Giving Thanks with Friendly Faces

Posted by Joseph Erdos

At work, there's no time for a real sit-down lunch; people just grab things on the go and eat at their desks while juggling tasks. I'm only in my first week as the new editorial assistant at Everyday Food, but I've learned that things here are sometimes a little different.

There are tastings in the test kitchen and, if we're lucky, there's even a get-together here and there. The finance department at MSLO hosted its annual pre-holiday buffet featuring dishes they cooked from Everyday Food -- and shared their wares with the magazine staff.

This year's organizer, Joanne Smith, explains the tradition: Everyday Food is a great, easily accessible magazine, especially for working families, and when the magazine debuted the finance department decided to celebrate by choosing a favorite recipe from an issue of Everyday Food to cook or bake. Each recipe is, Joanne says, "so easy to make that even the accountants can do them."

Answers to Your Slow-Cooker Questions

Posted by Alison Sickelka

Thanks for all your questions -- you guys sure are a curious bunch! Here are our experts' answers to some of your kitchen questions. We'll answer more in a later post, after we've had some time to chew them over and come up with the right answer.

Enjoy!

Q. What is the difference between a boil and a rolling boil?
-Annie
A. "Rolling boil" -- where the bubbles appear constantly with vigor and cannot be dissipated by stirring. A "slow boil" is a bit more confusing and less definite, which could border on a fast simmer. The grade to which water is boiling does affect the rate at which your food cooks, so trust your recipes and tell that husband of yours "I told you so!"

Q. What is a good, light whole-wheat crust recipe for a potpie?
--MrsQriist
A. For a whole-wheat adaptation, try our Basic Pie Crust and substitute half of the amount of flour with whole wheat. You'll still get the light texture of the pastry with a bit more health benefit from the whole wheat.

Q. How can I minimize grease spatter when panfrying?
-Rose

Slow Cooker Week: Five Slow-Cooker Big-Batch Stews

Posted by Caroline Wright

Stews are the perfect meal for a slow-cooker: They cook beautifully, and can give you multiple meals from one hands-off batch. What’s not to love? I found a handful of recipes in our archives -- and had a blogger buddy send in a few, too -- that you and your family will love for just how good (and easy) they are.

1. Beef Stroganoff: A classic made easier. Creamy, stewed beef with a fresh hint of dill: What's not to love?

2. Slow-Cooked Tex-Mex Chicken and Beans: If you're a fan of weeknight Mexican fare, this recipe is sure to become a favorite. We're talking the comfort of a traditional chili crossed with the flavors of spicy, braised-chicken taco meat.

3. Soy-Ginger Chicken: With its bold, Asian flavor and tender meat, no one will know that this recipe took you only 30 minutes to prep.

4. Chicken Curry: With a can of coconut milk, a box of frozen peas, and some staple veggies like onions and garlic, this exotic meal emerges from your kitchen with little effort (and shopping).

5. Slow-Cooker Black-Bean Soup with Five Peppers and Ham & Slow-Cooker Beef Barley Soup: Andrea Meyers of Andrea's Recipes is a slow-cooking goddess! Try her black-bean soup filled with an all-star list of peppers (and flavor, no doubt) or her beef barley soup for a classic.

What are your favorite slow-cooker stews? Let us know!

This post is part of our "Slow Cooker Week" series. See Day 1: Slow Cooker Basics, Day 3: Braised Meat, Day 4: From the Test Kitchen, and Day 5: Slow-Cooker Entertaining.

Slow Cooker Week, Day 1: Slow Cooker Basics

Posted by Caroline Wright

For those of you who haven't picked up this month's Everyday Food, we have a collection of slow-cooker recipes in our Slow Cooker Surprises story. This story came about as a response to the many requests that we receive at the magazine for slow-cooker recipes -- and we thought it was a great idea. We know that, despite how busy you are, you have bellies to fill at dinnertime. It's the season for apple and pumpkin picking, Halloween, and getting out your slow cooker in order to go on with your life. Spend this week with me, and I'll let you in on some tips, shortcuts, and recipes from our archives and online blogger buddies that will save you time and energy.

But first, let's cover some of the basics of slow cookers. Keeping in mind just a few tips will ensure that your recipes come out just right. So, let me help you discover (or remind you of) what I know will be one of your favorite kitchen tools!

