December

Festive Breakfast: Part Nine

Ending the year with breakfast seems fitting. Most important meal of the day and the start to something new and all that. Moreover, the quiche recipe being shared is all about using leftover Christmas ham, so it's delicious, easy and frugal. Happy New Year, everyone!

New Year's Eve Can Be Fun Even When Times Are Bad

The fancy dinners out, gala extravaganzas, elegant dinner parties, theater dates may be out of your range this year. If you've been laid off or your house is being threatened with foreclosure, even a festive home party may seem impossible. But don't make that big mistake, because it is in just times such as these that we need our friends the most.

Festive Breakfast: Part Eight

Spend Christmas morning unwrapping presents and enjoying delightful cherry cheese blintzes with your family. What a lovely way to combine a variety of cultural traditions into your holiday plans and offer a decadent treat at your holiday brunch with family and friends.

Mapping Flavor

Ever wonder about regional cuisine and what ties it together and makes it unique from other types of food? Researchers at the University of Cambridge wondered, too. They set out to map the flavors people experience in cooking and look for similarities and differences. What they found is fascinating and might help us all be a little more adventurous in the kitchen!

Sandra Lee's Holiday Recipes

With two new cookbooks out for the holiday season, Sandra Lee has your entertaining needs covered without breaking the bank. Enjoy a selection of recipes from Money Saving Meals & Round 2 Recipes and Easy Entertaining at Home to help make your season bright. These delicious recipes are all quick and simple, so the host can spend less time in the kitchen and more time welcoming family and friends.

How to Spice Yams and Sweet Potatoes and Use Them in Leftovers

Sweet potatoes are for more than special holiday dinners. They are delicious, nutritious, and versatile. Find out how to use these widely-available fall and winter treats for everything from sweet potato pancakes to sweet potato soup. And then there's my favorite: sweet potato chips.

Festive Breakfast: Part Seven

Give yourself an early Christmas present. Let breakfast take care of itself. Assemble a quick strata the night before in less than twenty minutes, cover it and put it in the refrigerator, and pop it in the oven the next morning. While it bakes, put out fresh fruit, muffins, and any beverages you might like and you've got a festive holiday brunch with next to no fuss! Merry Christmas!

Snicker … Butter … Er, Great Cookies!

I can't say I know exactly what to call these moist, delicious cookies, but they are fantastic, festive and filled with the season's best spices. Have a few alongside your favorite cup of tea or as a post-tree-decorating treat. However you enjoy them or whatever you call them, they are sure to be a hit.

Host a Spectacular Christmas Brunch

When holiday entertaining is on your to do list, but time is running short, consider a special festive brunch with family and friends. They are easy to put together, more casual and intimate than evening gatherings and leave you and your guests with the rest of the day to get your holidays in order.

Festive Breakfast: Part Six

A perfect slice of toast, buttery croissant or soft muffin can be a lovely quick breakfast. But adding the right spread to any one of those transforms it from an adequate beginning to the day to something special. And this time of year, there's something simply festive about homemade pumpkin butter. You'll be surprised at how easy it is to make it.