Blog Posts from Beverly Mills
Here are blog posts from Beverly. You can also find out more about Beverly in her bio.
Raising the bar: How to make simple syrup
Here's how to make simple syrup, essential for bartenders, hosts and the occasional chef.
Am I crazy to crave a week alone with just the ocean?
One week alone at my parent’s beach house in North Carolina. Is this too much to ask?
Does everything taste better with turkey bacon?
We decided to make over one of our favorite bacon dishes: The simple, sublime – BLT sandwich. And that’s just what emerged from the kitchen!
Make guacamole at home and skip restaurant contamination risks!
By now you’ve probably heard that salsa and guacamole are top causes of restaurant food poisoning. What to do?
Vegetable garden update: Beginner's growing pains
A bunch of gardening mistakes doesn't deter this rookie farmer.
Peach season peak: Plenty of reasons to get nostalgic
Visiting the North Carolina Farmer’s Market in Raleigh and seeing the mountains of peaches makes Beverly delirious.
Anyone can make a streamlined Chocolate Cherry Tart
This glorious tart got a gourmet beginning and has been streamlined a bit to fit today's hectic lifestyle.
National Sugar Cookie Day? Right, dude!
Today is National Sugar Cookie Day, and I'm a sucker for anything that promotes eating more homemade cookies.
Topsail White Shrimp Spaghetti is a hit!
Everyone we know who's tried Topsail White Shrimp Spaghetti loves it.
Mrs. McDaniel's Potato Salad is simply the best!
Potato salad isn’t cheap, and after you taste this version, you’ll never even think of purchasing it again – at any price!
How I make easy, fresh tomato sauce from scratch
With this fresh tomato sauce, you won't waste even a single red-ripe tomato.
Is bread an appetizer or is it dinner? Rethinking a restaurant pacifier
When did bread become an appetizer? What do you think?
CSA Diary #3: How to eat 90 pounds of vegetables
If you don’t want to waste a lot of exceptionally fine produce, you’ll probably need to cook in some new ways.
How does my garden grow? I'm gonna find out!
I decided to plant a raised organic garden in my front yard. Here's how it went.
Born desperate, but this Blueberry Crisp is now my favorite!
That first blueberry crisp recipe was chosen out of desperation, but the results were so wonderful that I make it every summer.
Farm Share Diary, Chapter 2: What you get for $27
My CSA farm share boxes are oh, so bountiful. Each week’s ingredients are a delightful surprise.
Diary of a Farm Share, Chapter 1: How I became a finicky vegetable fanatic
Now that I'm an adult, I long for those bountiful summers of all-heirloom, all-organic, all hyper-local vegetables. Finally I understand what drove my mother and grandmother to become field hands every summer.
Chocolate can reset brain chemistry, psychiatrist says
What would happen if you simply gave in to your chocolate cravings? Well, if you did it correctly, you could jump-start your metabolism to help lose weight, says a Cleveland psychiatrist.
A classic custard quiche is just perfect!
This is not your mother’s quiche -- but it’s a great one to fix for mom on Mother’s Day!
A vegetable garden at school can change your life
As the kids showed me the results of their labor – fresh collards, pigeon peas, tomatoes, eggplant, papaya and habanero peppers – it literally brought tears to my eyes.
Which is cheaper for Empty Nesters? Eating in or out?
I'm looking for tips from Empty Nesters out there. How do you typically eat -- cooking at home or eating out?
Muesli makes breakfast a lot more bearable!
European breakfasts of muesli change my attitude about the dreaded first meal of the day.
Believe it: Microwave Sausage, Asparagus, Mushroom Risotto is tops!
Trust us: Microwave risotto is easy and elegant!
Can Michelle Obama and Jamie Oliver cure childhood obesity? I'm hopeful.
I'm hoping for school cafeteria change but will it ever come? Turns out there's tons of information, conversation, governmental hand-wringing, advocacy and journalistic reports over the plight of the hot school lunch.
Will Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution translate in Miami?
How hard is it to improve the way students eat in the school cafeteria?
Fast-Food Calorie Counts on Menus: Do you give a flip?
Calorie counts are coming to a menu near you. Why should you care? Will it really make a difference in the way you order in restaurants?
Salmon with Pan Sauce dresses up wild fish
Wild-caught salmon is a lot leaner than farm-raised, so if I’m going to like it, the recipe has to have a bit of fat.
One man's rant: Give me the beef and hold the beating!
As school's Healthy Choices campaign brainwashes two young men, Dad wages a food fight on the home front.
To cook the Desperation Dinners way, you need to keep moving!
