We love polenta and not only for dinner.  Polenta is tasty when served for breakfast, a creamy breakfast that is made even more taste-tempting when mixed with honey and the tang of oranges.

• 1 medium orange
• 1 1⁄2 cups low-fat milk
• 3⁄4 cups instant polenta or fine cornmeal
• 3 tbsp honey

1. Zest the orange, reserve 1- 1/2 tsp. Peel orange and pith; then remove membrane from orange.

2. Combine water, milk and salt in saucepan; then bring to boil. Whisk in the polenta (gradually), and return to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low (just enough to maintain an even bubble), whisk until polenta thickens (anywhere from 1 to 5 minutes). Remove from heat, cover and let stand 5 minutes.

3. Whisk 3 tbsp. honey and 1 tsp. zest into polenta. Divide among four bowls and top with orange segments.

The post Honey and Orange Polenta appeared first on Family Eats.

This make-ahead breakfast is perfect for busy mornings. Make the ight before, and simply warm in the microwave or toaster oven, and top with your favorite fruit.

• Cooking spray or butter for greasing the pan
• 3 cups rolled oats
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 eggs
• 1-1/2 cups milk
• 1/2 cup almond butter (or other nut butter)
• 1/2 cup honey
• 1-1/2 cups peeled, chopped fresh citrus, seeds removed
• 1-2 oranges for topping, peeled, seeds removed and sliced.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 3-quart baking dish and set aside.

In a medium bowl, add the rolled oats, baking powder, cinnamon and salt. In a separate bowl, beat the eggs slight. Then whisk in the milk, almond butter and honey. Pour the we ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix until fully incorporated.

Gently stir in the chopped citrus. Pour the batter into the prepared dish. Top with orange slices, and sprinkle everything with a bit of coarse sugar.

Bake for 35-45 minutes, or until batter is set and the top is slightly browned. Serve warm with cream, yogurt or your favorite oatmeal topping.

Serves 6

Source: www.farmfreshtoyou.com

The post Warm Citrus Baked Oatmeal appeared first on Family Eats.

There was a moment of silence as our long forks slipped into the caquelon filled with a bubbling mix of Gruyère, Emmentaler, garlic, kirsch and white wine. After a gentle swirl of the forks, we retrieved our crusted bread, now dripping with smooth, silky deliciousness, pausing briefly before returning that first bite to our plates. We collectively exhaled with a soft “ahhhh,” then lifted the cheese-covered morsel of bread towards our mouths, giving it a gentle blow to cool before we entered the realm of delicious food and tradition.

We followed that same ritual for the next hour – stabbing, dipping, exclaiming “ahhh,” before gently plunging the sausage, green apples, gherkins, tomatoes, potatoes, cauliflower and bread in the tangy cheese concoction. It’s a ritual that has been performed for centuries; one that involves traditional ingredients paired with the time-honored ritual of communal eating. We laughed, we shared, we slowed down and felt togetherness.

Participating in the centuries-old ritual actions, made me feel as if I was doing my part – bringing that tradition forward – where locale-specific ingredients paired with the ritual of preparation, followed by the tradition of experiencing the meal together.

With each bite, I felt respect for the work taken to bring this delicious meal to my table. The cows and their tenders, who trekked to the high altitudes for summer grazing in the Alps, descending once the food source begins to disappear and the temperature begins to drop; laden with jugs of milk redolent with the flowers from higher altitudes in tow.

The cheesemaker who painstakingly transform the milk into traditional cheese that evoke the taste from the region.

Preparing those ingredients in my beautiful and efficient cast iron caquelon centered on the table, we honored its predecessor, the simple earthenware vessels, with a squat, yet broad shape that transformed ingredients into an unforgettable communal experience.

Embracing the Positive Rituals

We all have our own rituals – those brought to our lives by our country, our ancestors, our immediate family, our friends, our circumstances. Some rituals are good for us, while others stagnate us, keeping us from experiencing something outside of our own small box of life.

Whereas the bad rituals keep me stuck in a place, ruminating and not moving forward, the good rituals are the ones that continually make us think, act, move forward and feel. For a few short hours, we experienced the positive ritual associated with fondue – experienced not only in Switzerland, but France , Germany – and beyond.

While we did not gather bits and pieces of leftover cheese to eat for a frugal meal, as history reminds us of the origins of Gruyère and other alpine cheese, nor did we just return from the slopes of the Alps, we did experience that allure of the fondue ritual with friends gathered around our table overlooking our own little mountain just outside our Northern California home.

Whether it is a cozy winter’s evening filled with fondue, or time with friends chatting over a delicious meal, this evening was a reminder of the importance of creating the little rituals that will build our tradition of togetherness.

