It's all too easy to rely on the grocery store for some staple ingredients. But in reality, things like whipped cream and pickles are so easy to make on your own, you may never buy them again once you've tried the DIY version. Homemade bread, although it takes time and patience, is incredibly rewarding. You'll earn major culinary bragging rights by making any of these eight ideas from Read more

Like the chiffonade, a julienne is a very useful and visually appealing way to cut vegetables. This cut will take many of your dishes to the next level in terms of aesthetics and texture. We're using a zucchini for our demonstration, but this technique works on any number of fruits and vegetables. Cut a 2 1/2 to 3-inch section of your zucchini so that it stands up straight and square off the Read more

Hey you. Yeah, you. In the baking aisle with a premade graham cracker pie crust in your arms. Stop! Put down the pie crust. Did you know it's easy to make a homemade graham cracker crust? It's seriously the most simple pie crust around — if you have a food processor. All you have to do is pulse the crackers with butter and sugar until the mixture is fine and moist. Then you press into a pie Read more

Although it can be enjoyed all year long, I crave pound cake during the warmer months. Thick slices are transformed into a spectacular dessert when caramelized on the grill. Thin pieces become moist when smothered with fresh berries and fluffy whipped cream. Chunks can be layered with custard and stone fruit in a trifle or simply topped with ice cream and sauce in a sundae. With classic pound Read more

While packing for an annual picnic at Hog Island, I struggled with what to bring for dessert. I wavered between many different dishes but ultimately went with sugar cookies. Unlike butter cookies or shortbread, these golden disks are moist and chewy. The ingredient list is similar except there's more sugar and less butter involved. As a kid, sugar cookies became my best friend at the first Read more

Although the title is a mouthful, these chicken breasts are super easy to put together. There's no marinating involved, so you can make the chicken at the last minute, even on a weeknight. In the recipe, plain chicken breasts are grilled and once they're cooked, they get doused in a mixture of herbs, citrus juice, and oil. That's where the fun comes in: use whatever herbs and citrus you want! Read more