ArcaMax

ST. PAUL, Minn. — If you need a specific shape of cookie cutter, chances are high that Meghan Gordon has it.

Gordon, the owner of St. Paul home cookie bakery The Chocolate Chickadee, stores her collection of around 1,500 cookie cutters in a dedicated closet, organized by theme and tracked via a digital database list on her iPad.

One massive ...Read more

Now that we’ve settled into fall, many have reacquainted their inner cook with the comforting, inviting aromas of something baking in the oven or simmering on the stovetop.

Autumn reintroduces warm and earthy spices like cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves into baked goods and casseroles, and this is the time of year when many home chefs also reach ...Read more

I keep microwaveable brown rice on hand because it takes just one minute to cook, with no extra pot to wash. That makes it perfect for a quick fried rice dinner.

Good fried rice should be crisp and flavorful, and while Chinese restaurants use special equipment to heat their woks to very high temperatures, you can achieve a similar result at ...Read more

Bring the charm of an Italian countryside to your lunch table with this heartwarming dish. Wholesome Wheat Pasta is a love letter to simple, home-cooked meals.

Ingredients Whole wheat pasta Olive oil GarlicInstructions Cook the pasta as per package instructions.

Sauté garlic in olive oil and toss the cooked pasta ...Read more

In the quiet fishing villages along the Italian coast, the day's catch is transformed into the evening's feast, simple yet full of flavor. Our Sunset Prawns Delight is just such a dish, born from the union of sea, fire, and the setting sun.

Ingredients Large prawns Olive oil SaltInstructions Heat the olive oil in a pan over ...Read more

The crisp fall air seems to give us permission to officially declare it baking season, with recipes for pumpkin this and apple that everywhere you turn. But there shouldn’t be a season — sweets treats and breads should be baked into our routine year-round.

As soon as the calendar flips to September, we have cookies on our minds, thanks to ...Read more

Start the day with the delicious flavors of the Mediterranean — fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, seeds, lean proteins, healthy fats — and you’re doing it right. Eating a Mediterranean style breakfast is not only nourishing and satisfying, it’s important for health, performance, mindset, and the environment.

The Mediterranean-...Read more

As the weather turns cold, I like to add hearty breakfasts to my menu. Traditional polenta takes at least 30 minutes of cooking in a copper pot over low heat with continual stirring. Fortunately, an imported instant (precooked) polenta with a silkier texture has become available nationwide. Perfect for a Seriously Simple cook.

You’ll find ...Read more

On a recent trip to the U.K., we enjoyed dining at several National Trust properties. We’d spend the morning touring a historic mansion, garden, or ancient site and stop for a midday meal. Many of the conservation charity's more than 500 properties feature cafes that specialize in traditional ...Read more

Dessert bars are among my favorite recipes to make whenever there’s an opportunity to bring something sweet to share. Bars are easy to bake and simple to serve, and because there are so many styles to choose from, there’s a flavor for every occasion.

One of my favorite ...Read more

These cowboy sliders are exactly what you want on the table for football season. They’re built around all the flavors of a bacon cheeseburger loaded with homeandleisure/recipes/varietymenu/s-4326258">Read more

I’m always amazed at what a humble egg can turn into. It helps create the lush texture of lemon curd and homemade mayonnaise, and sets the filling in ...Read more

A woman I know had a small cancer, but it took a big operation to remove it.

I wanted to show my concern. I wanted to show that I cared. I wanted to make things easier for her family.

So I cooked some food and brought it to her house.

I waited a few days after her surgery to make certain she was home from the hospital and had started her ...Read more

Recently, I visited a new Greek restaurant and enjoyed a dish called Shrimp Saganaki. Succulent shrimp were simmered in a flavorful tomato sauce and topped with crumbled feta cheese.

The dish gets its name from the sagani, the traditional two-handled pan in which it is prepared. Thinking of this tasty dish, I decided to make a simplified ...Read more

PITTSBURGH -- With pumpkins, apples and jewel-colored squashes the showpieces of fall farm stand displays, choosing to make a meal that leans heavily on citrus might feel misguided on a cool, sunny day in October.

Peak season for lemons, oranges and grapefruit doesn’t kick off until late November, when specialty and heirloom citrus fruits ...Read more