Photo by Romulo Yanes

Photo by Romulo YanesBy Bon Appétit

Brining these chops makes them moist, tender, and seasoned throughout, and the sugar helps create a dark, caramelized sheen. At Brooklyn's Vinegar Hill House, chef Brian Leth uses heritage pork, which is fattier and more flavorful than ordinary chops; we highly recommend it.

Read More: 24 Pasta Recipes to Try Right Now

Pan-Roasted Brined Pork Chop
Recipe by Brian Leth
2 servings

Ingredients 1/2 cup kosher salt
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon juniper berries
1/2 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
1 head of garlic, halved crosswise, plus 2 unpeeled cloves for basting
2 large sprigs thyme
1 2-inch-thick bone-in pork chop (2 ribs; about 1 1/4 lb.)
2 tablespoons grapeseed or vegetable oil
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
Flaky or coarse sea salt

Read More: 25 Ways to Use Sriracha

Preparation
Bring 2 cups water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add kosher salt, sugar, juniper berries, peppercorns, halved head of garlic, and 1 thyme sprig; stir to dissolve salt and sugar.

By Rachel Wilkerson, Lover.ly

We love the idea of serving a signature cocktail at your wedding. Not only is it a great option for a couple on a budget, but it adds major personality to your wedding. More and more couples are going this route; here's everything you need to know to create your signature wedding cocktail.

Photo by:
Photo by: Adam Barnes on Heart Love Weddings via Lover.ly

1. Don't debate over the perfect couples' cocktail -- just choose two! Unless you and your beloved have the exact same taste in drinks, why not each choose one that represents you? A sign with details of each drink will makes picking a side all the more fun.

Photo by: Magnolia Pair on Southern Weddings via Lover.ly

2. Start with your favorite flavors. Whether it's gin or tequila, many people have a signature drink long before their wedding. Find a new recipe that uses it (or think back to the best cocktail you ever had that featured it!) and go from there.

Photo by: Magnolia Pair on Snippet and Ink

By Food & Wine

This decadent macaroni and cheese recipe includes cheddar, Muenster, Swiss and a touch of cream cheese for extra richness. Delicious Macaroni and Cheese Recipes

© Marcus Nilsson Four-Cheese Mac and Cheese
INGREDIENTS
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup finely diced onion
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 quart whole milk
1/2 teaspoon celery seeds
1/8 teaspoon ground mace
3 tablespoons Tabasco
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
10 ounces extra-sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (3 cups)
4 ounces Muenster cheese, shredded (1 1/4 cups)
2 ounces Swiss cheese, shredded (3/4 cup)
1/4 cup cream cheese
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Butter, for the dish
1 pound medium pasta shells

DIRECTIONS
1. In a large saucepan, heat the oil until shimmering. Add the onion and cook over moderate heat until translucent, 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, 1 minute. Stir in the flour to make a paste. Gradually whisk in the milk until smooth. Bring to a simmer, whisking, until

By Food & Wine

To help seal in the juices, let the meat rest on a cutting board for a few minutes before shredding and serving. More Slow Cooker Recipes

© Fredrika Stjärne Slow Cooker Ropa Vieja
INGREDIENTS
One 2-pound flank steak, halved lengthwise and cut crosswise into 4 pieces
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
One 28-ounce can diced tomatoes
1/2 cup water
1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
1 green bell pepper, thinly sliced
1 medium onion, cut into 1/4-inch dice
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 jalapeño, seeded and thinly sliced
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 bay leaf
1/2 cup pitted green olives
2 tablespoons capers, drained
3 tablespoons coarsely chopped cilantro
Steamed white rice or warm tortillas, for serving

DIRECTIONS
1. Season the flank steak with salt and pepper. In a slow cooker, combine the diced tomatoes and their juices with the water, bell peppers, onion, garlic, jalapeño, oregano, cumin and bay leaf. Add the flank steak, cover and cook on high

By Food & Wine

In this quick dish, chicken pieces are coated with sesame seeds, then sautéed and served in a spicy ginger-garlic sauce. Fast Chicken Recipes

© Lucy Schaeffer Sesame-Coated Chicken with Broccoli
INGREDIENTS
1 pound skinless, boneless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces
Salt and freshly ground pepper
All-purpose flour, for dusting
1/4 cup sesame seeds, preferably unhulled
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger
1 large garlic clove, minced
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 pound broccoli, stems peeled and cut into 1/4 inch thick rounds, tops cut into florets
3 tablespoons oyster sauce
1/2 teaspoon Asian sesame oil
Steamed rice, for serving

DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat the oven to 350°. In a large bowl, season the chicken with salt and pepper, and toss with flour to coat thoroughly. Let the chicken stand for a few minutes, until the coating gets soggy. Pour 3 tablespoons of the vegetable oil over the chicken and toss to coat,

SangriaWhen cooking a romantic dinner for two, there are a ingredients with supposedly aphrodisiacal powers that you might have already known about (oysters, red wine? Duh!), but some you might never have guessed (chile peppers and asparagus? Really?!).

Here are some of my favorite get-you-in-the-mood recipes that you can easily whip up on a weeknight for your special Valentine:

Pomegranate Juice: Long considered a symbol of fertility (have you checked out all those SEEDS?), pomegranate's berry-like sweet-tart flavor is delicious in drinks like sangria and margaritas. Just make sure to cut that margarita recipe by half or...don't. We won't judge.

Related: Best Chocolates for Valentine's Day

Red Wine: Not just for drinking on Valentine's Day, red wine can be a star on the plate. Use your leftovers, or pop open a new bottle and drink those leftovers, to whip up these fast and easy recipes for braised mushrooms, steak with creamy herb jus, or a luscious, adults-only dessert

These healthy habits, tricks, and tips will leave you wondering: Why didn't I think of that? By Cooking Light

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Simple 100-Calorie Food Swaps
Our Most Pinned Recipes and Tips
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Cut 1 Cup of Sugar in 1 Day

Kung Pao Chicken-- as delicious as it looks!What is sexy food? Do you strip down to eat it or is that the result afterward?

With Shine Supper Club's latest challenge for submitting a "sexiest food recipe," I had to contribute, since I'm Shine's unofficial dating and relationship expert blogger (who happens to be a pretty good cook, too).

I thought about what kind of food would trigger the lascivious thoughts or turn up the heat and came up with my recipe for creating Kung Pao Chicken. I have yet to meet a taste-tester that didn't LOVE it and there's never any leftovers when I make this dish.

First, it's already in bite size pieces, so there's no need to take your eyes off of each other while cutting food. Just poke a fork into it and feed each other!

Then there's the rich, spicy factor and the burst of flavor that is sure to give you a mouth-gasm (in case you're single and still want to savor the moment).

To add to the experience, this dish is best served with a dark, smoky red wine to enhance the robust quality. And you