10 Best Food Dishes To Make In Sun Haven

10 Best Food Dishes To Make In Sun Haven

Cooking plays a huge role in Sun Haven. Along with helping recover your character’s Health and Mana, food can provide permanent stat boosts as well as be sold for a nice profit. Of course, finding the right recipes to churn out delicious dishes doesn’t come easy.


Related: The Best Crops To Plant First In Sun Haven

Many of the best meals require you to follow multiple steps, gather rare ingredients, and utilize various cooking stations. To find out which ones you should be prioritizing to turn a profit, look no further than this list of the best food dishes to make in Sun Haven.

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10 Cheese: Mounds Of Melty Money

cheese food dish in sun haven

Aside from being a delicious snack, Cheese is one of the most profitable food dishes in Sun Haven and can be consumed as is to restore 55 Mana, or combined with other ingredients to create more advanced recipes such as Butternut Mac and Cheese or Cheese Soufflé.

To make Cheese in Sun Haven, you’ll need two Milk, a Cooking Pot or Baking Station, and four hours of crafting time. Once ready, it can be sold for a whopping 406 Coins, making it one of the highest profit margin food dishes in the game.

9 Stuffed Casserole: Defense Booster

stuffed casserole food dish in sun haven

Moving along, Stuffed Casserole is another great dish you can cook to turn a profit, though the steps to make it are a lot more extensive than Cheese. It starts by combining one Flour, Cheese, and Mushroom in a Cooking Pot or Café for three hours.

When eaten, each Stuffed Casserole will yield 50 Mana while permanently increasing your character’s defense sat. Depending on your circumstances, you might be better off just equipping better amor and selling a bunch of Stuffed Casseroles, as they go for 563 Coins each.

8 Pad Thai: There’s Power In Noodles

pad thai food dish in sun haven

If you’ve got a hankering for stir-fried noodles and nuts, this next food dish is sure to get your stomach rumbling. Crafted in two hours using a Cooking Pot, one Egg, Noodles, and Peanuts, Pad Thai is a popular street food sold in cities all over Sun Haven’s four regions.

Related: Sun Haven: Best Exploration Skills

The benefits of this food dish are pretty useful, providing you with 15 Health and 40 Mana. If you’re strapped for cash, Pad Thai can also be sold for a cool 240 Coins each; not the highest profit margin but definitely worth it considering how cheap its ingredients are.

7 Strawberry Milk: A Sweet Pay Day

strawberry milk food dish in sun haven

A classically sweet dessert drink, Strawberry Milk is a fairly easy Sun Haven food dish to prepare, calling for just one Strawberry and one Milk with two hours of cooking time. When consumed, it will yield 25 Mana, making it extremely useful for casting spells and using certain abilities.

Like Pad Thai, Strawberry Milk can also be sold for around 240 Coins. After factoring in the cost of its simple ingredients, this leaves you with an impressive 85 percent profit margin. That’s nothing to scoff at considering this is just strawberry-flavored cow milk.

6 Fruit Punch: Make A Flavorful Fortune

fruit punch food dish in sun haven

As one of the more advanced Sun Haven cooking recipes, Fruit Punch requires you to first find the Adventurers Cookbook 1 before combining one Strawberry, Orange, and Water Crystal in a Cooking Pot for one hour.

In the end, you’ll have one of the best food dishes in the game that grants 45 Mana and a small yet permanent Mana regen stat boost. Selling this tasty tropical drink will get you 130 Coins per item, which boils down to a remarkable 100 percent profit margin.

5 Acai Bowl: Big Bucks For Breakfast

acai bowl food dish in sun haven

Both delicious and nutritious, the Acai Bowl is a common breakfast food dish in Sun Haven that consists of sweet yogurt topped with an assortment of berries, specifically one Berry, Blueberry, and Strawberry. Mix them all together in a Cooking Pot for one hour, and you’ll have this dish ready to go.

