Each month, thousands of Food Network Magazine readers submit clever names for the back page’s Name This Dish contest. Previous dishes include cheese fries (winning name: “The Smotherload“), a stuffed cupcake (“Heart of the Batter“) and even a cheese puff tower (“Mount Chevrest“). In the April 2013 issue, we asked readers to dream up namesRead more »

Hot Tips From Food Network Kitchens’ Katherine Alford: Meatballs are like burgers: The more you mess with the meat, the tougher they’ll be. Mix the ingredients with your hands until just combined — don’t overwork. And skip the browning; try poaching the meatballs in a broth or sauce, like we did in Food Network Magazine‘sRead more »

Prove it! Enter Food Network’s Biggest Fan Contest and you could win the chance to hang out with your favorite stars at the 2013 New York City Wine & Food Festival. You and a guest will fly roundtrip on United Airlines and stay at the Hudson Hotel in the heart of New York City. You’llRead more »

Some Maryland residents aren’t thrilled about the recent proposal of soft-shell crab, instead of crab cakes, as the official state sandwich. But Sen. Richard F. Colburn, the Eastern Shore Republican who introduced the bill, defends the decision: “The meat in some ‘Maryland crab cake sandwiches’ comes from as far away as Thailand,” he says. Soft-shellRead more »

If you forgot the card this Mother’s Day, you can bake your message into a muffin instead: Cut a thin strip of parchment paper, write a note with a nontoxic marker, then fold the note in half lengthwise (so the ink faces the inside). Fold it one more time and push it into the muffinRead more »

We did a double take when we saw the results of a recent survey: Nearly half the people polled (45 percent) say it’s OK to dip your chip twice. Younger people seem less worried about germs and etiquette. A whopping 70 percent of 18- to 34-year-olds think it’s fine to go in for seconds. Don’tRead more »

Hot Tips From Food Network Kitchens’ Katherine Alford: Thin cuts of pork can dry out quickly, so try giving them a quick brine first. Pierce chops, cutlets or other thin cuts with a fork, then soak in heavily salted cold water for 15 to 30 minutes; drain and pat dry before cooking. You can addRead more »

Hot Tips From Food Network Kitchens’ Katherine Alford: Timing is everything when you are salting vegetables. To get crisp, browned veggies like the mushrooms in Food Network Magazine‘s Skillet Chicken and Ravioli (pictured above), salt them at the end of cooking — after they’ve browned. To get soft, saucy vegetables like caramelized onions, add saltRead more »

Try a salty spin on an old ice cream-truck favorite, the Choco Taco. Fill taco shells with softened vanilla ice cream and freeze until hard, about 2 hours. Melt 6 ounces chopped semisweet chocolate in the microwave, then stir in 6 tablespoons chopped butter and 1 1/2 tablespoons corn syrup. Dip the tacos in theRead more »

Hot Tips From Food Network Kitchens’ Katherine Alford: There are so many good choices in the canned tomato aisle now. We used fire-roasted tomatoes with green chiles to spice up the Greek Meatball Stew in the May issue of Food Network Magazine. Fire-roasted tomatoes also add a great smoky flavor to marinara sauce. Or buyRead more »