After just one bite, though, I was almost embarrassed by how much I liked it. It is over the top indulgence in the best way possible.

What is butter-dipped ice cream?

The latest viral trend involves swiftly dipping a cone of soft-serve ice cream in a large vat of melted butter, in a similar way you might apply a chocolate magic shell. Then, just before it sets and you are ready to dive in, a sprinkle of flaky sea salt is added on top.

These videos left me with more questions than answers. What happens to all that leftover melted butter? How could I try this at home without a soft serve machine and enough butter to serve an army? And, if this is as good as everyone says it is, wouldn’t it be even better if I made it with browned butter?

How to Make Browned Butter-Dipped Ice Cream

It seems most viral videos of the trend call for yellow clarified butter, but I took it a step further and made a browned butter version for that distinctive, toffee-forward flavor. I also used scoopable vanilla ice cream at home rather than trying to mimic the soft serve style. That way, I could generously drizzle the butter over the top rather than dipping the cone in a large vat. This seemed more practical and less wasteful. If you really want to get fancy, you could even make your own homemade vanilla ice cream!

Ingredients

• Vanilla ice cream
• Butter
• Flaky sea salt for a topper

Directions

Step 1: Brown the butter

Before you begin browning the butter, scoop the desired amount of vanilla ice cream into a serving dish, and place it back in the freezer. You want the ice cream to be as cold as possible when it’s time to add the topping.

Depending on how many servings of browned butter ice cream you want to make, start with as much or as little butter as you prefer. I found that a couple of tablespoons of butter coated three scoops of ice cream nicely.

Place the butter in a pan and melt over low to medium heat. Watch it carefully as it starts to bubble. Eventually, it will take on a dark golden hue and become delightfully fragrant. Stir gently until browned and immediately remove it from the heat to prevent burning. Allow it to cool slightly.

Step 2: Top the ice cream

Remove the ice cream from the freezer and drench it with as much of the browned butter as you please. Sprinkle with flaky sea salt, and dive in!

How did the butter-dipped ice cream taste?

It was outstanding. Browning the butter really makes all the difference. Ultimately, it tastes like a rich toffee topping. The butter instantly hardens like a magic shell, which is also very cool. I will say, since you are essentially eating butter on top of cream mixed with sugar, it is very rich. I felt full after a few bites, but it was so worth it.

Related:

• Unique Ice Cream Flavors You Haven’t Tried Yet
• Our Test Kitchen’s Tips for Making Professional-Quality Ice Cream at Home
• The Very Best Butter Brands According to Our Test Kitchen Experts

The post I Tried Butter-Dipped Ice Cream, and It’s Shocking How Much I Liked It appeared first on Taste of Home.

How to Make Rice-Paper Fish and Chips

The concept here is straightforward and significantly less messy than classic beer-battered fish and chips. All you have to do is whip up a seasoned egg wash, dip the rice paper until it becomes pliable, and wrap the soaked rice paper around pieces of fish. Then, a few minutes in the air fryer is all it takes to cook them. The fish can be served with homemade air-fryer french fries or frozen french fries.

Ingredients

• 4 cod fillets (about 1 pound total)
• 2 eggs
• 1/3 cup water
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 4 sheets rice paper
• Oil spray or nonstick cooking spray
• Homemade or frozen french fries
• Tartar sauce or malt vinegar, for dipping

Directions

Step 1: Make the egg wash

Trim the cod fillets into even pieces that will fit inside the rice paper. In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, water, salt, garlic powder, onion powder and black pepper.

Step 2: Dip the rice paper

Season the fish with salt and pepper on both sides. Dip one sheet of rice paper in the egg wash until it becomes soft and pliable. Place it on your work surface and wrap it around one of the pieces of fish. As you wrap, tuck in the sides like you would an egg roll or a burrito.

Step 3: Air-fry the fish

Preheat your air fryer to 400°F. Lightly spritz both sides of the wrapped fish with oil spray or a nonstick cooking spray. Air-fry the rice paper–wrapped fish for 12 minutes, then gently flip them and air-fry them for three minutes more. Depending on the size of your air fryer, you may need to cook the fish in batches.

Here’s What I Thought

I had no idea what to expect with this recipe because the rice paper becomes so gummy once it’s softened in the egg wash. But once the air fryer worked its magic, I was pleasantly surprised to peer into the basket and discover perfectly cooked fish with a crisp, golden coating. It looked similar to what I would expect from the classic preparation of the same dish.

My family loved it, and we found that it was perfect when accompanied by either a drizzle of malt vinegar or a dip into some tartar sauce. I absolutely plan on making this recipe again.

Related:

• Spring Roll vs. Egg Roll: What’s the Difference?
• Rice Paper Rolls
• Healthy Air-Fryer Recipes You Need to Try

The post I Tried Rice-Paper Fish and Chips, and It’s My New Favorite Air-Fryer Hack appeared first on Taste of Home.

Sprite has become one of the most popular targets. In one widely shared video, the creator frames it plainly: “Sprite was never supposed to come from a bottle or can—and you can make it at home with just four ingredients.” I tested that recipe to see how the idea holds up in practice and whether the result actually resembles the soda most of us already know.

What is the viral homemade soda trend?

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Boyd Brown III (@boydbrown3)

Homemade sodas themselves aren’t new. Mixing flavored syrups with sparkling water has been around for ages. What’s new is the focus on recreating specific, recognizable brands—Sprite, Coca-Cola and others—using pared-down, whole ingredients.

In the case of this lemon-lime version, the goal is explicit: all the bubbly, citrusy sweetness of Sprite sans artificial flavoring. The recipe—pulled directly from Boyd Brown III’s Instagram caption—relies on citrus zest rubbed into sugar, turned into a syrup, then mixed with sparkling water.

How do you make homemade Sprite?

Ingredients

• Zest of 3 lemons
• Zest of 6 limes
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup boiling water
• Juice of 1/2 lime, per glass
• Sparkling water, chilled
• Ice

Directions

Step 1: Make the citrus sugar

Place one cup of sugar into a medium bowl. Add the zest of three lemons and six limes. Using your hands, rub the zest into the sugar until it becomes fragrant and slightly damp, releasing the citrus oils.

Step 2: Turn it into syrup

Pour in about 1 cup of boiling water and whisk until the sugar dissolves completely. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into another bowl to remove the zest. Let the syrup cool.

Step 3: Build the soda

Fill a glass with ice. Add about 1/4 cup of the syrup and the juice of 1/2 lime, then top with chilled sparkling water. Stir gently, and serve immediately.

Did it actually taste like the real thing?

Not exactly—and that’s where expectations might need a reset.

Sprite is known for a very specific flavor and feel: icy-cold, aggressively fizzy and almost static in its sharpness. This homemade version doesn’t deliver that same crisp, stinging bite. Instead, it drinks more like an elevated lemon-lime soda—softer bubbles, fuller citrus flavor and a rounder, more natural finish.

It’s less “crispy” than Sprite and more citrus-forward, with a richness that feels almost spritz-like. It’s easy to imagine taking it in another direction too. A splash of vodka or light rum works naturally with the citrus, though it’s equally enjoyable served plain as a light refresher.

For the sake of curiosity, I also tried a homemade Coca-Cola recipe making the rounds online. It became clear almost immediately that this was not something that improved with homemade preparation. The results were, frankly, unpleasant.

The homemade Sprite, though, isn’t a replacement for its commercial counterpart—and it doesn’t need to be. It’s a different drink altogether that treats Sprite less as a product to copy and more as an idea worth rethinking.

Related:

• I Tried a 1-Ingredient Orange Soda Granita for Dessert in a Pinch
• Recipes That Use Soda Pop
• I Tested ‘Sprite Iced Tea,’ and Here’s What I Thought About This Internet Sensation

The post I Tried Making Homemade Sprite—Here’s What Happened appeared first on Taste of Home.

“Never ignore your roots, your home or your hair.”

One of the biggest non-food takeaways I had when I visited Dollywood was learning that Dolly insisted on putting a salon in her DreamMore Resort. She knows just how important a fresh set of nails and a wash and blow-dry can be for improving your mood. Staying grounded is also very important to her, and nothing has a deeper connection to Dolly’s childhood than her mother’s stone soup recipe.

“A rhinestone shines just as good as a diamond.”

If there’s one thing that Dolly loves, it’s anything that sparkles. She’s consistently turning out in bedazzled looks that mirror her dazzling personality. But she’s also very pragmatic and down-to-earth. It’s not about cost, it’s about vibes. Why spend your hard-earned money on something expensive when the dupe works just as well? While I’m sure Dolly would love to have you come visit her theme park, she’s also made her famous cinnamon bread recipe available so you can make a copycat at home.

“Find out who you are, and do it on purpose.”

This is my personal favorite Dolly Parton quote. It’s so simple, but speaks to the essence of both who she is and what she wants people to take away from her legacy. Dolly is always upfront in talking about her ambition and how hard she’s worked to get to where she is. Living the life you want is a celebration in and of itself. And that’s why I love that Dolly finds a way to eat her favorite food every single day. Talk about an achievable goal!

“Don’t get so busy making a living that you forget to make a life.”

One of Dolly’s most admirable qualities is the emphasis that she places on family. Growing up, she was one of twelve children and was very close with her parents and brothers and sisters. Now, all of her nieces and nephews affectionately call her “Aunt Granny” as the ultimate way to honor her. Even with all the fame and accolades Dolly’s received, family comes first—that’s why Aunt Granny’s restaurant at Dollywood serves food family-style. Celebrate your own family with a double batch of her signature chicken and dumplings recipe.

“My weaknesses have always been food and men—in that order.”

Dolly’s sly and deprecating sense of humor is unparalleled. Whenever she has a chance to mention food or men, she will. I’m sure that even before it became a viral sensation, Dolly made her own version of marry me chicken for her husband, Carl Dean. They met outside a laundromat in 1964, and were together for 60 years before Carl passed away in 2025. Their meet-cute is as sweet as Dolly’s butterscotch pie—and also serves as a really handy reminder not to neglect your laundry.

“The way I see it, if you want the rainbow, you gotta put up with the rain!”

Another classic Dolly-ism. She is not someone who ever backs down when faced with a challenge or gives up in the face of tragedy. She believes wholeheartedly that the ups and downs of her life are just part of living and keeps her head held high. Her kindness seems innate, and her generosity is legendary. Every day is a chance to start fresh, and there’s no better way to do that than with a big, hearty breakfast. Her scrambled egg recipe includes a pretty genius trick—try it on your next clear blue morning.

“It costs a lot of money to look this cheap.”

This might be Dolly’s most famous quote. It’s quintessential Dolly: blunt and funny. Her personal style is totally unique, and that’s the way she likes it. She’s always been cheeky and forthcoming about her beauty and fashion routines and probably loves wigs more than anyone in the world. When I was in Dollywood, I bought a rhinestone-studded tube of red lipstick in the shade “Jolene”—how could I not? Dolly is forever reminding us to find luxury even in really basic things. This pimento cheese sandwich recipe is straightforward yet fashionable, just like Dolly.

“Above everything else I’ve done, I’ve always said I’ve had more guts than I’ve got talent.”

Even with a ton of talent, her endeavors as a singer, songwriter, actor, philanthropist and businesswoman wouldn’t have been successful without putting the work in. And beyond the work, it’s about putting yourself out there time and time again. Rejection is a huge part of the music industry, but Dolly never let it get her down. That relentlessness is what brought her the success she’s enjoying to this day. And if you are in need of a challenge or want to go the extra mile, try Dolly’s hickory-grilled ham recipe the next time you want to kick yourself into gear.

“I’m not offended by all the dumb blonde jokes because I know I’m not dumb—and I also know that I’m not blonde.”

Another classic from Dolly! The sexism she faced in the media from her looks is well-documented. But if you watch old clips from talk shows and interviews, you’ll notice that jabs never shake or rattle Dolly. She has always held her head high and stays one step ahead of any joke someone wants to make at her expense. Her unapologetic attitude about expressing herself is a big part of why people love her. This fun and lighthearted approach makes me think of one of my favorite easy lunch recipes from Dolly: her pecan chicken salad.

“I’m the little engine that did.”

Dolly’s philanthropy is as famous as her music career. Her Imagination Library has sent out 200 million free books to children around the world and shows no signs of slowing down. The children’s book The Little Engine That Could is the very first book that everyone in the program receives—complete with a personal message from Dolly. When you stay at one of the resorts at Dollywood, there’s a TV channel dedicated to showing Dolly Parton reading children’s books. It’s one of the most thoughtful touches I’ve ever seen at any hotel. This 11-time Grammy award winning powerhouse is wearing pajamas, tucked in bed, and reading her favorite children’s books for any guests that want a bedtime story.

Time and time again, Dolly proves that she is truly a one-of-a-kind star—and that the world is a better place with her in it. To celebrate her any time of year, you can make a batch of her famous biscuits and milk gravy to share with your loved ones.

The post Pick Your Favorite Dolly Parton Quote, and We’ll Give You a Dolly Parton Recipe to Try appeared first on Taste of Home.

Though the Ambriola Company first announced the recall in November 2025, it was upgraded by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to Class I on January 6, 2026.

A Class I recall is the highest risk level. This means that eating or being exposed to the recalled products could cause serious health problems or death. While the cheeses are no longer being sold, consumers may still have them at home.

What caused the recall?

Ambriola says the recall happened after routine testing confirmed the presence of listeria monocytogenes. The company also states that no illnesses have been reported to date, but advises anyone with symptoms to contact a healthcare provider.

Listeria can cause an infection called listeriosis. The CDC notes it’s most likely to seriously affect pregnant people, newborns, adults 65 and older and people with weakened immune systems. Symptoms vary depending on the type of illness, but can include fever and flu-like symptoms such as muscle aches and fatigue.

What stores sold the pecorino Romano?

