When it comes to margaritas, why be plain Jane when you can knock 'em dead with a mix of sugar and spice? Start with the fundamentals — tequila, triple sec — then make things even more refreshing with the addition of watermelon cubes, freshly blended watermelon juice, lime, and jalapeño (seeds optional). Rim a few festive glasses with sugar to tame the heat, and you're ready to toast to your best Cinco de Mayo yet.
Chock-full of oats, seeds, nuts, and fruit, chewy granola bars make an ideal breakfast, midday snack, or fuel for your next outdoor activity. Our favorite recipe happens to come from First Lady Michelle Obama and the White House kitchens; it's sweetened with honey and maple syrup for a sweet yet wholesome finish. The recipe's basic — it's as easy as heating, mixing, and cutting — but we'll offer tips for toasting seeds, heating the sugar, and cutting the bars. An added bonus: your house will be infused with the scent of warm spices.
Cooking for a Cinco de Mayo celebration means utilizing different varieties of chilis, from habañeros to jalapeños to serranos. But you know what we've recently realized? It can be confusing to understand the differences between all those peppers, so we're setting the record straight with a primer. Get to know them in one hot minute when you keep clicking.
Is there any more beloved vegetable right now than dark, leafy kale? It's the star of one of the signature dishes at Napa Valley Grille, the kale chopped salad. Host Brandi Milloy goes behind the scenes with the restaurant's executive chef, Taylor Boudreaux, to find out what goes into this guest and celebrity favorite. Spoiler: it's shockingly fast and simple! Watch how it's made, then print out the recipe.
"What is that stuff?" I asked the barista, eyeing the dark tan mixture he poured into my Caramel Ribbon Crunch Frappuccino.
"I don't really know," he responded. As if to explain, he added, "I just got back from a two-week vacation, so I'm kind of out of it. And this is our first day making this drink."
I watched with both curiosity and suspicion as he followed the tan liquid with a more-than-generous drizzle of caramel and a shower of toffee-colored bits. I'd stopped into my neighborhood Starbucks to check out the new offering, released today — the first new Frappuccino flavor in a year — but after watching two being made, I still wasn't sure what was going into the drink.
Keep reading to learn more about the Starbucks Caramel Ribbon Crunch Frappuccino.
Headed to the horse races this weekend — or just looking to cool off? Then settle in with a frosty mint julep. It's a drink that's perfectly balanced: it's sweet, clean, and potent all at the same time. Although it involves crushed ice, it's an easy cocktail to make at home. Watch the video now to see how it's done.
Today, San Pellegrino and Restaurant magazine unveiled their annual list of the top 50 restaurants in the world. Considering their varied locations, highly competitive reservation spots, and steep price tags, it'll be a while before I cross most of the restaurants off my list — but hey, a girl can dream. Are you in the same tough spot? Then, in the meantime, take a virtual tour of the world's top 10 restaurants, where you can feast on all the avant-garde cuisine with your eyes.
The smooth, fruity, South American spirit pisco is having a moment in the States. If you're new to trying this grape-based liquor, your best introductory bet is the pisco sour, a sipping cocktail that's so crisp and refreshing, it's no wonder both Peru and Chile fight over claims to produce the spirit. In our latest episode of Happiest Hour, hosts Matt Rodrigues and Brandi Milloy walk you through how to make your own. Watch the video, then make the cocktail for yourself.
Chances are, now that it's picnic season, that you're in need of a back-pocket appetizer that doesn't take too much effort but actually looks like you tried. That's where this speedy antipasto comes in. It stars just three ingredients: piquant-sweet peppadew peppers, salami, and provolone cheese. Find out how to pull together this recipe-free dish — no cooking required.
Happy National Pretzel Day! It'd be hard to imagine a pretzel lover who hasn't had a moment of weakness with one of Auntie Anne's soft baked pretzels. To learn how the eatery makes its signature item, we headed to the YumSugar test kitchen at Surfas. Start with homemade pretzel dough or the Auntie Anne's at-home baking kit, then watch the video to learn how to best construct a pretzel, either with the more advanced "lasso" technique or a simpler kid-friendly method. To top it all off, dip your baked goods into Auntie Anne's hot salsa cheese dip or sweet glaze.
Poolside parties. Backyard luaus. Outdoor concerts. Like peanut butter melds with jelly, certain soirées seem to go hand-in-hand with Summer. But I'd argue that there's no better way to pass the long, balmy days than to gather friends for an impromptu picnic. In true spur-of-the-moment fashion, any fare goes — but there are some old favorites that come to mind. Here, 10 prototypical picnic foods that fit the bill for a reason.
We'd argue blood oranges taste even better than limes in a margarita; too bad they're out of season right now. Thankfully, we've arrived armed with a pint of blood orange sorbet and our favorite tequila to create a thirst-quencher fitting for Spring and Summer: the blood orange sorbet margarita. With its slushy, creamy consistency and its citrusy punch, we promise it'll be your next go-to drink on a hot day. Watch the video to learn more.
Before you start chopping up a storm in the kitchen, make sure you've got basic knife skills in place. Not sure how to make those fancy French cuts — rondelle, julienne, brunoise, we're looking at you — a reality? Watch our primer on basic knife techniques, and you'll be a master before you know it.
Want to wow friends and family with your breakfast skills? Surprise diners with a trio of pancakes served three ways. Start with a classic buttermilk pancake batter, then turn to our three different filling suggestions for a stack of flapjacks sure to suit any whimsy. Banana walnut re-creates the comfort of nostalgic baked goods; mini chocolate chip pancakes are a universal childhood favorite; blueberry ricotta offers a grown-up, gourmet twist on the standard. Watch the recipe to see how they're made.
