cleaning supplies near microwave oven

How to Clean a Microwave (3 Easy & Natural Methods)

Microwaves are convenient kitchen appliances, but they can be one of the biggest pains to clean when food is dried on the inside. There’s nothing worse than skipping a few weeks when cleaning your microwave, and sometimes you just end up with caked-on splatters on the sides that are difficult to remove by hand.  Sometimes you overheat a bowl of…

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mushy rice in strainer

How To Fix Mushy Rice (3 Ways to Fix or Repurpose)

We all make mistakes when cooking, sometimes because we’re in a new kitchen with new equipment or rice. Whatever the reason, there’s hope to save your mushy or undercooked rice. We’ll cover how to fix overcooked, mushy rice and undercooked hard rice and give you tips on how to repurpose rice fails. Why is my rice mushy or wet? Mushy…

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tray of steamed Dungeness crabs

How to Cook Dungeness Crab

This is something I grew up with as a kid. Mom would at least once a year load up on in-season, cheap Dungeness crabs to steam. There would always be about six of us at the dinner table, but we’d always have an abundance of crab and we’d continue eating it again the following day. We always kept it simple…

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cured and baked egg yolks

Salt-Cured Egg Yolk Recipe

Salt-cured egg yolks have been all the rage in the past several years thanks to trendy (and incredibly expensive) salted egg yolk chips, but it’s even easier to make at home. Learn how to make salt-cured eggs safely at home with my recipe and mix and match different flavors with ingredients like smoked paprika, garlic, and furikake.  Why would you…

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deveining shrimp with toothpick

How to Peel & Devein Shrimp (3 Easy Methods)

Planning to cook shrimp and need a step-by-step tutorial on the best way to peel and devein them? Some might say you don’t even need to devein them, but we’ve already made our decision haven’t we? I’ll show you how to clean shrimp quickly and even devein them with or without shells, with one really fast method my mom taught…

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types of bonito flakes

What Is Bonito or Bonito Flakes?

Katsuobushi is fermented and smoked skipjack tuna shaved very thinly and used as a topping for popular Japanese dishes like takoyaki or combined with kelp to make dashi. But there’s a lot to learn about bonito flakes, like how it’s made and the different flavor profiles for each type of katsuobushi.  Why do we make bonito and bonito flakes? Bonito…

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spicy edamame with chili, garlic, ginger

Spicy Edamame w/ Chili, Garlic & Ginger

My savory and spicy edamame recipe is full of garlicky goodness and spicy flavors that will make your mouth explode. Learn how to make this easy snack in under 10 minutes, and I dare you to share! What is edamame? Edamame are unripened soybeans that are whole green beans and come in a similarly colored pod. Once cooked, the beans…

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asian ginger carrot dressing

Japanese Ginger Salad Dressing

Learn how to add some zing to your salad with this fresh ginger dressing that’s healthy and delicious with a bed of crisp greens. Read below for how to prep this 10-minute dressing and what Japanese foods pair best.  What is ginger salad dressing? If you’ve ever been to a Japanese restaurant, you might be familiar with this bright and…

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asian coleslaw w/ sesame vinaigrette

Asian Coleslaw w/ Sesame Vinaigrette Dressing

Asian coleslaw is a colorful and fresh salad made with a tangy and savory sesame and rice wine vinegar vinaigrette. Learn how to make this healthy coleslaw and mix and match ingredients based on your preference below. What is Asian coleslaw? While not entirely from Asia, this Asian-inspired coleslaw is made with flavors and ingredients most commonly used in Asian…

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bowls of spam fried rice

Easy Spam Fried Rice Recipe

Have some leftover rice in the fridge and want to make an easy meal? Learn how to make my homemade teriyaki sauce and four tips on how to get the best Spam fried rice in under 30 minutes.  Who put Spam in fried rice? Since its creation by Hormel Foods in 1937 and use in US militarization during WWII, Spam…

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matcha cookies w white chocolate chips and sesame

Matcha Cookies w/ White Chocolate Chips

These matcha cookies taste rich and earthy, with added complexity from the browned butter, sweetness from the white chocolate chips, and nuttiness from the black sesame seeds. Learn how to get the chewiest matcha cookies with my tried and true methods below. Why matcha in cookies? Matcha is a type of green tea that has gained a lot of popularity…

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Caraway cookware set

Caraway Cookware Review (Frying Pan & Dutch Oven)

Eschewing traditional nonstick coatings like Teflon, Caraway’s cookware is coated with ceramic made from naturally sourced minerals. Caraway cookware is heavily promoted by influencers as healthier nonstick, so I bought and tested Caraway’s 11.8″ sauté pan, and their 6.5 qt. Dutch Oven to prove whether this claim was true.