How To Make Pumpkin Pie Spice — Cooking Lessons from The Kitchn

As the leaves start to change color and cheery pumpkins show up on doorsteps, summer seems like a distant memory and we’re smack-dab in the middle of fall. And while pumpkin spice-flavored treats make their appearance just about, well, everywhere, do you even know what it contains? Here’s what it is and why you should make it at home. (Hint: It’s as easy as it gets!)

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Recipe: Indian Chili Chicken — Recipes from The Kitchn

Indian food, particularly regional cuisine, is heavily influenced by its various rulers and foreign inspirations — one of the most enduring influences is our neighbor to the north: China. While at first glance, Indian and Chinese food appear to have almost nothing in common, but you will find an array of Chinese dishes that have been “Indian-ized” in the South, especially with the use of soy sauce, coconut milk, and spices, like five spice and star anise.

Take this recipe for chili chicken. This is a classic example of South Indian Chinese cooking, with a soy sauce marinade adding the “Chinese” element, and bursts of hot green chilies and tangy vinegar making it uniquely South Indian.

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How To Cook Lentils on the Stove — Cooking Lessons from The Kitchn

Dried lentils are a year-round staple in my pantry, essential for rounding out salads during hot weather and hearty soups in the winter months. Regardless of the season, their quick-cooking, no-soak-required nature makes them ideal for healthy weeknight meals. Worried about mushy lentils? I have a trick for that, too.

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12 Non-Alcoholic Drinks to Sip All Fall — Recipes from The Kitchn

Seltzer, soda, and iced tea are refreshing, but let’s be honest — they get a little boring after a while. Sometimes you just want something a little more fun to sip on.

Whether you want a special beverage to liven up your weekend brunch, something to sip on in the afternoon, or the perfect drink to pair with dinner, these 12 drinks skip the booze, and offer something for everyone.

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Baby Bok Choy with Yellow Bell Peppers

There are certain routines in our family for which I am unendingly grateful. One is that at the dinner table there is always a green vegetable of some sort. I may not have loved some veggies as a child, but as an adult, I crave them. If not for the fact that the other members of my family love their greens too, I could easily eat an entire serving bowl of pretty much any of the veggies that regularly grace our table.

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5 Suppers for Two with Supermarket Shortcuts — Meal Plans from The Kitchn

Cooking for two has its pleasures and its difficulties. One of the great things about my and my husband’s current situation is that we tend to eat whatever we want, whenever we want, wherever we want. I can try out new recipes on a whim, using flavors and ingredients from around the world, and though I may get the occasional raised brow from my husband, the freedom is exhilarating. Every day is different.

But we still have our own challenges, even after all these years. You know, the dreaded “What’s for dinner?” text, when the last thing I actually want to think about is what’s for dinner. That’s when I fall back on meals like these: ones that are guaranteed to be satisfying and let me accept a little help from the supermarket.

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