How fast you can cook depends a lot on how the recipe is organized. Desperation Dinners maximize every second at the stove.
Cooking Chicken in the Crock-Pot: Here's How
So what's the problem with your dried-out Crock-Pot chicken? We've got everything covered in this practical post.
What are your favorite specialty food items? I'm a fool for these
It's no April 1 prank -- I'm a fool for these special foods! And what are your favs?
Deviled Eggs -- A Definite for Easter!
One nice thing about cooking for Easter is that it’s straightforward, and a lot of boiled eggs are required. Ours will end up deviled!
Slow-cooker stare-down: Tell me why you don't like your Crock-Pot and I'll convince you!
I’m passionate about my slow cookers, and think everybody else ought to feel the same! What do you think?
What on Earth is EVOO?
Extra Virgin Olive Oil is as complex as fine wine. Here are some of the details.
Good news for coffee drinkers and for women who like a nightly cocktail
New studies show coffee drinkers aren't at risk for irregular heartbeat and and a nightly cocktail can help women ward off weight gain.
Chickpea and Sweet Potato Stew is a hit with readers!
Readers give us their ideas for variations on this hearty vegan stew.
Rants and Raves from Beverly: Current food trends, tips and news
Beverly weighs in on restaurant trends, a better way to brew oatmeal and the benefits of coffee.
Measuring the success of Miami's public school veggie gardens
By any measure, school gardens make a difference in kids' lives.
Won't share your recipe? That's just mean!
It's always astounding when someone refuses to share a recipe. Really, what could a cook be thinking?
Which is better, ground turkey or ground chicken? All breast meat or a mix?
Do you ever substitute ground turkey or ground chicken for ground beef in your recipes? We're looking for some cooking advice!
What’s your favorite type of make-at-home pizza crust? We really want to know!
What’s your favorite type of make-at-home pizza crust? The field is a lot more crowded now that ever before!
Does Michael Pollan matter? Come join the conversation!
Michael Pollan is to food what Al Gore is to Global Warming. Come join our conversation about if and why we need to pay attention to what Pollan has to say.
Reducing your sodium intake: It's all in the details
Food companies like Campbell’s and ConAgra have been reducing the amount of sodium in canned soups and entrees over the past few years without telling us.
How much pasta is just enough? Tips for eliminating leftovers!
Just enough pasta never looks like enough. Oh, sure, the box says two ounces is a serving, but can you really trust it? And how do you know how much is two ounces?
Can flunking your colonoscopy end up being good for your gut?
As if fortified yogurts and probiotics aren't enough for a healthy colon, now we've got to give the healthy bacteria a snack.
Easy desserts make it easier to stay in on New Year's Eve
If you're not headed out on the town for New Year's Eve, you might as well eat dessert.
All-purpose quiche is really just a formula
My all-purpose, everyday quiche is built around a ratio of eggs to cream, with a lot of cheese and a few vegetables and perhaps meat thrown in for flavor.
Here's how to roast chestnuts in your very own oven!
Roasting fresh chestnuts in your home oven is easy and the results are delicious! Here's how.
Ruth Reichl signs off on the latest (and last) recipes from Gourmet magazine
When Ruth Reichl was in Miami last month for the Book Fair, the demise of Gourmet, the magazine she’d edited for the past 10 years, had recently been announced. Ruth told an audience of several hundred fans that neither she nor her staff got any advanced warning whatsoever that the magazine would be axed.
"Desperation Dinners" price has Beverly a bit steamed!
In fine print on the books’ Amazon home page, there are 115 used copies of Desperation Dinners starting at 26 cents. What's up with that?
Hungry men prefer plump women: Why the Hubby will be eating salad
New studies confirm that hungry men prefer the women a bit on the plump side. Why is that?
What do you fix when the feast is finished?
Dinners for the weekend after Thanksgiving are a challenge at Beverly's house.
Thanksgiving Help: Emergency Hotlines a Call Away!
Preparing for the feast can make the best of us second-guess our cooking and baking times. If you have a full-fledged disaster or even a minor question, help is standing by!
President Obama isn't the only one who loves Pecan Pie!
Maybe if we all email this recipe to our friends and post it to our Facebook profiles, somehow it will wind its way to the White House. So help me out here people – it’s worth a try!
Don't sweat Thanksgiving menu! It always works.
On all other days guests might be passing judgment on your menu. But on Thanksgiving, the cook gets a free pass.
Eat Me in Manhattan! Introducing our newest Guest Blogger Umit Celebi
We're thrilled to introduce our newest Guest Blog -- Eat Me in Manhattan -- by Umit Celebi. Come find out how one man shops and cooks in New York City!
