The Kitchn | Inspiring cooks, nourishing homes

How a Bowl of Bread Dough Can Teach Us the Way to Live — Weekend Meditation

Dana Velden — Sun, 19 May 2013 12:00:00 GMT

The other day it occurred to me that all the delicious things in life — bread, cheese, wine, beer, pickles, kraut, just-cooked meats — become more delicious because of rest, because built into their process is a time where they sit quietly and do nothing. Actually, that's not quite true. They are doing something: yeasts are eating sugars and burping carbon dioxide, juices are being absorbed, fermentation is being initiated, etc. But from the point of view of the cook, we are leaving it alone. We are taking our hands off of the process and allowing the wild and uncontrolled elements to take their turn.

What would happen if we did the same thing for ourselves, in our own lives?

Rice Main Dishes, No-Work Meals, a Vegetarian Spring Dinner Party, Re-Growing Celery, and Ways To Ruin Knives — Most Popular Posts Published May 12 - 18

Cambria Bold — Sat, 18 May 2013 13:00:00 GMT

Happy Saturday, friends. We hope you're having a wonderful weekend wherever you are. Popular posts this week on The Kitchn include tips on making the farmers' market the only place you shop, ideas for low-carb, budget-friendly meals, quick and simple veggie recipes to get you out of a salad rut, and three ways you may be ruining your knives.

15. Chowing Down on Bok Choy! 10 Ways to Love This Asian Green
14. Re-Growing Celery: Grow a New Bunch Indoors or Outdoors
13. 10 Green Salads You Can Have For Dinner
12. How To Make Easy Kimchi at Home
11. Lauren Scott's Charming Petaluma Kitchen
10. Tips For Making the Farmers Market the Only Place You Shop

What's Cooking This Weekend? — Weekend of May 18-19, 2013

Faith Durand — Fri, 17 May 2013 20:00:00 GMT

Happy weekend, everybody! What's cooking in your kitchen? I'm getting ready for a trip to London (so excited to explore the food scene there) and next week I'll be bringing you some snapshots and eye candy from a trade show full of glossy European kitchens and appliances. Meanwhile, it's the weekend, and it's time to luxuriate in our own home kitchens. What's happening there for you? What's on the menu, this fine spring weekend?

Taco Salad for Two, No-Bake Fat Elvis Pie, How to Make Kimchi & Creamy Watercress Soup with Dumplings — Recipes from The Kitchn

Emma Christensen — Fri, 17 May 2013 19:30:00 GMT

What's on the menu this weekend, folks? That taco salad is sounding mighty fine for a Saturday midday meal — though it's a toss-up with the pasta salad with smoked gouda. Or easy fried brown rice with asparagus? Decisions, decisions! We have instructions for making your own kimchi if you're in the mood for a project, and let's not overlook that no-bake peanut butter and chocolate Fat Elvis pie. Lots of ways have some fun in the kitchen this weekend!

Pack Your Lunch! Favorite Recipes & Tips To Help You Eat a Great Lunch

Cambria Bold — Fri, 17 May 2013 19:00:00 GMT

How do you pack your lunch? Do you always pack leftovers, or make up something fresh in the morning? Do you have a system to help you remember to take your lunch? Or has the lunch-packing-habit always escaped you?

We have a few favorite recipes and tips to help you pack a great lunch, from lunches you can make the night before, to quick and delicious lunches under 400 calories, even one-handed lunch ideas for busy people! It's all here.

15 Warm, Rustic Kitchens

Carrie McBride — Fri, 17 May 2013 18:45:00 GMT

Who says a kitchen has to be cold and clinical? With elements of rough wood, stone, concrete, and brick, these kitchens exude an irresistible rustic warmth.

• 15 Warm, Rustic Kitchens
Apartment Therapy

What is the Best Way to Organize My Grocery Store Receipts? — Good Questions

Emma Christensen — Fri, 17 May 2013 18:30:00 GMT

Q: I am trying to get organized and stay on budget in 2013, how do I organize my receipts in a manageable and non-cluttered way? Thanks so much!