Upon consumption, it bestows your character with 25 Mana and a small permanent Mana regen increase. Keep in mind, you’ll need to find the Adventurers Cookbook 2 to unlock this recipe, but afterward, can sell each Acai Bowl for roughly 100 Coins, or a 100 percent profit.

4 Fruit Snacks: Grab A Handful Of Mana

fruit snacks food dish in sun haven

Next up are Fruit Snacks, a sweet and squishy treat with the power to both fill your belly and line your pockets with an excellent 100 percent profit margin. Alternatively, Fruit Snacks can be eaten to receive 25 Mana and a nominal yet lasting Mana regen boost.

Related: Sun Haven: How To Obtain All Keepsakes

To make Fruit Snacks, you’ll need to find the Adventurers Cookbook 3 as well as gather one Blueberry, Strawberry, and Raspberry before combining them in a Cooking Pot for a total of one hour. Similar to many other food dishes on this list, they have a 100 percent profit margin at 110 Coins.

3 Fruit Tart: A Tasty Ticket To Treasure

fruit tart food dish in sun haven

This aptly named pastry has a sharp kick in flavor that contrasts nicely with its sweet fruit filling and sugary crust. However, the Fruit Tart’s most tantalizing quality is the fact that it costs only 40 Coins to produce yet is worth about 200 Coins in sell value.

Preparing this food dish requires you to first obtain the Adventurers Cookbook 3, one Raspberry, Blueberry, and Egg. Mix in a Cooking Pot for one hour, and you’ll have yourself a delicious dessert with the power to restore 40 Mana.

2 Energy Smoothie: Sky-High Profits

energy smoothie food dish in sun haven

If you ever feel like you’re running low on juice, an Energy Smoothie is sure to lift your spirits. With a staggeringly high 4,500 Coins buy price, this rare Sun Haven food dish is not easy to come by, so you’re better off just making it yourself since it costs absolutely nothing to do so.

To do that, you’ll need to reach Farming Level 25, build a Cooking Pot, and combine one Water Crystal, Apple, and Orange. Wait one hour and you’ll have a potent beverage that boasts 45 Mana, a small Mana regen boost, and a 100 Coins sell price.

1 Honeyglazed Apple: Sticky Savings

honeyglazed apple food dish in sun haven

While an apple dipped in sugary honey may not sound all that healthy or lucrative, Sun Haven’s Honeyglazed Apple recipe is full of surprises. It starts with a Cooking Pot, Farming Level 25, and two simple ingredients, one Apple and one Honey, mixed to perfection over four hours.

When consumed, this food dish will restore a moderate 40 Mana while raising your character’s Mana pool permanently. Seeing as the ingredients cost nothing, you can turn a 100 percent profit by selling Honeyglazed Apples for 140 Coins each.

Next: Sun Haven: Best Pets

Ridiculous Revel Bars Recipe: If Oatmeal Cookies, Fudge & Brownies Had a Baby | Desserts

Ridiculous Revel Bars Recipe: If Oatmeal Cookies, Fudge & Brownies Had a Baby | Desserts


What’s a revel bar? A revel bar is an oatmeal cookie bar that has a chocolatey, fudgy filling in the middle. I think it’s more like if brownies, fudge and oatmeal cookies had a sweet delicious baby. It’s said these bars are called revel bars because people revel in delight after eating them. I definitely believe that!


The oatmeal cookie layer is made with butter, brown sugar, eggs, vanilla, quick oats, flour, baking soda and a pinch of salt. The batter is used as the base of the bars and as the crumble topping. The chocolate layer is made with sweetened condensed milk, chocolate chips, butter, salt, vanilla and chopped nuts.

<Macro 'tip'>


You can use your favorite chocolate chips for this
dessert recipe, but semisweet are my favorite. Make these cookie bars gluten-free by using gluten-free flour. If you don’t like nuts, leave them out! If you do use nuts and have the time, give them a quick toast in a dry skillet to bring out even more flavor.


Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 35 minutes


Total Time: 45 minutes


Servings: 12+


Ingredients


Oatmeal Bar


  • 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
  • 2 cups packed brown sugar 
  • 2 eggs, at room temperature
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla
  • 3 cups quick oats
  • 2 1/2 cups flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • big pinch of salt


Filling


  • 1 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk
  • 1 bag (12 ounces) chocolate chips
  • 3 tablespoons butter
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla 
  • 1/3 cup chopped pecans or walnuts


Here’s how to make it: 


  1. Cream the butter and brown sugar together with an electric mixer. Add the eggs and vanilla. Mix well. Stir in the baking soda, salt, oats and flour until combined. Put about 2/3 of the mixture into a greased 13×9-inch baking pan. Press down to cover the bottom of the pan. 
  2. To make the chocolate layer, put the sweetened condensed milk, chocolate chips, butter and salt into a saucepot. Cook over low heat, stirring, until smooth. Stir in the vanilla and nuts. Remove from the heat. Spoon the filling over the oatmeal layer, spreading to cover the entire top. 
  3. Sprinkle the remaining 1/3 oatmeal mixture over the top. 
  4. Bake in a preheated 350-degree F oven for about 30 minutes or until the top is golden brown. 


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7 Gourmet Insect Dishes From Around the World

7 Gourmet Insect Dishes From Around the World

In America, eating insects has mostly been relegated to a stunt game show (of the early aughts) and the occasional grasshopper taco on the menu of a more authentic Mexican restaurant. For centuries, though, bugs have been an integral part of diets around the world, providing a sustainable, economical source of protein in cultures from South America, Africa, Australia, and beyond. While the thought of choking down a tarantula, its hairy legs squirming wildly in protest, might seem offensive to some (all), restaurants across the globe are elevating the insect to gourmet status. Read on for some intriguing bug dishes that are helping to squash the stigma of edible insects.


Queen Ant Egg Tostada, Noma, Mexico

Jason Loucas Photography

René Redzepi of the world-renowned Danish restaurant Noma is no stranger to cooking (or in this case, not cooking) with insects. At his 2012 London pop-up, the legendary chef served crème fraîche dotted with live ants, and in Japan in 2015, Redzepi’s shrimp sushi also came crawling with the tiny black insects. At his two-month turn in Tulum, Mexico, the 14-course menu showcased the chef’s signature innovative interpretations of regional cuisine. One such course was a tostada with grilled espolon beans and creamy escamoles (ant eggs), prepared with grilled habanero oil and garnished with beach greens and flower petals.



Bug Tapas, Bugs Cafe, Cambodia

Courtesy of Bugs Cafe

Fried insects are a common snack in Cambodia, for sale at stalls throughout the country’s markets, but at the now-shuttered Bugs Cafe in Siem Reap they got a gourmet upgrade. The tapas menu featured traditional Cambodian dishes like wild spring rolls stuffed with ants, green papaya salad with grilled marinated scorpions and kaffir lime, and tarantula doughnuts, dipped in tempura, deep fried, and served with sweet chile sauce and mango chutney.



Insect Ramen, Ramen Nagi, Japan

Courtesy of Ramen Nagi

In Japan, bowls of hot, salty ramen might be topped with sliced pork, boiled eggs, dried seaweed, and in at least one Tokyo shop, bugs. According to Reuters, Ramen Nagi in Tokyo held a popular pop-up, serving insect tsukemen with crickets and mealworm-peppered noodles in a cricket, grasshopper, or silkworm powder-flavored broth. The full-course meal sold out within four hours and included the bowl of ramen, fried worm spring rolls, cricket rice, and ice cream flavored with insect powder.



Cricket, Mealworm, and Grasshopper Burger, Grub Kitchen, UK

Courtesy of Grub Kitchen

Situated on a traditional Pembrokeshire farm, this charming restaurant in Wales is doing its part to make insect-eating mainstream. While fresh, locally sourced options abound for non-adventurous eaters, chef Andy Holcroft seamlessly blends bugs into both traditional British pub fare and international cuisine. Bug Wellington with mixed bugs and chestnuts wrapped in cricket crêpes and puff pastry, toasted cumin mealworm hummus, and Welsh cakes with cinnamon mealworms all get rave reviews, but one favorite is the signature bug burger. Made with toasted crickets, mealworms, and grasshoppers topped with spinach and sun-dried tomato and served with polenta fries and tzatziki sauce, think of it as an exotic version of a veggie burger.



