Cooking Exceptionally With Gin Lee

Edible Weeds With Health Benefits: How to Identify and Cook Six Uncommon Greens A patch of weeds can hide tender leaves, tart shoots, or flowers that belong on a plate. Some edible weeds add fiber and other nutrients to meals, but “edible” doesn’t mean safe in any amount. Here are six less-talked-about plants, with notes on what to eat, how to prepare it, and what to check before harvesting. Uncommon edible weeds can add more than greenery to meals These plants have food uses, but their flavor and nutrition can vary with species, growing site, season, and cooking. Treat them as seasonal ingredients, not medicines. Correct identification comes first. Common mallow offers tender leaves and edible flowers Several Malva species have edible young leaves, shoots, and flowers. The leaves taste mild, while their slippery, mucilaginous texture can thicken soups and stews. You can also cook them like other leafy greens or add the flowers as a garnish. Mallow can bring variety and plant nutrients...

No-bake chocolate silk pie Our holidays at home just wouldn't be complete without a dreamy chocolate silk pie. The pie is creamy and decadent with every bite. It has a homemade chocolate graham cracker crust, rich and creamy whipped chocolate filling, whipped cream topping, and chocolate chunked shavings on top. This dreamy chocolate silk is a no-bake pie. Plus, it's simple to prepare. It can be made within minutes, but will need to chill before serving it. For my crust, I broke out a package of my homemade chocolate graham crackers that I made previously and froze for the holidays. However, you can purchase chocolate graham crackers, or purchase a chocolate graham cracker crust that's pre-made. And if you prefer, you can also use any type of chocolate cookies to make a cookie crust for the pie. I use pudding mix as one of the ingredients for my pie filling, for an easy no-fail holiday pie. However, you can make homemade chocolate pie filling if that's what you prefer. ...

Cocoa graham cracker crust I know the easiest way to make a chocolate graham cracker crust would be to go shopping and purchase a box of chocolate graham crackers. But what if you're in a pinch, or the store is out of stock?  You could also take the time to make homemade chocolate graham crackers, but what if you're needing a chocolate pie crust for a specific recipe like right now and just don't have the time to bake something extra?  I have a quick remedy for making a delicious chocolate graham cracker crust, just in case you're ever in any of the described above predicaments.  If you can't find regular graham crackers, this same recipe can also be made with crushed oreo cookies, or any other type of chocolate cookies, and even made with crushed Cocoa Puffs cereal.  Simple cocoa graham cracker crust Ingredients: 5-6 tablespoons of melted butter ¼ cup of Splenda  1-½ cups of grounded graham crackers  ¼ cup of cocoa Instructions: In a microwaveable dish, ad...

How to Grow Microgreens at Home Without a Garden: Fresh Greens in a Small Space No yard, balcony, or garden plot? You can still grow fresh food. A tray of microgreens fits on a bright windowsill or kitchen counter, and many crops are ready to cut while still young. With a few basic supplies and steady care, you can sow, grow, and harvest a small indoor crop. Why Grow Microgreens at Home in a Small Space What microgreens are and how they differ from sprouts Microgreens are young edible plants, usually cut after their seed leaves open. They grow in a shallow tray with a suitable growing medium, and you snip the stems above it. Sprouts are usually grown in water and eaten with their roots and seeds. This difference matters for both setup and handling. Microgreens need light as they grow, while sprouts are often kept in the dark during germination. In either case, clean supplies and careful handling help reduce food-safety risks. Easy crops to try in a tray Radish, broccoli, pea, sunflower...

Apple Cake Recipe Embark on a mouthwatering journey with this Apple Cake full Recipe the kind of dessert that turns a simple afternoon into a warm, cozy memory. This guide is designed to be your trusted, step-by-step companion: clear, practical, and built to help you bake a bakery-worthy apple cake right in your own kitchen. You’ll learn how to balance sweet notes with tart apples, how to keep the cake moist without sinking, and how to present a slice that looks as good as it tastes. Ready to bake something that family and friends will beg for again? Let’s dive in. Step-by-step overview: what you’ll achieve This article breaks down the entire process into actionable steps. We’ll start with choosing the right apples, move through precise measurements, walk you through batter preparation, layering, and baking, and finish with serving tips, storage, and a quick troubleshooting guide. By the end, you’ll have a fail-proof Apple Cake full Recipe that looks elegant on a plate and tastes irres...

