By Lynne Daley of Cafe Lynnylu

The aromas of bread baking evoke memories of a time when nearly all bread consumed by a family was made at home or bought from the city or village bakery. With our busy lifestyle, we think that we donÕt have time to bake our bread, so are content with the tasteless grocery store product, or pay a premium price at a high-end bakery. If you have never made yeast breads before, now is the time to learn. Most people are intimidated by the thought of making their own bread, but it is actually very easy. Yeast breads have three simple ingredients-flour, yeast and a liquid-water or milk. Basically, you have the makings French bread or a white bread.

Begin with a focaccia, a flatbread and probably the most ancient of breads. Nearly every culture and cuisine in the world has its own form of flatbread. Perfect for sandwiches, this rosemary focaccia begins with a starter or sponge made ahead of time and allowed to sit for a designated time period to allow the mixture to ripen. The sponge adds immense flavor and texture to the bread. Before baking, the focaccia is drizzled with olive oil, topped with chopped fresh rosemary and sprinkled with sea salt. three color focaccia have the colors of the Italian flag: red-sundried tomatoes, green-sage and parsley incorporated in tender potato dough. Prepared in the dough cycle of a bread machine takes the work out of mixing and kneading this tantalizing and colorful black olive pesto focaccia. For dessert with the requisite glass of Sambuca and some floating coffee beans thrown in for health, happiness and prosperity, bake a Schiacciata con lÕuva, a Tuscan flatbread layered with Sangiovese or red flame grapes and covered with a crunchy topping of turbinado sugar.

Rosemary raisin bread, a fine-crumb bread studded with plump raisins, is excellent toasted for breakfast or with a cup of tea in the afternoon. Emerald green swirls of basil pesto baked in this easy French bread dough basil pesto bread is a perfect accompaniment for any pasta dish. Are you ready for a rustic cornmeal and cilantro braid stuffed with a spicy mix of black beans, corn, black olives, salsa and pepper Jack cheese? The dough gets a long cool rise in the bread machine before assembling the braid. This Spicy Southwestern Braid is a hearty meal in itself! Sopaipillas, another Southwestern specialty is a fried bread much like Navajo Fry Bread. Sopaipillas can be served as a sweet or savory dish. The sopaipillas here are sprinkled with powdered sugar and served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and garnished with strawberries.

Serve these California Walnut Rolls slathered with walnut cranberry cream cheese and fresh pears for a picnic or offer the plain rolls with a soup. Extra walnut flavor in the dough comes from the addition of not only the toasted walnuts, but also pure walnut oil. Saffron gives these lemon-scented buns a delicate yellow color and golden raisins kneaded in the dough before forming into buns add substance and extra sweetness. Also, known as Cornish Saffron Buns, the rolls were traditionally reserved for special occasions.

In conclusion, torta aperta, a sweet yeast bread filled with dried cherries, diced mango, amaretto liqueur and turbinado sugar. The dough is rolled out larger than the baking dish, and then the dried cherry/mango mixture is spread over the dough. The overhanging dough is cut into wide strips and folded over leaving the center open.

For more bread recipes and other tasty recipes, visit the FoodieView Recipe Search Engine.

Lynne Daley’s love of cooking and photography led her to begin blogging. You can see more of her delicious recipes and photos at her blog Cafe Lynnylu.

By Rachel Rappaport of Cocnut & Lime

While decadent dessert and dips are a delight, stripping down to basics after the holidays is a common impulse. I like to look for fresh, easy to make recipes that colorful and have lots of vegetables and lean meats or seafood.

Soup is a great choice because it is filling and unless made with cream, is surprisingly low calorie. Carrot soup is vibrantly orange and full of vitamins as is this cumin-carrot version. This vegan celeriac soup is a cinch to make and is a great way to introduce people to celery root. Black bean, roasted red pepper soup is heartier but full of fiber and vegetable goodness. Fire roasted tomato soup uses canned fire roasted tomatoes which makes it a snap to make. Cranberry wild rice soup has fiber rice wild rice and tangy, low fat yogurt for creaminess. This recipe for for kimchi soup from the ironically named No Recipes blog, has healthy kimchi and tofu.

