TheRepublic.com - Food & Drink News

Usually a bit player, the onion also can play a starring...

Tue, 21 May 2013 18:26:32 -0400

By DANIEL NEMAN - Is any ingredient more hardworking, yet humble, than the onion?

Time2Save: Enjoying family time on a budget

Tue, 21 May 2013 15:19:10 -0400

By KASEY TRENUM - Q: What are some ways to enjoy family time on a budget?

A light spring minestrone

Tue, 21 May 2013 18:26:42 -0400

By AIMEE BLUME - So right for the season: A bowl of spring green minestrone.

The scoop on 'Malts & Milkshakes'

Tue, 21 May 2013 18:26:51 -0400

By ELLEN FOLKMAN - "Malts & Milkshakes," by Autumn Martin (St. Martin's Press, $17.99, 160 pages), is a perfect cookbook for summer.

Foodtips: Build a tasty salad without too many calories

Tue, 21 May 2013 18:26:58 -0400

From choosing the greens to pouring the dressing, building a healthy salad requires some thought. Selecting the ingredients carefully or you can end up with a 1,000-plus-calorie meal. - Start from the bottom and work your way up to the dressing. First select your greens. Good choices include romaine, spinach or a combo of field greens. Build your salad on a plate or in a bowl -- stay away from the calorie-laden crunchy taco shell.

Ask Food: Are butter sauces healthy?

Tue, 21 May 2013 12:17:55 -0400

Q: Are butter sauces healthy? - A: They can be! Butter makes sauces silky and smooth, but that doesn't mean you need the whole stick. The key is adding just enough to make the sauce rich, allowing flavors to linger on your palate longer than they would without fat. Here is a great example from Robin Miller. The noodle dish is a vibrant Asian dish heightened with the flavors of wasabi and soy. She used wasabi paste, but you can make a paste with equal parts wasabi powder and water.

'Commando spice' pepper is nothing to sneeze at

Tue, 14 May 2013 16:48:54 -0400

By JANET K. KEELER - Pepper is hot.

For Memorial Day, memorable takes on burgers, potato salad...

Tue, 14 May 2013 14:24:33 -0400

By GRETCHEN MCKAY - Burgers and potato salad are traditional fare at Memorial Day picnics, but it's also fun to shake things up every now and again with an unexpected new flavor. And if the recipe for said dish is as easy as it is lip-smacking? So much the better for the cook, who would much rather be relaxing in the sunshine with guests than fretting over complicated details.

Time2Save: Use Plink to earn rewards for free

Tue, 14 May 2013 13:18:03 -0400

By KASEY TRENUM - Q: Recently I've seen offers for Plink everywhere. Are they legitimate offers, and if so, how does Plink work?

Foodtips: Produce how-tos

Tue, 14 May 2013 12:49:10 -0400

Fresh-produce how-tos: - -- Zesting Citrus

Ask Food: What is freekeh?

Tue, 14 May 2013 12:49:20 -0400

Q: What is freekeh? - A: Freekeh (pronounced "free-kah") is an ancient grain that's had newfound popularity lately. If you haven't seen it on supermarket shelves or on the menu at your favorite restaurant, be on the lookout. You will soon.

Comfort foods big on happy memories, small on nutrition...

Wed, 08 May 2013 13:48:54 -0400

By LAVINIA RODRIGUES - Everyone has their favorite comfort foods. We associate these foods with pleasure, warmth, relaxation -- even childhood.

Ask Food: How to organize spice cabinet

Tue, 07 May 2013 19:47:53 -0400

By KATIE CAVUTO-BOYLE - Q: My spice cabinet is a mess. What's a smart way to organize it?

Cream of mushroom soup, from scratch, has uncanny taste

Tue, 07 May 2013 19:21:04 -0400

By DANIEL NEMAN - Peanut butter and jelly. Franks and beans. Bacon and eggs.

Spice up cauliflower fritters with cilantro-ginger...

Tue, 07 May 2013 18:50:49 -0400

By GRETCHEN McKAY - Technically, Cauliflower Fritters with Cilantro-Ginger Sauce is a side dish. But my daughters scarfed so many of these beer-battered Indian-spiced fritters that they declared it "dinner." Served with rice and salad, it would indeed make a terrific vegetarian entree. The recipe comes from Alex Guarnaschelli via Foodnetwork.com. Look for firm cauliflower with compact florets and crisp, fresh leaves with no signs of yellowing or wilting. Avoid cauliflower with small brown specks on the florets; they are a sign of aging.

Time2Save: Stock up on produce when it is in season

Tue, 07 May 2013 14:48:58 -0400

By KASEY TRENUM - Q: How can I save on produce?

Timetosave: Make use of the Endorse app

Tue, 30 Apr 2013 16:21:25 -0400

By KASEY TRENUM - Q: Are shopping apps legitimate?

Have a hand in making signature drinks for your wedding

Tue, 30 Apr 2013 16:22:30 -0400

By SABRINA ROCCO - Buying a bunch of booze and paying someone to mix and pour it puts a healthy dent into a wedding budget. But an emerging trend in weddings can help couples cut spending and personalize libations.

25 easy treats to make for Mom on Mother's Day

Tue, 30 Apr 2013 16:30:32 -0400

By JANET K. KEELER - The sweetest person you know deserves something equally sugary on Sunday, May 12.

A look at 'Cooking With Herbs'

Tue, 30 Apr 2013 16:30:46 -0400

By MARY CONSTANTINE - While many are chomping at the bit to bite into their first sun-ripened tomato, herb lovers aren't looking that far ahead. They will be enjoying the fruits of their labor much sooner.