This Classic Swiss Cheese Fondue recipe is a crowd pleaser

Prep and Serving Suggestions: For an authentic taste and service, I used Gruyere & Emmentaler from Mifroma, and the caquelon from Kuhn Rikon. Pair it with a delicious Chasselas from Domaine Dardagny

• 1 garlic clove, halved
• 1 lb Gruyère cheese, grated
• ½ pound Emmentaler cheese, or other Swiss cheese, grated
• 1 cup dry white wine
• 1 Tbsp plus 1 tsp cornstarch
• 1 tsp fresh lemon juice
• 1-½ Tbsp kirsch
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Freshly grated nutmeg

Rub the inside of a cheese fondue pot, or medium enameled cast-iron casserole, with the garlic clove; discard the garlic.

Combine the grated cheese and cornstarch. Add lemon juice and white wine to the warmed pot, allow to warm for 15 seconds, then add the cornstarch and cheese mixture, stirring occasionally until the cheese begins to melt – about 5 minutes.

Reduce the heat to low and add the kirsch, along with a generous amount of pepper and nutmeg, and cook, stirring gently, until creamy and smooth – about 3 minutes.

Don’t overcook, otherwise the cheese will get stringy.

Fondue Fix-its

Sometimes things get a bit stringy, or clumpy . .

If the fondue has been over-cooked and the cheese is turning into hard lumps, or is stringy, add a teaspoon or two of lemon juice (or wine) to help restore the texture.

If the cheese has split and looks greasy but not lumpy, add extra cornflour (cornstarch) to help re-emulsify the mixture.

The post Fondue: The Communal Pot appeared first on Family Eats.

There are a lot of things that can make cooking frustrating. Sometimes it’s finding the time to prepare meals, other times it’s not knowing what to prepare, or even not having the right ingredients on hand. And then there are those moments when you’re finally cooking, and your cookware doesn’t perform the way you expect it to. That’s when a nonstick frypan that once made cooking easier becomes a source of frustration. Over time, the nonstick coating has worn down, food begins to stick, and the pan no longer performs the way it once did.

I’ve tested my share of cookware through the years, many of them nonstick, and I’ve seen firsthand how much difference a good pan can make. I’ve also watched the nonstick category evolve considerably over the years, and the one thing that has remained constant is that consumers want a pan that makes cooking easier and continues to perform in the long term.

The Evolution of Nonstick

Many years ago, when I wrote about the nonstick category, I spoke at length with people at companies including DuPont and Whitford, trying to distill the complicated science behind nonstick coatings into information that specialty retailers could use to educate their customers. At the time, PTFE was the dominant nonstick technology, and one of the challenges manufacturers faced was getting the coating to adhere securely to the metal pan. Without getting too technical, PTFE is chemically non-reactive, which makes it difficult to bond to other materials.

To do this properly, manufacturers developed ways to overcome that challenge, including preparing the metal surface and applying multiple layers of coating before using high heat to create a durable bond. There was much more to the process, but the goal was straightforward: to create a coating that would stay put and perform well over time.

However, as the category evolved, questions about the environmental impact of certain chemicals used in PTFE production came to the forefront. PFOA, for example, is a toxic PFAS chemical formerly used to manufacture nonstick coatings. Because it builds up permanently in our ecosystems and bodies, it was phased out in the United States because of health and environmental concerns.

Enter the new era of nonstick.

Today’s nonstick cookware includes both traditional PTFE and newer ceramic-based coatings. Modern PTFE formulations can offer excellent nonstick performance and durability, without PFOA, though PTFE itself remains a fluoropolymer (a type of PFAS). Meanwhile, ceramic coatings offer an alternative that is entirely PFAS-free. Both can make cooking easier, but they have different strengths.

The goal isn’t simply to create a nonstick surface that performs well when a pan is new. The bigger challenge is creating a pan that continues to perform as it is heated, cooled, cleaned and used over and over again.

Start With the Pan, Not the Coating

When I began testing the newly introduced Forged Steel Series from Hell’s Kitchen Cookware, what I quickly realized was that its nonstick capabilities was about much more than what goes on the surface of the pan. The difference starts with how the entire pan is constructed and how those materials work together.

Jeff Leitman, CEO of Hell’s Kitchen Cookware, gets right to the point: “Most pans force you to choose: Non-stick that doesn’t last. Stainless that burns everything you don’t babysit. Cast iron that weighs more than the food.”

That was the challenge they set out to address. “Rather than creating a nonstick to go on any old pan, we focused on the design from the start,” says Leitman. That approach is particularly important because, as Leitman explains, “Most nonstick pans fail the same way. The core is too thin, the heat is uneven, the ceramic cracks because there’s nothing stable underneath it, or the handle works loose after a year of real use. We went back to the foundation and built this differently, layer by layer.”