Dishes like this glass noodle salad are easy to make but look special enough to serve to company. This light lemon shrimp pasta makes the most of in season lemons and doesn’t have a high calorie creamy sauce. Raw beets combine with parsley for a fresh tasting salad. This TNT sushi roll is simply fresh tuna, tomato and rice. Fresh and delish!

These sweet rice balls are a filling end to a meal or snack. Angel food cake is famous for being virtually fat free but can be a little boring. This lemon version adds some interest. Low sugar pumpkin cheesecake is a lighter twist on a popular pie.

As always, you can find more recipes to lighten up your post holiday bellies on the FoodieView Recipe Search Engine.

Rachel Rappaport is a food writer and recipe creator who lives in Baltimore, Maryland. You can check out over 600 of her original recipes at her award winning food blog, Cocnut & Lime.

Recipe Roundup: Mesmerizing Macarons

by Meeta Khurana from What’s For Lunch, Honey?

Macarons are those incredibly delicate, tantalizingly tender and wonderfully beautiful French delicacies that make everyone’s eyes light up at the sheer mention of them.

French macarons are somewhat of a legend and they should not be dishonored by being called a cookie. The macaron is a pastry, a delight of a dessert where two pastry shells, made of ground almonds, egg whites, icing sugar and sugar, enclose a delicate filling flavored in a symphony of different varieties.

Making macarons at home are often filled with highs and lows. While some manage to make great looking macarons from the beginning for others it might be their own personal foodie nemesis. However, giving up on them is often not an option we would like to consider – they are magical, they are challenging and they carry much adulation – and so patiently we regress and start over with the hope that success will be ours the next time round.

If you are tackling macarons for the first time there are several great blogs that offer a lot of helpful information. I made my first French macarons a few months ago and had a fair amount of success, collecting all that I learned and read. You’ll find all one needs to know about macarons in my comprehensive Macarons 101. Hope they help you make perfect macarons. For inspiration I have compiled a marvelous macarons roundup – some pretty, some elegant, some fun and some snazzy macarons to suit everyone’s palate!

Chocolate, Coffee & Caramel

Let me start with some tantalizing chocolate and fleur de sel macarons from the talented Hilda. These look decadent with a airy mousse-like chocolate filling. Venus of L’Atelier Vi makes macarons like they had my name written all over it. Chocolate shells encasing a mango buttercream make up her Macarons au Chocolat-Mangue - all I can say is délicieux! Jamie from the wonderfully written blog Life’s a Feast makes a classic coffee-chocolate combination in her espresso sea salt chocolate macarons. A elegant and grown up kind of sweet treat. Kaitlin from Whisk Kid finds her macaron mojo again with these lovely chocolate salted caramel macarons. I can’t believe she ever lost that mojo! My Madison Bistro makes another incredible chocolate combination with chocolate and salted peanut butter macarons. A creamy thick salty peanut butter filling is hugged tightly with rich chocolate shells.

Spice & Nice

Jess from Amateur Foodie tries her hand and creates sensational Jasmine tea macarons filled with jasmine-infused white/bittersweet chocolate ganache. Tea time will never be the same! Deeba of Passionate about Baking makes a colorful assortment but her delectable pumpkin spice macarons steals the show. May I say that my own saffron macarons with cardamom white chocolate ganache were outrageously good. Extravagant and luxurious with the subtle essence of saffron and the wonderful aromas of cardamom. Rachel of La Fuji Mama makes nutty almond macarons with dark chocolate ganache for her first attempt. One of my all time favorites has got to be Bea’s cardamom, wattle seeds macarons with orange filling. I saw them a few years back and was intrigued by the flavors of wattle seeds. If I could get them here I would have tried them already!

Fruity & Flowery

What the Fruitcake?! offers an awesome fruity cranberry raspberry with cranberry chunk buttercream macarons, using a cranberry raspberry and elderflower tea blend to flavor the shells delicately and a buttercream with chunks of cranberry. Natalie of The Bite Size makes an appealing and tangy orange blossom macarons & silk meringue buttercream, with refreshing aroma of orange blossom extract and and a silken smooth buttercream. What would a macaron roundup be without macarons from the superb Aran of Cannelle et Vanille? I fell in love with the fruity Fall flavors in her almond and pistachio macaron shells with the Asian pear tatin and mascarpone cream. Trissalicious makes the famous rose, lychee and raspberry flavoured macaron or of course the Ispahan Macaron from Pierre Herme - kudos! Zesty and nutty are my pistachio and lemon cream macarons - a perfect harmony of crunchy pistachio and the tangy lemony filling. These lovely Razzle-Dazzleberry Macarons will really make you dazzle! Vivid berry red shells are filled with a neoclassic vanilla buttercream.

