baking

8 Ways to Make Your Freezer Work for You
Think of your freezer as one of the most useful and convenient appliances in the house. With a little common sense, it will make your culinary life easy, save you time, and probably save you money.

Hush That Puppy!

There's more to cornmeal than cornbread. It's a versatile product that tastes great in any number of baked goods.

Let's Bake a Cake!

If your kids have never baked a cake from scratch, now's the time to start. It's easy and deliciously satisfying.

5 Tips for Frosting a Cake Like a Pro

Frosting a cake makes it even more special than it already is -- not to mention more delicious. Many home bakers have trouble getting the frosting to look as luscious and perfect as they want and while a haphazardly frosted cake tastes just as good as any other, it doesn't look as nice. Here's how to frost it like a pro.

Chocolate and More Chocolate
If you like baking, cooking and eating chocolate, the more you know about it, the better your chocolate experiences will be.

Gingerbread Men
The sweet, spicy aroma of gingerbread wafting through the house is a sure sign of Christmas. For children young and old, making and decorating gingerbread men and women always is a memorable seasonal activity. Stock Up Gather the basic ingredients

A Taste of Honey
Honey, a natural sweetener that is most commonly sold as a liquid, also can be found granulated or creamed (spreads like butter) or still in the honeycomb. It can be substituted for sugar in many recipes, but it may take a little experimenting to get it right.

Do You Know the Muffin Man?
How's this for fun in the kitchen? In about 40 minutes you and the kids can have fresh baked muffins. No mixes, no tricks. Just mouth-watering, homemade apple muffins!

Chocolate Chip Cookies One-Two-Three!
Yummm! A warm, chewy chocolate chip cookie dunked in ice-cold milk hits the spot. Or how about a couple of big chocolaty cookies tucked into a school lunch bag? Or a plate piled high with cookies during a sleepover party?

A Holiday Baker's Pantry

Whether you plan to do a lot of holiday baking or will simply turn out one or two batches of cookies, being prepared will make the task not only easier, but a lot more enjoyable.

Gifts From Your Kitchen
Before you get caught up in the shopping frenzy, think about making gifts this year. These are especially nice for teachers, neighbors, shut-ins, and those friends who "have everything." You can bake Christmas cookies, coffee cakes, quick breads, or

Brownies! Brownies!

Since most kids and their parents love a good brownie, why not make them “from scratch?” They are just about as easy as those from a boxed mix and taste better (not even a trace of “artificial flavors”). Best of all, an easy recipe for something as yummy as brownies fosters confidence in young bakers and teaches them some useful kitchen skills.

Brownies, Brownies!

Since most kids and their parents love a good brownie, why not make them “from scratch?” Scratch brownies are just about as easy as those from a boxed mix. Plus they taste better (not even a trace of “artificial flavors”). Best of all, an easy recipe for something as yummy as brownies fosters confidence in young bakers and teaches them some useful kitchen skills.

Chunky Chocolate Scones
Here's an idea: instead of the usual after-school snack grabbed on the run, you and the kids can indulge in "afternoon tea." How civilized! How fun! Children don't have to drink brewed tea to enjoy this light meal. Serve traditional fare such as scones

Cooking with Zucchini
Cook and bake with zucchini as often and in as many ways as you can to get the most of the early fall harvest.

Decadent Holiday Desserts
Holiday desserts need not be elegant (although they can be), or complicated (although they might be), but they should be rich, seductive, and tempting.

How to Buy the Best Bakeware for the Job
With the right bakeware, your cakes, cookies, and muffins will bake evenly. Although not universally true, the best advice when buying baking pans is to go for heavy, solid -- and often expensive -- bakeware. Once bought, it will last a lifetime.