By Food & Wine

This amazing pesto from chefs Frank Castronovo and Frank Falcinelli of NYC's Frankies Spuntino has a key ingredient that makes it stand out: Sicily's famous pistachio nuts, which are sweet, fruity and almost shockingly bright green. Fast Pasta Recipes

© Con Poulos Orecchiette with Pistachio Pesto
INGREDIENTS
7 ounces unsalted roasted shelled pistachios (1 1/2 cups)
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons chopped mint
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 cup finely shredded pecorino cheese, plus more for serving
2 scallions, cut into 2-inch lengths and julienned
Salt
1 pound orecchiette

DIRECTIONS
1. In a food processor, chop the pistachios. Add the olive oil, mint and garlic and pulse to combine. Transfer to a bowl, stir in the 1/2 cup of cheese and the scallions; season with salt.
2. In a large pot of salted boiling water, cook the pasta until al dente; drain, reserving 1/2 cup of the cooking water. Return the pasta to the pot. Add the cooking water

There are certain labor-intensive recipe phrases that can make the most diligent cook roll her eyes. "Do I really have to do that?" we wonder. Every week, we will track down the answer to that question. Why? Because as much as we love cooking, we're kind of lazy. Leave your Do I Really Have To Do That? questions in the comments and they shall be answered, saving us all a lot of needless trouble.

Truth be told, I never do it. Sifting flour, baking soda, and baking powder feels like a finicky extra step in the baking process. But am I  doing harm to my cakes and muffins? Turns out, yeah.

Two-time Food Network Cupcake Wars winner Hollis Wilder sympathizes with my resistance. "Sifting is a pain because it adds an extra step to the recipe, especially when you can't wait to get the finished product in your hot little hands. But it's a must if you want a light and airy product. There are no shortcuts to perfection!"

Perfection, in this case, is a tender crumb created by aerating the dry

Pi Day (March 14 = 3.14) is a great excuse to try a new pie. Whether your taste buds crave chocolate, fruit, or pecans these recipes have something for everyone! These mouth water pies are sure to add up to receiving rave reviews on taste and appearance. You don't need any advanced math skills to know this will add up to a great new tradition. At our house, we invite over as many friends as we can squeeze in and everyone brings a pie! Dig in!

- By Janssen Bradshaw

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English Muffin Bread RecipeThis English Muffin bread is a crowd pleaser! In my house this is the perfect breakfast for chilly mornings or for a simple snack. It's easy and quick to make, even though it calls for quick rise yeast. Anytime I see "yeast" on the ingredient list, I start to shy away thinking it will be too hard. I tend to lean towards "no fail" quick bread recipes, but I recently got my courage up to buy a pack of quick rise yeast and try my hand at making this delicious recipe. It was a hit of course! Unlike regular quick breads, this bread was dense enough to be toasted, which was amazing. Drizzled with a bit of honey or jam was all I really needed, but it was also the perfect compliment to the hearty breakfast I was making. My family has been asking when I'll be making this again!

English Muffin Bread Recipe

Ingredients:
1 package active dry yeast
1/2 tbsp sugar
1 tsp salt
1 cup warm milk
1/4 cup warm water
1/4 tsp baking soda
3 cups all purpose flour

By Wendy Ruopp, Managing Editor of EatingWell

Slow cookers seem to have a season. They're used all fall and winter like a favorite down jacket, then tucked away once the crocuses start pushing up through the ground. But the best part about the slow cooker is that it's convenient. And, surely, convenience has no season. Why pack it away just because it's T-shirt weather?

Don't Miss: Spring Slow Cooker Recipes for Your Crock Pot

If you love your slow cooker and want to keep using it as often as possible, I suggest rethinking what you cook in it. Lighter dishes are what I'm in the mood for now. And because I want to spend less time in the kitchen and more time outside, I want crock pot recipes that let me skip precooking and browning ingredients before they go into the slow cooker. I just want to load up my slow cooker, press "Start" and forget it.

For the March/April issue of EatingWell magazine Carolyn Malcoun developed slow-cooker recipes with two goals in mind: keep it

Fruit salad will never be the same again! Look at these delicious variations and serve them as dessert or as part of a complete breakfast or lunch. These fruit salads are perfect for any occasion! Made with real fruit, one of these 7 dishes is the perfect healthy option to add to any meal. - By Denisse Icaza

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By Justine Sterling, Food & Wine

In the dark days before the craft beer boom of the 1980s, much of the beer sold in America was as uninspired as the generic bars that served it. But now historic beers, micro bottlings and hyperlocal selections fill bars worth traveling to. Here, Food & Wine names America's Best Beer Bars.

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A wedding cake can come in all shapes, sizes, flavors, and fillings. Some couples opt for a classic and traditional tiered confection, while others really take the opportunity to express themselves as a couple, experimenting with flavors and décor.

From life-size to upside-down to diamond-encrusted, these cakes are anything but subtle. Their dramatic presence demands attention, so click through to see these examples of sugared perfection. - Francesca Borgognone, The Daily Meal

Check out these 15 Over-the-Top Wedding Cakes

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