Dawn Hammon

Location

Corvallis, Oregon

School

Western Oregon University, Monmouth, OR

Expertise

Food Waste Reduction, Budget Meals, Homemade Foods

• Dawn once spent a week at a culinary school in the Italian countryside.
• She's also served up dinner for four while backpacking in the wilderness.
• Her homemade waffle and chocolate chip cookie recipes are closely guarded family secrets.

Experience

Dawn has thrived in freelance writing and editorial roles for over fifteen years. It's a career that allows her to explore all her interests (namely travel, culture, and history) and then bring those experiences into the kitchen to share with others. She's written about professional cooking careers, delved into the origins of foods, and studied the food chain. She's incorporated this knowledge into thousands of articles for online publications such as Do It Yourself, Inhabitat, and Dave's Garden.

Education

Dawn holds a bachelor's degree in psychology from Western Oregon University.

Stories By Dawn Hammon

• 

  Facts

  Facts By Dawn Hammon

  The Nutritional Differences Between Canned Green Beans And Fresh

  The eternal debate: are canned vegetables better than fresh ones? Read this and you'll see that in the case of green beans, the differences might surprise you.

  By Dawn Hammon Read More
• 

  Kitchen

  Kitchen By Dawn Hammon

  The Simple Mistake To Avoid For The Best Katsu, According To An Expert

  Things can get a little tricky when it comes to deep-frying food. For the perfectly crispy katsu every time, you'll want to bread it properly.

  By Dawn Hammon Read More
• 

  Kitchen

  Kitchen By Dawn Hammon

  Your Barbecue Meat Isn't Complete Without This Essential Sauce

  From the Carolinas to Kansas City, barbecue sauces have deeply embedded regional roots. Let's try one with both a presidential history and a humble namesake.

  By Dawn Hammon Read More
• 

  Grocery

  Grocery By Dawn Hammon

  This Was The Very First Item Trader Joe's Sold Under Its Own Brand

  Trader Joe's journey to private label goods is very different from most, and it all began with the first item to be sold under the Trader Joe's brand in 1972.

  By Dawn Hammon Read More
• 

  Grocery

  Grocery By Dawn Hammon

  The Frozen Trader Joe's Treat We Never Leave The Store Without

  Next time you find yourself in the frozen goods aisle at Trader Joe's, you might just want to reach for this one irresistible treat we can't get enough of.

  By Dawn Hammon Read More
• 

  Facts

  Facts By Dawn Hammon

  Here Are The Main Differences Between Jalapeño And Serrano Peppers

  While they are both commonly sold and look similar, jalapeños and serranos are not the same. Here's the difference between these two green peppers, explained.

  By Dawn Hammon Read More
• 

  Kitchen

  Kitchen By Dawn Hammon

  Why You Should Warm Up Gelato A Tiny Bit Before Serving

  Gelato is like ice cream's cool Italian cousin: similar but also distinct. For instance, ice cream likes to be chill, while gelato needs time to warm up a bit.

  By Dawn Hammon Read More
• 

  Kitchen

  Kitchen By Dawn Hammon

  What Egg Size Are Baking Recipes Based On (And Does It Matter)?

  Eggs come in an array of sizes. So when a recipe requires four of them, should you reach for extra large, or will small do? And will it make a difference?

  By Dawn Hammon Read More
• 

  Grocery

  Grocery By Dawn Hammon

  Why Trader Joe's Pizza Dough Should Always Be In Your Freezer

  Customers love Trader Joe's for its high quality offerings. One such offering is its frozen pizza dough. You should always stock some at home. Here's why.

  By Dawn Hammon Read More
• 

  Kitchen

  Kitchen By Dawn Hammon

  You're Seriously Missing Out If You're Not Air-Frying Mangoes

  While perfectly ripe mangoes sing with freshness throughout the summer, they are also easy to cook or make dried versions in the air fryer.

  By Dawn Hammon Read More
• 

  Facts

  Facts By Dawn Hammon

  Are Peppers Considered Fruits Or Veggies (And Does It Actually Matter)?

  From avocados to tomatoes, there are plenty of fruits and vegetables you know are often confused with one another. Are peppers considered fruits or veggies?

  By Dawn Hammon Read More
• 

  Kitchen

  Kitchen By Dawn Hammon

  The Gas Stove Burner Mistake You Need To Stop Making

  Gas stoves are great for speed, efficiency, and convenience. But there's one mistake you might be making that means you're using your stove wrong.

