A great idea...not only do these plastic squeeze bottles help in standardizing your recipes, but they're also a great way to save money on ingredients and keep the kitchen neat. You can buy the huge containers of good quality olive oil, vegetable oil and ketchup at really reasonable prices at the big box stores and…

You can make good homemade pizza without a stone, but I don't think you can't make great homemade pizza without one. A pizza stone has a greater thermal mass then either a glass or metal pan and therefore holds and distributes heat better. It's also porous, so it absorbs moisture from the dough as it cooks, all of…

This little device, the Aerolatte, is a really cool (and inexpensive) tool for frothing milk. Just pour a little cold milk in a cup (I add a little sugar to it at this point), dip the Aerolatte in and let it do it's thing for about 10 seconds. Then stick in the microwave and heat the froth for about 15 seconds until…

If you like a thin, crispy, incredibly tasty, almost-could-be-considered healthy pizza crust, this recipe for Sourdough Whole Wheat Pizza Crust is for you...it's easy and basically foolproof...it always seems to come out perfect. In the post, I also have the address to get a great sourdough starter for FREE! Give this…

Although this fast version is really great in a pinch, I believe this Sourdough Whole Wheat Pumpkin Seed No-Knead Bread has a much better flavor because of the longer proofing, and it's just as easy to make. And, you can add any type of seeds, herbs or nuts that you like (right now, I'm loving a mixture of pumpkin and…

When making a fried egg, if you like the top of the egg to be a little firmer, when the bottom of the egg is done to your liking, just add about a teaspoon of water to the pan and cover immediately and the steam will quickly firm up the top surface of the egg. This is also a great technique if you aren't very good at…

I also find that wet brining pork and chicken not only adds great flavor, but it gives you a little wiggle room when it comes to cooking time. Since it adds moisture to the food, even if you accidentally overcook slightly, the meat won't dry out and will still be tender and moist.

You can use the "leg trick" if you find that you're a little over when you get to the airport. Put your bag on the scale when the airline check-in person isn't looking and, if you find that bag is too heavy, just lean in and press your leg against the edge of the scale and "lift" your heel a little and hold it there…

This works great, but another great use for slightly stale, leftover bread is homemade croutons. Just cut the bread into cubes, toss with olive oil (for added flavor, infuse the olive oil with garlic), sprinkle with Parmesan and/or any other herbs or seasonings you like (oregano, onion powder, parsley, garlic, thyme,…

Once you get it popped (and don't forget to leave the lid on the pot slightly ajar so the steam escapes...you don't want the trapped moisture to de-crispify the popcorn!) try making it into Addictive Caramel Corn with Peanuts...you won't regret it...it's really the best way to eat popcorn.

Very interesting article...definitely going to give it a try, but this recipe, which I believe was originally from from Cook's Illustrated, adds a little brown sugar to the pan and starts the cooking on high heat. It's a great technique...these onions are great on everything! Try them on burgers, pizza, sandwiches and…

Great article...really a must read for anyone interested in baking. As for candy making, the temperature of the sugar syrup is also crucial to the outcome of most recipes, because as water boils away, the sugar concentration increases and and therefore, so does the temperature. For example, I found that when making In…

@GetOutOfBox: f you make a homemade dough (scroll up the comments to see a picture and the recipe I suggested) and freeze the dough you don't use immediately in portions and also wrap well and freeze the leftover mozzarella and sauce, you can whip up another pizza in just minutes next time you want one with…

@ohmygodtheykilledkennyrogers:

@Groo8: The fact that it cost less when you make it from scratch is just an added bonus...the real advantage is in the quality and flavor. It's actually quick and easy to make and one batch makes three pizzas (you can freeze the dough and use it whenever the urge for pizza strikes you). Try it once...I think you will…

@Groo8: The fact that it cost less when you make it from scratch is just an added bonus...the real advantage is in the quality and flavor. It's actually quick and easy to make and one batch makes three pizzas (you can freeze the dough and use it whenever the urge for pizza strikes you). Try it once...I think you will…

Why settle for a bland dinner roll crust when it is so easy (and even cheaper) to make your own delicious homemade Sourdough Whole Wheat Pizza Crust?

@MrTreehorn: Just check the link below for a great sourdough pizza crust recipe.

There really is nothing better than homemade pizza and this Sourdough Whole Wheat Pizza Crust is not only easy to make, but also incredibly delicious. The best part is that the recipe makes three crusts at a time, so you can freeze them and just pop them in the oven whenever you get the craving. There is also a link…

If you're only going to make a few slices of bacon, the best way to do it is with a cast iron bacon press [www.cookhacker.com] It cooks the bacon evenly, keeps it from curling as it cooks and also cuts down on the splattering. If you use it with a splatter screen, there is almost no mess at all, and you get perfect,…