Dana Velden

No matter how much thought goes into planning your Christmas dinner, the day can have a way of feeling hurried as you you take part in gift-giving, a brisk walk in the snow, and then getting into the kitchen to cook. One strategy that makes it feel easier and more manageable is sticking with options for a make-ahead Christmas dinner. Maybe it’s getting a head start with the main course or side dish, or perhaps you prefer to get the bulk of the meal done ahead of time.

Planning on making a classic glazed baked ham for your Christmas dinner this year? Great choice — it’s one of our top picks for a holiday meal, too. And even if your holiday celebration happens to be smaller this year, those leftover ham recipes are a dream. This large, savory cut of meat is easy to make, whether you opt for the oven or your slow cooker (just don’t forget the glaze!).

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 our method for classic mashed potatoes, with recommendations for potato type, dairy additions, and mashing methods. Potatoes: The best potatoes for mashed potatoes are Russets and Yukon Golds.

Gremolata is one of those things where the whole is definitely greater than the sum of its parts. Sprinkled over any number of dishes, it will make every mouthful pop with its bright, fresh flavors. Along with classic basil pesto and chimichurri sauce, it’s one of the essential condiments made with fresh herbs that you can add to practically anything grilled or roasted. Plus it’s a great way to use up a bunch of parsley!

It’s rhubarb season and no doubt everyone is making rhubarb pie! But there are many other things you can do with rhubarb: relishes, chutneys, and jammy compotes; sauces both sweet and savory, and rhubarb desserts like ice cream and sorbets. The list is endless, but one of my favorite things to make when rhubarb is plentiful is this lovely, pink-hued rhubarb syrup. Here’s how to make it.

We’ve all been there. You go to start a recipe for your favorite classic beef chili, navy bean soup, or from-scratch hummus and then it hits you: you forgot to soak the beans! Of course you can reach for canned beans at this point, but if freshly cooked beans are what you really want, then it’s time to learn how to quick-soak your beans — it cuts the soaking time down to just an hour!

One-pan meals are a busy person’s dream come true. Just as with recipes that call for only a few ingredients, you can trust that those requiring just a single piece of cookware are going to be quick to assemble and quick to cook. Plus, you won’t be left with a giant pile of dirty dishes afterwards.

I grew up making this chocolate fudge with my father, who spent a fair amount of time in the kitchen (which was rare for a man of his generation). He was always welcoming, pulling up a chair to the stove and hovering close as I stirred the molten chocolate bubbling away. This chocolate fudge recipe is a family-favorite and easy to make for the holidays (or any time of the year).This recipe for fudge is a classic one from my childhood.

Get to know this Southern green.

Or how to cook an amazing breakfast without a recipe.

Everyone knows that staying in on Valentine's Day is way better than going out, right?

The electric pressure cooker has a lot to offer the busy cook. Today's cookers are sleek, safe, and can do almost anything!

Sweet potatoes are at the top of my shopping list this time of year, and for good reason. These tender tubers are readily available, last a long time in the pantry, and are incredibly versatile. One of the very best ways to prepare sweet potatoes is also the simplest — baking. Serve baked sweet potatoes anytime from breakfast to dinner and flavor them savory or sweet. Baking eliminates the prep work of peeling, chopping, boiling, and draining for tender potatoes.

Are you already doing this?!

They take about 10 minutes to assemble and last for weeks in the refrigerator.

Teff is a gluten-free whole grain that’s starting to get more attention these days. And for good reason: these tiny grains pack a big nutritional punch since they’re made up primarily of the bran and germ, where all the good-for-you stuff is. Making teff porridge is easy. Before cooking, first toast the teff for two minutes in a pan, then transfer in a saucepan and bring to a boil for 15 to 20 minutes.

This is how we're staying cozy (and well-fed!) this January.

A savory and satisfying vegetarian option for your holiday spread

An unexpected snow day means it's time to have some fun in the kitchen!

Are you familiar with grissini? A far cry from their soft, chewy pizza parlor cousins, grissini are long, thin, Italian-style breadsticks. They are crisp all the way through and can be flavored with various herbs, seeds, and spices to complement whatever else you may be serving. You can wrap them with paper-thin slices of prosciutto for a classic presentation, but they’re equally delicious served just as they are.

Get that chocolate in at the beginning of the day!

Baklava is one of those desserts that has a reputation for difficulty, but is actually surprisingly easy to make.

Alexandra Whisnant, chocolatier and owner of a small, avant-garde chocolate company called gâté comme des filles (‘spoiled like girls’), located in Massachusetts, is truly passionate about chocolates. She shows us how to hand dip chocolates — but before we dip, we need to understand how to temper.

Skip the breakfast bowl and stir it into your cake batter instead.

Risotto is one of those delicious dishes that not enough people make at home because it has a reputation for being fussy and time-consuming. If you make it the traditional way, you have to spend about 20 to 30 minutes at the stove, all of it hands-on time as you stir and add stock, stir and add stock, stir and add stock. What about a delicious, creamy risotto in about 12 to 15 minutes that includes some precious hands-off time?

Mushrooms on toast is a classic British dish, usually served with tea after work or as a light supper. It is perfectly delightful in its simplicity, just sautéed mushrooms with maybe a little onion and parsley, dumped over toast and dug into after a hard day’s work. I did play with it a little in this version, which gussies things up with a splash of wine, some crème fraîche and fresh thyme.

So long, dry, flavorless chicken breast!

Can there be anything more simple than cooking up a pot of pasta? The only thing you have to do is boil water, right? Well, yes, that’s certainly the basic outline. But there are a few other tricks and helpful hints that will help make your cooking run a little smoother and your pasta taste a little better. This post is specifically about cooking classic dried durum wheat pasta.

It’s been exactly two years since I wrote about my favorite cherry custard tart recipe and I still stand by it. There isn’t a soul on earth who has tasted it and hasn’t promptly fallen in love. But with so many cherries in the Bay Area markets right now, it was time to think Beyond the Tart. Roasted cherries sounded intriguing, so I gave them a try over the weekend. I am pleased to report that I now can stand by two cherry recipes! Read on for the recipe.

I love celery salt. I think it’s a great addition to just about any savory dish, but I especially like it on my eggs. So when I saw that Heidi Swanson posted a recipe for it on her 101 Cookbooks website, I knew I had to give it a try. Read on for my review.This is a simple recipe, with just two ingredients: flaky sea salt and celery leaves. And like any recipe with just two ingredients, you have to be sure that those ingredients are top notch.

From fudgy brownies to a luscious layer cake, here's what to make when you're hunkered down indoors.