We’ll be honest: there are some food trends we hear about that we’re immediately skeptical of…until we try them. Chocolate hummus scared the crap out of us when it first started becoming popular, because all we could think about was the unholy combination of sweet beans, garlic, and chocolate. Then we discovered that there’s no garlic involved, and that chocolate hummus basically tastes like healthy frosting. The same thing happened when we first heard about the TikTok viral savory s’mores. Our first thought was: how on earth are you supposed to make a toasted marshmallow savory in way that’s not, well, disgusting? It turns out the genius of savory s’mores is swapping out the marshmallow for something else entirely — and it’s something entirely delicious: cheese.

With savory s’mores, instead of skewering a marshmallow and toasting it, you put a hunk of cheese on your stick and let it sit over the glowing coals of the fire until it’s gooey and melted. If your cheese is a little too soft to skewer, you can put it in a mini cast iron skillet to warm up over the fire. Then, sandwich it between your favorite savory crackers along with some accompaniments that take the place of chocolate, like dried or fresh fruit, cured meat, fresh herbs, or a drizzle of balsamic glaze or honey. If you’re not really a sweets person but always felt jealous of your fellow campers and their s’mores, this is your time to shine. Depending on what accompaniments you choose, you can skewer and toast the other items, too, be they figs, peaches, tomatoes, or slices of sausage.

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We can think of about a million different savory s’mores combinations we want to try. Here’s just a few to get you started:

We’re so hungry just thinking about it that we could literally sit here dreaming up combinations all day. Also, how fun would it be to host a savory s’mores party? You can build a campfire, huddle over a charcoal or gas grill, or use an electric tabletop s’mores maker. Then, either stock up on ingredients yourself, or ask each attendee to bring a cheese, cracker, and accompaniment. See how many fun combinations you can come up with together — and don’t forget the wine, beer, cider, and mocktails to go with your delicious savory s’mores creations!

Before you go, check out our gallery:

From the condensed chicken-and-stars soup we slurped down as a kid to the styrofoam cups of instant ramen we still occasionally eat when we’re pressed for time (and low on cash) at lunch, store-bought soup has been a mainstay of our diets, and it’s always good to have some stashed in the pantry. Soup is a criminally underrated lunch and dinner option. It’s super low-maintenance, which is great news for parents who are strapped for time, and you can always jazz it up by adding in some frozen veggies, canned beans, or leftover rotisserie chicken.

The soup aisle can be intimidating, though. There are so many options, from brands to flavors, and if you want to go outside of your chicken noodle comfort zone, it can be difficult to pick out a soup for dinner. We know that not all premade soups are created equal, so we set out to find which canned, cartoned and otherwise ready-to-serve soups at the store are actually worth buying. These are some of our favorites.

Amy's Organic Vegan Lentil Soup

$22.14

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Lentil soup is a classic for a reason. This hearty, protein-packed vegan soup from Amy’s is made with green lentils, mirepoix, and potatoes for a rich, homemade flavor.

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Zoup! Spicy Chicken 'Chilada Soup

$8.99

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We’re obsessed with Zoup!’s vegetable and chicken broths, which are truly delicious enough to sip on their own. So it makes sense that their jarred soups, like this Spicy Chicken ‘Chilada Soup, would be equally tasty.

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Marie Callender's Chicken & Dumplings Soup

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Creamy, cozy, and comforting, Marie Callender’s Chicken & Dumplings Soup is pretty close to homemade.

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Nongshim Ramyun Black Noodle Soup

$2.29

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If you’re used to flabby ramen noodles in a weakly seasoned broth, Nongshim Ramyun Shin Black, which sports chewy al dente noodles and a richly spiced beef bone broth, will blow your mind. It’s widely considered to be one of the best instant ramens in the world.

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Rao's Made for Home Italian Wedding Soup

$4.38

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This Italian Wedding Soup from Rao’s might not be just like grandma made, but it’s pretty much as close as you can get. With a rich, sippable broth, savory seasoned meatballs, and acini de pepe, you’ll want to drink it straight from the jar.

