kitchen

Graters coated with cheese residue can be a difficult to clean, and the dishwasher doesn't always do the job. Try rubbing a dry, stale crust of bread that's hardened a bit, such as the end of a baguette, over the grater. That should remove most of the mess. To finish the job, scrub the grater in hot, soapy water. More »

Garlic skins slip off easily if you put individual cloves in the microwave for a few seconds (about 10 in ours). Timing might vary in different microwaves. The important thing is not to leave them in long enough to start to cook. This is great for a little garlic.

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Have you ever wanted to "flip" the contents of your sauté pan like a pro? While we were taping a Chefs segment, we learned that Chef Ludger Szmania of Szmania's had his apprentices practice the sauté pan flip using uncooked rice in the pans. When the rice stays in the pan you're ready to move up to the real thing. More »

Pasta meals are a staple at our house, and the pot always boils over. The cause: as pasta cooks, its starch becomes sugar. The glucose increases water viscosity and boosts its boiling point. The solution: give the pasta room to move. By cooking pasta in a larger quantity of water the glucose has room to spread out (and the pasta cooks faster, too).

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This time of year, strawberries often have a tasteless white core. To quickly remove both the core and the leafy stem end, push a plastic drinking straw up through the bottom of the strawberry.

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I first heard this great tip for partially slicing potatoes from Jonie Ashby Pritchard in her recipe for Garlic Parmesan Potatoes (which you’ll find in the new cookbook). Place a chopstick on either side of the spud when slicing through. The chopsticks will stop the knife just short of the base.

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Friday night is pizza night at our house, but leftovers are often soggy, especially after a spin in the microwave. Here's a tip from the folks at America's Test Kitchen: Place a nonstick skillet over medium heat and add dried oregano. Place pizza slices in the skillet and cook, covered, for about 5 minutes. More »

Have you ever wanted to "flip" the contents of your sauté pan like a pro? While we were taping a Chefs segment, we learned that Chef Ludger Szmania of Szmania's had his apprentices practice the sauté pan flip using uncooked rice in the pans. When the rice stays in the pan you're ready to move up to the real thing. More »