Seasoned Cooking: 3 January 2014 Announcements

I love gift-giving that involves using my kitchen magic and enjoying return gifts that showcase the talents of my friends and family. In that spirit, I'm sharing my easy truffle recipe. Yep, I mean it. These are simple to put together and get rave reviews every time!

It's the middle of our holiday season and everyone is finding the best and brightest ways to be festive and jolly. In my part of the world, that means finding good ways to keep warm. Look to us to help you find great ways to warm from the inside out.

This is the time of the year when your slow cooker can be an incredible blessing. How else can spending 15-20 minutes of hands-on time give you a warm, spicy chicken curry dinner that is brimming with tender chicken, fresh garlic and ginger, and oodles of vegetables all swimming in an inspired curry sauce that will have you making it over and over?

I love talking about the science and especially chemistry that goes into baking and cooking. So indulge me for a moment while I share an outstanding clip put together by the fine folks at TED. It's short, you'll enjoy it, and maybe even learn a little about what happens when you bake cookies and more.

Lest you think tater tots are just a frozen side dish you toss in a deep fryer and lay on a plate in a soggy pile in front of young kids and toddlers, it's time to sing the praises of these versatile, mid-week meal savers. That's right, I love tater tots and so should you!