Looking for a something to munch on, a snack for a party or an appetizer for a meal? This is the recipe for you — crispy cheese sticks made with ground cayenne pepper and fresh thyme leaves. More

On a bench sitting with his mother by the street, a special occasion in a tea room, at the park, and at home, French childrens' snack time is called le quatre heure, the four o'clock. It takes place anywhere a child happens to be. For those who snack at home, a small portioned fresh white cheese called the Petit Suisse is often on the agenda. Yogurts, creams, or mousses of various kinds are popular snacks, or a tartine, sweet or savory. More

Most of us think of lettuce strictly as a salad ingredient. Rinse it. Chop it. Toss it up with some salad dressing and call it done. But lettuce can be much, much more than that.

My first introduction to cooked lettuce was at a Vietnamese restaurant a few years back. It was floating in my pho – buttery, snappy and delicious and I couldn’t for the life of me figure out what it was. Must be some kind of exotic eastern leafy vegetable, I thought?

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Chaat always brings back memories of carefree weekends spent at my parents’ beach house in India. I’d walk over to the beach in the afternoon when the tide is low enough to pick sea shells. I’d return home with my pail full and stomach empty. A gorgeous bowl of chaat would be waiting for me – crunchy, sweet, tangy, spicy, filling all at the same time. I’d sit on the verandah eating chaat, listening to the waves crashing near by and watching the kites sail over me. More

Living 3,000 miles away from home can be hard on your heart. Not to mention your stomach. Do you ever crave something that you can only get in one place? In my case, I miss the Italian Sub from the White House Sub Shop on Arctic Avenue in Atlantic City. In New Jersey subs are a way of life. There is something about the combination of Italian meats, Provolone cheese, Jersey tomatoes, onions, oregano, oil and vinegar, and the bread. Oh, the bread. You cannot get bread like this anywhere else in the world. More

I am a snacker by nature. In fact, I cannot imagine living on 3 meals a day alone. I mean seriously? Afternoons would lose any and all appeal if I didn't think I could relish a 3pm snack and a cup of tea or coffee. That 3pm break is what gets me through the day — every day. I've already had to give up naptime, but I in no shape or form am willing to give up snack time. And snack time, while often occurring at home or at work, can sometimes happen on the fly. At the park, in the middle of a hiking trail, on the bus, in the car and on the street. Hunger strikes and snack time saves the day. And so, I always try to leave the house prepared. More

Well folks, it's over. The hustle is no longer hustling and the stockings are waiting to be packed up for the next go 'round. An ungodly amount of See's Candy has been consumed, and we're slowly making our way through leftovers and the last dregs of eggnog. Now if you're anything like me (read: efficient first child), you've broken down boxes, recycled wrapping paper, and put your new gifts away. Heck, maybe you've even got your thank you notes ready to roll. More

Pretty much every holiday has some kind of yin-yang emotional struggle attached to it. Well, okay, maybe not President's Day or Groundhog's Day, they're fairly Switzerland-like as far as holidays go. I've never heard of someone say, "Groundhog's Day makes me cringe; I always associate it with my Uncle Ed fighting with his third wife, and everyone drinking too much and regressing to their worst adolescent selves." More

Figuring out what to do for New Year’s Eve is always a fraught decision. Do you go to the big party? Do you make reservations at your favorite restaurant? Do you stay in and watch the ball drop in Times Square? Do you actually make the trek to Times Square? More

It all started at the mall. I was doing some holiday shopping last month and went into Nordstrom. There was a girl near the door handing out samples of the roasted garlic and potato soup that they were featuring that day in the café. I wouldn’t normally accept a sample, but the smell was too wonderful to resist. More