One benefit of being a food editor is that I get the opportunity to try out recipes from the latest cookbooks, often before they have even made it onto store shelves. It keeps me on my toes with what's trending, and over the years it has had the fringe benefit of greatly expanding my culinary skills.

But these days, I'm also tempted on a daily ...Read more

I was floating down the currents of the Internet, which is rarely a good idea, when I encountered a food question that shook me to my core.

This was the question: "My partner made spaghetti, but didn't rinse the pasta. I couldn't eat it or serve it. Isn't rinsing pasta a must?"

The question made my blood boil, and then it made my blood run ...Read more

CHICAGO — “Dine well, do good.”

It’s a simple quote plastered in big, bold letters above Inspiration Kitchens’ service window in Chicago's East Garfield Park neighborhood. But it’s a value that extends beyond the front-of-house and out into the world, where students hope to land a job in the culinary industry after they’ve ...Read more

Busy week coming up? Cook up these easy poached chicken breasts infused with the flavors of the ubiquitous Vietnamese sauce nuoc cham in your slow cooker on Sunday. Then enjoy the leftover chicken three different ways over the days to come — ladled with the broth over rice noodles, layered with vegetables on a sandwich and mixed with mayo to ...Read more

Q: How long can I safely freeze certain foods?

A: Freezing food is a smart way to cut waste and save time, but even frozen food has limits on quality. While frozen items kept at 0 F (-18 C) remain safe indefinitely, their taste and texture can suffer over time.

Meats like beef steaks or whole chicken maintain best quality for up to 12 months. ...Read more

Years ago, I was traveling to Vienna on a freezing day and stopped into a restaurant on the outskirts of town. I ordered the goulash and was astounded with its flavor profile and cozy comfort as the wind was howling outdoors. What made it unusual to my American palate was the combination of bittersweet caraway seeds, sweet Hungarian paprika and ...Read more

After a recent move, we realize it’s time to lighten the load. The excess books, knickknacks and record albums need to go, but so do the pounds. As a trained chef and recipe developer, I cook and eat all the right foods. The trouble is, I eat too much. A new year offers the opportunity to make a few adjustments.

Cutting the fat, for example. ...Read more

I’ll be honest: I don’t often get creative with my salads. If you come over for a weeknight dinner, I’ll likely be serving a big bowl of greens tossed with a ...Read more

If I had to choose just one dessert to eat for the rest of time, I’d pick brownies. They are rich, chewy (or cakey, if that’s your preference), and ...Read more

When did buying a stove become like buying a car?

After replacing our refrigerator, wall oven, dishwasher, furnace, hot water heater and air conditioning unit, it was time to get a new stove. We’ve been in the house for 12 years and there was nothing else left to replace.

Besides, we needed it. One burner on the old stove worked fine, as ...Read more

WASHINGTON — Lawmakers in 2024 let lapse the authority for states to reimburse food stamp recipients who lost their benefits to fraud. Several lawmakers want to reverse course.

In the two years the Agriculture Department had the reimbursement authority, it identified 1.9 million fraudulent transactions using stolen Supplemental Nutrition ...Read more

An eggs Benedict casserole is not only delicious, hearty and filling, but it also gives you the ingredients and taste you love from eggs Benedict in an easy, make-ahead form. For the best results, make the sauce while your casserole bakes. Serve the final dish with some fresh fruit.

Eggs Benedict Casserole

Serves 12

Active Time: 20 minutes

...Read more

Brownies are the classic all-American dessert — a sweet that crosses all generations, from young to old. Brownies might have a cake- or fudge-like texture, depending upon the amount of flour and fat called for in the recipe. They can be cut into big squares or rectangles and are often dusted with powdered sugar.

I am partial to a fudgy ...Read more

Q: What’s the difference between expiration dates and “best by” or “sell by” dates?

A: The terms expiration date, “best by,” and “sell by” are often confused, but they do have different meanings and purposes.

Expiration: This is the last date the manufacturer recommends using the product for safety reasons.

...Read more

A whiskey sour is yours for the making year-round. It’s refreshing enough to keep up with a spritz during the warm summer months, and so appropriate during the colder seasons of the year. Even if you’re not a whiskey fan (which breaks my heart), you might still find yourself swooning over a well-crafted whiskey sour. It’s that good! The ...Read more

Traditional lasagna is a once-a-year project for me. I love it deeply, but it’s rare that I can carve out time for it. When it does happen, it’s in the dead of winter when I have absolutely nothing else to do but spend the entire day in the kitchen.

...Read more

Nonfat plain yogurt and a few berries start most mornings at home. Travel provides the perfect excuse to hit the breakfast buffet. So does eating breakfast at a local restaurant with friends. There, we indulge in all kinds of goodies.

Similarly, holiday house guests offer an occasion to pull out all the stops for breakfast. This season, we will...Read more

In my head, I knew exactly how the office chili potluck would go.

At the end of the meal, an ad hoc committee of my colleagues would approach me and say, "Gosh, Mr. Newman, this is the best chili we have ever had. And although we had not previously been planning to hand out a prize at this admittedly informal gathering, we have decided to award...Read more

CHICAGO -- With the holiday season coming to a close shortly, a gift guide to cooking treats and meals by some Chicago-based chefs might offer ideas for last-minute gifts.

Here’s a selection of five cookbooks that came out this year that could spark some inspiration in the kitchen.

“The Hoosier Mama Book of Breakfast Bakes: Biscuits, ...Read more