Kitchen Tips & How-Tos

Many of us were taught to let leftovers cool on the stove first. Here’s what food-safety experts say today, and the one trick for a big pot of soup.

A frozen turkey needs a lot more time in the fridge than most of us think. Here’s the simple rule, a chart by size, and what to do if you started too late.

Grandma’s butter dish sat on the table every day of her life. Is soft butter on the counter safe, and for how long? Here’s what to know.

Every year we packed the car and drove four hours each way. This year I said I was staying home. Here’s how the family took it, and the fair plan we came up with.

The game was always on and nobody was really talking. One Sunday I asked for an hour with the TV off. Here’s how it went, and the small rules that made it stick.

For twenty years I made her stuffing recipe at my own table. This Thanksgiving I made mine. Here’s how I told her, and how we ended up with two pans and no hard feelings.

Every visit home meant a duffel bag of dirty clothes left by my washer. This time I showed him where the detergent was. Here’s what happened, and why it was good for both of us.

Buying for every adult in a growing family had become stressful and expensive. This year I suggested gifts for the children only. Here’s how the family took it, and what we do instead.

Many of us grew up rinsing chicken before cooking. Food-safety experts now say don’t. Here’s why, and what to do if your chicken seems slimy.

Some cooks rinse browned ground beef with hot water to wash away fat. Others say it ruins the flavor and clogs the sink. Here’s what rinsing really does, and the better way to cut grease.