Macarons – everyone’s darling? I presume yes, when it comes to indulging in them. But the pretentious aura making macarons at home has is somewhat overrated. There is no need to fear them and I hope that this roundup helps to demystify them a little more.

Looking for more? You can over three thousand mesmerizing macaron recipes on the FoodieView Recipe Search Engine.

Meeta is a passionate food writer, cook and photographer. She experiments in her kitchen and presents her flavor combinations in exciting new dishes. Her blog What’s For Lunch, Honey? was selected as one of the Top 50 Best Food Blogs by Times Online UK and offers over 500 recipes all peppered with a good dose of life.

By Lisa of La Mia Cucina

Below are some fantabulous Holiday side dish and starter recipes. I had to force myself to stop adding on to the list because DAMN ya’ll do an amazing job in sharing those secret family tradition recipes, the brand spankin’ recipes you come up with and all the kinds of recipes in between. So if anyone is in a pickle wondering just what the hell to serve next to that holiday ham or turkey or meatloaf, just take a gander below and I’m confident you’ll find at least one you’ll want to try RIGHT NOW.

Starting off with a lovely soup, some interesting salads and some show-stopping appetizers!

One of my most favorite Daring Kitchen members is Rose from Bite Me Kitchen. Rose is such a wonderful gal to chat with and she writes beautifully. Her cooking skills are just as beautiful and I always look forward to seeing what she’s been up to in the kitchen. I chose her Wild Mushroom and Barley Soup for this round up because it just felt so comforting and cozy and yet special enough to bring out a big steaming bowl of it for guests to “ohhh” and “ahhh” over. I could almost taste the delicious earthiness if the wild mushrooms and feel the barley on my tongue when I read this post. I will be making this soup very soon - my husband has made me promise.

Winnie of Healthy Green Kitchen came up with this not-your-everyday salad. Winnie spruces up those boring greens with roasted beets and candied pecans. Now I don’t know about you, but I’m neither a beets nor a pecan fan. So why’d I chose this recipe? Well aside from the fact that not EVERYTHING is about me, I have recently discovered that if you roast a beet, why.. it tastes good! It gets all caramelly and delish! And pecans.. oh lordy don’t even get me started. I know I’m in a huge minority hating these southern nuts, but I can’t help it. Here, does it make anyone feel any better if I also admit that I hate walnuts with an even bigger passion? No? *cough* Okay let’s move on then.. anyhoo.. crisp up a pecan then load it with sugar and cinnamon and well.. I’ll eat the whole damn bag. By myself. So actually, this salad sounds SO GOOD and would make a great first course for many a holiday meal.

Depending on where you’re from, cheese and fruit might be a dessert and not a starter - but I choose to eat cheese and fruit before AND after a meal, so there you go. Charli, of The Berry Bushel, is passionate about pears and gorgonzola cheese, with a light drizzle of honey or balsamic vinegar. Simple to put together, elegant enough for for that special occasion on your callendar but so damn tasty that you’ll be making up special occasions just to be nibblin’ on this delicious sweet and salty combination.

Bunnee’s Vol-au-Vents have been added to my list because they brought back my own memories of this Daring Baker’s challenge and how delicious they turned out. I especially loved Bunnee’s choice of a simple filling of sauted mushrooms and how she made them pretty small to be served as appetizers. Brilliant! This pastry is flaky, butter and divine and I can just imagine how damn good it went with the mushrooms. YUM!

This next recipe is not only a very festive appetizer for the holidays, but its something that’s wonderful year round. Ivonne of Creampuffs in Venice is known for her “creampuffs” but her family’s treasured recipes are the true gems of her wonderful blog. I’m featuring her Mother’s peperonata because this is a dish my father also made often and there is just nothing better than these marinated peppers slathered all over a big slice of crusty bread. Try this recipe, you won’t be disappointed!