According to Ambriola, the recalled products were distributed to retail stores and distributors in these states: Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Massachusetts, Maine, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Texas, Virginia, Washington and Wisconsin.

The cheeses were sold under multiple brand names listed in the company announcement, including Ambriola, Boar’s Head, Locatelli, Member’s Mark (Sam’s Club) and Pinna.

How do I know if I have a recalled pecorino Romano?

First, check the brand and product type. The FDA’s recall post includes product photos, which can help you match packaging.

If your product matches one of the recalled items, look for the lot number. Reported lot numbers include:

Locatelli grated pecorino Romano 

• Size: 4- and 8-ounce plastic cups and lids
• Lot codes: 1000572472, 1000570734, 1000570735, 1000570736, 1000572482, 1000572483, 1000572485

Locatelli grated pecorino Romano 

• Size: 5- and 10-pound bags
• Lot numbers: 1000570725, 1000572476, 1000570724, 1000572475, 1000570726, 1000570727, 1000572477

Locatelli grated pecorino Romano 

• Size: 8-ounce cups, 48-unit shipper case
• Lot numbers: 1000570750, 1000572499, 1000572514

Pinna grated pecorino Romano 

• Size: 10-pound bags
• Lot number: 1000572486

Member’s Mark (Sam’s Club) pecorino Romano grated

• Size: 1-1/2-pound plastic bags
• Lot numbers: 1000570107, 1000570766, 1000572513

Boar’s Head grated pecorino Romano

• Size: 6-ounce plastic cups and lids
• Lot number: 1000572486

Boar’s Head pecorino Romano grated

• Size: 5-pound plastic bags
• Lot numbers: 1000570093, 1000570738

Ambriola Piccante grated pecorino Romano

• Size: 5- and 10-pound plastic bags
• Lot numbers: 1000572981, 1000570737, 1000570092, 1000572487

What should I do next?

If you have one of the recalled cheeses, do not eat it. Ambriola says customers should dispose of it or return it to the place of purchase for a refund. If you ate a recalled product and you’re feeling ill, please seek medical attention.

The post FDA Expands Major Cheese Recall in 20 States appeared first on Taste of Home.

This Walmart brand is a cult-favorite that’s sturdy, insulated and—most importantly—inexpensive. Starting at only $11, these tumblers make a gorgeous and affordable gift for your BFF or girlfriend. Here’s what we love about TAL’s latest lovey-dovey design drop.

TAL Valentine's Day Drinkware

With two darling patterns and a budget-friendly price tag, these themed tumblers are hard to resist.

Shop the Water Bottle

Shop the Wine Tumbler

What is the TAL Valentine’s Day drinkware collection?

TAL’s Valentine’s Day drinkware comprises of two new fun and flirty prints: red hearts on a white background or pink candy hearts on a pink and white checkerboard. The pretty patterns span two different to-go cups from the brand’s lineup, including a 2-in-1 straw and chug bottle and a stainless steel wine tumbler.

Both tumblers also feature premium food-grade stainless steel for safety and superb temperature control, just like our favorite coffee tumblers. This makes them safe to sip from while still being sturdy enough for everyday use!

2-in-1 Straw and Chug Bottle

Shop on Walmart

Tell your partner or bestie “you’re my cup of tea” with this 24-ounce 2-in-1 straw and chug bottle that works for both hot and cold beverages. A handy flip-up straw makes for easy sipping while out and about. Or, switch to the chug lid for hot drinks and leakproof protection if you plan on stashing it in your bag. No matter your preferred love potion, this tumbler is expertly insulated to keep drinks cold for up to 32 hours or hot for 12.

Stainless Steel Wine Tumbler

Shop on Walmart

There’s nothing like blissfully sharing a bottle of wine to top off a romantic evening. With this 16-ounce stainless steel wine tumbler, you and your hunny can do it in style. The included steel straw arrives with a soft silicone tip for comfy sips. Plus, each tumbler includes a sliding spill-proof lid if that’s more your speed. Thanks to double-walled stainless steel insulation, drinks remain cold for up to 15 hours. It’s such a sophisticated way to sample the best wine clubs during a date night in!

Where to Buy

Both the 2-in-1 straw and chug bottle and the stainless steel wine tumbler are available exclusively at Walmart for a limited time. The prices range from around $18 for the bottle to just under $11 for the wine tumbler.

Whether you’re planning on a couple’s hiking trip or want to sip wine while snuggled up next to a roaring fire, these cute cups are a must-have for Valentine’s Day dates. They also make a great self-care gift—just don’t forget to buy a matching one for your sweetie or bestie!

The post Walmart Just Dropped the Cutest Valentine’s Day Drinkware—And It’s Super Affordable appeared first on Taste of Home.

I’ve experimented with so many ways of taking my coffee: both hot and iced, black or full of cream and sugar. And while I’m a fan of all of these methods, recently I’ve been on a flavored creamer kick. Something about winter makes me really want to indulge, and Chobani’s new lineup is certainly fitting the bill. The brand launched two new flavors (one of which will be permanent) and added a returning favorite to its permanent collection as well.

What are the new Chobani creamer flavors?

The new additions are Toasted Coconut Vanilla and Chocolate Covered Strawberry. I told you, they’re decadent! And the fan-favorite flavor that will now be available year-round is, drumroll please…Confetti Birthday Cake! It’s a win across the board.

I have always been a fan of the Confetti Birthday Cake, so I’m glad that it will be available permanently now. On a similarly sweet note, the new Chocolate Covered Strawberry flavor is like a dessert in your cup. It perfectly captures the sweet decadence of the popular Valentine’s Day treat. This flavor uses real Dutch cocoa, and you can really taste it in the smooth, creamy finish.

But the new flavor that really impressed me was the Toasted Coconut Vanilla. It’s a perfect blend of nuttiness and sweet vanilla, and the toasted note comes through really well. It’s not too sweet and adds a dash of tropical optimism to my morning cup of coffee. And considering that sometimes I’m drinking it before the sun is fully up, I desperately need those warm and sunny vibes!

When will the new Chobani creamer flavors be available?

All three flavors will begin rolling out in January at national retailers like Target, Kroger, Albertsons, ShopRite, Meijer and more. Both the Confetti Birthday Cake and Toasted Coconut Vanilla are joining the permanent collection and will be available year-round. The Chocolate Covered Strawberry is a limited-time offer, so grab it while you can.

Related:

• Paris Hilton Released a Trio of Coffee Creamers, and I Tried Them All
• Ashley Park on ‘Emily in Paris’ Season 5, Her Go-To Coffee Order and That Elusive Broadway Role
• People Are Making Ice Cream with Coffee Creamer—Here’s the Simple Recipe

The post I Tried Chobani’s Brand-New Creamers, and There’s One Flavor I’m Stocking Up on Regularly Now appeared first on Taste of Home.

After 68 years in publication, Gourmet officially ceased operations in 2009 when Condé Nast shut down several titles during the financial crisis. At the time, Gourmet was known for its long-form food writing and involved recipes—often more aspirational than practical and not especially aimed at busy home cooks.

Now, more than 15 years later, the name is resurfacing in digital form.

What We Know About Gourmet’s Return

This new version of Gourmet is launching as a paid newsletter, created by a small group of journalists who discovered that the Gourmet trademark quietly lapsed in 2021. The group successfully claimed the trademark with plans to start the newsletter. The project is not affiliated with Condé Nast and is being positioned as a worker-owned publication, funded by subscriptions rather than advertising.

According to its founders, the revived Gourmet plans to publish one feature and one recipe per week, with an emphasis on time-intensive, impressive cooking projects. It’s a deliberate contrast to the quick, easy weeknight recipes that dominate much of today’s food media—and a clear signal that this isn’t trying to compete in the weeknight-dinner space.

Visually, the reboot is also distancing itself from the old magazine. The new logo is bold, lowercase and intentionally quirky—more art-school newsletter than traditional food publication—which has already sparked some side-eye from longtime readers.

So, is Gourmet back? In name, yes. In practice, it’s a brand-new digital experiment wearing a familiar title. Only time will tell how it fits!

Related:

• Food Trends 2026: Here’s What Everyone Will Be Eating This Year
• Our Highest Rated Recipes, Ever
• Our Most-Shared Vintage Recipes

The post Is Gourmet Magazine Back? appeared first on Taste of Home.

That distinction comes as exactly zero surprise. On the show, Poehler manages to be genuinely, effortlessly funny and deeply kind and thoughtful, a combination that gives the show its particular warmth without dulling the humor. I listen to podcasts about everything from politics to parenting to, of course, cooking. But Good Hang is the one I genuinely look forward to every week. So when Amy had Ina Garten on the show, it felt like my worlds were colliding in the best way.

At the end of the episode, after Ina had gone, Amy shared the go-to recipe that she likes to cook: a one-pot chicken and rice curry dish. It wasn’t a formal recipe, but more of a framework for building the dish, and it made me want to head straight to the kitchen.

How I Approached Amy Poehler’s Chicken Curry

Poehler walked through her chicken curry with a mix of useful detail and self-aware commentary, joking that she doesn’t have a cooking show for a reason, and that she’s “not great at explaining it.” Still, the essentials were there. She browns chicken breasts, adds uncooked rice, chicken stock, coconut milk and “tons of curry.” Sometimes she throws in chickpeas. Then she slides the whole pot into a 375°F oven. “You take it out, you put it on the table,” she said. “People think you’re a genius.”

I followed the general method she described—browning the chicken first, letting the rice cook in the same pot, finishing everything in the oven—and filled in the rest the way I would normally cook at home. I used chicken breasts, per Amy’s suggestion, even though I’d typically reach for thighs in a dish like this, and added a few vegetables I had in the fridge to round things out.

The result was exactly as promised: a fragrant, comforting pot of chicken and rice that feels generous and impressive without being fussy. Exactly the kind of dish you carry straight to the table, serve from the pot, and quietly enjoy while everyone assumes you worked harder than you did.

Amy Poehler-Inspired Chicken Curry and Rice

Ingredients

• 2 pounds bone-in chicken breasts
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 1 large yellow onion, sliced
• 3 to 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 cups cauliflower florets
• 2 cups long-grain rice
• 2-1/2 cups chicken stock
• 1 can (14 ounces) full-fat coconut milk
• 1 can (15 ounces) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 3 tablespoons curry powder
• 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1 teaspoon grated fresh gingerroot
• Chopped fresh cilantro

Directions

Step 1: Brown the chicken

Preheat the oven to 375°.

In a large oven-safe skillet or Dutch oven, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Season the chicken generously with salt and pepper. Brown the chicken on both sides, about three to four minutes per side. The chicken does not need to be fully cooked. Remove the chicken from the pan and set it aside.

Step 2: Cook the aromatics

Reduce the heat to medium. Add the sliced onions to the same pan, and cook them until they’re softened, about five minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the garlic and cauliflower; cook them one to two minutes longer or until they’re fragrant.

Step 3: Add the rice

Stir in the rice. Cook it, stirring, for one to two minutes or until it’s lightly toasted.

Step 4: Bring the stock to a boil

Add chicken stock and coconut milk, and bring the mixture to a gentle boil. Stir in the chickpeas, curry powder, turmeric and ginger. Season the sauce with additional salt and pepper, as desired.

Step 5: Finish it in the oven

Return the chicken to the pan. Cover the pan and bake the chicken for 35 to 40 minutes or until the rice is tender and the chicken is cooked through.

Step 6: Let it rest before serving

Remove the dish from oven, and let it stand for five minutes. Sprinkle it with cilantro before serving it.

Related:

• Taylor Swift Is in Her Sourdough Era—and She’s Gifting Friends Homemade Loaves
• Elijah Wood Is Ready to Do a ‘Super Weird’ Super Bowl Commercial
• Paris Hilton Released a Trio of Coffee Creamers—and I Tried Them All

The post I Recreated Amy Poehler’s Chicken Curry, and It’s as Easy as She Promises appeared first on Taste of Home.

8. Chick-fil-A

Sorry to Chick-fil-A fans, but this honey mustard was definitely the worst in the lineup. The reason is pretty simple: It was more honey than mustard. None of us picked up any mustard tang or flavor through the sweetness of the honey. The look and consistency was also really similar to honey—really thick and a little translucent. I would happily drizzle this on a buttermilk biscuit rather than a chicken tender.

Try it with: Chick-fil-A Copycat Recipes

7. McDonald’s

The fact that McDonald’s honey mustard ranked this low was also a shocking twist! The sauce is pretty thin, and the flavor was confusing. It looks more like mustard than it tastes. The sauce didn’t taste bad, just not at all like honey or mustard. McDonald’s has a lot going for it, but sadly not in this ranking. My dad was pretty fired up about this one: “This tastes like they’re playing it safe. It’s disappointing.”

Try it with: McDonald’s Copycat Recipes

6. Arby’s

We all thought that Arby’s honey mustard had the strongest taste right from the first bite. Our complaint was just that it was almost all honey, no mustard. My mom said that it reminded her more of a mayo-based salad dressing than a honey mustard. It definitely had an airy, almost whipped texture, and was missing that characteristic mustard tang. If you don’t like mustard very much, you’d probably like this Arby’s offering.

Try it with: The Best Spicy Chicken Sandwiches

5. KFC

Arby’s and KFC’s honey mustards were basically tied in our rankings. We all felt like KFC’s option was too sweet and too honey-forward. It did have a grainier texture that felt closer to mustard, but the taste was missing. It was a very creamy sauce that coated the nuggets well, but didn’t really stand out in the crowd. Again, a nice dipping option if you are only meh on mustard.

Try it with: KFC Copycat Recipes

4. Burger King

I did not have high expectations for Burger King’s honey mustard, so I was surprised when it made it to the top half of the list. It’s a very smooth sauce, but not so creamy that it feels more like a dijonnaise than a mustard. This one, like so many of the others, was much more honey-forward than mustard-forward. It was, however, tangier than KFC’s, and that cemented its spot in fourth place.

