Creamy chocolate fudge…soft caramels…and hard brittle toffee all have something in common. They all have to be cooked to the correct temperature to reach the consistency typical of each candy. The holiday season is the time I always make several kinds of candy, my specialty being soft caramels.

‘Tis the season for holiday parties! Chances are you’ve been invited (or will be invited) to some sort of holiday get-together. While hostess gifts aren’t necessarily mandatory, it is always nice to show your appreciation to someone for sharing their home with you.

‘Tis the season of sugar and flour, rolling and baking, decorating and eating. So many family traditions revolve around holiday baking and cookie decorating, yet it is an activity that still strikes fear into the hearts of many. I know I have seen my fair share of gingerbread men who lost an arm in transit to the cookie sheet or snowmen that spread into unidentifiable blobs. Here are a few tips to working with cut-out cookie dough that will help prevent these tragic baking mishaps.

Who doesn’t love cookies? When the holidays roll around, cookies are a staple in my kitchen. Whether I’m baking them for a party, in preparation for holiday celebrations, or just to enjoy them as a snack, they are a must. However, when the hustle and bustle of the holiday season really starts to kick in, it can be hard to find time to be in the kitchen.

Are you planning a dinner party in the near future? Or, how about hosting an appetizer and dessert buffet to celebrate a special birthday or a holiday? If any of these gatherings are on your calendar, I want to let you in on a fun way to serve dessert.

Pumpkins, it seems, are everywhere this time of year. It was only a couple of months ago that I had the privilege of watching a pumpkin grow on the vine right outside my office window. Each day the pumpkin either changed shape or color, and then developed into a medium-sized, bright orange pumpkin right before my eyes.

The excitement for Sauté Express® is starting to build. If you haven’t heard about it yet, here is what all the buzz is about: Sauté Express® is a new product that combines butter, olive oil, and a variety of herbs and spices into a convenient square that cooks AND flavors chicken, fish or pork in one easy step.

Chili, or “bowl of red” as some Texans call it, is one of those comfort foods that comes to mind especially when you want to bring a main dish to a potluck or the weather is cool.