Kitchen & Dining

I’ve got some news for you folks. You may not want to hear it, but it’s inevitable. Yes, it’s true; summer is coming to an end. Sigh. Fall is right around the corner, and with it will come even shorter days, cooler nights, and a whole lot of wet stuff falling from the sky. But it’s not all bad news, because fall is synonymous with many awesome things, including delicious comfort food. So rather than mourn the end of another summer season, let’s embrace the fact that the season of warm, gluttonous, nap-inducing food is upon us. Food like homemade, hot, cheesy, toasty, oven baked pizza.

What makes up a well-stocked kitchen? I’d have to say it depends the person cooking in it. Although we all have our favourite must-use kitchen gadgets, some people like to use kitchen tools every day that other people may never have heard of. But out of the plethora of cool kitchen gadgets available, there are a few gadgets I think we can all universally agree are absolutely essential to a happy, well-run kitchen.

Before the Aquasana Powered Water Filtration System, I had tried a few pitcher water filters. They tend to be on the slow side when they work, and because my well water is yellow and smelly, I don’t think they’d be powerful enough to clean this water. With Aquasana, I had fresh, clean water in seconds, and it really does taste great.

I’m a big fan of herbs, especially basil. I grew up in a Persian household and herbs were always served with dinner. Wrapping feta cheese and fresh mint, dill, parsley or basil in warm Persian bread is especially delicious. I could live off that meal and never get tired of it. But I could never figure out how to get my herbs to last for a long time. I turned to Pinterest for a solution, and discovered the Prepara Herb Savor. I then noticed that Best Buy carried it, and asked them to send me a sample of this kitchen gadget to review.      

Looking for a super simple "dump and go" recipe to feed your hungry family? Here's one for flank steak tacos that I make all the time in my Instant Pot

I’ve been experimenting with brain food lately, and found a recipe that takes all of those nutrients and combines them into one delicious energy bar. Although they’re chock full of healthy ingredients, they taste almost like a chocolate bar. The local coffee shop sells them and calls them ‘Brain Bites,’ but I just call them delicious.   I whipped up a batch of these little gems today – check out the recipe and my photos for the steps to make them.

 Mother’s Day is almost upon us, and it’s time to start thinking about what you’re going to get for the special moms in your life. Today I’m sharing some great gift ideas for the women in your life who love to entertain.

Want to make better cocktails at home? Learn how to use a cocktail shaker properly, and shake like a pro with this easy guide.

With food costs continuing to rise, cooking at home will save you on your monthly food expenses and help you stretch your groceries.

Come learn the difference between stainless steel and cast iron, or between a chef's knife and a santoku, in this guid