  By Dawn Hammon Read More
• 

  Kitchen

  Kitchen By Dawn Hammon

  Better Barbecue Starts With Arranging Your Charcoal Properly

  Achieving the perfect results on your barbecue depends on multiple factors. And one that shouldn't be overlooked is how you arrange the briquettes.

  By Dawn Hammon Read More
• 

  Kitchen

  Kitchen By Dawn Hammon

  Thicken Your Pasta's Cream Sauce With One Staple Fruit

  Getting your pasta sauce perfectly thick and creamy can be a challenge. Luckily, the fruit you need to thicken your sauce is probably already in your kitchen.

  By Dawn Hammon Read More
• 

  Kitchen

  Kitchen By Dawn Hammon

  Does Whiskey Contain Any Sugar?

  For whatever reason you avoid sugar, it's useful to know what's in your drink as well as food. And, when it comes to whiskey, you'll want to know how it's made.

  By Dawn Hammon Read More
• 

  Kitchen

  Kitchen By Dawn Hammon

  Here's Why Reposado Tequila Is A Different Color Bottle To Bottle

  If you have an eye for reposado tequila, you may have noticed that its color changes from one bottle to the next. The reason is down to how it's made.

  By Dawn Hammon Read More
• 

  Facts

  Facts By Dawn Hammon

  Why Cooking Wild And Domestic Greens Together Is A Match Made In Heaven

  Wild greens can spice up your dishes, but their flavors can be a little bold. Mixing and cooking them with milder domestic greens creates a perfect balance!

  By Dawn Hammon Read More
• 

  Kitchen

  Kitchen By Dawn Hammon

  The Easiest Way To Ensure Your Potluck Goes Off Without A Hitch

  There are a lot of moving parts to consider, such as what if everyone shows up with the same dish? Or, who will be in charge of providing plates to eat off of?

  By Dawn Hammon Read More
• 

  Kitchen

  Kitchen By Dawn Hammon

  The Ingredient Tip You Absolutely Need When Cooking For One

  Although the grocery bill is lower with fewer items, it can be a tedious task to find ingredients in the right quantities at the best prices for single use.

  By Dawn Hammon Read More
• 

  News

  News By Dawn Hammon

  This May Be The First AI-Generated Soup Recipe You'll Actually Want To Eat

  Think all AI-generated recipes are bad? Think again. Here's one you'll not only want to try, but you'll be doing the world some good when you eat it.

  By Dawn Hammon Read More
• 

  Kitchen

  Kitchen By Dawn Hammon

  Give Scrambled Eggs A Flavor Boost With The MVP Of Pantry Staples

  If you are looking for a way to add some excitement and extra flavor to your morning scrambled eggs, you probably already have this ingredient on hand.

  By Dawn Hammon Read More
• 

  Kitchen

  Kitchen By Dawn Hammon

  Give Your Basic Shrimp Cocktail An Upgrade With Barbecue Sauce

  Shrimp and cocktail sauce is a marriage as iconic as ... well, shrimp and barbecue. So why not inject cocktail sauce with barbecue sauce for the best of both?

  By Dawn Hammon Read More
• 

  Kitchen

  Kitchen By Dawn Hammon

  The One Ingredient To Add To BBQ Sauce For An Unforgettable Dip

  Some foods just call for being dipped and while a delicious BBQ sauce can be great on its own, you'll want to try pairing it with this one ingredient.

  By Dawn Hammon Read More
• 

  Restaurants

  Restaurants By Dawn Hammon

  Why Burger King's Ribs Meal Was Actually Discontinued

  If you were one of the millions who snapped up Burger King's Fire-Grilled Ribs in the spring of 2010, you may be wondering why they disappeared so quickly.

  By Dawn Hammon Read More
• 

  Kitchen

  Kitchen By Dawn Hammon

  The Simple Prep Hack For The Creamiest Oatmeal Ever

  A steaming hot bowl of oatmeal is always a great start to the day. There's a way to easily improve the texture without buying more ingredients.

  By Dawn Hammon Read More
• 

  Kitchen

  Kitchen By Dawn Hammon

  A Cookie Cutter Is The Secret To Pro-Level Cocktail Garnishes

  Be a hosting pro and add a little flair to your summer cocktails by making your own garnishes with the help of your favorite cookie cutters.

  By Dawn Hammon Read More
• 

  Design Ideas

  Design Ideas By Dawn Hammon

  The One Habit You Need To Pick Up For A More Organized Kitchen

  Consistency is key when it comes to maintaining an organized kitchen. Here's how to keep yours looking its best.

  By Dawn Hammon Read More