You know what would look great next to that big platter of Peperonata?? This divine Bleu Cheese Cheesecake with Onion-Pear jam. Ohhh kids. Let me tell you from experience.. this is TO DIE FOR. I’m linking back to both my blog when I first made it a few years ago and also to Gracie’s blog - oh yeah, for those of you who don’t know who Gracie is.. well her real name is Peabody but I call her Gracie. Anyhoo this is her recipe and it’s become a tradition at my house on Christmas Eve this year. Now keep in mind when you decide to make this - and trust me, you need to decide to make this - it’s HUGE. You should have quite a large gathering if you want it all to be eaten by delighted guests. Our Christmas Eve is much smaller, so I quarter the recipe which makes enough for a 4″ springform pan.. plus a lil extra for you know, stashing away for later.

If you couldn’t wait and have already clicked on to my link, you’ll notice 2 other recipes in that post. I wouldn’t be a good Daddy’s girl, if I didn’t include my Dad’s Calamari Sauce in this round up. For those Italians or just seafood lovers, this sauce is just a lil slice of heaven. It’s a bit labor intensive since whole squid must be cleaned (no cheating and using the already cleaned tubes and tentacles you can find at any grocery store - you won’t get 1/10th of the flavor) and used. But it’s so worth it. You might say this is an entree, but well.. not for my family! It’s just a 8th of your entire plate in our house. *grin*

Okay lets continue on with the side dishes now.. speaking of seafood.. ever serve a yummy concoction of your favorite seafoods mixed with herbs and bread crumbs and cheese.. in it’s own cup made from a lemon?? HAR! Is that a fantastic idea or what? Lemon pairs so well with seafood that this is really a no-brainer, but I never would have thought of it! Cuppy did though! Bless her Check out her adorable Seafood Stuffed Lemons!

Elle’s Wild & Brown Rice with Cranberries had me salivating. I absolutely love the addition of the berries with the rice - holy cow it just SCREAMS Holiday! Is that not a delicious looking bowl of yum??

Maybelle’s Mom, who is a lovely gal living in my home state (and not far away!) comes up with some incredible recipes and her photos are completely drool-worthy. When I saw this Brussels Sprouts with Vadouvon recipe, I was more than a bit intrigued. I love me some Brussels Sprouts but had not heard of Vadouvon before.. apparently it’s a French amalgamation of spices and alliums which creates a rich, sweet and tangy combination, which sounds amazing when you mix it in with roasted Brussels sprouts and potatoes. By the by, don’t trust my definition of Vadouvon, read Seema’s blog post and it’ll make much better sense to those of us who haven’t heard of it yet. Regardless.. it sounds WONDERFUL!

Next is another one of those deliciously simple recipes that takes no time to make, hardly any effort needed, but always brings fantastic results. Pia of Inato lang Filipino Cuisine and More shares with us her Pan Seared Asparagus and Sundried Tomatoes. What a wonderful, bright side dish this is for any gathering. And who wants to be saddled in the kitchen making all kinds of involved recipes when we’ve got guests coming? Not me! This is the kind of easy and tasty dish that I will ALWAYS serve along with my more elaborate offerings.

Potato Pancakes or Latkes as they are also known, are a common side dish for many festive tables. And I love them, don’t get me wrong.. hey there isn’t anything better than a crispy potato-y creamy on the inside potato-y ANYTHING. But I didn’t go there this time.. instead I went with these amazingly beautiful Beet and Cauliflower Latkes from Rochelle of Aquired Taste! Look at them! Do they not fit in with the Christmas theme perfectly? All ruby red with specs of green? And healthy! I am looking forward to making these.. I’m just not looking forward to red/purple hands for a week. Great spin on a classic, Rochelle!

Speaking of potatoes.. How pretty are these Accordion Potatoes??? Ellie did an amazing job creating these beauties! And for as elegant as they look, they are pretty darned simple to make. What could be better? Imagine the crispiness.. the creaminess.. the smell of the perfectly roasted accordion potato.. I see this served with a juicy Prime Rib Roast on NYE’s.. oh yes.. Oh. Yes. Thanks for sharing Ellie - you’ve got me itchin’ to start slicing some spuds!

