There are lots of different ways to improve a steak or a chicken breast, and if you've never experimented much with them, they tend to blend together like a bunch of spices. If you've never brined meat, then the word "brine" might bring up associations with pickles or the ocean, but soaking tough meat in a brine solution is a tried and true way to add flavor and moisture. A typical brine mixture consists of cold water, salt, and a little sugar (the water should be cold or lukewarm to avoid any accidental cooking). When you let meat soak in brine, a process called osmosis begins, and the flavors and moisture from the solution pass into the meat.

Does Brining Meat Make An Actual Difference?

Some time in the past couple of years, preserved and tinned fish became a hot new food trend. And it wasn't just your average cheap canned tuna; people were going for all kinds of seafood options from salmon to mackerel, often imported and preserved in smokey or citrusy oils, among many other taste profiles.

Here's How You Should Be Eating Canned Sardines According To A Pro

Perhaps you're one of the many people who've switched from milk to dark chocolate because the latter has less sugar and more antioxidants. But before you tear into that candy bar or hit the kitchen to start cooking up a homemade treat (like our salted caramel recipe), there's something you should know. Your dark chocolate may be hiding an even darker secret. It's known to contain two heavy metals — cadmium and lead — that can cause harmful health effects. Pregnant people and children are at higher risk.

The Dark Chocolate Brands With The Lowest Lead And Cadmium Levels

Air fryers have been a sensation since their popularity skyrocketed in the late 2010s. Offering the ability to cook countless foods in a shorter time span than a deep fryer or conventional oven — and with much less oil — numerous home chefs have discovered the appliance's benefits. Given air fryers can create both convenient and healthy meals, there's an ever-growing list of foods that they can make successfully. In fact, you can use your air fryer to prepare a variety of different meat products, as well.

The Best And Worst Types Of Meat To Cook In The Air Fryer

Don't Waste Your Money

So, you're stuck at home without a key recipe ingredient. Why not save the gas money and try whipping up a container of heavy cream yourself?

How to make heavy cream at home with only two ingredients

The online debate about tilapia is endless. Did you know that it's a fish that's pumped full of hormones and fed its own waste? No, wait, it's an environmentally friendly and sustainable mild fish that can carry many flavor profiles and works well in a variety of dishes. With fans and critics either singing its praises or bashing it, one must ask the question: Is tilapia really a garbage fish?

Is Tilapia Really A Garbage Fish?

If you're looking for a way to incorporate more vegetables into your cooking, canned corn is an easy and budget-friendly option that makes this sweet, tender veggie available all year. It also makes a fantastic item to stockpile in your pantry in case you have to deal with extreme weather or other hazards that might knock out power. The best brands have multiple styles available and offer a great value, not to mention fantastic taste. Flavor is the top criteria for my taste tests but texture and variety are also key. In my opinion, canned corn should be sweet but still maintain a hint of saltiness, which actually brings out the natural taste of the corn. It should also be tender without crossing over to mushy and not have an excess amount of water in the can, which can impact the flavor and texture. I like corn that has a bit of crispiness without being tough and chewy, which can be common at the base of whole kernel corn.

Ranking Canned Corn Brands Worst To Best

While there's nothing quite like a bagel with cream cheese, there are so many toppings beyond the basics that will take a standard bagel to new heights. Cream cheese might be the go-to condiment, but don't be afraid to think out of the box about other types of creamy spreads, savory dips, and even extra indulgent desserts on top of your bagel.

15 Bagel Toppings Beyond Cream Cheese To Try ASAP

Marinating steaks is a common step in many recipes, but it does test one's patience. Marinating takes at least a couple of hours and adds a lot of prep work to an otherwise simple piece of meat. Fortunately, it isn't always necessary. Marinades can bring tenderness, juiciness, and new levels of flavor to a steak, but sometimes, you don't actually need those things. Sometimes, a steak is tender, juicy, and flavorful enough all on its own.

3 Steak Cuts You Should Never Be Marinating

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The Foodie Fix

A comforting and hearty one-pan meal, this Chicken Rice Casserole is packed with flavor. It's perfect for a busy weeknight or a family gathering. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).

Flavorful Chicken Rice Casserole: A Hearty One-Pan Meal

When you look at the ingredients list for homemade ice cream in a bag, most of them make sense to the logical human brain: milk or half-and-half, sugar, the flavorings of your choice, and ice? Yep. All that makes sense. Rock salt? Nope. Not so much. The plastic bag you place inside the coffee can? Ditto. Why do you need both the bag AND the can for heaven's sake? Despite some of the parts of this equation seeming illogical, all components play a role when you're making ice cream without an ice cream maker. It comes down to science.