Try it with: Copycat Burger King Onion Rings

3. Wendy’s

Wendy’s honey mustard was incredibly creamy, but managed to do something that none of the other creamy sauces did: provide a mustard tang that came through stronger than the sweetness of the honey! This was a huge win, in our opinion. There was definitely a sweetness to it, but the mustard bite was unmistakable. It was the first sauce in the group that felt like it truly belonged in the honey mustard category.

Try it with: Wendy’s Copycat Recipes

2. Popeye’s

Before doing this experiment, if you had asked me what my favorite fast-food honey mustard was I would have absolutely told you that it came from Popeye’s. I’m happy to report that it’s still one of the strongest contenders. It’s very creamy, very tangy and overall a well-balanced sauce. It’s not too sweet, and the tanginess of the mustard really comes through strong on the aftertaste and builds as you eat it.

Try it with: Popeye’s Copycat Recipes

1. Sonic

Trust me, we were all really surprised by how good Sonic’s honey mustard is. I don’t think I had ever tried it prior to this taste test, and I sure have been missing out. Firstly, it’s really thick, so it does a great job of coating nuggets and getting them extra saucy. Secondly, it has the sharpest mustard flavor out of all of them—my dad even wondered if it had some horseradish in it. But it’s not all burn; the honey sweetness tones it all down for a really well-balanced bite. This is the best honey mustard dipping sauce out there, and a true win for mustard lovers!

Try it with: Sonic Copycat Recipes

The post I Tried 8 Fast-Food Honey Mustard Sauces—the Best One Surprised Me appeared first on Taste of Home.

So it comes as no surprise that during a recent appearance on Hot Ones, he waxed poetic about the perfect cheeseburger. Hot Ones host Sean Evans even opened the conversation by quoting McConaughey: “You once said that the man who invented the hamburger was smart, but the man who invented the cheeseburger is a genius.”

What’s Matthew McConaughey’s perfect cheeseburger?

It’s abundantly clear that the actor takes cheeseburgers very seriously. He even says that whoever invented the cheeseburger deserves a statue built in his honor.

McConaughey says that when constructing a cheeseburger, the order is important. He likes to melt his cheese into the top bun—and he has big opinions on the kind of bun people should be using. “Soft white, Wonder Bread white soft buns,” he says. So don’t ever try to serve him a burger on a pretzel or brioche bun!

Size is also important, and he doesn’t like a burger that’s too big. He says to make them smaller, so he can have two if he wants to. And as far as toppings go? He’s a man of simple pleasures, and those pleasures include ketchup. He will add ketchup to the burger for some moisture, and then he also likes to dip his burger in ketchup before each bite. That way, he says, ketchup is what hits his palate first before anything else.

Oh, and one final note: Cut your burger in half. McConaughey believes it’s easier to eat a wedge shape than a circle shape. I have to say that I agree with him on almost every count—the bun being the exception. I am just really partial to a pretzel bun. But otherwise, this feels like an incredible way to enjoy a cheeseburger. And McConaughey even says that he would eat it as his last meal. I can’t think of higher praise for a cheeseburger!

Related:

• Harrison Ford’s Secret Ingredient for a Perfect Grilled Cheese Sandwich
• Jennifer Garner Uses 2 Secret Ingredients to Make Her Famous Leftover Chicken Soup
• Bradley Cooper’s Favorite Meal Is One of His Grandmother’s Recipes

The post Matthew McConaughey Says This Is How to Make a Perfect Cheeseburger appeared first on Taste of Home.

Some of these tricks help a little. Most don’t. But every so often, a method pops up that feels almost too simple to be true—but then it actually proves itself, egg after egg. That’s the case with an ages-old trick that’s recently resurfaced on social media: tapping the egg with a spoon before boiling it.

It’s not flashy, and it’s not exactly new. In fact, the trick is often credited to grandmothers who never needed viral validation. But it works—and once you try it, you’ll never peel eggs the same way again.

Why are hard-boiled eggs so hard to peel?

To understand why peeling can be such a nightmare, it helps to know what’s happening inside the shell.

Between the shell and the egg white is a thin membrane. When an egg is very fresh, that membrane clings tightly to the white, which is why peeling often takes half the egg with it. As eggs age, the membrane loosens slightly, making them easier to peel. In other words, freshness, in this case, actually works against you.

The cooking method plays a role, too. Rapid temperature changes, uneven cooking and overly aggressive boiling can all encourage the egg white to bond stubbornly to the shell. That’s how you end up with craters, gouges and hard-boiled eggs that look more like they’ve been hacksawed than peeled.

Why does tapping an egg before boiling it work?

This trick works because it loosens the egg’s membrane before heat locks it into place. It’s done by gently tapping the wider end of each raw egg with the back of a spoon to separate the membrane from the shell.

You’re not trying to crack the shell open—you’re listening for the moment the membrane snaps away. After a couple of taps, there’s a subtly different snapping sound. Instead of the sharp crack of a broken shell, you should hear a softer, duller crack that signals the membrane underneath has separated.

Once the membrane loosens, steam has somewhere to go during cooking. Instead of the egg white bonding stubbornly to the shell, it pulls away just enough to make peeling dramatically easier later on.

It’s a subtle step, but a powerful one—and it’s why this trick has stuck around for generations. Long before it showed up in reels and comment sections, home cooks were passing it along and making it a permanent part of their routines.

How to do it:

• Hold a raw egg upright, with the wider end facing up.
• Lightly tap the shell with the back of a spoon a few times until you hear a slightly snappier crack. This means the membrane has separated.
• Cook and cool your eggs as usual.
• Start peeling the eggs from the wider end for best results.

Related:

• Every Way to Cook an Egg
• This Easy Egg Hack Will Give You the Prettiest Poached Eggs Every Time
• Deviled Eggs Recipe

The post This Clever Trick Makes Hard-Boiled Eggs Easy to Peel appeared first on Taste of Home.

I had to try it. Not out of blind optimism, but because I’d already watched the reel enough times for my kids to notice, and, dessert lovers that they are, they begged me to. We happened to have everything on hand, so my kids won that battle. And to my surprise, so did the dessert.

What is the viral Jell-O and yogurt dessert?

This dessert is exactly what it sounds like: a combination of flavored gelatin and Greek yogurt that’s chilled until it’s set. No stovetop, no cream, no eggs, no straining or blooming or whispering encouragement to a custard while it thickens.

Once it’s chilled, you end up with something softly set and creamy—jiggly, but not wobbly in a lunchroom kind of way. After a spoonful or two, I found myself thinking it tasted like a very simplified panna cotta. Not the real thing, of course, but close enough in spirit that the comparison stuck. A poor man’s version, if you will—less silk, less richness, but still very pleasant.

How to Make This Two-Ingredient Dessert

You’ll need:

• 1 (3-ounce) package of Jell-O (any flavor)
• 1 cup boiling water
• 1 cup Greek yogurt

Step 1: Dissolve the Jell-O

Prepare the Jell-O using only the hot water, stirring until the gelatin is fully dissolved.

Step 2: Let it cool slightly

Give the mixture a few minutes to cool down. If it’s too hot when the yogurt goes in, the texture can turn grainy.

Step 3: Whisk in the yogurt

Whisk the Greek yogurt into the cooled gelatin until it’s completely smooth and opaque.

Step 4: Chill until set

Pour the mixture into a dish or individual cups and refrigerate it until it’s fully set, usually a few hours.

A Few Things I Learned After Making It Twice

The first time I made this dessert, I poured it into a standard 8×8-inch dish (the same one I’d use for regular Jell-O), and it worked perfectly well, but the texture felt nicer than the presentation suggested. The next time, I used a deeper, slightly prettier dish, and it immediately felt more intentional. Same recipe, better spoonful.

I also adjusted the ratio the second time around. The original version uses equal parts water and yogurt, but I leaned closer to 1-1/2 cups of Greek yogurt. The result was noticeably creamier and softer—still set, but closer to that panna cotta–adjacent texture I was hoping for.

What does it actually taste like?

Better than it has any right to.

The Jell-O and yogurt dessert isn’t as silky as true panna cotta, but it lands in the same general neighborhood: creamy, cool, lightly tangy and clean on the finish. The yogurt gives it body, the gelatin gives it structure, and together they make something that feels more dessert-like than novel.

I used raspberry Jell-O with plain Greek yogurt, which struck a bright, balanced note. But the flavor possibilities are wide open; try different Jell-O flavors and different yogurt varieties, and the dessert will be sweeter or tangier depending on what you choose. It’s fast, adaptable and surprisingly satisfying.

And for something that takes two ingredients and five minutes of effort, that’s a pretty solid outcome. Even for someone wary of ambrosia.

Related:

• We Baked the Simple Jell-O Cookies That People Can’t Stop Thinking About
• Light and Creamy Yogurt Desserts
• Jell-O Recipes for Every Occasion

The post This Viral Jell-O and Yogurt Dessert Tastes Like a Poor Man’s Panna Cotta appeared first on Taste of Home.

And speaking of fans, Elijah Wood is about to bring something very special to one lucky fan in particular. He’s partnered with Skittles to perform a live commercial ad during that big football game on Sunday, February 8. All you have to do is order Skittles through Gopuff to be delivered to your door, and Elijah will personally bring them to you—and then perform the commercial, of course.

This particular ad imagines a world where a magical horn can summon a mysterious creature, played by Wood, who appears on demand to deliver candy. And Skittles is bringing that fantasy to life on game day by delivering not just candy, but the entire Big Game commercial itself, directly to a fan’s doorstep.

It’s truly a one-of-a-kind moment, and I had the opportunity to chat with Elijah Wood about Skittles and this unique partnership. We also talked about his relationship with fans and what his favorite foods are—including his go-to frozen pizza brand.

On His Skittles Partnership

Taste of Home: What drew you to this partnership with Skittles?

Elijah Wood: Honestly, I’m genuinely a fan. And I’ve been a fan of their advertising for ages. They constantly take risks. The rules don’t really apply to them. Skittles ads are super weird, left of center and really funny. They’re often kind of tinged with a little bit of tragedy, and ours is no exception.

The opportunity to do an ad for this game—first, it’s such a coveted place for advertising, so I was thrilled about that. But also, that it was Skittles was just like a total thrill for real. Plus, this extremely ambitious idea of delivering a live Skittles ad on someone’s lawn on game day is just really exciting.

TOH: It kind of seems like a theater nerd’s dream, right?

EW: I mean, it’s going to be! And what that will be, I have no idea yet. I’m sure there’s going to be quite a lot of coordinating and rehearsing, and I’m really excited about it all.

TOH: What’s your favorite Skittles flavor?

EW: I, uh—the colors are red and purple. Those are my favorites.

TOH: I debated asking flavor or color because I feel like everyone is usually like, “the red ones.”

EW: I also don’t know the flavors. And I’ve been eating them all my life! But yeah, red and purple, I think. Until today, I hadn’t really thought about it or been asked that question. It only just occurred to me that those are my two favorites.

On His Relationship with Fans

TOH: What do you think is the best part about being able to do this Skittles ad live?

EW: There are a few elements. I’m looking forward to finding out where it’s going to be. The difference between performing it on stage or in a sound stage and then actually doing it on someone’s lawn—I’m really excited to see how we pull it off.

I’m also excited to meet the folks who we are delivering this ad to. I think it’ll be a real thrill to see how they respond, and how the neighborhood gets to see this whole thing transpire. I think that is going to be a special element, too.

TOH: Any time you have a fan interaction, I’m sure it’s really memorable for the fan. But I’m curious: What do you take away from those interactions?

EW: Oh, that’s a great question. It’s whenever I meet someone for whom anything I’ve been a part of has had any kind of impact on their life. A lot of that tends to be around the Lord of the Rings. It can be about the closeness of their family, and the fact that they watch those movies every year and have since they came out. It can be that two people met because of their mutual love of the Lord of the Rings.

Getting a sense of the way that something I’ve been a part of has impacted someone is a really special feeling, you know? It’s obviously something that they connect to, and I play a small part in that. When that’s shared and reflected back on me, you can’t deny it’s a lovely thing.

Elijah Wood’s Favorite Foods

TOH: What is your go-to comfort food?

EW: Mmm, pizza. I love pizza. I love all kinds of pizza, to be honest. I love New York style. Even Chicago deep dish, which is a real controversy for some people. I have friends that don’t consider it pizza, and I will argue that it is absolutely pizza. Pizza can be many things.

TOH: Pizza can be many things…is pizza a sandwich?

EW: Wow, I don’t know about that. I also love Detroit style. There’s a great place in Austin, Texas, called Via 313 that I love. I also really love Amy’s frozen margherita pizza. That’s a real comfort food for me.

TOH: Wow, okay, that is good. I love Amy’s frozen pizza options.

EW: They’re great. And I lament the fact that their pesto is no longer in circulation! Their pesto pizza, which had broccoli and pesto as the base, was so good.

TOH: What do you like to eat for breakfast?

EW: I go through phases. When I’m home and there’s a sense of routine, I tend to kind of stick with something for a while. There’s a bagel brand I love, called Royo bagels. Lately it’s been—and this is gonna sound funny—but I’ve been doing a bagel with hummus and sauerkraut. It’s either that or oatmeal. I’m pretty consistent with oatmeal, maybe some oatmeal with yogurt. I love breakfast foods of all kinds. I love eggs. I do love breakfast in general.

TOH: Do you also love second breakfast?

EW: [Laughs] I guess you could say brunch is second breakfast, and I do love brunch!

How to Win a Live Skittles Ad with Elijah Wood

Right now through January 21, fans can visit DeliverTheRainbow.com to learn how to enter for a chance to have Elijah Wood show up on February 8 delivering a live Skittles commercial—and, of course, the candy itself.

