A cookie in the oven almost looks like a monster coming alive. It bulges out, triples in size and then stiffens into a crisp biscuit. So how does an oven turn raw dough into a delight? A new animation explains the chemistry behind great baking so you, too, can unleash your inner mad scientist in the kitchen.

The Pilgrims believed that cranberries could cure scurvy. They were wrong on their reasoning but right on the cure: The berries are packed with vitamin C. Watch our video exploring why we should all be thankful for the health-promoting compounds found in berries.

In Irwindale, Calif., city officials were peppered with complaints about smells coming from the hot sauce factory. Now a judge has said the plant must partially shut down while the company and authorities try to address the problem.

The days of mystery meat are far from over in the nation's school cafeterias. That's judging by an online project assembling thousands of photos of school lunches submitted by students from across the nation. But it's not all bad news: The images also show that in some cafeterias, change has already arrived.

This year, Thanksgiving and Hanukkah fall on the same day. NPR's Susan Stamberg explores how to combine the best dishes for the double holiday, which won't happen again for another 70,000 or so years. And of course, she shares the recipe for her famous Mama Stamberg's Cranberry Relish.

The humble celery root probably won't win any beauty competitions. But if you push past its gnarled appearance, you'll find a tuber that's packed with flavors. It's raw crispness is perfect for a winter salad. When cooked, celery root delivers a nutty sweetness with a warm, buttery, earthy quality that is endlessly malleable.

Dust off that old Mr. Coffee! We've stumbled upon a wacky use for classic coffee makers: Cook a three-course meal for one. From poached salmon and pumpkin soup to steamed broccoli and couscous, the possibilities are endless. But why in the world would anyone want to cook this way?

MenuStat, a site launched by the New York City Health Department, aggregates detailed nutritional information about menu items at the nation's largest restaurants. The department hopes it will encourage consumers to choose healthier items on the menu.

Two decades ago, the heir to the throne of England foresaw the potential and value in organic agriculture. The first product Duchy Originals launched was the Oaten Biscuit, and it's still a top seller today.

Craft brewers around the country are making beers with foraged seeds, roots, fruits and fungi from their backyards and backwoods. It's a challenge to the placelessness of mainstream brewers, who mostly use the same ingredients grown in the same places - barley from the Great Plains and hops from the Pacific Northwest.