PITTSBURGH — Elected "ingredient of the year" by The New York Times, vinegar can have many uses and personalities far beyond its generic role in a salad dressing or as a decorative balsamic reduction.

You can use a splash as a finish to lentil soup or chili to add depth. Some bartenders are throwing it into mocktails. There are folks who use ...Read more

I have been baking bread again, and it feels so good.

I don't know why I stopped. I suppose I didn't have time one day so I got a loaf from the fabulous bakery a couple of miles away. The fact that their bread is so good did not help matters. It made it easier and easier not to have time to bake.

But that changed a few months ago. Not the ...Read more

This cheesy, saucy baked gnocchi is a quick and comforting meal. Baby spinach is the natural choice for fast dinners as it’s ready right out of the package, but feel free to swap it out for another chopped green like kale or Swiss chard.

Cheesy Baked Gnocchi Skillet

Serves 8

Active Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

2 tablespoons ...Read more

In the ever-evolving world of health and wellness, a new trend is gaining attention for its bold approach to digestive health: fibermaxxing. This practice involves significantly increasing dietary fiber intake — sometimes well beyond standard recommended levels — in pursuit of benefits like improved digestion, weight management, and overall ...Read more

Chicken paillards are the perfect weeknight entree since they take just a few minutes to pound and even less time to cook. They are traditionally served with a splash of lemon or a simple uncomplicated sauce.

To flatten the chicken breasts, place them on a cutting board between plastic wrap or wax paper and pound with the smooth side of a meat ...Read more

Shrimp ranks among the easiest, leanest proteins to cook for a speedy weeknight meal. Set the skillet over high heat, add a modicum of oil, and then stir-fry to tenderness in less than 4 minutes. That’s it.

When those shrimps are peeled and deveined before cooking, we serve them warm simply with a dish of horseradish-spiked cocktail sauce and...Read more

If you’re still making pancakes for your family like a short-order cook, I’ve got just the thing to make your morning routine a whole lot easier: a skillet pancake. Just pour the batter into a hot skillet, bake for about half an hour, then sit down to breakfast together. There’s simply no better way to do it!

This step-by-step recipe will...Read more

I’m pretty much a fan of any spicy condiment so I love Buffalo sauce, in all its tangy, buttery glory. I’m also a vegetarian — so no ...Read more

If ever there was liberation to be found in the never-ending grind of nightly meal preparation, it's got to be the ready-to-go product scorned by some but beloved by many: the supermarket rotisserie chicken.

Personally, the plump and juicy birds have come to the rescue more times than I care to count in my own kitchen over the years, both as a ...Read more

A lawyer friend sent me a news release about a food-related class-action suit, and then he ruined it all by telling me about it with a whole bunch of shameless puns.

So I'm faced with a conundrum. It's a serious subject, but I can't think about it without laughing.

I said they were shameless puns. I didn't say they weren't funny.

The case ...Read more

PITTSBURGH — The price of ground beef has gone up 51% since February 2020. In the past year, the U.S. has seen record low cattle numbers because of drought over the past few years. Tariffs on imports, rising input costs and cattle disease have also put pressure on beef prices.

The escalation will continue into this year, according to the U.S....Read more

These no-bake peanut butter–oat energy cups are the perfect bite-size snack, offering a delicious balance of salty-sweet perfection. They’re packed with chunky peanut butter, fiber-rich oats and just the right touch of chocolaty sweetness for a boost of lasting energy. Feel free to substitute smooth peanut butter for the crunchy, and use ...Read more

Caffeine is a naturally occurring stimulant often found in coffee, tea, chocolate and various energy drinks and medications. But how does caffeine impact the body? Let’s take a system- by-system look at what caffeine really does when it enters your bloodstream.

Central nervous system

Caffeine’s most noticeable effect is on...Read more

Preparing stew can be a long process. I like to have everything prepped ready to go, which cuts down on cooking time. It’s so worth the extra time for this soul-satisfying beef stew. I usually look at the weather report; and if it is cold and damp, I plan a morning to put this together. This stew has a double dose of tomato flavor with tomato ...Read more

February proves a great time to step away from the protein shakes and render beef protein into a bowl of goodness. A simmering kettle warms up the house and nourishes the recipients.

Our local market offers a remarkable array of beef perfect for long, slow simmers — cuts such as beef shanks, cheeks, short ribs and oxtails. Less expensive than...Read more

Some viral food trends aren’t built to last, but that’s just not true with date bark. The first time I saw it I thought, “Wow, I need to make that immediately.” The first time I actually made it, I knew instantly it would become a staple in...Read more

Chicken pot pie has been and always will be the ultimate comfort food. But what if I told you I found a simpler recipe that’s even more delicious?

A few days ago, during my allotted one hour of TikTok screen time a day (I’m trying to cut back on...Read more

The guy on TV was surprised.

The guy on TV is the host of several cooking shows. He's British, so I think of him as Alistair Wordsworth-Shelleykeats, but that probably isn't his real name.

The shows he hosts are on something called Recipe.TV, which I have recently discovered after changing my cable provider.

Yes, I still have cable. I also ...Read more