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Immi Roasted "Pork" Tonkotsu Flavor Ramen Soup Cup

$5.99

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Vegetarian tonkatsu? Yes! Immi’s roasted pork flavored cup of noodles is actually vegetarian, but has a rich, savory flavor and silky, creamy broth just like the original.

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Panera Bread Gluten Free Baked Potato Soup

$6.59

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The next best thing to heading to Panera for some cozy soup in a bread bowl is this baked potato soup you can get at Target. It’s rich, creamy, and full of flavor.

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Nongshim Soon Veggie Noodle Soup 6-Pack

$8.51

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It used to feel impossible to find good vegan soup in stores, but Nongshim, the same brand behind Shin ramyun, now offers up this savory instant noodle cup option. It’s one of our favorites, with toothsome noodles and a spicy, flavorful broth.

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Bar Harbor Clam Chowder 6-Pack

$45.99

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New England clam chowder is one of our favorite things to eat when it’s cold outside, thanks to its creamy texture, rich flavor, and sweet clam meat. Bar Habor is pretty much the best canned clam chowder brand around, so stock up this winter.

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Kettle and Fire Keto Soup Variety Pack

$48.30

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Stock up on keto soups with a four pack from Kettle & Fire. You’ll get two cartona of broccoli cheddar soup and two cartons of mushroom bisque to warm you from the inside out on chilly days.

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Pacific Foods Organic Creamy Roasted Red Pepper & Tomato Soup

$4.12

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If you want to slurp on something comforting and nutritious, you can’t go wrong with Pacific’s creamy roasted red pepper and tomato soup. One reviewer notes that “this soup has just the right spices” for days when you’re feeling under the weather. 

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Bear Creek Country Kitchens Cheddar Broccoli Soup Mix

Sometimes you just want to basically drink liquid cheese. We get it! When the craving strikes, a packet of this cheddar broccoli soup mix is all you need.

Miko Brand Japanese Instant Miso Tofu Soup

Dried miso paste and bonito extract form the base of this soup’s broth, which is filled with tofu and seaweed. Sip away for a super-cozy meal experience.

Before you go, check out our gallery:

“Avoid boiling or overcooking ‘Zoodles’ (aka vegetable/zucchini noodles). I’ve overcooked some myself: they turned mushy in about 15 seconds,” Guarnaschelli wrote in the caption of a recent Instagram post. “I like to extract water quickly over HOT, high heat to get pure flavor with some vaguely ‘al dente’ texture. Ok, it’s not a giant bowl of linguine with butter but it’s pretty tasty!”

The key is to get the moisture out without adding any moisture back in, Guarnaschelli says. And to do that, you have to make sure your oil is really hot — your zoodles should sizzle when they hit the pan. Then, add a bit of salt to your zoodles to draw out excess moisture and then stir them around. You should also salt your zoodles just before cooking to do the same. The less moisture the better! Then, once in the pan, you’ll see a lot of steam being released.

When you don’t see any excess moisture in the pan, that’s when you add your sauce or other toppings. Give everything a good stir so it gets nice and hot, then you’re ready to eat! Your zoodles will taste like real pasta and there will be no sog in sight.

“I love zoodles! Just a touch of tomato sauce and some parm. So good,” one person wrote in the comments. “You make it look so easy. Do zoodles absorb flavor from sauces like pasta does? Or is it more effective to light toss in a sauce then serve immediately?” another person asked, to which Guarnaschelli responded, “Zoodles do absorb. You can toss and let rest a couple minutes in [the] sauce before serving. This is especially effective if you don’t overcook the zoodles in the first place.”

It may take some experimenting, but with Guarnaschelli’s tips in your back pocket, you’re on your way to eating more delicious zoodles every time you cook them!

