WideOpenEats

10 Essential Kitchen Tools Everyone Should Have in their Kitchen What kitchen tools are the most important in your kitchen? Besides cookware (stainless steel, cast iron, or non-stick, what have you), there's a ton of tools every homecook needs to succeed in the kitchen! This isn't a fancy list of kitchen gadgets filled with kitchen equipment you'll use once in a while (looking at you immersion blender, food processor and microplane), but rather the tools you'll need every single day. Most can be found easily on Amazon. Here's our list of every day kitchen tools to always have on hand. 1. Knives - A chef's knife, a paring knife, and a serrated knife is essential! A high quality knife will last longer and will be less likely to slip and nick you. 2. Cutting Board - Always keep two on hand; one for meat and other for veg. I like to use a plastic cutting board that is dishwasher-safe for my meat. 3. Mixing Bowls - From plastic to glass, you'll want a few of these. 4. Measuring Spoons & Measuring Cups - One set of each will make baking a breeze. 5. Can Opener - A manual can opener is all you need 6. Colander or strainer - Draining pasta needs one! 7. Vegetable Peeler - A Swivel model is best. 8. Whisk, spoons and spatula - Every homecook needs one of each. We suggest using heat-resistant silicone spatulas or wooden spoons to prevent damage to your stock pot and such. 9. Meat Thermometer - It might not seem essential, but it is if you want to cook meat perfect every time. 10. Towel and potholders - Keep your hands safe with these tools.

This Homestyle Chicken Pot Pie can be made in under an hour by cutting corners with frozen vegetables and puff pastry dough. 1:1, 2016, Chicken, Pot pie, WOE, Wide Open Eats

5 Ways to Preserve Fresh Basil Leaves Your basil plant won't survive the winter in most areas in the United States. So what are you to do with all the fresh herbs in your garden? Thankfully there are a few different ways to preserve the fresh taste of basil. From freezing basil to making a puree with it, here's 5 ways to preserve fresh basil. 1. Freeze Basil Leaves You can simply freeze the whole basil leaves or chop them and store them in a container or freezer bag, but keep in mind that they might shrink a little. These leaves are perfect in tomato sauce. Remove basil leaves from the stem and toss them in a pot with boiling water for 3-5 seconds. Remove with a slotted spoon and immediately transfer the leaves to a bowl of ice cold water. Dry the leaves completely and store them in a freezer-safe container or plastic bag. 2.Make Basil Cubes Chop fresh basil leaves in the food processor and drizzle in enough olive oil to form a paste. Spoon the mixture into an ice cube tray, freeze, and store the delicious flavor cubes in a freezer-safe container or plastic bag. 3. Make Pesto Cubes Make your favorite pesto recipe in a food processor or mortar and pestle and pour the mixture into an ice cube tray and freeze. 4. Dry Basil Leaves Remove basil leaves from the stem, wash, and pat dry with a paper towel. Set your oven to the lowest temperature and place the basil leaves in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake the leaves for 2-4 hours until they're completely dried out and crumbly. Crumble the leaves with your hands and store in an airtight container or mason jars. 5. Make Basil Vinegar Place 3-4 basil springs into a bottle of vinegar and let it sit at room temperature for about two weeks, gently shaking the bottle every couple of days. See more at wideopeneats.com

Reinvent those leftovers into something even more delicious: a donut sandwich! 1:1, Cranberries, Donuts, Doughnut, Holidays, Orange, Thanksgiving, WOE, Wide Open Eats

Do you remember the television show, Bonanza? The television show inspired a variety of merchandise; everything from Jim Beam Whiskey Ponderosa Ranch decanters to a Ponderosa Theme Park in Lake Tahoe, and most notably a chain of Ponderosa and Bonanza Steakhouses founded in 1965. Back in 1963 Dan Blocker, who played Eric Cartright on Bonanza, opened up the first Bonanza restaurant in Westport, Connecticut. By 1989 the restaurant chain had over 600 restaurants located across the United States, serving up top sirloin and ribeye steaks for hungry customers. Some of the last Bonanza Steakhouses are located in hidden corners of the Midwest and East Coast, including locations in Presque Isle, Maine, New Columbia, Pennsylvania, Lebanon, Virginia, and St. Cloud, Minnesota. There are also a few of them in Puerto Rico. Step into one of the still-standing steakhouses and you'll instantly be transported in time. The steakhouse still offers an all-you-can-eat salad bar in a casual dining setting. Saddle up your horse and make your way to Bonanza Steakhouse before it gets put to the pasture for good.

