There are dozens of solid grill choices, but a Weber is a classic for very good reason. Back in the 1950s, brick fireplace barbecues were very popular. A fellow named George Stephen, who worked as a welder at Weber Brothers Metal Works, decided to make himself one. He took one of the half spheres from his day job, put legs on it, punched holes in the bottom for airflow, and put a lid on top....

What Is Cava? Similar to Champagne, a sparkling wine from France with a reputation for being fine and fancy, Cava is made with three indigenous Spanish grapes: Xarel-lo, Parellada, and Macabeo. Also, just like Champagne, Cava is made bubbly via a second fermentation in the bottle—this is why you often see “Traditional Method” on the label, referring to the age-old practice of making sparkling wine. Because Cava is aged for a shorter period—typically 9 months—compared to Champagne, which is aged for a minimum of 15 months, it doesn’t develop the same degree of complexity in flavor....

He demonstrates his unique, carefully-crafted creations in front of the camera, from stacking the first cake layer to the final flourishes, often with fun bloopers along the way. The self-taught baker and decorator has gained a big following—with over two million followers on TikTok—and recently quit his full-time IT job to focus on cakes. I talked to Lucas about his new-found career in confectionary design, his favorite birthday cakes, and his tips for home bakers looking to up their cake game....

This is a trick my mother taught me. Apparently 40 years ago or so, about the time this blender pictured was bought, manufacturers used to include a mason jar in the box with the blender. Mom recalls even a booklet that listed the many things one could make with the mason jar blender, including ground spices, whipped cream, and peanut butter. We use this trick most often to make whipped cream....

To make our casserole more wholesome, we’re making a DIY creamy mushroom sauce with real mushrooms. Making a from-scratch sauce leads to a huge payoff in both flavor and texture. Plus, you can put this recipe together almost as easily as using the stuff in the can. Tuna Noodle Casserole: The True Story Tuna casseroles have been around nearly as long as commercially canned tuna, which was introduced in 1904; by the end of World War I, sales surged....

This recipe is inspired by those dishes and is a tender green bean dish simmered in a lightly spiced tomato sauce. You can serve the Turkish Braised Green Beans as an appetizer or mezze dish, along some lightly toasted bread to scoop up its flavorsome juices, or as a vegetable side alongside some roast chicken or lamb. It can also be served as a main course, which is how I like to eat it, spooned over some steamed white basmati rice, with a good dollop of full-fat strained natural yogurt on the side and plenty of extra virgin olive oil drizzled on top of everything....

This recipe started out as Piper Davis’ pumpkin bread from her excellent cookbook, The Grand Central Baking Book. Eventually, I veganized it by replacing the eggs with ground flaxseed, plus a few other tweaks. It’s been my go-to recipe for years. It’s a bit sweeter and cakier than other pumpkin breads, and it reminds me of the slices they sell at Starbucks—except moister. I love it with a cup of coffee....

Every time I eat pad thai, I’m always blown away by how comforting the noodles taste no matter how many times I’ve had it. Pad thai is known to hit various areas of the palette: sweet, sour, and salty, plus a crunchy texture that comes from the fresh toppings. Unlike some pad thai recipes, this recipe calls for a short amount of soaking time for the rice noodles. Instead, they are simmered in the sauce a bit longer, giving every bite so much flavor....

Making shredded beef in the Instant Pot The Instant Pot makes fork tender, shreddable beef with minimal effort. Here’s how you’ll make it: Cut the beef into 2×2 inch chunks and add it to the Instant Pot.Make the easy seasoning mix.Toss the beef with a little oil and coat the cubes with the seasonings.Using the Saute function, sear the beef cubes on all sides to lock in the juices.Pour in the broth and pressure cook the beef for 30 minutes with a 20 minute natural release....

