Cooking Frog

This halloween punch recipe takes five minutes of real work: chilled cranberry juice, pomegranate juice, and ginger ale stirred together in a big bowl right before the party starts. The deep red color does the spooky part on its own, so there is no food dye in it. Set the bowl next to

This corn casserole recipe skips the boxed mix and builds its own cornbread base from cornmeal, flour, and a little sugar, so the center bakes up creamy and the edges turn golden and firm. Two kinds of corn do the heavy lifting here: creamed corn for moisture and drained whole kernels for bite. I bake it with sour cream and melted butter, then set it on the table next to

This crab cakes recipe starts with real lump crab and only as much binder as it takes to hold the meat together, because filler is what turns a good cake into a bready puck. I keep the mix cold, form the patties, and let them rest in the fridge before they ever touch the pan. That rest and a hot skillet give you a crisp, golden crust with sweet crab still in whole pieces.

I set out to build a chicken fried steak recipe that keeps its crust crisp even after the gravy hits the plate, because a coating that turns to mush is the one thing that ruins this dish. I pound cube steak to an even quarter inch, press it into cornstarch and seasoned flour, and fry it in a deep pot at 375°F so the breading sets all at once. Spoon the pepper gravy over the t...

This broccoli cheddar soup recipe builds a quick roux, simmers the broccoli and carrot until just tender, then melts sharp cheddar off the heat so the base comes out thick and glossy instead of stringy. The cheese goes in last for a reason, and that timing is the difference between a smooth bowl and one dotted with grainy clumps. I keep a loaf of