All smart cooks know that always having a few basic pantry staples on hand is critical for those times when making it to the market is just not going to happen or a quick supper is needed. Here we have recipes that rely on things every cook should have in her cupboard: cans of beans, tomatoes, coconut milk, and dried pasta.
I threw a backyard s’mores party for my sister’s birthday and, years later, we’re all still talking about it. We aimed for a simple yet pretty outdoor party, with little stress and preparation because who needs that, especially on a birthday?
We launched our Gatherings from Kitchn series a few years ago to bring you party ideas that are fun and gracious and yet always accessible in budget and details. This s’mores fête turned out to be our easiest party yet — with almost no cooking ahead, and just a few hours of setup. Want to see how we transformed the backyard and threw our S’moresgasbord for a crowd of 20?
Got tomatoes? Want to save them for winter sauces and stews, without the hassle of canning? If you have the freezer space, you can preserve tomatoes with literally no extra work: Just freeze ’em!
If you’ve ever bought a big bag of mesclun greens with the hope that it will last all week in your fridge, you’ve more than likely been left sorely disappointed. By day two or three it’s usually a slimy mess. You could use one of these tips to make those greens last, but your best bet is to ditch the temperamental lettuce all together since there are plenty of other salad bases that won’t let you down mid-week.
(Image credit: Ariel Knutson)
Graham crackers, chocolate, and marshmallows are a tried-and-true combination that make s’mores a classic during summer. This season, use Nutella instead of chocolate, and a cast iron skillet instead of a campfire and forked stick. You’ll be rewarded with a decadent dip that’s the new holy trinity of sweets — a reverential experience for your taste buds.
Peak tomato season is in full swing, which can only mean one thing: It’s your duty to consume as many tomatoes as possible. Before you know it, your choice will be those mealy guys at the grocery store in the dead of winter, and you’ll only be left with the memory of those juicy tomatoes from late August.
So do yourself a favor and make the season count. Here are 50 ways to eat up the best tomatoes before time runs out.
(Image credit: Leela Cyd)
All hail the slow cooker! We’ve seen this appliance prove its worth time and time again, but with sloppy joes it makes the easy meal even easier.
It takes those messy sandwiches that made our childhoods so delicious, and makes them even tastier. This is all thanks to a hot mix of hearty meat combined with a homemade sauce bursting with deep, rich, tomatoey flavor.
With every bite of this skillet dinner, there’s something new to get excited about. Whether it’s the caramelized mushrooms, the sweet sun-dried tomatoes, the tender white beans, the juicy chicken, or whatever combination of those four you happen to scoop up with your fork, there’s nothing but good flavor happening here.
Fresh rosemary and garlic sing over them all for an Italian-inspired dinner that quickly comes together on even the busiest of evenings.
