Oh, silicone muffin cups, how do I love thee? Let me count the ways.1. You aren’t cheap, but unlike a lame and sticky metal muffin tin, you are sooooo worth the value.

2. You are easy, easy, EASY to use, and you hold your shape no matter what I put inside you.

3. The delectables that you hold pop right out. Just a tap, and that’s it. No wiggling, no digging, no knifing, no sticking… this is the way cooking should be.

4. I don’t even need to grease you up with cooking spray or butter or shortening. Now that’s quality.

5. You are so easy to clean that it’s criminal.

6. I could look at you all day and still be astounded by your beauty.

7. I can touch you right out of the oven and not burn myself.

8. You have no discernible taste that rubs off, and I appreciate that. Read More »

There are some things you can live with and others you can live without. Seasoned travelers learn to live without, and when they do they often find hospitable people that let them live with. Travelers have the burden of deciding what to take with them and what to leave behind. They carry their lives in bags big and small. Big bags may mean better quality, but also result in a heavier burden. Small bags may mean lesser quality, but more freedom.

There are, of course, activities that require equipment — often heavy or bulky. Fishermen want to bring their own tackle and poles. Surfers want to bring their own boards. Scuba divers want to bring their own regulators. Horseback riders want to bring their own… saddles. Before you try to squeeze your heavy, bulky gear into that small bag of yours, there are just three things you need to consider: Read More »

Smoothies are the ultimate food. They’re packed with vitamins and nutrients, they give you energy, and they taste AWESOME. If you’re pressed for time, a big smoothie makes a great breakfast or lunch, and it really fills you up and keeps you full for a while.

You might think a blender is essential for successful smoothie making, but I’ve used my food processor on countless occasions and been just fine. Until recently, I believed that the Perfect Smoothie was strawberry-banana, with a thick (though not lumpy) texture and a little yogurt and milk thrown in for good measure.

Two days ago, though, I discovered a new Perfect Smoothie, and I am now convinced that nothing can beat it. It is criminal that I should keep this new recipe to myself, so I am sharing it with CC’s readership so that every one of you can also make yourselves delirious with enjoyment over this particular smoothie.

It’s easy: you just need one banana, half a mango (peeled and roughly chopped), a little over half a cup of milk, a tablespoon of heavy cream, half a teaspoon of sugar, and one ice cube. Read More »

If you think sweet potatoes are just for Thanksgiving, think again.

I know, I know—the words “sweet potato” don’t exactly conjure up images of delicious little frosted cakes, but they will after you try this recipe.

One small (the size of a small apple) sweet potato will make enough for two one-serving cakes or four sweet potato cupcakes.

For the cakes, you’ll need the sweet potato, about a half a cup of flour, 1/8 teaspoon baking powder, 1/8 teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon cinnamon, 1/8 teaspoon ground ginger, 1/4 teaspoon allspice, 1/8 teaspoon salt, 3 tablespoons white sugar, 3 tablespoons brown sugar, 3 tablespoons canola (or vegetable) oil, 1 egg yolk, and ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract.

And for the icing, you’ll need 3 tablespoons powdered (confectioners’) sugar, 2 tablespoons brown sugar, 3 tablespoons heavy cream, 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, and a few drops of vanilla extract.

This recipe requires some prep, so you’ll need to either make it on a weekend or carve out time in your schedule for the sweet potato to cook. Here’s what you do: Read More »

It sucks when it’s 8 p.m. and you have no clue what you’re having for dinner. No one’s going to make it for you, and you’re on the verge of going to the drive-thru or ordering take-out again.

Save the money and the calories by stocking these five magical ingredients. With them, you can whip up a quick and delicious dinner any night of the week.

1. Cooking wine. Though not really the kind of thing you want to drink straight-up, cooking wine is great for making amazing sauces, putting in some casseroles, or adding major flavor to meat dishes.

As with regular wine, white tends to go better with chicken and red with beef. If you like to drink wine, there’s also something to be said about keeping your cellar stocked with good drinking wines that can double as cooking wines.

2. Chicken broth. Every bit as useful as cooking wine, but for slightly different things. Chicken broth can help make a wonderful pasta sauce, is a fantastic base for soups with a lot of flavor, and will make rice and noodles taste a lot better (if you boil them in the broth instead of water). Read More »

Sometimes the thought of eating at the dining hall is just too much, and the prospect of yet another Subway sandwich is just as unappetizing. What, then, is a girl to do?

Answer: small-batch cooking and baking.

Equipment and recipes, though generally designed for a crowd, can be scaled down to serve you and a friend (or even just you). Here are a few retailers and manufacturers that make it easy for those of us flying solo:

A 1-quart baking dish, like this one from Cookware.Com, can do wonders in your kitchen. It holds just enough casserole or salad for two, so you can either dig in with a pal or tuck an extra portion in the fridge to munch on later.

If you’d prefer to divide out your portions, try these casserole pans available from Rachael Ray. They’re perfect for oven-baked dishes, and are high-quality for the price. If you need something cheaper to do in a pinch, though, Hefty offers disposable oven-safe single-serving casserole pans as well. Read More »