As a Chinese-American girl growing up on everything from pot roast and pasta to tofu and stir-fries, I’ve always had a rather eclectic appreciation for food. But for those really busy workweeks, I always find myself — in an unironically stereotypical sort of way — coming back to one basic strategy from my Chinese roots. I call it the “serve with rice” strategy.
It’s here. It’s done. We are finally moved into our new office! Let’s take a spin around our new stomping grounds before everyone else arrives. Desks, computers, chairs, computers: the gang’s all here! Let’s jump from the old into the new together.
There’s a dessert that, at its core, requires just two basic ingredients you probably have in your kitchen right now. It’s simple, yet so impressive and wonderfully versatile. Once you have this sweet — not to mention gluten-free — dessert in its most basic form, you can eat it as is, but with a little extra work, it can also be transformed into so much more.
What I’m talking about is meringue; all that stands between you and this delightful dessert are egg whites and sugar. Now let’s see all the things it can do.
Anxiety is the pits. As someone who has struggled with anxiety since I was in middle school, I can tell you now that it extends into every aspect of my life – including the kitchen. Did I remember to turn the stove off? Did I accidentally get a hair in that batch of cookies I’m serving to my colleagues? It’s that not-so welcome friend that is always in my life. The daily struggle is real.
Anxiety affects everybody differently. Anxiety can be brought on in social situations, it can be triggered by something specific, or it can seemingly come out of nowhere. But when it comes to the kitchen and cooking, there are a few key things I bet every anxious cook can somewhat identify with. Can you relate?
Before I had a kid, whenever I crossed paths with a child who was a picky eater, I was sympathetic about the problem. I know there are a lot of factors contributing to a kid’s limited palate, especially when they are very young, and parents have little to no control over many of them. “I totally get it!” I’d say, while watching a friend’s three-year-old methodically munch through an entire restaurant bread basket and eat nothing else. But deep, deep down, in the dark place of naked honesty, I’d think to myself: But with my kid, it’s going to be different. I’m going to do everything right.
This is where you start laughing if you have a child over the age of one. Because you know what happened: I did everything “right” and my 15-month-old son is still a picky eater.
You remembered to bring your coupons, you found the food on your grocery list, and now all that stands between you and home is the check-out line. Sometimes it’s super short and you can run right through, and other times it’s a drawn-out process with lots of heartache. Such is the life of a home cook.
Grocery shopping is a war zone and everyone is a soldier. Here are 13 thoughts everyone has had at some point while waiting in a grocery store check-out line — the good, the bad, and the meaty.
Psst! I have a secret to tell you: You can make super delicious brownies with just two ingredients. One of those ingredients also happens to be Nutella. I know, I know — it sounds too good to be true, but we’re here to show you how it’s done.
