cooking tips

Chef Amanda Freitag of Food Network'sChopped and Iron Chef America had a lot to say about pork during her cooking demonstration at the San Francisco Chipotle Cultivate Festival. Bacon lovers cheered as she drew a fat roll of pancetta out of the fridge. She made a pork chop topped with crispy pancetta, and along the way shared her best practices for buying, prepping, and cooking pancetta. Seasoned pancetta cooks and newbies alike should keep reading for some key pancetta-cooking tips.

Have you ever found yourself staring down the greens section of your market, shopping list clutched in hand, trying to determine which variety of kale is best suited to a recipe that simply specifies "kale"? Fret not! While any variety you might choose will likely do the trick, keep reading for a breakdown of the three most common varieties of this leafy green, and when it's best to use each.

Curly and Red Kale

Hearty, ridged, and almost frilly in appearance, curly and red kale can be used interchangeably; the main difference between the two is merely aesthetic. Use either in cooked dishes where the priority is helping sauce stick to the leaves, like vegan "cheesy" kale chips. Sauce will nestle into the leaves' nooks and crannies, much like the way chunkier pasta sauce clings to ridged pasta. Avoid curly and red kale in dishes where the green is served raw, as their heartier texture can be unpleasantly toothsome, even after ribboning or massaging.

Keep reading for the details on dinosaur kale.

"Sandwich King" Jeff Mauro knows a thing or two about great cheeses. In particular, the Food Network star, who's partnered with Cracker Barrel Cheese, has a soft spot for cheddar, specifically domestic varieties. "We're turning out great cheese and beating a lot of imported cheeses," he said. "Go America, right?"

Since we're always on the hunt for affordable cheese plate ideas, a punchy sandwich, or great pairing ideas, we asked Jeff to share his cheese expertise. Here are his thoughts on all things cheddar.

• Showcase cheddar on a cheese plate: "Use a good, affordable cheese as the bulk, then indulge in the more expensive imported cheeses," Jeff advises. Cracker Barrel's version is just under $4.
• Splurge on a domestic aged cheddar: Jeff loves old cheddars, which are strong and slightly crunchy from salt and aged enzymes. "I have gotten an 18-year-old cheddar [from an Amish village] that cost me $24 for a small block. It is so indulgent."

Keep reading for more of Jeff's cheddar tips.

Cookies and ice cream may be righteous treats in their own rights, but sandwich them together and they become a supersweet indulgence far greater than the sum of their parts. Once you've mastered the basics of assembly, it's time to start thinking flavor combinations. It's hard to beat the classic chocolate cookie with vanilla ice cream, but if you're feeling more adventurous, then check out our suggestions. Just keep in mind that many of these flavors can be mixed and matched. As long as you stick to a relatively thin, soft, chewy cookie and use your best judgment, the results are bound to be delicious.

Have you ever made your own burger patties and thrown them on the grill, only to discover later that there's a major discrepancy with the bun-to-burger ratio? If your burger engulfs your bun — or, more likely, your bun engulfs the burger, then we've got a handy tip for you. For a burger that perfectly fills the bottom bun, here's the simplest way to avoid that pitfall.