Before you go, check out our gallery:

I’ve yet to try a bad Trader Joe’s frozen meal, so I expected these to be tasty, but I didn’t expect them to be almost exactly like one of The Cheesecake Factory’s most popular menu items. If you’re familiar with the Cheesecake Factory’s menu, you’re probably aware of how delicious their Buffalo Blasts appetizers are. They’re described on the menu as “Chicken, Cheese and Our Spicy Buffalo Sauce all Stuffed in a Spiced Wrapper and Fried until Crisp.” What’s not to love?

I tossed the TJ’s version in my cart and didn’t think much of it, but when I made them the following day, I was shocked at how similar they were to the Cheesecake Factory’s version. I air-fried mine to get them extra crispy and the result was a near-perfect dupe of CF’s Buffalo Blasts. The Trade Joe’s version is a little smaller, but taste-wise, they’re just as delicious and spicy as the restaurant version.

After devouring them, I figured I couldn’t be the only person to have noticed how similar they are, so I Googled. I expected at least a few articles raving about this delicious coincidence but after scouring the web all I found was an old post on Reddit from four years ago where one user mentioned CF’s Buffalo Blasts in the comment section. How are more people not talking about how delicious these little frozen appetizers are?!

At the cheesecake factory, Buffalo Blasts are served with a side of blue cheese dressing which isn’t provided with the version from Trader Joe’s so you’ll need to buy (or make) your own dipping sauce. But other than that, if you want a CF dupe you can make right at home for a lot less money, I can’t recommend this Trader Joe’s frozen section find enough.

Groceries cost an astronomical amount of money these days. I walked into Wegmans yesterday to pick up some eggs and a carton of organic, pasture-raised eggs cost nearly $12—hard pass. Rising food costs are one of the reasons I have been shopping for groceries almost exclusively at Aldi lately. But as I’ve become a more frequent Aldi shopper, I’ve noticed that the quality and selection of products are truly unbeatable. Sure, it’s not as fun as shopping at Trader Joe’s or Whole Foods, but it is a whole lot cheaper and honestly, just as delicious.

In addition to a great selection of fresh baked goods and produce, Aldi has a ton of items frozen, ready-to-heat, and ready-to-eat items that have become staples in my household.  You can also often find your favorite name-brand foods like Rao’s (Ina Garten’s personal favorite), Alani Nu, Lifeway, and many more available at a fraction of the cost. Interested in what a food editor of nearly a decade stocks up on at Aldi? Let’s dive into it.

There are some food questions that have plagued society for decades, and if we’re being honest, there are no easy answers. Like, is pineapple on pizza the greatest thing to ever exist, or is it an abomination? Are chocolate chip cookies better when sprinkled with sea salt, or should they be left alone? Well, Martha Stewart isn’t afraid to answer the tough questions, as the author of 100 cookbooks (pre-order her 100th book, Martha: The Cookbook, on Amazon) and an undeniable expert on pretty much all things food, home, and gardening, recently proved. She took to social media to share her opinion on which summer staple, burgers or hot dogs, wins the BBQ battle, and she wasn’t afraid to share her controversial opinion on the best toppings, either.

So, hamburgers or hot dogs? “Definitely hot dogs,” Stewart shared on Instagram, “with the works.” But what does “the works” mean to Martha? There are so many different way to serve up dogs, and dozens of regional variations, from the bright green relish and pickle spear of a Chicago dog to the bacon-wrapped, onion and pepper-topped street hot dogs of Los Angeles. But Stewart’s idea of “the works” features an unconventional blend of ingredients.

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According to Stewart, the perfect hot dog with the works includes “bacon, ketchup, relish, sauerkraut, mustard…toasted bun!” Now, this isn’t a combination of ingredients that’s specific to any regional style we’ve heard of, but we’re all about people feeling free to let their freak flags fly when it comes to their favorite foods. But commenters on Stewart’s post weren’t so understanding.

