The cold mid-winter weather always brings out my nesting side. I gravitate towards anything that'll make me feel warm and cozy: hot coffee, nourishing soups, warm bread and butter. But this time of year I'm still trying — trying, not always succeeding — to keep things light. (December was pretty indulgent!) Enter this delicious sweet potato ravioli from Laura of The First Mess. It hits all the right notes: creamy, filling, comforting, and all without using any dairy. More

I have absolutely zero interest in football, so for me, the annual gathering of friends on Super Bowl Sunday is all about the food. The spread always includes a few of the grubby, nostalgic snacks we grew up with — cheesy queso dip, I'm looking at you — as well as some fresher, lighter snacks that often incorporate flavors from one of the many international cuisines that surround us here in Los Angeles. You're looking at my contribution this year: a Korean take on the usual pulled-meat slider, a juicy sandwich loaded with gingery, chile-spiked shredded chicken and tender kale braised with garlicky kimchi.

Around this time in the winter, dinners start to become predictable. Soup is in heavy rotation as are whole-grain casseroles or baked pasta with loads of greens. Routines set in and I start to turn to what what's easy, filling and delicious. But lately I've been craving food with a warmer kick—spicy food, food that isn't always in my weekly repertoire. More

I recently took a marmalade class here in Seattle and was surprised with some of the questions that came up from fellow attendees. While I had questions about the size of the citrus chunks or how exactly I could tell when the marmalade was done cooking, other students really wanted to know what to do with their marmalade. Beyond toast, how should they use it? More

I'm hesitant to admit this, but during my first year of college, I survived almost solely on ham and cheddar hot pockets, with the occasional pepperoni pizza thrown in for good measure. There was a vending machine in my dorm lobby, hot pockets being only one of its many choice selections. (If my parents only really knew where my "meal plan" money was going!) I still love a good ham and cheddar combination, only now I can enjoy it in a much more delicious way.

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Q: I've been making homemade yogurt for a while and I've had lots of success with breakfast recipes, mostly sweet ones. I also use yogurt to make sauces to accompany curry dishes. I'm looking for more ways to use yogurt in savory meals. How can I eat my yogurt for dinner?

Sent by Sarah More

Nine times out of ten, when you see fennel salad on a restaurant menu, it is simply shaved with lemon, olive oil and Parmesan cheese — a classic, foolproof combination to be sure, but if I'm going to pay $9 for a side salad, it had better not be something I can make perfectly well at home on a Wednesday night. So when I spotted an unusual fennel salad with roasted tomatoes, pistachios and cream on the menu of Seattle's The Walrus and the Carpenter, I knew I had to order it. And once I tasted it, I knew I had to make a version of my own. More

In many ways, I think this is the best time of winter for cooking. There's no holiday pressure. Our guests have all gone home. We have no real obligations at all. Which means that we get to cook exactly what we want, when we want to, and eat at our leisure. If you're at home today, I'd say this is the perfect time to drag out a heavy soup pot, pick some spices, and get something warm and comforting simmering on the back burner. More

A dear friend recently celebrated his birthday by hosting a big night out on the town (his extravaganzas more often than not end with very late night dance parties). I am more of a homebody myself, so I opted out of his wild and crazy festivities and offered to cook him a quiet dinner instead. Planning a heartfelt meal is the easiest way for me to show I care. More

Eggs and I have a hot-and-cold relationship. Some months I can't stand them and then, suddenly, I find myself in a phase where I find them deeply satisfying. Maybe it's the chilly weather or the desire for simple, inexpensive meals, but this is one of those "put an egg on it" moments when I'm inclined to top any lunch or dinner with some sunny protein, especially when that meal involves braised lentils and silky ribbons of chard. More