This brothy soup is finished with a bit of heavy cream for body and richness. For a thicker soup, mash 1/2 cup of the beans and stir into the soup right before adding the cream. Frozen sweet potatoes and collard greens keep the prep to a minimum, but if you have a little extra time on your hands, fresh veggies work just as well.

20-Minute White...Read more

With all the praise for plant-based diets, it’s easy to think that a vegan or vegetarian diet guarantees that your diet is healthful and nutritious. But does it? The research in support of plant-based diets is bountiful, which is likely because they include higher levels of vitamins, minerals, phytonutrients and fiber and lower levels of ...Read more

Chef and culinary storyteller Pyet DeSpain has penned a lovely new book called “Rooted in Fire.” It explores DeSpain’s deeply personal journey through Native American and Mexican traditions, ancestral wisdom, and healing foodways. This book is part memoir, recipes and ceremony — a fascinating take on Native American and Mexican cuisine. ...Read more

There’s just something about a baked potato that feels so comforting. Maybe it’s the endless number of toppings you can pile on it, or the fact that potatoes were my favorite “vegetable” when I was a kid. (I’ve since leveled up.) When I was growing up, I ate a lot of baked potatoes — and to be honest, I mostly homeandleisure/recipes/varietymenu/s-3931579">Read more

Southern biscuits are the perfect fictional device for telling the narratives of Southern families. One cook makes his biscuits with White Lily flour only because that’s how his Maw Mae did it. Another swears by lard, as her family never had the funds for high-dollar butter or shortening. Most Southern cooks bake biscuits at least once a week ...Read more

LOS ANGELES -- Are you ready for a robot restaurant revolution?

In Los Angeles, two robot wok restaurants with nearly identical menus, packaging and promises of fresh, affordable food fast, are vying for our hearts, minds and stomachs. Shrinking wallets, skyrocketing operating costs and an increasing need for variety and convenience have laid ...Read more

CHICAGO -- Spend any time in Chicago’s South Loop and you can’t help but notice its charms — from world-class museums and historic buildings to its proximity to lakefront beaches and parks. The one thing missing? A variety of great places to eat, drink and hang out. That’s the opinion of former Chicago Bears defensive end Israel Idonije,...Read more

When talking about his latest cookbook, chef and television personality Andrew Zimmern had an epiphany.

“My first job in food was when I was 14 when my parents said no allowance, so I went and got a job at the local seafood restaurant that my godmother owned,” he said. “I was telling someone that the other day, when I realized, wow, it’...Read more

PITTSBURGH — Adam Sweetland has cooked for many different types of diners since graduating from IUP Academy of Culinary Arts, the nationally recognized culinary program offered by Indiana University of Pennsylvania in Punxsutawney, in 1998.

It didn't take him long to realize he wasn't cut out to follow the traditional path of a culinary ...Read more

Do you love hot and spicy food? Long for a dish that sets your mouth on fire?

Me, too. That's why, whenever I decide to try my hand at making Chinese food, I always reach for recipes that hang their hat on the crunchy, spicy condiment known as chili crisp.

And when I'm in the mood for something really exhilarating? That calls for a dish that ...Read more

LOS ANGELES — Diego Argoti's pasta pop-ups are elusive. The irreverent, genre-bending chef typically announces his pasta events with suggestive fliers only a day or two in advance, haunts L.A.'s alleyways and parking lots late into the evening, and then vanishes again.

But not on Thanksgiving.

Without fail, the former Poltergeist chef can be...Read more

SEATTLE -- Teriyaki chicken is a quick and cheap lunch that's synonymous with Seattle. One acclaimed local chef, Taichi Kitamura of Eastlake's Sushi Kappo Tamura, makes a compelling case for elevating that humble poultry dish into a fancy Thanksgiving feast.

Teriyaki chicken is only made with dark meat. That rule also applies to turkey teriyaki...Read more

As grocery prices continue to rise and millions of Californians saw their food benefits disrupted this month, nearly one in three residents statewide says they or someone in their home has spent less on food to save money over the past year, according to a new survey by the Public Policy Institute of California.

“Lower-income Californians are...Read more

I was as surprised as anyone to find myself on a Saturday afternoon in October doing a mashed potato science experiment.

The journey started just before Thanksgiving last year, when my sister and I discussed an episode of “Milk Street Kitchen” where the experts trumpeted a new, supposedly better, way to mash, with the usual ingredients (...Read more

Whip up these mashed potato pancakes anytime you have leftover mashed potatoes on hand. Sharp cheddar cheese and chives are the perfect pairing with potatoes, and the tangy sour cream ties it all together.

Mashed Potato Pancakes

Serves 4

Active Time: 25 minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes

2 cups cold mashed potatoes

1/3 cup dry whole-wheat ...Read more