Life

(Image credit: Apartment Therapy) Think cooking with less salt has to be bland? Think again! Yesterday we took a peek at Sodium Girl’s Limitless Low-Sodium Cookbook, and today we are sharing her most tried-and-true tips for taking low-sodium meals to the next level. • Low-Sodium Cooking The Kitchn

(Image credit: Apartment Therapy) Sue and her husband saved and planned for nine years before they were able to makeover their 1980’s kitchen. Check out the story and ‘After’ photos below: • Kitchen Before & After The Kitchn

(Image credit: Apartment Therapy) Lemon curd is one of those things that I always like to have in my refrigerator. It has saved me more than once when I’ve had to rustle up a last minute dessert or had an unexpected guest stop by at tea time. • How To Make Lemon Curd The

(Image credit: Apartment Therapy) Last week we asked you, our readers, to share the one kitchen item you’d recommend splurging on. If you’ve ever wondered what’s worth the money in the kitchen, read on… • The One Kitchen Item Worth Splurging On The Kitchn

(Image credit: Apartment Therapy) Being a good cook is also about the small habits you practice daily, the ones that transform cooking into a more effortless and joyful part of your day. These 8 simple habits are easy to pick up, yet make a major difference in your cooking. • Small Cooking Habits The

(Image credit: Apartment Therapy) The bones of a kitchen are the cabinets and their layout, and we knew from the get-go that we wanted to use IKEA’s cabinet system. Here are some things we learned along the way. • On Buying an IKEA Kitchen The Kitchn

(Image credit: Apartment Therapy) What are your recipe essentials? Here are ten more of the recipes we love so much we have them memorized. Do you? Or are there others you choose to know by heart? • 10 Recipes To Know By Heart The Kitchn

(Image credit: Apartment Therapy) While there is really no “One Right Way” to season or spice your favorite foods, here’s a quick guide to some of the most common — and dependably tasty! — ways to do it. • Common Spices for Common Dishes The Kitchn

(Image credit: Apartment Therapy) Lola Milholland is an avid home cook with an amazing range of culinary abilities. She cooks with tenacity and confidence! Join us for a tour of this giant, personality-filled kitchen. • Lola’s Homemade Orange Kitchen The Kitchn

I love the way our world is changing. Gone are the days where you were either a work-outside-the-home mom or a stay-at-home mom, when rare was the woman who didn’t fit into one of those categories exclusively. With the integration of technology and innovation into our work and home lives, there are so many possible combinations of working environments for moms (and dads!).

(Image credit: Apartment Therapy) Ah, lunch at your desk. Does your daily “break” involve quickly shoving down a sandwich while scanning Facebook and trying to ignore the ringing phone for at least 15 minutes? Here are five tips for making it a little nicer. • Better Lunch At Your Desk The Kitchn

(Image credit: Apartment Therapy) There’s no denying the convenience of an already-ground spice, but I’m here to make a case for why you should consider adding a few whole spices to your seasoning line-up. Four words: better flavor, fresher longer. Convinced?! • On Using Whole Spices The Kitchn

(Image credit: Apartment Therapy) Cooks can be very territorial creatures. This may make for a terrific meal at the end of the night, but it’s not so great for fostering a romantic, let’s-make-and-share-this-food-together vibe. So here are a few simple tips… • 5 Tips For a Date Night in the Kitchen The Kitchn

(Image credit: Apartment Therapy) In short, my feelings about Valentine’s Day are a lot like this popcorn: salty and a little bitter, but impossible to ignore. • Salted Dark Chocolate Popcorn The Kitchn

How in the world does one go about planning a kitchen renovation? How do you actually make decisions? Well, I don’t know how other people make these sorts of rather scary decisions — I can only tell you how we did. • Planning Out the Kitchen The Kitchn

Last week I explained the big renovation and kitchen project we took on last year, and I showed you lots of pretty pictures of kitchens that inspired me. But in renovation, before a kitchen gets better, it usually gets worse. Much, much worse. • Faith’s Kitchen Renovation The Kitchn

(Image credit: Apartment Therapy) Yesterday I showed you the first stages of my home renovation and kitchen plans. Today I am going to take a step back and show you some of the inspiration I had filed away for my someday-future-kitchen… • Faith’s Kitchen Inspiration The Kitchn

(Image credit: Apartment Therapy) In the process of dragging an old, problematic house into the 21st century, we lived through the very real clichés of remodeling. Over the next week or two I will show you how it all went and what it looks like now. Want to come along? • Faith’s Kitchen Renovation

(Image credit: Apartment Therapy) Just how many other uses can a French press handle? As it turns out, far more than I realized. • 5 More Uses For Your French Press The Kitchn