What’s Under the Nonstick?

Where many ceramic nonstick pans rely on an aluminum core, the Forged Steel Series starts with a thick, heavy-gauge forged steel foundation. From there, a dual layer of enamel is applied inside and out, followed by the PFAS-free ceramic nonstick coating.

The thinking behind this design is that these materials aren’t working independently; instead, they work together. As a pan heats and cools, its materials expand and contract. If those materials move at significantly different rates, that movement can put stress on the layers of the pan over time.

The the premise Hell’s Kitchen worked on: a different way of looking at nonstick cookware. Instead of asking, “How good is the coating?” the question becomes, “How can we design a pan that supports the coating?”

According to Hell’s Kitchen, the combination of forged steel, enamel and ceramic is designed to create a more compatible structure, providing a stable foundation for the nonstick coating.

In other words, the nonstick coating isn’t being asked to do all the work. The pan itself is designed to support the coating.

More Than Nonstick

The more I used the Forged Steel Series, the more it became clear that the difference was not only in the nonstick surface, but in how the entire pan was designed to work together. And both my husband and I noticed the difference.

First and foremost, it really is a great nonstick pan. Food releases easily, and the cooking surface performs the way you expect a nonstick surface to perform. But what surprised me was how versatile the pan was.

I could sear a steak on the stovetop and then move the pan directly into the oven to finish cooking. That’s not necessarily what I think of when I think “nonstick,” but the Forged Steel Series handled both steps easily. The even heat distribution was noticeable, particularly when searing, when you want the cooking surface to heat consistently rather than have areas that are noticeably hotter than others.

I also noticed something during more everyday cooking: the pan retains heat. When making an omelet, for example, I could turn off the heat and let the residual heat in the pan finish cooking it. That ability to hold onto heat meant I wasn’t continually adjusting the burner or worrying about losing the temperature I had built up.

Those experiences made the construction of the pan more meaningful to me. The forged steel isn’t simply there as an alternative to an aluminum core; it affects how the pan behaves during cooking. The result is a pan that provides the food release I expect from nonstick cookware while behaving like a substantial piece of cookware underneath.

Leitman describes the goal simply: “You want release, even heating and ease of cleaning.”

Additional design notes included the handle. The lower-profile handle, for example, makes it easier to move the pan into the oven, while the weight and balance are intended to make the pan comfortable to use.

The Forged Steel Series is also made in Spain using what Hell’s Kitchen describes as a patented forged-steel manufacturing process.

That construction is worth exploring further because forging a thicker steel material requires a different manufacturing approach than forming a thinner piece of metal. According to the company, its process is designed to create a more consistent structure while minimizing stress in the steel.

And again, the point isn’t simply that forged steel sounds different from stamped aluminum. It’s what that difference is intended to accomplish in the finished pan.

The Heat Question

There is another piece of the nonstick conversation that often gets overlooked: how we actually use our pans.

Many home cooks still believe that turning up the heat is the quickest way to get better results. And while high heat has its place (particularly when searing), it isn’t necessary for everything we cook. In fact, excessive heat can be one of the things that contributes to the deterioration of nonstick cookware.

Leitman believes part of the problem is that consumers have become accustomed to turning the heat higher than necessary.

With a pan designed to retain and distribute heat efficiently, the idea is to start lower and allow the pan to do more of the work.

That may require a bit of a mindset change for anyone accustomed to immediately turning the dial toward high. Medium heat on one pan isn’t necessarily the same as medium heat on another.

That’s something I’ve learned over the years of cooking with different types of cookware. Cast iron, stainless steel, aluminum and nonstick all respond differently to heat. Understanding how a particular pan behaves can make as much difference as the recipe itself.

Use Nonstick for What It Does Best

There is also a tendency to expect one pan to do everything.

Nonstick cookware is particularly useful for foods that are delicate, prone to sticking or difficult to turn in a traditional metal pan. Eggs are an obvious example, but the list also includes delicate fish, pancakes, crepes and foods with melted cheese.

These are the moments when nonstick really earns its place in the kitchen.

But that doesn’t mean it should necessarily replace every other pan you own.

A nonstick pan isn’t the pan I would automatically reach for when I want to develop a deep crust on a steak or aggressively stir-fry ingredients over very high heat. That’s where other cookware materials can have an advantage.

The better approach may be to think of cookware as a collection of tools, each designed to do particular jobs well.

That’s especially relevant with the Forged Steel Series. Hell’s Kitchen isn’t positioning it as a pan that replaces everything else in the kitchen. Rather, it is a deliberately designed pan intended to combine the advantages consumers want from nonstick cookware with a more substantial foundation.

