MINNEAPOLIS -- There’s one common ingredient running through the pages of Sarah Kieffer’s fifth cookbook, “100 Afternoon Sweets,” but you won’t find it in any recipes.

It simultaneously fills your soul and satisfies your appetite, whether you’re baking Blueberry Muffin Cake and Banana Bread Brownies or Scotcharoo Blondies and Peanut...Read more

When can a marketing promotion raise agricultural sales and, potentially, the birth rate?

When an association of Quebec maple syrup producers offers to buy brunch for single Americans who ask single Canadians out on a date.

To kick off “cuffing season,” our neighbors from the north are hoping that free stacks of pancakes or French toast ...Read more

Every kid, large or small, has a preferred lunch box treat.

For some of us of a certain age, there's a good chance it was Chips Ahoy! cookies, which made their debut in 1963 and have been a go-to favorite for snackers of all ages ever since.

Even though they were and are still mass-produced in a factory, Nabisco (now a subsidiary of Mondelez ...Read more

Father Dominic Garramone knows all about pizza snobs, people who loudly insist that only certain ingredients belong on a pizza. He is not a pizza snob.

“I don’t particularly care for Provel, but I don’t look down my nose at it. I don’t care for barbecue pizza or pineapple on pizza, but if you want to put that on your pizza I’m not ...Read more

Did you ever go on a trip and eat something so amazing that you became obsessed?

That's me with those utterly delicious maple leaf-shaped cookies stuffed with maple cream and sold in Canada.

Known for their delicate shape and sweet maple flavor, these whimsical cookies can be found just about everywhere once you cross the Peace Bridge from New...Read more

Restaurants play host to all classes of diners: the good, the grand, the gullible, the greedy and so on. However, as a consequence of the last three decades of chef-artistes, many of the most famous dining establishments in the world treat these diverse clients as if it they were an audience with a single palate and a single motive — to ...Read more

CHICAGO -- There isn’t a more perpetually disappointing fruit than a grocery store strawberry. And it’s truly hard not to get catfished by strawberries because even the most sour ones look beautiful on the outside.

In the U.S., where many strawberries are picked before they’re fully ripe so they can withstand transportation and are ...Read more

McDonald's had a smash hit when the double-decker Big Mac sandwich made its debut at a Uniontown, Pennsylvania, franchise in 1967.

The 45-cent burger went national a year later, and its catchy "two all-beef patties ... " jingle in 1974 only added to the sandwich's popularity. Today, an estimated 550 million Big Macs are sold each year in the U....Read more

BALTIMORE -- Fast food restaurant chain Wendy’s is launching a new collaboration that might sound to Marylanders like something it’s not. But fans of “SpongeBob SquarePants” are likely ready, ready, ready for it.

The new Krabby Patty, to mark the 25th anniversary of the animated TV series, is a quarter-pound burger with two slices of ...Read more

Lemon juice and fresh dill flavor this quick and easy salmon dinner. The salmon is baked in the oven and the rice is microwaved.

No extra pots to wash!

Helpful Hints:

A quick way to chop dill and parsley is to wash and dry the herbs and then snip the leaves right off the stem with a scissors.

Countdown:

Preheat oven to 425°F.

...Read more

The natural sweetness of the squash is balanced by tangy balsamic glaze in this gorgeous salad. If you can't find delicata squash, butternut or acorn would be a tasty substitution.

Layered Fall Salad with Squash & Mozzarella

Serves 4

Active Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

1 cup delicata squash, halved, seeded and cut into 1/2-inch ...Read more

Probiotics are live microorganisms that provide health benefits when consumed in adequate amounts. Found in fermented foods and supplements, these beneficial bacteria are particularly renowned for their role in promoting gut health, enhancing immune function, and supporting overall well-being.

Gut health and digestion

...Read more

I realized I’ve never shared my favorite quick, one-dish meal for Halloween with you. When my daughter was little, we’d have a trick-or-treat crew come over before the fun started. Each child could make up their own tostada, with bowls of each ingredient layed out for them to choose from. It was fun to see what each child ...Read more

On chilly days when I’m craving a totally comforting meal, I make a pot of tomato soup (ideally paired with a grilled cheese sandwich ). It’s basically a hug in a bowl. While I’ve made homeandleisure/recipes/varietymenu/s-3449935">Read more

We love our iced coffee in the summer, but fall and winter belong to the latte, which is usually made with espresso, steamed milk and milk foam. We love to sit inside on a chilly day with a hot, frothy latte or homeandleisure/recipes/varietymenu/s-3449934">Read more

For years, my husband and I have shared a love of biking and hiking, but I'm only now trying to get into another one of his favorite hobbies, fishing.

I say "trying" because even after countless attempts, I can't bring myself to bait a hook with a night crawler — so gross! And when I'm lucky enough to actually catch something, I can't muster ...Read more

With 12 grams of plant protein, you really can’t beat these shelf-stable bowls for a quick and easy meal.

Made with corn, brown rice, quinoa, beans and bell peppers, they are made tasty by adding a vinaigrette of cilantro and lime. We’ve had them straight out of the box (just warm them up in their microwavable bowl and then add the ...Read more

No retailer does pumpkin season like Trader Joe’s. This year, the autumnal array of products includes a sizable number of returning bestsellers and a few new options. We bought two grocery bags’ worth of snacks and treats and put them to the test in a newsroom full of pumpkin-loving reporters, editors and photographers.

We’ve tried to ...Read more

MINNEAPOLIS -- Some Minnesota falls are better than others. Some are more colorful, crisp and cool, while others are just cold. Then there are those “second summers” that creep deep into fall, only to be replaced by, well, winter.

This year feels like the latter, but even if the frost hasn’t covered the pumpkins yet, I’m still going to ...Read more