How about something more traditional with a bit of a twist? Ninette’s Cornbread Stuffing with Sausage and Apples is just screaming to be served with that big old bird you’re planning! I love the thought of these flavors and textures together and although this one might not make it to our Christmas Eve dinner (purely due to bad timing) this WILL adorn my family’s table in the very near future.. I suppose that’s one good thing about Ohio - our winters only last about 9 months, so there is plenty of time for comforting delicious food!

Last but not least, is my friend Allison’s rendition of Skoby’s Corn. This creamed corn dish was quite famous in the south and served at well.. Skoby’s restaurant, of course! Apparently this restaurant is no longer, but the kind owner’s shared this treasured recipe in the local paper so all of their loyal customer’s could keep on enjoying it. I about loved Allison’s story as much as how delish this creamed corn recipe sounded.. so yes, creamed corn it is!

I hope this lil list of mine will encourage ya’ll to try a new side dish or appetizer this holiday season.. and if not, maybe next year - plan ahead! I truly enjoyed my “research” portion of writing this and a very big THANK YOU to all of these lovely gals for allowing me to show off their photos and recipes. I hope everyone has a festive holiday season! xoxo

By Susan of Food Blogga

Charlie Brown got it right when he said that Christmas isn’t about who has the shiniest Christmas tree (or Lexus, as it were), it’s about the true meaning of Christmas — eating. Well, more like the warm feeling you get inside, as when you share and eat Christmas cookies with friends and loved ones.

If you haven’t already started beating, whipping, icing, and sprinkling, then you’d better hurry up because Christmas is almost here. Not sure which cookies to make this year? What to try out a couple of new ones? Then read on. You’ll be sure to find some Christmas cookies that will make you feel warm inside.

Is there a cookie that tastes like Christmas more than gingerbread? For classic gingerbread men, make Andrea’s Gingerbread Men Cookies made with freshly ground cloves for added fragrance and spice. If twinkling stars make you smile, then you’ll be laughing with Suzana’a star-shaped Chocolate and Ginger Cookies. Alanna improves upon beloved Christmas chocolate crinkles by adding spicy ginger, cloves, cinnamon, and nutmeg, creating Chocolate Ginger Crinkle Cookies. Molasses and ginger get along as well as Santa and Rudolph, which is why Manju’s Gram’s Ginger Molasses Cookies are a holiday favorite year after year at her house.

After gingerbread men, shortbread may be the next most popular Christmas cookie. For traditional shortbread, make Neil’s Shortbread Cookies at More Than Burnt Toast, which comes with a guarantee to turn out perfectly every time. For a non-traditional shortbread, try The Purple Foodie’s aromatic Lavender Shortbread or Sage Trifle’s savory Rosemary Shortbread.

Anything with chocolate and nuts is always welcome on a Christmas cookie tray. There isn’t a better cookie for a Christmas cookie exchange than Lynn’s gooey, chewy, chocolatey Caramel Turtle Bars. For a chocolate chip cookie with a Christmas twist, try my Chocolate Chip, Cherry, and Pistachio Cookies. Chocolate and coffee lovers won’t be able to resist Christie’s Kahlua Chocolate Chunk Cookies. Surprise white chocolate-lovers with irresistibly bumpy Oatmeal Cranberry White Chocolate Chunk Cookies from Cooking on the Side.

Believe it or not, there are some people who prefer light, citrusy cookies to nutty, chocolate ones. No doubt they’ll love my tart and tangy Betty Crocker’s Lemon Poppy Seed Cookies with Poppy Seed Glaze or Haley Suzanne’s tender, citrus-spiked Lemon Lime Meltaway Cookies. Karen’s brightly colored Orange-Cranberry Slices are as fun to make as they are to eat.

When it comes to making kids happy, nothing beats baking cookies. So get in the kitchen the kids and make a batch Rachelle’s minty, festive, red and white twisted candy cane cookies. Or try La Mia Cucina’s strawberry jam-filled Thumbprints because kids love to make the thumbprint in the dough. Little ones will be tickled with adorable Teddy Bear Popsicles from Mele Cotte or Rudolph’s Christmas Sugar Cookies with pretzel antlers from Good Eats ‘n Sweet Treats.

