Tag: #Allrecipes

Posted in Kitchen Tips

Are Yeasted Mashed Potatoes Worth It? Find Out!

Posted on by Reluctant Retiree

By Robin ShreevesRobin Shreeves
Robin Shreeves

Robin Shreeves is an award-winning wine journalist, food and lifestyle features writer, and book author with over 15 years experience writing for print and online publications.
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 Published on March 1, 2024

TikTok has become a go-to source for recipe ideas, cooking hacks, and prep tips that keep us scrolling for inspiration. Creators have brought us many brilliant ideas that are keepers. However, not all TikTok ideas are created equal, and some may be problematic.

Recently, the practice of adding instant yeast to already cooked mashed potatoes has been a hot topic on social media. It’s supposed to make the mashers fluffier and give them a savory, bready flavor. 

Traditional mashed potatoes are already fantastic, so adding a bready note to them might have you wondering, “Why bother?” But since the yeasted version is so popular right now, Allrecipes culinary producer Nicole McLaughlin had to try it for herself.

Why Add Yeast to Mashed Potatoes?

Yeast is what makes certain foods, like bread, rise. When yeast is activated (with heat and moisture) and mixed with flour, it feeds on the sugars and releases carbon dioxide, creating bubbles in the dough that cause it to rise.

When yeast is mixed with milk and added to mashed potatoes, the carbon dioxide bubbles do their magic, changing the texture and flavor of the potatoes and making them rise into a fluffy mass. 

In the video, Nicole points out the bubbles in the mashed potatoes after they’ve sat with the yeast for about 20 minutes, although she says the potatoes have risen just “a little bit.” 

Allrecipes

Posted in Kitchen Tips

5 Grilled Cheese Recipes You Need to Try

Posted on by Reluctant Retiree

By 
Mary Claire Britton
Mary Claire Britton
Mary Claire Britton is a journalist, food stylist, and recipe developer. In addition to Allrecipes, her work has appeared in Food & Wine, Baked From Scratch, Real Simple, Coastal Living, Cooking Light, Southern Living, and Sunset, among others.
Allrecipes’ editorial guidelines
Published on December 8, 2024

Glory be: It’s officially soup season, which means it’s also officially grilled cheese season. It has already snowed in my corner of the world, so I am cozying up with all the comfort foods. While I unabashedly love soup, it’s actually less about the soup and more about the carbs that I get to dip in said soup. That’s why I’ve been on the hunt for the best grilled cheese sandwich recipe. To find the one, I tried our five most popular recipes. And listen: You might not think you need a grilled cheese sandwich recipe, but I’m here to convince you otherwise. Read on to find out what I discovered along the cheesiest path I’ve ever taken. 

What Makes a Grilled Cheese Sandwich Great?

With such simple recipes technique is the primary factor that will take your grilled cheese from good to great. I learned this method from my better half, Bray Britton, who also happens to be a professional chef and writer. Use more butter than you think you should, and place both pieces of bread into a pan set over low heat. Use your palms to press the bread into the pan. This promotes even browning and butter distribution. Place cheese on both slices and cover with a lid to steam. Keep the heat on low and take your time. When the cheese is melted and the bread is perfectly browned on both sides, remove the bread from heat, and close up your sandwich. 

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Posted in Kitchen Tips

The Secret to Perfect Grilled Cheese Sandwiches

Posted on by Reluctant Retiree

I would be lying if I said my husband lacked skills in the kitchen. I also wouldn’t be married, because I’m pretty sure I have a second stomach where my heart is supposed to be. I’m lucky to be part of a relationship that splits kitchen responsibilities, because I think it’s fair to say that we all have days when we can’t compute making food for ourselves, but are more than happy to take on the dirty dishes. 

My husband, Kyle, has a knack for making simple, comforting dishes. He’s especially good with barbecue and fettuccine Alfredo. He has a patience and resourcefulness that I often lack because I’m so fixated on the end product. It’s why I wrote his scrambled eggs into my wedding vows, and it’s why whenever I’m feeling sick, what I want most is for him to make me a grilled cheese sandwich. 

I had a pretty bad cold recently, so in addition to some chicken noodle soup, I got to enjoy a Kyle grilled cheese sandwich or two. And I’m very pleased to report that he’s incorporated a new trick and ingredient to make his grilled cheese sandwiches more delicious than ever. 

