I couldn’t serve a soup without toppings. I just don’t have it in me. Toppings can turn a simple soup into something memorable. A dinner rather than lunch. A weeknight meal without lots of faff. Some of my favourite toppings include cheddar potato skin croutons, and bacon-fried-bread croutons. Most soups have a pretty healthy base, so I figure I can splurge a little on the toppings 🙂 I guess chunky soups are different - my chicken pot pie soup or corned beef hash soup get off lightly with a sprinkling of fresh herbs....

This base is fantastic with vodka as a straightforward Bloody Mary. It’s not too assertive, so you could customize it to your liking. In fact, I made this recipe with that approach in mind. Make it a conventional (but not boring) mix or go wherever your imagination takes you! I have lots of ideas for how to spice it up below. What’s a Bloody Mary? The Bloody Mary cocktail has vodka, tomato juice, and spices that, like many early 20th century cocktails, does not have a verified origin....

Sure, there are a bunch of bars you can find at the store, but there are a ton of benefits to making your own. You can control the sweetness, come up with your own combinations of flavors, and control what ingredients you’re adding into your bars. Once you master a versatile recipe like this one, the sky’s the limit. While some granola bars are meant to be crunchy, I like mine chewy and this recipe does not disappoint....

I think the seafood eating world is divided into two camps: those who enjoy tartar sauce with their fish, and those who will have nothing to do with it. I am happily in the first camp and love nothing better than a fish fillet served with a slice of lemon, some tartar sauce and, of course, coleslaw. Not all bottled tartar sauces are created equally, however. It’s really hit or miss out there in the prepared tartar sauce world....

Not long till it’s holiday time, and I really want to feel good in pretty fitted t-shirts and the dreaded swimming costume! This is one of my lighter options for a quick and tasty mid-week meal that satisfies the take-away craving, but without that horrible too-full feeling afterwards! I know cauliflower rice has been doing the rounds for ages now, but I think it’s here to stay! It’s always the first thing I think of when I’m planning meals that are easy-on-the-waistline....

This is the best way to cook potatoes. It is seriously addicting. They are sweet, they are salty, and they have those punches of flavor from the mustard and onion. Even when we’re not really in the mood, we end up eating the whole thing! It is super easy to make and leaves you plenty of time to prep a main dish. I usually serve these potatoes along side a nice steak....

No need to beg your loved ones to take seconds on these hot dogs. You’ll be lucky if there are any left for you! Chop up some fresh pineapple, and mix it in with chopped bacon, onions, and sweet pickles. Pile the relish over a sizzling hot dog and enjoy. Watch out, it’s messy! But I think that’s just how it goes with hot dogs and relish. Slather on some mustard too....

We were offered paper plates for the clams and cups for the broth. I learned how to pull out the bellies and dip and shake the clams in the broth to clean them, and how to sip the broth carefully so the sand stayed at the bottom of the cup. Sea, sand, the waning sun, plenty of beer for the adults, children racing up and down the beach—that was a high point of summer in my childhood....

How To Grill Salmon with Skin Use skin-on fillets and place the salmon fillets on the hot grill skin-side up (flesh side down) first. The fillets, when raw, won’t flake and fall apart like they will when they are cooked. So, you sear the raw flesh side first, only enough to get some good grill marks and an edge of cooked fish, then you carefully flip it and finish your cooking at a lower temperature with the skin-side down (flesh side up)....

Let’s face it – life is busy, especially if you’re a working parent with kids. Or if you’re a 20-something year old with a hectic social schedule or a 30-something year old with a jet setting corporate lifestyle. And no matter how great your intentions are, you still find yourself scrambling every night to get organised to make a nutritious meal. Forget trying to make meals interesting – that’s way too hard!...

When I was little, Sunday afternoons would always be spent having tea at my nana and grandad’s house with all of the family. My grandad was a keen and adventurous baker and would have apple crumbles, rhubarb crumbles, scones and trifle on the table without fail. He could always be relied upon to have a big jug of homemade custard, in a Pyrex jug, ready for us all to devour....

What Is the Best Bread to Use for Breadcrumbs? Tasty breadcrumbs can come from any kind of leftover bread or roll. I store bread that is going stale in the freezer. When I have enough odds and ends, I make breadcrumbs and either toast them right away or refreeze them for a rainy day. Here are a few breads that make great crumbs. SourdoughFrench breadRyeWhole wheat or white sandwich breadLeftover hot dog and hamburger buns...

I find that people either love it or hate it. Some people can’t resist it, and some people will leave the room if it’s on the table. One bite of pungent prepared horseradish is enough to clear out anyone’s sinuses, right? Horseradish is both easy to grow and easy to prepare! Plant a section of root in a sunny part of your yard, make sure it gets some water, and soon you’ll have more horseradish than you can use....

How to Use Your Preserved Lemons Once you have a jar of preserved lemons sitting in the refrigerator, what do you do with the lemon rinds once you’ve rinsed one or more of salt and finely chopped it? Readers in the comments have plenty of ideas for putting them to work. Add a little to fresh pasta sauceSprinkle on hot peppersAdd to a yogurt sauce for saladsStir into riceAdd to couscousTop arugula saladsSprinkle on seafood...

Not to worry as we can help you with a guide to using the air fryer! This article will teach you how to use an air fryer so that you can start cooking those fabulous meals which you saw on Pinterest, Facebook groups, or heard about from a friend. Welcome to air fryer 101 class. What exactly is an air fryer (Air fryer 101) An air fryer is a type of kitchen appliance that air cooks by circulating hot air and minimal or no oil (compared to deep-frying)....

One of the vegetables that I have successfully been able to serve my family is broccoli and I couldn’t be more grateful for it especially since it is easy and quick to make. My children prefer steamed broccoli to the roasted version. One thing my daughter said is she likes how juicy and vibrant the colour is even after cooking it. I couldn’t argue with her, it is true, steamed broccoli when not overcooked retains its vibrant colour and crunchy to bite....

If you’re a native of Minneapolis, Minnesota, you might know the cheeseburger by another name the: Juicy Lucy or the Jucy Lucy depending upon which origin story you side with. The traditional cheeseburger was upended sometime in the 1950s when a Minneapolis bar placed cheese INSIDE the burger and called it a Jucy Lucy. By all appearances it’s a normal hamburger on the outside, but a single bite gives way to a stream of gooey melted American cheese....

Just word itself sounds like there should be a song about it. If you are unfamiliar with the concept of burgoo, it’s Kentucky’s most famous stew, usually made for big gatherings (such as Derby Day) in huge kettles. Burgoo dates to before the Civil War and as legend has it, was invented by a French chef. Like a mulligan stew, it’s sort of a empty-the-fridge recipe. Burgoos typically have at least three different meats, and plenty of vegetables such as corn, okra, and lima beans....

You can use it for so many things - it’s great for sandwiches, burgers, and even desserts! The best thing about this bread is the AMAZING smell that fills your kitchen when you bake it. It actually smells like real bread baking in your oven! The second best thing: you can comfortably hold your hamburger in your hands (no need for a knife and a fork!), and make great sandwiches....