Claire Lower

An air fryer is presented as the best way to revive leftover fries, using hot circulating air to remove moisture and re-crisp the exterior. Reheating fries at 375°F for five to 10 minutes, without overcrowding the basket, generally produces the best results. An oven offers a good hands-off option for larger batches at 400°F for 15 to 25 minutes, while a frying pan works for small portions but requires frequent turning and close attention. A light oil spritz and checking during cooking can improve crispness and prevent drying or scorching.

Oiling the food rather than the grill grates is generally the most reliable way to prevent sticking because it fills microscopic gaps between the food and grate while avoiding burnt, carbonized oil. Refined oils with high smoke points are recommended, and grates should be cleaned while hot. For delicate fish, bacon, mayonnaise, or a fish basket can provide added protection, with the basket lightly oiled before use.

Claire Lower offers a personal framework for deciding whether to keep or discard kitchen appliances. Instead of relying on a strict one-year nonuse rule, she recommends considering whether the appliance was enjoyable to use, whether it performs a task better than alternatives, and whether it provides distinctive value. She highlights immersion circulators as worthwhile for cooking tough, fatty meats and large batches of eggs, while noting that appliances should be discarded when they create resentment, guilt or frustration. The broader conclusion is that there is no universally best cooking method; an appliance is worth keeping if it fits the user's schedule and helps produce food they enjoy.

Claire Lower recommends seven approachable dishes for new Instant Pot owners, including eggs, stock, soup, chili, whole chicken, potatoes, and risotto. She explains the appliance’s multifunctionality, emphasizes reading the manual and learning safe pressure-release procedures, and provides cooking methods and timings. The article concludes that the Instant Pot’s versatility and speed make it useful for experimentation while reducing the need for multiple kitchen appliances.

Explains the main components and controls of an Instant Pot, including manual pressure cooking, sautéing, pressure adjustment, temperature settings, keep-warm mode, and pre-programmed functions. It outlines how settings for beans, soup, grains, meat, congee, slow cooking, yogurt, eggs, and rice operate, while noting that model features vary and that the appliance’s preset programs are not always intuitive. The guide recommends starting with recipes designed for the manual function and consulting the appliance manual when necessary.

A sous-vide circulator is a wand-like device that heats and continuously circulates water to maintain a precise cooking temperature. The article explains that this prevents overcooking, retains moisture, and allows cooks to prepare frozen foods without thawing. It also describes using the circulator to safely thaw large cuts of meat or poultry and rapidly chill bottled beverages with an ice-water bath. Suggested models include the Breville Joule, Instant Pot Accu Slim, and Anova Precision Cooker 3.0.

Air fryers are effective at drying and crisping food, but their circulating hot air leaves toast dry and cracker-like rather than tender. Thick, moist bread can be toasted in an air fryer with close monitoring, but a dedicated toaster is recommended for better results; using a broiler is also inconvenient because the bread must be flipped.

The Ninja CREAMi is best suited to making sorbets, fruit-based desserts, dairy-free treats and other alternative frozen confections rather than traditional ice cream. Its powerful blades can produce a greasy texture when used with heavy cream, while low-fat mixtures may require repeated processing. Guar gum and citric acid improve texture and flavor, and allowing frozen bases to soften for five to ten minutes may reduce strain on the motor. The review recommends a vegan pineapple-and-coconut Dole Whip-style recipe as a standout use.

Food editor Claire Lower recommends stirring a whole raw egg into hot grits after removing them from the burner. The residual heat gently cooks the egg, creating a richer, creamier texture without making the grits taste distinctly eggy, while adding about six grams of protein and intensifying the cheesiness of cheese grits. She advises stirring rapidly until the egg is fully incorporated, then seasoning and optionally adding an extra yolk.

Day-old croissants can be transformed into crispy cinnamon-sugar toast by frying them in ghee or butter. The croissants are coated with cinnamon and sugar, fried cut-side down until the sugar caramelizes, and cooled until the coating hardens. Ghee is preferred because it does not brown like butter, making it easier to monitor the caramelization.

