Tools & Techniques

Whether you're baking a cake for a child's birthday or as a housewarming gift for friends, you want the cake to look as good as it tastes. These essentials will help you achieve confection perfection.

By Chris Obenschain

When you think of cake, the usual suspects come to mind: butter, sugar, flour, eggs and maybe some chocolate. But would you consider adding hot peppers, soda, or even some pasta to your baking masterpiece?

By Emilie Sennebogen

Nicely pleated and well-stuffed Chinese dumplings are flavor-filled pillows worthy of main meal status. They're not hard to prepare, despite how it may look, and dumplings are a Chinese New Year's treat that's a great appetizer or side dish year round.

By Sara Elliott

We associate grilling with sunshine and fun. Although the weather doesn't always cooperate, you can still have a good time grilling in the rain, snow or cold. Here are some tips designed to help you cope.

By Linda C. Brinson

For most, grilling means cooking outdoors for family and friends on a warm, summer day. But there's a group of people out there that see grilling as so much more: a competition to be named the best griller in the land.

By Sara Elliott

Have you ever wanted to build your own barbeque pit? These building a barbecue pit pictures will show you the steps for constructing a barbecue pit.

Fire up the grill and start grilling like a pro with these great grilling tips from Johnny Trigg of Smokin' Triggers BBQ.

By Johnny Trigg

Roasting a whole hog is a longstanding tradition for many barbecue chefs, especially those in the Southern United States. But before you send the invitations out for your pig roast, you'll need to locate a hog, dig the pit and find some patience.

By Emilie Sennebogen

Since grilling became popular after World War II, it's seen some big changes. What started out as a metal pan on legs has turned into a favorite weekend pastime. So, who's the genius behind the grill?

By Sara Elliott

There are dozens of different cuts of meats on the market. And each cut is prepared in its own way to bring out the most flavors. Some are braised, some are roasted and some are pan-seared. But some cuts are just made for the fire of a grill.

By Emilie Sennebogen

Keeping a clean grill is the secret to great barbecue. After all, yesterday's steak marinade won't taste good on today's lime-grilled tilapia.

By Emilie Sennebogen

What barbecue is complete without complementary side dishes? They pair exceptionally well with grilled foods, not only because they score serious points for taste but also for their practicality.

By Echo Surina & Jill Jaracz

The perfectly iced little cakes you buy at your local bakery make cupcake baking seem like a snap. But when you try to bake your own, you end up with lumpy cakes smeared with runny icing. Where did you go wrong?

By Alia Hoyt

Barbecue is undeniably popular fare -- even cavemen probably ate it. And if you want to start an argument, ask a crowded room what's better: the wet or dry stuff. Is it really so different?

By Candace Keener

Want to make your brownies less fattening? Don't have wine but your recipe calls for it? Good news. There are simple ingredient swaps that can help you out with both.

By Chris Obenschain

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

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

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

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

Whether you're baking sugar cookies or garnishing a frosty glass of sparkling water, you'll need a lemon. This tart citrus fruit should always be stocked in your fridge.

By Chris Obenschain

There are many ways your cookies can go wrong. From the cookies merging together on the sheet to the bottoms burning to an undesirable shade of black, the bottom line is baking isn't easy. But these tips may help!

By Amanda Arnold

Upon a base of pastry dough, many irresistible creations have been made. But a pie with a tough crust won't win you any awards.

By Heather Kolich

Cooking tool fads come and go, but experienced cooks always come back to the classics. What cooking tools do you need most for your kitchen?

By John Fuller & Caitlin Uttley

Baking powder is an essential ingredient when preparing and making baked goods. As a leavening agent it gives volume and a fluffy texture to muffins, breads and cakes.

Frying foods gives you a crisp and golden outside and a moist and tender inside. Learn about the best oils to use, ideal frying temperatures, safety information and other tips to make your fried food a success.

By the Editors of Easy Home Cooking Magazine