Mo

Sweet potatoes cook well by roasting, baking, boiling, steaming, microwaving, and air-frying; pick the method that suits your time and texture goal.

To season a cast iron pan, scrub, dry, rub on a paper-thin oil coat, bake at 475–500°F for 60 minutes, cool, and repeat 2–4 times.

Roasting chestnuts is easy: score an “X”, bake at 425°F until shells curl, then peel while warm for sweet, tender chestnuts.

Microwaving corn on the cob steams the kernels fast; use the husk or a damp wrap, add a short rest, and you’ll get crisp, juicy ears.

Wine is made by crushing grapes, fermenting the juice with yeast, then clarifying, aging, and bottling to taste.

To make white rice, rinse, then simmer 1 cup rice with 1½ cups water on low for 18 minutes, rest 10 minutes, then fluff.

To prepare asparagus, wash, trim the woody ends, peel thick stalks, then cook just to crisp-tender for the best snap and color.

Melt chocolate chips in short 50%-power bursts or over a gentle double boiler, stirring often; keep water out and stop when mostly melted.

White sauce (béchamel) is made by cooking equal parts butter and flour, then whisking in milk until smooth and thick to your target consistency.

To ripen bananas quickly, keep them at room temp or in a paper bag with an apple; refrigerate only after they’re ripe to slow further ripening.