There’s something festive, transfixing, and special about cooking around an open fire. It’s a ritual as old as humanity that transcends time and place, and immediately bridges everything I miss and love from my past with everything wonderful about my present. When we fire up our grill on our small stone patio in Brooklyn this summer, surrounded by high wooden fences and climbing ivy, I’m instantly transported back to my happy place: My perfectly spiced childhood in North Africa, the freedom and fun of that distant time, and the mouthwatering grilled food that so often fueled my days and nights.

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(Image credit: Melissa Ryan)

That thing that saves my weeknight dinners? I don’t call it a Crock-Pot^®, or even the more generic “crockpot,” which technically isn’t a word, at least not according to spellcheck. I call it a slow cooker, because that’s what it is and I’m a stickler when it comes to words and not the least bit dogmatic when it comes to dinner.

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I love spicy food as much as the next person, but working with spicy peppers? Not so fun. There have been many times when I’ve diced up serranos or habaneros for salsa or tiny little Thai chiles for a curry or stir-fry and suffered from stinging, burning fingers when they come in contact with the oils in the peppers. And don’t even get me started on the time I accidentally rubbed my eyes!

Here are some easy remedies to soothe those stinging hands after they’ve encountered the effects of chili oil.

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You already know the slow cooker is the shining star that effortlessly tackles dinner on busy nights, but it is also the tool that can help you restock the pantry. Skip the store-bought items in favor of an afternoon of DIY projects and you might just be surprised at how easy and fun it is to make things like ketchup, granola, and apple butter when the slow cooker is involved. Here are 10 to try.

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There’s one technique to learn for better chicken breast: pounding chicken breast into thin, even pieces. Pounding doesn’t require any forethought or planning, it relieves a little mid-week tension, and helps chicken breast cook faster and more evenly.

If flattening chicken seems arduous, there’s a simple equipment hack to make the job easier, less messy, and maybe even a little fun.

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From Apartment Therapy → Why Cursive is Making a Comeback

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(Image credit: Joe Lingeman)

There are as many variations on cooking chicken breast as there are cooks, and I’d say that is a very good thing, as it ensures we never grow tired of this dinner staple.

Pan-seared chicken breast, cooked in a little oil with salt and pepper and finished with a generous knob of butter, is the first way I learned to cook chicken and a technique I always go back to. The resulting chicken has a golden-crisp exterior with a still-juicy interior, and is just as welcome served with steamed vegetables as it is atop creamy Alfredo pasta.

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(Image credit: Lauren Volo)

As you prepare next week’s meal plan, take this opportunity to swap out your regular pack of chicken thighs for some juicy drumsticks. This equally budget-friendly cut is part of the leg so, like the thighs you already love so much, it has a rich, meaty flavor and is super versatile.

From the ultimate fried chicken to drumsticks hot off the grill, here are eight totally tasty ways to turn a pack of chicken drumsticks into dinner.

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(Image credit: Charity Burggraaf)

My evening checklist for my toddler son goes something like the following:

1. Did you say any new words today?

2. Did you injure yourself or others today?

3. Did anybody try to screw with you on the playground today? Because if they did, Mama’s not afraid to give them a piece of her mind (mostly kidding).

4. Did you poop today?

5. What did you eat today?

That last thought is an important one. After a year of primarily breast milk and formula, my son forayed into the wonderful world of food. Now, at 18 months, he is a full-on food-eater. An eater who doesn’t like avocado, chicken breast, or blueberries, but an eater nonetheless. My basic theory is if he gets a little protein, carbs, fats, and veggies throughout the day at (at least) one meal, I’m winning.

Here’s what he ate throughout the course of a day last week. Please note: I’m not perfect and I’m not a nutritionist or pediatrician. I’m just a mom doing the best she can. Some days my kid eats more, some days he eats less; some days he’s all scrambled eggs and mushrooms, and other days it’s mostly bananas and almond butter. This is about what fits into my family’s lifestyle and what I believe provides my son with what he wants and needs from food. My mantra and the mantra I urge all caretakers to use is “whatever works.”

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