Katie Sweeney
YumSugar Editor, (2006-2011)
Katie Sweeney

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community

Share Your Food Photos!

Have you cooked, eaten, or seen something amazing recently?

Have you cooked, eaten, or seen something amazing recently? Then share it with us! Last weekend I made steak and potatoes on the grill, and I uploaded a picture to the community so I could share it with you. Want to be featured on YumSugar? You should do the same!

We've got a group called Savory Sights, where you can upload mouthwatering images of foods and drinks you've made, consumed, or just salivated over. Start sharing your photos now! There are lots of ways to participate, so read on to learn more.

2011 Summer

Savor the Last of the Season's Berries With These Recipes

Sadly, Summer is coming to a close and with it the end of berry season.

Sadly, Summer is coming to a close and with it the end of berry season. But, there's still a few weeks left to enjoy strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, cherries, and blackberries. To ensure that you make the most of the last few batches of berries, I've rounded up some creative and inspiring ideas. From sweet to savory preparations to cocktails, here are 10 delicious berry recipes.

Cooking Basics

Tips For Creating the Ultimate Cheese Spread

When it comes to appetizers, there's one quick and easy item that can be enjoyed year round: cheese.

When it comes to appetizers, there's one quick and easy item that can be enjoyed year round: cheese. For impromptu entertaining, a cheese spread is the ideal starter, be it a Fall brunch or Summer cocktail party. The best thing about a cheese display is that it involves no cooking; it's a completely assembled dish. However, in order to put together a harmonious and delicious cheese board, there are some things to consider. Here's what you should think about when assembling your next cheese plate:

  • A traditional cheese board has a variety of flavors, textures, ages, and colors. From mild to extra sharp, crumbly to hard, raw to aged, white to blue, choose a wide range of cheeses.
  • Although it depends on how many people you're serving, generally select three to five cheeses.
  • If desired, let your selection be dictated by a theme. An assortment of cheese from Italy (ricotta, pecorino, gorgonzola, etc.) is a tasty start to an Italian meal.
  • Think about offering a cheese vertical where you feature a single variety of cheese. Love cheddar cheese? Assemble a board with English cheddar, Wisconsin cheddar, Californian cheddar, etc. Showcase the cheese at various ages.

Keep reading to learn more about creating the best cheese board.

Quiz

What Do You Know About Chez Panisse?

Over the weekend, famed California restaurant Chez Panisse celebrated its 40th birthday.


Over the weekend, famed California restaurant Chez Panisse celebrated its 40th birthday. The Berkeley eatery, which Alice Waters opened on Aug. 28, 1971, pioneered the farm-to-table, local, and sustainable movement that's practiced in so many kitchens today. To honor the eatery, I've put together this quiz that tests your knowledge of Chez Panisse. From chefs who've worked there to notable dishes, learn more about Chez Panisse now!

Source: Flickr User mikedevlin

Take the Quiz
Original Recipes

The Basics: Roasted Tomatoes

Want to celebrate the best of tomato season?

Want to celebrate the best of tomato season? Then make these slow-roasted tomatoes. When roasted at a high temperature for a long period of time, the tomatoes caramelize and get incredibly sweet and juicy. They almost taste like sun-dried tomatoes and are great in everything from pasta to sandwiches to salads. The recipe is uncomplicated: you simply slice the tomatoes, season with salt and pepper, and bake. I like to use roma tomatoes, but feel free to substitute your favorite variety. For the easy technique, keep reading.

Cooking Basics

How to Incorporate More Veggies Into Your Diet

According to MyPlate, Michelle Obama's recent replacement of the the food pyramid, vegetables should dominate the American diet.


According to MyPlate, Michelle Obama's recent replacement of the the food pyramid, vegetables should dominate the American diet.

However, I'm the first to admit that I probably don't eat enough vegetables: cheese and chorizo are so much more delicious!

To promote the consumption of more leafy greens and in-season produce, I'm suggesting that we all make a conscious effort to change our diets. You ready to eat more veggies? Keep reading to see my pro-vegetable plan.

2011 Summer

Happy Hour: Mojito

There's no drink more refreshing than the classic mojito.

There's no drink more refreshing than the classic mojito. It's light, fizzy, tart, and herbaceous. The mojito was originally created in Cuba and was made with yerba buena, a type of spearmint. These days, variations and different flavors of the mojito can be found all over the world.

The ingredients are simple — rum, sugar, lime juice, sparkling water, and mint — but the resulting cocktail is absolutely sublime. The recipe featured here calls for light rum, but all I had was dark, so I used that instead; the mojito was still wonderful! Keep reading to kickstart your weekend with a tall cool glass of this popular beverage.

salads

Bacon Lovers: Meet Your New Favorite Salad!

Although I love Caprese salad and taco salad, my all-time favorite salad is this BLT salad.