Related:

• Ashley Park on ‘Emily in Paris’ Season 5, Her Go-To Coffee Order and That Elusive Broadway Role
• Joel Kim Booster on 4 Food Trends That Should Stay in 2025 and 1 That Should Stick Around
• I Cooked with Martha Stewart, and Here’s 1 Thing I’ll Always Do When I Cook Now

The post Elijah Wood Is Ready to Do a ‘Super Weird’ Super Bowl Commercial appeared first on Taste of Home.

Former Super Bowl champs Kansas City Chiefs will be missing from the action for the first time in 11 seasons. Surely, this is a disappointment to Donna Kelce, the mother of tight end Travis Kelce and one of the team’s biggest cheerleaders. But Donna’s spirits were still high when I spoke with her about another heated competition that’s ramping up right now.

Donna has partnered with Pillsbury to reveal the four finalists—two savory and two sweet—for the iconic brand’s 53rd annual Bake-Off Contest. When pressed for details, Mama Kelce herself declined to pick favorites, but she did share what she feels are the key factors that make game day snacks a hit.

What food is always on Mama Kelce’s game day spread?

First, she goes for “concise, small bites” that aren’t overflowing with ingredients that are going to fall off. I’m imagining loaded crostini heaped with chopped tomatoes that keep plunking onto your plate as you try to take a bite—not ideal for football viewing and mingling at parties!

Beyond convenience, of course, there’s the matter of “flavor, flavor, flavor,” Donna said. She doesn’t rely solely on a dipping sauce to deliver on taste because it “just gets all over the place.” In other words, the chicken wings should be the main event, not the ranch you dip them in.

When it comes to Mama Kelce’s spread, she leans on recipes from when her football star sons, Travis and Jason, were growing up and just getting started on their athletic journeys.

“Crescent roll Brie was probably the easiest for me, because I always have crescent rolls in the refrigerator, and you can top it with things like cherry jam, some almonds or bacon and throw it in the oven,” she said. “It’s quick, so delicious, and I always get compliments on it.”

What were Donna Kelce’s go-to weeknight dinners for Travis and Jason?

Donna also got plenty of compliments while cooking comforting dishes for her sons growing up, she told me. Weeknight dinners often consisted of classics like sloppy joes, casseroles, pork chops and one somewhat unusual dish: hamburger pie.

“It’s so simple,” she shared. “You take ground beef, salt and pepper it, throw in a can of tomato soup and put mashed potatoes on top of it, like a casserole. That was one of their favorites. Oh, and there was a can of green beans in there too. I tried to get at least one vegetable in there!”

What did Mama Kelce think of the food while filming The Traitors?

For fans of reality television, the Super Bowl and the Pillsbury Bake-Off aren’t the only “big games” kicking off the start of this year. The popular Scotland-set competition show The Traitors hosted by Alan Cumming just launched its fourth season on January 8, and Mama Kelce is among the celebrities competing for a lucrative prize pot and bragging rights.

Each day on the Peacock series begins with a lavish breakfast spread shared by all the players. Tension is served with a side of eggs as they discover who was “murdered” by the traitors the previous night. Though you’ll have to watch the show to see if Donna is a traitor or faithful, I did get to ask about the food.

“They take care of us very, very well,” Donna said. “Breakfast was awesome to come into, and there was nothing we wanted for.”

Related:

• Easy Football Snacks
• Mama Kelce’s Dip Recipe Is All We Need on Game Day
• Football Foods No One Can Resist

The post These Are the Game Day Snacks Donna Kelce Always Has Ready to Go appeared first on Taste of Home.

We don’t know much beyond what the photos reveal, but the scene feels on-brand for Taylor. Giving homemade bread is thoughtful, personal and decidedly old-fashioned, echoing the kinds of hobbies she’s openly embraced in recent years.

Sourdough Is the Perfect “Old Lady” Hobby

During an appearance on New Heights—the popular football podcast hosted by her fiancé, Travis Kelce, and his brother Jason—Swift joked that many of her interests feel like they belong to another century. “I’d say all my hobbies could be categorized as hobbies you could have had in the 1700s,” she said.

Sourdough fits neatly into that category. It’s slow, methodical and deeply routine-driven—the kind of hobby that rewards patience more than perfection. There’s feeling, waiting, adjusting and then waiting some more. It’s part science experiment, part domestic ritual. It’s the kind of thing that hooks people once they start seeing results, and the pop singer is no exception.

As it turns out, Taylor has been pretty specific about what she’s baking. On New Heights, she rattled off a surprisingly creative sourdough rotation, including blueberry lemon, cinnamon swirl, cinnamon raisin and even funfetti sourdough. Travis Kelce, for his part, declared blueberry sourdough to be his favorite and affectionately dubbed Swift a “loafer for life.”

If those loaves spotted in Los Angeles were any indication, her friends appear to be reaping the benefits of a very productive baking era.

Related:

• Paris Hilton Released a Trio of Coffee Creamers, and I Tried Them All
• Josh O’Connor Has a Surprising (and Very Midwestern) Favorite Fast Food
• Ashley Park on ‘Emily in Paris’ Season 5, Her Go-To Coffee Order and That Elusive Broadway Role

The post Taylor Swift Is in Her Sourdough Era—and She’s Gifting Friends Homemade Loaves appeared first on Taste of Home.

That’s where Curious Elixirs come in. This trendy booze-free brand brings a new twist to the sober lifestyle, thanks to its numerous nonalcoholic good-for-you mocktail offerings. Built with botanicals, adaptogens, and other beneficial ingredients, these bottled mocktails make sober living feel more attainable, for those who enjoy relaxing with a spritzer after a hard day. We tried a smattering of their most popular flavors to see what the fuss is all about—and whether they can truly fill the void during Dry January.

We Tried It

Curious Elixirs

A fresh take on sober living, powered by functional mocktails.

Shop on Curious Elixirs

Shop on The Zero Proof

Shop on Proof No More

What is Curious Elixirs?

Curious Elixirs is a nonalcoholic drinks brand that specializes in brewing up bevvys that incorporate adaptogens and zero refined sugar for a healthier sip. Using botanicals that perk up the mind and body and fruit juices for sweetness rather than artificial flavors, Curious Elixirs feel a lot more “grown up” than a Shirley Temple. Each mocktail—all of which are carefully developed by a team of world-class bartenders, herbalists, and food scientists—is infused with natural ingredients like organic juices, herbs, spices and roots for exceptional flavor.

In addition to familiar favorites like margaritas, spritzes, champagne and amaro cocktails, they also offer a nonalcoholic lion’s man lager that’s chock full of beneficial ingredients. While these premium picks are a bit pricey at around $10 per bottle, frequent sippers can save when they subscribe to the monthly Cocktail Club.

How We Tested

To test Curious Elixirs, I took the quiz on the website and picked five options based on my results. Each of the cocktails from Curious Elixirs comes with instructions for serving, including recommended garnishes and whether to pour over ice. All the options except for Curious No. 6 recommended ice, so that’s how I opted to enjoy them. In this way, they’re all super easy to serve—just invert the bottles twice, then twist the tops, open and pour. You really can’t ask for an easier mixed drink!

Curious No. 1 (Pomegranate Negroni Sbagliato)

I love pomegranate, so Curious No. 1 was, to me, a shoo-in winner. Hidden inside this complex bevvy are rhodiola and gentian that gently lift the mood and aid in digestion. The smell has a depth and dark jammy-ness that is very inviting. I’m not huge on negroni cocktails, but this was fruity and perky and only slightly bitter in a way that complements the juiciness.

It’s not overly sweet, and the bitter orange really helps it maintain that balance—though folks who dislike fennel may want to give this a pass. My husband thought the fennel made it taste like pepperoni, but he’s also a fennel hater.

Curious No. 3 (Juniper Cucumber Collins)

Gin and tonics are my usual go-to, so the fresh juniper and citrusy smell of Curious No. 3 immediately excited my senses. This one is cooling and calming in all the best ways. Lemon and alpine herbs provide the perfect complement to the bitter bite from the cucumber while still making it feel light on the palate. Like No. 1, this option also contains gentian for a slight mood lift. It also offers a hint of ashwagandha for a little boost of energy.

Curious No. 5 (Smoked Chocolate Cherry Old Fashioned)

Curious No. 5 was a rollercoaster of emotions for me. I love cherries (and chocolate—who doesn’t?), so I expected an immediate “yes.”. But upon cracking it open, all I could detect in the scent was smoke, chased with a whisper of bright fruitiness. It was an odd smell, to say the least. However, tasting it proved to be a delightful experience.

The prominent smokiness you taste at first soon gives way to a complex cherry and chocolate dance that works really well. Beneficial doses of elderberry and ginger lend to the sweetness without being too saccharine, and the shatavari serves as an aphrodisiac (ooh la la!). While I can’t say I noticed those effects, the coziness and warmth of this one makes it ideal for an after dinner cocktail.

Curious No. 6 (Spiced Coconut Pineapple)

As much as I love coconut and pineapple, Curious No. 6 was a bit of a miss for me. The creaminess of the cream of coconut and oat milk make it feel a bit like a pina colada, but it deviates aggressively from those roots with the addition of nutmeg. I’ve never had a “painkiller” before, but fans of that cocktail would probably enjoy this. Though it isn’t fizzy, it gets a bit frothy upon pouring, which lends a little must-needed texture to the experience.

The addition of lemon balm and pineapple are subtle but do give the drink a pleasant brightness. My main issue is with the blackstrap molasses, which to me overwhelms the other delicate flavors and smells. That said, I can definitely see a place for this as a tropical-inspired vegan holiday nog.

Curious No. 9 (Sparkling Rosé Cocktail)

Yes way, rosé! Curious No. 9 is a fizzy pink pick acting as a really lovely replacement for a brunch cocktail. The hint of rose is present, but not too perfume-y. It easily mingles with the chardonnay grapes in a way that feels elevated. California poppy and South African kanna help relax the body without bringing on any sleepiness. This option is the simplest mocktail I tried, but it offers a bubbly brightness that makes it feel so much more “adult” than your standard sparkling grape juice.

Pros

• Very satisfying to sip
• Each offering developed by world-class bartenders, herbalists, and food scientists
• Many flavors available
• All flavors are vegan with no refined sugar
• Packed with functional ingredients and beneficial botanicals
• Each sizable bottle contains two cocktail servings

Cons

• Pricey, but discounts available via the Cocktail Club

Product Comparison: Curious Elixirs vs. Apothekary

Similarly to Curious Elixars, Apothekary offers an assortment of “drinks” that use botanicals and adaptogens as a replacement for alcohol. The biggest difference is in the delivery. Apothecary’s products come in tincture form and can be taken either directly via a dropper or added to your favorite drinks for a flavorful boost. If you want the benefits of ingredients like ashwagandha or collagen but don’t want to have to down a whole drink, these herbal drops are the way to go.

Final Verdict

As someone whose husband is 100% sober, I’ve tried my fair share of canned mocktails, hop waters, NA beers, you name it. Where a lot of brands fall flat is usually in flavor—especially when they don’t use refined sugar. Sure, I love a good bubbly seltzer as much as the next gal. But if you’re looking for something that will take you away—just for a moment—and make you feel relaxed and pampered, Curious Elixirs is your north star.

There’s something really intentional about the careful blends of botanicals and natural flavors in each bottle. I liken the experience to sipping on a cocktail made by a practiced and trendy bartender, but without the hangover. Those seeking not just a replacement for mindlessly downing beers at a party, who crave a tasting experience that feels curated and special, will find that with Curious Elixirs.

Where to Buy

Curious folks can find Curious Elixirs both in select stores and online on their website, The Zero Proof and Proof No More. The bottles and cans retail for around $50 for a four-pack. While pricey, I liken this to splurging on a nice bottle of whiskey. You can get cheaper options, but they won’t offer the same experience. I highly recommend that those purchasing a few flavors in bulk join the Cocktail Club, which offers a 10% savings for a batch of four bottles or 28% for a batch of 12 bottles.

We Tried It

Curious Elixirs

These functional botanical mocktails simplify sober living.

Shop on Curious Elixirs

Shop on The Zero Proof

Shop on Proof No More

FAQ

Can you buy Curious Elixirs in stores?

While you can primarily find Curious Elixirs online via their website, they’re also available in-store at some local retailers.

Do Curious Elixirs give you a buzz?

Nope! Aside from a slightly elevated mood thanks to the adaptogens, you won’t feel any kind of “high” or “buzz.”

Why Trust Us

As Taste of Home’s resident food and drink expert, I’m always trying the newest and most popular treats. While I’m not fully dedicated to the sober lifestyle, my husband has been alcohol-free for over a decade. As such, I’ve tried many of the most popular (and even a few under-the-radar) nonalcoholic drink options available. My tasting specialties include nonalcoholic beer and hop water (I come from a family of brewers, after all), but botanical-based drinks also please my practiced NA palate.

The post We Tried Curious Elixirs And Don’t Even Miss Alcohol appeared first on Taste of Home.

Turkey Tea Sandwiches with Basil Mayonnaise

Earl Grey Cake

Earl Grey makes a curious addition to this frosted sponge cake, but its subtle bergamot aroma adds an elegant flourish. You’ll taste the syrup in each layer.

Strawberry Trifle

Making a strawberry trifle has to be one of the easiest ways to turn simple ingredients into a fancy display of layered sweetness. Here's how to do it, step by step.

