Food & Nutrition

All About Pasta We eat a lot of post in our house. It's probably my favorite food ingredient to cook with. There are so many variations between types of pasta and sauces that go with them. In this post, I'll look at pasta from its history, varieties, strange shapes, fun facts, and more. Who Invented Pasta? The exact origin of pasta needs to be clarified, but it is believed to have been invented by the ancient civilizations of the Mediterranean, specifically in Greece and Rome. There is evidence that pasta may have been developed independently in multiple locations worldwide. In China, for example, a noodle-like food called "mian" was made as early as 3000 BC, while in the Middle East, a similar food called “itriyya” was made by the 10th century. The popularization of p...

Nora Ephron described the Pillsbury Bake-Off in a 1973 essay for Esquire as “like being locked overnight in a bakery—a very bad bakery.” Inside the glitzy Beverly Hilton hotel in Los Angeles, she shadowed the 100 finalists on the floor of the 24th Annual Bake-Off, portraying contestants as small-town simpletons of dubious culinary aptitude. The acerbic Ephron was never known for spinning sugar just to make candy, so it wasn’t surprising that she found these prize-winning confections so pedestrian. She conceals neither her disdain for the spectacle nor her prejudices as a big-city food snob. “None of the recipes seemed to contain one cup of sugar when two would do,” Ephron writes, “or a delicate cheese when Kraft American would do, or an actual m...

Ceviche: A Refreshing Delight for Seafood Lovers Ceviche, a beloved dish with a rich history, has captured the hearts and palates of seafood enthusiasts worldwide. This vibrant and refreshing culinary creation has roots in the coastal regions of Latin America, where it has been enjoyed for centuries. Combining the freshness of raw fish or seafood with zesty citrus juices and an array of aromatic herbs and spices, ceviche tantalizes taste buds and offers a unique dining experience. At its core, ceviche is a dish that showcases the beauty of raw fish or seafood. It typically features ingredients like fresh fish fillets, shrimp, scallops, or even octopus, which are carefully cut into bite-sized pieces. These delicate morsels are then marinated in a blend of citrus juices, mo...

Everything You Need To Know About Avocados  We are just back from a trip from Puerto Vallarta and enjoyed some version of avocado with most meals. At home, avocados are always on the counter in a bowl ripening for breakfast or lunch. A fruit widely known for its creamy texture and unique taste has become increasingly popular. It is a delicious ingredient in many dishes and a nutritious food with numerous health benefits. This article will explore everything you need to know about avocados, from their origins to their culinary uses and health benefits. Origins of Avocado Avocados are native to Mexico and Central America and have been cultivated for over 10,000 years. The first recorded evidence of avocado cultivation dates back to 5,000 BCE in the Tehuacan Valley, in Mex...

I’ve never been sure why s’mores are marketed as a summer dessert, since the last thing I want to do on a hot July evening is sit around a blazing campfire. My preferred take on the classic is cold and refreshing yet entirely indulgent: an espresso s’mores ice cream pie. Each component brings a unique texture, making this frozen treat a symphony of smooth, cold, creamy, and crunchy. My recipe takes cues from other favorite summer treats: key lime pie’s graham cracker crust, baked Alaska’s paradoxical frozen base and flaming meringue, and Nigella Lawson’s unrivaled one-step no-churn espresso ice cream. A no-bake graham cracker crust is the perfect vessel for this ice cream pie. Not only does it keep with the s’mores theme, but it’s a cinch to thr...

Everything You Need to Know About Arugula We love arugula in our house. It is not something my mom ever served us as kids growing up in New Jersey. My dad would have called it a weed. I can't image my brother, sister, or I enjoy it as our side salad. We grew up on iceberg lettuce. I'm not sure when arugula became popular and mainstream, but it has, and there is so much to love about it. This post provides you with lots of exciting information about arugula and answers some questions you may have. Arugula Arugula, also known as rocket or roquette, is a leafy green vegetable member of the Brassicaceae family, including other popular vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower, and cabbage. It has been enjoyed for centuries and is a staple ingredient in Mediterranean and Middle Eas...

Everything You Need to Know About Arugula We love arugula in our house. It is not something my mom ever served us as kids growing up in New Jersey. My dad would have called it a weed. I can't image my brother, sister, or I enjoy it as our side salad. We grew up on iceberg lettuce. I'm not sure when arugula became popular and mainstream, but it has, and there is so much to love about it. This post provides you with lots of exciting information about arugula and answers some questions you may have. Arugula Arugula, also known as rocket or roquette, is a leafy green vegetable member of the Brassicaceae family, including other popular vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower, and cabbage. It has been enjoyed for centuries and is a staple ingredient in Mediterranean and Middle Eas...

Quick and Easy Published: May 7, 2023   |   Updated: May 7, 2023   |   Comment .tasty-recipes-quick-links { text-align:center; } .tasty-recipes-quick-links a { padding: 0.5rem; } This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy for more details. This 30-minute creamy Tuscan chicken pasta recipe makes a delicious and comforting meal with tender chicken, sun-dried tomatoes and spinach. It’s a quick and easy fix for weeknight dinners using simple ingredients that give you big Italian-inspired flavors. Pair your favorite pasta with this creamy Tuscan chicken pasta recipe and smother it in a rich and creamy sauce made from butter, garlic, cream and Parmesan cheese. This pasta has the bright and bold flavors of sun-dried tomatoes and the freshnes...

My love affair with trifle is a new one. Until recently, I thought the classic British dessert was old-fashioned—even stuffy. That is, until my British partner described trifle as a dreamy, creamy, and unabashedly boozy treat, admitting to feeling tipsy after a hearty helping on more than one occasion. Intrigued, I opted to give trifle another shot (perhaps literally). “I honestly think trifle might be one of the most perfect desserts out there,” says Martha de Lacey, host of the hit London-based supper club Muff Dining. “It boasts everything you could possibly want from a pudding: so many surprises, endless variations, never the same trifle twice.” At its most basic, a trifle is comprised of layers of cake or ladyfingers soaked in something t...

All About Canned Tomatoes We cook with a lot of canned tomatoes in our house. So much so that I'm learning about different brands and different styles and finding out, there are many differences in quality when it comes to canned tomatoes. This post will look at all these factors and more so you know how to find and purchase the best-canned tomatoes for your cooking needs. What Are Canned Tomatoes and Are They Any Good? Canned tomatoes are whole or diced tomatoes peeled and packed in a can with juice or tomato sauce. They are a convenient and shelf-stable option for adding flavor and nutrition to various dishes, from soups and stews to pasta sauces and salsas. Canned tomatoes are often harvested at the peak of ripeness and then processed and canned soon after, which helps ...