Types of wood for smoking Before we head into the different species of wood, you first want to consult with your smoker and its manual to figure out what size or form of wood it takes. This is important because you can’t just put any type of wood chunks in your smoker and expect it to work even if it’s the right species. You can find various types of wood for smoking at hardware stores locally and online....

Some people say that summertime is the best time for ice cream, but my Chocolate Chip Mint Ice Cream is perfect year round. Do you really need an excuse to enjoy a refreshing bowl of homemade ice cream?! If you need more ice cream treats in your life (#LiveYourTruth), try my Banana Split Ice Cream Pie or these Carrot Cake Ice Cream Cookies. I’ve tested and perfected this recipe with both “churn” and “no-churn” options....

Who put Spam in fried rice? Since its creation by Hormel Foods in 1937 and use in US militarization during WWII, Spam has quickly infiltrated many ethnic dishes like Spam musubi (an invention by Barbara Funamuna of Hawaii) or Korean army stew. Spam fried rice also has Hawaiian origins and is influenced by East and Southeast Asian fried rice varieties. Ingredients in Spam fried rice While there are lots of things to add to Spam fried rice, the basics are in its name: cubed pieces of Spam and stir-fried rice....

Being able to customize a recipe for me, can take something from being good, to amazing! Learn how to recreate these popular sous vide mini-omelets at home with an oven. What are egg muffin cups? Egg muffin cups, also known as egg bites, were popularized by Starbucks in 2017 when they created their sous vide egg bites with Cuisine Solutions, a company that makes sous vide food for retailers, consumers, and restaurants....

While many of us are familiar with Cheesecake Factory’s famous miso-glazed salmon, myself included, this recipe uses a more traditional Japanese take by using sake, mirin, and miso. This recipe is also similar to my miso-marinated black cod recipe, except there’s only a 30 minute marinade time and it’s also much easier and cheaper to find salmon than black code, otherwise known as sablefish. Choosing and preparing the salmon When choosing a salmon filet, I prefer wild-caught salmon because of its health benefits and it’s better for the environment....

This recipe is easy to follow and will give you a substantial amount of noodles that you can make during the week as a quick dinner or at your next celebration. Why is it called pancit canton? Pancit is one of the most popular Filipino dishes that you can find at family parties during big celebrations and holidays. I grew up eating pancit for every New Years as a way to bring a good long life....

The homemade pesto gently coats each pillowy, dumpling-like potato pasta and snugs up to moist and tender chicken breasts swimming in a light and creamy pesto filled sauce. This pesto pasta, sheet pan pesto salmon, and tortellini skewers with pesto are a few other reader favorite pesto recipes! I am always looking for a meal that you just want to snuggle up to. My Pesto Gnocchi with Chicken definitely answers the call for cozy and comforting food but also feels light and refreshing at the same time....

Click here to pin this recipe for later! How is Thanksgiving already 1 week away? Literally time is zooming by. People tell me, “Just wait until you have kids, it goes by even faster…” ahhhhh good thing I am no where near that yet! haha. So, the past couple of years my mom has slowly started letting me take the reins for cooking the Thanksgiving feast. I now truly appreciate and give mad props to my mom for doing this for our family and friends every year!...

We love a good salmon recipe and we’ve been having this Brown Sugar Salmon and Mediterranean Salmon on repeat. They are perfect weeknight salmon recipes that taste restaurant quality! These salmon nuggets with bang bang sauce are a fast and easy appetizer (or dinner option) to start off your new year. You will love how streamlined this recipe is for your busy weeknight meals at home. Just 15 minutes of recipe prep time, and 20 minutes from the oven to your family dinner table....

This recipe uses canned food veggies and beans so having the ingredients on hand already makes everyone’s life a lot easier. 🙂 These stuffed bell peppers are vegetarian (easily made vegan by omitting the cheese) and filled with plant based protein, fiber and are super flavorful! I made my own taco seasoning because the store bought packets can be very high in sodium. Plus, if you don’t have a packet handy it’s nice to know with a few staple spices you can whip together your own taco seasoning....

