In Food Network Magazine, we occasionally make Southeast Asian-inspired recipes that call for fish sauce, like the Rice Noodle-Shrimp Salad (pictured above) in our June issue. This sauce is a staple of Thailand, the Philippines, Vietnam and really the entire region, and is usually made from fermented anchovies. Sounds scary, we know, and it canRead more »

Slaws are the ultimate summer salad: They are fresh and crisp, can be prepared hours in advance and make the perfect companion to grilled foods. In Food Network Magazine‘s June booklet, you get 50 awesome slaws to fulfill all your summer needs. But because we here in the Test Kitchen have too many ideas forRead more »

I have to admit that the April booklet, 50 Salad Dressings, was a crowd favorite in the Food Network Test Kitchen. As much as we love indulging in chicken wings, macaroni and cheese and all the other delicious dishes we’ve recently covered in our 50 Booklets, it was a welcome change to have tastings thatRead more »

Bread pudding and French toast are like first cousins. Traditionally one is dessert and one is breakfast, but they really are more alike than they are different: Both are made by soaking (preferably stale) bread in a milk and egg mixture and cooking it until slightly crisp on the outside and lusciously custardy on theRead more »

In the March issue of Food Network Magazine, you’ll find my recipe for homemade ricotta. Traditionally, ricotta is made from the whey left over during scale cheese production, but at home it’s easy to make using fresh milk. In my version, I chose to add a little bit of heavy cream to the mixture toRead more »

I have a deep and unconditional love for chicken wings. To me, wings are the perfect bar-snack and party food. I love them every way: spicy, sweet or savory. The only no-no for me is flabby skin! Whether you decide to fry them, bake them or grill them — the three cooking methods we showRead more »

Hors d’oeuvres and appetizers are often the best part of a meal to me. Maybe it’s because finger foods are just more fun to eat or because they’re usually paired with a cocktail. When Food Network Kitchens were coming up with ideas for 50 Easy Appetizers (page 166) for the November issue of Food NetworkRead more »

When the Food Network test kitchens first conceived of the “50 Things to Make With Apples” booklet from the October issue of Food Network Magazine (page 160), we thought we would use apple in all its forms, including applesauce and cider. Ultimately, we decided to only include recipes with fresh apples — but I hadRead more »

In the Mexican Fish Supper weekend dinner from Food Network Magazine’s October issue (page 132), I created a recipe for a quick Cilantro Rice with Sweet Plantains (pictured above). To make things even easier, I call for frozen fried sweet plantains. They aren’t quite as good as homemade, but they’re pretty good and very easyRead more »

The September issue of Food Network Magazine is chock-full of tomatoes. Stuffed Cherry Tomatoes, Tomato Caesar Salad With Bacon-Parmesan Crisps (pictured above) and Fried Green Tomato Sandwiches are just a few of the must-try tomato recipes in the issue, but I’d like to add one more to your list: my ideal tomato salad. It’s nothingRead more »