Adults will be thrilled if they receive a bag of homemade biscotti to dunk in their coffee. My mom’s Traditional Italian Almond Biscotti are satisfying firm and chock full of nuts — perfect for dunking. Cherrapeno’s Holiday Biscotti with pistachios and cranberries are the very merriest of biscotti.

Chances are you have some people on your Christmas cookie list who have food allergies or are calorie-conscious. Don’t worry. There are scores of wonderful recipes for eggless, flourless, gluten-free, and vegan cookies. Here is a sampling: Sadhana’s Gluten Free, Eggless Oats, Almond, and Candied Fruit Cookies are delicious, healthy, and festive. So are Maybelle’s Mom’s Vegan Linzer Cookies filled with sweet, red strawberry jam. You won’t miss any sweetness with The Happy Cook’s low-sugar Chocolate Snowballs. Kalyn’s Flourless and Low-Sugar Chocolate Shortbread Cookie almost defy cookie logic. Despite being low-carb and gluten-free, they’re rich and delicious.

Now’s the time to start baking. Whatever you make, please don’t forget to leave a plate of cookies for Santa!

You can find more delicious holiday cookie recipes from all over the internet on the FoodieView Recipe Search Engine.

Susan Russo lives in Southern California where she is addicted to local farmers’ markets. She publishes stories, recipes and photos on her cooking blog, Food Blogga, and is a regular contributor to NPR’s Kitchen Window.

By Andrea Meyers of Andrea’s Recipes

Gingerbread is an ages-old tradition enjoyed by people around the world, and of all the Christmas cookies our family makes, gingerbread is the one that most evokes Christmas for us. Every year our family makes gingerbread men and a gingerbread house or Christmas tree with all the boys getting in on the fun. But our love of gingerbread doesn’t stop there and we continue enjoying the spicy flavors of gingerbread in cake, scones, and other baked goods throughout the year. Traditional gingerbread spices include cinnamon, ginger, cloves, nutmeg, and allspice, and some other flavors complement them well, such as molasses, orange, chocolate, pumpkin, or cardamom.

If you are planning to make some gingerbread for the holiday season, food bloggers have plenty of ideas to share.

COOKIES

As the reigning king of all Christmas cookies, gingerbread can be made in a variety of ways. You can vary the spices, add chocolate, make it vegan or gluten-free, or use the spices in other types of cookies. And if you are looking for homemade holiday gifts, gingerbread cookies are a delicious addition to any cookie basket. The classic gingerbread men are often decorated, and Baking Bites has some adorable gingerbread men with simple white icing piped around. 101 Cookbooks makes gingerbread men on a stick which make a delicious bouquet for a holiday dessert table. For a different taste, try the cardamom white gingerbread from Nami-Nami or the chocolate gingerbread from Kitchen Parade. You can also experiment with different flours, such as the whole wheat gingerbread from Enlightened Cooking. For special diets you can make them gluten free with recipes from Elana’s Pantry and Cake and Commerce. And for a delicious variation, try Fatfree Vegan’s gluten-free gingerbread biscotti.

HOUSES

Once you start making gingerbread cookies, it’s a short jump over to making gingerbread houses, another treasured holiday tradition. If you’ve never made a gingerbread house, I recommend starting with the How to Make a Gingerbread House guide at Simply Recipes, where you’ll get some helpful tips. Kung Foodie has a post with gingerbread house patterns and Disney’s Family Fun site has a pattern for an adorable gingerbread train. For more ideas, take a look at the Dutch gingerbread house at Bake My Day, the gingerbread house at Sweetopia, and the gingerbread at Under the High Chair. If you prefer your gingerbread to look more modern, then the model of Frank Lloyd Wright’s Fallingwater house is a must-see, as well as the John Hancock Tower made by Flour Girl, and Reckless Chef’s answer to the question, “How do you build a gingerbread house?”

And if you want to see how the pros make gingerbread, be sure to read the posts from Tartelette, Cakespy, and Running with Tweezers about their experience at the National Gingerbread House Competition.

