This is one of those recipes I rarely make just for the family, but I love making when we entertain or I have to bring a potluck dish to a friend's house. Spinach and Artichoke Dip is rich and delicious and is a popular restaurant menu item that can easily be made at home. I keep the preparation of this dip simple by using pre-prepared ingredients. For the artichokes I used canned artichoke hearts, or frozen artichoke hearts that have been thawed and patted dry. Similarly, I

I like to share recipes for easy appetizers like this Baked Brie & Fig because I think they're always so useful to have on hand. We love to entertain and I'm always looking for new and interesting foods to serve my friends. I also use a lot of these in my catering business. It keeps it fresh for my clients when they have new and delicious recipes for them to choose from. This is a classic recipe I've given a Mediterranean twist. I take a wheel of fresh brie and top it with fi

Chocolate Cheesecake is one of the most popular desserts of all time in my family. It is incredibly versatile in that it can be served at birthdays, holidays, or just because you're in the mood. I'm always surprised to meet people who won't make cheesecake because they find the process intimidating. I understand why it might seem like that, which is why I wanted to film this episode for you. The key to making the batter of the cheesecake is making sure it is completely smooth

Today I'd like to share a recipe for traditional mashed potatoes. There are many delicious, fancier ways to make mashed potatoes than this, but sometimes it's best to dial it back to the basics. This recipe contains all the typical ingredients of mashed potatoes: potatoes, milk, butter, salt, and pepper, and nothing extra! One of the key things to remember about making mashed potatoes is to never put them in the blender or food processor after they're cooked. There is a lot o

This recipe was really fun to film because they're so popular in Greece. Kourabiethes are traditional Greek cookies that are frequently served around Christmas. There's a little liquor in them but I want to assure you the alcohol burns off in the oven so they're totally safe to serve to kids. I love these because they are kind of like an almond shortbread. They are nice and buttery with a hint of anise flavor from the ouzo, and a little crunch on top from the almonds. This re

This was a really fun one to film because it put me in the Christmas spirit. This Christmas Lasagna gets its name from the red, white, and green layers. I love it when the dish color coordinates with the holiday! I like to make lasagna during the holidays because it feeds a crowd and can be prepared ahead of time. It also is one of those rare dishes that pleases my whole family. My kids aren't terribly picky eaters, but everyone gets a little particular here and there and it'

This is one of those dishes you see at restaurants but never seem to pull together at home because you assume it’s out of reach, or you consider it too gourmet for home cooking. Good news, Arugula & Burrata is neither! It’s actually very easy to pull together when you have the ingredients on hand and it can taste exactly like the dish you order at the restaurant. I either serve this on a tray when I’m presenting it to a group, or plate it individually for a more formal dinne

When it comes to big holiday meals it’s always nice to have a good roll or bread basket served on the side. In this case, since it’s the holiday season, I’m sharing a recipe for how to make Pull Apart Garlic Knots shaped like a Christmas Tree! This dish always gets a big smile when it hits the table. It’s so clever and easy and is a great carbohydrate to serve on the side of just about anything this season. Making pull-apart garlic knots isn’t too hard. I consider this a sem

The holidays are a time to let your hair down in the kitchen. At this time of year, I’m always more lenient about what I eat and am happy to make our seasonal favorites so we can all have a little extra fun. Delicious and delightful Reindeer Chow is one of those recipes that really deserves to be brought out on repeat in December. It contains all the flavors we love – chocolate, peanut butter, and more – and is dressed up with green and red holiday M&M’s. I keep it on our cou

There are few things more delicious and fun than Red Velvet White Chocolate Chip Cookies at Christmas. Yes, you read that right. We all love, and I mean LOVE, red velvet in my house. The rich red chocolate is a delight in every way and the kids and I always go for it whenever we have the chance. Red Velvet works well for many things, including cakes, cupcakes, cheesecakes and more. But, in this case, we are making cookies that look like fantastic Christmas ornaments on a plat

