For most families, Christmas traditions are loud and easy to explain. Ours was quiet, small, and impossible to photograph. Every Christmas Eve, my mom cooked a full holiday dinner in our tiny apartment—ham, buttery mashed potatoes, green beans with bacon, and cornbread wrapped in foil. But one plate was never for us. When I asked…
The call should have saved him. Instead, it opened a door Jonathan couldn’t close. A trembling dispatcher, a symbol that shouldn’t exist, and an object on a cliffside that broke every rule he thought he knew. His inbox turned hostile overnight—threats, coordinates, and messages from sources long vanished. Each carried the same mark. Jonathan faced…
If you have an Instant Pot, then you know the appliance can do so many impressive things — especially the newer models that have 10-in-1 functionality. From pressure cooking and slow cooking to cooking rice and sautéing, the Instant Pot is an extremely versatile kitchen workhorse. However, even though you can make hundreds of different…
1. Timing Is Everything Especially when entertaining, I can get distracted easily. To keep the meal on track, I do two things. First, I create a timed schedule starting with the anticipated serving time and work backwards from there. Steaks might take just a few minutes to grill, but you also need to add in…
There’s no denying that the kitchen sponge — a true workhorse in the kitchen — can get a bit yucky. We tapped germ experts for info on how to clean a sponge effectively and banish bacteria. There are plenty of sponge-cleaning tricks you may have seen on social media or picked up from your grandma….
There’s never a bad time to rethink and revamp your cleaning routines. I’m the sort of crazy that cannot start work or begin a new project if the house isn’t clean. I just can’t do it. And while I certainly have my flaws, the cleanliness of my kitchen, the beating heart of my home, isn’t…
When shopping for natural products, it is important to know exactly what you are putting in your body. Honey is often called “liquid gold,” but because it is so popular, there are many products on the shelf that are not pure. You may have seen various videos online claiming there is an easy way to…
The coarse texture of coffee grounds makes them a perfect natural exfoliant. It gently removes dead skin cells, revealing fresh, smooth skin underneath. Regular exfoliation with coffee helps improve the texture of your skin and keeps it soft and radiant. 2. Rich in Antioxidants Coffee contains powerful antioxidants that fight free radicals, which cause premature…
Cooking with an Instant Pot is, at best, pretty easy. Pressure cooking barely requires any technique and generally yields perfect results as long as you follow the directions. However, accidents happen, and your Instant Pot is smart enough to let you know that things may go south ahead of time. The prime example of this…
Breaking Bad Habits We often think those small bad habits in the kitchen are no big deal. But it’s the little things that can lead to foodborne illness. In order to keep you and your family healthy, here are 13 less-than-squeaky-clean practices worth quitting. 889496872 Photo: s-cphoto 2 / 14 Defrosting Meat & Poultry on…