Do you have vintage Pyrex at home? Chances are, you have a small fortune in the cabinet. 1:1, American Food Culture 1:1, WOE, Wide Open Eats, american food culture, housewares, kitchen, pyrex, vintage, vintage pyrex

Beef, Chili, Cooking, DIY, Food, Fritos, How-to, SQUARE, Snacks, WOE

The McRib is as essential to the McDonald's fast-food menu as the Big Mac and Chicken McNuggets. Created in 1981 as a limited-time item, the McDonald's McRib was first added to the McDonald's menu due to a chicken shortage. It wasn't popular at first as the fast-food chain tried to push it. But that all changed when The Flintstones hit theaters in the summer of 1994. The boneless pork patty topped with bbq McRib sauce, tart pickles slices, and slivered onions all served on a hoagie style bun turned into a cultural phenomenon and loyal fans swarmed to McDonald's locations across the United States to get a taste of the pork sandwich. Soon after, the barbecue sauce sandwich was constantly returning as a limited-time item to hype up the fan base.

1:1, Flavors, News Card, WOE, Wide Open Eats

There's one candy that poses a threat more dangerous than cavities this Halloween. According to the FDA, black licorice is on the list as candy to look out for, especially if you have some underlying health problems. The Food and Drug Administration has announced that black licorice contains glycyrrhizin, a sweetening compound that comes from the licorice root. This compound, in excessive and large amounts, can cause your potassium levels to drop, leading to irregular or abnormal heart rhythms, high blood pressure, edema, lethargy, and most terrifyingly, congestive heart failure. In fact, if you are 40 and older, eating 2 ounces of black licorice a day for two weeks could land you in the hospital with irregular heart rhythm or arrhythmia. The black licorice candy can also interact with dietary supplements and prior heart problems. Thankfully, this doesn't account for all candies, where most in the United States use anise flavoring to mimic the licorice flavor. Regardless, if you find yourself worried about eating too much black licorice, stick to red licorice (Hello Red Vines) or even a bag of Twizzlers. If anything, consult your healthcare provider with questions.

Got patches of dandelions popping up on your lawn? Don't spray them with weed killer, pick them and turn them into delicious wine! This dandelion wine recipe is the pergect recipe for first time winemaking. Keep your white wine, I'll have homemade dandelion wine. To start, collect about a gallon of dandelion flowers in a large bucket or bowl. Remove the green parts before moving on. The green parts on the whole flower give a bitter taste, so stick to the yellow flower heads. Winemakers suggest harvesting the dandelion blossoms and flower petals when they are fully open, usually in the early afternoon. In a large pot, bring the water and sugar to a boil. In a large one-gallon fermentation vessel, add the dandelion petals, citrus zest, citrus juice, and yeast nutrient. Pour in the boiling water. In a separate bowl dissolved the champagne yeast or wine yeast in lukewarm water and allow to stand until cool, about 2 hours. Pour the yeast into the container and top with water, leaving at least an inch of headspace for the carboy. Cap the homebrewing container with an airlock and ferment for three weeks at room temperature or until fermentation has stopped. Siphon the wine into a clean container and let the wine ferment for an additional 6 to 8 weeks. Once time has passed, Sciphon the dandelion wine into a clean container and prepare it for bottling. Bottle the flower wine into wine bottles and cork. Store the bottled wine in a cool dark place for 2-6 months at minimum before drinking. See more at https://www.wideopeneats.com/dandelion-wine/