What's your favorite recipe for making cranberry sauce?
What's your favorite recipe for making cranberry sauce? Of all the choices, Cranberry Sauce with Port and Figs is probably my favorite.
Do we think we can dance? Not exactly...
A tango class in Buenos Aires turns out to be more than just a dancing lesson.
Edamame: An easy, healthy appetizer. Just hold the worms!
Thanks to the glories of frozen vegetables and the younger generation of Americans who are obsessed with healthy foods, edamame has moved into the mainstream.
Marathon season makes little sense to me!
Does it seem like all of YOUR friends are training for marathons too? Running 26 miles in one stretch, without ever haven even done it before? What on Earth could the motivation be?
World hunger, nutrition claims and thrifty shoppers
World hunger, questionable nutrition claims and thrifty supermarket shoppers were all in the news last week.
How I gained 10 pounds in a delectible month: Was the weight really worth it?
Spending a month studying Spanish in Buenos Aires came with a bonus: An extensive food and restaurant culture and 10 pounds to prove it! Any advice?
Will the Great Pumpkin Shortage of 2009 ruin Thanksgiving?
How are canned pumpkin supplies in your area? Even though a wet spring and summer knocked out much of the early pumpkin crop, a spokeswoman for Nestle SA, the parent company for Libby's canned pumpkin, says supplies will improve by Thanksgiving.
At Casa SaltShaker in Buenos Aires, the restaurant door is "closed" but the kitchen opens wide
Behind closed doors in a private restaurant in Buenos Aires, the food and conversation make a memorable evening.
One of life's best meals? Here's how I found mine among the grapevines!
Malbec wines, Chapter Two: After a woozy trip to the Legarde vineyard in Mendoza, Argentina, Beverly tries her luck at wine tasting once again. Here’s what she gleaned.
Beverly learns her lesson at a historic Malbec winery in Mendoza, Argentina
What happens when an unprepared wine novitiate gets airlifted into the middle of Argentina with more than 40 wineries and over 50,000 acres of vineyards? You live and learn!
Cheating on the dumplings still makes a fine Chicken Stew
Making Chicken Stew the way our grandmother's did requires a bit of ingenuity and a few substitutes. But it's all good!
Scrumptious Crock Pot Beef Stew has a few secret ingredients but it's the easiest, most delicious!
This is my beef stew secret. Alicia and I are both thrilled to have an official copy in our virtual recipe box. Let us know if you like it as much as we do.
How do you buy fish in the age of fillets?
I can’t even remember the last time I looked a fresh fish in the eye. If that time-worn trick doesn’t work for buying fillets, what’s a conscientious shopper to do?
Ciabiatta with Chicken and Cheese: A sandwich you could fall in love with
True confessions: Beverly doesn’t really love sandwiches. Especially not for dinner. And then Alicia steps in to change her mind.
Are food prices up, down or sideways?
This week's food news is tricky. Are prices up, down or sideways? And will French fries give you cancer?
Coupons and Falling Pork Prices
Falling pork prices and banter from the butcher? It's all in the news right now! Check out Beverly's Rants and Raves from this week.
Change up the pasta to give new shape to dinner!
Pasta rescues me weekly, and it's all too easy to get into a rut -- same old noodle, same old sauce. Choosing a different shape of pasta gives a new look and feel to dinner with no extra work for the cook.
Ditching groceries at the checkout: Are you guilty too?
Anybody else find yourself abandoning grocery items while you’re unloading the cart? I thought it was just me – - and then I saw an Associated Press report estimating at least 25 percent of all shoppers are dumping at least one item they had intended to buy. What to do?
BBQ Chicken fit for a man with a bit of beer and a lotta banjo!
At Beverly's house, Barbecued Chicken means a man with tongs, meat and fire who has an excuse to hide in the backyard, sip beer and play the banjo. Preferably for a very long time.
Kids....family meals....harmony. So how realistic is this combination?
The research is very clear and widely discussed -- kids who eat regular family meals have a definite leg up. But how on Earth are we supposed to pull it off?
Topsail White Shrimp is delicious in August -- or any time of year
Growing up on Topsail Island we waited anxiously for “white shrimp” to come into season. Every August boats trolled off the shore directly in front of our home in search of the largest, most succulent shrimp species North Carolina has to offer. Topsail White Shrimp Spaghetti is our tribute to this most delicious crustacean.
