Food and Recipes

Instead of a jitterbug, do a slow dance in the kitchen with an ingenious method of cooking that has reinvented meal making for busy working folk. Let the slow cooker do the hard part for you.

By Sara Elliott

We may take canned food for granted. Certainly, there's nothing simpler than popping open a can of chicken soup and nuking it in the microwave for dinner. But we owe this dinnertime solution to French chef Nicolas Appert.

By Chris Obenschain

If you're a smart grocery shopper, you can hit the market once a week for perishables and stock up just a few times annually for canned and boxed goods. These perennial items have long shelf lives, but will one last longer?

By Chris Obenschain

You can't judge a book by its cover, but can you judge a brand of pasta by the box it comes in? Food packaging makes an environmental, marketing and nutritional impact. What are the basics of the jugs, bags and boxes?

By Chris Obenschain

With so much attention on food these days, many fast food restaurants are responding to consumer demand for healthier options. But some of those options can still be tricky when you're watching your waistline.

By Emilie Sennebogen

Quick meal options are a necessity for today's busy lifestyles and frozen meals are a great way to grab a quick bite. But just because they're fast, doesn't mean they have to be unhealthy.

By Emilie Sennebogen

Lasagna is a busy mom's secret dinner weapon. It's a great meal to cook at home because it's a relatively easy dish to prepare and it's filling, so a little goes a long way. But how do you make it great?

By Emilie Sennebogen

You might associate bats with Halloween and spooky caves, but in some cultures around the world, the word "bat" conjures up images of a deep-fryer. Where do you find bat on the menu? And is it safe to eat?

By Cristen Conger

Fast food is very much entrenched in our culture. But before there were lawsuits against McDonald's, there was the advent of the assembly line and the reinvention of the classic American hamburger.

By Chris Obenschain

The lunch box was born in the 1800s. But it wasn't until the 1950s that it became the ultimate accessory for school children. How has this lunch container evolved over the decades?

By Debra Ronca

A dinner for two with salads, an appetizer, two entrees and a modest bottle of wine can get you into triple digits by the time you figure in tax and tip. Why not make it at home for a fraction of the cost?

By Emilie Sennebogen

The food industry has become all about creating an abundant supply of food for less money, and this is where fillers come in. But what are they, and why are they in your food?

By Emilie Sennebogen

Who would have ever imagined that the best way to get kids to eat their vegetables would be to make them grow their own -- at school? It turns out that a trowel, some seeds and a little soil are great tools for budding veggie lovers.

By Sara Elliott

It's hard to beat a loaf of freshly baked bread; the aromas that fill your house, the steam rising off the right-out-of-the-oven loaf. Here are some easy recipes to get that yummy goodness from scratch, without the machine.

By Emilie Sennebogen

Some kids prefer sandwiches without crusts, while others only like plain hamburgers. Kids can be picky eaters, but there are several meals that always seem to be winners. And you can make them healthy to boot.

By Jessica Brown

Today, TV dinners are fast, cheap and available in every variety -- from enormously portioned Hungry-Man sizes to gluten-free, vegan delights. But where did TV dinners get their start?

By Maria Trimarchi

Need a little ooh-la-la in your cooking? French cuisine may be one of the most sophisticated in the world, but that doesn't mean you can't turn out some French-inspired dishes from your suburban U.S. kitchen.

By Chris Obenschain

Most health magazines advocate turning up your nose at fat-laden dishes such as Kung Pao chicken. While Americanized Chinese food is known for its MSG content, authentic Chinese cooking is far better for you.

By Chris Obenschain

Have you ever watched a pizza cook toss dough into the air? It looks like fun, doesn't it? It's not just for show. There's a reason hand-tossed pizza tastes so good.

By Debra Ronca

When school lunches consist of nuggets, French fries and other fried products, it makes you wonder who's deciding what kids eat. What kinds of rules do schools have to follow when they feed students?

By Debra Ronca

Maybe you don't ring a cast-iron bell to signal that grub is ready. But you shouldn't underestimate the importance of your family gathering around a table and sharing a meal.

By Jane McGrath

Going out to eat at a restaurant for every meal can really add up the dollars quickly, not to mention going to fancy restaurants for celebrations. Using these tips, you can cook like a pro, too -- in your own kitchen.

By Heather Kolich

Thai cuisine is a testament to the marriage between religion and food. Buddhism's influence over the distinctive, flavorful elements used in Thai cooking allows for creative experimentation in the kitchen.

By Chris Obenschain

When you're planning a large dinner party, it's tempting to pull out all the stops to impress your guests. But you don't have to go all out; you can keep it simple and still be able to hang out with your guests.

By Emilie Sennebogen

The sugar cookie may seem like the unimaginative half-brother of the much-ballyhooed chocolate chip cookie, but it actually has its own long history and distinguished pedigree.

By Sara Elliott