CAKES

Cakes are also a delicious way to use gingerbread spices and these cakes are often easy to make, the kind you can bake in a Bundt pan, rectangle pan, loaf pan, or cupcake pan if you want something for dessert without a lot of fuss. The beautiful little gingerbread birthday cupcakes from Dessert First are simple to make and will catch everyone’s eye. For a rich spicy gingerbread cake, give the Gramercy Tavern gingerbread cake from Smitten Kitchen a try. Dorie Greenspan posted her recipe for gingerbread baby cakes, which she bakes in mini round pans though she says you can also use a 10-inch round pan. Baking and Books made a gingerbread pear cake and even indulged in a little gingerbread history as well. If you want some chocolate with your gingerbread cake, try the rich, spicy cake from A Cat in the Kitchen, which also has cardamom and cayenne. For the ginger lovers, Kelly has a recipe for Triple Gingerbread. For the gluten-free bakers, Gluten-Free Girl and the Chef has a recipe for peppery gingerbread with quinoa, teff, rice, tapioca, and gluten-free oat flours, and Hey That Tastes Good adapted a gingerbread cake recipe from The Joy of Cooking to make it gluten-free and topped it off with an orange cream frosting.

OTHER DELICIOUS GINGERBREAD CREATIONS

For other delicious desserts, try the gingerbread tart with cranberry curd from Not Without Salt and the pumpkin and gingerbread ice cream sandwiches from Cannelle et Vanille. You can also have gingerbread for breakfast and brunch, just whip up a batch of gingerbread waffles from Inn Cuisine, some gingerbread pancakes from Baking Bites, or gingerbread muffins from The Well Seasoned Cook and Mele Cotte. And if you would rather drink your gingerbread, a gingerbread latte from A Year of Slow Cooking or Baking Bites will hit the spot.

You can find more recipes for gingerbread using the FoodieView Recipe Search Engine.

Andrea Meyers writes about cooking, edible gardening, and her four hungry guys. Her family makes gingerbread men cookies and a gingerbread house or Christmas tree for Christmas as well as Guinness Gingerbread cake for St. Patrick’s Day.

This season we are taking part in a great cause - The San Diego Food Bank Food 4 Kids Backpack Program. I found out about this program from blogger friends, Alice Q Foodie and Caron Golden of San Diego Foodstuff. Many children in our community are going hungry. Though they can often get free or reduced cost meals from school, they may not have food available over the weekends and holidays. Every friday, Food 4 Kids provides backpacks full of food to eligible elementary school children to help get them through the weekend.

How can you help?

• • Donate funds by going to the Food 4 Kids donation page.
• • Let your friends know by sharing this link on Facebook, Twitter, or your blog.
• • Come visit the Food 4 Kids booth at the Little Italy Mercato farmers market on Dec 12th from 9-12, and donate nutritious kid-friendly food (fruit roll ups, juice boxes, fruit cups, granola bars, and boxed items), school supplies (pencils, pens, markers, crayons, paper, etc), and backpacks.
•  

Need a bit more incentive to give? Wait, there’s something in it for you! :-) Everyone who donates will be entered into a drawing to win some fabulous prizes. We are donating a copy of Thomas Keller’s new cookbook Ad Hoc At Home. A full list of prizes can be found tomorrow on Alice Q Foodie’s site.

Please, do whatever you can to help. Thanks!

By Andrea Meyers of Andrea’s Recipes

My childhood memories of Thanksgiving dinners are filled with images of family gathered around several tables, big turkeys, gravy, dressing, cranberry sauce, beans, sweet potatoes, rolls, and pumpkin and pecan pies. Back then we didn’t think about food allergies, we just cooked and ate. Then after years of illness my sister was diagnosed with celiac disease in her 30s, and we began to pay more attention to how we cooked and made sure we had plenty of delicious gluten-free food on the menu at family gatherings. The changes weren’t difficult, we just had to spend a few extra minutes planning and creating a proper grocery list.

Though many foods can cause an allergic reaction, the most common food allergens are wheat (gluten), fish, shellfish, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, soy, and milk (lactose), and they might be obviously present or perhaps hidden in many foods. The single most important thing to do when planning the Thanksgiving meal is communicate with everyone who will be at the table with you. When you invite your guests, politely ask that they let you know if there are any food allergies you should be aware of. If any guests indicates they or their children have food allergies, make sure you ask for details and inquire about the severity as some allergens such as peanuts can cause a reaction by the mere presence of minute particles in the air, it just depends on the person. If a guest indicates their allergy is potentially life-threatening, it’s better to avoid that ingredient completely in all your dishes. It’s also important to be aware that some people have multiple allergies. Once you have all the information, you can plan your menu as necessary.

