The Red Food Dye Nation

Photo by: Hemera / Thinkstock When our oldest was a toddler we used Burt’s Bees baby toothpaste. It tasted like fruit without the zing of fluoride. A couple of years later Burt’s Bees quit making the baby toothpaste. I made the switch to a kids 

Biscuit 101- The History of…

In the South the term “biscuit” often refers to a light, fluffy, flaky, buttery bread usually served with breakfast. In England and other places around the world however, a biscuit is more like a hard scone or “cookie” served with tea or single serve coffee 

How to Sear Roasts and Stew Meat

Is pan searing meat really worth it? You bet cha! Pan searing is vital when cooking roasts or making beef stews. First the high heat creates a wonderful caramelized brown crust that gives the meat a nice texture. Second the left over burnt bits in 

The Science of Baking Cakes

It is said that baking is not only an art but more importantly it is a science. First let’s take a look at the science of baking a cake for each main ingredient in a recipe serves an important purpose. The basic carrot cake recipes 

The Many Uses Of Vinegar

Photo by Greener Loudoun Vinegar came into existence, by mere chance, more than 10,000 years ago when a cask of wine had over-reached its expiration date. Centuries later in 1964, Scientist Louis Pasteur, discovered that it was the fermentation of natural sugars into alcohol followed 

How To Grate Fresh Nutmeg

There are two spices derived from the fruit of the Myristica fragrans tree, nutmeg and mace. The spices were originally derived from the Spice Islands of Indonesia. Mace comes from the red lacy covering of the stone-like seed, while nutmeg is made from the seed 

How to Make Turkey Stock

Photo by: Chow.com When I make soups I use a product I buy at Costco called Better Than Bullion. Basically it is stock that has been boiled down into a concentrated paste. I like it better than bullion or canned broth but it does not 

The Art of Bubbles

During the summer when it is really hot, I have to come up with something enticing to get the kids outside. The car wash has always been an instant hit. It is pretty hard to keep them away from buckets of water overflowing with soap. 

Clarifying Honey

I went to make some whole wheat banana scones one day but discovered the honey was crystallized. My brother mentioned how to clarify honey once. Heat the bottle in a pan of simmering water until the honey begins to separate. Pour the honey through a