This recipe for fudge is a classic one from my childhood. I like it because it requires no special equipment or ingredients — just sugar, cocoa powder, milk, salt, butter and vanilla. Even a candy thermometer is optional if you are gutsy enough to use the soft-ball test. I like this recipe for its practicality and deliciousness, but I love it because it's my father's recipe and every time I make it, it's like I'm spending time with him again. More

Let's talk caramels. The candy kind. The chewy, melt-in-your-mouth, deeply sweet, and insanely addictive kind. These make some of the best gifts ever, whether the event is Christmas, a birthday, or a thank you for a favor. Or no reason at all. You probably already have the ingredients in your pantry, and if you haven't made caramels recently, you probably don't know how easy they can be. Grab a bag of sugar and your candy thermometer, folks! We're making caramels today. More

I really like the idea of big dinner parties, be it hosting Thanksgiving or inviting friends for Saturday dinner. I imagine everyone gathered together, looking sparkly and fancy, sipping cocktails before sitting down to a table of good food and conversation. But the reality is slightly more chaotic at my house, particularly that last hour before the guests arrive. I've found that the only way to both save my sanity and have a good time is to make a Big Bad Master Prep List. More

Is there nothing more comforting and delicious than mashed potatoes? This warm, creamy, dairy-laden starch might be more of an indulgence than everyday fare these days, but even if you only have them once a year (Thanksgiving!), I say go all out and do it right. Read on for a recipe for classic mashed potatoes, with recommendations for potato type, dairy additions, and mashing methods. More

Here's what makes a tarte tatin so fabulous: even if your crust isn't perfect, even if it crumbles a bit when you flip it (as my buttery crust has done this time), and even if the tarte is not perfectly centered on your serving platter, it will still taste like something that came directly from heaven. Creamy-soft apples in a deeply caramelized sauce will cover a multitude of other culinary imperfections. Tell your guests that it's meant to be "rustic" as you pass out the forks and carry on with the devouring. More

Anyone else here think that the stuffing is the best part of Thanksgiving dinner? I love its mix of textures and flavors — crunchy roasted nuts with soft broth-soaked bread and chewy morsels of spiced sausage. Oh mama, that's good stuff! As the self-designated stuffing-maker in our house, I've tweaked and tested my recipe over the years until finally settling on this one easy method. More

I am a huge, huge fan of boneless skinless chicken thighs. They are inexpensive, tasty, and easy to cook. In fact, I find it difficult to mess up chicken thighs. They are just dark enough to stay tender, but not so dark as to put off people who prefer white meat. In the summer I grill these babies every week, especially when I have a big table of people to feed. Everyone who eats regularly at my house has eaten chicken thighs! But in the winter, when I don't feel like stepping outside to the grill, I bake the meat, and it's easy as 1-2-3. Here's what I do. More

Salmon is one of the most versatile proteins to work with in the kitchen. It's delicious and universally loved, quite good for you and very easy to prepare. Salmon still retains its fancy and festive reputation, even though it is more readily available these days and can be purchased at a decent price point from most grocery stores. My favorite way to cook salmon is in the oven, very low and slow, with a pan of water for moist heat. Read on for this utterly simple, foolproof way to produce moist, flavorful and luscious salmon fillets.
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This second installment in our 5 Essentials for the Home Cook series is a real treat. We have the advice of not one but two accomplished professional cooks who are also longtime Bay Area cooking teachers, Jodi Liano and Catherine Pantsios. Jodi and Catherine are in the middle of launching a very exciting project, The San Francisco Cooking School, a new professional cooking school that also has an extensive home cooking program, so they have a real understanding of what a home cook needs to know. They took a break from their busy schedule to share a few of their top tips for home cooks. More

Cooking ground beef until it's browned and tender is the first step to many of our favorite comfort food recipes, from shepherd's pie to spicy chili. It's a pretty straightforward process, but just in case you'd like a refresher, here's how I do it. More