Holiday Menus

Forget mulled wine. This year stay warm with the spicy flavor of mulled beer!

By Stephanie Vermillion

Every Halloween, bags of triangle-shaped, yellow, orange and white candies fill trick-or-treat bags all over the U.S. But what exactly is candy corn?

By Stephanie Watson & Kathryn Whitbourne

Thanksgiving Day is No. 1 for cooking fire accidents, and turkey fryers are a big part of the problem. Here's why, scientifically speaking.

By Kathryn Whitbourne

Thanksgiving is just as much about the sides as it is about the turkey, but many of the traditional holiday favorites are less than popular. Save yourself from ample amounts of unwanted leftovers by nixing these sides from your Turkey Day table.

By Jill Jaracz

Thanksgiving is normally a holiday filled with numerous guests, ample amounts of food and more than a little family drama. But when there's just two of you on Turkey Day, you have to plan things a little differently.

By Chris Obenschain

Turkey and stuffing are traditional for Thanksgiving, but they're not the only things to serve. Try mixing it up this year with some unexpected international cuisine, too.

By Alia Hoyt

Thanksgiving Day can be the stuff of memories, and cooks everywhere plan their menus carefully, plot out their seating arrangements and strategize their approach to dinner. What can you do to make your feast a success?

By Sara Elliott

For those who don't fancy the hard-boiled, poached or scrambled varieties, a chocolate egg is the perfect Easter treat. Who thought to improve upon nature's most perfect food by mixing cocoa and sugar?

By Chris Obenschain

Symbolic foods are an integral part of the festivities surrounding Chinese New Year, the most important holiday on the Chinese calendar.

If you're throwing a cocktail party, the biggest part of your budget goes toward the cocktails. After you buy the liquor, wine and beer, how can you make do with minimal funds for food? We've got some ideas.

By Victoria Vogt

Throwing a memorable cocktail party doesn't have to be a costly celebration. Try these tips for planning the perfect party without breaking your budget.

By Sara Elliott

Even though most people host a traditional holiday meal with the roasted turkey and all the trimmings, some people shun tradition in favor of doing something a little different. Try the grill instead of the oven for a unique holiday dinner this year.

By Emilie Sennebogen

With some planning and organization, you can host a holiday potluck that shows your guests' cooking prowess as well as your hospitality to advantage.

By Sara Elliott

If you're a holiday traditionalist at the dinner table, you're likely to have a turkey and a ham for the meat lovers. You could go the easy route and buy a pre-cooked ham, but where's the fun in that? Make your holiday ham your own.

By Emilie Sennebogen

Cooking a turkey is a huge job for any chef. Just the size of the bird itself can be intimidating, not to mention all of the horror stories associated with the ghosts of ruined turkeys past. But it's easier than ever to cook the perfect bird.

By Sara Elliott

Sugar plums bring to mind memories of "The Nutcracker" and "'Twas the Night Before Christmas." While they are pretty labor-intensive to make, they easily can become a family tradition in your home year after year.

By Sara Elliott

One of the most highly anticipated holiday traditions in many households is the making and baking of Christmas cookies. From holiday-themed sugar cookies, to other goodies like seven-layer bars, these decadent treats are consumed gleefully.

By Emilie Sennebogen

Ginger, cinnamon, cloves and molasses are what give gingerbread its unique flavor. And the fact that it hardens to the consistency of a graham cracker makes it ideal for crafty projects for the family, like building a gingerbread house.

By Emilie Sennebogen

Each culture has its own holidays, traditions and celebrations. And with each of these comes a unique menu to ward off spirits, pay homage to ancestors or bring good luck.

By Kathy Price-Robinson

Some dishes we only eat once a year on the appropriate holiday, which makes then even more dear to our hearts. How did these foods become tied to certain occasions?

By Debra Ronca

Unless you entertain all the time, hosting a get-together can be intimidating. But because there's no specific time for dining and other activities, an open house is a casual approach to having people over.

By Sara Elliott

When the weather is frigid and you've got a million holiday parties to attend, who has time to go to the gym? You'll have to find other ways to get moving and burning up those holiday calories.

By Sarah Winkler

Thanksgiving is a time to enjoy the company of family and friends and to express gratitude for the year's accomplishments. Don't let the after-dinner dishes put a damper on your holiday.

By Heather Kolich

Bring the holiday down to their size with familiar favorites and kid-sized versions of traditional Thanksgiving dishes.

By Heather Kolich

Instead of simply reheating your leftovers for a second Thanksgiving dinner, getting creative can turn your leftovers into new family favorites.

By Jessica Brown