Allrecipes

My Go-To Lazy Weeknight Dinner Starts With a Can of Beans

Have you heard of comfortcore? Comfortcore started as a design trend but has since expanded to all aspects of living. In essence, “comfortcore food” is all about simple and delicious recipes that make us feel warm and cozy, and evoke pleasure and comfort. Think dishes like mac and cheese, chili, and baked potatoes.

I know what you’re thinking. Don’t we already have another term for recipes like this? Yes, it’s hard to say what differentiates comfortcore from comfort food, but leave it to social media to rebrand something that’s been around since the dawn of time.

While we’re on the topic, I thought I’d share my go-to lazy meal that screams of comfortcore. I like to throw it together on weeknights when I crave something quick, comforting, and filling. The recipe is packed with protein, takes 20 minutes to come together, and is as satisfying as any cheesy, tomato-y pasta bake.

The Best-Ever Bean Recipe

This dish goes by several names. I’ve seen it called Pizza Beans, Cheesy White Beans, and Skillet Beans, but I like to call it the Best-Ever Bean Recipe. I first saw the dish in the New York Times, and while I don’t make it too differently than that recipe, the beauty of this dish is that you can switch things up endlessly.

Whatever it’s called, it’s delicious, comforting, satisfying, makes the house smell amazing, and the reason my pantry is always stocked with cans of white beans. Whether it’s cannellini, navy beans, or butter beans, whatever you have in the pantry will work. And the best part? It only has five ingredients—all of which I almost always have on hand.

You can eat this as is, in a bowl with a spoon. Or you can toast up slices of crusty bread and spread the cheesy beans on the slices. This crostini recipe would be perfect, but plain toasted bread would also work in a pinch. Store-bought bruschetta (the type you’d find in the cracker aisle) or even garlic bagel chips would be great vehicles for scooping it up, too. 

Since this recipe starts on the stove and finishes in the oven, you’ll also need an oven-proof skillet, such as a cast iron skillet or an all stainless steel skillet. 

Allrecipes

5 Foods You Should Never Cook In a Slow Cooker

People take them for granted now, but when slow cookers first hit the mass market in the 1970s, they truly revolutionized kitchens. With their “set-it-and-forget-it” mentality, slow cookers freed up a lot of time preparing food in a world that was quickly and steadily changing. They assisted the wave of women entering the workforce for the first time, helping them simultaneously earn an income and put dinner on the table. 

As much as home cooks rely on slow cookers, though, there are some foods that just don’t mix with the countertop appliance. These are the foods you should keep away from your slow cooker, ranging from bothersome to dangerous. 

Allrecipes

Posted in Kitchen Tips

How to Keep Your Cucumbers Fresher for Longer

Posted on by Reluctant Retiree

Fresh, bright, and vegetal, with a clean, mild flavor and subtle sweetness, cucumbers are extremely versatile and lend themselves well to a wide range of dishes. From raw to cooked, savory to sweet, and beverages dry or spiked, cucumbers go a long way. Their refreshing nature makes them a star in the summer, but a crudité plate any time of year is bound to see some of these seedy wonders, thanks to their consistent availability and dippable goodness.

The Easiest Way to Make Cucumbers Taste So Much Better

If you’ve ever grown cucumbers at home, you know that not only are these long, cylindrical fruits one of the easiest things to grow, but they’re also abundant. Home-growing cucumbers will inevitably have them coming out of your ears at some point, so a little brush-up on how to keep them fresh for as long as possible is a solid idea.

How Long Do Cucumbers Last?

  • In the fridge: 4-6 days (unwrapped), but up to 2 weeks
  • Room temperature on the counter: up to 7 days (if out of sun)
  • In the freezer: 6 months to 1 year

Allrecipes

Posted in #Recipes

Our Most-Saved July Recipe Is So Good, ‘I Could Literally Eat It Every Day’

Posted on by Reluctant Retiree

Looking for a delicious way to use up all those fresh cucumbers that seem to overwhelm gardens and farmers’ markets this time of year? Your search ends with our most-saved July recipe of all time: Cucumber-Tomato Salad.

With a near-perfect average rating from more than 800 members of the Allrecipes community, this classic and colorful side dish will be the star of your next summer spread—and it’ll quickly become a go-to in your seasonal rotation. 

