What's the secret to flaky pie crusts? Mine always seem to come out tough. With a standard recipe (1/3 cup shortening or lard to 1 cup flour, plus a pinch of salt for flavor), the secret is cold. Have the lard cold. Use just enough ice water to moisten the flour to stick it together, and then handle it as little as possible. If it won't be baked right away, keep it in the refrigerator. You don't want the shortening to melt into the flour at all until the crust is baking. The little balls of shortening covered with flour are flattened when the crust is rolled out, and when they are baked, they make the flakes of a tender, flaky crust. ...more

November 30, 2008

Utah-based Nestlé Prepared Foods Co. is recalling three types of Lean Cuisine frozen chicken meals that may contain small bits of hard plastic, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service announced today. ...more

November 18, 2008

No time to travel to Africa? Nothing to wear? Create this aromatic African-inspired stew that conjures the exotic sans luggage or lamentable jet lag. ...more

November 6, 2007