(Image credit: Apartment Therapy) The Kitchn is looking to hire a few bloggers to seek out, photograph, and write up a monthly Kitchen Tour for us. Think you’re the perfect person for the job? Get all the details here. Deadline to apply is Monday, February 18th! • The Kitchn Is Hiring The Kitchn

(Image credit: Apartment Therapy) Food, Maggie believes, whether eaten out or at home, is always more fun and festive when it’s shared with others. And with the kitchen commanding center stage in her home, it’s a gathering place for friends who share Maggie’s love of food. • Kitchen Tour The Kitchn

(Image credit: Apartment Therapy) I’m not sure whether it’s the beginning of tax season or the gray Pacific Northwest days we’ve been having lately, but many people I know have been a bit down. For the slog that February can feel like, I have a small solution: The Winter Warmer Cocktail. • The Midwinter Warmer

(Image credit: Apartment Therapy) We’ve talked before about the best way to store potatoes, onions, and other root vegetables. If you’ve got the space and wherewithal, it doesn’t get much better than these storage drawers. Deep baskets keep onions and potatoes separate – and neat! • Smart Drawer Storage The Kitchn

(Image credit: Apartment Therapy) Do you ever feel a little deflated when you walk into your kitchen? These 10 small changes are easy upgrades, but they’ll go a long way towards making you feel more organized and uplifted in your kitchen. • 10 Small Kitchen Changes The Kitchn

(Image credit: Apartment Therapy) Chicken breasts form the cornerstone of our weeknight meal repertoire, so much so that it’s easy to fall into a rut when cooking them. Here are ten recipes, ten different chicken dinners, ten ways to cook something you’ll love tonight. • Chicken Breasts for Dinner The Kitchn

(Image credit: Apartment Therapy) Open a bottle of vitamins or an electronics package and you’ll often encounter a little packet of silica gel. Printed warnings usually tell you to throw it away, but silica gel can actually be put to good reuse in the kitchen. • Reuse Silica Gel Packets The Kitchn

(Image credit: Apartment Therapy) If the thought of Heath Ceramics tile and lighting and hardware from Rejuvenation gets you all excited, then jump below to see the ‘After’ photos on this fantastic kitchen renovation: • Kitchen Before & After The Kitchn

(Image credit: Apartment Therapy) I don’t spend a lot of time pointing out so-called “food holidays” that celebrate specific foods, but I can make an exception for one of my favorite treats: the creamy combination of chocolate and hazelnut, more popularly known as Nutella. • 10 Nutella Recipes The Kitchn

(Image credit: Apartment Therapy) Black Thumb Gardener has a list of 17 plants that can be grown from kitchen scraps, including ginger, sweet potatoes, lemongrass, and even pineapple. • 17 Plants You Can Grow from Kitchen Scraps The Kitchn

(Image credit: Apartment Therapy) The Kitchn is looking for kitchen tours in the NYC area and Portland. We love kitchens with good stories — charming, edgy, inspiring, surprising — and we’re looking for kitchens of all shapes, colors, and sizes! Submit here. Deadline coming up! • Submit Your Kitchen To Us! The Kitchn

(Image credit: Apartment Therapy) You may be stuck inside all night speed-reading and cramming for Friday’s test, but that doesn’t mean you should go hungry. Not on my watch. • Late-Night Study Session Menu The Kitchn

(Image credit: Apartment Therapy) Last year I talked about wanting to organize all my bookmarked recipes, which over the years had gotten scattered across a number of different systems. I decided to give Paprika a try and was happy to discover it has all the features I’ve been looking for… • Paprika Recipe App

(Image credit: Apartment Therapy) Yesterday Emma told us that to cook like a pro, you should keep your salt in a covered container or salt pig. Here are 10 options to get your salt out of the shaker once and for all: • 10 Salt Containers The Kitchn

As we approach the final days of the January Cure, the celebratory get-together is looming larger in my mind. I enjoy hosting, but there are still usually stressors and worries involved, even when I’m hosting my dearest friends. As I prepare for the big night, I’m going to keep a few things in mind to eliminate that worry and to help me make the most of it.• Your guests will be as relaxed as you are.