Nothing will improve your morning coffee more than a spoonful of baking soda! It's all about the pH. Let's go back to middle school science class for a second. The pH scale measures how acidic something is, from 0 to 14. The lower the pH, the more acidic it is, and the higher, the more alkaline it is. Substances with a pH of 7 or higher are non-acidic, also called bases. Something very acidic like lemon juice is a 2 on the scale. In contrast, baking soda is a 9, so it qualifies as a base. As a base, baking soda can be added to acidic substances to neutralize their acidity. This is why, when dissolved in water, baking soda is a natural antacid remedy. This alkalinity is what makes baking soda in coffee so good for you. There are many benefits of adding baking soda to an acidic cup of coffee. Baking soda is the perfect solution to counteract the acid reflux (or GERD), indigestion, and heartburn caused by the acid in coffee, as its alkalinity will offset the coffee's acidity. This is also a useful trick for those with stomach ulcers, since baking soda neutralizes stomach acid as well. Baking soda in coffee is especially helpful if you like black coffee or espresso since these coffee drinks will be more acidic than other options. If you have digestive issues or a sensitive stomach, a small pinch of sodium bicarbonate will help coffee lovers drink quality coffee without stomach issues. So, the next time you brew your coffee, consider adding a smidge of baking soda. You can either add a half teaspoon to a pot of coffee before brewing or add a pinch to your cup of joe before you drink it. You don't need much baking soda for the desired result, and you also want to ensure that your coffee doesn't lose its flavor. Nothing beats a drink as delicious as it is good for you! 1. Nothing will improve your morning coffee more than a spoonful of baking soda! 2. Scientifically known as a base, sodium bicarbonate counteracts the acid in the coffee beans which usually cause digestive issues. 3. Benefits of adding baking soda to coffee include counteracting acid reflux, indigestion, and heartburn. 4. To add baking soda to coffee, add half a teaspoon to an entire pot of coffee or a pinch into a single mug. 5. Baking soda is also great mixed with water to make a natural antacid remedy. 6. As well as a fridge deodorizer. 7. What do you add to your coffee?

1:1, Cantaloupe, Farming, Fresh, Healthy Eating, Produce, WOE, Wide Open Eats

What does Arby's name mean? It's not what you think. 1:1, Arby's, Fast food, WOE, Wide Open Eats, roast beef

An apple a day keeps the doctor away, and so does this Green Apple Macaroni and Cheese. 1:1, Apple, Cheese, Green Apple, Mac n Cheese, Macaroni and Cheese, One Pan Dinner, WOE, Wide Open Eats

Want to try making your own DIY hot sauce? This is the recipe to start with. 1:1, Cooking, DIY, Food, Hot Sauce, How-to, SQUARE, Spicy, WOE

What's more American than cheap beer? We put our favorites to the test and here's which American beer came out on top. Sorry, no craft beer here. 11. Natural Ice If you are looking for a beer that should only be chugged it's this one. Let it get warm and you'll be wishing you had a Natty light. 10. Keystone Light Too many college parties were spent drinking this American beer. 9. Busch The recipe of this American lager hasn't changed since the 50s. 8. Coors Banquet This beer (along with Coors Light) is best enjoyed with a handlebar mustache. Is it the champagne of beers? You decide. 7. Rolling Rock Extra pale with a flavor profile similar to a skunk. Don't believe us? Take a whiff for yourself. 6. Budweiser Crisp and light, the taste of an ice cold Budweiser is much more tolerable than the business practices of Anheuser-Busch. 5. Lone Star Listen up beer drinkers, pick up a tallboy of this beer and you'll have a Texas twang in no time. 4. Narragansett If it was good enough for Richard Dreyfuss, then it's good enough for you. 3. Yuengling This light beer is best enjoyed in a dive bar. 2. Pabst Blue Ribbon PBR is the essential hipster beer and we ain't mad. 1. Miller High Life Look no further for the best cheap beer you can find in the grocery store. For more check out WideOpenEats.com

