Noodles don't need a lot of stove time to taste good, which is why they're a no-fail standby. As much as I love cold peanut noodles, sometimes I crave a bowl of silky-sauced pasta laden with vegetables and cheese — without spending an hour simmering that sauce.

Renowned chef/forest sprite René Redzepi has released an app called VILD MAD to help you find "delicious edibles" by using your phone. As someone who enjoys a good forage (and looking at her phone), VILD MAD seemed like an app that could definitely improve my quality of life, so I downloaded it onto said phone and set off into the wilds of Southeast Portland.

Creamy, salty dips get all the attention, but dipping one food in another shouldn’t be limited to savoury snacking. Dessert dips make eating fruit more fun, and they’re somehow even easier to make than dips of the oniony ilk. All you need is a creamy cheese and an electric mixer of some kind.

There are some things that will never be replaced by an app and a sturdy, hand-cranked can opener is one of them. Unfortunately, we're all too busy learning to code or whatever to practice our domestic skills and no one knows how to use them.

Well-seasoned water is the foundation of every delicious pasta dish. These days, you’d be hard-pressed to find a pasta recipe that doesn’t instruct you to salt the cooking water, but beyond vaguely invoking the sea, few of them bother to tell you how much salt is enough.

Video: Freezing unused whipped cream is a great way to store it for later use, but it also allows you to cut it into adorable, fun shapes - perfect for topping warm, rich mugs of cocoa.

There's something aesthetically pleasing about a perfectly formed hamburger patty; especially when it has those little symmetrical grill marks. However, it turns out that smashing your patty during the cooking process actually imparts more flavour. Check out the video to see how it's done.

I am an absolute fiend for pickled ginger. I always order extra, not for eating with my sushi, but for after I have eaten my sushi. The spicy sweet slices are a perfect stomach-settling end to a meal and if you plan on getting dessert, they make a great palate cleanser.

Hello, and welcome back to Will It Casserole?, the column where I take delicious concepts and re-imagine them as tasty casserole creations. Today we’re taking one of my favourite courses — the cheese course — and turning into one hot dish.

Look. You're about to make a feeding trough of bread and probably put dip in it, so it's best you level with yourself. Look at the face on your head in the mirror and say "I'm going to make a double bread bowl now", to completely free yourself from every last bit of ego.

Imitation crab — also known as “krab”, “kay-rab”, “fake crab” and “krab sticks” — is a mixture of fish (usually Alaska pollock) and starch that has been shaped and coloured to resemble the leg of a crab. It’s basically the lunchmeat of the sea, and it can be surprisingly tasty. (I used to eat it straight from the package, as I did with all lunchmeat, and I regret nothing.)

Potato chips are usually thought of as a lunchtime companion -- a crunchy side to your sandwich or wrap -- but their time has come to shine as a breakfast star. Think of them as a low-effort breakfast potato, which is the best kind of breakfast potato, especially on those morning where frying something seems impossible.

Video: People don’t really associated chicken with indulgence but, when prepared with love and care (and a lot of fat), it can be downright special.

I have seen recipes that call for the green part of the green onion, and I have seen recipes that call for the white part of the green onion, but I have never seen recipes that call for the stringy little roots of the green onion. (Until now, because I’m about to write one.) The little white allium threads are edible, however, and they make a great little crispy garnish.

Turkey burgers are the egg white omelets of the burger world. Known for being dry, bland, and decidedly unsexy, I didn't see a point in ever making one. Until now.

There is only one GBC recipe for me and that is Alton Brown's. Sure, I have a soft spot for the back-of-the-can version — who doesn't — but it's time that we stepped up our collective game.

In my mind, egg whites exist only as a delivery system for egg yolks. Though they are a great source of protein, whites have almost no flavour, which is why I’ve never understood those people who add more of them to their scramble. (I don’t understand athletes, is what I’m saying.) Yolks should be the star of any egg dish, even scrambles.

For the most custardy, creamy, flavourful scramble — that comes together in mere minutes — you need to increase your yolk content.

Red meat is an excellent source of protein and essential nutrients such as iron, zinc, vitamin B12 and omega-3 fats, which are are linked to heart and brain health.

But while a small quantity of lean meat may be good for us, too much red or processed meat can increase our risk of some cancers.

True, fermented pickles are always going to be more flavorful than quick pickles but, as Epicurious reports, Mark Bittman adds a bit of smoky depth by grilling the vegetables first.