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

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

This year my husband and I are spending time with both our families over the holidays, which means traveling from Los Angeles to Seattle to Boston and back again. Needless to say, we'll be spending a lot of time on airplanes, and not one of the flights includes a meal. Instead of relying on sad bags of mini pretzels or soggy airport sandwiches, I'll be packing a few of these whole wheat pockets. Stuffed with spiced lentils, kale and mashed roasted sweet potato, these sturdy vegan pastries freeze well and taste great hot or at room temperature, so whether you're sitting in your cubicle or cruising at 30,000 feet, you can have a wholesome meal ready whenever you are. More

Sweet potatoes defy logic: how can something so sweet and so creamy still qualify as a healthy vegetable? All I can say is thank goodness! On these cold and dreary winter days, a scoop of bright-orange sweet potatoes on my plate makes a welcome and cheery addition to dinner. How have you been eating sweet potatoes? More

At their core, latkes are a simple recipe of shredded potatoes, a little egg, salt and a few spices. Some folks dress them up by adding different shredded vegetables like sweet potatoes and onion, while others focus on accompaniments for serving such as applesauce and sour cream. So at their core, latkes should be a breeze. Then why are there so many ho-hum ones? More

Do you make French fries at home? They're a rare treat around here, but when that crispy yet tender texture is just right, they truly are one of the best foods imaginable. I learned something, though, about great fries at that potato seminar I attended a couple weeks ago. The real key to great fries is in the potato itself, and in something that happens to it before you even buy it... More

Carrots, the once humble vegetable of school lunches or quick dinner sides, are making a major statement this fall. High-end chefs who might normally feature a nice cut of meat or hand-rolled pastas are featuring heirloom carrots front-and-center on their nightly menus. Perhaps you've started seeing different varieties at your farmers market or grocery store. Why the shift in popularity now? 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

Parsnips, those pale cousins of the beloved carrot, are filling up farmers market stands here in the Pacific Northwest lately. And while it's commonplace and simple to roast them for a quick side dish, pairing them with something a little sweeter can make a show-stopping addition to the average dinner spread or the more-than-average holiday table. More

I mentioned earlier that I was at a potato workshop last week, watching some great chefs play around with potatoes. Here's one simple, effective idea from San Francisco chef Gary Danko, one that turns plain boiled potatoes into something special. More