Danilo's Culinary Arts Blog

Do your tried and true recipes suddenly seem a bit dull? Are you looking for ways to bring a little extra pizazz to your cooking? It might be time to take your cooking skills to the next level. What if there were five simple things you could do, starting today, to make every dish you prepare taste better?

Turns out, you're in luck! Check out these five easy ways you can improve your cooking.

Roasting a chicken is really a microcosm of everything that's great about cooking and the culinary arts. It's easy (although the possible refinements are nearly infinite), it makes your whole house smell amazing, and with its crispy skin and juicy meat, the result is almost excruciatingly delicious. It practically makes its own sauce, too.

And then there's the leftovers — roasted chicken makes some of the best leftovers ever. Even fresh out of the kitchen, some dishes aren't half as good as leftover roast chicken. Check out this simple tutorial on how to roast a chicken.

Pork is the most popular meat on the planet. So it should come as no surprise that a dish featuring pork served with pork would be the most popular recipe of the week. In fact, Bacon-Wrapped Pork Tenderloin grabs the top spot for the second week in a row.

As we enter week number two for what's coming to be known as "pork times two" (or simply P2), many people are already wondering if Bacon-Wrapped Pork might be the best recipe ever. See for yourself, along with the rest of this week's Top 10 Recipes.

On a hot day, nothing cools you down quite like a sweet, juicy watermelon. And on a warm, summer night, a watermelon salad will tantalize your tongue, refresh your palate and remind you that life is good.

Watermelon and mint are a couple of flavors that seem like they're made to go together, and they do so brilliantly in this recipe. Some crumbled feta cheese adds a bit of saltiness, and a simple balsamic vinaigrette pulls it all together. This cool and refreshing watermelon salad recipe is a perfect first course for a light, summer dinner.

Moist heat cooking refers to various methods for cooking food with, or in, any type of liquid — whether it's steam, water, stock, wine or something else.

Here's a collection of info about moist-heat cooking methods, including braising, simmering, steaming, and more.

Jicama is a delicious, mildly sweet root vegetable that tastes like a cross between an apple and a potato. It's crisp and refreshing — perfect for salads and other cold dishes.

Add some sweet corn, cut straight off the cob, a few fresh mint leaves and a handful of toasted pine nuts, and you've got a great, crunchy salad that's just the thing to keep you cool as summer winds down. Enjoy this recipe for Jicama & Corn Salad.

Ever wished you could have a super power? What if you could cook anything? It's not as impossible as you might think.

Here's the ultimate overview of cooking, with examples of dry-heat cooking methods like sautéing and roasting, and moist-heat methods such as steaming and braising. Super powers — at least in the kitchen — are within your reach.

From the moment this recipe for Bacon Wrapped Pork Tenderloin came into being, it seemed clear that it was only a matter of time before it occupied the top spot in our weekly Top 10 Recipes list. So congratulations, Bacon-Wrapped Pork — you've fulfilled your destiny.

Here's another video tutorial, this one on how to sharpen a knife with a whetstone. It's a popular topic, likely because using a whetstone is something that takes a bit of practice to get right.

It's a good skill to have, though, because a sharp knife is an absolute necessity in the kitchen. And while using a whetstone the wrong way can do more harm than good, that doesn't mean you shouldn't bother learning how to do it. But if you have an older chef's knife — you know, that dull one in the back of the drawer that you never use anyway — that might be a good knife to practice with.

Check out this video on how to sharpen a knife with a whetstone.

I mentioned yesterday that thyme is my "desert island" herb — or the herb I'd most want to have with me if I were marooned on a desert island.

How about you? Got an herb you just can't live without? One you'd be kicking yourself for forgetting to pack — even though you were only going on a three-hour tour? What's your desert island herb?