Perfect chocolate-oatmeal cookie is an old-fashioned childhood dream
All I want is that simple recipe for no-bake chocolate oatmeal cookies – you know, the kind the elementary school cooks make with oats, peanut butter, and cocoa.
Hard-cooking eggs is so easy! Or is it?
To hard-boil eggs, place them in a pot and add enough cold water to just cover the tops. But then what?
Delicious vichyssoise secret best kept quiet
A classic chilled French soup, vichyssoise is very forgiving when it comes to potatoes. Who says it has to be hard?
Amazing Steaks to set your grill on fire!
Happy to report that Amazing Steaks really are amazing. A recipe that has a man begging for it every week? A recipe that has three ingredients? In my Humble O, it doesn’t get more obvious than that.
Oatmeal: The new (very old) hurricane super food
When stocking the pantry for hurricanes, snow storms and other emergencies, what’s the best thing to keep on hand? Try oatmeal, the new (very old) super food.
How to cook a perfect boiled egg
This easy method for boiling eggs gives you perfect results every time!
Online video shows the art of the Mojito muddle
If you want to make a terrific Mojito, it all comes down to the exact Art of the Muddle. The right muddler doesn't hurt. Thanks to this video at ChowHound.com we finally figured it out.
Sleepy people aren't hungry but still likely to get fat
If you’re sleep deprived, you’re not as hungry, but you tend to gain weight anyway. How fair is that?
Change is Hard When Birdies Fly
Finding a way to cope with the Dreaded Empty Nest could lead to an all-organic diet or maybe eating one raisin at a time.
Will pizza hate you in the morning?
It’s not that I crave delivery pizza, it’s just that there’s nothing easy to cook and besides, I’m tired. But then it arrives, and frankly, I hate myself about an hour and a half later.
It’s greasy and doesn’t taste all that good. And I’ve just spent $16 plus tip. Now I have two reasons to hate myself. What to do?
Coupon clipping is easier when it's a game
When I have trouble getting excited about coupons, which is often, I turn it into a game. Especially when it's a savings so small you'll need a magnifying glass, such as a 20-cents-off coupon, I play the “percentage game.”
No Dinner Plan? No Worries.
When I’m tempted to call out for food I’ll regret, I ask myself: Is it possible to whip up something that will be faster, cheaper, contain less calories and taste as good (or better) without losing my temper?
Has anybody seen this Caramel Cake?
If you know where I might find a recipe for authentic Southern Caramel Cake, please let me know. If you’re able to offer technical consultation, that’d be great too!
Teenage Spaghetti Madness: Verdict is in!
The verdict for my grand Spaghetti Madness experiment: A huge success! Daughter Grey and her friend Jessica Austin made four batches of My Best-Ever Salvation Spaghetti yesterday.
My never-fail, constantly-craved, salvation spaghetti
For a long time the idea that there could be anything at all special about my spaghetti sauce made no sense to me. It was just too easy. Too fast. Too un-Italian and very, very un-gourmet.
Refrigerator Tweets A Sad Commentary?
My son will be home from college in just a few hours and I fear I’m out of practice cooking for four. After spotting my Tweets on the sad state of my refrigerator capacity, several friends on Facebook offered comments.
Immortalize Yourself with Baked Beans
Want to go down in history? Share your favorite recipes. Even baked beans may be enough to keep your memory alive for generations.
Chipotle restaurant's chicken is easy to grill at home
When my son Sam was eating way too much fast food from Chipotle, I set out to “help” him curb the habit. The result was a terrific Copycat Chipotle Chicken that you can grill at home.
Is Banana Bread Worth the Calories?
At a certain age, you have to ponder whether eating the Chocolate Chip Banana Bread is worth the calories.
Does a supermarket dinner do it for Date Night?
Instead of going out to a seafood restaurant and spending roughly $62 (plus tip) on a dinner for two, Publix suggests we eat at home and save $40. But on a Saturday night is it really worth it?
One secret ingredient makes clam chowder simple
I love seafood chowders of all kinds and what makes them possible in just 20 minutes is a simple, ingenious ingredient: Clam base adds a long-simmered depth as soon as it hits the pot.
Can a website change your life?
Back in the dark ages of dial-up, a friend uttered what turned out to be a prophetic statement: The Internet will transform society when women decide to shop on it.
Go ahead: Cave in to your craving for peanut sauce
“I’ve cleaned out my refrigerator and I couldn’t bear to waste this peanut sauce," Alicia said before heading out on vacation. "Use it as a dip for chicken.”
By the third day chicken didn't stand a chance. Peanut sauce was going straight from the Tupperware into my greedy little mouth.