Apple-Nut Blue Cheese Tartlets

These tasty appetizers look and taste gourmet, but they're easy to make and have loads of blue cheese flavor. The phyllo shells and filling can be made in advance—just fill the cups and warm them in the oven before serving. —Trisha Kruse, Eagle, Idaho

Mimosa Floats

Everyone needs a little treat at brunch! I wanted to kick things up a notch, so I added a scoop of ice cream to my mimosas. Sometimes I add chocolate, too. —Amy Lents, Grand Forks, North Dakota

English Scones

When I came to America from England in 1967, I made sure to bring along my favorite recipe for English scones. Served warm with butter, they're perfect for breakfast. —Barry Grieve, Fort Campbell, Kentucky

Blackberry-Topped Sponge Cakes

The recipe for my blackberry cakes is easy to play with. You can replace the sponge cake with angel food, pound cake or ladyfingers. And any fruit that has liquor with the same flavor can be used. —Karen Robinson, Woodbury, Connecticut

Mini Sausage Pies

The simple ingredients and family-friendly flavor of these little sausage cups make them a go-to dinner favorite. And everyone gets their own pies—which makes them even better! —Kerry Dingwall, Ponte Vedra, Florida

Mixed Berry Sangria

This is a light, tasty beverage to serve with spoons so everyone can enjoy the fresh berries once the sangria is gone. — Linda Cifuentes, Mahomet, Illinois

Rhubarb Tart

Make good use of all of that rhubarb from your garden or favorite farmers market. Creamy, sweet, tart, buttery—this rhubarb tart has it all!

Bourbon Ice Cream

Velvety, rich bourbon ice cream is a true splurge. And this homemade ice cream is surprisingly easy when you use an ice cream maker.

Cranberry Endive Appetizers

You can pack a lot of flavor into an elegant appetizer just by using the right combination of ingredients. I created this blue cheese filling for a holiday gathering and everyone loved it! —Margee Berry, White Salmon, Washington

Raspberry Meringue Hearts

Here’s a lovely dessert that your guests will think is almost too pretty to eat! I love the graceful heart shape of the raspberry meringue. —Mary Lou Wayman, Salt Lake City, Utah

Battenberg Cake

This classic British dessert is full of almond marzipan and apricot sweetness. Our Battenberg cake recipe shows you how to make one that's picture-perfect.

Cranberry Cake Roll

This low-fat angel food cake roll is a guilt-free indulgence, which is much-appreciated during the Christmas season. —Paige Kowolewski, Topton, Pennsylvania

Champagne Cake

There's no better way to add sparkle to holidays and special occasions than with a bubbly champagne cake.

Garlic-Herb Mini Quiches

Looking for a wonderful way to impress guests? You’ve got it—and you need only five ingredients to make these tasty apps! —Josephine Piro, Easton, Pennsylvania

Lemon Ricotta Cake

This lemon ricotta cake recipe is a family gem that was passed down from my grandmother and mother. Garnished with shaved lemon zest, the moist four-layer cake is the perfect dessert when you want to impress. —Nanette Slaughter, Sammamish, Washington

Three-Chip English Toffee

With its melt-in-your-mouth texture and scrumptiously rich flavor, this is the ultimate toffee! Layered on top are three kinds of melted chips plus a sprinkling of walnuts. Packaged in colorful tins, these pretty pieces make impressive gifts. —Lana Petfield, Richmond, Virginia

Spiked Pink Lady

Why reserve lemonade and strawberries for the summertime? They’re just as refreshing during the holiday season. Add two more ingredients to create a crowd-pleasing cocktail.

The post Bridgerton Season 4 Drops January 29—Here’s Exactly What to Make for a Regency-Themed Watch Party appeared first on Taste of Home.

At its heart, tempura is a technique: a light batter, cold ingredients and a quick fry, all working together to create that signature crispness. Once you understand what sets it apart, tempura becomes easier to appreciate and surprisingly simple to make.

What is tempura?

Tempura is a Japanese style of lightly battering ingredients—most often seafood and vegetables—and cooking them quickly in hot oil until they’re crisp. The goal isn’t a golden crust or a thick, shattering crunch. Good tempura should be pale, airy and delicate, with a coating that clings just enough to protect the ingredient without hiding it.

You’ll typically see tempura served hot and freshly fried, often with a light dipping sauce called tentsuyu (made with dashi, soy sauce and mirin). In addition to its uniquely pale blonde crust, tempura also has a slightly irregular, craggy texture. Flavor-wise, it should be crisp and clean.

Is tempura gluten-free?

Traditionally, no. Classic tempura batter is made with wheat flour, so it isn’t gluten-free unless it’s specifically labeled. Gluten-free tempura would need be made with a substitute like rice flour or a gluten-free blend.

What are tempura flakes?

Those airy, crunchy bits that collect in the oil as tempura fries aren’t waste—they’re tempura flakes, also known as tenkasu. They’re often saved and then are sprinkled over rice bowls, noodle dishes or salads, or are tucked into sushi rolls for extra crunch.

What’s in tempura batter?

At its most traditional, tempura batter is remarkably simple—and that simplicity is part of its appeal. By keeping the ingredient list short and the mixing minimal, there’s no time for gluten to develop, which is what keeps the coating crisp, not cakey. Many classic versions contain just flour and very cold water. Some recipes include egg (usually lightly beaten and mixed with water), while others skip it entirely for an even lighter coating. You may see additions like rice vinegar, cornstarch or baking powder in some recipes, each of which is used to help keep the batter tender, crisp and airy.

It’s also important to note that traditional tempura batter is typically left unseasoned. The idea is to let the flavor of the main ingredient shine. Seasonings are added later—usually in the form of a dipping sauce.

Key elements of tempura batter usually include:

• Low-protein flour: Cake flour or other soft wheat flours are often used to limit gluten, keeping the coating light rather than chewy.
• Ice-cold liquid: Ice-cold water (or a mixture of still and carbonated water) helps the batter set quickly in hot oil, creating tempura’s delicate, signature texture. While carbonated water isn’t traditional, the bubbles gently limit gluten development and introduce a bit of lift, which helps keep the coating crisp and airy.
• Cornstarch: A small amount of cornstarch further inhibits gluten development and adds crispness.
• Acid: Rice vinegar can gently break down gluten strands, contributing to a more delicate texture.
• Leavening: A pinch of baking powder isn’t traditional, but it’s a common addition for extra lightness.
• Egg: Egg can add a touch of richness and color to the batter.

What about boxed tempura mixes?

Boxed tempura mixes are easy to find and do the job just fine, especially if you want a quick, low-stress way to fry at home. They’re designed to take the guesswork out of proportions. Homemade batter, on the other hand, gives you more control over texture once you’re comfortable with the technique.

How to Make Tempura

This basic method works for shrimp, vegetables and most proteins.

Ingredients

• 1 cup cake flour, plus extra for coating
• 1/3 cup cornstarch
• 1 cup ice-cold water
• 1/3 cup carbonated water
• 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
• 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
• Neutral oil for frying

Directions

1. Chill all the ingredients—including the dry ones—in the refrigerator until they are cold. (This simple step helps create a much lighter batter.)
2. In a deep pot or Dutch oven, heat the oil to 350°F.
3. In a bowl, mix the cake flour, cornstarch and baking powder until they’re combined.
4. In a separate bowl, stir together the still water, carbonated water and rice vinegar.
5. Gradually add the flour mixture to the water mixture, gently stirring until they’re just combined, taking care not to overmix. The batter should be loose and uneven with visible lumps.
6. Lightly coat the prepared ingredients with cake flour, dip them into the batter, and carefully add them to the hot oil.
7. Fry them in small batches until the coating is pale but crisp, turning once if needed.

Types of Tempura

Shrimp tempura

Shrimp tempura is perhaps the most recognizable type of tempura. Large shrimp are dipped and fried until crisp, with the tails often left on for easy dipping. You’re most likely to see it piled onto plates, tucked into rolls, or simply served with a dipping sauce.

Sushi tempura

Tempura plays a supporting role in many sushi rolls, where it adds contrast and crunch against rice and nori. Shrimp tempura rolls are the most familiar, but vegetables and soft shell crab tempura are also common.

Vegetable tempura

Vegetable tempura is another popular dish. Slices of sweet potato, zucchini, eggplant, mushrooms, green beans, asparagus, and even delicate leaves like shiso all take well to a tempura fry.

Chicken tempura

Chicken tempura may not be traditional, but it is widely loved. It’s made from thin pieces of chicken breast or thigh that are fried until they’re just cooked through. The result is crisp without being heavy, making it ideal on rice bowls or as a lighter alternative to standard fried chicken.

Seafood tempura

Shrimp may get the spotlight, but it’s far from the only option. Squid, scallops, flaky white fish and even oysters all work beautifully with tempura because they cook so quickly.

Related:

• Japanese Pancakes
• 16 Essential Japanese Ingredients You Need in Your Kitchen
• Your Guide to Making Tsukemono

The post What Is Tempura? appeared first on Taste of Home.

The idea is practical and refreshingly low-effort. Instead of blasting leftovers with uneven heat, this method uses steam to warm food slowly and consistently—the same principle professional kitchens rely on to reheat food without sacrificing texture.

How to Reheat Food Without a Microwave

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The hack turns an ordinary saute pan into a small steam chamber, using tools you almost certainly already have.

Here’s how it works:

1. Set a Mason jar ring in a pan: Place the ring of a Mason jar in the bottom of a saute pan to act as a small stand. (If you don’t have one, any heatproof metal ring of similar size works. I used a stainless steel biscuit cutter with great results.)

2. Add the leftovers: Set your plate of leftovers directly on top of the ring.

3. Pour water into the pan: Add enough water to surround the plate, making sure it’s not high enough to splash onto the food.

4. Cover with a lid: Cover the raised plate with a lid and cook over medium heat for three to five minutes or until warmed through.

As the water heats, it creates steam that circulates under the lid, gently warming the food from all sides. Because the food never comes into contact with the water, nothing becomes soggy. And because the heat is indirect, the food warms without drying out.

For food safety, leftovers should reach 165°F before eating. When removing the plate, use oven mitts, as it will be very hot.

Does the hack actually work?

Yes, and significantly better than a microwave!

I tested the method using my dinner from the previous night: a peanut curry pasta with shrimp and vegetables. Shrimp are notoriously difficult to reheat; they tend to turn rubbery almost instantly when exposed to uneven or aggressive heat. With this steam method, everything warmed evenly, with no cold spots and no overcooked edges. The sauce, which had thickened and set in the fridge, loosened back up beautifully. The pasta tasted fresh, and the shrimp came back tender. The dish tasted as though I’d just made it.

I heated mine for closer to seven minutes, which is longer than the viral video suggests—and that turned out to be one of the method’s strengths. Because steam heats gently and evenly, the process is forgiving. You’re far less likely to scorch, dry out or accidentally overcook your food if you run a minute or two long.

Cleanup was exactly as promised. The only dish I actually dirtied was the bowl I used. The saute pan held some water, which I poured out and rinsed—no stuck-on residue, no scrubbing, no splattered microwave walls to wipe down.

For leftovers you actually want to enjoy eating, this steam method delivers exactly what the viral reel promises.

Related:

• How to Reheat Chicken for Best-Ever Leftovers
• How to Reheat Fries (and Other Leftovers) in Your Air Fryer
• How Long Do Leftovers Last?

The post I Tried This Genius Hack for Reheating Food Without a Microwave appeared first on Taste of Home.

The McRib first appeared on McDonald’s menus in 1981 and has lived a famously on-again, off-again life ever since. Unlike permanent menu items, it only returns in limited runs—sometimes years apart—which has turned it into something of a cult favorite. Each comeback feels like an event fueled by nostalgia, social media buzz and long drive-thru lines.

Its most recent return made plenty of noise, proof that the McRib’s hold on fans hasn’t faded. But beneath the tangy barbecue sauce and that unmistakable rib-shaped patty, one question keeps resurfacing for those brave enough to wonder: What exactly is in a McRib, anyway?

So what’s actually in a McRib?

According to the McDonald’s website, a McRib consists of:

• Seasoned boneless pork patty
• Tangy barbecue sauce
• Slivered onions
• Pickles
• Homestyle bun

McDonald’s doesn’t disclose which cut of pork is used to form the pork patty, but it’s not a slab of rib meat. Rather than being cut from a rack of ribs, the McRib patty is made from boneless pork that’s formed into a distinctly rib-like shape. It’s sauced and dressed to deliver a rib-reminiscent flavor and texture.

Why is everyone talking about the McRib ingredients right now?

In December 2025, a class-action lawsuit filed in Illinois claimed that the McRib’s name and rib-like appearance could mislead customers into thinking the sandwich contains actual pork rib meat. The complaint argues that rib meat is traditionally considered a premium cut, and the McRib costs more than other menu items, so some customers might not assume they’re getting a formed pork patty made from lower-quality meat.

McDonald’s has denied these claims, saying the lawsuit misrepresents the facts. In a statement, the company emphasized that the McRib is made with 100% pork sourced from U.S. farmers and suppliers and noted that it has always described the sandwich as a “pork patty”—not rib meat—so customers can make informed choices.

Why the McRib Still Works

For longtime fans, that distinction is unlikely to come as a surprise. The McRib’s appeal has always been about flavor, nostalgia and timing, not butcher shop precision. Whether it’s a formed pork patty or a rack of actual ribs has never been the point for faithful fans.

Related:

• • KFC Just Dropped Cheese Curds, and My Midwestern Heart Couldn’t Be Happier
  • I Tried Burger King’s New Whopper, and It’s a Savory Masterpiece
  • Copycat McDonald’s Peanut Butter Crunch McFlurry

The post What’s Actually in a McRib Sandwich? appeared first on Taste of Home.

When I snap my fingers, that doesn’t happen though. I’m left scrubbing my stainless steel pots and pans, rinsing them off, and realizing that they’re still cloudy and dotted with spots. I know that it’s unrealistic to expect my equipment to look new, but I do wish that it could look a little better. It seems that Martha Stewart must have sensed my desperation, because she posted the most helpful cleaning tip on Instagram.

