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Preparation Stoneware cooking and baking items come in all different forms—you might use a piece to prepare a lasagna for your family or to whip up a beloved baked dessert. Simply put, pieces made of this material can get a lot of love in your kitchen, which means your stoneware favorites might start showing some telltale signs of being well-used as time goes on. Cleaning them properly and treating stains before they become particularly challenging is key, but unlike dishes made of more modern materials, stoneware can’t stand up to most cleaning solutions and chemicals....

Preparation As spring approaches, you’re probably gearing up for that annual top-to-bottom home and garden refresh. Whether you prefer to tackle spring cleaning with a plan in hand or you’re hoping to squeeze a few makeover projects in between the time you’ll be spending outdoors, there are a few simple ways to get it all done (while also minimizing your impact on the environment). In the event that you’re looking to do a total makeover, we’ve also rounded up a few items that add long-lasting value to any space....

Preparation Next time you’re stocking your kitchen cupboards, don’t forget to buy one of our test kitchen’s favorite pantry essentials: canned coconut milk. With a can of this versatile, shelf-stable ingredient on hand, you are ready to make a wide range of recipes from savory to sweet. Whether you looking to add mild coconut flavor and rich, creamy texture or to replace dairy with an alternative ingredient, coconut milk is there for you....

Any professional chefs or avid home cooks would attest that a good pair of knife is a true workhorse of the kitchen. In Japan, knife-making is a respected art form that can be traced back to many centuries during the samurai days and their sharp swords. Many traditional Japanese knives are designed to perform a wide range of specialized tasks, from slicing sashimi, cutting vegetables, preparing unagi to butchering meat....

My family enjoys sashimi, so we occasionally treat ourselves to delicious chilled seafood dinners at home. Among all the raw fish, our favorites include Salmon Sashimi Bowl and this Miso-Marinated Hamachi Bowl (ハマチ漬け丼). The wonderful thing about making sashimi bowls at home is they are utterly fuss-free! On a day when I don’t feel like spending too much time cooking, I can still pull off a refreshingly elegant meal with minimal effort....

Ingredients 1 cup Gold Medal™ all-purpose flour 6 tablespoons butter or margarine, softened 2 tablespoons sugar 1 egg yolk 1 package (8 oz) cream cheese, softened 3/4 cup marshmallow creme 3 cups assorted fruit 1/4 cup apricot preserves 1 tablespoon water Preparation Heat oven to 350°F. In medium bowl, mix all crust ingredients, using fork or pastry blender, until soft dough forms. Press firmly in 12-inch pizza pan to within 1/2 inch of edge of pan....

Ingredients 1/3 cups butter or margarine, softened 3 cups powdered sugar 1/2 cup raspberry liqueur or raspberry syrup 1/2 teaspoon vanilla Preparation Beat butter and powdered sugar in medium bowl on medium speed until smooth. Gradually beat in liqueur and vanilla until smooth and spreadable. Related Video

Preparation While on The Ellen DeGeneres Show Wednesday, Ricky Martin had some surprises to share with the audience. First, he announced his Las Vegas residency at the Park Theater at the Monte Carlo hotel. Then, he shared that he and his boyfriend, Jwan Yosef, are engaged! Martin met Yosef about a year ago when he was looking for new art to add to his collection. “He’s a conceptual artist and I’m a collector,” Martin said....

Ingredients 1 beef tenderloin (about 2 1/2 pounds) 1 tablespoon olive or vegetable oil 1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground pepper 1/2 teaspoon dried marjoram leaves 1/4 teaspoon coarse kosher salt, coarse sea salt or regular salt Preparation Heat oven to 425°F. Turn small end of beef under about 6 inches. Tie turned-under portion of beef with string at about 1 1/2-inch intervals. Place beef on rack in shallow roasting pan. Brush with oil....

Ingredients 2 lb beef stew meat, cut into 1-inch pieces 1 bag (16 oz) ready-to-eat baby-cut carrots 6 green onions, cut into 1-inch pieces 2 cloves garlic, chopped 1/2 cup tomato juice 1/4 cup soy sauce 3 tablespoons sugar 2 tablespoons sesame or vegetable oil 1/4 teaspoon pepper 2 teaspoons cornstarch 4 teaspoons cold water 3 cups hot cooked rice Preparation Spray 3- to 4-quart slow cooker with cooking spray. In slow cooker, mix beef, carrots, onions, garlic, tomato juice, soy sauce, sugar, oil and pepper....

