Cuisine at home Jul/Aug 2018

As a child growing up in the Midwest, summer was about cooling off with Bomb Pops and playing Kick the Can until dark. On the Fourth of July, all of us neighborhood kids would strut down the street with a flag singing “America the Beautiful” as loud as we could. My sister, Kathy, and I wore matching red, white, and blue outfits made by our mom. Those were the days. I don’t play Kick the Can anymore, but I still enjoy popsicles. So in the spirit of nostalgia, we thought we’d have some fun with frozen adult-style treats. They were a huge hit with the staff. Check them out starting on page 12. And since grilling season is in full swing now, it was time to dust off our smoker for one…

IF YOU COOK FOR YOUR PETS, RAISE YOUR HAND! Let’s face it — our pets are an integral part of our families. We’ve been known to cook for our fur babies on more than one occasion. When we’re in our kitchens, you can bet those furry friends are close by, just waiting for a treat or two. So we’re sharing some fun pics and antics with you. And we’d love it if you’d share pics and stories about your Fido or Fluffy with us, too. Pop over to Facebook or Instagram, use the hashtag #bestinkitchen, and don’t forget to tag us @cuisineathome. Maddy doesn’t need to cook up anything special for Rusty. With two toddlers at home, he’s always at the ready to snarf up any stray bits that land on the…

IN A PICKLE I’m a pickle lover and hate to see the juice go to waste. I’ve found that a little pickle juice really perks up my coleslaw. I also add it to potato salad and pickled beets. JUDITH CHRISTENSEN MOULTONBOROUGH, NH QUICK TIPS FOR EASY SUMMER LIVING THE BIG SQUEEZE When a recipe calls for squeezed, shredded zucchini, I know just how to take care of the extra liquid. I set my box grater on a double layer of coffee filters and shred the zucchini. Then I gather the edges of the filters together and squeeze to remove the excess liquid from the shredded zucchini. Just toss the used filters to make cleanup a breeze. GEORGIA HILBER CHIPPEWA FALLS, WI NEWLY MINTED I always make tzatziki sauce with my homegrown dried mint, but recently I ran out…

With their crispy exterior and creamy interior, it’s hard not to love a fresh batch of french fries. But we also can’t deny the fact that fries aren’t the healthiest of foods. That’s where a relatively new, very popular, kitchen appliance comes into play. The almighty Airfryer. Simply put, it’s a countertop appliance that circulates hot air around the food, and in turn, cooks it much faster than a conventional oven does. In the Cuisine Test Kitchen, we found people were divided into two camps. There were those who were excited and intrigued by the idea, and those who were skeptical, self-proclaimed purists. But magic truly happened when Robin fired up the Airfryer and crispy snacks piled up on our community table. You wouldn’t believe the unanimous positive response to airfrying. Some Favorite Airfried…

A vegetarian burger that tastes, looks, and has the texture of a real all-beef patty? Sounds impossible, right? Well, thanks to something called, soy leghemoglobin, or “heme,” these plant-based patties take on the color and “bleed” of beef patties. The Impossible Burger, made mostly of textured wheat protein, coconut oil, potato protein, and natural flavorings, takes on a surprisingly strong umami, or “beefy” flavor. Currently, the Impossible Burger is not available for retail purchase but can be found at more than 1,000 burger joints around the country. The most notable being the 97-year-old fast-food icon, White Castle. This April, the Midwest-born franchise paired up with the Silicon Valley company, Impossible Foods, to roll out this vegetarian option. Etee Reusable Food Wraps Here in the Test Kitchen, we often go through a lot of…

Avocado Bruschetta Makes 16 servings (3 cups topping) Total time: 20 minutes COMBINE: 3 Tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro3 Tbsp. minced scallions3 Tbsp. fresh lime juice2 Tbsp. avocado oil or olive oil1 Tbsp. minced fresh garlic Salt and black pepper to taste3 avocados, diced GRILL: 1 Italian baguette, bias-sliced, brushed with avocado oil, and seasoned with salt and black pepper Preheat grill to medium, or preheat broiler to high with rack 6 inches from element. Combine cilantro, scallions, lime juice, 2 Tbsp. oil, and garlic for the topping; season with salt and pepper, then gently stir in avocado. Grill baguette slices until toasted and grill marks appear, 2–3 minutes per side, or broil slices on a baking sheet until toasted, 2–3 minutes per side. Serve topping on baguette slices. Per serving: 169 cal; 7g total fat (1g sat); 0mg chol; 216mg…