Queso del Rancho, Xochi, Houston

Paula Murphy

Chef Hugo Ortega has been serving lime and salt-cured chapulines (grasshoppers) from Oaxaca at his eponymous Houston restaurant since 2007, but his latest spot offers even more opportunity to sample insect-based dishes common in his native Mexico. At Xochi, the James Beard Award finalist features grilled prime Black Angus rib eye served atop an ant mole; cocktails garnished with gusano (worm) salt; and Queso del Rancho, with housemade queso de cincho (cheese), chicharrones (fried pork rinds), and a trio of insects that includes worms, ants, and grasshoppers.



Love-Bug Salad, Archipelago, London

Courtesy of Archipelago

Bugs aren’t the only thing on the menu requiring an adventurous palate at Archipelago. The romantic candlelit restaurant in London’s Fitzrovia neighborhood serves up python carpaccio, marinated kangaroo skewers, and crispy zebra jerky, among other global delicacies. Try a side dish of Love-Bug Salad, made with worms and locusts, and save room for insect-focused desserts like chocolate-covered locusts and the Bushman’s Cavi-Err — blinis topped with coconut cream, vodka jelly, and caramelized mealworms.



Black Ant Guacamole, The Black Ant, NYC

Paul Wagtouicz

Though the name might suggest an all-bug menu, the popular East Village restaurant serves innovative spins on traditional Mexican fare, both with and without insects. To go all in on bugs, though, try a smoky jalapeño margarita rimmed with black ant salt, the Croquetas de Chapulin (yucca-Manchego and grasshopper croquettes), and an order of the house guacamole. The recipe changes with delicious additions like diced mangoes, pomegranates, or fried chickpeas, but it’s always topped with a sprinkling of tangy, nutty ant salt. When asked, you definitely want to add guac here.


14 Best Food and Drink Coronation Recipes

14 Best Food and Drink Coronation Recipes

We may earn commission from links on this page, but we only recommend products we back.

1

The King and Queen Consort’s Coronation Quiche

coronation quiche
Buckingham Palace

King Charles and Queen Camilla shared this “coronation quiche” recipe, described as “a deep quiche with a crisp, light pastry case and delicate flavours of Spinach, Broad Beans and fresh Tarragon. Eat hot or cold with a green salad and boiled new potatoes—perfect for a Coronation Big Lunch!”

Get the recipe

2

Nadiya Hussein’s Coronation Aubergine

nadiya coronation aubergine
Nadiya Hussain

“Aubergines often feature as a side dish when served at a table for dinner, but not here. We are taking this delicious aubergine, coating it with flavour, frying till tender and then drizzling over the simplest coronation dressing. It’s like dinner at my mum’s collided with my lunches at school to create this beauty,” Nadiya Hussain, winner of Great British Bake Off, writes in Nadiya’s Fast Flavours.

Get the recipe

3

Adam Handling’s Strawberry and Ginger Trifle

adam handling's strawberry and ginger trifle
Adam Handling

What’s a more English dessert than a trifle? Adam Handling, a Michelin-starred chef and owner, created this strawberry and ginger trifle especially for the coronation.

Get the recipe

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4

King Charles’s Favorite Cheesy Baked Eggs

cheesy baked eggs
Clarence House

In 2020, Clarence House—which represented then-Prince Charles and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall—shared that one of Charles’s favorite cheesy baked eggs. “One thing that undoubtedly brings many of us great comfort is good food,” Charles said, calling British cheese “one of the most wonderful joys in life.” It’s a perfect breakfast for watching the coronation.

Get the recipe

5

The Dorchester’s Sovereign Martini

charles at fernie hunt
Tim Graham//Getty Images

King Charles’s favorite drink is reportedly a martini. To celebrate the coronation, British hotel the Dorchester will be serving the “Sovereign Martini”–made of Wessex gin, Royal Garden mead, dry vermouth, lavender bitter and orange scent—at their Vesper Bar.

