I love this stuff but it's sometimes hard to find in my stores. I first learned about it from an episode of Everyday Italian on the Food Network. I also found wasabi in a tube recently but haven'...

I have an easy method that's not as decadent as the recipe above but it's quick and I think it's pretty tasty. One packet of hot cocoa mix, use hot coffee instead of water as your liquid, add some...

You can also find some really great pieces (bottle opener, picture frame, clock, etc.) made from bike parts at Resource Revival (www.resourcerevival.com). They're based in Oregon and prices are a ...

I'm lucky enough to have family that lives near the Queen Creek Olive Mill and was able to visit there about a year ago. Fascinating place! I highly recommend a visit if you're in the area (not t...

I also have two ladles but since I discovered this Rosle ladle with an offset handle (http://www.chefsresource.com/rosle-ladle-pouring-hook.html), it's the ONLY one I use. Even if it's dirty, I'll...

One of my absolute favorites for ginger is the Cranberry Sauce with Pears and Fresh Ginger from Cook's Illustrated. I don't even need a holiday or special occasion to make it; I eat it by itself, ...

I can always tell when winter is coming because my hands start getting excessively dry seemingly overnight. A lotion I've had decent luck with is Restoration Hardware No-Crack Super Hand Cream. I...

I was happy to see that baking soda lasts forever since I have a box of an undetermined age in my pantry that gets used occasionally. The only sort of surprise was about the potatoes not actually ...

I'm in the basil camp. I usually plant a minimum of 4 sweet/Genovese plants every year, and then try a new variety. Previous varieties have been Thai basil, one with a red leaf that I don't know ...

Cold 7-Up or Sierra Mist (but not Sprite!); Campbell's Chicken Noodle Soup; saltine crackers; toast with a little butter. Pretty plain and boring and I never eat canned chicken noodle soup otherwise.

I'm so addicted to this stuff it's not even funny. At $21 a bottle, though, I have to try to make it last as long as possible. My husband came up with a great drink--regular Fresca mixed with Pam...

I like it but I'm not sure I have the patience to cut out the squares and then get them lined up just right in the muffin cups. Good idea for a last-minute option, though.

I was born and raised in western North Carolina; my grandmother was born in south Georgia but moved to North Carolina when she married my grandfather. One of my favorite things about going to her ...

Try mixing Pama Pomegranate Liquor with Fresca soda; delightful! I've also decided recently that Limoncello will be a staple from now on. There's a cranberry liqueur that I'm dying to try but no o...

This would be a great thing to make at work, when there is usually no stovetop available. You can use a plastic food storage container and it will stay cooler than a regular ceramic or porcelain b...

We have two refrigerators (and two kitchens!) right now, since the house we bought used to be divided into two apartments and we haven't yet been able to finish renovations to convert it back to a ...

It sounds a little strange, but I love roasted, salted sunflower seeds on cottage cheese. I think I started doing it in college when the same old things in the cafeteria started to get boring.

I created a post called "Kitchen Essentials" on my blog not too long ago, based on various posts I'd seen like this around the internet. It's divided into Top Tier Ten and Second Tier Ten, but it'...

As I seem to recall, a very influential design couple had great success with plywood furniture in the 1950s. Why would it be a bad idea to keep that going? If I ever learn how to use all of my hu...

7, also missed in greens and blues. Had to look away from the screen a few times to keep my eyes in focus!