Why We Love It

There’s a lot to love about this top-rated cucumber recipe. Here are just a few reasons we’re obsessed: 

  • It’s full of old-fashioned flavor. Recent 5-star reviewer Donna Warner-Raskin puts it best when she says this classic dish tastes “just like grandma used to make.” Other community members agree, likening the summer salad to nostalgic recipes from their own mothers and grandmothers. 
  • It uses in-season ingredients. This cucumber-tomato salad is a gardener’s dream (at least in the summertime, that is). If you don’t have a vegetable garden in your backyard, a quick trip to the farmers’ market is all you’ll need. 
  • It’s the perfect make-ahead side dish. Because the flavors from the marinade take a few hours to reach their full effect, this is a great recipe to make in advance. It’s important to note, though, that the cukes might lose some crispness after a while—so we don’t recommend making this dish more than a day before you plan to serve it. 

Allrecipes

Posted in Kitchen Tips

My Dad’s No-Brainer Trick Is the Best Way To Eat Any Fruit

Posted on by Reluctant Retiree

My dad is a fruit fanatic. I’ve seen him polish off a case of large mangoes—that’s six pounds—in a week. At my parents’ house, no meal is complete without a platter of whatever’s in season or looks tasty at the supermarket: strawberries, peaches, apples—you name it.

How does Dad eat so much fruit? A simple, no-fuss trick: He always keeps containers of prepped, ready-to-eat fruit in the refrigerator.

My Dad’s Secret

OK, I know—it doesn’t sound like a big deal. But hear me out: Having fruit that’s already washed, peeled, and sliced it way more tempting to eat. Whether it’s neatly cubed ripe mangos, quartered kiwi, or just de-stemmed grapes or cherries, a little prep goes a long way. When your stomach growls, all you have to do is open the fridge and enjoy. That makes the nutritious snack or dessert more appealing than, let’s say, a bag of potato chips or package of cookies. 

Allrecipes

Posted in #Recipes

Italian Sausage, Peppers, and Onions

Posted on by Reluctant Retiree

Satisfy your Italian food craving with this impossibly easy (but incredibly delicious) sausage and peppers recipe. Since it comes together quickly with easy-to-find ingredients, it’s the perfect simple-yet-satisfying dinner for busy weeknights.

Sausage and Peppers Ingredients 

You don’t need a lot of ingredients to make this sausage and peppers recipe. Here’s what to put on your grocery list:

  • Italian Sausage: Sweet Italian sausage is perfect for this top-rated recipe. To turn up the heat a bit, try using half hot Italian sausage.
  • Butter: Two tablespoons of butter is all you’ll need to sauté the veggies. Of course, you could substitute olive oil if you prefer.
  • Onions: Slice one yellow onion and half of one red onion. If you prefer a milder flavor, just use one and a half yellow onions.
  • Garlic: Mince four cloves of fresh garlic to add to the vegetable mixture for authentic Italian flavor.
  • Bell Peppers: Slice one red pepper and one green bell pepper.
  • Spices and Seasonings: This sausage and peppers recipe is simply seasoned with dried basil and dried oregano.
  • Wine: Opt for a dry white wine such as pinot grigio or sauvignon blanc. If you don’t have any wine on hand, reviewers say they’ve had success substituting with chicken broth or beer.

Allrecipes

Posted in Kitchen Tips

Wonder Bread Settles the Debate: This Is the Best Way To Keep Bread From Getting Moldy

Posted on by Reluctant Retiree

If there’s one thing you never want your food supply to run short on, it’s sliced bread. It’s the base of endless quick meals, lunchtime fixes, and late-night bites. It’s one of those grocery staples you never really know when you’ll need, but you just know you will need it at some point.

And, on the occasion you reach for that ever-dependable bag of sliced bread, there’s nothing more horrifying than realizing mold has gotten to it faster than you have. Now, your beloved white bread—as well as your dreams of a quick PB&J snack—are headed to the trash. 

Mold doesn’t have to be the fate of your favorite white bread; Spoilage is almost entirely dependent upon where you store the loaf. Some people swear by the bread box, others by the kitchen counter, while still others keep it tucked away by the eggs in the fridge. With all these differing opinions, how do you know which way is the best? You ask the experts. 

We reached out to Wonder Bread, one of the brands most synonymous with white bread, to find out the very best way to store sliced bread for as long as possible (and avoid any moldy bread misfortunes ever again). So, if you’ve ever found yourself pausing when it’s time to put away the sliced bread, here’s your storage answer, once and for all.

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