“Sorry, I tuned out after she said ketchup,” shared one commenter. “Martha, I love you, but ketchup on a hotdog?” asked one incredulous viewer. Even Chicago’s famous Portillo’s hot dogs chimed in. “You know we love the works, but in Chicago, it’s more like tomato, pickle spear, sport peppers, chopped onions, yellow mustard, bright green relish, and celery salt!” “Bacon is a new one for me,” shared a different commenter, and a few others disagreed with the idea that hot dogs were better than burgers.

But you know what we think? We’re always down to try something new, and if Stewart stands by her hot dog with the works, we know what we’ll be grilling up this weekend! And if you’re interested in experimenting beyond your usual hot dog fixin’s, you can check out these 30 creative hot dog toppings for a next-level cookout.

Before you go, check out our slideshow below:

Watch: A 5-Ingredient Grilled Pizza That’s Easier Than Ordering Takeout

We love having people over for dinner, but honestly, the pressure of cooking a fancy meal can be so great that we end up not inviting people over at all. But many of our favorite celebrity chefs seem to have cracked the code on entertaining guests by serving simple meals that are amplified with quality ingredients and easy garnishes that take what could be a weeknight dinner and transform it into something totally dinner party-worthy. Giada De Laurentiis’ Giadzy blog just shared seven of their essential tips for elevating basic recipes so you can be proud to serve them to company. Check out our favorite tips below, and don’t forget to stock your pantry with some of the recommended ingredients so you’re ready for last-minute dinner drop-ins any day of the week.

Oil and Vinegar

Giadzy recommends finishing dishes with olive oil or balsamic vinegar. A high-quality finishing oil will have a bolder flavor than the mild olive oils used for cooking, adding an extra boost to any dish. The lush mouthfeel of the olive oil can help elevate everything from a simple bruschetta to a grilled chicken breast, too, and you can opt for a flavored olive oil if you want to bring even more complexity to your meals.

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If your recipes always seem to need some acid to perk the flavors up, then you can use Giadzy’s other hack. Add a drizzle of balsamic vinegar, preferably aged balsamic vinegar from Modena, to recipes that need a little oomph. This style of balsamic vinegar is richly sweet, tangy, and has an almost syrupy texture. Its pricy, but a little goes a long way (and it’s a great gift idea for fellow foodies). You can drizzle it over roasted veggies, seared steaks, salads, and more. In fact, a drizzle of finishing olive oil or sweet balsamic vinegar can even be used to make desserts, from platters of ripe strawberries to pound cake with vanilla gelato, feel like something you’d get at an upscale restaurant.

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Texture, Texture, Texture

Two of the other hacks to turn every day dishes into something you’d be proud to serve to company have to do with adding more flavor, yes, but more importantly, texture to your finished dishes. The first texture tip is to add toasted breadcrumbs to your pasta dishes. It’s a simple, affordable way to dress up a simple weeknight meal. You can use leftover bread to make your own breadcrumbs (or opt for store-bought panko breadcrumbs), then toast them in olive oil or butter, adding seasonings like garlic, herbs, or even grated Parmesan cheese if you’d like. This is actually a very traditional Italian move. In Sicily, pasta with breadcrumbs is called pasta ca’ muddicca, while in other parts of Southern Italy, it’s called pasta con la mollica. Not only do the toasted breadcrumbs add more flavor to your pasta dishes, but they also add a textural crunch.

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The second tip? After your food is cooked, add flaked sea salt. Obviously boosting the flavor of your dish with extra salinity is going to be a winning move, but flaked sea salt specifically adds crunch to your food, too. You can even opt for an infused sea salt if you want to add even more depth to the dish.

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These tips are simple, but make a powerful impact on your recipes. You can turn simple spaghetti aglio e olio into a meal for company with a sprinkle of crunchy finishing salt, or bread and ricotta into an elegant appetizer with a drizzle of quality olive oil and aged balsamic vinegar.

You can read the rest of these clever tips on Giadzy, and in the meantime, you can check out more of Giada De Laurentiis’ pasta recipes and summer recipes for inspiration.