These are such amazing cookies for the holidays. They are cakey and a little crumbly and all spiced up for Christmas. I’ve posted other Greek cookie recipes before and today I’m sharing the recipe for most popular Christmas cookie in the whole country. The syrup the cookies are soaked in is flavored with the most delicious Christmas spices and flavors. You’ll love how festive they are and how perfect they are for serving at the holiday season. Like many Greek desserts, these

Spicy Cranberry Margarita Margaritas can be fun any time of year. For the holiday season I like to spice them up in our house and add cranberry syrup and jalapeno tequila. Cranberry Syrup Simple ½ cup of sugar ½ cup of water ¼ cup of fresh cranberries 3 oz jalapeno tequila 3 oz cranberry simple syrup 1.5 oz lime juice Top with club soda Honey and sugar rim Serve with fresh rosemary and sugared cranberries The cranberry simple syrup: 1. Make the cranberry simple syrup by combi

I love cranberries and find them so festive in holiday meals and snacks. We have plenty of cranberry sauce at Thanksgiving and I always have a batch in my fridge for all of December. I use it for making sandwiches and yummy things like this Cranberry Whipped Feta. Then, I have to make a whole new batch for Christmas! This quick dip is so good for holiday entertaining. It’s great for serving with crackers, toasted pita, or vegetables. Or, it could also be used as a delicious

Today I’m sharing one of my favorite holiday go-to recipes, Easy Chocolate Truffles. These truffles are exactly what the name states, easy to make and extra rich and chocolatey. As you can see below, they take four ingredients and don’t require the oven. I mean, dare I say it, how easy is that? (Hi, Ina!) This method for making truffles is very popular and it’s easy to see why. You can obtain the ingredients at the grocery store, you don’t need any special equipment, and you

This is the ultimate salad for a big party. I make it a lot during the year, but you really see it everywhere in December. This Antipasto Salad is a classic in many homes, mine included. I make sure I buy high-quality ingredients, then I assemble it and it’s on the table in minutes. The beauty of this salad is that it’s easy to swap in other meats or cheeses or vegetables you’d like to serve. If you have a crowd coming, feel free to double the recipe, or make two platters and

If you need punch to serve a crowd this season then I’d like to suggest this delicious Pomegranate Prosecco Punch. It’s very simple to make and serves a crowd beautifully. Everyone loves bubbles at a party and this fits the bill, without being overly involved to assemble. One of the most important things about making this punch delicious is buying high quality ingredients. Prosecco can vary a lot so don’t skimp on price. You want one that isn’t too sweet or fruity. The pomegr

Christmas morning is so exciting in our house. We love waking up and running downstairs to gather around the tree with each other and our extended family. As you’d expect, the energy of the season is bar none and I plan ahead when it comes to preparing food that will fuel us through every event. On Christmas morning I make this delicious quiche recipe. It comes together really easily and is the perfect protein-packed bite to enjoy while we unwrap our stockings. If you want to

This is such a cute and fun Christmasy breakfast idea. The Cinnamon Bun Wreath is a classic recipe that has a million and one adaptations all over the internet. This is how I make it and today I want to make sure you get a clear demonstration so you can do it perfectly at home. Some people like to start by making homemade cinnamon bun dough, but I’m here to tell you that you don’t have to. The first step to this recipe is buying the cinnamon bun mix at the store. Yup. I said

This is a fun recipe that came out of our family’s deep love of eggnog. My kids, of course, drink the kind I buy at the store. When I cater holiday events for my clients, I’m always whipping up batches of boozy eggnog for the adults, and that’s our adult treat at home, too. It’s a very decadent drink, but the holidays are a time to indulge a little! These cookies are so good. They are soft little sugar puffs flavored with warm spices and slathered with a thick eggnog glaze. T

At Christmas time I like to share a classic cookie recipe that everyone loves. This year I’m sharing Oatmeal Raisin Cookies because it’s one of those cookies that never, ever goes out of style. I make them many times throughout the year, but I really like to include them in our Christmas cookie round-up. The thing about a recipe like this is there’s no need to reinvent the wheel. I’ve made many oatmeal cookie recipes over the years and this one is the result of many little tw