A Konkan-Inspired Masala Konkan is a strip of land on the Western coast of India encompassing parts of Goa, Karnataka, and Maharashtra. In developing this recipe, I consulted a Konkani family friend, Sandhya Nadkarni, who offers Indian cooking classes and runs the blog Indfused. Sandhya explained that while Konkani recipes are generally diverse in flavors and textures, some fundamental commonalities do exist. Because of its tropical climate, Konkani people (those native to the Konkan region) often cook with coconut, chilies, and tamarind....

I’ve been making this curry for 5 years! It’s one I go back to time and time again because: Five years ago when I first published this recipe I wrote: ‘The kids have gone back to school today. Six weeks of not-enough-sunshine has come to an end, and they marched off to class looking so smart and excited!I’m now trying to get back to my usual work routine, but it seems so strange writing this with no Phineas and Ferb on in the background....

How to make big mac sauce Spoiler alert – the McDonald’s special sauce isn’t really all that secret or special. It’s not a complicated recipe, so it’s easy to make a healthy homemade version with common ingredients from your pantry. Here’s all you need: Avocado oil mayo (Brands like Primal Kitchen, Chosen Foods or Sir Kensington’s are healthy no-sugar options)VinegarTomato pasteGarlic + onion powderDiced dill pickle The step-by-step instructions are about as easy as it gets:...

Claire is my mother’s friend, a lovely woman in her 80s, recently widowed, who brought my mom these fabulous cookies for a book club gathering. I couldn’t figure out what was in them that made them taste so good. I recognized some chocolate and a few nuts, but what was the rest? For the Best Toffee Cookies, Use Heath Bars Praise be to mom who delivered Claire’s recipe a few days later....

This isn’t some cheater dough that takes 40 minutes. This is a real brioche. Make it with love and respect. It deserves it! Note: I made mine into mini burgers which are all the rage. Sliders are SOOOO 2012. Mini burgers are bigger, but not quite the huge burgers you get for fast food. You can make yours whatever size you like, even if you make “retro” sliders. The buns in the photo are a knotted bun....

It’s very easy to make, and it tastes amazing thanks to the coconut oil, although you can opt for cocoa butter to make it less melty. Making your own chocolate is easy. And when you make it at home, you know exactly what goes into it and you can also add tasty additions such as your favorite chopped nuts. It’s also a fun recipe to make! My kids LOVE helping me make it, and I’m happy to enlist their help....

Well, of course, buying hamburger buns isn’t labor intensive so go ahead and use them for your random neighborhood barbecue, but make THESE to treat your family or friends to a totally different experience when you have more personal gatherings this summer. In fact, even for the novice baker these are easy enough to make. A stand mixer with a dough hook does all the heavy lifting. If you don’t have a stand mixer yet, here is a guide to help you choose the best mixer for all of your baking needs....

This chicken wings recipe is a great one to put on your table on a Friday night or when you are hosting a party or a small get together. Serve with this homemade oven chips. Honey sriracha wings Now is the perfect time to start sharing my summer go-to chicken wings recipes with you. I see you are loving the salt and pepper chicken and garlic chicken thigh recipe I shared recently....

Is Easter egg dye edible? Knowing if your Easter egg dye is edible can be very important especially if you are going to be eating your eggs. While natural dyes are edible, not all store bought Easter eggs dyes are. If you are using store bought dyes, make sure you closely read the labels to see if they are edible because every dye will be different. Making your own dye using food coloring is always a safe bet....

When you have more zucchini than you know what to do with it, freeze the excess. Here’s what to know. Can I Freeze Uncooked Zucchini or Do I Need to Blanch It? It’s always best to blanch vegetables before you freeze them. This may feel like an inconvenient step adding more work to your plate, but quality is greatly improved when you blanch first. Blanching destroys enzymes that can break down vegetables, make them mushy, and make them taste unappealing once you get around to using them....

Of course, it remains to be seen if little kids (like mine) will actually eat a burrito. If they don’t, then they might have to find a different house to live in. (Kidding, kidding!) So, go on and cancel that Chipotle delivery, and let’s learn how to make the best burrito filling, wrap those burritos tightly, freeze them well, and reheat them into delicious meals! What Makes a Good Freezer Burrito?...

There’s a solution! If you have white sugar around and a food processor or blender, you can make your own powdered sugar. What Is Powdered Sugar? Also known as confectioner’s sugar and 10x sugar, powdered sugar is white cane sugar that’s been pulverized to a fine powder. A little cornstarch is added to help keep it from clumping up. Powdered sugar dissolves easily, so some recipes call for it in drinks or for sweetening whipped cream....

Avocados are a climacteric fruit like bananas, meaning they finish ripening after they’ve been picked. That’s why you’ll often find them rock-hard at the grocery store and they tend to take a number of days to soften up. Getting the timing right so that you have ripe avocado ready to go on your timeline can be tricky. We’ll explore how to tell when an avocado has reached its peak and different methods for speeding up the ripening time....

Should I rinse raw chicken before roasting? The CDC cautions home cooks to not rinse their chicken. We know, it’s something our grandparents used to do. However, food health and safety has data showing we are increasing the risk of cross-contamination of food-born pathogens when we rinse raw chicken. The USDA tells us that those pathogens are killed during the cooking process, so we do not need to worry. We strongly encourage you to follow CDC and USDA guidelines to prevent illness....

Then, several years later, I heard the term “honing” for the first time and realized I had missed an entire portion of knife maintenance! Honing and sharpening are two completely different but critical components required to keep your knives in tip-top shape. Interested in learning more? Here’s what you need to know about honing and sharpening. What is the Difference Between Honing and Sharpening? A newly purchased knife is razor-sharp and swiftly cuts through any produce in sight, from cucumbers to squash to tomatoes....

Sheet pan meals are a lifesaver Sometimes you don’t feel like cooking, but also don’t feel like having leftovers or pulling something out of the freezer. So instead of ordering takeout, we usually opt for an easy sheet pan meal like this one. The prep is minimal, the clean up is easy and you feel good about putting a healthy home cooked meal on the table for your family. Some additional serving options Believe me, you can scoop these Italian sausage and peppers right out of the sheet pan and into a bowl and eat them as is....

Don’t forget to scroll down for links to more amazing popcorn recipes in celebration of National Popcorn Day! I’ve teamed up with an amazing group of bloggers to bring you 29 of our favorite popcorn recipes. Δ Δ

This pizza has all the creaminess of a white-style pizza without it feeling heavy. The potatoes are soft and slightly crisped on the edges. The jalapenos add a wonderful flavor and spice. Δ Δ

Despite containing no molasses or brown sugar, it tastes just like the real thing, and the leftovers are excellent too. My Dutch grandma used to bake an amazing Ontbijtkoek - a Dutch breakfast cake, heavily spiced with cloves, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg. This delightful keto gingerbread reminds me of grandma’s wonderful cake. It’s fluffy, moist, and very flavorful. When I embarked on making a low-carb version, I had my suspicions....