An Easy Craft for Everyday Food Fans

Posted by Adina Steiman

While I was in the audience at "The Martha Stewart Show" on Wednesday, I was intrigued by the nifty digest-sized organizers Martha put together for back issues of Everyday Food. I'm no crafter, but I'm thinking of making them for my desk -- I'm always looking up recipes from previous years, and my magazines always end up in a messy pile!

GET THE CRAFT:
EDF Magazine Organizer

Stretch It: A Couple of Cups of Buttermilk

Posted by Sandy Gluck

So, you bought a quart of buttermilk, made a great cake that called for 2 cups and now you're left with 2 more cups. (Why hasn't someone figured out that buttermilk should be packed in pint containers?) You could make another cake, or muffins, but why not something savory?

Buttermilk, because it's acidic, makes a great tenderizing marinade for fried chicken. Or you could make a big batch of ranch dressing, or even use it in a Caesar salad. Or perhaps you'd like to whip up a batch of tender biscuits.

SEE THE RECIPES:
Buttermilk Fried Chicken
Ranch Dressing
Buttermilk Chicken Caesar Salad
Buttermilk Biscuits with Strawberry Butter

I even like to drink it on its own. What about you?

Live from the Martha show!

Posted by Adina Steiman

Welcome to a very special edition of Dinner Tonight, live from the Martha show!  I've never been in the studio audience at the show before, so I'm really excited -- especially since today's show is all about Everyday Food!  I'll be updating this post as the morning goes on, but to get started, here are some of the recipes that our editors will be cooking up with Martha today:

Cheddar-Topped Shepherd's Pie
Slow-Cooker Greek Stuffed Peppers
Roasted Pumpkin with Shallots and Sage
Braised Short Ribs
Creamy Polenta with Thyme

Tomorrow: Everyday Food on 'Martha'!

Posted by Adina Steiman

Everyone at Everyday Food magazine is all abuzz today in anticipation of tomorrow's "Martha" show -- because it's all about Everyday Food! We'll be in the studio audience and alongside Martha as she cooks up recipes from our newest issue and answers questions from the audience, along with Lucinda, Emma, and Margot from our PBS show and Betsy from our Sirius radio show. Visit the "Martha" show website for the time and station in your area.

While you're at it, check out Dinner Tonight tomorrow morning -- we'll be live-blogging all the behind-the-scenes details from the show (and sharing all the delicious EDF recipes that Martha cooks up)!

In the meantime, we've got plenty of insider access to share! Check out:

• Martha's peek inside our Test Kitchen.
• Our fearless Editor-in-Chief Deb Puchalla, blogging from the "Martha" blog show a couple of weeks ago.
• And a great video of a blogger playdate in our Test Kitchen right after the show (thanks, Chef Mark)!

Stretch It: A Can of Tomato Paste

Posted by Sandy Gluck

Caught with just a couple of tablespoons of tomato paste left in a can? Who hasn't been? Well, the first thing you might want to do is freeze it -- not in the jar, but spooned into ice-cube trays. Once they're frozen, pop them out and transfer to a freezer container or a resealable plastic bag.

Now when you're ready to make a stew, or a soup you've got the perfect amount of tomato paste on hand. It's also good for tossing into pasta dishes, brushing on grilled bread, or adding to a pot of beans you might have cooking. Making a quick sauteed chicken breast for dinner? Cook it until done, take it out, and then add some broth and a cube or two of tomato paste to the pan -- instant sauce. No waste and, even better, something in the freezer to build on.

SEE THE RECIPE:
Classic Tomato Soup

Garden Goodies: Last Call -- It's Fall!

Posted by Deb Puchalla

I looked up yesterday and it was October. How'd we flash-forward so quickly from back-to-school meet-and-greets to jack-o'-lanterns and comfort food? I blinked and realized it when I took Tuesday off to go apple picking with my friend Amy, her two kids, and two of my boys. From a half-hour north to our orchard destination the trees were creeping from fading green toward the color wheel's autumnal hues. The truth was reiterated as we waited in mile-long (but worth it) lines to park, to take a tractor ride, to pick the fruit, to pay -- all amid a crush of city dwellers seeking out a bag or two of Galas and a taste of the country. We made a day of it, with pumpkins and a petting zoo and cider and doughnuts, celebrating the crisp air even as the sun turned our faces pink.

I still don't want to fully admit it's fall, partially because our summer garden fests with Margaret at A Way to Garden and lots of bloggers have been fun -- and inspiring. The fact is, it's last call, folks.