Here's a peek inside my own dinner party journal, where I keep track of what meals I've served, and when, and with what and for whom. A year of real-life dinner parties!

• 18 Dinner Party Menus
  The Kitchn

Chickens are the Western world's most ubiquitous dinner entreé — how did they achieve such sweeping cultural and culinary dominance? That is the subject of an article (and a wacked-out slideshow!) in this month's Smithsonian magazine.

• The Conquering Chicken
  The Kitchn

Melody is an architect and an avid home cook, so she and her husband put a lot of energy into the cooking and dining spaces of their Portland home. The resulting kitchen is open, airy and perfect for hanging out with guests.

• Melody's Kitchen Tour
  The Kitchn

Here's how to pick a wok and season it for the first time. Also, stir-fry expert Grace Young shows us how to give an adolescent wok a "facial" to keep it looking good until its true patina develops.

• How To Buy a Wok
  The Kitchn

One-ingredient banana ice cream -- it's kind of magic, isn't it? Have you ever tried it? If you have, but would like to switch it up a bit, then here are five twists on the classic, from Nutella to strawberry to dark cocoa — just to sweeten the deal.

• Magic Ice Cream, 5 Ways
  The Kitchn

It's the first day back from a long weekend. There are a pile of emails that need answering. Let us ease your workday transition with some adorable cats and kittens that require your attention.

• Kittens in the Kitchen
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Three years ago Hakarl and his partner Jili decided to raise twins with a lesbian couple, and the two couples formed a new family in one apartment building. This burgeoning family, according to Hakarl, necessitated a few kitchen tweaks.

• Hakarl and Jili Kitchen Tour
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Over the years we've reviewed 5 ice cream makers that each get the job done. We looked at the pros and cons, and an array of makers at different price points. Here's a look back at each one of these ice cream makers.

• 5 Ice Cream Makers
  The Kitchn

Rachel and Alex have created a true urban homestead. We throw around the terms DIY, homesteading and urban gardening so frequently — come see what this really looks like, for a real American family in an Ohio city.

• Rachel & Alex's Kitchen Tour
  The Kitchn

We recently shared six methods for making ice cream without an ice cream maker, but here is one more: Jeni Britton Bauer's very simple method for making creamy ice cream with the help of your food processor.

• Food Processor Ice Cream
  The Kitchn