Author: Jim Stonos

To ripen tomatoes, put them in a bowl and leave them in the sun, or store them in a brown paper bag. Here’s everything else you need to know to get it right.

If you keep spinach too long, it will go bad. Watch for these signs and throw the spinach on the compost pile if it shows them.

It’s shrimp season, baby! Here’s how to keep your shrimp fresh so they make a great appetizer for the most important meal of the day.

Asparagus is good for you, until it goes bad and it isn’t. Here’s how to store asparagus properly and how to tell if it’s gone bad.

Because the last thing you want to hear after setting the table is, “I’m not sure if those mashed potatoes are still good.”

Are you seeing the bacon? Maybe you’re not looking closely enough! Introducing you to the wonderful world of bacon rashers.

The perfect lasagna is the one that’s boiled and baked properly. And, like everything else in Italian cooking, there’s a trick to this.

Don’t worry: You can salt unsalted butter if that’s the only kind you have on hand. You just have to know how to do it properly.

Wondering what happens to cooked ham when you leave it out? A good question calls for a good answer, and that’s what we’re here to give you.

Wondering what happens to a baked potato if you leave it out overnight? We have the answer to your question, and more!

Wondering what to put in your salad? We have it all for you! We rounded up 149 ideas for additions and toppings for your inspiration.

Did you know that you can put spinach in your salad? Yes, you read that right. Learn how to do so here!

It certainly doesn’t last forever. Here’s how long bagged salad is good for, and how to store it for maximum freshness.

Life is short. So can you eat your corn from frozen? We explore why frozen corn, even though it’s precooked, requires cooking.

Can you refreeze frozen veg? Sure you can. But there’s a trick to it, or the frozen vegetables may make you sick.

Let’s talk about why you should at least heat, if not cook, your frozen peas before eating them.

They’re already cooked. But does that mean you can eat them without additional cooking? We investigate.

The can says “store in refrigerator after opening,” but that’s only part of the picture. Here’s what else you should know.

Hot dogs are pre-cooked. And yet you shouldn’t eat them raw. Here’s why that is—and what it means for your home cooking.

Want to avoid garlic hands? Here’s if you can prep garlic ahead of time, then set it and forget it.

The burger buns are ready for whatever you’re hungry for. Is it time to start toasting them?

When you want snappy meat on a bun, go with a hot dog. When you want juicy meat on a plate, cook up a sausage and serve it with fries.

No, there isn’t an app for that. But we wrote the only guide for telling when your hot dogs are done that you’ll ever need.

When you’re hungry and craving a snack, hot dogs and corn dogs are the perfect foods to sate your hunger. Here’s how they differ.

What’s the difference between soft fruits and hard fruits? Hint: it isn’t really their hardness.

Your favorite garlic bread? It’s in the fridge. Here’s how to store it and how long it will keep.

Make today, bake tomorrow. You can do this with hand-made dough, but can you also do it with machine-made dough?

The quietest bread machine in the world is the one in the store. Still, these machines don’t make as much noise as most of us think.

To thaw or not to thaw? That is the question! When in doubt, this post will help you figure out the answer.

Hot or cold, pizza will always have your back when you’re hungry. But if you have leftovers, can you really eat them the next day?

Not if you keep them under 0°F (-18°C). Discover if frozen pizzas expire, and how to store them so they stay fresh for as long as possible.

Yes, it’s called frozen pizza. But can you keep it in the fridge? Here’s why the answer isn’t a clear-cut yes or not.

One day, your children will ask you: “How do you get frozen pizza to taste so good?” Tell them about that site you once found on Google.

Life’s too short to cook a frozen pizza in the range. Aside from the microwave, can you cook it in a toaster oven?

Frozen pizzas are fast and delish… at least the good ones. But are they precooked or not? Read on to find out!

Crispy bacon, unbearable salt? Dust off the stove and whip out that frying pan because we’re about to help you make your bacon right!

Discover why bacon, the delicious food that people want to pair with anything, can’t be paired with everything.

Frying bacon makes the world go round! Here’s why the secret is in the sizzle.

Once you get the hang of it, it’s easy. These instructions will help you open a can of olive oil without any problems—and keep the oil in it fresh longer.

Of course it can. It’s cooked meat, and cooked meat can take on all kinds of colors. *Should it* be pink in the middle? Why the answer isn’t a clear-cut yes or no.

Kebabs and souvlaki are both skewered meat dishes prepared on the grill, but that’s where the similarities between them end.

The smell of fish will guide you to your next culinary adventure. Or will it? What you need to know about prepping fish for cooking.

Need to pop open a cold one without waking up the munchkins? Click here for tips on how to open your beer without making a sound.

Can a meat that looks so good and tastes so delicious be bad for you, really? Let’s talk about the intricacies of cooking chicken souvlaki.

A meal that looks so appetizing and tastes so good can’t be bad for you… Or can it? We explore the intricacies of preparing pork souvlaki.

