Storing garlic, shallots, and onions is one little problem in our kitchen. Like this reader, we’ve been looking for a way to store them that doesn’t leave papery garlic skins all over the counter. Here’s one clever way to store garlic, from Martha Stewart.
Q: One of my kind co-workers is expecting her first child next month. To help out, I would like to make some one-dish meals and stock their freezer. My question is, what freezes/reheats well?
I’m having trouble finding recipes that include freezing and reheating instructions, and I’m not sure what to do to freeze food properly in the first place (do I use foil, Saran wrap, plastic containers?).
Sent by Breanne
Welcome to January’s open discussion thread at The Kitchn. This month we’re focusing on getting refreshed and lightened up — whatever that means to you! Winter salads, nourishing soups, comforting braises, and maybe a few kitchen projects too — how can we help you find refreshment in the kitchen?
Q: We recently received some daikon radishes in our winter CSA box. We live in an area in which Asian ingredients are hard to come by and I don’t especially like them raw on salads, etc.
Do you have any other suggestions? I hate to let local, organic produce to go waste.
Sent by Katie
When was the last time you baked fresh yeasted bread at home? I have not been baking bread very frequently, and I miss it! That irresistible fragrance of crusty bread in the oven, and the hot, steaming slices with pats of butter — so delicious! I fully intend to bake a loaf of bread this week, so to inspire you and myself, here’s a look back at some yeast breads we’ve featured on The Kitchn — starting, of course, with that delicious and convenient No-Knead Bread!
Last week Jessica asked for good ways to store utensils off the countertop, and we suggested hanging them on the wall. Well, here courtesy of IKEA Hacker, winner of the Home Tech category in this year’s Homies Awards, is a way to take your utensil wall display to a whole new level!
Brilliant! Homemade bouillon paste; what a good idea! This plus great wallpaper for the kitchen and rather springlike measuring spoons in today’s Delicious Links.
Small kitchens have to make good use of every scrap of space, and the side of the refrigerator is often wide open and begging to be used. What about taking down the magnets and pizza menus and putting up one of these side shelves instead?
Q: I have been invited to a themed party to which all the guests have to bring a ball-shaped food item. People go all out for this party. There are even prizes!
However, beyond the rice ball and the meatball, I am short on ball-shaped foods. Any advice?
Sent by Alison
Kitchen cabinets. We’re in the camp that says paint (especially if they’re made of dark, unattractive wood). Painting instantly brightens up the cooking space — not to mention it’s a fairly easy DIY. The hard part is deciding what color to paint them.
• Read the full post at Apartment Therapy
These hand-crafted ceramic sculptures (and food-safe serving pieces) have an amazing earthy quality without being too rustic for our taste. The color palette coupled with the tiered sizes make them something we would love to have on our table!
• Read the full post at Apartment Therapy
Today is a holiday and the third day of a long weekend. It is Martin Luther King, Jr., Day, and we hope that you are enjoying your day off, but also finding a way to be of service. Whether it’s through participating in a bake sale for Haiti or simply cooking someone a meal, today is a day we remember and celebrate Dr. King’s legacy through service to others.
It was all golden lemons this week in our most popular posts! Lemon pull-apart bread (looks heavenly), sticky lemon chicken, chicken with lemon and garlic… Plus meaty short ribs, roasted vegetables, the true scoop on concrete countertops, fried rice balls, and much more. Read on for the top ten posts of the past week.
15. Sticky Lemon Chicken and Rolling Trash Bins
14. Root Vegetable Storage: Vegetable Store Box
13. Cheap and Meaty: How To Make Oven-Braised Short Ribs
12. How Can I Store Leftover Wine (and How Long?)
11. Ninja Magnets and Cinnamon Bun Bread
We’re always curious about the decorative things people choose to display in their kitchens. What do they like to have about them as they cook? Some kitchens, too, have picture rails or shelves just begging for a collection to be displayed. Here are five favorite kitchen collections from real homes.
Q: The couple across the street from me snow-plowed my driveway while I was at work, without asking. They did this last year, too — my husband and I offered to buy gas to offset the work, but we were waved away with a smile, told the “toy” didn’t get much use and they were glad to do it.
This time around, I would like to at least give them a little something, but I’m at a loss as to what to do.
Moleskine notebooks have a cult following (and extremely good brand PR!). Those little black notebooks are used for many things, and they have even been cleverly adapted by some cooks into recipe organizers (see this neat one from Delicious Days). Well, now Moleskine is responding to those who would like a little more from their black notebooks. They’ve issued several new editions, two of them pointed directly at cooks and wine-lovers.
What’s cooking this long holiday weekend? Do you have plans for your kitchen? Here’s a look back at a few recipes from the past week, from roasted vegetables to lemon garlic chicken. We also have some thoughts on weekend activities and reading, with ideas for fundraising for Haiti, and fun ways to incorporate snow into your cooking.
We do quite a bit of our shopping at Trader Joe’s. It’s nearby, relatively inexpensive, and well-stocked with many of the fun foods we enjoy (hello prosciutto!). We buy most of our grains and produce items at a local co-op or the farmers market, and a lot of our other food comes from TJ’s. We’ve always been annoyed, though, at the baking section.
The sun is finally shining again in our corner of the world, but there’s still a thick blanket of snow on the ground. So we turned to one of our favorite books, Little House in the Big Woods, and made a snow treat we’ve been wanting to try for years.
Q: Our son is having his 2nd birthday party, this Sunday, at an outdoor park. At 10 AM. What was I thinking?
I need a few nibbles that are park-friendly, toddler-friendly, and brunch-ish. HELP!
Sent by Alison