If you’re not in London, however, you can totally make your own martini at home:

26 Martini recipes

6

Royal Sipsmith Martini

coronation recipe
Sipsmith

British gin brand Sipsmith also released a special coronation martini, called, naturally, the “Royal Sipsmith Martini.” It’s very easy to make:

The recipe:

Ingredients

Method:

  1. Fill a mixing glass with ice
  2. Add the vermouth and stir for a few seconds
  3. Add the gin to the mixing glass and stir briskly for 50 turns
  4. Strain into a chilled glass and spritz with the zest of a lemon peel

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7

nyetimber Nyetimber Classic Cuvee Coronation Limited Edition

Nyetimber Classic Cuvee Coronation Limited Edition

7

nyetimber Nyetimber Classic Cuvee Coronation Limited Edition

Now 26{d2b09b03d44633acb673e8080360919f91e60962656af8ade0305d5d8b7e4889} Off

If you want to pop some bubbly for the coronation, why not turn to English sparkling wine? British brand Nyetimber released this limited edition bottle of their Classic Cuvee MV, a blend of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Pinot Meunier from West Sussex. The bottle was inspired by royal garments and uniforms. All you have to do is pour it into some champagne glasses, and enjoy.

8

Fortnum & Mason Fortnum’s Coronation Organic Darjeeling Tea

Fortnum's Coronation Organic Darjeeling Tea

8

Fortnum & Mason Fortnum’s Coronation Organic Darjeeling Tea

Coronation Cookies

Credit: Matt Taylor-Gross

William Greenberg Desserts makes some of T&C‘s favorite sweets, including an iconic black-and-white cookie. But the New York City staple is going international for King Charles’s coronation with these delicious butter shortbread cookies, topped with an icing crown in honor of King Charles III. They’re great on their own or dunked into a mug of coronation tea, but if you want to add these treats to your table, act fast; they’re baked daily and when they’re gone for that day, they’re gone. To reserve in advance, call 212-861-1340.

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10

Woodford Reserve’s High Tea with the King

coronation woodford reserve
Courtesy Woodford Reserve

The coronation is taking place on the same day as the Kentucky Derby, so why not celebrate both with this cocktail, which is a blend of Early Grey infused simple syrup and Woodford Reserved Bourbon. As the brand notes, “travel your tastebuds from London to Louisville.”

The recipe:

  • 1 oz brown butter fat washed Woodford Reserve Bourbon
  • 1 oz Woodford Reserve Rye
  • 1/4 oz Earl Gray Rich Simple Syrup
  • 2.5 mL Woodford Reserve Sorghum & Sassafras bitters

Brown butter fat wash: Melt 1 stick of butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Stir constantly and observe until milk solids brown and there is a distinctly nutty aroma. Pour directly into 2 cups of Woodford Reserve Bourbon. Allow to infuse overnight in the fridge. Strain off after a minimum of 10 hours.

Earl Gray Syrup: Brew very strong Earl Gray tea. I used 2 teabags for 200g of hot water. Add 400g of white granulated sugar to the brewed tea. Stir until dissolved. (This is a 2:1 rich simple syrup.)

11

Old Forester’s The Crown Julep

the crown julep
Courtesy Old Forester

Another Kentucky Derby x Coronation mash-up comes in the form of this “Crown Julep” drink from Old Forester.

The recipe:

*To create syrup, use a 1:1 ratio of demerara sugar to Earl Grey tea brew.

Directions: Add the Earl Grey syrup and mint leaves to a Julep cup and gently muddle together. Add a heaping scoop of crushed ice to the cup, followed by 2 oz. Old Forester & 1 oz. Pimm’s. Gently stir and then garnish with a bunch of fresh mint.

