast approaching, which means a whole lot of home cooks are going to be wrist deep in flour, sugar and butter to craft their favorites cakes, cookies, muffins, yeasted breads and pastries for the holidays.

Since most grocery stores have a dizzying number of flours to choose from, you might be wondering: Which...Read more

P Is for Party

I was reading a design magazine recently and saw a party planning feature. The woman was talking about how you don’t need to know how to cook (even a lick), but you can still have a cocktail party.

She said all you need are the 3 Ps.

Parmesan, potato chips and prosecco.

That’s it.

Her idea was that you go out and ...Read more

Starbucks Egg Bites are all the rage right now. And why not? Eggs, whipped with your choice of flavors (sausage, bacon, gruyere, spinach) and baked in a muffin pan are healthy and delicious.

The are also expensive and require a trip to a Starbucks.

Jimmy Dean has created something similar in these frittatas. We tried the ham, broccoli and ...Read more

PITTSBURGH — Most people have pretty strong opinions on the foods they love, and are just as vocal about the ones they hate.

My husband, for instance, cannot stand black licorice while I would never eat an anchovy. (At least we agree on cilantro and blue cheese.)

When it comes to the most polarizing foods, one that heads the list is the ...Read more

Generally speaking, I'm a chunky chicken soup kind of person.

I like the hearty, stick-to-the-ribs quality of a good rough-hewn soup, and the contrast of textures and flavors of the broth and hunks of vegetable or meat or pasta. This extends to ramen or Korean hot pots, where the non-liquid elements outweigh the broth (though the broth is of ...Read more

To say that entertaining can be stressful isn’t breaking news. There are so many decisions to make, starting long before the day of the event. At first, you’ll probably have a lot more questions than answers.

Those questions usually begin with the obvious: What’s the occasion? Who gets an invite? When and where will it happen? Will it be ...Read more

Beets are divisive. To some, their earthy depth and sly sweetness are irresistible; to others, the root vegetable tastes like dirt.

"The beet is the most intense of vegetables," Tom Robbins writes in "Jitterbug Perfume."

"The radish, admittedly, is more feverish, but the fire of the radish is a cold fire, the fire of discontent, not of passion...Read more

Here’s a way to keep boneless, skinless chicken breasts moist. I saute the chicken and then cover the skillet and finish the cooking in the oven. So the chicken has a nice crust and the steam from the skillet keeps the inside moist. The sweet chili sauce with walnuts adds texture and a sweet tang.

I wanted to make barley for a side dish and ...Read more

Braising lamb shanks turns this richly flavored but tough cut of meat meltingly tender. However, the high fat content of lamb all too often leads to a greasy sauce. We avoid this pitfall by trimming the shanks well and then browning them before adding liquid to get a head start on rendering their fat. We also de-fat the braising liquid after the...Read more

When I was little, I attended a Catholic grade school. I learned about St. Nicholas Day from the nuns. I brought my new-found knowledge home to my mom and she went right along with it.

I was really into gifts (still am), so when the nuns told me you were supposed to put your shoes by the front door and gifts would appear the next morning, I was...Read more

The holidays loom large. Parties, gift-shopping, school programs, recitals, family gatherings — there’s really no time to cook.

But there is! Here are three quick and easy recipes you can hustle to the table in 30 minutes or less. Relax, take a deep breath and know that dinner is served.

Crispy–Garlicky Sheet Pan Grilled Cheese

Serves 4...Read more

I find these busy winter days call for a thick, comforting soup. This Black Bean Soup is the answer. It’s a vegetarian meal that’s easy and quick to make.

The soup has its roots in Latin America and the Caribbean, where it is made with dried black beans. I’ve shortened the time by using canned black beans while the addition of spices ...Read more