History lesson: It is mostly agreed by historians that ceviche (also known as seviche, or cebiche) originated in Peru in colonial times, though it is also found in many coastal areas throughout Latin America. It was made using local ocean-caught fish and fermented juice from the banana passionfruit. Using Raw Shrimp for Ceviche: Want to make a more traditional ceviche using raw shrimp and allowing the citrus to do all the cooking?...

Can I just tell you that I LOVE this burger? It is juicy, messy, tender, and full of flavor. Carl’s Jr. isn’t messing around when they say if it doesn’t get all over the place it doesn’t belong in your face. Fajita burgers are faster than making regular burgers, and I swear they taste better. The first time I made this recipe I had meant to use regular ground beef and then forgot to buy it at the store....

Bell Pepper Substitute for Tuna Stuffed Avocado: The red bell pepper in this recipe can easily be replaced with tomatoes. You can even add diced tomatoes, halved, or quartered cherry tomatoes to the recipe as an addition. Spice Level: You can leave out the jalapeño if you want to control the level of heat in this recipe. Jalapeños vary in how spicy they can be, so you never really know what you’re going to get....

Chive Substitute: Chives can be difficult to find, and somehow always unusually expensive. You can always substitute with green onions. Bacon: We always cook bacon in the oven, and seriously cannot go back to the stovetop method. If you are going to cook bacon fresh for this recipe, we highly recommend the oven method! If you are looking for a short cut, you could buy pre-cooked bacon already crumbled! Nuts in a Homemade Party Cheeseball: Are you a nut fan?...

Making your own pita bread is such a smart thing to do. Bread is always the same…mix, rise, shape, bake with maybe a few twists and turns along the way. Pita bread is simple to make, puffs up like a balloon, and like most other breads, it is best enjoyed fresh. What is the difference between naan and pita bread? Both naan and pita are what are considered flatbreads, but they are very different....

This recipe comes from the fabulous new Electric Pressure Cooker Cookbook from my friend Barbara Schieving over at www.PressureCookingToday.com . She sent me over a copy of her cookbook to review and I have to say: I love it! This cookbook is the best guide I’ve seen for using your electric pressure cooker. It comes with detailed instructions and tips for using any brand of electric pressure cooker and teaches you how to maximize this fabulous kitchen appliance....

This waffle mixture is great because it is easy to throw together and you can keep it in the fridge for up to 5 days for quick morning breakfasts. For an extra special treat serve them with our Liquid Cinnamon Roll Syrup. Can I make this ahead? How long does waffle batter stay good in the fridge? Waffle batter can be made ahead and refrigerated for later use. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days....

Flour Options: We call for all-purpose flour in this recipe, but you can also use bread flour if desired. Savory herbs are mixed in with warm water and yeast to blend the flavors and activate the leavening. Then, the parmesan and flour are mixed in until the dough is formed. Bonus—no kneading necessary! Once the ingredients are combined and the dough has formed, the yeast will take over and do the rest of the work....

Sweet potato casserole has a lot of variations out there, and this one is always a favorite. Is there really a wrong way to eat sweet potatoes, brown sugar, butter, and marshmallows though? We think not. Can we all agree not to tell the kids that sweet potatoes are healthy? We’d like to get away with this for a few more years before they realize there is actual nutrition in this dish....

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It’s almost the biggest cooking day of the year! As someone who loves spending time in the kitchen, this is an exciting countdown. Perhaps it isn’t the same for you, but either way I’ve got you covered with some of my tips to make your Thanksgiving meal a success. Thanksgiving Recipes Juiciest Turkey EverEasy Orange Glazed HamHow to Make GravySteakhouse Style Garlic Mashed PotatoesCreamiest Mashed PotatoesCheesy Scalloped PotatoesSweet Potato CasseroleSweet Potato Casserole with MarshmallowsEasy Green Bean CasseroleTraditional Sausage StuffingBest Homemade Dinner RollsRapid Rise Skillet RollsStovetop Macaroni and CheeseJalapeno Cranberry SauceQuick and Easy Cranberry Relish...

Why do they call it pound cake? Pound cake gets its name from the weight of each of the ingredients needed to make the cake. Pound cake requires exactly one pound each of flour, sugar, butter, and eggs. Where does pound cake originate? The recipe for pound cake was included in the very first American cookbook, American Cookery, published in 1796. Despite these early American origins, it’s thought that pound cake migrated from Northern Europe....

Originally, Alfredo was made with just pasta, butter, and parmesan. It’s evolved over the years, and the Alfredo sauces that you find at the grocery store, as well as at many restaurants are more of a bechamel-based sauce. This recipe is not the original Alfredo, but rather part of the evolution of Alfredo sauces. It is meant to be creamy, comforting, a little indulgent, and super easy to make....

We’ve got you covered with two ways to make this Irish fare: stovetop and slow cooker. You can’t go wrong, whichever way you make it. This recipe makes the most tender, juicy corned beef, and say goodbye to mushy veggies. By waiting to add the veggies until the last 15 minutes, they give the right amount of texture with none of the mush. History Lesson: Did you know that corned beef and cabbage was traditionally made with bacon and cabbage?...

Strawberry season starts in early May and runs until the end of July which means the tastiest, most succulent strawberries you can buy can only be found during those months. However, ever changing agricultural methods and the incredible availability of shipping make strawberries available year round. These “off season” strawberries will be more on the crunchy, less sweet side making them perfect to use in a salsa where the acidity of the lime juice and tomato will help break down the fruit making it a bit softer....

What kind of apples are best for making applesauce? The best applesauce comes from a mixture of multiple types of apples, rather than just relying on one kind of apple. The best apples to use in that mixture are McIntosh, Golden Delicious, Granny Smith, Fuji, and Jonathan apples. Can you freeze fresh applesauce? Applesauce freezes perfectly! To freeze homemade applesauce, wait until it has cooled completely and then put into quart or gallon sized freezer bags....

These are the kinds of recipes we crave. Light and simple, with different textures, and a good amount of crunch. We could eat this any time of year, but especially in the summer when appetites are just a bit lower due to the heat. This is one of those salads that you can pick and choose which toppings work for you, and leave out the others. It’s great to keep on hand for lunches throughout the week, or to bring to a family get-together as an appetizer....

Cranberries can be intimidating to work with if you’ve never worked with them before. Cranberries are harvested by flooding the fields where the cranberry plants grow. The cranberries rise to the top of the water and can be scooped up. Cranberries are generally sold in a 12 oz bag, though you can find larger, and should be stored in the refrigerator until you are ready to use them. Rinse your cranberries in a colander....

When I was asked to create a recipe using a Monterey Gourmet Foods product I was pretty excited. They are totally up my alley. Not only do they use natural, quality ingredients with a world flair, they also wanted me to cook with my kids to create the recipe. I’ve got two little sous-chefs (ages 5 and 2) and you’d be surprised how much they can do in the kitchen!...

Did you know? The bottom crust of a lemon bar is a shortbread. Making shortbread is as easy as 1, 2, 3 since the basic recipe for shortbread is 1 part sugar, 2 parts butter, 3 parts flour. This recipe has a little extra flour to help support the weight of the lemon topping. What kind of lemons should I use to make Luscious Lemon Bars? Can I use Meyer lemons?...