Tausi Insider

Photo : Allie Chanthorn Reinmann The middle slice of lasagna is always the gooiest representation of the dish— more photogenic and more highly prized, since it’s protected on all sides and often has the best balance of fillings. But we all know where the real action is : the crispy edges, where the cheese has a satisfying , caramelized crunch . For those edge-loving lasagna eaters, there’s a simple way to get that sought after crispiness on the sides, top, and bottom of every bite: Make an inside-out lasagna cake. This lasagna cake sprung from one of my irritating personality traits: I dislike large quantities of tomato sauce. More accurately , I enjoy a perfect balance of sauce to noodle, erring on the side of less sauce. T he more naked noodles on the edges that end up toasted and chewy, the better . It’s the same frame of mind that celebrates spaghetti pie , or tahdig ; t hos e crispy starches always get me, and t his dish is built with that preference in mind. The i...

Photo : Yuganov Konstantin ( Shutterstock ) After a year of rising prices resulting from inflation, many families are cutting back on their holiday spending—including when it comes to gift-giving. Making a rule about not giving presents to other adults is one thing, but you probably want to give your kids a holiday experience to remember (for something other than the lack of presents). One way to do that—and stick to your budget—is to plan a Christmas treasure hunt at home. Here’s what to do. How to plan a Christmas treasure hunt First, a quick primer on “hunts” of this type. “Scavenger hunts” involve players or teams competing to collect and/or photograph the most items specified a list in the amount of time allotted. A “treasure hunt” is the kind where players or teams follow a series of clues (sometimes in the form of riddles) to find some sort of prize at the end. It’s also the one we’re talking about here. Of course, you can take the time to write your own clues for your Chr...

Photo : TommyStockProject ( Shutterstock ) You may not be able to bring real flowers to someone in the hospital, but you can bring a blanket. Obviously, hospitals have their own blankets, and you might think that they’re special, sterilized,, and nonnegotiable... but check in with your loved one’s care team and you’re almost sure to find that they have no problem with you bringing a clean, cozy blanket to help your patient feel comfier. https://www.tausiinsider.com/14-of-the-best-gifts-for-someone-in-the-hospital/?feed_id=328160&_unique_id=641bf18e1b6f7

Photo : MNAphotography ( Shutterstock ) Hey! It’s almost time for 2022 to be over! We’ll all be sad to say “so long” to the year that brought us runaway inflation, a land-war in Europe, and yet more COVID (with a chaser of RSV and the flu). B ut it’s time to welcome in 2023, and its inevitable volcanic eruptions, giant bot-fly invasions, and TikTok resurgence of “Who Let the Dogs Out?” But let’s try to do it right, OK? If you follow my advice and don’t commit any of the deadly sins listed below, I promise you’ll have a safe, sane, and responsible New Year’s Eve. A nd isn’t being safe, sane, and responsible how you want to kick off another probably terrible year? https://www.tausiinsider.com/the-7-deadly-sins-of-celebrating-new-years-eve/?feed_id=326288&_unique_id=64000eeacdfc8

Photo : Kev Gregory ( Shutterstock ) If you love challenges and free food, then theoretically, you should love this article. These challenges are such that only the bravest and hungriest will dare to take on. Some will reward you with a free shirt, others your picture on their wall honoring the select few who have completed the massive feats , but they all will give you your meal for free if you leave your plate (or plates) empty. If you think you’ve got what it takes, bring your bib and comfiest sweatpants to these restaurants. They’ll know you mean business. Kodiak Arrest Challenge at Humpy’s Great Alaskan Alehouse (Anchorage, Ala.) If you find yourself hungry in the rugged lands of Alaska, go to Humpy’s Great Alaskan Alehouse in Anchorage. If the restaurant sounds familiar, it’s because their challenge was on the show Man vs. Food . Take on the Kodiak Arrest Challenge , comprised of five courses of seafood, reindeer sausage, and ice cream, and get the $250 tab on the house...

Photo : Claire Lower When it comes to creamed vegetables, spinach and corn get most of the glory. Unless you’ re something of a steak dinner obsessive, you probably don’t think about creamed veggies all that much, and you certainly aren’t thinking of other, additional vegetables to cream. That’s alright though, because the smart brains at Serious Eats are thinking about those things, which is how creamed shishito peppers made their way onto my radar. The recipe is simple but effective. Sweat some shishitos with shallots and garlic until everything is nice and tender, then add cream and let it simmer until it becomes a thick sauce. Add some cheese. Eat. This recipe got me thinking: Why not cream other peppers? Shishitos are delightful, but they’re not ubiquitous. Could I cream a humble mini sweet pepper? (Yes.) And would it be good? (Also yes.) Mini sweet peppers are exactly what they sound like. They’re small and sweet, and come in the classic pepper colors (red, yellow, and oran...