What is Martha Stewart’s stainless steel cleaning tip?

The person to the rescue is actually Martha’s cleaning lady, Enma. According to the post, Enma showed Martha her “instant solution” to getting stainless steel clean and shiny again. It’s CLR’s liquid cleaner, and apparently it’s “magical.”

The liquid version of CLR (aka Calcium, Lime and Rust remover) is helpful in removing the buildup that can occur over time from mineral deposits and soap scum. Martha showed some before and after photos of her stainless steel pots, pans and steamers, which definitely went through a glow-up. Personally, I love that even someone like Martha Stewart is annoyed when her pots aren’t squeaky clean—it’s very relatable!

CLR is a strong cleaner, and it’s important to make sure you wear gloves when using it, and give everything a really good wash with soap and hot water after applying the product. Rinse well, let your dishes dry, and admire your shiny clean surfaces. If you don’t have CLR or want to use something with fewer chemicals, you can also try the vinegar cleaning method. Either way, you’re on your way to a dazzling kitchen.

Related:

• I Cooked with Martha Stewart, and Here’s 1 Thing I’ll Always Do When I Cook Now
• Martha Stewart’s Favorite Sandwich Is So Bizarre, I Had to Try It
• How to Clean Your Kitchen, Step by Step

The post Martha Stewart’s Cleaning Tip for Cloudy Pots and Pans Is Genius appeared first on Taste of Home.

The Dunkin’ winter menu has a little bit of something for everyone. Both coffee and non-coffee drinkers alike can rejoice in the latest menu. Even those looking to get some more protein into their morning routine have a reason to be excited. Here’s what the chain has in store.

What’s on the Dunkin’ Winter Menu 2026?

There’s a lot to love about the latest Dunkin’ drop. First, let’s look at the protein line. The medium-sized protein drinks each offer 15 grams of protein.

• Brown Sugar Almond Protein Macchiato: Espresso paired with brown sugar syrup, a toasted almond flavor shot and Dunkin’s protein milk
• Almond Protein Matcha Latte: A classic iced matcha latte with toasted almond flavoring and Dunkin’s protein milk
• Protein Latte with Sugar-Free Vanilla: Espresso mixed with sugar-free vanilla syrup and Dunkin’s protein milk
• Caramel Chocolate Protein Latte: A flavorful espresso with chocolate caramel syrup and Dunkin’s protein milk for a quick start to the morning
• Megan’s Mango Protein Refresher: Megan Thee Stallion collaborated with Dunkin’ to make this Refresher full of juicy mango flavor and Dunkin’s protein milk
• Strawberry Protein Refresher: The Strawberry Dragonfruit Refresher mixed with Dunkin’s protein milk for a brand-new creamy experience

And beyond protein, there are a few new regular drinks and a fudge-filled doughnut:

• Caramel Chocolate Shaken Espresso: Espresso combined with caramel chocolate syrup and oat milk, then shaken with ice
• Cocoa Cloud Latte: Espresso combined with caramel chocolate syrup and whole milk, all topped with chocolate cold foam
• Berry Moonlight Daydream Refresher: The Berry Sangria Refresher and a Raspberry flavor shot mixed with oat milk and topped with sweet cold foam
• Golden Chocolate Classic Doughnut: A golden yeast shell filled with decadent golden fudge filling, frosted with chocolate icing and topped with crushed toffee

Here’s What I Thought

With so many different drinks to choose from, I stuck to three of the protein offerings: a fruit-forward one, a coffee one and the matcha, plus three new regular winter menu options.

• Almond Protein Matcha Latte: Matcha is a regular staple of mine at almost any coffee place, and I’m a regular purveyor of Dunkin’s matcha. Though I’m not a huge fan of almond milk, the slight nutty flavor mixed with the earthy tones of this protein matcha is a total winner. It has a slight twang of sweetness, and the sometimes chalky taste of protein powder is practically nonexistent. If you’ve never tried matcha before, this is a wonderful first-time choice.
• Berry Moonlight Daydream Refresher: This was my least favorite of the bunch, but it is certainly the prettiest. With its soft lavender appearance, the Berry Moonlight Daydream is so aesthetically pleasing. The oat milk cuts through the strong raspberry flavor, and since I’m not usually into fruit refreshers on their own, I liked the creaminess! If you were a fan of the Midnight Drink from last year’s Starbucks Valentine’s menu, this Refresher was made for you.
• Megan’s Mango Protein Refresher: Intensely bright in color and flavor, this is a trip down tropical lane. Mango is the frontrunner, but the protein chalkiness is much more evident in this option than in the other two protein drinks. I wouldn’t say it detracts from the taste, but don’t expect solely sweetness. The protein milk does a nice job mellowing out the mango ever so slightly.
• Caramel Chocolate Protein Latte: I’d say this drink is a solid middle ground between the Caramel Chocolate Shaken Espresso and the Cocoa Cloud Latte: The chocolate flavor is bolder without the added sweetness of the cold foam. The protein milk here is subtle rather than overly chalky.
• Caramel Chocolate Shaken Espresso: For those who don’t love a whole lotta sugar and sweetness in their drinks, this is a great option. Shaken espressos are typically coffee-forward, which is how I tend to lean—especially in the morning. While it has the same flavoring as the Cocoa Cloud Latte, the sweetness isn’t nearly as prominent. If you’re looking for more sweetness however, you can always ask for a few more pumps.
• Cocoa Cloud Latte: Much like its Cookie Butter Cloud cousin, the cold foam takes this drink to the next level. It has a soft chocolate flavor that matches the vibe of the rest of the drink. I don’t often order chocolate-centric drinks, but this was a winner. Not too rich and not too bland. I’m a sucker for all cold foam drinks, so this might be my overall fave of the bunch.

Dunkin’ is also giving the option to substitute its protein milk for any drink on the menu that contains dairy, so get to experimenting!

How long with the Dunkin’ Winter Menu be available?

The Dunkin’ winter menu will be around for a limited time at participating restaurants nationwide while supplies last. Markie Devo, who is known for his snack speculations on social media, suspects that Dunkin’s Valentine’s Day menu might drop January 28. Hopefully, the menus overlap so we get more time with the winter drinks.

Related:

• Ways to Add More Protein to Your Meals
• Food Trends 2026: Here’s What Everyone Will Be Eating This Year
• KFC Just Dropped Cheese Curds, and My Midwestern Heart Couldn’t Be Happier

The post I Tried Dunkin’s New Winter Menu, and It’s a Protein-Packed Pick-Me-Up appeared first on Taste of Home.

And if there is one thing that connects Paris Hilton and coffee, it’s the simple phrase, “That’s hot.” So her partnership with International Delight was really only a matter of time.

What are the new Paris Hilton x International Delight coffee creamers?

These flavors are, in one word, iconic. There are three new products in this launch: two coffee creamers and one cold foam. Here’s how International Delight describes each of the flavor profiles:

• Raspberry Champagne Creamer: Toast to a burst of fruity flavor that’s unexpected, indulgent and as sweet as a kiss.
• Sweet & Spicy Creamer: That’s hot. Literally. This mash-up brings together opposing flavors to relieve plain coffee by turning up the heat.
• Cotton Candy Cold Foam Creamer: Nostalgic, sweet and fabulously pink. This foamy, delicious icon is giving creaminess and color!

I was immediately intrigued by the concept of a spicy creamer. Armed with a fresh pot of coffee, I dove headfirst into my taste test.

How do the Paris Hilton coffee creamers taste?

First, I started with the Raspberry Champagne flavor. This creamer is unbelievably sweet, even by coffee creamer standards. I think that my teenage self would’ve loved to have this available when I was just dipping my toes into the coffee world. As an adult, even a small amount is a bit too sweet for me. I actually want to use this instead to make chia seed pudding, an idea that I got from Emily in Paris’ Ashley Park.

Next, I tried the Sweet & Spicy flavor. This creamer blew my mind in the best way possible. It tastes, you guessed it, both spicy and sweet. But it’s perfectly balanced between the two! The spicy kick here reminded me of the crisp, earthy bite that you get with cinnamon. It didn’t taste like cinnamon per se, but it did remind me of a Red Hot or Fireball whiskey with that slight burn of an aftertaste. It’s not overwhelming, though, and it is still creamy and sweet like you’d expect from a coffee creamer. I actually don’t know if there is a better way to describe this—if you are at all curious, you have to taste it for yourself.

Finally, I gave the Cotton Candy cold foam a spin. This tastes like a dream, and I will be stocking up on it during my next grocery shopping trip. It reminds me of a really fluffy, sweet candy-flavored marshmallow. It’s smooth and melts into coffee really well. I’ve only recently come around to the cold foam trend, and I’m excited to have this option for my coffee creations.

The best way to enjoy these creamers? Add a bit of the Sweet & Spicy creamer into your coffee, then top it with the Cotton Candy cold foam. It’s the sweetest, most delicious treat for sliving your best life—just how Paris would want you to.

Where can I buy the Paris Hilton coffee creamers?

The coffee creamers are now on shelves, so you should be able to find them at most major grocery stores. They are only available for a limited time, so if you want to give your coffee a Paris Hilton-approved glow up, now’s the time to do so.

Related:

• People Are Making Ice Cream with Coffee Creamer—Here’s the Simple Recipe
• This Is the One Food Selena Gomez Has to Have at Her Wedding
• Jennifer Garner Shared Her Mom’s Crowd-Favorite Recipe

The post Paris Hilton Released a Trio of Coffee Creamers, and I Tried Them All appeared first on Taste of Home.

When it comes to the world of fast food, few chains have embraced the Midwestern favorite. To my knowledge, Culver’s and A&W are among the only chains that offer cheese curds, and few others have dabbled in the dairy-forward treat even as a limited-time variety. It’s a real culinary injustice in my book. Enter: KFC cheese curds.

KFC Just Added Cheese Curds to Its Menu

In a new collab with The Bear star and chef Matty Matheson, KFC has changed the fast-food cheese curd game. As part of the chain’s new $5 bowl lineup, it is now offering fried cheese curds both as a side as well as atop a new, poutine-inspired dish called Matty’s Cheesy Nuggy Gravy Bowl.

How do the KFC cheese curds taste?

Of course, I had to get a taste of the new KFC cheese curds for myself. When I opened the box, I was immediately surprised to see that the curds were of varying sizes, not unlike what you’d find from an appetizer at a more upscale restaurant. Once I bit into one, I was also surprised by how crunchy the curds’ breading was and how fresh the milky, mild cheese tasted—a perfect companion to some ranch dipping sauce. I may have even heard a slight squeak when I bit into one of them, which is a sign of freshness.

On the downside, the portion size was quite small, but considering the $4.31 price tag I paid, I can’t complain too much. The cheese curds tasted fantastic. I’d definitely order them again.

Next, I tried the curds as a part of the poutine-esque Matty’s Cheesy Nuggy Gravy Bowl. The appearance of the bowl was a bit underwhelming when compared to its marketing photos. I thought the bowl could have gone a bit heavier with curds and gravy, though the taste was strangely addictive. It wasn’t as delectable as the cheese curds on their own, but still plenty tasty as an approximation of the French-Canadian favorite.

How long will KFC have cheese curds on the menu?

The chain did not indicate in its announcement of its latest offerings how long they’ll stick around for, but a special collab of this nature is often a limited-time menu item. If you want to get a taste of the KFC cheese curds yourself, you’ll probably want to head to one of their locations ASAP.

Related:

• Irresistible KFC Copycat Recipes
• Poutine Recipe
• This Is Jeremy Allen White’s Go-To Breakfast

The post KFC Just Dropped Cheese Curds, and My Midwestern Heart Couldn’t Be Happier appeared first on Taste of Home.

That said, the hot drink market isn’t the only place we’re seeing these naturally perky ingredients popping up. With options like Little Saints drinks—formulated with adaptogens and functional mushrooms—folks can now swap their sugary canned mocktails and de-alcoholized wines with better-for-you beverages just in time for Dry January.

To see how well they hold up to other options, we tried several of the brand’s botanical offerings ahead of Dry January. Spoiler alert: we weren’t prepared to be this impressed!

We Tried It

Little Saints Drinks

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What are Little Saints spirits and cocktails?

Little Saints—which appeared on Shark Tank in 2024—is a brand built on the idea that alcohol doesn’t equal a good drink. These zero sugar, non-alcoholic cocktails and spirits use functional mushrooms and botanical extracts to simulate the experience of enjoying a craft cocktail, without the hangover.

While the drinks offer all the benefits of lion’s mane and reishi mushrooms, they also surprisingly lack any detectable mushroom flavor. The secret lies within a proprietary processing method that extracts the beta Glucans from the shrooms. The flavorless extract then goes into the drinks alongside other beneficial extracts. And as an added bonus, the drinks are also low in calories thanks to a monk fruit juice concentrate sweetener.

How We Tested Little Saints Drinks

Little Saints drinks come in two forms: ready-to-drink canned mocktails and nonalcoholic spirits meant for mixing. We secured several samples of both sipping options to best test the scope of flavors.

Canned Mocktails

Little Spirits’ catalogue offers an array of mocktails in familiar flavors, but with a botanical twist for added benefits. We tried a bundle including the negroni spritz, spicy margarita, pink grapefruit paloma and—my favorite—ginger mule. The brand also offers a few other options, including a mojito, espresso martini (complete with a dash of caffeine) and, of course, their spin on a classic old fashioned.

In terms of taste, I’m pretty impressed with Little Saints drinks. All the canned cocktails are sippable, distinct and flavorful without any filler ingredients, sugar or artificial sweeteners. The monk fruit brings a touch of sweetness while still keeping the calorie count low. Each ingredient feels intentional, and the botanicals and functional mushroom extracts give the drinks a natural taste that doesn’t lean too earthy.

