Blog Posts by YumSugar

YumSugarSource: 5 Fast and Easy Italian Dinners

If brisk Fall nights have you craving comfort food and a home-cooked meal, consider preparing one of these five Italian dishes. Using fresh, traditional ingredients loaded with flavor, these dishes prove that simple doesn't have to be boring. From garlicky pasta to creamy risotto, this dinner Italiano is certain to impress guests and can be prepared in a matter of minutes!

• Spaghetti Aglio, Olio, e Peperoncino: Don't let the name of this Italian pasta dish scare you. Translated, it means spaghetti with garlic, oil, and chili pepper flakes. It's a simple yet flavor-packed recipe.
• Pepperoni and Broccoli Rabe Pizza: A slightly updated version of pepperoni pizza, this pepperoni and broccoli pizza combines bitter greens, spicy pepperoni, and salty cheese in perfect harmony.
• Three-Ingredient Tomato Sauce: Marcella Hazan's iconic three-ingredient tomato sauce combines tomatoes, butter, and a yellow onion. Thanks to the simple

YumSugarSource: Oh Honey, Honey: A Field Guide to Single-Origin Varietals

While most commercially available honey is a blend, meaning that the bees which produced the honey collected nectar from a variety of flowers, single-origin honey is becoming increasingly popular. Curious to see if we could detect the difference in flavors like acacia and chestnut, we tried seven different types of Italian honey, purchased at Eataly. Care to learn more about the sweet treat? Try this honey primer.

• Acacia (Acacia Honey): This crystal-clear honey has a delicate, almost neutral flavor (one taster likened it to light corn syrup). It would make an excellent all-purpose sweetener or a complement to mild cheeses like homemade ricotta, which would not overpower its mellow flavor.
• Sulla (Honeysuckle Honey) : Slightly grainy and thick, this opaque honey's more-pronounced floral notes won over many tasters. While it's still relatively mild, the honeysuckle flavor could stand up to an aged goat

Source: Sprinkles Cupcakes Founder on Inspiration For Her New Ice-Cream Joint

As of this Summer, Sprinkles Cupcakes lovers can now get a sugar high from a new dessert storefront. Sprinkles Ice Cream, located in Beverly Hills, is serving up scoops of classic American flavors with some cameos from the cupcake case (red velvet ice cream anyone?). CelebStyle editor Melody Nazarian recently sat down with founder Candace Nelson to discuss the inspiration behind its development, the most popular ice-cream flavors, and whether she prefers ice cream to cupcakes

YumSugar: What was the inspiration for delving into ice cream?
Candace Nelson: I have a huge passion for classic American desserts. I was raised in Indonesia and when I had a hankering for American desserts, I couldn't just go to the store and get them. I had to make them. I grew up baking brownies, chocolate chip cookies, and cupcakes with my mom. That's how the cupcake thing came about, but it was time for a new creative challenge. I

Source: Get a Dessert Fix With These Healthier Lactose-Free Options

Whether you're used to a dairy-free lifestyle or just trying it on for size, there are certain cravings that never quite disappear. Here are some easy swaps to make when your sweet tooth strikes.

• Instead of chocolate ice cream: Try chocolate soy milk - the similarity in taste is uncanny. Most people who try it end up liking it so much they stop buying dairy milk completely.
• Instead of cookies and milk: Try graham cereal in vanilla almond milk. Soaking graham crackers and then drinking the cinnamon-packed milk may bring you back to your childhood, so try this twist on an old favorite. In addition, this combo may actually leave you feeling more fulfilled. Worth trying: Puffin's Cinnamon cereal.
• Instead of peach cobbler: Try grilled peaches over vanilla coconut ice cream. This is a fun treat to make postdinner, especially if you are already grilling. The peaches only need to be sliced in half and

Source: Ways to Use Every Bit of That Apple

All too often, apple skins and cores get tossed in the trash when making an apple pie or another autumnal treat. While composting scraps is the lesser of the waste evils, here's how you can incorporate every part of the apple with these recipe ideas.

• Skin: Sure, you can buy apple chips or dehydrated apple slices at the supermarket, but why not try making them at home? After peeling the apples, coat the pieces with a light glaze of simple syrup and bake at a low temperature for a few hours, until crisp.
• Flesh: Dip apple slices in peanut or almond butter or toss them in a Waldorf salad. For an all-American dessert, try Michelle Obama's apple cobbler. Its slow cooking time caramelizes the apples until they practically dissolve upon bite.
• Core: Use an apple corer to cleanly remove the seeds and fibrous center of each apple. Store them in an airtight baggie in the fridge until you have enough for a full recipe. Because

Source: Home Brew Lovers: Follow These 5 Steps to the Perfect Pour

For coffee lovers and caffeine cravers, nothing beats a perfect cup of joe. Whether you're a Starbucks loyalist or you brew from home, you can master a few simple tips and tricks - besides cream and sugar - to perfect your habit, making your morning cup of coffee all the more sacred. Bring these five tips to the pot the next time you get brewing!

• Good grind: The right grind can make or break your coffee. If you're serious about the ultimate pour, consider purchasing a coffee grinder for maximum flavor. Keep the size of the coffee grind in mind as well, since this corresponds to the brewing method you use. Coffee made with a French press, for example, needs to have a coarser grind, whereas espresso or Turkish-style coffee requires a very fine grind.
• Keep it fresh: Fresh coffee means fresh flavor. For a cup filled with taste, purchase beans from your local roaster. Keep the roast date in mind. The closer a

YumSugarSource: City Dwellers: Try These Space-Saving Kitchen Gadgets

If the show Hoarders has taught me anything, it's that a cluttered home is the antithesis of chic. Regardless, my petite city kitchen has limited storage space, making for an ongoing struggle. Luckily, I've come across a handful of smart space-saving kitchen gadgets that are sure to aid organization no matter your square footage.

• Folding Colander: This petite colander ($19) folds flat for storage, then easily clicks into place when it's time to drain pasta or potatoes.
• Magnetic Measuring Spoons: Dual-ended magnetic measuring spoons ($14) are like having two sets of measuring spoons in one. Additionally, the magnetic feature keeps them organized, a boon in cluttered kitchen drawers.
• Magnetic Knife Strip: While this magnetic knife strip ($28) excels at its intended purpose, it's also an ideal home for other metal tools, such as kitchen shears, vegetable peelers, and offset spatulas.
• File

Source: Know Your Techniques: Deep-Frying

Consider yourself a fan of deep-fried food? Before you try deep-frying at home, check out these tips for a safe, efficient cooking process. No matter what you're frying, it's smart to refresh yourself on all the basics. We've outlined everything from which pan to use to which oils are best to how you can avoid any accidents. If you're planning to fry up some foods this Fall, follow these simple steps for a tasty, perfectly cooked dish:

• Choose a safe skillet. Since you're using a good amount of oil and plan to cook at high heats, you want your pan to be deep and sturdy. If you're not sure which skillet to try, there's another, beginner-friendly option: an electric deep fryer. With the electric version, you can control temperature settings and use an automatic timer.
• Pick the appropriate cooking oil. Selections will vary from recipe to recipe, but be sure to choose an oil with a high smoke point - an oil that won't break down at