Have you ever seen a recipe with an ingredient list that includes a bajillion dried herbs and spices? It can send some people running the other way screaming. Spices and herbs are expensive, and finding them (as well as storing them) can be overwhelming without any guidance. It doesn’t have to be this way, I tell ya! Today, let’s boost both your spice rack and kitchen confidence by talking about dried herbs and spices.

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Spring just begs to be spent outdoors; birds chirping, flowers budding, the sun staying out much, much later… but don’t forget it’s also the time of year for spring cleaning! The kitchen can be a difficult area to spruce up after the winter months, and even harder to keep clean once the farmers market opens for business. So with that in mind, here are some Kitchen Cleanliness Commandments to keep you on track.

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As you begin to tackle more and more recipes, you may notice instructions that seem like deja vu. Dicing or chopping an onion is one of these; it’s a crucial step in preparation for any number of delicious dishes. If you want to know why they’re so crucial, I’d recommend reading my post all about alliums. But if you want to know how to prep them, you’ve come to the right place!

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Knives. There is no point to them if they’re not sharp. BA-DUM-TING. Terrible puns aside, a good knife is quite important no matter what level or syle of cooking you undertake. Today I’m going to give you a few tips on knife care and what to look for in a knife that will suit your culinary needs.

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How is your pantry looking lately? Chock full, a little cluttered? Barren except for some packets of soy sauce? While we’ve discussed the merits of making magic out of leftover meals and ingredients in the past, the foundation for such a practice is an organized, well-stocked pantry. Today I’m going to run down a few ideas of how to stock your pantry, shelf by shelf. We’ll also talk about why you want to keep certain items around, and what to do with them in a pinch.

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