Negroni Spritz

The first mocktail I tried was the Little Spirits’ negroni spritz, which boasts the bittersweet Italian aperitif flavor the cocktail is known for. This one also tasted the most like a traditional gin cocktail to me, thanks to the bitterness. In addition to botanicals and mushrooms, the drink also includes hints of bitter orange, gentian root, cinnamon, citrus rinds and lavender. Altogether, the flavors create a delightfully bitter bite with a touch of sweetness.

Grapefruit Paloma

The grapefruit paloma was also a winner, thanks to its hit of acidic grapefruit. Like the negroni, this option also contains citrus rinds and lavender for a slightly bitter aftertaste. However, the grapefruit and lime lend a touch of brightness that cut through it all—and it works so well. What I really love about these first two mocktails is the subtlety of flavors which harmonize together seamlessly.

Spicy Margarita

The spicy margarita flavor brings one word to mind: zippy! With dominant lime and jalapeño flavors, it’s definitely more adventurous than the others I tasted. My husband tried this first and noted that he didn’t detect much spice, but I disagree. While the drink definitely leans more lime-forward, the flavor opens with a slight kick that gives it a bit of an edge without veering too much into “spicy.”

Ginger Mule

As mentioned previously, this was my favorite of the canned cocktails I tried. I’m already well acquainted with ginger mules, so this little can had a lot to prove. To me, this was akin to a ginger mule seltzer in the best way.

It’s satisfying and bubbly, but without the saccharine sweetness found in most ginger cocktails. This is due to the use of ginger extracts rather than ginger beer, lending to a cleaner-feeling sipping experience. We also see familiar elements of lime, citrus rinds and lavender botanicals, which help balance the flavor.

Spirits

The bottled spirits come in three flavors: St. Ember, St. Juniper and St. Oak. My favorite aspect of the bottle spirits is that they add a dash of personality to my homemade mocktails, and they’re also pretty good on their own. The blend of botanicals and mushroom extracts mingle together to create distinctive flavors. In this way, they effectively fill the void left by alcohol.

They don’t contain any artificial alcohol flavors, either. Just mimicry via natural ingredients—something I personally appreciate. Each of the spirits presents the benefits of functional mushrooms in a way that also makes them feel just as special as an aged whiskey on a cocktail cart.

St. Oak

I’ll admit—I’ve never been much of a “whiskey on the rocks” person. But if whiskey tasted as delightful as St. Oak, maybe I would be! To me, this spirit is very sippable. There’s no burn like alcohol. It’s smokey, woody and complex without any fakeness or saccharine sweetness. I enjoyed it both over ice and mixed with ginger beer. Bonus: it smells genuinely delicious, almost like a gourmand scent with vanilla and caramel notes.

St. Juniper

Looking for something that veers more sharp and citrusy for a faux gin and tonic? St. Juniper is an energetic and personality-filled spirit boasting juniper, birch, cardamom, angelica root, coriander, fresh cucumber and citrus notes. Capsicum derived from peppers gives it a bit of a “burn,” but nothing off-putting. I’d call St. Juniper crisp, fresh, slightly spicy with bitter end notes.

St. Ember

Another option utilizing capsicum from peppers, St. Ember tastes like a close cousin of mezcal. It’s admittedly my least favorite, but I’m not a fan of Mezcal, which I find too smokey. That said, the “spiciness” of the cardamom balances well with the palo santo (what I’m assuming the woody hint is that I’m not partial to). If you like earthier flavors, this is a good addition to your NA bar cart.

This is also a spirit that gives back—1% of the proceeds from every bottle of St. Ember supports reforestation efforts.

Pros

• Canned cocktails are delicious and ready to drink
• No detectable “buzz” feeling
• No imitation “alcohol” flavor
• Clean, beneficial ingredients
• Zero sugar
• Low calorie

Cons

• Pricey at around $5/can for a 12-pack and $50/bottle
• Some flavors may be too bitter for some

Product Comparison: Little Saints vs. Brez

Both Little Saints drinks and Brez beverages offer adaptogen-addled sips aided by functional mushrooms. At a near-identical price point, the biggest difference between the brands are the available flavors. While Little Saints aims to mimic well-loved cocktails, Brez offers three flavors that are more akin to fruity tonics: lemon elderflower, strawberry mango and cherry chamomile.

Additionally, Brez offers CBD and THC-infused drinks and spirits for a detectable buzz whereas Little Spirits sticks to functional mushrooms and botanical benefits.

Final Verdict

Giving up alcohol, whether for personal or medical reasons, can be really difficult for some. I can’t say I noticed much in the way of “buzz” benefits while enjoying Little Saints drinks, aside from perhaps a slightly elevated mood thanks to the reishi.

However, Little Saints doesn’t purport to recreate the “high” of alcohol. Instead, the brand created drinks that have the same complex flavors as traditional spirits and cocktails. To me—and many sober-curious folks out there—that’s truly special. And if you get to enjoy an elevated feeling from the functional mushrooms, that’s just a bonus!

Where to Buy

Little Saints drinks are available both on the brand’s website and on Amazon. You can purchase the cans for around $60 for a 12-pack, or about $5 per can. The spirits are available at around $50 a bottle for just over 24 ounces. That said, you do enjoy discounts when you buy in bulk—and you’d definitely pay a comparable price for artisan alcoholic spirits!

We Tried It

Little Saints Drinks

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FAQ

Does Little Saints give you a buzz?

No, Little Saints drinks are not designed to give an artificial buzz. They include traces of alcohol, but not enough to detect. An alcohol content of less than 0.5% ABV makes them more similar to kombucha than a beer. They also contain no THC, so they’re great for the fully sober crowd.

Why Trust Us

As Taste of Home’s resident food and drink expert, I’m always trying the newest and most popular treats. While I’m not fully dedicated to the sober lifestyle, my husband has been alcohol-free for over a decade. As such, I’ve tried many of the most popular (and even a few under-the-radar) nonalcoholic drink options available. My tasting specialties include nonalcoholic beer and hop water (I come from a family of brewers, after all), but botanical-based drinks also please my practiced NA palate.

The post Mushroom Drinks Are Replacing Alcohol—And They Offer Tons of Benefits appeared first on Taste of Home.

But now, BK has dropped something immense: a brand-new Whopper that will have you wanting to visit on your lunch break, at dinner and maybe even again for a late-night snack.

What is the new Burger King Whopper?

It’s the Ultimate Steakhouse Whopper, and it was created by us. Continuing the successful “Whopper By You” series, the King has created the Ultimate Steakhouse Whopper from the creative input of all the Burger King lovers out there. It’s made with flame-grilled beef, golden onion rings, crispy bacon, mushrooms, melted Swiss cheese and creamy peppercorn aioli all stacked between two toasted sesame seed buns. It’s a thing of flavorful beauty.

What does the Ultimate Steakhouse Whopper taste like?

This Whopper is one hearty burger. The beef patty is tender and juicy. Combining the salty bacon with melted Swiss cheese and sauteed mushrooms amps up the smoky, umami flavors. I almost never opt for mushrooms on burgers, but they ended up being a top-tier texture addition. The peppercorn aioli added amazing moisture without becoming drippy.

If you’re a fan of the King’s famous onion rings, you’re in for a scrumptious surprise. Miniature onion rings blanket the top of this burger with a hefty crunch. A full bite of the fluffy bun, tender patty, crispy bacon, soft mushrooms and bite-sized onion rings made for a flavor experience I’ll surely go back for.

The only downside I might add is that this Whopper is a bit salty. Not enough to detract from the overall experience, but salty nonetheless.

How long will the Ultimate Steakhouse Whopper be available?

The Ultimate Steakhouse Burger is a limited-time offering at participating restaurants nationwide, so grab it before it leaves the King’s court.

Related:

• This Is the Best Fast-Food Burger in America, and I Had Never Even Heard of It
• 10 Recipes Our Editors Are Excited to Make in 2026
• I Tried Frank’s RedHot Spicy Gummy Bears, and They’re My New Go-To Candy

The post I Tried Burger King’s Brand-New Whopper, and It’s a Savory Masterpiece appeared first on Taste of Home.

The Gut Health Takeover

The last time I was at the grocery store, I spent some time staring at a shelf of juices, teas and waters that all had the word “prebiotic” printed somewhere on the label. It’s no secret that many beverages have followed the viral success of prebiotic sodas like Olipop and Poppi. Even Pepsi is releasing a prebiotic version of its flagship soda in early 2026. I would bet good money that Coca-Cola will be following suit.

This intense and seemingly sudden obsession with gut health stems from a few places. First, the wellness world is its own machine, which cycles through trends that are similar to and often overlapping with food trends. Second, early-onset colon cancer is on the rise. According to the Mayo Clinic, over the past 20 years, colon cancer diagnoses in people under 50 have risen from between 5% and 7% to 10%. It’s a small but significant jump, and while there are many factors that contribute to cancer, gut microbiome health has been linked to colon cancer specifically.

Gut health taking center stage is, I’d argue, ultimately a good thing. However, in 2026 I would be more wary of unfounded health claims. With the popularity of “prebiotic” and “probiotic” foods skyrocketing, these words have become marketing tools. Prebiotic sodas are not a magic bullet for gut health, but they are fun treats. I’m partial to Olipop root beer, and like to keep a few cans stashed in my fridge.

Eating a variety of fruits and vegetables and getting plenty of both soluble and insoluble fiber doesn’t fit as neatly onto a food label, but it is the best way to maintain gut health and microbiome diversity. As always, if you have questions about your health, you should talk to a medical professional.

Nostalgia Is Forever

When I ate Burger King’s SpongeBob Menu, I felt like a kid again. Maybe it was because I went to Burger King with my mom, or maybe it was being surrounded by all that SpongeBob-themed food and drink. Either way, I knew that what I was feeling wasn’t an accident. It was a calculation made by a brand—and it worked.

The rise of social media and the rise of nostalgia are inextricably linked. Remember #ThrowbackThursday? It was not so much a suggestion, but a rule for posting on Instagram. Now that everyone can easily share photos of their food, it makes sense that the collabs that break through the noise are the ones that evoke nostalgia. Pillsbury released its Doughboy Cookie Jar from the vault, Lenox reissued the viral Spice Village, and Stranger Things is taking everyone back to the 80s with Surfer Boy Pizza and Chips Ahoy cookies in retro packaging. And of course, who could forget the iconic Taco Bell Decades Menu?

In 2026, I predict that there will be even more of these blasts from the past. The NBA is celebrating its 80th anniversary, gummy bear giant Haribo is turning 100, and it’s been 25 years since the Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings film franchises hit theaters. Any time a brand or specific IP hits a milestone anniversary, you can almost guarantee that it’ll be made as special as possible. And lately that means exclusive merch, limited-edition food items and restaurant collaborations.

Two Words: Cold Foam

When Starbucks introduced cold foam back in 2018, it was more of a menu novelty than a staple. But the rise in popularity of cold and iced drinks has put cold foam on the map like never before. Copycat and dupe recipes started springing up online, and now it’s even available for purchase at grocery stores nationwide.

This fall, International Delight dropped a pumpkin spice cold foam, which was one of the only things my parents and I truly loved from our massive pumpkin spice food ranking. Paris Hilton recently collaborated with International Delight to create a cotton candy cold foam, and I’m sure that we’ll continue to see more collabs like this in 2026.

What I think is so striking about cold foam is that it’s the first coffee add-on made exclusively for iced coffee. I mean, sure, no one is stopping you from adding it to the top of your lattes, but it’s not quite the point. More shops have shifted to offer cold, non-soda drinks—first bubble tea, now cold brew topped with cold foam. I’m excited to see cold foam expand to more cafe menus and grocery stores in 2026.

The Alcohol Spectrum

There has been a huge shift in alcohol consumption over the past few years. Even outside of cultural moments of sobriety, like Dry January, studies show that younger generations are drinking less than previous ones. There’s also been a new vanguard of nonalcoholic beers, spirits and canned mocktails hitting shelves. Not only have legacy beer brands like Guinness and Stella Artois been adding zero-proof beers to their repertoire, but celebrities have been launching brands too.

Spider-Man himself, Tom Holland, has been vocal about his own journey to sobriety. “I don’t think I realized how big a problem I had when it comes to alcohol until I gave it up,” he said in an interview with Food & Wine. F1 driver Lewis Hamilton also entered the nonalcoholic market with his line of agave spirits, Almave. Whenever a celebrities throws their name (and money) behind something, that’s a clear sign that they believe it is a profitable endeavor.

So if abstaining from alcohol is at one end of the 2026 trend watch, then what’s at the other end? That would be obscure, vintage and creative cocktails. When a wedding I attended featured the Sazerac as its signature cocktail, I knew we were headed towards a funky revival. Anecdotally, I have seen an increase in cocktail bars popping up around me, all of which promise craft, small-batch preparation using quality ingredients.

The fact that McCormick named black currant its flavor of the year for 2026 also supports this theory. Crème de cassis is a black currant liqueur that gives Kir its signature ruby hue. Making pretty cocktails to share on social media (rather than downing a few beers) is going to continue to gain popularity next year.

A Cookbook for Every Celebrity

I’m calling it now: More celebrities are going to enter the cooking space in 2026. Why? Well, food is a relatively stable space to work in, since everyone has to eat every single day. Anything that supports the act of cooking and eating—this website included!—can be a continued source of inspiration for home cooks.

Celebrities need exposure to remain relevant. The window of time to promote a TV show, film, album or concert is relatively small, but cooking is evergreen. Food projects can put the spotlight on celebrities by way of interviews and access between other projects. Selena Gomez, Reese Witherspoon, Florence Pugh, Jennifer Garner, Meghan Markle, Matthew McConaughey, Stanley Tucci and more have all embraced their culinary roots over the last few years. Saoirse Ronan took a cooking class, Ashley Tisdale partnered with Bush’s (the baked beans company) and Antoni Porowski is leading celebs through their culinary family histories on No Taste Like Home.

