ArcaMax

This classic of Vietnamese home cooking derives its flavors primarily from the combination of fish sauce and a burnt caramel syrup called nu’o´’c màu. We made a small batch of the syrup by cooking sugar in oil until the sugar bubbled and darkened to the color of soy sauce.

We stopped the cooking by adding the aromatics — ginger, shallot...Read more

This simple, yet flavorful, chicken cabbage soup is perfect for enjoying on a cold day. Sherry vinegar adds a touch of brightness and pairs well with the medley of vegetables. Serve with crusty bread.

One-Pot Chicken & Cabbage Soup

Serves 4

Active Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 cup chopped ...Read more

Coffee has gone from a morning wake up or a drink to have with dessert to a dessert itself. On its own, coffee has about five calories per serving, as well as no fat or sugar. But between sugary, flavored syrups, whipped cream, sweetened foams and other toppings, some coffee drinks are nutritionally comparable to a candy bar.

Enjoying a sweet ...Read more

As a professional cook, I often try to come up with different versions of traditional dishes. Take chili, for example. I have prepared all kinds of meat chilis along with bean and poultry chilis, and sometimes I want the simple, clean taste of this unembellished, yet very tasty vegetarian chili.

When it’s cold outside and you want something ...Read more

Every January I vow to be someplace other than Chicago, but I often find myself stuck at home. Oh well! The house will warm nicely with an oven full of the flavors so beloved in the Yucatan: fresh lime, habanero and achiote.

Achiote seasons the region’s most famous dish, cochinita pibil, pork braised in citrus and achiote. Cooks there also ...Read more

Bibingka is a traditional Filipino cake made with rice flour, coconut milk, eggs and sugar. Similar to ...Read more

Unless you’re feeding a crowd — or have a very hungry family — when you make lasagna, there’s a good chance you’ll have leftovers. Most lasagna recipes are baked in a 9-...Read more

As a youngster, I attended a Catholic grade school. In those days we gathered for morning Mass every day. When I was in second grade I was allowed to receive Communion, but that meant I had to fast for 3 hours in advance. So no breakfast at home for me before I hopped on the bus. Instead, I took my breakfast to school with me. Just like ...Read more

MINNEAPOLIS -- Isabella Carlson’s potato rolls are the stuff of legend.

Each holiday season, her four children and 12 grandchildren savor the fluffy rolls, which bake together in a pan and come out the size of baseballs. Hot from the oven. Slathered in butter. Tasting them now, “it’s like you’re coming home,” said Kim Hedlund, of ...Read more

I love Cheetos.

All kinds, all shapes and sizes. But when I learned Cheetos has a Simply line of baked snacks with no artificial flavors, color or preservatives, I was truly in love. Add to that the fact that these taste amazing. The white cheddar flavor is similar to the traditional Cheetos puffs, but it's a bit more mild and less artificial ...Read more

I was looking for a perfect antidote to a wintry evening. A comforting bowl of winter squash soup paired with golden cheddar cheese toasts is the perfect answer. The soup, made from butternut squash, boasts a velvety texture and a sweet, earthy depth spiced with curry, cinnamon and cumin. Beside it, crisp slices of bread with warm melted, tangy ...Read more

PHILADELPHIA — In early December, when Chance Anies, 33, the chef and owner of Tabachoy in Bella Vista, went shopping at Hung Vuong Market on Washington Avenue for bagoong, the Filipino shrimp paste, he noticed an alarming absence. He went to First Oriental, then other Asian markets in Philly, and then to several Asian pantry wholesalers. No ...Read more