Sent by Amy

15 Cheap and Pretty Ways to Spruce Up a Tiny Kitchen

Cambria Bold — Fri, 17 May 2013 18:00:00 GMT

Glamorous kitchens are fun to look at and aspire to, but what about the little things everyone can do to make their kitchens prettier and more functional? That's what one Kitchn reader wanted to know, so I've rounded up 15 cheap yet effective ways you can spruce up a small kitchen:

5 Tips for Throwing a Dinner Party in a Small Apartment — Gatherings from The Kitchn

Cambria Bold — Fri, 17 May 2013 17:30:00 GMT

All week long I've been sharing my spring dinner party on The Kitchn, a party I hosted in my one-bedroom apartment in Brooklyn. I've already shared the party plan, my main course recipe, the big dinner itself, and how I arranged the flowers. Feeling inspired? Great! Still feeling anxious about throwing a shindig in your own little apartment? Not so great! That's what I'll be talking about today.

How To Cook Tender, Chewy Wheat Berries on the Stovetop — Cooking Lessons from The Kitchn

Dana Velden — Fri, 17 May 2013 17:00:00 GMT

Wheat berries are a versatile whole grain, full of vitamins and fiber, with a sweet, nutty taste and a delightful chewy texture. They can take a fair amount of time to cook (up to 50 minutes or more), so making a big batch in the beginning of the week and storing it in the refrigerator is both a smart idea and a great beginning to many quick, healthy meals throughout the week

Read on for more about wheat berries and an easy method for turning them into a delicious and healthy refrigerator staple.

Pickling Primer: How To Get Started!

Stephanie Barlow — Fri, 17 May 2013 16:00:00 GMT

Ready to spearhead the world of homemade pickles but not sure where to start? You don't need elaborate canning equipment or tools to pickle, just a little time. Read on for our best tips on pickling from which vegetables to use to favorite brines and spices! More

Recipes from Days Gone By: The Ones I Still Love (And Some I Don't)

Anne Postic — Fri, 17 May 2013 15:30:00 GMT

So, you may be thinking to yourself, "That meal looks horrible." And it was. The only redeemable thing on the plate was the ham loaf in the back. Stirred into an omelet the next morning, it tasted like pancakes and sausage.

But I adore old cookbooks, especially from the 70s and 80s, the dawn of the career woman. With Betty Friedan's "The Feminine Mystique" in the background, these books were meant to help women have it all — a career, a family, and a fabulous reputation as a hostess. As it happens, we can't really have it all. And, while some of those cookbooks are full of old school goodness, others didn't make anything easier, as I recently discovered when I revisited one of the recipes.

Summery Pitcher Cocktail Recipe: Peruvian Pisco Punch — 10-Minute Happy Hour

Maureen Petrosky — Fri, 17 May 2013 15:00:00 GMT

Pisco Punch made with a traditional Peruvian Pisco is the ideal big batch drink to celebrate a warm-weather happy hour. The key ingredient in the classic recipe is gum syrup (an emulsifier using gum arabic that may be difficult to source). When made from scratch, this ingredient wouldn't exactly work for our 10-minute happy hour, but I easily fixed the problem.

Want to Bake Bread at Home? Start With These 3 Beginner Bread Recipes

Emma Christensen — Fri, 17 May 2013 14:00:00 GMT

So, I hear you want to bake bread! That's music to my bread-loving ears. Even if you've never opened a package of yeast or taken your KitchenAid's dough hook out of the box, don't worry about a thing. Here are our three easiest, most basic, and most foolproof bread recipes for you to try first, plus plenty of helpful tips and tutorials to make sure your first loaf is a success.

Thai Coleslaw & Churros with Chocolate — Delicious Links

Faith Durand — Fri, 17 May 2013 13:30:00 GMT

Fresh Thai coleslaw, chicken stuffed with asparagus and tomatoes, and sweet potato chickpea patties in today's Delicious Links.

