How to Make (Better) Breakfast Sandwiches

By David Hu
A new video for Video Friday

I find weekday breakfast to be the trickiest of all meals. I always go through this little calculation in my head: Is a good breakfast ≥ loss of sleep to prepare said breakfast?

Usually the answer is a resounding “no,” so a well-stocked pantry of breakfast cereals is a must. However, there are some very simple breakfasts that are quick to fix that won’t dramatically cut into your morning sleep. One of the easiest is the breakfast sandwich.

You can buy these sandwiches at any fast food chain, but by the time you order and get yours, you could have made one yourself. The added benefit to making your own is that you can control the quality of the ingredients or try variations on the basic recipe and “have it your way,” as they say.

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Celebrate Asparagus Season with Soup

By Jennifer Knapp
A new video for Video Friday

I have been watching and waiting since the end of February for the first California asparagus to show up at market. Sure, you can find asparagus that's been grown in Mexico any time of the year.

However, I am a San Francisco Bay Area transplant from New England who no longer observes the passing of the years based on fall foliage, the first snowstorm, spring daffodils and humid summer beach days. Instead, I simply enjoy the subtle changes in weather and temperature that allow a year-round growing climate, and I mark the seasons in my kitchen as new fruits and vegetables arrive at the market.

Not only is it better for the environment when you can buy produce that has been grown locally and in season, the flavor can't compare with that which has been shipped thousands of miles.

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Scallion Pancakes for Chinese New Year

By Sandy Hu
A new video for Video Friday

Chinese New Year falls on Sunday, February 10, as we usher in the year of the snake. Despite our Chinese surname, our family doesn’t have a tradition of celebrating this important Chinese holiday. But we might cook up a few Chinese dishes, just to feel connected.

It you’re putting together a New Year menu in celebration, try this Scallion Pancake recipe from Andrew Hunter, for starters. He shows busy families how to shortcut the prep time by using flour tortillas instead of making the pancakes from scratch.

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From the Kitchen to the Christmas Tree

By Sandy Hu
A new video for Video Friday

Each year, we buy a little tree for our Special Fork office. We decorate, keeping to a kitchen theme, using a few purchased ornaments, such as a garland of “candy,” blown glass fruits, fabric ice cream cones and other food-related decorations. Then we fill in by improvising with what’s available in the Special Fork kitchen.

The ornaments we’re making today would look wonderful on a kitchen Christmas tree, or would be perfect for anyone just starting a household who hasn’t yet collected enough baubles.

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An Easy Dip for Snacks or Sandwiches

By Sandy Hu

You can never have too many dip recipes. Dips are easy to make and they’re a lifesaver when you have unexpected company.

I love dips as part of a cocktail buffet. They fill up the spaces between the more complicated appetizers and make your table seem more bountiful.

This White Bean Dip with Pistachio and Cilantro has bright, fresh-tasting flavors. It uses cilantro and coriander seeds, which are the fresh leaves and the seeds of the same plant. If you don’t like that taste, substitute fresh mint and skip the coriander seeds.

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