We can still find plenty of apples and pears in the market, now alongside ruby pomegranates with their garnet arils, and cheerful orange persimmons. Winter squash like pumpkin, butternut, kabocha, acorn squash, and delicata are out in full force, and will remain so for the next few months. Sweet potatoes are peaking now, as well as root vegetables like turnips, beets, and parsnips. For greens we have brassicas like kale, chard, and Brussels sprouts....

If you have a meat thermometer (which is quite a lifesaver on such occasions), the answer is: it depends! How Do I Use a Meat Thermometer? Used properly, a meat thermometer can take a lot of the guesswork out of determining when the turkey is done. You’ll need a probe-style thermometer, either instant-read (which you can only use when you take the turkey out of the oven) or a true meat thermometer....

This frosting has a slight tang from the cream cheese, a hint of sweetness from the powdered sugar, and a subtle hint of vanilla. It’s for all the folks who love cake but hate the heavy sugary frosting that often comes with it. Best of all, unlike other frostings, this has minimal ingredients (cream cheese, heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla). And all ingredients are cold right from the refrigerator, making this one of the easiest frosting of them all!...

Pressure cooking is often associated with one-pot meals like soups and stews—dishes that don’t exactly pair well with hot weather. But the Instant Pot can do so much more, and saves me from heating up my apartment by turning on the stove or (gasp!) the oven. It also shrinks longer cook times and is largely hands-off, opening up some dishes I’d normally skip in the summer, like pulled pork or dried beans....

How to make zucchini noodles We have a full post on this topic, all about how to make zucchini noodles! The post includes: The best tools for making zucchini noodlesHow to cook your zoodles (3 ways)Tips to prevent your zucchini noodles from becoming a mushy, watery mess Even if you are a veteran at making zoodles, you might benefit from reading this post and checking out the tips! Our favorite zoodle recipes Some other recipes with veggie noodles If you like recipes with zucchini noodles, be sure to check out these other veggie noodle recipes!...

You will either love me or hate me for this. It’s that easy. Homemade chocolate pudding usually requires a lot of stirring on top of the stove and often results in messy, sometimes scorched, pots. You can achieve the same thing without the fuss in the microwave by cooking a mixture of milk, eggs, sugar, cornstarch and cocoa in two to three increments at high heat, stirring in between to distribute the heat....

Chicken thighs are a perfect go-to for busy weeknight family meals. They will remain flavorful and tender even in a pressure cooker. Plus, chicken thighs are less likely to dry out compared to chicken breasts. If you cut them into smaller pieces before throwing them in the Instant Pot, they can cook in 10 minutes or less. The recipes here are as basic as cooking frozen chicken (yes, you can put frozen chicken in an Instant Pot and have dinner in less than 30) to a flavorful 60-minute chicken soup that would otherwise take all day to simmer....

The options are endless, but I’m drawn to simple and fresh dishes where tomatoes are the star. In an attempt to keep the oven off this summer, these recipes are either served fresh, grilled, or quickly cooked on the stovetop. There are multiple types of tomatoes but I’m focusing on the few listed below. Cherry tomatoes: are used for salads, snacking, and quick stovetop meals. Bursting with juice and small enough to be eaten whole, Cherry tomatoes are a summer must-have....

Monday’s pomegranate-glazed pork chops are a succulent way to start the week, but it only takes 30 minutes to make. Also, use canned beans to make an inexpensive smoky chili even easier for those busy days leading up to Christmas. Celebrate Christmas Eve like Italian Americans do with tender mussels in a robust tomato sauce for a mini Feast of Seven Fishes. No matter what your plans are for Christmas, you won’t wake up Saturday morning exhausted from cooking with these easy-to-prepare meals....

Also, a rice cooker is only a unitasking device if you choose to see it that way. You can actually use it to make all sorts of things: soups, porridge, steamed vegetables, one-pot meals. However, your desire or need to make these things in a rice cooker might not be high. Take our rice cooker compatibility quiz and see how well you are suited for each other! Should You Buy a Rice Cooker?...