Cooking

Grilling isn't always about bringing the kitchen into the backyard; sometimes it is about bringing the kitchen to the park, beach, or big game (or even not-so-big game). Thankfully, manufacturers long ago figured out that bulky kitchen equipment should stay right where it belongs. It wasn't long after that when the same thing was discovered as it relates to the backyard grill; it's no fun trying to lug the full-size grill around, even though that doesn't mean many of us have tried.

Where backyard grillers looking for an outing may have failed, owners of portable grills … Read more

As we stagger out of our man-made caves, ready to greet the changing season, we emerge hungry--hungry for the grill. While the winds of change may carry us outside and straight to the grill, they also bring with them uncertainty. Not only do we find ourselves out of practice cooking over a fire, but also subject to the unpredictability inherent in working with wood or charcoal as a fuel source. But it doesn't have to be that way.

The Memphis Wood Pellet Grill offers the precision temperature control common to indoor ovens. Using wood pellets as a fuel source, … Read more

It has been a long, cold winter across much of the country, one where it's going to take going the extra mile to heat up when it's all over. Or, in the case of outdoor grills, an extra couple of feet. The massive new Wolf 54-Inch Outdoor Gas Grill should be up to the task. Featuring five stainless-steel burners capable of outputting 51,000 BTU, the large, built-in gas grill provides ample grilling room and strength to match.

While four and a half feet of grilling room is a nice vacation from cramped and cold quarters, it's … Read more

My bookshelves hold tons of cookbooks, but I've always used Google to search for recipes. It's been helpful to compare multiple recipes and see how they line up with the ingredients I already have in my pantry. I could take a bit of one recipe and add it to another and create a meal.

But now Google has introduced Recipe View, which allows you to filter out the non-recipe content from your results. In the past I've always just typed in "recipe" in the search box, and it filtered out most of the unwanted content. … Read more

Pizza inspires great debate. Some of these conundrums that become unraveled when the word is mentioned are easily solvable. Asking what one wants on his pizza may set off a torrid rant about the benefits (or lack thereof) of everything from anchovies to pineapples. Luckily, controversial toppings can be easily negated, as pizzerias everywhere have figured out that the only way to make sure that the customer is always right is to offer to pizza with customizable sides; the anchovy and jalapeno crowd get one half, while those in the fresh garlic and pineapple camp get the other. Everybody is … Read more

The microwave doesn't have a particularly great reputation for producing quality meals. Sometimes, this isn't necessarily even the fault of the appliance. Cooks of any and all levels attack the box, subjecting it to creations both good and bad alike. While many a recipe of dubious heritage has gleaned the inner walls of microwaves everywhere, it is not uncommon for the microwave to be used for great cooking. It's just a matter of users knowing what they are doing. Well, users or the microwave itself, that is.

The Dacor DMW2420S Distinctive 24-inch microwave has advanced features that … Read more

Cooking is an activity that is richly steeped in tradition. From recipes that have been handed down for generations to that old cast-iron skillet that has been kicking about the family for as long as anyone can remember, the kitchen is like a living historical artifact in action.

The Ardenté Gourmet Automatic Stirrer is an odd looking contrivance designed to automate one of the most tedious of cooking chores. Fastening directly over the top of pots with openings from 9 inches to 16 inches, the battery-operated kitchen gadget stirs cooking ingredients automatically. The stirring blades adjust to fit most … Read more

Convenience is something that practically every kitchen gadget strives for. However, some do it better than others. When it comes right down to it, the first factor to consider is accessibility. When a product reduces the amount of steps necessary to get to some end result, the entire process is made more accessible. And when it comes to creating healthy dishes, anything that makes it easier can only be a good thing.

The Fagor Electric Steamer is an electric countertop appliance that makes steaming vegetables an automatic process. Just fill the reservoir with water, set the timer, and wait. Though … Read more

There is something special about pancakes. Somehow hearty yet impossibly fluffy at the same time, pancakes are a perfect component of practically any breakfast. Certainly sausages drowned in maple syrup wouldn't be quite the same without them. Even when served alone, pancakes offer a filling deliciousness that cannot be equaled by any other breakfast food. Unfortunately for pancake fans, they just don't seem to find their way onto plates enough.

Whether pancake scarcity is due to the amount of time needed, difficulty level, or both, there is no reason to get worked up into a pancake panic. The … Read more