Question: I am looking for good, super flexible budget-friendly things to cook while sheltering at home. A friend mentioned risotto. My store was sold out of the usual rice to make it. Can I make it with other rice? What other things can I substitute? There are only two of us, so … [Read more...] about Recipe: Risotto 101
Budget cooking
Turkish-Style Baked Chicken Wings Recipe with Chili & Thyme Salt
I have a thing for chicken wings, especially baked chicken wings. Yes, I might be a French-trained chef and I have the ability to make complicate sauces and all that. But I love chicken wings. Hot wings, savory wings, spicy wings, you name it. They're a great vehicle for … [Read more...] about Turkish-Style Baked Chicken Wings Recipe with Chili & Thyme Salt
How to Make Healthy Ramen
It’s hard to beat the guilty pleasure of instant ramen. It's inexpensive and endlessly versatile, but as sold it's just empty carbs and a ton of sodium. So how to make ramen healthier? Here's my strategy. For those purists who will balk at this version and say, “Hey, that’s not … [Read more...] about How to Make Healthy Ramen
How to Freeze Meat, Cheese, Milk, Butter and Fish So You Can Actually Use It Later
Reader question: “I have bought far more meat and cheese than usual due to the pandemic and now I am worried about it going bad. Is freezing meat OK? What about butter and cheese? How long will it last?” – Rebecca, Orlando FL Answer: I have been teaching people cooking in … [Read more...] about How to Freeze Meat, Cheese, Milk, Butter and Fish So You Can Actually Use It Later
Recipe: Easy, Versatile Lentil Soup
I fell in love with lentil soup out of a sense of obligation. On a cold winter day on an early trip to Paris, I stepped inside a small bistro to get out of a frigid winter mist. Why ever did I book a trip to France in January, I wondered? Shivering and cold, all I thought I … [Read more...] about Recipe: Easy, Versatile Lentil Soup