Extra Helpings - A Blue Apron blog
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What is Halloumi Cheese? Cooking, Taste, & More
n case you haven’t heard, halloumi is a Middle Eastern cheese that can be fried or grilled without melting. I’m going to repeat that so you understand why spending a week writing about halloumi makes you very, very hungry:

13 Types of Grains You Should Know
Grains are an essential element of our kitchen repertoire—we cook with them basically every week. That’s because they do everything: act as the base of a salad, sop up some delicious sauce, or get mixed up and fried into grain patties.

Types of Potatoes: Varieties, Cooking & More
When it comes to picking our carbs, we can never say no to a potato. Whether we’re feasting on tater tots at a diner, mashing up Russets at home, or adding potatoes to our sautés and salads, we’re truly potato people at heart. With so many types of potatoes to love, it’s impossible to get tired of eating them.

What Is Vanilla Powder?
Vanilla is the subtle note that makes ice cream, cookies, and cakes sing. Even though the term “vanilla” is often associated with being plain, true vanilla flavor is anything but. Vanilla products are packed with unique flavors that adds complexity and delicacy to everything they touch

Our Favorite Recipes With Frozen Berries
Berries are delicious, but they’re also delicate, and they spoil quickly. Some sources say that they won’t keep more than two to three days in the fridge

How To Slice Meat Against the Grain
When you’re serving beef dish, like zippy flank steak tacos or rich sirloin with a side of potatoes, you goal is tender meat with an enjoyable bite.

How To Cook Peas In A Pod
But just because they’re empty doesn’t mean they’re worthless. Get that idea out of your head. Just like the peas inside, the pea pods contain spring’s flavors (and spring’s nutrients, too).

How to Create a Gut-Healthy Meal Plan
Discover how to eat a gut-friendly diet, which will support mental and physical health. Get the dish about why gut health matters, then score a 7-day gut health meal plan full of meal and snack ideas that support your microbiome.

What Went Wrong with My Thanksgiving Turkey?
Most of us only make a whole turkey once a year. Cooking an extra-large bird isn’t the easiest kitchen task, and we don’t get a lot of practice! If you’re in charge of the main dish this Thanksgiving, a little preparation can help you pull it off perfectly. These are some of the most common problems with Thanksgiving turkey and how to avoid them

Are Frozen Vegetables Healthy?
Frozen vegetables sometimes get a bad rap. The truth is that they’re flash-frozen at the height of their freshness, and research shows that the nutritional value of frozen produce is often greater than (or at least equal to) its fresh counterpart.

What to Do with Frozen Wine
One of the fastest ways to chill wine is by wrapping it in a damp towel and sticking it in the freezer for about 30 minutes. It’s the perfect way to cool a bottle of white or rosé quickly, unless you forget to set a timer.

How to Make a Roux
Roux can be made with any type of white wheat flour, but all-purpose flour is the most commonly used.

How To Core a Tomato
Tomatoes are the base of some of our favorite dishes: spicy salsas, sweet marinara sauces, and summery Caprese salads. Pretty much nothing beats a perfectly in season summer tomato, but even in the winter we’ll search out vine-ripened and cherry tomatoes to get our fix.

Jalapeno Poppers Recipe (With Dipping Sauce!)
Even thought they’re made from whole peppers, jalapeño poppers are only mildly spicy. The tame spice level is thanks, in part, to cheese. Creamy ingredients are a delicious way to tone down the heat in jalapeño poppers.

A Trick For Better Vegetable Lasagna
There’s too much bad vegetable lasagna in the world. You know what we’re talking about: slippery noodles sitting in a puddle of their own juice, with soggy mushrooms spilling right out. It doesn’t have to be this way! Vegetable lasagna can be great if it’s made well.

Pink Lemons from the Eureka Lemon Tree
If you’ve cooked with us, you know we love our lemon zest. There’s nothing wrong with the Lisbon lemons you probably buy at your local super market, but sometimes it’s fun to branch out. That’s when we turn to pink lemons.

How To Mold Butter
If you’re looking for a memorable touch to make your table stand out, go for fancy butter. Learn how to use a butter mold below.

How to Make Frozen Drinks at Home
During hot summer months there’s nothing more relaxing than happy hour with a frozen drink. A blended margarita or a glass of frosé will help you unwind and cool off at the same time.

How to Prepare a Half Chicken
What’s more comforting than a roasted chicken? For many of our chefs, it’s their go-to Sunday dinner. Pair it with a salad or crispy potatoes, and a roasted bird can be a healthy and satisfying meal.

Anchovies vs. Sardines: What’s the Difference?
There’s a wide world of tinned fish available to the supermarket shopper, but the two most popular options are sardines and anchovies. Even though they’re both small and oily, these tinned fish have distinctly different flavors, appearances, and origins.
Food you can feel good about
From pasture-raised beef to certified sustainable seafood, we’re raising the bar on animal welfare standards.