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14

The Victoria Sponge

the duchess of cornwall visits the fair day centre
WPA Pool//Getty Images

Queen Victoria regularly ate a slice of sponge cake with her tea. As King Charles III is the first monarch to be descended from Victoria on both sides, honoring the British queen just makes sense. Buckingham Palace Pastry Chefs shared the recipe for the “Victoria Sponge” a few years ago for Royal Garden parties, and it feels right to make it for the coronation.

Get the recipe

Camilla, then the Duchess of Cornwall, is given a Victoria Sponge by head chef Sue Hayes during her visit to the The Fair Close Centre on March 22, 2018.

15

Royal Salute Royal Salute The Coronation of King Charles III Edition Scotch Whisky

Royal Salute The Coronation of King Charles III Edition Scotch Whisky

15

Royal Salute Royal Salute The Coronation of King Charles III Edition Scotch Whisky

Headshot of Emily Burack

Emily Burack (she/her) is the news writer for Town & Country, where she covers entertainment, culture, the royals, and a range of other subjects. Before joining T&C, she was the deputy managing editor at Hey Alma, a Jewish culture site. Follow her @emburack on Twitter and Instagram. 

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11 best Amazon kitchen tools under $25

11 best Amazon kitchen tools under

The right kitchen tools can make meal prep easy and enjoyable — whether you’re whipping up a weeknight meal for the family or cooking an elegant dinner for close friends. Many of the top-rated tools that chop, grate, peel and froth to perfection cost less than $25 and are available to purchase on Amazon right now.

We’ve sifted through dozens of bestselling items and found ones that are not only kind on your wallet but actually do what they say — and do it well.

SKIP AHEAD Best Amazon kitchen products under $25

Best Amazon kitchen tools under $25 in 2023

Below, we rounded up 11 tools on Amazon that will streamline the cooking process and save you time in the kitchen. Every item is highly rated with at least 4.2 stars based on thousands of reviews.

Kitchen Gizmo Snap ‘n’ Strain

4.5-star average rating from over 32,000 Amazon reviews

This silicone fine-mesh strainer lets you drain water from any round pot, pan or bowl with one hand. It is designed to maximize drainage and is half the size of a standard colander, so it it shouldn’t take up as much drawer space, according to the brand. The strainer snaps on to round pots, pans and bowls of all sizes including glass, wood and lipped bowls. It’s BPA-free, heat resistant up to 440 degrees Fahrenheit and dishwasher-safe too.

Cuisinart Smashed Burger Press

4.6-star average rating from over 34,000 Amazon reviews

Smash burgers are well loved for their crispy, cracked edges and juicy center. To get these results, you’ll need a weighted press to smash the meat and lock in the flavor as it cooks. This cast-iron press from Cuisinart is durable enough to smash your burger into a 6-inch patty; plus, its 1-centimeter raised edge will lock in the fat and juices, according to the brand.

Amazon Basics Food Safe Baking Mats

4.7-star average rating from over 97,000 Amazon reviews

These nonstick silicone baking sheets eliminate the need for cooking sprays, grease and parchment paper. They come in a pack of two and measure 11.6 inches x 16.5 inches, so they fit perfectly on half-size baking pans, according to the brand. Oven-safe up to 480 degrees Fahrenheit, you can easily clean these silicone sheets with soap and water.

Sharpal Knife Sharpener

4.3-star average rating from over 34,000 Amazon reviews

This compact knife sharpener has a rubber base that firmly suctions to your table when the sharpener switch is turned on, so it shouldn’t slip or damage your countertop, according to the brand. It comes with two blades — a carbide blade for sharpening edges and a ceramic blade to hone. The Sharpal also sharpens scissors.

Elitapro Ultra-High-Speed Milk Frother

4.2-star average rating from over 24,000 Amazon reviews

With this battery-powered, double-whisk frother, serious coffee drinkers can get barista-grade cappuccinos, lattes and macchiatos at home. It can mix your desired foam in 15 seconds and has a silicone ergonomic handle to keep your hands comfortable while you use it, according to the brand. Plus, it comes with a slim stainless steel stand and is available in 18 colors.

KitchenAid 4-Sided Grater

4.8-star average rating from over 10,000 Amazon reviews

This stainless steel, rust-resistant box grater can mince, slice, grate and shred cheeses, veggies and more. It comes with a 3-cup container that fits under the grater’s base to catch excess food so there’s less mess in your kitchen. The container also has measurement markings and a top so you can store the leftover shavings for later.

Poromi Herb Scissors

4.4-star average rating from over 2,000 Amazon reviews

Fresh herbs make any dish more flavorful. You can use these high-quality scissors, which come with a safety cover and a comb for cleanup, to cut herbs directly over pizza, salad, casseroles, soup and more. Because these scissors have five blades, it uniformly snips herbs faster than regular scissors can, according to the brand. The handle is made of nonslip soft rubber material, and the stainless-steel blades are rust resistant. It’s perfect for beginners who don’t have the best knife skills and are looking for alternative options in the kitchen.

Ototo Gracula Garlic Crusher

4.5-star average rating from over 5,500 Amazon reviews

This vampire-inspired kitchen tool can crush, mince and press garlic in seconds. To use, pop off Gracula’s head, place the garlic (or ginger, nuts or herbs) inside, place his head back on and twist. It’s only 120 grams and is BPA-free and dishwasher safe too.

Zulay Utensil Rest with Drip Pad

4.7-star average rating from over 34,000 Amazon reviews

This utensil rest not only has four slots to park your spatulas, ladles and tongs while cooking, but it also has a drip pad to help keep your countertop splatter-free. It’s made with heat-resistant silicone and has a nonslip bottom to keep it in place as you use it. Plus, it’s dishwasher-safe and available in two sizes and 31 colors.

Talisman Bacon Grease Bin

4.7-star average rating from over 5,600 Amazon reviews

I love making bacon but cringe at the thought of figuring out what to do with the grease. The Talisman bacon bin is made of heat-resistant, BPA-free silicone and has a removable strainer on top that filters out tiny bits of bacon fat so you are left with pure grease to cook with or toss (once it’s chilled), according to the brand. It’s also refrigerator-, freezer-, microwave- and dishwasher-safe so you can store any remnants as you please.

Cuisinart Ceramic-Coated Stainless-Steel Knives

4.8-star average rating from over 46,000 Amazon reviews

Knives are an essential tool in every kitchen, and this Cuisinart set comes with 12 high-quality stainless steel blades that have a nonstick ceramic coating, which makes them easy to use, according to the brand. With this set you’ll get two: 8-inch chef knives, 8-inch slicing knives, 8-inch serrated bread knives, 7-inch santorum knives, 6.5-inch utility knives and a 3.5-inch paring knives along with a blade guard for each. Each type is a different color to help you avoid cross-use during food prep.

Why trust Select?

Barbara Booth has written a number of guides on bestselling and highly rated products you can buy on Amazon that simplify your life,including best organizational products, best car accessories, best travel accessories and more. For this piece, Barbara researched dozens of top-rated items on Amazon that simplify and streamline meal prep.

Catch up on Select’s in-depth coverage of personal finance, tech and tools, wellness and more, and follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter to stay up to date.

Outdoors with Luke: Luke shares outdoor cooking tips | Sports

Outdoors with Luke: Luke shares outdoor cooking tips | Sports

  If you’ve been reading my column the past couple weeks, you’ve seen my account of a successful turkey hunt on the famed Y.O. Ranch near Mountain Home down in the Texas Hill Country.

  As Mr. Paul Harvey used to say, this week, I’ll relate to you the “Rest of the story.”

  To me, a hunt or a fishing trip are not complete until I cook and enjoy a meal from my harvest from the woods or water. Through the years, I’ve learned a lot of different ways to cook fish and game from others and I’ve done a great deal of experimenting on my own. One of my favorite recipes I learned is from the late Bob Hood. Bob loved cooking with dutch kettles over campfire coals and we often prepared this dish for a noon-time meal after a successful quail hunt out in West Texas. The ingredients are pretty basic; a kettle full of quail, 1.5 sticks of butter, quail, 4 rows of Ritz Crackers and salt and pepper.