Personally? I’d love to see a cookbook from Venus and Serena Williams’s mom. She is famously rumored to be a fantastic cook!

Would you drink 3D printed milk?

I know, this sounds like something out of a science fiction novel. But printed milk is actually already here. Milkadamia debuted their “Oat Milk Slices” this year. The concept is simple: Blend one sheet of oat milk with 8 ounces of water and voila! You have 8 ounces of oat milk. The slices are shelf stable, and you can make as many or as few as you need for whatever recipe you’re making.

At first glance, this sounded bizarre. But I was able to try a sample, and it completely blew my mind. My issue with opening any kind of milk is using it up before it spoils, which can be difficult since I live alone. So I made one slice’s worth of oat milk for a latte, and used the rest for my oatmeal. There was nothing leftover, nothing to spoil and nothing to throw away. And I still have 19 slices left to use whenever I need them; they’re sitting in a Ziploc bag in my pantry.

Milkadamia is planning to sell almond and soy slices in 2026 as well. So I guess it begs the question: Would you drink 3D-printed milk? I never thought I would, but now I’m a convert. Now I’d like to see what other foods can be converted into shelf-stable pantry staples.

The Vegetable of the Year

Step aside, cauliflower; there’s a new cruciferous king in town. It’s cabbage! Yes, the battle for supremacy was hard won, but it seems inevitable that cauliflower would eventually yield to a newcomer. From Pinterest: “The motto for 2026? Live, laugh, leaf. In the year ahead, Boomers and Gen X will say goodbye to their cauliflower obsession and crown cabbage the new kitchen MVP. Think blistered-edge ‘steaks,’ kimchi cocktails and even crispier taco wraps. It’s crunch time, baby.”

Pinterest users were searching for cabbage recipes with a lot more zeal this year. This is how much they jumped in search volume from 2024 to 2025: sauteed bok choy (+35%); cabbage dumplings (+110%); golombki soup (+95%); cabbage Alfredo (+45%); and fermented cabbage (+35%). My Polish ancestors would be very proud to see just how popular golombkis have become!

The Flavor of the Year

Both dark sweet cherry and black currant have been named flavors of the year. So we’re about to have a very berry 2026 indeed!

These red berries are sweet but maintain a good tang, so they’re very versatile ingredients. They can be paired with sweet or savory meals, and they add a nice hit of acidity. If you’re looking to make a “Meal of the Year” for 2026, then might I suggest some braised cabbage with a black currant sauce?

A Note on Dubai Chocolate

If anything took over 2025, then it was Dubai chocolate. The treat first went viral on TikTok in December 2023, and has since dominated pantries and social media feeds. In 2024 and 2025, we started to see legacy brands embrace the flavor combination. At Taste of Home, we created our Dubai chocolate cake and Dubai chocolate cheesecake bars recipes, which have been hugely popular with readers.

Now, every brand from Trader Joe’s to Ghirardelli is selling a Dubai chocolate bar. It’s been fascinating to watch a food trend go viral online and influence the flavors of legacy brands. I think that we are going to see more of this bottom-up trend setting in the future. And this is where I make my biggest 2026 food trend prediction yet: I believe we will get Dubai chocolate Oreos in 2026.

The post Food Trends 2026: Here’s What Everyone Will Be Eating This Year appeared first on Taste of Home.

All-Clad Stainless Steel Cookware

Ina has long praised All-Clad cookware for its reliability, and it shows up again and again in her cooking. These are the pans you reach for without thinking. They’re steady for sauces, fearless under high heat, and built to endure years of daily use. They embody Ina’s belief that good tools should work with the cook to make cooking feel steady and assured.

Bread Baking

Le Creuset Dutch Oven

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Dutch Oven

Few things feel more “Ina” than a Dutch oven gently bubbling away on the stove. Especially one from Le Creuset, which makes enameled cast iron that has long been considered a gold standard in kitchens around the world. This one carries soups, stews, braises and slow Sunday roasts with equal grace. It’s the vessel for comfort food in its truest form, the kind that simmers patiently while the house fills with delicious smells.

All-Purpose Cooking

Lodge Cast Iron Skillet

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Lodge Cast-Iron Skillets

Classic cast-iron skillets, like these from Lodge, are Ina’s choice for decisive cooking: a good sear, steady heat and dishes finished in the oven without hesitation. They move smoothly from stovetop to broiler to tabletop, and only improve with time. In many ways, a great cast iron skillet mirrors Ina’s own cooking style: classic, unfussy and deeply dependable.

Cooking Essentials

Half Sheet Pans

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Half Sheet Pans

If there’s an unsung hero of Ina’s kitchen, it might just be the humble half sheet pan. Vegetables roast here, cookies bake here, and entire dinners take shape in a single layer. It’s where weeknight efficiency meets the kind of generous, unfussy cooking Ina is famous for.

On Sale

Lowest Price in 30 daysKitchen Workhorse

Large Stockpot

442.5040% OFF$265.50 at Katom

Large Stockpot

This is the pot to use when you’re cooking for tonight, for tomorrow and for the freezer, too. A stockpot shows up for everything, whether it’s stocks, soups or big batches of pasta for a crowd. It’s a piece of cookware that assumes generosity.

Baking Essentials

White Baking Dishes

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White Baking Dishes

Ina’s food usually arrives at the table with beautiful simplicity, and these baking dishes follow suit. They can handle bubbling gratins, baked pastas, fruit crisps and cozy casseroles without drawing attention from what matters: the food itself.

Prep Work Staples

Box Grater

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Box Grater

This is one of those subtly essential tools that never strays far from the counter. From grated cheese for pasta to curls of chocolate for dessert, a box grater does the steady, unglamorous work and does it well. It’s a reminder that even Ina’s kitchen depends on the most basic, well-made tools to keep things moving.

Prep Work Staples

Stainless Steel Mixing Bowls

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Stainless Steel Mixing Bowls

These are the bowls that live on the counter when the real cooking is taking place—when there’s diced onion on the cutting board, a dish towel slung over your shoulder, and a sink that’s already filling up with dirty dishes. These bowls are lightweight, resilient and always ready when the next step in the recipe happens faster than expected.

Prep Work Staples

Microplane Zester

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Microplane Zester

Often cited as one of Ina’s favorite kitchen tools, this little powerhouse proves itself immediately. A good rasp grater handles citrus zest, hard cheeses, garlic, ginger and spices with precision and ease, letting you add the kinds of finishing touches Ina’s recipes rely on. It’s small, efficient and constantly in Ina’s rotation.

Prep Work Staples

Vegetable Peeler

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Vegetable Peeler

A good peeler is quietly indispensable, and keeps prep moving without interruption. Whether you’re peeling potatoes, carrots, or apples for a tart, it’s the first step in countless recipes, and one you only notice when the tool isn’t right. Ina prefers this affordable vegetable peeler to keep the rhythm of her cooking intact.

Kitchen Workhorse

KitchenAid Stand Mixer

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KitchenAid Stand Mixer

A KitchenAid stand mixer is the muscle behind many of Ina’s most beloved baked goods, from afternoon cakes to holiday breads. It kneads, whips, blends and folds so you can focus on the rest of the meal. It’s fast and steady, and offers the luxury of letting a trusted machine do one job very well.

Kitchen Essentials

White Dish Towels

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White Dish Towels

Few items move through Ina’s kitchen as constantly as a stack of crisp white dish towels. They can be used to dry produce, line baskets of bread, cradle hot pan handles and wipe down counters between steps. Utterly unpretentious and endlessly useful, they’re a hardworking staple every cook relies on—often more than they realize.

Baking Essentials

Parchment Paper

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Parchment Paper

Parchment is one of those modern kitchen essentials Ina relies on for easier baking and roasting. It prevents sticking, simplifies cleanup and helps cookies and vegetables cook more evenly on the pan. Once it becomes part of your routine, it’s hard to imagine working without it.

Kitchen Essentials

GelPro Mats

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Anti-Fatigue Kitchen Mat

Cooking, when done properly, takes time. Ina prefers these GelPro mats underfoot to cushion her hours spent chopping, stirring, tasting and cleaning. It’s a small kindness to the cook—especially on the long, slow days that unfold into memorable dinners.

On Sale

Lowest Price in 30 daysPrep Work Staples

Cuisinart Food Processor

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Food Processor

When time is short but the prep still needs to be done right, this food processor does the heavy lifting so you can stay focused on the rhythm of the meal. It’s efficiency that feels very Ina—practical, confident and never rushed.

The post 15 of Ina Garten’s Favorite Kitchen Essentials appeared first on Taste of Home.

Swedish Cardamom Buns

I’m most looking forward to making Swedish cardamom buns in the new year. I’m an avid sourdough bread baker, but I’ve never made these. Between the pretty twist and the floral hit of cardamom, I find them irresistible, and it will be nice not to have to head to my favorite bakery in NYC when a craving strikes. The step-by-step instructions and photos made the process look so straightforward! –Melissa Gaman, editor

If this sounds good, you may also like: Chocolate-Hazelnut Babka Buns | Cranberry-Pistachio Sticky Buns | Morning Buns

Karpatka Cake

I’m excited to make karpatka cake, a Polish dessert that combines two of my favorite things: choux pastry and a vanilla pastry cream. It’s like a cream puff in cake form! While I remember watching my mom make choux pastry for cream puffs and profiteroles when I was a kid, it’s something I haven’t tried yet myself. I know it can be tricky (if you watch The Great British Baking Show, you know), but I’m up for a challenge in the new year. There are only a few ingredients needed for this dessert, but you do need to master a few techniques. This recipe looks like the prefect weekend project. Plus, it was approved by my dog walker, who happens to be from Poland! –Lesley Balla, editor

If this sounds good, you may also like: Pistachio Pudding Cake | Caramel Apple Cake | Hazelnut Pear Cake

Sheet-Pan Gnocchi with Sausage and Peppers

Lesley Balla’s sheet-pan gnocchi with sausage and peppers has been getting rave reviews—and I’ve been getting FOMO. It’s a quick recipe that I can make on a work night when time is tight. -Ellie Martin Cliffe, content director

If this sounds good, you may also like: Gnocchi with Chicken Sausage | Zucchini Sausage Casserole | Ricotta Gnocchi with Spinach & Gorgonzola

Matcha Tiramisu

Hot take: I prefer baking in the spring more than in any other season. The best spring desserts have a pretty pastel hue and a refreshing flavor—a welcome respite after winter’s heavy, rich bakes. That’s why I’m looking forward to making our matcha tiramisu come springtime. It’s a lighter dessert that has the pleasant earthy green tea flavor I love from matcha. I love decorating my spring bakes with edible flowers, so this one will get a few sprigs of chamomile. -Val Goodrich, food writer

If this sounds good, you may also like: Earl Grey Tiramisu | Hot Chocolate Tiramisu | Matcha Chia Pudding

French Onion Gnocchi Soup

When January rolls around, I’m making comforting soups weekly. I’ll eat anything with gnocchi in it, so French onion gnocchi soup sounds like the best way to change up my normal soup rotation. Plus, I’m always looking for an excuse to pull out my mini cocottes from Le Creuset. –Rosie Siefert, senior editor

If this sounds good, you may also like: Chicken Gnocchi Soup | French Onion Chicken Casserole | Gnocchi with Mushrooms and Onion

Air-Fryer Chicken Parmesan

My kids gave me an air fryer for my birthday, so I’m excited to try our air-fryer chicken parmesan. I’m new to air-frying, but this recipe has great reviews from our Community Cooks. Plus, I love a good chicken Parm recipe! –Julie Schnittka, deputy editor

If this sounds good, you may also like: Air-Fryer Nashville Hot Chicken | Air-Fryer Mac and Cheese | Air-Fryer Chicken Cordon Bleu

Sweet Potato Chowder

The recipe that I’m most looking forward to making in 2026 is sweet potato chowder. I love the idea of putting a twist on a traditional recipe, and in this case we use sweet potatoes instead of regular potatoes to make a starchy, flavorful chowder. On top of that, the combination of smoked paprika (my favorite spice), thyme and sage, salty pancetta, leafy kale and crunchy green pepitas is sure to warm me up this winter—in the most flavorful way possible. –Lauren Pahmeier, editor

If this sounds good, you may also like: Sweet Potato Chicken Stew | Kielbasa Potato Chowder | Sweet Potato Sausage Casserole

Creme Brulee Cheesecake

I love cheesecake, I love creme brulee, and I just bought a kitchen torch, so I can’t wait to make our creme brulee cheesecake next year! –Emily Parulski, senior editor

If this sounds good, you may also like: Creme Brulee Cake | Lemony White Chocolate Cheesecake | Chocolate Creme Brulee

Beef Wellington

Whenever I see this on a menu, I have to order it. It’s so hearty and flavorful—I love the combination of beef, mushrooms and pastry in the winter. But I have been too intimidated to try making it at home. That’s why I’m excited to finally tackle our beef Wellington recipe, which takes away some of the stress by wrapping individual servings in store-bought puff pastry. -Hayley Schueneman, editor

If this sounds good, you may also like: Air-Fryer Ground Beef Wellington | Buffalo Chicken Meat Loaf | Chicken Wellington

Sheet-Pan Chicken Pot Pie

We have so many fun new recipes, it’s hard to choose one! I’m looking forward to making classic dishes—ones with a twist that makes them feel brand new. Dishes like sweet potato chowder, Indian-style butter gnocchi and sheet-pan chicken potpie are all high on my list. –Lindsay Mattison, senior editor

If this sounds good, you may also like: Honey Mustard Chicken | Chicken Potpie Casserole | Sheet-Pan Pork Supper

The post 10 Recipes Our Editors Are Excited to Make in 2026 appeared first on Taste of Home.