With Hanukkah in its full swing, many a household is frying up some latkes. In the years of trying to get my hands on every latke recipe I could find, I've learned a few reliable techniques that turn out lacy, crispy, delectable latkes each and every time. And I'm here to show you how to get the same results in your own kitchen! More

Fresh, warm cinnamon rolls are a special breakfast for the holidays (or any day), but who wants to wake up at 5 am to start the process of making them from scratch? Instead of reaching for canned rolls, try this technique from King Arthur Flour: parbake and freeze cinnamon rolls, then fully bake them just before serving. You'll have hot, homemade cinnamon rolls on the table in just 20 minutes. More

Do you have a perfect recipe for cut-out sugar cookies? One that rolls out beautifully and bakes up sturdy yet chewy? What about that killer Nutella cookie recipe — the one that will climb to the top of the cookie exchange? We have these for you today and more — a list of our own very favorite recipes for this high season of holiday cookie baking. More

Not to be rude, but there's something a little scary about jelly donuts. It's not the donut part. It's not even the jelly part, to be frank. I just don't like surprises in my sweets. Don't ever hand me a box of chocolates without a very clear map of exactly what's in there, and at which precise coordinates. Also, I call dibs on anything with pistachio, always.

But let's return to jelly donuts. As a Jew, I can assure you that Hanukkah can be a trying time for the jelly-donut-averse. More

No, I didn't make these amazing sweet cookies that look like savory things, but I really, really want to. And I probably won't.

I am quite sure that I'm not alone when I say my kitchen has been extra busy these days. Even as I write this, several jars of freshly canned fig chutney are lined up on the counter waiting for their labels while a pot of experimental mincemeat simmers on the stove and two sticks of butter slowly soften in a mixing bowl. (It's that Most Wonderful Time of the Year when one can automatically place two sticks of butter out to soften every morning upon rising, for surely they will be needed before the day is done.) It's a little crazy, a little stressful, and I love it. More

Coffee lovers encompass a range of obsessions: it's about the bean, the flavor, the caffeine, the ritual, the process, the experience. Whatever your coffee lover's particular focus, we have a gift idea for you. More

It's easy to find a luxurious cooking gift when you have $100 to spend, but how about when you have $20? Most cooks have a mental list of ingredients or tools they would love to have, but that are a little too expensive for everyday cooking. As dear as they may be to the recipient, these items usually make very reasonable gifts. Here are 15 small, indulgent gifts sure to be appreciated by the cooks on your shopping list — and they're all $30 and under. More

For much of the year, I have to limit my special purchases at the farmers' market to a jar of honey here and a bag of local nuts there. But this time of year, I go wild. I love giving locally-made foods to friends and family for the holidays. Not only does it support my favorite farmers and artisan producers, but I get to share a little piece of my corner of the globe with people who live far away. More

Shopping for new cooks is a real pleasure. There's so much excitement and optimism to work with! You could probably rattle off a list of must-haves in the kitchen (our Essentials posts do just that) but gifts for new cooks require a little more finesse. They should be practical, yet inspirational, something to not only outfit them for successful cooking, but also get them excited about doing it! In this gift guide we offer suggestions for essential and long-lasting tools that'll make cooking that much easier (a good chef's knife, a cast-iron skillet), as well as a few amped up basics (a jaw-dropping butcher block, a hand-carved wooden spoon) and specialty ingredients to entice them (high-quality olive oil and finishing salts).

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Q: I have a winter CSA from my local farm and I'm already overflowing with roots and squashes. I also have holiday parties coming up where bringing finger friendly food is encouraged. Any ideas for finger-food dishes with beets, potatoes, squash, carrots, parsnips, and turnips?

Sent by Marla More