

Hasselbackin' for the holidays
If you're looking for a quick, easy way to make a big impression on your holiday table, then you need to hasselback. The process is simply thinly slicing partially through a fruit or vegetable, and then roasting it in the oven — or even in a cast iron pan on the stovetop. While you will typically see this done with potatoes, it works just as well with carrots, apples, pears, parsnips, beets, and winter squash. Once you start hasselbackin', it's kinda hard to stop! Depending o


Festive Citrus Wreath
I think that a holiday wreath offers a lot of room for creativity — you can go totally traditional with pine cones and a big red bow or take it modern by spray painting a standard wreath silver and then adding funky ornaments in turquoise and magenta. I was inspired this year by the wonderful wreaths that are seen in historic Williamsburg, Virginia, which feature citrus fruit nestled in the greens. The colors are always so vibrant! This wreath is a variation on that concept,


Cookie Butter Cookies
If you haven't had cookie butter yet, you are missing out. You'll also see it called speculoos spread, and it's made from popular Belgian cookies of the same name; whipped up into a creamy butter, it's often spread on toast in Europe, kind of like Nutella, but it also makes a great base for a fabulous cookie. The flavor is a little bit like ginger and brown butter, which seems perfect for the holiday season — in fact, speculoos cookies are often called St. Nicholas cookies. T


My favorite cookbooks this year!
Here I am at The Chew with Pati Jinich, one of my favorite cookbook authors! I have the chance to look at so many cookbooks throughout the year that I thought I would share some of my favorites from the past few months with you, especially if you are looking for great cookbooks to give friends and family this holiday season!. If you have your own favorites, let me know what they are! Genevieve Ko is the co-author of my own cookbooks, Cooking with Love and Carla's Comfort Foo


One-Bite Black Pepper Biscuits with French Pimento Cheese
Sometimes making very simple substitutions to a recipe can really change the flavor to something new and different, and it's all about havin


Impromptu Holiday Party
Stocking your pantry well can make all the difference when friends drop by during the holidays or when you suddenly decide to throw a get-together. I recently picked up some great items for my own pantry from Mouth.com, which showcases quality artisanal foods, and I can easily turn them into tasty bites for an impromptu holiday party. To make these quick snacks, I used Hot Bread Kitchen Lavash Crackers, topped with a spoonful of tuna salad and shaved celery, and piped some so


Effortless holiday style — with substance
Are you feeling these days like you’re caught up in a big whirlwind, just trying to get ready for the holidays? I know exactly how you feel. We make those long to-do lists, check them twice, and drive ourselves crazy trying to make everything “perfect” for our loved ones. The trick is to remember that perfection is not about doing more, but about doing things well. You might be cranking out cookies, cakes, and canapés like there’s no tomorrow, but it sure isn’t fun if you can