Pommes aligot is a French dish from the Aubrac region that combines mashed potatoes with an unusually large amount of cheese, producing a dense, stretchy texture similar to fondue. The recipe uses Yukon Gold potatoes, garlic, cream, salted butter, and Alpine cheeses, especially Gruyère. Thoroughly cooking and not rinsing the potatoes preserves the starch needed for elasticity, while constant stirring is essential when incorporating the butter and cheese. The dish should be served immediately.

Flavorful stock is the key to good stuffing because it permeates the entire dish. Homemade stock can be improved by roasting turkey bones and vegetables, then simmering them with aromatics, herbs, vinegar, peppercorns, and optional ingredients such as Parmesan rind, dried mushrooms, and MSG. When time is limited, store-bought stock can be enhanced with vegetables, seasonings, Better Than Bouillon, or turkey and chicken wings before straining and using it to moisten the bread.

A few ingredient substitutions can make classic Thanksgiving dishes vegan without sacrificing flavor or texture. The article recommends Better Than Bouillon or homemade chickpea broth in place of poultry stock, Just Egg as a binder, vegan margarine or shortening instead of butter, and a homemade mushroom base using dried mushrooms, roasted cremini mushrooms, alliums, dark beer and vegan sour cream for green bean casserole, gravy, stuffing, dressing, mashed potatoes and other dishes.

Built-in turkey pop-up thermometers are typically calibrated to activate around 178°F, which can leave the breast overcooked while ensuring the legs are done. The piece recommends discarding them and using a digital instant-read or probe thermometer instead, with separate target temperatures for breast and dark meat. Wireless dual-probe models can monitor both areas simultaneously, while spatchcocking or breaking down the turkey can further improve cooking results.

Cold-water thawing, brining, and a sous-vide circulator can speed up turkey defrosting while keeping the bird in a safe temperature range. A partially icy turkey can still be roasted, but it may require 20%–50% more cooking time; a meat thermometer should confirm that the thickest part of the thigh reaches 165°F.

Claire Lower bids farewell to Lifehacker after eight years by revisiting a selection of her favorite food, drink, cooking, and lifestyle hacks. She highlights recipes and experiments involving roasted Brussels sprouts, waffled cheese, casseroles, pickle beer, homemade Egg McMuffins, jam-jar cocktails, MSG martinis, pork shoulder, sous vide cooking, and cannabis decarboxylation. The piece also reflects on her unconventional editorial freedom, the support of colleagues and readers, and her gratitude for developing her culinary voice and service-journalism skills at Lifehacker.

Claire Lower presents a recipe for deep-fried scrambled eggs inspired by telur gulun, an Indonesian egg skewer. Eggs seasoned with salt, MSG, and white pepper are poured through a metal skimmer into hot oil at 350–375°F, producing crispy egg ribbons or a flat, savory egg cake. The dish is finished with flaky salt, sour cream, and chives, and can also be used as a low-carb wrap.

Claire Lower presents seven playful ideas for making a Halloween food spread look creepy, including a body-shaped buffet, prosciutto-covered fake body parts, edible fingers, an eyeball cake, Nutella mummy tarts, spiderweb-patterned eggs, and sausage mummies. The suggestions emphasize simple ingredients and accessible preparation while balancing grotesque presentation with hearty party food and desserts suitable for guests of different ages.

Pumpkin innards can be transformed into a savory, earthy broth by sautéing them with shallots, garlic, sage and olive oil, then simmering the mixture in water for about 30 minutes. Sugar and apple cider vinegar balance the broth’s bitterness. The resulting stock is especially suited to risotto, vegetable soups and bisque-like dishes, while also providing a way to reduce food waste.

Claire Lower recommends adding store-bought ketchup to beef stew because its tomato, sugar, and vinegar components complement the meat and vegetables. Her version combines ketchup with charred onion, garlic, fish sauce, soy sauce, red wine, potatoes, carrots, and peas, then cooks the stew in an Instant Pot for tender meat. The recipe also includes searing the beef separately, blending the sauce, and allowing for leftovers, which she says taste better the next day.