Holiday chocolate graham crackers Today, I am creating my chocolate graham crackers ahead of the winter holiday season. After they've baked and cooled, I will place them in Ziploc bags and freeze them. This will keep the graham crackers fresh and save time later on. (Once I begin my other holiday baking.) I use graham crackers in various dessert recipes, especially for creating homemade graham cracker pie crusts. Chocolate graham crackers can also be used to make homemade s'mores by the fireplace and used to create homemade ice cream sandwiches. They're delicious and can be made sugar-free, or with sugar. The choice is yours. After my crackers cool, I dust them with sugar-free powdered sugar to add a touch of added sweetness.  Ingredients: ½ cup of butter, softened 1 cup of Splenda brown sugar substitute, or light brown sugar 1/4 cup of unsweetened cocoa powder 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon 1 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract 2-½ cups of self-rising whole wheat flour, or gra...

Sp🎃🎃ky Halloween peanut butter dog treats Instead of dressing my boxer dog in a costume for Halloween, I make her homemade Halloween-themed dog treats. Not that she really knows anything about the holiday, but she loves being treated with spooktacular dog treats. There's nothing hard about making these spooky dog treats. The ingredients are simple and healthy for dogs to have. You'll create the peanut butter/oatmeal dough, then roll it out and use Halloween cookie cutters to press the shapes out. Then you'll bake the dog treats in the oven. It's as simple as that! Ingredients:  2-½ cups of flour 1 egg ½ cup of water 1-½ cups of peanut butter ¼ cup of oats (I used quick oats) Instructions: In a bowl, add the flour, egg, and water. Mix well until combined. Now, add the peanut butter and the oats; mix well. I usually begin mixing the ingredients with a large fork, but generally end up using my hands to mix the ingredients well.  Next, dust your work surface with a small ...

Happy Halloween!  Time to Embrace Your Inner Spooky Self  Well, folks, it's that magical time of year again when the leaves turn orange, the air gets crisp, and suddenly everyone's obsessed with pumpkins. That's right, Halloween is here! Whether you're into the spooky stuff or just here for the candy, there's something wonderfully weird about this holiday that we can all get behind. More Than Just Trick-or-Treating  Look, Halloween isn't just for kids anymore (if it ever was). Sure, trick-or-treating is iconic, but nowadays adults are getting equally excited about costume parties, haunted houses, and binge-watching scary movies. There's something liberating about having a whole day dedicated to being someone or something else. Want to go as your favorite celebrity? A historical figure? A sentient taco? Go for it. Halloween is basically a free pass to be as weird as you want without judgment. The Costume Conundrum  Let's be real though, choosing a cost...

F all For Apple Chili Full Recipe for a Cozy Autumn Dinner A crisp apple in a pot of chili may sound unexpected, but it brings a welcome sweet-tart note to a savory fall meal. The apples soften as they cook, adding a little texture without making the chili taste like dessert. Ground beef, beans, tomatoes, and warm spices keep every bowl hearty and familiar. This stovetop apple chili takes about 15 minutes to prep, then simmers until the flavors come together. Choose your favorite apple, set the heat to your liking, and let everyone add their own toppings. Why Apples Make This Chili Taste Like Fall Sweet-tart flavor balances chili spices Apples bring natural sweetness that can soften the sharp edge of tomatoes and chili powder. That contrast gives the chili a cozy autumn flavor while keeping it firmly savory. Granny Smith apples add more tartness, while Honeycrisp brings a sweeter note; either works well. Apple pieces add texture to every bowl Diced apples soften during cooking but can ...