We all have well-loved, chipped-up, and slightly shabby tools in our kitchens — the old wooden spoon, the bowl with a hairline crack that still holds fruit and looks beautiful. But there are times when it is right and good to let a tool go. • Getting Rid of Kitchen Tools The Kitchn

(Image credit: Apartment Therapy) There are a million and one ways to make chili. Whether you like your chili with ground meat or chuck roast, pinto beans or no beans at all, the basic method for making it is the same. Want to make a very good pot of chili? Here’s how. • How To

(Image credit: Apartment Therapy) Over the past week I’ve been talking about my brother’s wedding and how some friends and I cooked and catered a homey winter dinner for about 120 people. Well, today’s the final post — I’m going to show you how it all turned out! • Budget Wedding: The Dinner The

(Image credit: Apartment Therapy) Last weekend I took on the challenge of feeding dinner to 120 family and guests. I told you about the menu, and the plan, and today I’m going to describe just what it took to cook all that food. • Budget Wedding Meal: The Cooking The Kitchn

(Image credit: Apartment Therapy) Yesterday I shared the menu for the family wedding I’m catering this weekend. Now — how to get it all done? How do you safely cook, transport, warm up, and serve a meal to 120 people without going crazy? • Budget Wedding Meal: The Plan The Kitchn

(Image credit: Apartment Therapy) San Francisco-based interior designer Cristin Priest thought her breakfast nook could use some sprucing up, so she decided to give it a fresh, springy makeover… • Kitchen Nook Makeover The Kitchn

(Image credit: Apartment Therapy) You, your gang of best friends, and a snowy hillside near your house. Sledding and snacks come first, followed by a lazy dinner while coats and boots dry out next to the radiator. Here’s a menu for the day: • Menu For a Mid-Winter Sledding Party The Kitchn

(Image credit: Apartment Therapy) In the winter I often reach for a cup of cocoa in the evening. But those packets of store-bought hot chocolate are filled with sugar and hydrogenated oils and making your own is so very simple. Making your own healthier version? Just as easy. • Healthier Hot Chocolate The Kitchn

(Image credit: Apartment Therapy) We love the sweet-sour taste of pineapple. You can buy pre-cut pineapple from the store, but it’s fresher and more economical to buy a whole one and cut it yourself. Here’s the way we do it. • How To Cut Up a Whole Pineapple The Kitchn

(Image credit: Apartment Therapy) Pre-made kale chips can be really expensive, and the quality isn’t always that high. Besides, it’s really easy to make your own, so we thought we would revisit our old kale chip recipe with a complete step-by-step guide and some new tips we’ve learned. • How To Make Kale Chips

(Image credit: Apartment Therapy) Salt to taste. Such a simple and innocent instruction. We’ve all read those words a million times over the years without thinking anything of it. Ever wonder what it really means? • What It Means to “Salt to Taste” The Kitchn

(Image credit: Apartment Therapy) Last week we asked you to share your favorite post-workout snacks, smoothies, or pick-me-ups. You offered your favorites, and we pooled the top 5 most popular recommendations. Check ’em out below: • What To Eat After a Workout The Kitchn

(Image credit: Apartment Therapy) I started my parenting journey like a lot of mothers do: with joy, optimism, and mounds of unrealistic expectations. But after noticing that my child’s diet had been reduced to a stagnant combination of dairy and grains, I began to take a different approach. • In Defense of “Kid Food”

I recently mentioned that I’m catering my brother’s wedding, a homey winter meal for about 120 people. Here’s a look at what I’m planning, with a menu and the setup. • Budget Wedding Meal The Kitchn

(Image credit: Apartment Therapy) Fresh ginger is a staple in my kitchen. It is an extremely versatile ingredient that shows up in any course, from savory to sweet, be it main, beverage, dessert, or salad. Read on for my methods for peeling and mincing fresh ginger. • Handling Fresh Ginger The Kitchn

(Image credit: Apartment Therapy) We’re deep in it. Soup season, that is. And in my opinion, there’s not much more comforting than a steaming bowl of creamy tomato soup. But is there a way to achieve that blissful flavor without the heavy cream? • Non-Cream Tomato Soup The Kitchn

(Image credit: Apartment Therapy) My husband and I have lived in this rental kitchen in Portland, Oregon for over a year now, and while it isn’t a designer showcase space, it does have its quirks and charms. • Leela & Dave’s Imperfect Kitchen The Kitchn

(Image credit: Apartment Therapy) If you’ve avoided cooking beans at home because you’ve heard that they are troublesome, finicky, or complicated, it’s time to leave that behind. • How To Cook Beans on the Stove The Kitchn

(Image credit: Apartment Therapy) It’s an unfortunate winter truth that when the tender lettuces of spring seem farthest away, I begin to crave all things green. Here, just in time for the January blues, are 15 ways to eat the greens you crave. • 15 Ways to Eat Winter Greens The Kitchn

We thought it’d be helpful to find out what people like to eat post-workout. What snacks, smoothies, or pick-me-ups do you rely on to replenish your body after an intense cardio session? Share your ideas and suggestions! • Post-Workout Snacks? The Kitchn