Before you go, check out our gallery:

Watch: How to Make Giada De Laurentiis’ Stuffed Lasagna Rolls

It’s almost time for new shows to hit your favorite viewing platforms, and if you’re anything like us, you’ll be popping lots of popcorn to nosh on while you binge. But what good is popcorn without popcorn seasonings? Nothing, that’s what. Lucky for you, we spent hours researching the heck out of popcorn seasonings so that we could bring you the tastiest blends on the internet. And you’re only a few clicks away from ordering some straight to your door step.

From classic flavors, like cheddar cheese and ballpark salt, to sweet and savory flavors like birthday cake and creamy ranch, take a peek at the best popcorn seasonings we found online.

Our mission at SheKnows is to empower and inspire women, and we only feature products we think you’ll love as much as we do. FreshDirect is a SheKnows sponsor, however, all products in this article were independently selected by our editors. Please note that if you purchase something by clicking on a link within this story, we may receive a small commission of the sale.

Five years ago, finding vegan and vegetarian products was tough. Sure, you could go to Whole Foods and Sprouts, but other than that, the products were confined to one small section of grocery stores and were limited to the usual suspects, like vegan cheeses, meatless substitutes, and tofu. But over the past few years veganism and vegetarianism boomed, and retailers, in response, rapidly improved upon and increased their vegan and vegetarian offerings, even at Costco.

As an increasing number of Americans adopted the vegetarian and vegan lifestyles — according to the Vegetarian Resource Group in 2019, 4 percent of American adults is vegetarian, with half of those vegetarians also vegan — Costco was quick to add new vegan- and vegetarian-friendly products. Now, Costco has become, much to many vegan and vegetarian shoppers’ surprise, a dream grocer.

Ahead, take a look at the best of the best vegetarian (and, for some of them, vegan) finds at Costco.

]]> https://www.sheknows.com/food-and-recipes/slideshow/2352613/vegetarian-finds-costco/feed/ 0 2352613 https://www.sheknows.com/food-and-recipes/articles/3070927/katie-lee-biegel-grill-cleaning-tip/ https://www.sheknows.com/food-and-recipes/articles/3070927/katie-lee-biegel-grill-cleaning-tip/#respond Tue, 23 Jul 2024 14:02:26 +0000 https://www.sheknows.com/?p=3070927 You may have heard a few scary stories about grill brushes in the past few years. People have suffered major injuries from chewing, swallowing, and yes, passing, metal bristles that have gotten stuck in their food after grilling, frequently enough that medical professionals have issued warnings about using these common cooking tools. But Katie Lee Biegel has discovered a grill cleaning method that doesn’t require any metal bristle brushes at all, and it’s just as easy as scrubbing with your brush.

“So it turns out that using a grill brush isn’t always the best idea,” she said in a recent Instagram video. “I’ve been reading a lot lately about how the bristles can get stuck on the grill and then they can get in your food and they can puncture your esophagus. So, no thanks.”

“What I do is I just bunch up some aluminum foil and I scrub all those bits and they come right off of the grill,” she continued. “It’s really super simple and you don’t have to find a place to store your grill brush.”

People in the comments are writing that they’ve made the switch to aluminum foil, too. “I usually get my grill hot and ball foil up loosely and use long tongs to hold the ball of foil,” one person commented on Biegel’s post. “Then I scrape off the grill.”

Another person said that you can also clean your grill with a fruit you probably have on your kitchen counter. “Use half an apple it works great and is nontoxic,” they said. Someone else also suggested using a lemon half.

Others say that they use paint sticks to remove the stuck-on bits, and someone even said using a metal chisel has worked great for them. “Just use a wide metal metal putty knife,” they said. “Works great [and] cost a couple of bucks.”

There’s no need to stay married to the metal grill brush, especially when it can cause you or your family a trip to the ER. Use aluminum foil like Biegel (or any of the other methods people wrote in the comments) and keep your grilling season pain-free.

In search of more summer recipes? Giada De Laurentiis has plenty: