Blog Posts by YumSugar

YumSugarSource: Makin' Bacon: 15 Mouthwatering Bacon Dishes

News of an impending bacon shortage has our minds on the briny breakfast delight. Rather than curtailing our consumption, we'll feast on the game-changing ingredient, starting with these 15 fabulous bacon-enhanced treats.

• Caramelized Leek, Goat Cheese, and Bacon Dip: Bacon adds a great crunchy texture to this creamy, savory dip that also features caramelized leek and goat cheese.
• Individual Bacon and Spinach Quiches: Bolster brunch with these hearty individual bacon and spinach quiches.
• Sweet Potato-Bacon Endive Boats: Who says bacon can't be elegant? These endive boats filled with sweet potatoes and bacon are like a more sophisticated baked potato.
• Oven-Roasted Bacon: Bacon purists, try this life-changing method for roasting bacon in the oven. It's less messy than skillet-crisped slices, and the texture can be controlled to a closer degree - perfect for persnickety perfectionists. For a slightly

YumSugarSource: Weekly Meal Plan: 5 Breakfasts For Dinner

Switch up your dinner routine this week, and end your day with breakfast. The most important meal of the day doesn't have to be restricted to the morning; rather, breakfast can be a savory and satisfying way to end the day. From a healthy veggie-filled frittata to easy, homemade breakfast burritos, we have this week's menu planned. Stock up on the eggs, load up on veggies, and get your bacon fix with these five recipes to enjoy before bed!

Related Content:

Plan the Weeknights Ahead With 5 Ways to Use Chicken Leftovers

5 Fast and Easy Italian Dinners

5 Chilled Soups to Temper the Heat

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Source: What Is Li Hing Mui?

While li hing mui (and not li kung hi, as I've embarrassingly and incorrectly called it for weeks) may be foreign to most American palates, it's as popular in Hawaii as dried chiles are in Mexico. Hawaiians sprinkle the sour, plum-based powder, pronounced lee-hing-moo-ee, on just about any snack food: dried mangos, gummy bears, and even dried squid. And, despite it typically turning up on convenience-store treats, it even has a place in fine dining. Contributing editor Sara Yoo encountered (and couldn't get enough of) the zingy powder at Alan Wong's Amasia in Maui, where the chef prepared a tomato and cucumber salad, drizzled with li hing mui dressing and a sprinkling of rare Kauai sea salt.

Despite the obsession in Hawaii, the tart, nearly tear-inducing powder can be an acquired taste for some. Many tasters at Sugar looked like Elmer Fudd when sucking on a li hing mui-laced treat: their eyes widened in horror as their entire faces and ears turned beet

Source: A Guide to Buying and Storing Nuts and Seeds

We've all been there: going a little bulk-bin happy and ending up with a lifetime supply of walnuts or pumpkin seeds. Months later, when you rediscover the stash, you come to the devastating realization that they've gone completely rancid, and all of that money has gone to waste! It's a challenge to know how long nuts and seeds will last, but there are tricks to buying and storing them to extend their shelf life so that you don't end up tossing the majority in the trash. Here are a few rules to live by:

• Taste-test before you buy: Nuts and seeds are expensive, but buying them in bulk is not only more economical; it also allows you to taste a few to make sure the batch is fresh and not rancid. Additionally, those from the bulk bins tend to have a higher turnover than prepackaged nuts, so there's a lower chance of rancidity.
• Only buy what you need: Ignore the special two-for-one sales, and only buy what you need for the

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