It's not uncommon to see houseplants in the kitchen, living room, or bedroom. So why is it so odd to see plants in the bathroom? It shouldn't be. Your steamy shower is a friend to the best bathroom plants that won't wilt in the humid bathroom. Here's our list of 10 plants that thrive on high humidity. Make sure you have a bathroom window for these plants that emit some bright indirect light for part of the day. Plants that like bright light can be placed on the windowsill while low-light plants will enjoy the sink or cabinet further away from the filtered light or direct sunlight. 1. Spider Plant this low-maintenance and air-purifying plant loves indirect sunlight and is great when hung in a hanging basket. 2. Orchid You need a green thumb for this plant! As long as it's in a humid environment, you've got it made. 3. Cast Iron Plant Is your bathroom dark? This indoor plant thrives on low light levels. 4. Peace Lily As far as greenery goes, this houseplant is beautiful. Just keep it away from the cats. 5. Snake Plant Known as Mother-in-law's tongue, this sansevieria can be watered every 10 days. 6. Pothos The dark green leaves on this potted plant are simply beautiful! 7. Fiddle Leaf Fig FLFs are temperamental, so be warned! 8. Lucky Bamboo This plant prefers bright indirect sunlight and can be grown in a glass of water. 9. Philodendron Set your heartleaf Philodendron in medium light and they'll be happy year-round. 10. Bromeliads Exotic and colorful, a bromeliad is the perfect tropical plant. See more at wideopeneats.com

1:1, Appetizer, Cheese, Chocolate, Dip, WOE, White cheddar, Wide Open Eats

Have you ever wanted to impress your dinner guests? We created a homemade Ravioli stuffed with a whole bunch of goodness. Show your guests what you can do with this easy to follow and simple ravioli recipe.

These Sugar Cookie Jello Shots bring the party every single time. 1:1, Alcohol, Cocktail Recipes 1:1, Cookies, Jello shots, Shots, WOE, Wide Open Eats

We reviewed the German-made Otto Wilde O.F.B. (Over-Fired Broiler) and you have to see this beast. 1:1, Otto Wilde grill, Review, WOE, Wide Open Eats, grilling

16:9, Outdoors, Putter Pong, Tailgating, WOE, Wide Open Eats, drinking game

This 4-ingredient recipe swaps zucchini for fried potatoes and you can't even taste the difference. 1:1, Healthy Eating, Snacks, Veggie chips, WOE, Zucchini

Who else is going to their grave blaming their laundry detergent and fabric softener on stains and won't admit that it could possibly be food grease? Me too! As long as we're buying laundry detergent and clothes, we're still keeping an eye out of the best stain remover. My Dawn dish washing liquid trick has done more for me than most pre-treatments. According to customer reviews, Fels Naptha Laundry Soap is the laundry stain remover we've been looking for. Like I mentioned, the second I feel a drop of food on my shirt I'm rushing to the sink to add dishwashing liquid to it. The soap bar seems much more efficient! All you have to do is rub the stain with the wet soap bar and let it sit for a few minutes. The next thing you need to do is load the washing machine. This powerful laundry bar is made to remove the tough stains from your clothes. I'm really interested to see if this works well with essential oil stains. Sometimes dealing with diffusers or making homemade face masks can be messy. I was surprised to see that this bar of soap doesn't end with tackling the toughest stains. If you click to the top reviews on Amazon you'll see that this pre-treatment can dry up poison oak and poison ivy. Again, I'm not surprised that this could be safe for sensitive skin. Back in college when I had my first major breakout, I used Dawn dish soap to wash my face. I'm not sure if it was safe, but it did work. It dried out some oily blemishes from finals stress just in time for summer break. I guess if it can remove oily stains, an oily face is nothing! I'm not recommending that of course, but it makes sense that a cleaning product can be safe on skin. You can get this pre-treater bar soap at Amazon or Walmart. This just might be the one saving grace for dealing with oily foods. I've tried making a DIY remover with baking soda and cleaning products, and it didn't work out for me. I'm really looking forward to trying a bar of Fels Naptha. Sometimes I am skeptical about my own laundry detergent. After I made the switch to a certain liquid laundry detergent I noticed random spotting on my T-shirts. They definitely weren't bleach stains. I'm hoping Fels Naptha is the solution to that problem! I can't believe I've missed this at the grocery store all of these years. Word of mouth says a lot, so I'm going to give this Fels Naptha laundry bar a chance. If it can work on soiled baby clothes, hopefully, it will get that taco grease stain out of my favorite T-shirt. See more at wideopeneats.com