Let’s talk about the incredible things you never knew about garlic. Like its tendency to turn blue when you kind of expect it to stay white.

This New Jersey staple freezes, thaws, and reheats well. Here’s how to do it properly—and what else you need to know.

Country ham, the ham that can’t be beat! Once you’ve stocked up on it, here’s how long it’ll last (and how to store it).

Never eat dried out pulled pork again! When your pulled pork has lost moisture, here’s how to add a little something to it.

Cooked pork chops don’t keep forever. When it comes to their shelf life, here’s what you need to know so it doesn’t become a guessing game.

They’re both fatty cuts of pork, that’s for sure. But the similarities between them end there.

Let’s talk about cooking chili. It’s time to put the faith of your favorite dish back into your own hands.

Which cooks faster, beef or pork? The longer short is, “you decide.” Keep on reading to find out why.

Finally! Frozen chicken wings that come out as crispy when thawed as they did when you first took them out of the oven.

Cullis is a rich, hearty gravy that comforts the soul and stirs up nostalgia from simpler times. Here’s how to prepare it.

The mystery of flaky fish, unraveled. Understand why fish flakes when cooked and what that means for how you prepare it.

What happens when the perfect dish becomes no longer safe to eat? All you need to know about the safety of ribs left out overnight.

Hosting a party and want to do the heavy haul ahead of time? Here’s how to do it in a way that keeps your food delicious—and safe to eat.

Feeding a hungry crowd? Here’s how to have two roasts cooking away without compromising on the end result.

The best roasts are made in the oven. With that settled, the only question left to answer is “how.”

Eat delicious pizza tonight! Here’s how to cook frozen pizza to perfection, and whether to use the broiler or oven setting.

Whoops! You left the fries out overnight. Do you throw them out or do you pop them back in the freezer?

There’s conflicting information out there on the Internet. Here’s what you need to know, and how to tell fact from fiction.

Popular science for the home cook. Find out whether or not baking soda dissolves in water (and why it matters in the first place).

The great mystery of sweet potatoes resolved. Find out what makes this potato variety sweet—and how to make the most of it.

Meatballs broke apart mid-cooking? Fret not! Learn the secrets to unbreakable meatballs, guaranteed.

Thawed milk is milk that’s left undranken. Take a gander below to find out why.

What’s the difference between doughs and batters? We help you find out and give you the keys to success with every recipe.

No matter the stove, here’s how to make sure your cooking experience is spot-on.

When it tastes better, that’s because it is better. Here’s why and how cooking improves the aroma and flavor of our food.

Wondering how to rescue a runny mac and cheese sauce? Find out how to thicken it up in a pinch with this easy-to-read guide.

For the taste. For the memories. For the moments that matter. Here’s how to enjoy danishes, the fine product of Austrian-Danish baking tradition.

Stainless steel isn’t a good conductor of heat. And yet it’s great for making cookware out of. Here’s why.

Cooking doesn’t have to be hard. When you know the basics, like when to add salt, whipping up delicious home-cooked meals gets easy.

Made more batter than the crust can handle? Happens to the best of us! Unless you’re up for a second cheesecake, here’s how to store it.

Discover why some cheese knives have holes and get an in-depth look at different types of cheese knives and when to use them.

The only thing that’s better than cheese is melted cheese. We give you our best tips for getting there with your burgers.

Now we’re cooking with gas, baby! All you need to know about the temperature of the flame from your gas stove’s burner.

Cook like a pro, even when you’re camping. Here’s what you need to know about using a skillet over a campfire.

Get the right pan for spaghetti sauce to prevent it from getting imparted with a metallic aftertaste. Here’s why this is important and how to choose.

Finally, a no-sugar cheesecake you won’t say “no” to! These substitutes give you all the cheesecake with none of the sugar.

A burrito that doesn’t fall apart when bitten into is easier to achieve than you think. These four tricks will help you get there without hassle.

The secret to keeping lettuce crisp, as it turns out, is in doing the opposite of what people on the Internet tell you.

We’ve got your potato covered. Here’s how to have them fall apart in the cooking liquid only when they’re meant to.

Is it a bruise or a sign of something more troubling? No matter what the potato tries to tell you, don’t believe it.

Why won’t store-bought diced tomatoes cook down? Because they have a secret ingredient.

Just found yourself in a green-blueberries situation, and you’re wondering if the pancakes or muffins are safe for y’all to eat?

The explosive truth behind what makes sausages burst. And the simple solution that will help you prevent it.

New cooking techniques for the oven you already have. From the Home Cook World editorial team.

They say you shouldn’t use metal in metal. But is that necessarily true?

Give your sauerkraut a little brown, impart with it a lot of flavor. Here’s why—and how—this works.

Heavy frying pans are heavy for a reason. Here’s why you need one in your kitchen cabinets.

When you reach for the right kind of saucepan or pot in your cabinets, deep frying becomes easy. Here’s what you need to know.

Satisfy your cravings for culinary knowledge with the best comparison between burgers and meatballs on the Internet.