Maybe because my family is Italian, everyone feels strongly about food. This can make planning a holiday meal especially difficult, and since my Mother and I are always the two designated Chefs, we begin brainstorming ideas months in advance. Christmas dinner is no doubt the culminating feast of the entire year, and since we rarely [...]

During the last two weeks my life has been on hold, or so it has seemed with the entire contents of my kitchen carefully boxed up, and then not so carefully piled into our new house. For some people, getting settled into a new home means promptly making your bed with fresh sheets and ensuring [...]

Don’t let your eyes deceive you. It is perfectly safe to keep a batch of these cookies close by over the holidays.  If you are like me, and have to be vigilant about how many desserts you have around the house (lest you devour every last morsel in one compulsive sitting) then rest assured that [...]

When my Mother-in-law asked me the week before Thanksgiving if there were any traditional recipes I was used to having for the holiday meal, I didn’t dare say a word about my raw brussel sprout salad. It being my first year celebrating with my new husband’s parents, I wanted to make the best impression I [...]

With the start of December I start to notice signs that Winter is quickly approaching. Darkness begins to descend earlier, the streets are hushed as people bustle indoors, and the stark chill in the air is broken only by the distant smell of smoke coming from a chimney.  Instinctively I look for ways to create [...]