I had a few realizations over the holidays this year with family. There were the usual suspects, of course: travel mayhem, gifting stress, and family drama. But this year there was a new player on the block: bad casseroles. I'm not sure if it was just chance or if my mom and sisters were digging through old late 1980's cookbooks, but we had some very heavy, flavorless casseroles during the Christmas holiday. One such recipe was that infamous Tuna Noodle Casserole made with canned soup. I hadn't had it in years, and the whole time I was eating it, I couldn't help but think: there's got to be a better way! More

I'm one of those people who always has a snack tucked away in my bag, a worst-case survival tactic for when the hours between meals stretch just a little too long. I love me some yogurt-covered snacks: raisins, cranberries, pretzels, all of them. It's taken me a while to work out how I might make these favorite snacks at home, but my golly, I think I've finally got it.

While at my mom's house over Christmas, I had the opportunity to use her fancy milk frother each morning to make cappuccinos or frothy tea in the afternoon. I became spoiled quickly. The thing made perfectly frothed milk with the press of a button. Upon coming home, I knew I needed to figure out a substitute that wouldn't break the bank but that was just as convenient: enter the Aerolatte! More

I'm hesitant to admit this, but during my first year of college, I survived almost solely on ham and cheddar hot pockets, with the occasional pepperoni pizza thrown in for good measure. There was a vending machine in my dorm lobby, hot pockets being only one of its many choice selections. (If my parents only really knew where my "meal plan" money was going!) I still love a good ham and cheddar combination, only now I can enjoy it in a much more delicious way.

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Q: I have a quart of heavy whipping cream that I need to use up. Any ideas on what to make besides, you know, whipped cream?

Sent by Kathy More

I was born into a family that loves sweets. In the summer, I crave ice cream or sorbet, and in the winter I often reach for a cup of cocoa in the evening. But those packets of store-bought hot chocolate are filled with sugar and hydrogenated oils and making your own is so very simple. Making your own healthier version? Just as easy. More

You don't think much about it, probably because you just accept it as a fact: Some cheeses have holes. But why? Cue cheese science. More

Q: I've been making homemade yogurt for a while and I've had lots of success with breakfast recipes, mostly sweet ones. I also use yogurt to make sauces to accompany curry dishes. I'm looking for more ways to use yogurt in savory meals. How can I eat my yogurt for dinner?

Sent by Sarah More

Q: I was checking out your piece on making homemade yogurt, but the only yogurt I can get here to use as a starter either has sugar or is artifically sweetened. Does that still work for making yogurt?

Sent by Teresa More

This time of year can be a tricky one for inspired breakfasts. Oatmeal is my go-to on weekdays, and on the weekends we often flail for something a bit more interesting but no more complex. With this morning tart, flail no more!
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