Ideas for Healthy, Quick Recipes for a Sit-Down Family Breakfast? — Good Questions

Anjali Prasertong — Fri, 17 May 2013 13:00:00 GMT

Q: My husband is going back to school in the fall and we have two young kids, so we've decided that we'll try switching our main family meal to breakfast rather than dinner to try and keep us connected. I know we can have family time over bowls of cereal, but it would be nice to make it a little more special as often as possible.

Post-Gym Meals: Quick, Simple Dinners To Accommodate Weeknight Workouts

Megan Gordon — Fri, 17 May 2013 12:30:00 GMT

Weeknights can be tough dinner nights. Weeknights when you try to squeeze the gym in after work? Even tougher.

A Delicious Dilemma: 15 Recipes to Use Up Leftover Cream

Anjali Prasertong — Fri, 17 May 2013 11:30:00 GMT

If you have a carton of leftover cream in your fridge and are wondering what to do with it, you are in luck. Tender cream biscuits, the creamiest scrambled eggs, strawberry panna cotta and salted coffee caramel sauce are just a few of ways you can solve the "problem" of leftover cream.

Best 6-Ingredient Meals, Real Spaghetti Alla Carbonara & How to Make Popovers — Friday Flashback

Emma Christensen — Fri, 17 May 2013 11:00:00 GMT

Happy Friday! While you enjoy that first cup of coffee, take a look through some of our favorite posts from this time last year. We have fourteen easy and tasty meals that only use six ingredient, a copycat recipe for making Wendy's chocolate frosties at home, ten low-budget pantry items you should always have in your kitchen, and oh so very much more. Take a look!

Get the Most Out of Your Mandoline: Tips and Techniques

Stephanie Barlow — Thu, 16 May 2013 20:30:00 GMT

Do you have a mandolin hiding in the back of your pantry, just begging to be used? Get into the habit with these recipes and tips for making the most out of this versatile tool. More

Budget Breakdown: Andi's Kitchen Reno

Carrie McBride — Thu, 16 May 2013 20:15:00 GMT

Andi's San Francisco kitchen renovation is complete and it's gorgeous. But how much did it cost? Was she able to stay in budget? Here's the breakdown...

• Andi's Kitchen Reno
Apartment Therapy

Suggestions for Make-Ahead Picnic Foods for a Crowd? — Good Questions

Emma Christensen — Thu, 16 May 2013 19:30:00 GMT

Q: I am hosting a family picnic in Wisconsin the 2nd week of June. Some kids but mostly adults. I'm living in California now and am much more of a foodie than my Midwestern family. I'd love some family-friendly and "not too foodie" ideas for a picnic. We won't have a grill, so all the dishes will need to be made ahead.

Grits, Demystified: A Brief Look at a Southern Staple

Anne Postic — Thu, 16 May 2013 19:00:00 GMT

"It's the most powerful food in the landscape of American culinary experience," according to Glenn Roberts, founder of Anson Mills, producer of handmade milled goods from organic heirloom grains. Glenn is a purist. His favorite way to enjoy the delicious milled corn dish is plain, eaten alone and with reverence. I can't say that most of us southerners are so calm around our grits, but we do love them.

My Favorite Beer to Pair with Any Meal, Any Occasion — Beer Sessions

Emma Christensen — Thu, 16 May 2013 18:30:00 GMT

Whether I'm at a trendy restaurant or bringing beer to a backyard party, there is one beer that never lets me down — or rather, one beer style. And that would be the Belgians.

Why You Should (Almost) Always Pair Cheese with White Wine, Not Red

Mary Gorman-McAdams — Thu, 16 May 2013 18:00:00 GMT

When we think of a wine and cheese party we automatically think of red wine, but in fact white wine is actually a much better partner for many types of cheese. Read on to find out more about perfect cheese and wine pairings.