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Red Velvet Brownies I’ll admit it. I had never heard of red velvet brownies, but once I got the idea of combining two of my favorite desserts, I was determined. I made this recipe multiple times until it was just right, as we are very picky about our brownies around here. For my family, the ideal brownie needs to be rich and delicious, not too cakey, and not too gooey. I’m happy to report that these red velvet brownies meet all of the above qualifications, plus they are beautiful to look at!...

You might be tempted to keep such a decadent dessert all to yourself, but caramel brownies are a quintessential crowd-pleaser! Make a few batches to share as Valentine’s gifts for the loved ones in your life, package them for a bake sale or serve them up at a birthday party. Who says cake gets to have all the fun? How to Make Caramel Brownies Follow the basic guidelines below and you will have a rich, fudgy brownie with caramel in every bite!...

The following is an adaptation of Dave’s Creamy Shrimp Fettuccine recipe. I thought it needed a little more sauce and some greenery, hence the broccoli. It was quite good, and came together quickly. I can imagine lots of variations on the same theme (diced ham instead of shrimp, chopped kale in place of broccoli, or skip the broccoli all together). Related Video

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It’s typically spooned onto crusty bread as an appetizer, but caponata also makes a wonderful pasta sauce. Agrodolce (literally “sour-sweet”) preparations are popular all over the island of Sicily. This technique of mixing vinegar into dishes sweetened with ingredients like tomatoes and raisins is a lesson learned centuries ago from the Arabs who settled in the region. Caponata is part of this long-standing Arab-Sicilian cuisine. Traditionally, making caponata begins by frying cubes of eggplant in oil, but I prefer roasting them instead....

Instead, you just throw everything into a dish and let the oven do the work! You can even assemble the casserole the night before and bake it the next morning. You still get all the best parts of a slice of French toast, but with far less effort: soft and custardy middles, cinnamon-infused edges, plus an extra-crunchy toasted topping. Video: How to Make French Toast Casserole What You’ll Need For this French toast casserole, you are going to need a fairly large loaf of bread – enough to make about 10 cups once cubed....

It’s impossible for me to pick a favorite Mexican dish, but tacos are pretty high up there. When they’re on-point, they never fail to hit that savory, satisfying, so-good note that made me crave them in the first place. Whether it’s Crispy Fish Tacos with Red Cabbage Slaw or Chorizo and Egg Breakfast Tacos, tacos of all kinds are always a win. “Everything can be a taco!” writes Gabriela Cámara, in My Mexico City Kitchen....

This dish is traditionally made by cooking beaten, simply seasoned eggs in a ttukbaegi, a small earthenware pot, or in a heat-proof bowl set over a pot of simmering water. Sometimes it can feel cumbersome when short on time, so it’s become common to make gyeran jjim in the microwave. My version of gyeran jjim is tender, custardy “steamed” eggs seasoned with dashi powder and with chopped crab sticks and diced scallions for a hit of savory flavor....

Hearty Beef Stew This Hearty Beef Stew is the meal I think of first and foremost when I think of comfort food. This is my mom’s recipe and it is darn near perfection. She would make a big batch and take along on fall camping trips. It heats up so well. Melt-in-your-mouth steak simmering in a rich broth combined with chunks of potatoes and hearty vegetables make this one of those warm meals that make you want to linger around the dinner table....

Microwave steamed broccoli is packed with nutrients and extremely versatile, whether served alongside a main dish like roasted chicken, grilled steak, or baked salmon, used to top a baked potato, or tossed into an omelet or quiche. Steamed broccoli is also delicious in salads, atop grain bowls, in soups, and in pasta dishes (broccoli mac and cheese, anyone?). While this recipe is made in the microwave, it does not sacrifice texture or flavor....

If you’ve never had risotto, now’s your moment. Prepared traditionally, this exquisite touchstone of Northern Italian cuisine is high-starch, short-grain rice that’s babied and fussed over and stirred and stirred and slowly fed multiple ladles of flavorful, simmering stock. When it looks right, you stop. The grains of rice swell bit by bit, and instead of being fluffy and distinct, like a pilaf, they swim in a creamy pool of savory liquid that’s finished with butter and finely grated hard cheese....

Parmesan Crusted Tilapia This Parmesan Crusted Tilapia is one of my very favorite ways to cook fish. It’s full of flavor and easy to prepare, and doesn’t taste “fishy” at all! Even my husband, who typically hates fish, devours it every time I make it. The cheesy Parmesan crust turns a beautiful golden brown under the broiler, keeping the tilapia tender and flaky inside. And it cooks up fast; from start to finish this dish takes less than 20 minutes!...

Peanut Oil Smoke Point A smoke point is the temperature at which an oil starts to smoke, which means it will quickly turn bitter and could burn your food. Vegetable oils like peanut oil, safflower oil, soybean oil and grapeseed oil have the highest smoke points. Best use: High-heat cooking, especially for stir-frying and deep-frying Substitutes: Safflower, soybean, or grapeseed oil, which also have high smoke points and a neutral flavor Extra virgin olive oil, on the other hand, has a lower smoke point of 410°F, which is why it’s better for salad dressings, finishing touches, or low-heat cooking....

What Is a Paloma? A “paloma” if you are unfamiliar with it, is a grapefruit version of a margarita, with lime juice, tequila, and a salt-rimmed glass. (It’s also Spanish for “dove”, which is neither here nor there when it comes to the drink.) And while I’m partial to everything grapefruit, a tequila/lime/salt combination rocks with pomegranate juice. Stir it up with a rosemary swizzle and now you have a drink that is fully decked out for the holidays in a ruby red coat with a salty white rim....

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I am the quesadilla queen! (At least in my own mind, having held that title since college where I regularly cooked up massive quesadillas on burrito sized tortillas with tons of add-ins for myself and friends.) So when a friend recently mentioned the idea of a quesadilla pie, I didn’t even wait for the recipe, I knew what to do. The two basic ingredients of a quesadilla are cheese (queso is cheese in Spanish) and tortillas, either flour or corn, though usually in the U....

Red velvet cake has historically been covered in ermine frosting, but tangy cream cheese frosting is the new favorite. This recipe takes that one step further by adding a layer of luscious cheesecake in between the two layers of red velvet cake, and it’s still covered with your favorite rich cream cheese frosting. Sure, there are a few different components involved in making this baking project, but the outcome is an indulgent, striking dessert that’ll be the talk of the party....

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I chose rosemary to go with the lemon and garlic in the rub for the chicken, but you could easily use oregano or thyme or a mix of all three if you want. My father for one is not too fond of rosemary, so if I were making this for him, I would use thyme. The dish couldn’t be simpler. You first make a rub with rosemary, lemon zest, garlic, and olive oil, and marinate the chicken pieces in this rub with a little lemon juice for an hour or two....

We came across an intriguing recipe for strawberry mousse cake in Martha Stewart Living and decided to skip the cake part and just make the strawberry mousse with white chocolate. I’ve made some modifications to adapt the recipe for a standalone sophisticated dessert. It’s delicious! And well worth the effort. Since the mousse requires several hours of chilling time, it’s an excellent dish if you are looking for a make-ahead dessert that will wow your guests....