Low and slow is the way to go when temperatures plunge and the holidays heat up.

Braising is a surefire, no-fuss technique that guarantees a robust one-pot meal. Braised meats turn tender and flavorful; braised veggies become silky and more of themselves. This long, slow cooking warms up the kitchen, glazing the windows and filling the home ...Read more

The big game is around the corner and it’s time to start thinking about how you’re going to throw an amazing party. Between the food, decorations and making sure everyone has fun – including those that only watch the commercials – it’s a huge job to undertake.

Many Americans watch the game even if their favorite team isn’t playing. ...Read more

Come Super Bowl Sunday around 5:30 p.m., die-hard football fans and those of us drawn to hoopla will gather for hearty handheld snacks, knowing the food is as much fun as the game and the show surrounding it.

Super Bowl Sunday is synonymous with wings. Lots of them: the classic spicy Buffalo, plus Asian, Italian and Mexican variations. Wings ...Read more

The time for “Home Alone” and “It’s a Wonderful Life” might have passed, but you can continue the holiday spirit with these classic New Year’s flicks.

When Harry Met Sally … (1989)

This iconic romantic comedy crescendos when Harry and Sally, played by Billy Crystal and Meg Ryan, confess their love for each other on New Year’s ...Read more

Call it the pumpkin spice of the winter holidays: Eggnog seems to be everywhere.

There are organic, dairy-free, lactose-free, extra-creamy and reduced-fat versions; it’s also the essence of flavored extracts, cookies and coffee creamers. There are eggnog flavors, too, including gingerbread and, yes, pumpkin spice.

But what is it and why is ...Read more

You likely have been to countless holiday dinners, starting before you could even remember. As you grow older, relatives, close friends and coworkers have hosted dinners of their own, impressing you with new recipes and a great atmosphere.

However, the reality of hosting your own dinner party is different from attending. Seating, feeding and ...Read more

One minute you’re crushing your holiday shopping list and the next you’re ugly crying in the car because your ex’s favorite song came on the radio. Or perhaps you find yourself alone baking Christmas cookies — the ones your mom used to make when you were little. If the holidays have a way of turning you into an emotional wreck, know ...Read more

I love a good cocktail, nice wine and the occasional beer, yet not everyone does. Many of our friends and most of my family won’t touch the stuff. As a friend and host, it doesn’t seem fair to offer mere soda while others are popping champagne. Happily, there are delicious alternatives for that festive toast.

I’m not talking about overly ...Read more

When it comes to Thanksgiving leftovers, there are two types of people — those who love leftovers (sometimes more than the feast itself), and those who are completely over them by Friday night.

OK, maybe it’s not that cut and dried. I admit to being in the latter camp more than the former, mostly because I haven’t done much to transform ...Read more

Many of us, if we're lucky, will get together with the people we enjoy spending time with over the December holidays. Large and fancy, or small and unabashedly cozy in a relative's or BFF's living room, the gatherings offer a chance to connect with family and friends — some we may not have seen for a while — and celebrate the ties that bind....Read more

I'm not Italian — my parents are German and I married into an Irish clan — but I often wish I were because I think they have the best cuisine and most romantic language.

This is particularly true around Christmas, when you find sweet Italian treats such as raisin-studded panettone and torrone on store shelves and restaurants that cater to ...Read more