Extra Helpings - A Blue Apron blog
Meet the new Blue Apron, now more convenient (and delicious) than ever. This is meal planning the way it should be: simple, inspiring, fun—and no subscription needed.
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Search for recipes, cooking tips, food trends, and all things delicious.
All About the Za’atar Spice Blend
The term Za’atar refers to a family of herbs, including thyme, oregano and marjoram. It’s also a spice blend, and one of Blue Apron’s favorite ingredients
All About Calabrian Chile
Everyone has a few ingredients in the pantry that they turn back to time and time again. There are some spices, herbs, and oil you love so much that you find yourself rushing to the store to replace them the second they run out. For the chefs at Blue Apron, Calabrian chili paste is one of those ingredients.
How To Slice Delicata Squash
Delicata squash is known for its characteristically delicate rind. Its cream-colored skin is so thin that it can be eaten. When roasted, the skin gives the squash a satisfying bite. Before roasting, you have to know how to slice squash.
How To Dice Sweet Potatoes
Chopping sweet potatoes can be tricky. First of all: sweet potatoes are quite hard when raw, and it can take a little force to get a knife through them. This means you should be extra careful to keep your fingers out of the way.
How to Create a Balanced Meal (That You’ll Look Forward to Eating), According to Dietitians
We’ve been told since we were kids that certain foods could be “part of a complete breakfast” and have been coached in health classes, news shows, by doctors, and beyond to fuel up with a balanced diet. But what does it mean to have balanced eating habits, exactly, and why does it matter”
Can You Substitute Butter for Oil?
Let’s chat about fat. Whether you’re making a stir-fry or a birthday cake, fat plays an essential role in the flavor and texture of your dish. You can’t skip the fat, but in most cases, you can substitute. If you’re halfway through cooking before you realize that your olive oil container is empty,
How to Clean the Bottoms of Pans (& Pots Too)
Here’s our tried-and-true guide to how to clean the bottoms of pots and pans, no matter how dirty.
How to Cut a Lemon Wedge the Right Way
Let’s talk about lemons. Why? Because we use them in lots of our meals, and you’re probably cutting them wrong. We have a trick for speeding up the process and getting the most juice out of each wedge. Follow these tips to learn how to cut lemon wedges, and then try your hand at prepping onions, garlic, and carrots.
How to Thicken Soup: 5 Simple Ways
When there’s a chill in the air, a little broth is always the answer. Whether it takes the form of hearty bowl of chicken noodle or a spicy tortilla broth, There’s nothing like a bowl of soup to warm you from the inside out
How to Fix a Broken Sauce
So, it happened. You walked away for too long, or turned the heat up too high, and suddenly you’re left with a separated (or broken) sauce. Don’t fret! Blue Apron chef Emily Ziemski is here with some key steps you can take before, during, and after making your sauce to make sure that it will be a smashing success.
Amanda Freitag’s Go-To After Work Paloma Recipe
Palomas are everything: sweet, sour, simple, and beautiful. Whether you’re looking for a way to unwind after work, or a simple sipper to enjoy while you’re cooking, this three(ish) ingredient cocktail is the way to go.
How to Make Vegetable Stock
When you eat lots of veggies, you end up with lots of veggie scraps. I always strive to reduce food waste in my kitchen, so instead of throwing those scraps in the garbage, I use them to make delicious homemade vegetable stock.
Why Are My Cookies Flat? (& How To Fix Them)
It’s happened to everyone. Your pans were prepared and your expectations were high, but for some reason, your cookies came out flat. What happened? There are a few possible explanations for flat cookies. Before you start over, run through this list. Remember: don’t be too hard on yourself! There’s no use crying over a flat cookie.
The 12 Different Types Of Salt For Cooking
Salt is just as important on a delicate caramel as it is on a thick steak. Salt does more than improve flavor, it intensifies it. Salt reduces bitterness, enhances sweetness, and provides balance to any dish. Finding the best type of salt for cooking can take your dish to the next level.
Fast & Easy Brownie Recipe
Brownies — universally beloved, endlessly adaptable — can be cleanly divided into two categories: fudgey and cakey. The variety made with melted chocolate yields a dense, fudge-y bar that begs for a glass of milk. The other, the kind made with cocoa powder, comes out moist and cakey with a crackly top.
How To Poach Pears
A poached pear is a pear that has been cooked in a gently simmering liquid. Poached pears can be eaten on their own, or incorporated into dessert or dinner. This is a classic dish to serve in the fall and winter, when most pears are at their best.
9 Types of Mushrooms & How To Cook With Them
Mushrooms are a quirky food. They’re neither vegetable nor meat. Technically, they’re the fruit of fungus plants. There are over 14,000 types of mushrooms, and they come in all shapes and sizes. Some mushrooms are expensive delicacies, while others will just pop up uninvited in your lawn.
The Best Way to Prepare & Cook Tomatillos
Tomatillos are plump green fruits with a delicious tart flavor. Though they’re related to tomatoes, they don’t initially bear a strong resemblance. Tomatillos are covered in brownish-green papery husks, and the fruit underneath can feel a little sticky. They’re popular in Mexican cooking, where they are often used as the base of delicious sauces.
10 Types of Squash & Pumpkins
A pumpkin probably calls a specific image to mind: a large, orange orb, with a green stem. In reality, there are many different types of pumpkin and squash. Winter, Spring, Summer and Fall all have their own unique varieties.
The Best Soup Noodles & How To Cook With Them
You have a signature scent, but do you have a signature soup? Within the beautiful world of soup, there’s infinite room to customize. Your favorite bowl might be a light brothy soup spiked with spices like anise and cinnamon, or a hearty stew rilled with tomatoes, noodles, and beans. When it comes to creating your signature dish, choosing the best noodles for soup is just as important as deciding on the flavor profile.
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