  After this recent turkey hunt, I decided to substitute the white meat from my gobbler for the quail Bob and I usually cooked. I cut the breast meat into pieces about the size of a quail, coated them with melted butter and then covered them with cracker meal. I do most of my campfire cooking in a big cast-iron skillet with lid and a #10 dutch kettle. The key to success with a dutch kettle is to make sure you do not get too much heat under the pot. A good rule of thumb is about 13 charcoal briquettes on top of the recessed lid and about seven or eight underneath. I usually cook with embers from the campfire but briquettes are much easier to work with until you learn how to gauge the heat. Of course, the amount of heat depends upon the ambient air temperature. When it’s freezing and windy outside, it obviously requires more heat to bring the kettle up to cooking temperature. When the air temperature is 70 degrees or more, the basic 13-above and 7-below formula works just fine.

  It’s important to have extra cracker meal to cover the pieces of breast meat; an ample amount of black pepper on top is a must! While the kettle is working its magic, rotate the lid with coals 180 degrees and pick up the entire kettle and turn it the opposite direction. This helps to distribute the heat and avoid hotspots. It takes somewhere around 40 minutes once the coals are placed on top but it’s a good idea to gingerly pull the lid after about 30 minutes for a check. 

  Cooking with cast iron over a campfire is a bit more challenging than setting the kitchen oven at the desired temperature and removing the finished product when the timer sounds but dutch kettle cooking is not rocket science.

  You will find that the aroma coming from that kettle will have your friends hovering just downwind with plates, fork and knives ready to dig in but give it about 40 minutes. Fight them off if you must! About two quail-size pieces of the turkey breast, covered with extra Ritz cracker crumbs is about right for the average person. Grilled asparagus is in season now and it makes a great side dish to this meal.

  Through the years, I have encountered a lot of turkey hunters that have no idea how to prepare the legs and thigh meat from wild turkeys. Wild turkey, unlike their domestic counterparts, have to use their “landing gear” for motivation while foraging for food, often traveling many miles each day. A wild turkey drumstick is extremely tough. I’ve seen guys try to grill them and it would take the teeth of a grizzly bear to chew the meat! With 10 or so tiny feather bones it can be a challenge to cook but years ago I learned from an old Mexican cook down on the border how to make the best fajitas out of wild turkey legs and thighs. The trick to tenderizing any cut of tough meat is slow cooking with moisture.

  I begin with placing the dark meat in heavy duty aluminum foil and coating with olive oil, then sprinkling with a generous amount of Fiesta Fajita seasoning. I use my Smokin Tex electric smoker set at 225 degrees for an hour to give the pieces plenty of smoke flavor; pecan wood is my favorite but hickory or any fruit wood also gives the meat a great flavor. After the pieces are smoked, add a bit more oil and just a little water or apple juice, then wrap tightly and allow to steam/bake for five or six hours. Make sure and check for doneness after four hours. I then hold the end of the drumsticks to keep the little feather bones intact and strip the meat away. The thigh meat will simply fall off the bone. I often freeze the smoked/seasoned meat and make fajitas later. If I’m at camp with friends, I toss the meat in a cast-iron skillet with a bit more seasoning, onions, bell pepper and onion and enjoy some very fresh camp fajitas. Wrapped in a hot flour tortilla and garnished with cilantro and a bit of picante sauce, these fajitas will rival those you enjoy at your favorite restaurant.

  Note: If you haven’t had a successful turkey season thus far, you can substitute chicken breast in either of these recipes or, for the dutch kettle recipe, cornish hens. Just make sure and have plenty of that Ritz cracker meal! You will thank me when you spoon a generous pile of the cracker meal on the dutch kettle baked fowl! And wrap five or six pieces of asparagus in bacon for the grill. The bacon bastes the asparagus while cooking and adds a great deal of flavor. You might want to dust it with a bit of garlic powder to add even more flavor!

  Contact outdoors writer Luke Clayton through his website www.catfishradio.org