Whether you are making a gift list for yourself or someone else, here are two things I think every baker or cook should have and use in their kitchen. DIGITAL SCALE: The fastest way to cook and bake more consistently—especially with flour. Weighing in grams removes guesswork and keeps recipes repeatable. Look for a scale with a tare button, 1-gram (or 0.1-oz) resolution, and an easy-to-read display. Set your mixing bowl on the scale and start dumping--no measuring cups required. I like the...

Have you tried my popular bread machine recipe, "Bread Machine French Bread"? It may not be authentic French bread, but it's an easy and delicious recipe for beginners that usually turns out great. Recently, one of my readers requested a whole wheat version. It's not quite as "fool-proof" because whole wheat has a different personality and needs a little extra care. When you try this recipe keep these tips in mind. A Few Handy Tips for Baking with Whole Wheat Flour White vs. Red. White whole...

Fall Recipes I Can't Wait to Make What kind of recipe do you like to make when the weather starts to turn cool? My sister always reports when she makes her first bowl of soup in autumn so we can compare. Maybe it's pumpkin-something at your house, winter squash, or apples. I've gathered a few of my favorites that taste best wearing a sweatshirt. (Sorry if I'm a bit late with this--it's still reaching into the high 80's here in Texas, so the mood is slow to hit me.) Savory Mashed Sweet and...