Allrecipes February/March 2022

FLAVORS TO flip FOR The fluffy Norwegian forest cat on my lap is definitely an Allrecipes girl. She’s innately curious, often down to clown, and always ready to dish when it comes to food. Whenever I’m in the kitchen, you’ll find her at my ankles, chirping for a whiff or a taste of something new. Like many of us, she is both comforted and excited by food. And while my Lucy is a creature of habit (Psst: Bedtime treats are at 9 p.m. sharp, Mom!), she also has a keen eye and a deep hunger for variety. (Is that a new flavor? How fun!) I’m convinced that, whatever trouble it might spell for a cat, curiosity saves the cook. And who doesn’t need a little saving in February? Here’s hoping this issue’s bright…

WHISK MANAGEMENT YOU DON’T NEED A PASTRY DEGREE to make wow-worthy cookies, cakes, and pies. The secret: Have fun with the process! Senior Editor Darcy Lenz shows how a fun-first approach can take your cookie jar classics and traditional treats to new heights. In her new column, Whisk Management, she shares innovative but approachable recipes, tips for updating old favorites, and more. Click here to get the scoop. SNAP AN INGREDIENT For Recipe Inspiration Allrecipes and Snapchat have teamed up to help you find recipes using ingredients you already have on hand. Just open Snapchat, scan an ingredient, and you’ll get up to five recipes that use it. The app’s Food Scan feature recognizes more than 1,000 ingredients—such as eggs, bananas, and bread—and pulls up relevant recipes, as well as info about the ingredient. At…

GET READY TO PARTY SET THE SCENE Gather enough small plates, dipping bowls, chopsticks, and chopstick rests for each guest. Layer bamboo place mats under serving bowls and platters for a simple, textured look. Include mandarin oranges, tangerines, or kumquats for a bright pop of color and as good-luck favors. These fruits, in season during the Lunar New Year, serve as symbols of luck and prosperity. PREP FILLINGS AHEAD Make dumpling fillings before guests arrive so participants can jump right in with shaping dumplings. Enlist a good friend to arrive early or the day before to help. If frozen, thaw dumpling wrappers in the fridge a day ahead. DO A TEST RUN If you’re new to dumpling making, practice shaping a few in advance, so you’ll be ready to demonstrate the method to guests. SERVE SIMPLE SNACKS Let…

1. SWITCH IT UP Swap out incandescent bulbs with LEDs to save money—and the planet. LEDs use 75 percent less energy and last up to 25 times longer than incandescents. 2. BANISH BLACK HOLES Use layers of lighting for prime function: pendants over the island, a lighted vent hood over the cooktop, sconces over the sink or work area, and lights that click on when you open cabinets. 3. THINK SMART Turn your lights on and off (or brighten them) with voice command. You don’t need a hub to tap into the technology of smart bulbs like Philips Hue, which install in minutes and work with Alexa or Google Assistant. Or step up to a lighting system like Noon, which installs like a switch and creates lighting scenes (bright for work, dim for dining) without…

Zoe Adjonyoh blends life stories with vibrant recipes inspired by her Ghanaian father in her debut cookbook, Zoe’s Ghana Kitchen (Voracious, $30). She offers recipes for popular dishes like fante fante (a fresh fish soup) and bofrot (Ghanaian doughnuts, also called puff-puff) and her own Ghana-fied Caesar Salad. That James Beard Award-winning chef Alexander Smalls connects food with music is no surprise—he’s also a celebrated opera singer. In Meals, Music, and Muses (Flatiron Books, $35), chapters pair food styles with musical genres as Smalls reflects on his South Carolina roots and the tastes and sounds that influenced him. Bibis (grandmothers in Swahili) from South Africa and seven East African countries are at the center of Hawa Hassan’s cookbook, In Bibi’s Kitchen (Ten Speed Press, $40). Along with oral histories, photos, and facts…

“I cannot stress this enough—use parchment paper or foil to line your pans. It makes cleanup a breeze! My sheet pans stay bright and shiny.”— ALLSTAR LISA ATMILLER (@mrsaltmiller) 1. PROTECT YOUR HANDS “I have too many burned fingertips from using a towel. It’s the Silicone Oven Mitt for me.”— ALLSTAR NICOLE FRACK (@frackfamily5) 2. HARNESS THE HEAT “At the same time I preheat my oven, I preheat my baking sheet. It allows the food to sizzle and brown quickly.”— SARAH STONE (@thedailygourmet)“For faster roasting and beautiful browning, keep the oven door closed as much as possible. If you must turn the pan or the food, turn it just once. And if you just gotta peek, use the oven light and peek through the oven window.”— ALLRECIPES EDITOR IN CHIEF NICHOLE AKSAMIT (@nicholio) 3. HACK…