Although I love Caprese salad and taco salad, my all-time favorite salad is this BLT salad. It tastes just like a bacon, lettuce, and tomato sandwich, but it's a salad. Genius! It's full of salty bacon, juicy tomatoes, crisp lettuce, and toasted croutons. The dressing is a mixture of buttermilk, mayonnaise, and cider vinegar that's seasoned with a little bit of scallions. Get started on this salad an hour before you plan on serving it — that way both the bacon and croutons will have plenty of time to cool. Or, make those elements the day before you plan on enjoying it. Want to eat this salad? You know you do! Here's the recipe.

Wine

The Best Way to Clean Expensive Wine Glasses

When hosting a dinner party, I like to break out the good china, cloth napkins, and expensive stemware.

When hosting a dinner party, I like to break out the good china, cloth napkins, and expensive stemware. Although I don't use them everyday, when people are over, I pour wine in Riedel or Waterford glasses. It makes the occasion seem more special. The only downside is having to wash the glasses at the end of the evening. The delicate glasses are easy to break — especially if you don't know the proper technique for washing them. Read on for my tips.

2011 Summer

Meet the Caprese Burger, aka the Ultimate Tomato Sandwich!

Are you a fan of Caprese salad?

Are you a fan of Caprese salad? You know, the classic Italian dish that consists of tomatoes, basil, and fresh mozzarella? If you are enthusiastically nodding your head yes, you've got to make this amazing veggie burger! It takes the ingredients from the salad and transforms them into a sandwich.

The recipe is pretty basic and can easily be adapted to suit your needs. Too hot in your neighborhood to turn on the oven? Slow-cook the tomatoes on the grill. Don't have a food processor? Use your favorite store-bought pesto instead of making your own.

However you make it, you've got to give this scrumptious burger a try. With its juicy tomato, garlicky pesto, and melted mozzarella, it's like the ultimate tomato sandwich. Keep reading for the perfectly seasonal recipe.

2011 Summer

7 Delicious Toppings For Corn on the Cob

Corn on the cob is a Summer staple at my house.

Corn on the cob is a Summer staple at my house. Not only is it tasty, but it's quick and easy to cook on the grill and pairs with everything from barbecued chicken to lamb burgers. However, one thing I'm always looking for are new and interesting corn on the cob toppings. Salt, pepper, and butter are simple and scrumptious, but sometimes I want corn with a little more flavor, so I've come up with seven ways to season corn on the cob:

  1. Add citrus. Mix softened butter with lime or lemon zest and spread on grilled corn. Squeeze with a lime or lemon wedge for extra tartness.
  2. Make an herb butter. Finely chop lots of herbs and mix with butter. Serve with grilled or boiled corn.
  3. Add cheese. Crumbly cheese like feta (which tastes good on corn with lots of black pepper) or finely grated hard cheese like parmesan and manchego work best.
  4. Sprinkle with seasoned salt, lemon pepper, or a spice blend, like Emeril's cajun spice mix, Essence. Even Italian seasoning is good.
  5. Offer it Mexican-style: slathered in mayonnaise, sprinkled with chile powder and crumbled queso fresco.
  6. Go spicy-sweet. Bobby Flay makes an amazing maple-chipotle butter, then he brushes it on corn — yum!
  7. Dream of cream. Drizzle with Mexican creama, sour cream, or mascarpone cheese.

How do you jazz up corn on the cob?

Source: Flickr User star5112

How To

How to Cook the Perfect Steak

Before Summer is over, why not enjoy a piece of meat at its purest?

Before Summer is over, why not enjoy a piece of meat at its purest? I'm talking about a perfectly grilled steak! Grilling steak may seem like a no-brainer: you season it and throw it on the barbie, but with a little extra care you can take your steak-making skills to a whole new level. I asked Chef Mark Richardson, of Seasons, the restaurant at The Four Seasons in San Francisco, to show us how it's done. His technique and tips for juicy pink medium rare steak after the jump.

community

Office Bridal Shower Help Needed!

Calling all fabulous hostesses!

Calling all fabulous hostesses! Divinelight needs our help planning an office bridal shower for a friend. She writes:

"One of my coworkers will be getting married soon and we want to throw her a little get together in the office. Her wedding date is 9/10/11, so we want the theme to be like a count-up (instead of countdown) to her wedding and have something to do with the numbers 6, 7, 8. What type of ideas do you think we could do that follows this theme? One idea that got passed around was an Ice Cream Shower where there are 6 flavors, 7 syrups (do that many even exist?) and 8 toppings, but we've done an ice cream shower in the past and this will be for a group of less than 10 people probably."

My first question is why the numbers six, seven, and eight? Could they be one, two, and three instead? That way you could do a taco party and have one kind of tortilla, two types of proteins, and three scrumptious salsas. Have it at lunch and let everyone drink their favorite Mexican beer! Or if you want it to be dessert themed, you could do a cupcake bar with one flavor of cupcake, two filling choices, and three types of frosting.

Do you have any good suggestions? Share them with us below.

grilling

Grill This! Pollo Asado Negro

If you're into Latin cuisine, you've got to get your hands on a copy of Lourdes Castro's Latin Grilling.

