How to Whip Cream

Clouds of fluffy whipped cream will dress up even the simplest of desserts, like a bowl of sliced summer strawberries. All you need is heavy cream, some sugar to sweeten it, and an electric mixer. If you don’t have an electric mixer, you can use a wire whisk and a strong whisking arm.

Colleen shows how easy it is to whip the cream, demonstrating the difference between softly whipped and stiffer whipped cream, and providing a few tips for prefect results. You can customize whipped cream by adding a flavor extract such as vanilla or almond, a liqueur or some citrus zest.

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Healthy Indulgence

By Marilyn Hunter

Ben and Nick live for sweets, especially strawberry milkshakes, but there's a fine line between enjoying an occasional treat and overindulging. After years of worrying about too much sugar, we’ve found a healthier alternative with most of the sweetness the boys crave coming from summer strawberries.

Our goal was to find a healthy indulgence…a dessert that didn’t leave us feeling guilty. We tried many different types of homemade smoothies, but they just didn’t compare to soda fountain shakes. This simple shake is so delicious, they don’t even miss the real deal.

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Beautiful Beans!

By Lori Powell

About 100 years ago, the string bean had a makeover and was newly uncloaked as a stringless wonder. A very good thing since it was considered laborious to de-string.

Since then, the humble bean has gone on to new heights of popularity. Farmers are growing unusual varieties with exotic names in abundance. I've highlighted three below (see photo) after buying them at the Union Square Greenmarket in New York City.

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Dinner from Leftover Pasta and Two Chicken Breasts

By Sandy Hu

The other day, I was wondering what to do with some angel hair pasta in the fridge. I hadn’t made enough pasta sauce for the leftover and besides, I wasn’t feeling like a hot and heavy meal.

So, I began to think of what I wanted to eat: cold noodles…an Asian flavor profile with citrus and soy sauce…crisp sliced cucumber…the bite of green onion. I wanted to keep everything light and refreshing.

I had a couple of boneless, skinless chicken breasts that needed cooking so I thought I could make one sauce, divide it up using some for the pasta and some for a marinade for the chicken. Then grill the chicken, slice it and fan it over the noodles. So far, so good!

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Couscous with Mint Pesto

By Jess Ziman

Pasta with pesto has always been one of my staple comfort foods but it can get a little repetitive when it’s your go-to meal.

To change it up, I like to substitute couscous for the pasta. Couscous is also a wheat grain but the texture and flavor are very different from pasta. While bland on its own, couscous absorbs flavors much better than pasta.

Couscous is also quicker cooking and requires no draining. You simply pour boiling water over the couscous, bring it to a simmer, turn off the heat and let it sit for 5 minutes.

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