Rethinking What Makes a Nonstick Pan Good

What interests me most about this approach is that it shifts the conversation.

For years, the nonstick discussion has largely centered on the coating: how slippery it is, how many layers it has, what it is made from and how long it will last.

Those things still matter. But perhaps the better question is what is underneath that coating.

A nonstick surface can perform beautifully when a pan is new. The real test is what happens after months and years of heating and cooling, cooking and cleaning.

That’s where construction becomes important.

The Forged Steel Series takes a different approach by starting with a substantial forged-steel foundation and building the pan around the nonstick surface rather than simply adding a coating to an existing pan design.

Whether that ultimately translates into a longer-lasting nonstick experience is something that only time—and plenty of cooking—will tell.

But after years of watching the nonstick category evolve, I find the idea compelling.

Maybe the next step in nonstick cookware isn’t simply creating a better coating.

Maybe it’s creating a better pan around the coating.

The post Test Kitchen: Hell’s Kitchen Forged Steel Series appeared first on Family Eats.

Living on your own can be hard, especially when you’re studying, working and
socializing. With all that is going on in your busy life, the last thing you want to
think about when you’re hungry is what to get at the grocery store so you can
cook your own meals. That’s why you often turn to fast food takeout or delivery.
While these foods may taste good, they aren’t always the best choice to help fuel
you through your studies – and the cost can certainly add up!

With this cookbook, you will learn how to

• Set up your kitchen with the right tools and organization
• Find simple, quick-to-make recipes with few ingredients and short prep times
• Plan meals ahead of time that will fit your busy schedule
• Set your food budget and shop efficiently
• Grow your skills and confidence in the kitchen
• Manage your time to do it all

In addition to an easy-to-follow format, with quick and simple tasks to complete,
you’ll find a collection of Cheat Sheets which are designed to provide you with
answers to essential questions you will have about the planning, shopping and
cooking process. The Recipe section includes more than 50 recipes that will
provide you with plenty of mealtime inspiration.
With a bit of planning and preparation, you’ll be ready to cook in no time at all!

The post The College Kid’s Guide to Cooking appeared first on Family Eats.

Grocery shopping is one of the biggest recurring expenses for most households, and it’s easy to spend more than you intend. Between rising food prices, last-minute trips to the store and those extra items that somehow find their way into the shopping cart, the weekly grocery bill can quickly add up.

The good news is that saving money on groceries doesn’t mean sacrificing good food or giving up the meals your family enjoys. A little planning, a closer look at your shopping habits and a few practical changes can make a meaningful difference in what you spend.

From setting a realistic food budget and making better use of your pantry to planning meals and shopping with purpose, here are ten ways to get your grocery spending under control.

1. Review Your Current Food Costs

Do you know how much you actually spend on food each week? It’s easy to overlook the smaller purchases that add up, from quick trips to the grocery store for a few dinner ingredients to takeout, food delivery, snacks and meals enjoyed at restaurants.

If you don’t have a good handle on your spending, take a few weeks to track it. Pay attention to what you eat, where you purchase your food and how often you’re making trips to the store. Keep your receipts so you can see exactly what you’re buying and how much individual items cost.

You may be surprised by what you discover. Once you have a clearer picture of where your money is going, you’ll be better equipped to identify opportunities to save.

2. Create a Weekly Food Budget

A household budget helps you make informed decisions about where your money goes, and food is an important part of that equation. Start by looking at your monthly income and expenses, then determine how much you can realistically allocate to groceries and other food purchases.

One budgeting approach worth exploring is the 50/30/20 rule:

• 50% of your income goes to needs: Essential expenses such as housing, utilities and groceries.
• 30% goes to wants: Lifestyle expenses, including dining out, entertainment and other nonessential purchases.
• 20% goes toward your financial future: Savings, financial goals and debt reduction beyond minimum payments.

Keep in mind that groceries generally fall into the needs category, while restaurant meals, takeout and other dining-out expenses fall into the wants category.

The 50/30/20 rule is simply a starting point. Your household expenses, income and financial priorities may require a different balance. The important thing is to establish a food budget that works for your family and gives you a realistic spending target.

3. Stock Up on Pantry Staples

Before heading out to shop, take stock of what you already have in your kitchen. A well-stocked pantry makes it easier to prepare meals at home without having to purchase every ingredient from scratch.

Grains, legumes, nuts and other shelf-stable ingredients are useful staples to keep on hand. They can serve as the foundation for a variety of meals, provide flexibility when planning your weekly menu and help you avoid unnecessary trips to the store.