The marinade adds a ton of garlicky, lemongrassy flavor that pairs great with the pork chops. Grilling adds an amazing aroma and sear, and as if the chops aren’t flavorful enough, they’re topped with scallions & oil. It comes with veggies and a lil’ bowl of dipping fish sauce on the side which goes great with Sambal Oelek (my choice!) or fresh chilies if you prefer. These chops are something I used to eat all the time during late night food outings and it’s a dish that was the bulk of what Mom sold at her restaurant–so you bet I got some tips from her on this recipe!...

Luckily for us, American home cooks and culinary experts are waking up to the revelatory flavor-enhancing qualities of fish sauce. Chefs in Spanish, Mexican and American restaurants have experimented with fish sauce for its umami superpowers. From anything to potatas bravas, salsa verde, poblano sauce, barbeque or even bloody mary cocktails, its power to transform flavor is too much to resist for anyone who’s in-the-know. For examples of recipes where fish sauce is prominently used, check out my recipes for egg rolls, and the noodle bowl like bun thit nuong....

It’s great as a little side dish but is something that should be eaten immediately after served so the deep fried layer stays as crisp as possible. Some background I’ll never understand why some people have an aversion to tofu. I suppose there can be a slight disconnect from what it actually is made of since it’s just a white jiggly block. We meat-hungry Americans are missing out on a lot of good stuff by not trying new foods....

I think it would be fun to add this into soups or marinades with certain proteins – this way of using it in cooking would certainly help with “spreading the love” of the sodium as compared to using it as a dip or sauce! I was just really excited to try it out and wanted to see how it paired with…well, anything! I had some fresh asparagus in the fridge to use up and thought this made a fantastic side dish....

It features tofu usually, but the unique addition to this soup is the “riêu” or meatballs, made of pork, shrimp, crab, and prawns. And would it really be a Vietnamese soup if it wasn’t loaded with herbs and vegetables? Compared to the other Vietnamese soup recipes we have here, this is the only one with shrimp, crab, tomato and tofu. Easy to make! We’ll cook this with a relatively easy method, but delicious results....

We’ve been really loving flank steak lately and how versatile it is. You can use it to make fajitas, toss it in a stir fry, or make lettuce wraps with it. Flank steak is a fairly tough cut of meat so it deserves a delicious marinade. This flank steak is made with a simple red wine marinade. The red wine is a secret ingredients to making a perfect marinade because the acidity helps to tenderize the meat and adds tons of flavor....

Everyone loves the recipe so much, so I figured it’s time to post for you guys! Waffles from scratch are such a classic breakfast and brunch necessity. These homemade waffles have an incredibly tasty golden brown exterior and a soft, pillowy inside. I think my favorite part of these buttermilk waffles are the perfect pockets that can hold peanut butter, maple syrup, butter, fresh berries, whip cream, and the list goes on!...

We serve them with an irresistible honey mustard sauce, some type of green like roasted broccoli or salad and fries or mac and cheese. It’s like an adult version of a kids meal and I’m all about it! These baked chicken tenders can also be served as an appetizer too. Set out a couple different dipping sauces and everyone will be happy! This cornflake chicken has zero frying involved, uses a standard breading procedure with cornflake crumbs and the chicken fingers get baked until golden brown on a baking sheet....

Ah…May 13th…National Hummus Day — a day to celebrate the deliciousness of this beloved Middle Eastern spread. The usual ingredients in hummus are simple: cooked or mashed chickpeas, olive oil, tahini, lemon juice, salt and garlic. While the ‘original hummus’ is simply amazing and fun to make at home, Sabra hummus kicks it up a notch and has flavors that include Pine Nut, Lemon Twist, Basil Pesto, Roasted Garlic, Supremely Spicy (mah fav!...

They’re a dim sum staple in China and many places around the world, but making them at home will give you fresh and fall off the bone phoenix claws. Background Chicken feet are definitely not an everyday item on most American menus, but it’s a pretty regular item on many Asian, Eastern European, African, and other ethnic cuisines. As inexpensive pieces of chicken, they are accessible and are just as delicious....