A mom of five reveals her go-to creamy soup recipe her family loves. Plus a trick for getting a creamy soup without a ton of cream. Its just that good! Simply Recipes / Alison Bickel And I’m not shy about adding whatever else I want. I had never heard of doing such a thing and thought it was a brilliant move. Ive taken this little trick and modified other creamy soups with it....

This trick from J. Kenji Lopez-Alt makes beef stew quicker, easier, and more delicious. Simply Recipes / Adobe Stock For years, I’ve found the process of makingbeef stewmonotonous and annoying. Iloveeating it, but cutting up and browning all those cubes of meat can be tedious and messy. Simply Recipes / Adobe Stock It always felt like it took forever. So when I discoveredJ. So, he knows a thing or two!...

I know you already have it in your fridge. Daily stops at the hot chocolate machine were encouraged. Still today, older and sturdier, its the soothing balm I make myself when the mercury drops. Simply Recipes / Adobe Stock Adult me puts hot chocolate (always hot chocolate to me, never hot cocoa) into three categories. But I didnt tell you that. Simply Recipes / Adobe Stock

Theyre ready in just 12 minutes. Simply Recipes / Ciara Kehoe The best green beans are charred green beans. Since I have discovered this cooking method, Ill never cook green beans any other way. Simply Recipes / Ciara Kehoe Heres how to do the charred green bean trick at home. I recommend cast iron because it can take the heat and wont buckle or scorch. Be patient when preheatingits the key to getting a good sear on the beans, so be patient....

It draws maximum flavor from the cocoa powder. When I began working there, I was shocked thatthe recipe didnt use any melted chocolate. All of the chocolate flavor came from cocoa powder. Simply Recipes / Adobe Stock It turns out I was missing this bakerys secret technique:blooming the cocoa powder. What Does It Mean To “Bloom” Cocoa Powder? Blooming means whisking hot liquid into cocoa powder before adding it to the recipe....

Its the only method Ive found that works. Simply Recipes / Getty Images I love garlic. When a recipe calls for a clove or two, youll often find me tossing in extra. Simply Recipes / Getty Images I often have jars ofgarlic confit,pickled garlic, androasted garlichanging out in my fridge. I dont need to be reminded again and again of the meal I ate all those hours ago. Luckily, it doesnt cost a thing....

A simple trick I learned in culinary school and still use to this day. Raw onions are a polarizing ingredient. I can understand why. The biting flavor can overwhelm any dish and linger in my mouth for hours. After soaking, the onions are drained. Back then, I never questioned advice from my chef instructor (Yes, Chef!) Simply Recipes / Nick Evans and I never thought about why and how this tip worked....

A magic trick to help tell the level of heat before you buy or pick a pepper. Here’s a quick tip for choosing jalapenos, to help you decide which ones to pick. The stretch marks are also indicative of the amount of stress the pepper plant has endured. Elise Bauer The smoother the pepper, the younger, less stressed, and milder it is. Left on the plant (and even after picked) green jalapenos will eventually turn red....

It’s that good. Simply Recipes / Elise Bauer Once late June hits, it’s basically a corn-athon at my house. My daughter has braces, plus it’s fun to get creative. Simply Recipes / Elise Bauer There’s a special recipe we make at least once every summer, though. It’s a dreamy elote-nachos mashup that we’ve refined into a ritual. When we put it on the menu, we look forward to it all week....

I keep a few on hand for impromptu holiday get-togethers. Its tart flavor perfectly compliments otherwise sickly sweet desserts and expertly cuts through rich meals like Thanksgiving dinner. And lets just say, it’s now a holiday season must-have in my household. Simply Recipes / Adobe Stock Boy, was I missing out. For me, this pie is more reminiscent of apineapple upside-down cakethan a traditional pie. This prevents the dreaded soggy bottom that often plagues many traditional pies....

I spoke to 5 baking pros to find the trick, which takes less than 5 minutes. Mygo-to waywas to cut the butter into cubes before I did anything else. However, I was wondering if there was an even faster way to get butter to room temperature. Simply Recipes / Adobe Stock So I reached out to my friend, Peabody Johanson, author ofHoly Sweetand blogger atSweet Recipeas. Her favorite butter-softening method is even faster than mine and way more fun....

Tired of fussing with stubborn garlic cloves? Heres the easy way to peel garlic fast, no special tools required. Some work fine; others just take up space. Lori Rice It takes only seconds. An Easy Way to Peel Garlic Start with fresh garlic. Get however many cloves of garlic you need. Lori Rice They should break apart with a few presses. Take a broad-bladed knife, like a chefs knife or a santoku....

Check your pantry for the following brands: WanaBana, Schnucks, and Weis. Simply Recipes / Adobe Stock I have three young boys who grew up snacking on fruit pouches. They’re portable, resealable, and honestly quite tasty. Simply Recipes / Adobe Stock Yes, I’ve tried them all! For parents that do, take note of a recent recall of fruit pouches. This month, theU.S. Simply Recipes / FDA Schnucks products are sold at Schnucks and Eatwell Markets, and Weis products are sold at Weis....