Generally, Aldi is praised for its award-winning wine selection and bargain-friendly groceries, but the German import is now facing some much-less-flattering press: A Pennsylvania woman is suing the grocery store chain, claiming that a turkey burger she purchased there exploded while she was cooking it, causing burns and scarring.
Around the World in 30 Soups: This month we’re collaborating with chefs, cookbook authors, and our own Kitchn crew to share a globetrotting adventure in soups from countries and cuisines around the world. Today’s stop: Palestine.
If there is one flavor that makes me think of the Palestinian kitchen, it is za’atar, a tangy and aromatic spice mix made from wild thyme, sesame, and sumac. Palestinians use za’atar on everything from yogurt dips, to roasted meats, to flatbreads — and here, it is used to make crunchy, tangy croutons to adorn an aromatic soup of roasted butternut squash and spiced lentils. Roasting the squash intensifies its flavor and sweetness, giving the soup a glorious silky texture that perfectly contrasts with the crispy croutons.
—Yasmin Khan, author of Zaitoun: Recipes from the Palestinian Kitchen
I may be a rare breed, but I get really excited to try cleaning tools or hacks that extend the promise of near magical ease-of-use or effectiveness. I’ve even been known to run out to Target to pick out a cleaning product I’ve read about so I can try it out myself. And when I write articles about top-rated cleaning products on Amazon? Well, let’s just say I now own and regularly use an O-Cedar mop, Bar Keeper’s Friend, and a bunch of Scrub Daddy sponges. Hashtag job hazards.
Yay, you got a dog! Welcome to the happiest place on earth: a home with a creature that loves you unconditionally and exuberantly. It’s the best. There are a few caveats, though. (Just a few!) Sometimes they eat things they shouldn’t. Sometimes they go places they shouldn’t. Sometimes they do things they shouldn’t. That’s about it. Otherwise yay, dog!
Okay, in all seriousness, your dog, being a creature that likes to be around you, will probably spend a fair amount of time in the kitchen with you. So there are some things you should know — here are 11 to get you started. Trust me, you’ll learn more as you go!
Around the World in 30 Soups: This month we’re collaborating with chefs, cookbook authors, and our own Kitchn crew to share a globetrotting adventure in soups from countries and cuisines around the world. Today’s stop: China.
You might recognize egg drop soup from the bowl you get with the lunch plates at Chinese-American restaurants, with swirling strands of eggs floating in a light, savory broth. I know it from my Chinese grandmother, who made this quick and easy soup even though she was also known for her other long-simmered broths and soups. Egg drop soup makes me think of her every time I see it, and it’s a soup I turn to when I need something light, comforting, and warm. Here’s how you can make it at home.
You already know that your Instant Pot is a serious helping hand when it comes to meal prepping, transforming tough cuts of meat, and getting dinner on the table when you’re feeling too lazy to cook. And now, as we’re squarely planted in the middle of winter, it’s also one of the easiest solutions for getting all your cozy comfort food favorites on the table to keep you warm and well-fed.
A short ingredient list is the not-so-secret secret to the absolute easiest desserts. When you start with just a handful of pantry ingredients, you’re guaranteed a sweet treat in next to no time at all. The following desserts — ranging from brownies to Rice Krispies treats to ice cream — require just five ingredients or fewer, making them great contenders for any night of the week.
With all the snow, rain, and blustery weather we’ve had the last week, this winter is feeling especially long. To overcome my fear that winter may never truly end, my family is digging into a week of cozy comfort food around here.
This week’s meal plan is balanced with both classics like lasagna soup and heartier vegetable-packed dinners like grain bowls to keep us fueled for school holidays and snow days alike.
Around the World in 30 Soups: This month we’re collaborating with chefs, cookbook authors, and our own Kitchn crew to share a globetrotting adventure in soups from countries and cuisines around the world. Today’s stop: Taiwan.
Taiwanese beef noodle soup, or niu rou mian, is a must-have for anyone visiting Taiwan — and a source of homesickness if you’re Taiwanese and abroad. Fortunately, it’s very easy to make at home. With its long-simmered slices of tender beef and hearty broth with hints of chile and star anise, it’s a comfort food of mine as well.
My mom, who was born and raised in Taiwan to parents from China’s Hunan Province, would often make hongshao (meaning “red-cooked,” or soy sauce-based) stews on the weekend, often with beef and some hard-boiled eggs that dyed brown in the broth. (The eggs would then be saved for snacking with or without the rest of the stew.) She always used star anise and a bit of chile sauce, so her formula was pretty similar to the typical Taiwanese Beef Noodle Soup broth.
It’s widely believed that this hallmark of Taiwanese cuisine was created within the military villages set up to accommodate the influx of mainlanders at the middle of the 20th century. There is nowhere else a noodle soup quite like it, although the dish has conspicuous influences from Sichuan province: chili bean sauce and Sichuan peppercorns. Some call it Taiwan’s “national dish,” while others argue that Danzai Noodle Soup is more representative of older, more traditional Taiwanese cuisine. Regardless, its deeply savory, delicious broth has made it a popular favorite on the island, and amongst visitors, too.
—Cathy Erway, author of The Food of Taiwan: Recipes from the Beautiful Island
Even if you’re not sick (yet?), cold season is a time for extra self-care. I’m talking about getting plenty of sleep, sipping on mugs of tea, and, of course, digging into piping-hot, soothing bowls of soup as often as you can. From classics like chicken noodle to broths infused with ginger and garlic, here are 10 nourishing favorites to get you through the season.