I love this vegetarian “non-chicken” chicken salad sandwich! It’s got everything I love about a chicken salad or tuna salad sandwich, but without the animal protein. On the face of it, it seems almost too simple to be that good. To be honest, I was pretty wowed by how tasty chickpeas are in a sandwich. My skeptical better half, a die-hard meat and potatoes guy, was even more impressed when I sprung this on him....

Now, I’m generally not a big chocolate eater during the year, but when December rolls around, it’s totally game on. The chilly weather and holiday spirit just make me crave it for some reason. That craving means I’m whipping up old favorites like chocolate peppermint bark cookies, truffles, and homemade hot chocolate. Video: How to Make Chocolate Crinkle Cookies Chocolate Crinkles: A Holiday Favorite It also means it’s time to make these adorable cookie-fiend favorites: chocolate crinkles....

Crockpot Mexican Shredded Beef This is our go-to shredded beef recipe, I simply love it! It really doesn’t get any easier than throwing a roast in a Crockpot with a handful of ingredients and letting it cook all day. Growing up, we called this “Mom’s Lake Powell Beef” because she would always make it a few days before we went camping at Lake Powell. She would freeze it and then heat it up over a camp stove....

Boneless Chuck Roast for Thrift and Flavor You might find that most beef stews call for short ribs, chuck roast, or “stew meat” (which is almost always chuck). The top choice for me is always boneless chuck roast, and look for marbling if you can find it. Short ribs have tons of flavor and are super delicious, but these days, they also cost tons of money. This hardworking part of the cow’s shoulder is delightfully inexpensive, but it’s tough, not unlike human shoulders....

There’s very little in the way of actual cooking that needs to happen, which makes the prep a lot simpler, too. How To Choose a Holiday Ham You have a lot of different choices at the store for buying ham: Whole ham vs. half hamShank vs. buttUnsliced vs. spiral cutBone-in vs. bonelessFully-cooked vs. partially cooked or uncooked For this recipe, and for most holiday occasions, we prefer an un-sliced bone-in half ham, preferably from the shank end....

Sprinkle everything with a citrusy vinaigrette and you have a salad that is delicious as it is pretty! Grapefruit, like most citrus, is in high season during the gloomiest winter months, making this salad a welcome blast of color in the winter, as well as a refreshing salad in the summer. Serve it alongside a little cracked crab meat or pink shrimp, or just on its own. The hardest part of making the salad is segmenting the grapefruit....

Many of the ingredients that I find essential in everyday Asian cooking are items that I also use in dishes that originate from many different cultures. These ingredients add umami, spice, and deep resonant flavors that allow you to create satisfying, comforting meals with minimal effort. Here are the essentials in my Asian pantry: Chili Sauces, Oils and Crisps A trip to the Asian grocer will reveal countless varieties of chili sauces and oils, with each country or region in Asia offering their own unique variety....

Homemade Honey Butter Honey Butter is one of those indulgences that I forget about sometimes, but once I whip up a batch I think to myself “I should have this on hand all the time!” This homemade honey butter recipe is so easy to make and makes even a boring slice of morning toast taste like a treat. And with just three ingredients, it comes together quickly without any mess. All you need to make this sinfully sweet honey butter are three ingredients: butter, honey, and a little vanilla....

To roast a green chile you need to char the outside peel, without burning the inside, and then remove the char. Charring the outside infuses the chile inside with flavor. We remove the char because, well, who wants to eat all those burned bits? In New Mexico green chiles are roasted by the dozens in big mesh tumblers that turn over an open flame below. For those of us without the industrial-sized roasting contraptions, there are more practical options!...

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Make Your Own Produce Wash When you pick up an apple at the grocery store, do you ever wonder how many people have touched that same apple? Obviously the farmers and the grocery store workers have touched it, but what about all the other store patrons? How many other people have put their noses up against the bottom of that cantaloupe, or squeezed that avocado to see if it was ripe?...

Panda Express Mushroom Chicken Panda Express Mushroom Chicken is so easy to make at home! There’s something so comforting about using fresh ingredients and creating a meal in your own kitchen. It takes less time to throw together than it does to get in your car, drive to the restaurant and pick it up. I drive by a Panda Express every day, and yet I still choose to make this savory meal with fresh vegetables and chicken in my own house....

Of course, when cooking a vegan meal, using heavy cream is out. For these times, cashew cream is my go-to replacement. What Is Cashew Cream Sauce? The soft texture of the cashews puree into the creamiest of sauces to the point of where I don’t even miss the cream. The sauce is similar in texture to Alfredo and comes together by simply soaking raw cashews in a bit of water....

There are certain staple recipes every home baker should have in their repertoire: a rich chocolate cake good for any occasion, a go-to cookie for cravings and fund raisers, a tarte tartin for those extravagant dinner parties. Undoubtedly, a pear tart must be included in this list. While is may look intimidating this pear tart recipe is simple! Bosc pears are smartly laid out over a layer of frangipane (a fancy name for almond filling) on a pâte brisée crust....

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Apparently, the recipe has been around for ages. We first discovered a version of it in a magazine called Cuisine at Home, but you can find other versions at Epicurious and other places online. Easy Chocolate Cupcakes Without Eggs or Dairy The thing about this cake recipe is not only is it incredibly easy to make, with ingredients that you likely already have in your pantry, but it produces a surprisingly moist and delicious cake (and cupcakes)....

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This has to be the easiest stuffed mushrooms recipe ever! It’s just mushroom caps, stuffed with Boursin herbed cheese, sprinkled with smoked paprika, and baked for about 8 minutes. Boursin is a brand of spreadable cheese, similar in texture to a lightly whipped cream cheese (which you could easily substitute). The kind we use is peppered with garlic and herbs. A light dusting of smoked paprika is just a zingy accent....