If you're into Latin cuisine, you've got to get your hands on a copy of Lourdes Castro's Latin Grilling. A native of Miami with Cuban parents, Castro is a culinary professor and a cookbook author who specializes in accessible food from south of the border. The book is divided into sections by country, and this recipe for pollo asado negro, grilled blackened chicken, is found in the Venezuela section. The marinade ingredients are simple — it's a mixture of garlic, brown sugar, and Worcestershire sauce — but the resulting chicken is very delicious. It's caramelized, salty, and succulent. It's a great alternative to barbecued chicken and is awesome for entertaining. I recommend serving it with sangria. Keep reading for Castro's recipe.

Cooking Basics

4 Ways to Make a More Exciting Panini

It's National Panini Month and although a panini in Italian refers to any kind of sandwich, I always think of a panini being a hot pressed sandwich.

It's National Panini Month and although a panini in Italian refers to any kind of sandwich, I always think of a panini being a hot pressed sandwich. A crispy panini with gooey melted cheese makes a stellar meal, but it's easy to get caught up in a sandwich filling rut. Tired of the same old ham and cheese? Here's how you can make a more exciting panini:

  1. Add fruit. A fresh blackberry jam pairs perfectly with prosciutto and brie. Sliced peaches add pizazz to pancetta and fontina. Mango and mint take a mozzarella sandwich to a whole new level.
  2. Think outside the condiment box. Mayonnaise and mustard are great, but anything can be spread onto a sandwich to add flavor. Hummus, guacamole, honey, pesto, and salsa are delicious options.
  3. Do dessert. Instead of having a sandwich for lunch, why not have one for dessert? Melted chocolate and nutella taste wonderful in between toasted, buttery bread.
  4. Change up the bread. A panini can be made on any type of bread. Sourdough, focaccia, and ciabatta are perfect vessels for paninis, but so are bagels, croissants, and even hamburger buns!

What's your favorite panini filling?

Source: Flickr User stevendepolo

Cooking Basics

Move Over Wine! It's Time to Pair Cheese With Beer

When it comes to pairing cheese with an alcoholic beverage, most people think of wine.

When it comes to pairing cheese with an alcoholic beverage, most people think of wine. However, beer is actually an excellent choice for serving with cheese. I was skeptical at first, but after attending a seminar on cheese and beer pairings hosted by the Milk Board of Wisconsin, I'm a total convert. Cheese and beer do work well together!

What makes them perfect for pairing? Well, beer and cheese have a rich joint history. The grain used to make beer on farms or in monasteries was, in many cases, the same grain that was fed to the animals that produce the cheese. Beer and cheese can also take on similar flavor profiles; both can be described as earthy, yeasty, musty, carmeley, etc. Interested in learning more about this popular trend? Keep reading for tips on how to pair beer and cheese.

grilling

10 Dishes to Make Before Summer Is Over

It's hard to believe that August is almost coming to a close.
Pancetta-Wrapped Peaches

It's hard to believe that August is almost coming to a close. Instead of wasting my time worrying about the cold weather to come, I'm keeping busy by making all of my Summertime favorites. To encourage you to do the same, I've rounded up my favorite seasonal recipes to inspire you.

2011 Summer

Dealing With Annoying Little Fruit Flies? Do This!

Fruit flies are a pesky kitchen menace that always seem to appear when the produce is plentiful, like right now at the end of Summer.


Fruit flies are a pesky kitchen menace that always seem to appear when the produce is plentiful, like right now at the end of Summer. Peaches, tomatoes, melons, squash, and grapes attract these teeny brown bugs that multiply in mere minutes. Don't be scared if you're facing an infestation, it's easy to outsmart fruit flies. Read more to learn how you get rid of fruit flies.

recipes

No-Bake Cheesecake Is an Awesome, Easy Dessert

Every baking enthusiast should learn how to make a scrumptious cheesecake.

Every baking enthusiast should learn how to make a scrumptious cheesecake. While I love variations like lemon or ginger, there's nothing like a slice of decadent and creamy vanilla cheesecake. During the Summer, look to a reliable no-bake recipe like this one. There's no eggs, which means you won't have to turn on the oven and heat up the kitchen. It does need fridge time, so get started a day before you want to serve it. Cheesecake makes a wonderful potluck dessert because you can transport it inside a cake box. Remove the springform pan just before serving. Read on for the easy technique to delectable no-bake cheesecake.

Fast and Easy Dinner

Fast & Easy Dinner: Bacon and Tomato Pasta

Amatriciana is a classic Italian pasta sauce that's made of guanciale, tomatoes, and pecorino cheese.

Amatriciana is a classic Italian pasta sauce that's made of guanciale, tomatoes, and pecorino cheese. The quick and delicious pasta recipe that's shown here takes inspiration from the traditional Roman dish. Bacon replaces the guanciale; fresh, in-season tomatoes make up the fragrant scrumptious sauce; and parmesan is used instead of pecorino. The sauce comes together in the same amount of time that it takes to boil the water and cook the spaghetti, so you'll have an amazing dinner on the table in under 30 minutes. Read more if you are interested in the crowd-pleasing recipe.