Buying certain foods in bulk can also save money, particularly when you regularly use them. Just be sure to compare unit prices and purchase quantities you’ll realistically use. A bargain isn’t much of a bargain if food goes to waste.

4. Gather Your Recipes Together

What are your tried-and-true recipes? Which meals are family favorites, and what new dishes have you been wanting to try?

Gather recipes for main meals, lunches, snacks and desserts in one place. You might prefer a notebook, a digital collection or an old-fashioned recipe box. The format doesn’t matter as much as having a convenient collection you can refer to when planning meals.

Having recipes readily available makes it easier to find inspiration, add variety to your weekly menu and make use of ingredients you already have. It also helps eliminate that familiar last-minute question of what to prepare for dinner, which can lead to an unnecessary takeout order.

5. Plan a Weekly Menu

Now that you’ve gathered your recipes, put them to work by planning a menu for the week.

Knowing what you’re going to prepare, which ingredients you’ll need and approximately how much each meal will cost makes it easier to shop with a purpose and stay within your food budget.

As you plan, consider the cost of individual ingredients and mix up your meals throughout the week. Meat and seafood can represent a significant portion of your grocery spending, so balance more expensive meals with dishes featuring beans, lentils, eggs, vegetables and other affordable ingredients.

Think about your schedule, too. Choose meals that fit the time you have available, and consider preparing extra portions when it makes sense for another meal later in the week.

A little advance planning can go a long way toward making both your grocery shopping and everyday cooking more manageable.

6. Pay Attention to Portion Sizes

Being mindful of portion sizes is another way to make your food budget go further. Preparing more food than your family can comfortably eat can lead to unnecessary spending and food waste.

Understanding appropriate portions helps you determine how much to purchase, how much to prepare and how many meals you can get from the ingredients you buy. Online resources, including this portion size guide from WebMD, can help you better understand serving sizes.

Years ago, I didn’t give portion sizes much thought. I’d simply buy two steaks, cook them and my husband and I would eat whatever was on our plates. Once I began paying closer attention to food costs, I realized I was serving myself more than I actually needed.

Being more mindful of portions helped me rethink how much food I purchased and prepared. It also made me more conscious of how to plan meals around the quantities I really needed.

7. Make a Shopping List and Stick to It

Once you’ve planned your weekly menu, put together a shopping list of the ingredients you’ll need. Before heading to the store, check your refrigerator, freezer and pantry to avoid buying items you already have.

Organize your list by category or store section to make shopping more efficient, and try to stick to it. Impulse purchases, special displays and tempting promotions can quickly add items to your cart that weren’t part of your original plan.

Of course, leave a little flexibility for a genuinely good buy or an ingredient that catches your eye, but make sure it fits your budget and that you have a plan for using it.

Shopping with a list helps you stay focused, avoid unnecessary purchases and make better use of your grocery budget.

8. Limit Unnecessary Trips to the Store

Quick trips to the grocery store are one of the easiest ways to add to your weekly food costs. You may head in for one ingredient and leave with several other items you hadn’t planned to buy.

Planning your meals and shopping list ahead of time can help reduce those extra trips. Try to consolidate your shopping whenever practical, whether that means one main weekly trip or a couple of planned visits that fit your family’s schedule.

A well-stocked pantry, a collection of reliable recipes and a little flexibility with your menu also make it easier to prepare something at home when you’re missing an ingredient. You might discover that you already have everything you need for a satisfying meal.

9. Don’t Shop Hungry

This one may seem obvious, but it’s worth remembering: Shopping when you’re hungry can make it harder to stick to your list.

When you’re surrounded by food and thinking about what you’d like to eat right now, those extra snacks, treats and convenience foods can become much more tempting.

Have a meal or a snack before heading to the grocery store. You’ll be more likely to shop with a clear head, focus on what you actually need and avoid filling your cart with impulse purchases.

10. Compare Stores and Prices

Once you’ve established a food budget and become comfortable shopping with a list, take some time to compare prices at different grocery stores. You may find that certain items are consistently less expensive at one store than another, while other products are worth purchasing elsewhere.

Pay attention to unit prices rather than just the shelf price, particularly when comparing different package sizes. Store brands can also offer good value, and weekly sales may provide opportunities to save on items you regularly purchase.

Several years ago, I made a point of comparing grocery prices at different stores, and it was an eye-opener. I discovered that where I shopped and what I purchased could make a real difference in my overall food spending.

The goal isn’t necessarily to shop at the cheapest store for everything. It’s to become a more informed shopper, recognize good value and make purchasing decisions that work for your household and your budget.

Saving money on groceries isn’t about cutting corners or sacrificing the foods your family enjoys. It’s about becoming more thoughtful about how you plan meals, shop for ingredients and make use of what you purchase. Small changes in your shopping habits can add up over time, helping you stretch your food budget while continuing to put good meals on the table.

