Summer is the time for getaways, and we especially love road trips that end with camping! Everyone has a different idea of what camping means. You might be a no-frills camper who hikes through the woods with just the essential gear, sleeping in the grass under the stars. Or maybe […]
Make the Most of your Summer Herb Garden
Planting and tending a garden can be hard work, and even if you do everything right, the results aren’t always perfect. You can grow the world’s most beautiful tomatoes one year, and the next, all that grow are empty vines. Nature is a powerful force! But if there is one […]
Holiday Gifting…for the Dogs!
There are two types of people in this world: people who give presents to dogs and people who do not. If you fall in the “do not gift presents to dogs” column, the following content may not appeal to you. If you do give presents to dogs, welcome to our […]
Our Favorite Holiday Cookies
There’s a lot to love about the holidays, but cookies are pretty high on the list. We’ve rounded up a few of our favorite cookie recipes to help inspire your baking. Remember that nearly all cookies are great for freezing, whether in baked or raw dough form, so get a […]
Make Rugelach at Home for a Hanukkah Treat
Rugelach are the perfect little treat to have any day of the year, but they are a must-have at Hanukkah! Cookies made by rolling dough around a slightly-sweet filling like jam, chocolate, or even poppy seeds, rugelach are a favorite Jewish tradition. And what’s even better is that these cookies […]
Halloween Dinner (or, a Candy Appetizer)
You are in official Halloween weather watch mode, when you finally decide: do I have to wear a jacket over my awesome costume!? Your friends at the CIA are rooting for you, and our fingers are crossed for clear skies and warm breezes for your candy-gathering adventures! But before you […]
6 Recipes Ideas for Back-to-School Meal Prep
If you’re looking for lunch idea that are kid-friendly, nutrient dense, and easy to pack, we’ve got you covered. These ten recipe ideas may not all be kid-food at first-glance, but we’ve got some suggestions for easy tweaks to perfect these make-ahead lunches to streamline your mornings. Each recipe can […]
No Bake Icebox Cakes for the Fourth of July
It’s hot, but you need dessert. What do you do? Sure, you could scoop ice cream or break out the popsicles, but the 4th of July calls for something special, and when we think special, we think cake. And not cake that you have to bake. No no no! July […]
Four Rules of Summer Party Prep
Summertime means party time! And for all of the fun of an outdoor party, we know there’s also a lot of work. If the stress of organizing a get-together is keeping you from hosting this year, take a look at our Four Rules of Summer Party Prep. Like most food […]
Making Marzipan Shapes
In many parts of the world, sweet shops produce dazzling marzipan confections shaped and colored to look like fruit fresh from the tree and an array of other tempting shapes. Although the town of Lübeck in Germany is credited with making some of the best marzipans in the world, it […]
Add a Twist to Your Kitchen Routine with Homemade Soft Pretzels
Coming across a warm soft pretzel is usually happenstance at a fair or football game. But wouldn’t it be a dream to have a chewy pretzel whenever you wanted it? We agree, and we’re sharing our family-friendly recipe for you to try at home! They begin with a dough, not […]
Soft Pretzels
Makes 4 large pretzels Big pretzels are easier to shape, but if you would like more than 4 big pretzels, you can make eight that are half-as-big. The resting and baking times will be shorter, so just keep an eye on them. Ingredients Dough 2 cups bread flour 1 1/2 […]