I'm so excited because I'll be doing a Chinese hot pot dinner later this week. It's essentially fondue with a pot of broth, which you dip food into using little baskets and eventually have with noodles towards the end of the meal. It's a winter tradition for my family, but I'm excited to share the tradition with friends.

Did the recipe for that gorgeous orange tart (mentioned/photo over the weekend) ever get posted? it looks totally yum!

Up at 5pm!

thanks faith! i'm even more intrigued now that i know it's persimmon.

How do I keep my bread knife sharp? Thanks!

I made the kale chips last night. Even my vegetable-averse boyfriend said, "Hmmm. Better than I thought they would be." Success!

If the purpose of baking or dry-pan-frying nuts is to bring out their flavor, does it make sense to do so with items that will be baked anyway? For example, pecan pie, almond biscotti etc.

I'm baking lots of goodies for homemade gifts. Today I'm making cookies, peppermint bark, tiger butter and white chocolate covered Candy Cane Joe Joe's (from Trader Joe's).

Hi everyone, I need some advice for a good alternative to the kitchen aid arista. I would love the kitchen aid but it costs $750 here in Europe and thats just too expensive. So I was wondering if anyone maybe had some suggestions for another good stand mixer. Thank you!

lots of cookie dough making this weekend, baking the following weekend (I am not up to the whole process in one go, 5 different kinds times 80 - 120 per kind).

Anyone have good suggestions for packaging? I'm trying to be eco- and wallet-friendly (emphasis on the AND, not just one or the other).

I have been suffering the mother of all head colds this past week and my daughter's cold morphed into an ear infection so I am woefully behind on my holiday baking. Meals at our house have been leftovers and meals frozen a month or so ago for times such as this:butternut squash lasagna and white bean soup.

Where can I find a good Pad Thai recipe? I've tried several and mine never came out to be like the ones at the restaurants.

leftoverschef, this is the best recipe for pad thai that I've come across--
http://www.culinate.com/search/q,vt=top,q=pad thai/74307

The guy is obsessed with pad thai!

We're having a winter potluck tomorrow, I really wanted to do all the cooking, but, time and money. So. I'll be making a potato and chickpea stew, a chicken and mushroom stew, polenta, crackers, and the feta dip from smittenkitchen. And I will probably be eating leftovers on Sunday, so no cooking!

Here's that link again:

http://www.culinate.com/search/q,vt=top,q=pad/74307

I have made 3 batches of the matzo toffee, and am starting on a 4th, also mixing up molasses sugar cookie dough. Torrie what white chocolate do you use to dip your jo jo's in? I really love the idea but I bought a box last week and it disappeared, I will try again though........