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The post 10 Ways to Save Money on Groceries and Reduce Food Costs appeared first on Family Eats.

Asian cooking is more popular than ever, and creating delicious, authentic—or fusion-inspired—Asian meals at home is easier when you have the right kitchen tools. From stir-fries to soups, dumplings to noodle bowls, a few well-chosen Asian cooking tools can elevate everyday meals without adding complexity.
But don’t save these tools just for “Asian night.” Many traditional Asian kitchen tools are surprisingly versatile and can be used in everyday cooking—from weeknight dinners to family meals made from scratch. Whether you’re sautéing vegetables, steaming fish, or prepping grains, these tools earn their place on the counter, not hidden in a cabinet.
Here are some of my favorite Asian cooking tools that will serve you well—no matter what’s on the menu.

Helen’s Asian Kitchen Stir Fry Sauce Bottle

What I love about this sauce bottle is that it is designed to measure, mix, serve and store stir fry sauces – in a quick-to-make, and easy-to-store manner. Forget looking up a recipe every time you need it, this bottle has four, authentic Asian stir fry sauce recipes printed directly on the glass bottle. (And, they’re permanent, so no worries about it fading or wearing off). 

Go ahead an mix things up and make Mandarin Orange, Canton Oyster, Beijing Hoison or Sichuan Spicy Black Bean Sauce. The 13-ounce bottle comes with an airtight cap, so you can store what you don’t use, in the fridge. Bottom line, authentic, Asian meals couldn’t be easier.

Helen’s Asian Kitchen Rice Washing Bowl

A rice-washing bowl is an imperative whether you are simmering the grain on the stove or preparing it with a rice cooker. Unfortunately, I was well into my adult life before I learned of the need to rinse my rice. Admittedly, with Minute Rice gracing the table when I was young, there was no need to rinse the rice. So, when I set out on my own, and began cooking non-Minute Rice rice, it never dawned on me that I needed to rinse it. 

For all those cooking purists out there, you’ll be relieved to know that I am rinsing my rice. And, while it isn’t an arduous task, I do find that the Helen’s Asian Kitchen Rice Washing Bowl makes it quite easy to do. The design, with its flat solid base stabilizes the bowl for soaking, and with a quick tilt, the perforated side strainer allows water and debris to drain out. Made from stainless steel, it is easy to wash by hand, but if needed, it’s also dishwasher safe. 

Helen’s Asian Kitchen Bamboo Steamer 10″

Helen’s Asian Kitchen Bamboo Steamer 12″

Helen’s Asian Kitchen Stainless Steel Steamer Ring 10″

Steamer Ring 11″

Dumplings are delicious and so easy to prepare when using this 10″ steamer. But, what makes this bamboo steamer even more great is its versatility in the kitchen. Go beyond dumplings and use the steamer for so much more including veggies, fish, eggs, meat, bao and beyond.  The 2-tier design offers ample room for preparing single or multiple servings. Made from 100-percent all-natural bamboo, its design, especially when used with the stainless steel steaming ring turns almost any pan or stockpot into a steamer. 

Helen’s Asian Kitchen Spider Strainer

Affectionately nicknamed for its web-like design, the Spider Strainer is ideal for making noodles, homemade dumplings, and other types of pasta, blanching vegetables, deep frying, and more. This Spider Strainer features a shallow mesh basket that drains fried food quickly so they stay crispy and flavorful without an oily residue. Its bamboo handle stays cool to the touch during use. 

Helen’s Asian Kitchen Carbon Steel Wok

This carbon steel wok is the perfect addition to your cookware collection as it is ideal for stir frying, stewing, sauteing, steaming, braising, frying, and deep frying. Made of high-quality carbon steel that conducts heat evenly, and once properly seasoned, will work like a charm. It’s flat-bottom design sits securely on any stovetop and works equally well with gas, electric, and induction.

Whether you’re a skilled home cook, or just starting out, this collection of Asian kitchen tools are essential for every day use. Enjoy!

Send me a note about your favorite Asian cooking tools at Laura@amilyEats.net

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The post My Favorite Asian Cooking Tools for Everyday Home Cooking appeared first on Family Eats.

With that in mind, here is the Family Eats 2025 Holiday Gift Guide: Laura’s Favorites Edition. The products listed here are staples in my kitchen – the ones that will never go out of fashion, and that I’ll be hanging on to for years.

Hopefully these ideas for your food-loving family members, hostesses and friends will inspire you to slow down a bit, and be more intentional with your gifting so that you’ll give a gift that will be loved – for a long time.

