the smitten kitchen series on food network

spaghetti-carbonara-pie-for-fn

Have you ever wanted to go behind the scenes here at the Smitten Kitchen? Like, really behind the scenes, watching me cook, listening to me chatter about how the recipe came about and grimacing at my terrible knife skills? Phew, I was hoping you would say no because I’m excruciatingly awkward in person and also on camera and since we all agree, you can just come back in a day or two and we’ll proceed with a new recipe like we always do. Right?

Nope?

Well, if you’re still here, you might be the kind of person who likes today’s kind of crazy news which is that the Food Network has launched a Smitten Kitchen digital series and you can watch the first episode right here:

Here’s the direct link: http://www.foodnetwork.com/videos/spaghetti-carbonara-pie-0260654.html

In this first episode, I am making a wildly inauthentic and only somewhat apologetic spaghetti carbonara pie in the style of this pecorino and black pepper springform-bound one. This one uses crispy pancetta, is heavier on the yolks, just like real carbonara, and then broccoli rabe too, not at all like the real stuff. It’s crunchy and rich and salty and cheesy and because it has greens in it, basically a salad. We inhaled it.

You can make it too; on the recipe is on the Food Network website.*

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Beer Might Be Brewed on the Moon This Year — Here’s Why — Food News

The brewing conditions of beer impact taste, so it goes without saying that beer brewed on the moon will, quite literally, be out of this world. And while a batch of beer has yet to be made on the moon, things could change if a group of engineering students from UC San Diego have their way.

As part of a competition, students from UCSD’s Jacobs School of Engineering have created a unique contraption: a vessel that will brew beer on the moon. The idea is to see how yeast acts on the moon — a valuable addition to understanding how to develop yeast-containing foods outside of Earth — but a delicious byproduct will be a batch of beer.

Bottoms up?

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The 10 Things I Always Buy from Trader Joe’s for Breakfast — Breakfast for Beginners

I’ll be the first to admit that the Trader Joe’s cereal aisle is top-notch, but it only scratches the surface of what my favorite grocer delivers in the breakfast department. Whether you like to start the day with a meal that’s sweet or savory, hot or cold, or you have the time to cook in the morning or your routine requires an on-the-go solution, you’ll find something in the aisles that’s just right for you. To help you find breakfast inspiration, here are the 10 breakfast foods I always add to my cart at Trader Joe’s.

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10 Times the Slow Cooker Made Whole30 Easier — Recipes from The Kitchn

For 30 days this month we’re exploring Whole30, the 30-day reset and refocus on whole foods. Whole30 isn’t a diet or a judgment of foods as “good and bad.” It’s actually a short-term reset that has helped many of our readers cook more and figure out the foods that make them feel their best. Read more about our coverage here.

The slow cooker is a powerful tool, particularly this blustery time of year when, after a long day at work, all you really want to come home to is a warm, wintery braise or stew. Both dishes are Whole30-approved, along with so many other things that can be made in the appliance, like salmon and even chicken stock.

Here are 10 of our best slow-cooker recipes that fit the Whole30 bill.

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10 Stories We Love About Women and Food — Weekend Reading

(Image credit: Courtesy of Hot Bread Kitchen)

Kitchn is a site that writes about food. And we write to everyone: We want to help every cook, novice or expert, male or female, young or old, whether your goal is to put dinner on the table for yourself and your family, to cook pasta (that isn’t crunchy or falling apart), or to learn how to make kombucha in your basement.

It is also true that many of our readers are women and it feels important today to acknowledge women in the best way we know how — by sharing our very favorite stories about women and food that ran this year, on our site or elsewhere.

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14 Ways to Bake with Yogurt — Recipes from The Kitchn

We love our yogurt in the morning with granola or fruit or both; we love to plop it into our smoothies or swirl it into hot cereal. But yogurt is also an excellent dairy to bake with. Because of its acidity, yogurt reacts with baking soda to encourage leavening and adds nice, tangy notes. Here’s how to incorporate this wonder ingredient into your baking routine.

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This 4-Year-Old Barista Who Loves Making Cappuccinos Will Warm Your Heart — So Cute

(Image credit: @bindlecoffee)

Flirting with the cute barista is nothing new, but have you ever wanted to pick up and tickle the guy making your cappuccino? Four-year-old Adler Webb is possibly the world’s youngest and most adorable barista making cappuccinos and other coffee drinks at home and at his family’s coffee shop, Bindle Coffee, in Fort Collins, Colorado.

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