Whether you celebrate Hanukkah, Christmas, or another holiday, this is undeniably the season for giving. With five sons in our home—and five birthdays between October 10 and January 4—it often feels like money is flying out the windows this time of year. We’ve worked to limit purchases while choosing gifts that last and aren’t just … Read more

This dazzling, refreshing watermelon cocktail combines fresh watermelon, berries, your preferred spirit, and fizzy water for a vibrant summer drink. Served in half of a personal watermelon, it doubles as a cocktail and a fruit salad—perfect for barbecues, pool parties, or any warm afternoon. Unlike recipes that call for watermelon liqueur, purees, or complicated syrups, … Read more

Crispy on the outside, tender and fluffy inside, these cinnamon-sugar churro waffles are irresistibly delicious and surprisingly simple to make. They’re adapted from Rhodes Bake-N-Serve frozen roll dough for an easy shortcut that keeps great flavor and texture. All photos and opinions are my own. I enjoy baking from scratch, but having a few convenient, … Read more

Slow-Cooker Black Bean Dip combines tender black beans, sweet corn, crisp bacon, spicy jalapeño, and garlic in a rich, cheesy sauce — a warm, irresistible party dip you’ll make again and again. Friends and family know I have a weakness for dips. Set a hot dip on the counter around me and it will be … Read more

Chopped Taco Salad. We all know how I feel about it. In short, I love it madly. And mercy… there are so many ways to make and serve it. Really, there’s only one acceptable way to eat it, and that’s to INHALE it, so we save the creativity for presentation. This version of taco salad … Read more

I’m unabashedly in love with ham and cheese. The basic version is excellent, but a toasted ham and cheese takes it to another level — and a pressed, panini-style sandwich is downright irresistible. I’ve never owned a dedicated panini press. When you’re feeding a crowd, a single-sandwich gadget isn’t practical, and I didn’t want more … Read more

January always feels odd to me. I begin the month energized by the warmth of the holidays and family birthdays, and by the end I’m tired and disoriented, staring out at a landscape of whites, grays and occasional brown patches. My grandmother says January is like a fake smile—clear blue skies hiding bone-chilling cold. Sometimes … Read more

What do you get when you top a thin, fudgy brownie with a generous layer of butter‑toasted pastry shreds tossed in sweet pistachio cream and finish the whole thing with a glossy milk chocolate ganache? You get Dubai Chocolate Brownies: crisp, creamy, fudgy and irresistibly chocolatey. Dubai Chocolate Brownies These brownies are inspired by the … Read more

This is the face of a cookie monster—merciless, unyielding, and utterly devoted to cookies. On a recent trip to Houston, my mom—soon to be canonized by the boys for babysitting our mini-horde—kept them busy with sledding, camping in the living room, hiking, board games, pizza, visits to her favorite coffee shop, movie nights, crafts and … Read more

Snack on a handful of these flavorful Old Bay seasoned oyster crackers — they also make excellent croutons. Made from common ingredients, they’re simple to prepare and easy to keep on hand for snacks, salads, soups and especially chowders. This recipe is almost embarrassingly easy, but its simplicity is exactly why it’s worth sharing. Once … Read more