2025 Holiday Gift Guide: Laura’s Favorites Edition

A Cookbook Destined to be Well-Used

I’ve a deep collection of cookbooks, ranging from cuisine-specific tomes to short-and-sweet single subject cookbooks on salsas and dips. Before I add a new cookbook to my shelves, I let things simmer a bit. I research what it’s about, read reviews and then add another to my collection. As a result, I find that my cookbook collection is a usable collection that provides me with an ongoing array of recipes, insights and all-around cooking inspiration so things won’t get too boring around here. That’s why I believe The Bean Book by Steve Sando (with Julia Newberry) would be the perfect gift this holiday season. It’s filled with a bean primer, how to cook beans and how best to enjoy them – along with one hundred recipes using all kinds of beans. In a time when we are worried about rising food costs, choose healthier proteins and are attempting to make more sustainable food choices, Sando’s bean book is perfect for anyone looking to expand their love for healthy and flavorful beans. You can purchase it here.

Olive Oil

For any true food lover, a great tasting, high quality olive oil is essential for so many recipes in your kitchen. My choice is the Lucero EVOO collection from the American Olive Farmer. The collection of olive oils is produced from olives grown in Corning, CA, resulting in several delicious bottled varieties: Arbequina Extra Virgin, Olio Novello and Ascolano EVOO, in addition to several flavored lemon, basil or garlic olive oils. In fact, Lucero Olio Novello is on its way! Crafted from Mission Olives, which are scheduled to be harvested at first light and milled immediately on November 26th (that’s today!), they represent the Lucero brand’s first bottling of California Mission olives in over a decade. Right now, you can save up to 25% off with a Novello trio! An don’t forget to grab a gift from the collection of balsamic vinegars or one of the various assorted olive oil dipping bowls. Head on over to American Olive Farmer, Home of Lucero Olive Oil for all your flavor-filled gift-giving needs.

Fondue: The Communal Pot

Whether you’re skiing in the Mountains of Switzerland, or cozying up at home with friends, fondue is the social meal of the season. The communal pot, when filled with delicious Emmentaler and Gruyere cheeses, which are then sublimely melted in a caquelon (the pot), make for a delicious dip for veggies, potatoes and more. The ritual beckons you to slow down from all the hustle and bustle of this time of year, so you can embrace the convivial spirit of the season. The Kuhn Rikon fondue and raclette offerings bring a bit of Switzerland’s tradition to your table this season. The fondue pots vary in styles, sizes and what they’re made of, but all help you easily bring this longstanding tradition to your own table this season. For those times when you want something quick, and more portable – perhaps to bring with you to the sunset, date night, or as a hostess gift, try the individual mini raclette set, powered by candlelight, for an unique raclette experience.Take it with you and enjoy.

Matcha for Embracing Mindfulness

There’s a lot of excitement surrounding matcha these days. It’s taken over TikTok and can be found in numerous hot and cold beverages at your favorite coffee shop. I encourage you to go back to its roots, and give a gift that evokes tradition and healthfulness, while embracing the ideal of slowing down in our daily lives. Not only will matcha provide us with its health benefits, but the process of preparing the drink in its traditional manner adds to the special-ness of the tea. Give the gift that embraces tradition, healthfulness and healthy habits, with the Helen’s Asian Kitchen Matcha Tea Gift Set. The set includes everything you need to enjoy this time-honored tradition – except the tea: Matcha Tea Bowl , Whisk and Stand, Scoop and Tea Sifter. If you’re looking for quality matcha tea, try Harney & Sons Organic Matcha.

One Pot Meals

Nostalgic recipes and flavorful one-pot meals are on the table, and the Emile Henry Sublime Dutch Oven lets you prepare it and serve it in style. I’ve had this beauty in my kitchen for over a year now, and it remains one of my favorites. Made from a new ceramic technology designed to do all kinds of cooking. It is extremely versatile, handling the high heat of searing, frying or barbecuing on the grill and also softly cooking on low heat so that sugars in a caramel sauce or a custard are gently heated without burning or over cooking. The Sublime ceramic distributes heat smoothly across the whole pot better than any metal, including cast iron or stainless steel and it is 50% lighter than those other materials. You can find it here.

Simple Ways to Celebrate, with Flavor

The Point Reyes Farmstead Cheese Company has curated cheese collections that showcase the best of their farmstead offerings. The Cheese the Moment Cheese Board features a delicious array of their handcrafted cheeses, including classics like Original Blue, Toma, and Bay Blue, paired with artisan accompaniments (like honey and crackers), then packaged (with all eco-friendly materials) for a memorable unboxing experience. A perfect hostess gift . . . if you don’t eat it all yourself!. The Point Reyes Cheese the Moment Cheese Board can be found here.

