Is it just me, or is anyone else always on the hunt for good snack ideas? I can usually manage coming up with a healthy lunch or an inspired dinner, but my afternoon hunger often caves to chips, salsa, and melted cheese. Seriously, you'd think I would have outgrown that old standby by now... More

Duck confit is one of those dishes I figured I would never make at home. Poaching duck legs in fat sounds messy, difficult and expensive — duck fat isn't cheap. But I learned there is an easier, cheaper way to make duck confit, and now I'm tempted to give this classic cooking and preservation technique a try. More

With the approach of the holiday party season, I am always on the lookout for make-ahead appetizers that are a little different from the usual spread of cheeses, meats and crudite. Chicken liver pâté doesn't enjoy the popularity it had when Julia Child was queen, but this elegant yet economical hors d'oeuvre is due for a comeback. Cooked down with apple, shallots, fresh herbs and brandy, lowly liver transforms into an umami-rich spread that can be made up to one week ahead and will have even those hesitant about liver reaching for more. More

When the temperature takes a permanent nosedive and fall is starting to look a lot more like winter, shepherd's pie is one of the first things that I crave. One enormous square of this casserole, with its blanket of mashed potatoes and that savory meat-and-vegetable filling, sends a sigh of contentment through my whole body. One casserole makes more than enough for my household of two, so I can look forward to comfort meals all week long. More

This is the time of year when Dutch ovens come into their own. Even if you use your big, heavy Dutch oven year-round, as I do, it still seems to come down off its shelf a little more often in the fall. Today I want to show you my favorite Dutch oven — and a soup to cook in it. This soup is one of those magical recipes with just a few ingredients, and all the usual suspects — carrot, onion, beans, chicken broth — that nevertheless turns out to have such a deep, wonderful flavor you don't mind that it makes enough to feed you for a week. And a Dutch oven is really the best vessel for it, because this soup is cooked just a little differently. More

This is an easy, rustic recipe that makes a great vegetarian meal or a pretty side dish for summer or autumn. It's so simple: Yellow squash layered in a jumble with sliced red potato and goat cheese. No cream needed at all. More

One of my favorite simple snacks to make is roasted grapes. The roasting process really brings out all the natural sweetness and the warmth and tenderness of the red orbs just melt in your mouth. I usually set them out with a charcuterie or a cheese plate, but this time around I decided to do something else with them. What if I made a granita with this roasted goodness? What if I enjoyed that granita with a bottle of red wine?
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Ahhh, this week (and the next) brings my favorite moments of the year. While some folks are gearing up for football championships and others preparing for a haunted Halloween, I am busy patiently waiting for the postman. Nothing makes me giddier than finding our mailbox stuffed to the brim with Thanksgiving editions of all my favorite food mags. I jump up and down and squeal with glee. Oh the delicious possibilities!

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Pasta casseroles are perhaps the ultimate combination of weeknight convenience and homey comfort food. Casseroles like this one don't take long to cook, and they can be put together the day before and baked or warmed up at the end of a long day. And yet these pasta bakes are comforting and delicious. This one has a double dose of spinach, spoonfuls of pesto, and, yes, plenty of cheese. It's a whole meal in one dish. More