Cooking Articles

Throw a Gingerbread House Party

Say gingerbread houses and most kids think “Yay, gingerbread houses! Let’s make ‘em!” (Thinking straight away of the sweet icing and candy.) And wouldn’t it be more fun for you to cut to the...

Super Party Food: Slow Cooker Scalloped Potatoes

It's that time of year again. Seems like there's always one last-minute thing to do, one more item to wrap, something to pick up, and another almost-forgotten gift to grab. And all on the way out the...

Stuff Your Face With Sage Stuffing

There have always been three guarantees at Christmas time for me: oranges in my stocking, lots of photographing and filming during present-opening, and sage stuffing for Christmas dinner. In my family,...

Snack Time Made Easy

“I’m hungry, Mom.” Those must be the most frequently used three words in the English language. Growing kids with growing bodies most certainly experience hunger in a different way than adults,...

A Christmas Cooking Wish List

As we gather together with friends and family each year at holiday time to celebrate the season, we honor family traditions that have been passed down for years. After all the busyness of the season, all...

Getting Fancy With Risotto

For my recent birthday, my husband cooked boiled lobsters and sautéed scallops. Even though I hate to see them alive, and have to leave the room when it’s time to toss them into the pot of boiling water,...

Ring In the New Year the Right Way

The goal of any party is to have fun. Contrary to the experience of many, that includes the host. New Year's Eve is certainly no exception. A competent host can juggle the details as well as the cocktails....

(Not Just) Plain Vanilla

Once so expensive that it was reserved solely for royalty, vanilla is the most widely used flavoring in baked goods and other dessert items. It is the second most expensive spice in the world, next to...

Juice It Up To A Happy And Healthy New Year!

Sometimes, after all the excessive indulgence of the holidays, a glass of fresh squeezed juice is just the ticket. We have recently discovered the joy of making our own orange juice. With a little bit...

Puff the Magic Pastry, Part I

Puff pastry is a wonderful invention. It's rich and buttery yet its delicately light texture makes it an extremely versatile ingredient in the kitchen. It can be made into myriad different things for...

Fun Foods For Family Game Night

During the week between Christmas and New Year’s, it seems more board games and card games are played than any other time of year. People are in the holiday spirit of family togetherness, and one thing...

Family Meals For The New Year

While cleaning up the house after our big holiday extravaganza this week, I started to reflect on what makes this time of year so special. One of my favorite things about the holidays is gathering with...

Welcome the New Year With Fondue

Memories. They can pop up at the most unexpected times, like when we set eyes on an item from our long-lost past. And that’s exactly what happened this past summer when the kids and I ran across a...

Just What the Doctor Ordered: Cranberry Hot Toddy

What’s the best way to ward off winter’s chill? Well, old Europe certainly had the right idea when they mulled wines and ciders with spices and created drinks we still know today as hot toddies. What...

January Cook-At-Home Resolution Challenge

Welcome to a new year and a new opportunity to fulfill those resolutions we always aspire to. If you take a look at most January magazine covers, it is pretty clear that this is the time of year to lose...

A New Year to Celebrate

One of the things I like best about New Year’s is the sense of fresh possibility. It’s like we get to start all over again. Even more of a new start than a new day, a whole new year is like a life...