A reader turned our Chopped mystery basket into this amazing chicken dinner (pictured above). In our April issue, we turned the tables on Chopped host Ted Allen and asked him to transform our own mystery basket — containing frozen cherries, peanut butter, sauerkraut and chicken breasts — into dinner. His chicken-peanut curry soup was aRead more »

Hot tips from Food Network Kitchens’ Katherine Alford: Use a metal cooling rack to keep small or thin foods like shrimp and asparagus from falling through the grates. Just place the rack upside down on the grill so it lies flat, positioning it so the wires are perpendicular to the grates. The grill’s heat mayRead more »

Red states and blue states don’t just disagree about politics — they take sides on ice cream flavors, too. In a Harris Interactive poll, Republicans preferred chocolate over other flavors (followed by vanilla and cookie dough), while Democrats chose vanilla as their favorite (chocolate came in second, and butter pecan third). Independent voters sided withRead more »

Hot tips from Food Network Kitchens’ Katherine Alford: After pan-frying something in extra-virgin olive oil, drizzle the leftover oil from the skillet on salads or bread. The oil is especially tasty after you’ve fried peppers, onions or other flavorful vegetables, like the artichokes in Food Network Magazine‘s Caprese Salad With Prosciutto and Fried Artichokes (picturedRead more »

Hot tips from Food Network Kitchens’ Katherine Alford: When you’re making potato salad, season the potatoes with salt and vinegar as soon as they’re cooked but before dressing, like Food Network Magazine did in this Potato Salad With Peas; they soak up a ton of flavor when they’re hot. You can serve the salad atRead more »

Hot tips from Food Network Kitchens’ Katherine Alford: Homemade pickles are a fun way to customize sandwiches and salads, and they don’t have to take days. You can pickle vegetables by soaking them in a vinegar-based brine for just 20 minutes, like Food Network Magazine did for these Cold Asian Noodles With Pork. Use aRead more »

Choose a specific cut. Meat with generic labels like “ground beef” or “hamburger” can come from any part of the cow or from trimmings, so they can be inconsistent in flavor and texture. Ground meat labeled “chuck,” “sirloin” or another cut must contain at least 50 percent meat from that cut; it’s usually higher quality.Read more »

Each month, thousands of Food Network Magazine readers submit clever names for the back page’s Name This Dish contest. Previous dishes include an egg tart (winning name: “Breakfast in Bread”), crab-stuffed mushrooms (“Surf ‘N Earth”) and even an over-the-top breakfast (“Scotch on the Rocks”). In the May 2012 issue, we asked you to dream upRead more »

Here are some sno-cones you can prepare long before your party starts — that won’t melt before your guests arrive: They’re cupcakes! To make one, just sprinkle red, yellow and blue sanding sugar on a frosted cupcake. For added effect, take the cupcake out of its paper, drop it into a 4-ounce Styrofoam cup andRead more »

Hot tips from Food Network Kitchens’ Katherine Alford: Instead of the usual penne or macaroni, try stuffed pasta like ravioli, tortellini or pierogi in a pasta salad. Stick to cheese varieties (meat-filled pasta isn’t as appealing cold) and choose a subtle dressing that won’t overpower the filling, like the lemony one in this Ravioli SaladRead more »