(Image credit: Maureen Petrosky) Once a year, usually late December or early January, we receive a case of the sweetest pink grapefruits delivered to our doorstep. As with anything abundant in our culinary arsenal over to the bar they went. • Pink Paloma Cocktail The Kitchn

(Image credit: Apartment Therapy) Store-bought packages or movie theater boxed treats are so often laden with preservatives and ingredients you can’t pronounce, so why not start thinking about homemade versions of your favorites to do at home? • Movie Night Snacks The Kitchn

(Image credit: Apartment Therapy) The other night I cooked Viking Chicken for my mother, brother and daughter, and they all asked for more, so I think the recipe is worth passing on. • Maxwell’s Viking Chicken The Kitchn

(Image credit: Apartment Therapy) Lately, I’ve gotten into the habit of making my own corn chips, a process that has proved to be deeply satisfying on so many levels. Here’s a step-by-step guide to making these lighter, healthier chips at home. • How To Make Tortilla Chips The Kitchn

January is synonymous with new, new, new. It’s the time of the year when we aspire towards change and refreshing the old. But a change doesn’t have to be big or difficult to be effective. Follow me after the jump to see a few inexpensive ways to liven up your home…Bring the Outdoors In: Having flowers and plants indoors instantly cheers up a room. If you haven’t had any in a while, this just may be the time to start.

(Image credit: Apartment Therapy) What are the essential ingredients for a happy kitchen? In many ways, this is what every Weekend Meditation is about, but for this week I thought I would get a little more specific. Read on for my 10 suggestions and please offer your own in the comments! • Happier in the

(Image credit: Apartment Therapy) The other day I was peeling a clementine at my kitchen table when I was called away and distracted for several hours. When I returned and not one to waste anything, I popped a segment in my mouth and wow! What a delicious treat! • Clementines Trick The Kitchn

(Image credit: Elizabeth Passarella) Knives can be a tricky thing to buy because department store sets often include repeats of what you already own. I recently invested in two great knives and Santa left a third under the tree, so things are looking up… • 3 Knives to Covet This Year The Kitchn

(Image credit: Apartment Therapy) It’s a new year, and we’re all back to the races — school, work, the daily routine. Lunch has become important again, now that leisurely holiday brunches and Christmas cookies are behind us. So, what’s for lunch? Let us help you. • 15 Hearty Lunch Salads The Kitchn

(Image credit: Apartment Therapy) From how to get rid of fish odors to how to repel house flies, from how to remove red wine stains to how to care for a wood table, here are our best tips for a clean and tidy kitchen. • 15 Tips for a Tidy Kitchen The Kitchn

(Image credit: Apartment Therapy) The momentum of the new year has us inspired to do a clean sweep in the kitchen, and we’re breaking it down into steps that can be completed in 20 minutes or less per day for five days. • Clean Your Pantry in 20 Minutes a Day for 5 Days

(Image credit: Apartment Therapy) Brrr! A smoothie might be a healthy way to start the day, but on a chilly winter morning, it can also set your teeth chattering. That’s when we like to warm things up with a pinch of spice. • Warm Up Winter Smoothies The Kitchn

(Image credit: Apartment Therapy) 2012 was a wonderful year at The Kitchn, so here’s a look back at our readers’ stand-out favorites from the past year. Read on for the Big 10 — our top 10 most popular posts of 2012! • The Kitchn’s Top 10 Posts from 2012 The Kitchn

(Image credit: Apartment Therapy) This year we put out the call for great toffee suggestions and submissions from around the country and received ten amazing toffees to sample. After intense tasting in our offices over two days, everyone voted. • Best Toffee! The Kitchn

(Image credit: Apartment Therapy) Looking for some Champagne to buy for the holiday season? Do you need help to navigate the different brands on offer? Wherever your tastes fall, read on for our recommendations: • Champagnes Under $60 The Kitchn

(Image credit: Apartment Therapy) There are spicy cookies with candied orange slices, and molasses cookies with a sugary lemon glaze. Toffee chocolate chip bars and peanut butter-espresso blossoms — all in this list of our very own favorite recipes for this high season of holiday cookie baking. • 18 Cookie Recipes The Kitchn

(Image credit: Apartment Therapy) It’s easy to find a luxurious cooking gift when you have $100 to spend, but how about when you have $20? Here are 15 small, indulgent gifts sure to be appreciated by the cooks on your shopping list — and they’re all $30 and under. • Affordable, Indulgent Gifts The

(Image credit: Apartment Therapy) Gifts for new cooks should be practical, yet inspirational, something to not only outfit them for successful cooking, but also get them excited about doing it! Here are 10 ideas sure to inspire and delight. • Inspiring Gifts for New Cooks The Kitchn