Make Homemade Ice Cream In A Bag The Better Way With This Special Salt

Nothing compares to a homemade salsa — such as a classic pico de gallo. The combination of fresh tomatoes, peppers, onions, cilantro, and lime juice is simple but undeniably delicious. Whether you're mixing it into a hearty breakfast burrito recipe, or adding it alongside a plate of tortilla chips before dinner, salsa is sure to please. And while the prospect of serving up a bowl of just-made salsa is definitely appealing to any home cook hoping to keep the ingredients as fresh as possible, you actually might want to let it rest before serving.

Make Your Salsa Even Tastier With A Simple Serving Tip

The best meals always start with high quality ingredients. When it comes to grilling up fish, chef Andrew Zimmern has a preference for an unconventional protein choice that goes beyond the traditional salmons and shrimps of the world. As the accomplished chef shared to his website, he believes that a Pacifico striped bass is a truly ideal fish that more chefs should grill. His reasoning? Its semi-firm texture and relatively high fat content work well with a variety of cooking methods, including grilling.

Andrew Zimmern's Favorite Fish For Flavorful Grilling

I was working the soups and sauces station at a popular restaurant in the late '80s when the chef handed me a recipe to make as the special of the day. The chef, who was also the owner, had lived in France and taught me to make several authentic French dishes. This one, called a pan bagnat, opened my eyes to a whole different way to sandwich.

My 3-Ingredient Tuna Salad Takes 2 Minutes To Make

Latin America is home to some of the best cuisines on Earth. From the warm beaches of the Caribbean to the chilly peaks of the Andes, each region brings its own natural bounties, and each nation its own unique dishes. The concept of picking national dishes is a bit of a controversial one, however. After all, how can you pick just one singular plate to represent an entire nation's culinary identity and history? It's asking quite a lot. Complicating matters is the fact that there isn't any official body that decides national dishes for the world.

The Must-Try National Dishes Of 5 Latin American Countries

Tomatoes are a wondrous fruit. Their bright color is eye-catching when sliced raw, and retains vibrancy even when processed. It's an ingredient that readily transforms into many delicious foodstuffs like beloved ketchup, aromatic sun-dried tomatoes, handy tomato puree, and the often underrated paste. This ultra-flavorful condiment is made by simmering...

Canned Vs Tubed Tomato Paste: Does It Make A Difference?

Buttery, toasty, savory, and oozing with cheese, crispy grilled cheese sandwiches are among the best midnight snacks one can have. Plus, they only take mere minutes to whip up. However, the next time you're up late and have a hankering for a quick bite, try replacing it with a snack that is sweet, nutty, crunchy, and melts in your mouth — a grilled peanut butter and jelly sandwich makes for one seriously scrumptious substitution. Nothing against a classic PB&J, but the extra effort is worth it for an experience that will truly excite your tastebuds — heating the sandwich changes it both texturally and flavor-wise.

Swap Your Midnight Grilled Cheese For A Grilled PB&J Sandwich

There's not much more classic, comforting, or old school than a warm just-out-of-the-oven chocolate chip cookie. Everyone has a favorite trusted chocolate chip cookie recipe — whether it's a tested elevated version they swear outshines them all, or the trusty basic formula on the back of the chocolate chips bag. And really, you can barely mess up a chocolate chip cookie — whether you prefer them thin and crisp or a perfectly gooey and chewy cookie, studded with semi sweet or dark chocolate chips, we've never met one we didn't like.

5 Pro-Baker Tricks To Make Your Chocolate Chip Cookies Taste More Exciting

Grilling or pan searing salmon can have its challenges, including issues with overcooking and sticking to the pan or grill. Baked salmon, on the other hand, is a much more forgiving cooking method that is often lower in added fat. The problem with baking salmon is that it leaves a lot to be dsired visually. A white protein called albumin often appears on the surface of salmon that throws off the look, and it can be tricky to achieve the golden-brown caramelization that occurs with pan seared fish.

How To Flawlessly Bake Salmon And Reheat The Leftovers

NewsBreak

The 3 Fish Fillet Cuts You Need To Know About

When it comes to purchasing for and cooking an unforgettable fish dish, there are several mistakes that you should be mindful to avoid. But before your...

The 3 Fish Fillet Cuts You Need To Know About

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