Powerful Blending in Your Hand

The Blendi Pro+ is the blender I never knew I needed. For years, I’ve been living with a full size blender – for smoothies, blending soups, sauces and more. But this portable blender adds so much function to my kitchen – and takes up no space at all! (OK, just a smidge of space). The blendi Pro + is guaranteed to crush your ice resulting in perfect consistency. It’s cordless design and extra container for ingredients, means you can take (and blend) your smoothie post workout at the gym. It is also great for meal prep, chopping nuts, and blending a delicious salad dressing. This portable and powerful blender is definitely making waves in my kitchen, making it a great gift for just about anyone – from college kids to your workout buddies, and friends. You can get it here.

Cover Up in the Kitchen

’m a lover of aprons and have a pretty big collection handed down from my grandmothers (mostly handmade, several holiday-related), and then a few new ones. But, as I always say, one can’t have enough aprons! One of the most recent additions to my collection is a Hedley & Bennett apron. It is definitely built to last and is also quite stylish — with so many options to choose from, you’ll certainly find the perfect one to gift this season. You can find the collection here.

For the Burgeoning Chef

Finally, it’s The College Kid’s Guide to Cooking. I created this guide using the Family Eats Four Pillars method I created years ago, which focuses on breaking down the steps needed to overcome the overwhelm when it comes to mealtime. This version has the college student in mind and walks the reader through essential steps of creating a budget, how to find recipes to fit their lifestyle as well as how to meal plan, shop and prepare food while staying on budget. The book focuses on making the process simple and doable for a busy college student. The Guide also includes 50+ recipes. The perfect gift for any current, or soon-to-be college student. You can purchase it here.

Have a great week “reconnecting with the food you eat and the family (and friends) you love.”

~ Laura

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A staple for entertaining around here, this Asian Spice Bar Snack is a flavorful mix of nuts, nibbles and Chinese five spice, that delivers a delicious crunch.

• 2 Tbsp butter
• 2 tsp soy sauce
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1/2 tsp Chinese Five Spice
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1 cup sesame sticks
• 1 cup wasabi peas
• 1/2 cup raw almonds
• 1/2 cup unsalted, roasted peanuts

Melt butter, then mix soy sauce, sugar, Chinese five spice, salt and cayene in a bowl. Add sesame sticks, wasabi pias, almonds and peanuts, and mix to coat.

Spread mixture on a cookie sheet, and place in a 250 degree F oven for 30 minutes, stirring half-way through. Allow to cool before eating.

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This is our go-to cake for an easy weeknight dessert, or something to take to a friend’s house on the weekend. Its been in my baking rotation since my single days, and even took it on a cross-country plane trip from Miami to LA to visit my boyfriend (now husband) to celebrate his birthday. Even without any additional adornment, this moist and flavorful vanilla pound cake  goes quickly in our house. If it ever hung around long enough to get a bit stale, it is also tasty when toasted, and serves well as a base for sundaes.

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 sticks (8 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 2 cups sugar
• 3 large eggs, at room temperature, whisked to blend
• 1 cup milk, at room temperature
• 2 tsp pure vanilla extract

Position rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat the oven to 350F. Butter and flour a 10-inch tube pan or other 12-cup decorative pan with a center tube.

Sift the flour, baking powder, and salt together onto a sheet of waxed or parchment paper; reserve.

Put the butter into the bowl of a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or work with a hand-held mixer) and beat at medium speed until smooth. With the machine running, add the sugar in a steady stream. Stop the machine and scrape down the paddle and the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Continue to beat at medium speed until the mixture is very light and fluffy, about 4 to 5 minutes.

With the mixer still at medium speed, begin to add the eggs in small additions, about a tablespoon at a time. If the mixture becomes watery or shiny, stop adding the eggs and beat at an increased speed just until it smooths out. When the batter has come together again, decrease the speed to medium and continue adding the eggs, scraping down the paddle and sides of the bowl from time to time; it will take 3-4 minutes to incorporate the eggs. The mixture is properly combined when it appears white, fluffy, and increased in volume.

Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the flour mixture and the milk alternately — 4 additions of flour, 3 of milk – scraping the paddle and bowl frequently and mixing until the batter is smooth after each addition. Add the vanilla and mix just to blend.

Spoon the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top with a spatula. Bake for 55 to 65 minutes, or until a wooden toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Transfer the cake to a cooling rack and allow it to cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Invert the cake onto a rack, remove the pan, and cool to room temperature. The cake is best served in very thin slices.

Source: Baking with Julia, written by Dorie Greenspan. William Morrow and Company, Inc. Copyright 1996 by A La Carte Cafe Communications, Inc.

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