Food and Recipes

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

Tomatoes are one of the most vital and versatile vegetables (OK, fruits) to have around, but they can also be hard to check for quality. How can we know whether the tomato we're buying is going to be a juicy treat or a flavorless disappointment?

By Gallagher Flinn

Science has proven that some foods can actually improve our moods. Would you choose these so-called happy foods over rich, bad-for-you comfort foods? You don't have to. We've replaced the naughty with nice in these favorites for you.

By Alia Hoyt

Roasting a whole hog is a longstanding tradition for many barbecue chefs, especially those in the Southern United States. But before you send the invitations out for your pig roast, you'll need to locate a hog, dig the pit and find some patience.

By Emilie Sennebogen

Ketchup is arguably the most popular and recognizable condiment on the market. But what you're used to finding in your grocery store or on the table of your local diner may have a different kick to it in other parts of the world.

By Sara Elliott

Sweet potatoes are one of the healthiest foods you can add to your diet. But, like anything, they can get boring if they're prepared the same way every time you eat them. Luckily, there are plenty of ways to spice them up.

By Stefani Newman & Emilie Sennebogen

Sometimes, you just don't feel like cooking. Other times, it's just not possible, like during a kitchen renovation or if your cooking range breaks. But you don't have to go out to restaurants every time one of these days comes along.

By Alison Cooper & Bambi Turner

The tomato is a versatile fruit parading around in a vegetable suit. And although there might be some confusion about what it is, there's no doubt the tomato is a tasty treat that's good for you, too.

By Sara Elliott

Comfort foods made a splash after two world wars and the Great Depression took their toll on the United States. Meatloaf, mashed potatoes and casseroles entered the menus of households across the country, as did the comfort food king: mac and cheese.

By Emilie Sennebogen

How does a food associated with cannibalism and believed to be toxic become known as the love apple? Whether you say "tomato" or "tomahto," we have the answer.

By Molly Edmonds

What started out as a meal that thrifty mothers can make for their families has turned into a comfort food staple. But if you're tired of the same old meatloaf invading your kitchen, then it's time to spice it up.

By Emilie Sennebogen

If you've ever tried to coerce a youngster into eating good-for-you foods, you probably know the wondrous advantages of that child-friendly sauce, ketchup. More than mustard and better than mayo, ketchup is the colorful condiment.

By Sara Elliott

Chicken and dumplings is a classic Southern comfort food dish, and fits the bill as a great home-cooked meal or fashionable menu item du jour.

By Emilie Sennebogen

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

If you've ever longed for a piece of your grandmother's apple pie or had an intense need for potato chips, then you've probably had a food craving for a comfort food. Why do we crave certain foods, and how do we avoid them?

By Jessica Brown

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

Christmas wouldn't be the same without a bunch of candy canes. But how did these sticky, striped treats become synonymous with the holiday anyway?

By Jennifer Walker-Journey

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

The most important meal of the day deserves to be savored -- why not do it in beneath the sheets? Barring any rogue crumbs in your linens, breakfast in bed is a luxurious treat. We've got 10 themed menus that will start off the day deliciously.

By Cristen Conger & Emilie Sennebogen

The pressure of an economic slump might make even the most sophisticated diner crave tuna casserole. Choosing comfort food isn't just about reverting back to the worry-free days of childhood -- it's got a lot to do with tight budgets.

By Cristen Conger

Oh, fudge, that wonderful candy with a rich, deep flavor and thick texture. It's the guilty pleasure of choice for many chocolate lovers, and fudge, in all of its many flavorful incarnations, isn't that hard to make -- if you have a little patience.

By Sara Elliott

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

The words "health" and "cake" aren't often uttered in the same sentence. Ingredients like butter and heavy cream make the cake taste great but can end up forever on the hips. A few substitutions can change that.

By Emilie Sennebogen

Since grilling became popular after World War II, it's seen some big changes. What started out as a metal pan on legs has turned into a favorite weekend pastime. So, who's the genius behind the grill?

By Sara Elliott