Our how-tos & guides provide you with all the necessary information to step into your kitchen and start cooking, covering everything from essential techniques to the underlying reasoning behind our recipes.
Yes, you can microwave brie. Cut off the top rind, microwave on high in 15-30 second bursts, and it’ll come out soft, creamy, and ready to serve in under a minute. It’s a quick alternative to baking it in the oven, and if you’re careful not to overcook it, the taste holds up just as
Yes, and you should. Uncured hot dogs are fully cooked and ready to eat straight from the package, but the USDA still recommends reheating them until steaming hot to guard against Listeria, especially if you’re pregnant, older, or immunocompromised. I used to think “uncured” meant raw, like the hot dog still needed to be cooked
No, you shouldn’t microwave a Dunkin’ cup. Dunkin’s hot cups are paper with a thin plastic lining, and that lining starts to soften around 176°F, well within microwave range, which can weaken the cup and cause leaks or burns. Pour the coffee into a mug instead. If you’ve ever grabbed a Dunkin’ coffee, let it
No, Red Solo cups shouldn’t go in the microwave. They’re made of polystyrene, which wasn’t designed to handle microwave heat and will warp or melt well before your drink gets warm. Red Solo cups are great for parties, but that’s exactly where they should stay. This is what actually happens if you try to microwave
The white Chinet plates most people use for parties and potlucks aren’t actually plastic. They’re molded fiber made mostly from recycled paper, and Chinet markets that line as microwave-safe for short reheating. Chinet’s actual plastic plates, the Cut Crystal line, are a different product entirely, and those are not safe to microwave. I go through
Yes, you can freeze watercress. Blanch it briefly, dry it thoroughly, and pack it into airtight freezer bags, and it’ll keep for 8-12 months. Watercress, with its vibrant green leaves and peppery flavor, is a versatile and nutritious leafy green that can add a refreshing twist to salads, sandwiches, and soups. Like me, you might
![Wolf Microwave Not Heating [5 Possible Causes & Solutions]](https://cyanneeats.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/wolf-microwave-not-heating.webp "Wolf Microwave Not Heating [5 Possible Causes & Solutions] 7")
I’ve found that a Wolf microwave that runs but doesn’t heat almost always comes down to a failed magnetron, a bad diode or capacitor, a tripped thermal cut-out switch, or a control panel problem. Most of these are diagnosable at home, even if the actual repair is best left to a technician. I’ve replaced a
![Wolf Microwave Not Working [6 Causes & Solutions]](https://cyanneeats.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/wolf-microwave-not-working.webp "Wolf Microwave Not Working [6 Causes & Solutions] 8")
I’ve found that a Wolf microwave that won’t work is usually a power supply problem, a tripped circuit breaker, a faulty door interlock switch, a blown fuse, or a failed magnetron. The good news is most of these are easy to check yourself before you call in a technician. I’ve walked my own Wolf microwave
Smucker’s official guidance is not to microwave Uncrustables at all, since the filling can get scalding hot while the bread stays cold or tough. If you want one warm, thaw it at room temperature for 30 to 60 minutes instead. I’ll be honest, I used to microwave mine all the time without thinking twice about
You can freeze Bob Evans mashed potatoes, but I wouldn’t count on them tasting the same afterward. Freezing tends to make dairy-based mashed potatoes grainy and watery once thawed, and there’s no official freezing guidance from Bob Evans to fall back on. I froze a container once expecting the same creamy texture I started with,
Limeade and lemonade are both citrus-based drinks made from juice, water, and sweetener, but limeade is tangier and slightly bitter from lime zest, while lemonade is sweeter and brighter. Both are refreshing, tart, and great for quenching thirst on a hot day, but they land in noticeably different places on the sweet-to-tart spectrum. This article
You technically can freeze aioli, but I don’t recommend it. Aioli is an emulsion of egg yolk, oil, and garlic, and freezing breaks that emulsion, leaving it watery and separated once it thaws. I tried freezing a batch once to save it from going to waste, and it came out looking curdled and oily instead
Yes, raw pierogi dough freezes well for up to 3 months. Shape it into a disc, wrap it tightly, and thaw it overnight in the fridge before rolling it out. I make a big batch of dough whenever I’m already committed to rolling out pierogi, and freezing half of it saves me from doing the
Horseshoe crabs aren’t really a food item in most of the world, including the US, where harvesting them for eating is restricted or illegal in many states. Where they are eaten, mostly the roe in parts of Southeast Asia, people describe the taste as mild and not particularly memorable. I’ll be upfront that this isn’t
You can freeze capers, but you probably don’t need to. Opened jarred capers already keep for about a year in the fridge thanks to the salt brine, so freezing is more of an option than a necessity. I used to think capers needed the same freezer treatment as fresh herbs, but they’re basically pickled the