Karen Hart
Expertise
Cooking Tips And Tricks, Grilled Cheese Sandwiches, Comfort Foods
- Karen's great food influences are her dad who taught her about patience and love with his fried cornmeal mush; her sister Linda whose green corn tamales and refried beans deserve a Michelin star; Nigella Lawson whose show was Karen's guilty pleasure during all six of her pregnancies; and Chrissy Teigen and John Legend whose cooking style and recipes make Karen's family happy eaters.
- Despite being a vegetarian, Karen loves the smell of bacon and grilling steaks for backyard barbecues.
- Karen loves learning about the culinary history of the U.S. capital and its surrounding areas.
Experience
Karen is a non-award-winning writer who has worked as a professional writer for over two decades. She freelanced for the Washington Post writing for its retired Sunday Source, as well as the D.C. Examiner. When she isn't trying the newest ice cream spot in town with her kids, she is watching Premier League Soccer.
Education
Karen has a B.A. in English Literature.
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Stories By Karen Hart
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Bagels are a classic breakfast treat that have already been transformed in endless ways, but you can add them to a multitude of dishes with this hack.
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When your batter is not equally divided in your cake pans, many things can go wrong beyond one rising higher. One can bake and burn while the other remains raw.
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Actor Vincent Price was more than just the maestro of horror, he actually had a talent for taste too. His delicious iced tea recipe proves it!
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If you are looking for the best bourbon and chocolate pairing, there is one brand of bourbon that stands out above the others.
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Whether you are making a classic pound cake or one of the zingy lemon buttermilk variety, it always deserves high-quality ingredients, starting with the sugar.
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Usually when preparing soup we endorse making as large of a batch as possible, but not with pasta e fagioli, and here's the reason why.
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The Black Russian is a cocktail staple - but to riff on the classic drink, look no further than the Brave Bull. With just one swap, a new experience awaits.
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If you want a more decadent cup of coffee, look no further than the jar of Nutella in your pantry. The chocolate-hazelnut spread adds a dose of sweet flavor.
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While guacamole is already one of the best dips out there, there's an easy way of adding zing to create new flavor layers using your usual recipe as a base.
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Few things hit the spot like a thick, hearty soup. If your broth is feeling a little too thin, then add this starch that comes with a side of sweetness.
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While there's a standard measurement for what constitutes a serving of wine in the U.S., the amount you should actually be pouring depends on the type of wine.
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Horseradish is both zesty and eyewatering, yet after you've grated its fresh version into a dish, it is only potent for a short period of time.
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You will love Ina Garten's approach to this dish and the three ingredients she uses to create a fried chicken buttermilk marinade that is full of taste.
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Cream cheese frosting is the perfect topping to nearly every cake, and once you bust open your store-bought can, here's how long it has left on the shelf.
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Potato chips are one of the simplest snacks you can buy, but you can elevate this classic with a few minutes in the oven (and maybe some extra accouterments).
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A lemon drop is not a martini. Sure, it's served in a sophisticated martini glass, but it lacks a specific ingredient needed to claim the moniker of 'martini.'
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Making brown butter is a delicate art, and you should take any advantage you can get to avoid burning or undercooking it. Using a light pan is an easy leg up.
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Crispy and spicy jalapeño poppers are often appetizers, but they don't have to be! Add them to your next grilled cheese to really elevate the classic sandwich.
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When looking at the history of U.S. presidents, you'll find many of them had peculiar eating habits. In Thomas Jefferson's case, one veggie reigned supreme.
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Coleslaw may seem like it's just about perfect with it's creamy tanginess, but adding just one extra ingredient of celery seeds will take it up a level.
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Tired of underwhelming cheap canned tomatoes? Tasting Table recently spoke with Danny Freeman, author of "Danny Loves Pasta," to learn how to fix them.
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If you love cocktails and breakfast cereal, there's great news. The sweet cereal milk solution makes the perfect base for a decadent dessert cocktail.
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Tortilla chips taste best when they're just out of the fryer. Store-bought chips obviously won't deliver this satisfaction until you toss them in the oven.
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Gin is more than an important cocktail ingredient. It's a tasty beverage in its own right. So, what's the right way to drink it? Tasting Table asked an expert.
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There's a hack that can help speed up the process so you can get to cooking and you don't need any appliances or fancy gadgets, just your hands and a baggie.
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It may feel like a waste not to drink your soda or cook with it. However, it has other practical uses, like removing burnt food from cookware.
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Nailing the perfect balance of flavor in your buttercream is complicated, but coffee creamer can make this traditionally tough task a lot easier.