Ingredients 1 boneless beef chuck roast (3 lb) 1 teaspoon salt 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning 1 large garlic clove, finely chopped 1/3 cup sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained and chopped 1/2 cup sliced pitted Kalamata or ripe olives 1/2 cup Progresso™ beef flavored broth (from 32-oz carton) 1/2 cup frozen pearl onions (from 1-lb bag) Preparation Spray 12-inch skillet with cooking spray; heat over medium-high heat. Cook beef in skillet about 5 minutes, turning once, until brown....

Ingredients 1 jar (10.5 oz) red pepper jelly 1/2 cup packed brown sugar 1/3 cup barbecue sauce 2 cans (8 oz each) pineapple chunks in juice, drained 2 packages (14 oz each) cocktail-size smoked link sausages 1 tablespoon cornstarch 2 tablespoons water Skewers, if desired Preparation Spray 2 1/2- to 3 1/2-quart slow cooker with cooking spray. In slow cooker, mix pepper jelly, brown sugar, barbecue sauce and pineapple. Stir in sausages....

Ingredients 2 boxes (10 oz each) frozen chopped spinach 2 1/2 cups shredded Italian cheese blend (10 oz) 2 jars (15 oz each) Alfredo pasta sauce 12 uncooked lasagna noodles 3 cups chopped cooked chicken 1/2 cup freshly shredded Parmesan cheese (2 oz) 1 medium tomato, diced Preparation Cook and drain spinach as directed on package; squeeze out as much liquid as possible. Set aside. Spray 5-quart oval slow cooker with cooking spray....

What was your favorite food growing up? You would think mine is Japanese but it’s actually not, but it sort of is. Japanese-style Spaghetti Meat Sauce was my favorite food since childhood and I always “had to” order it whenever we went to a Western-style restaurant in Japan. I would even describe myself as a spaghetti meat sauce connoisseur since I’ve eaten it so many times! Anyhow, I may not qualify as an official expert, but at least I know exactly what kind of meat sauce I like....

Preparation Fontina can be buttery and a bit fruity; Fontina Val d’Aosta, from Italy’s Aosta Valley, is firmer, more pungent, and nuttier (and always made of raw milk). Whichever you choose, this cheese is a superlative melter. Just remember to remove the rind. Other mildly tangy melters like Danish Havarti and Dutch Gouda make fine substitutes. The production of Gouda includes a step called washing the curd, which is when warm water replaces whey in the cheese vat....

I’m excited to partner with my friends Marc Matsumoto and Maki Ogawa, hosts of Bento Expo to give away their newest cookbook ‘Ultimate Bento’ to 3 lucky winners. With these fun, easy, and delicious recipes, anyone can venture into the world of bento boxes—no special tools or containers necessary! Enter to win this giveaway now. What You’ll Love About ‘Ultimate Bento’ Ultimate Bento is packed with practical techniques, step-by-step instructions, and useful tips for 85 recipes that can be mixed-and-matched for 25 nutritionally balanced bento box lunches....

Hello, ramen aficionados! Are you ready for a bowl of incredibly rich, umami-filled vegetarian ramen that is going to rock your world? I know, I smell some skepticism in the air. For non-vegetarians, you may be questioning if it’s possible to create a pot of vegetarian ramen broth that rivals the ones that have gone through long simmering of meat bones, cartilage, and fat at all. My answer is YES....

You may have seen beautiful pieces of sweets displayed at a confectionery section of Japanese department stores or supermarkets. Some resemble motifs from nature such as flowers, leaves or fruits. It may be made of bean paste, mochi or jelly-like substance. They look more like miniature pieces of art. Are they really edible, you wonder. And does it taste as good as it looks?! Called Wagashi (和菓子), these Japanese confectioneries carries a rich history entwined with Japanese culture....

Ingredients 3/4 cup butter, softened 3/4 cup granulated sugar 3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar 2 eggs 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla 2 1/4 cups plus 2 tablespoons Gold Medal™ all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon baking soda 3/4 teaspoon salt 3 cups semisweet chocolate chips (18 oz) 1 bag (7 oz) white chocolate-covered mini-pretzel twists, coarsely crushed Preparation Heat oven to 350°F. Line cookie sheets with cooking parchment paper. In large bowl, beat butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar with electric mixer on medium speed until creamy....

Ingredients 1 box (14.1 oz) refrigerated Pillsbury™ Pie Crusts (2 Count), softened as directed on box 1 lb beef top sirloin, flank or skirt steak, thinly sliced Dash salt and pepper 1 package (8 oz) sliced fresh mushrooms (about 3 cups) 1/2 cup chopped onion 1/2 cup chopped carrot 1 cup frozen sweet peas, thawed 2 tablespoons vermouth, if desired, or Progresso™ beef-flavored broth 1 cup (8 oz) full-fat sour cream...