Why It Works Cooking the sandwiches in the skillet under a heavy Dutch oven creates a pressed, perfectly melty, and structurally secure sandwich. Spreading the inside of the bread with mayonnaise and mustard “glues” the fillings to the bread, which also helps hold the sandwich together. I’ll admit that growing up I never appreciated a

My wife is a proud product of the Lone Star state, where ranch dressing seems to be the answer to everything. Before meeting her, I’d never seen ranch used as a condiment on pizza, chicken, salad, steak, potatoes—they all call for liberal uses of buttermilk dressing. Despite my best efforts, I couldn’t get on board

This website may contain affiliate links and advertising so that we can provide recipes to you. Read my disclosure policy. Hawaiian haystacks are the ultimate layered comfort food! Rice, shredded chicken, and hearty gravy combine with your favorite toppings in this easy dinner. Despite the name, this dish actually doesn’t come from Hawaii! It’s originally

Why It Works Cutting the dough into squares, rectangles, or diamonds obviates the need for a special dough cutter or excessively fussy shaping. Keeping the crackers in the oven with the door cracked after they are baked renders them crisp and crunchy. When I was a kid, the retired couple next door took on the

Why It Works Gently crushing the rice yields a mixture of finer pieces, which melt into the porridge, and larger grains that add texture. Adding the potato and chicken after the porridge is partially cooked keeps them tender and distinct. When I was growing up, whenever I was sick, the first thing my mother would

Why It Works Using parboiled rice, rinsing it to remove surface starches, and toasting it briefly in the hot oil to reduce starch gelling ability all help to ensure the finished rice isn’t gluey or clumpy. This is a truly simple and comforting chicken-and-rice dish, and success lies in properly developing and layering flavors: browning