When preparing the meal, start with very clean pots, pans, knives, utensils, counters, and cutting boards. If you plan to serve a dish with a non-life threatening allergen, you should avoid cross contamination by using separate cooking and serving utensils. You may even want to set aside food or separate condiments for a guest with allergies, just ask what he or she prefers. Communication is key to having an enjoyable meal that keeps everyone safe.

Start Fresh

Start planning the meal around fresh vegetables cooked in a way that’s doesn’t require allergens such as gluten or dairy, and an easy and flavorful way to do that is to roast the vegetables with olive oil. Roasting potatoes and squash is pretty common, but cauliflower, broccoli, and green beans also taste delicious when roasted. Try the garlic-roasted green beans from Kalyn’s Kitchen, the golden roasted cauliflower from Brownie Points, or the roasted broccoli with chili garlic oil from Pinch My Salt.

Gluten-Free Dishes

Awareness of gluten allergy has risen substantially in recent years, and the number of bloggers writing about gluten free foods grows daily. Karina of Karina’s Kitchen has a list of gluten-free bloggers on her website as well as a custom search that helps readers find gluten-free foods from many blogs. If you need to prepare a gluten-free menu, select a turkey that isn’t injected with seasonings as the seasoning may have gluten ingredients. If you can’t tell by the ingredient list, you can call the company to ask. The naturally gluten-free roast turkey recipe from Kitchen Parade is fantastic and easy, or for a smaller crowd my turkey breast in a slow-cooker might be enough.

Avoid premade gravies and seasoning packets as they often contain gluten ingredients. Try the gluten-free stuffing made with gluten-free bread, fresh herbs, and chicken stock from Gluten-Free Girl and the Chef. Prepare vegetables without breaded toppings or use gluten-free bread that has been ground up in a food processor as a substitute such the gluten-free version of the traditional green bean casserole at Gluten Free Mommy.

A basket of dinner rolls is traditional for Thanksgiving meals, and if you want to make your own gluten-free dinner rolls, try the beautiful gluten-free dinner rolls with rosemary and teff from Book of Yum or the easy gluten-free dinner rolls from A Gluten-Free Guide. And yes, it is possible to make gluten-free Thanksgiving desserts. Karina’s crustless vegan and gluten-free pumpkin pie has a smooth rich custard that might even fool your omnivore guests, and Shauna’s gluten-free pie crust is easy to make.

Dairy and Egg Free Dishes

The ingredient that typically causes problems with dairy foods is lactose, a sugar present in milk, and in eggs it’s typically the egg whites that trigger an allergic reaction. Vegan substitutes often work well in recipes that call for milk or eggs, but some alternative milks also contain allergens such as soy, almond, and coconut, so make sure you talk with your guests. Susan’s vegan creamy scalloped potatoes won the kid seal of approval from her daughter, and Diane makes her creamy dairy free mashed potatoes with a potato ricer to keep them light and fluffy. Diane’s easy pumpkin pudding with coconut milk is a delicious alternative to a crusted pie, and Alisa’s beautiful pumpkin pie is both dairy-free and soy-free. And if it’s cheesecake you are craving, try the gluten free vegan pumpkin cheesecake from Book of Yum.

There are a number of organizations devoted to educating the public about food allergies, and you can read more about it at Kids with Food Allergies, The Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network, and Allergy Moms.

The FoodieView Recipe Search Engine also makes it easy to find more delicious recipes for Thanksgiving that are gluten-free or dairy-free.

Andrea Meyers write about cooking, edible gardening, and her four hungry guys. Her Thanksgiving menu includes several gluten or dairy free dishes, such as slow-cooker turkey breast, cranberries with orange zest and port, and roasted butternut squash puree with ginger.

By Susan of Food Blogga

I always thought dates were unloved Christmas food. Those sad, dry brown fruits stuffed with an almond and dusted with confectioners’ sugar never stood a chance against Christmas cookies and cakes.

My feelings towards dates changed significantly a few years ago. A farmer at the Santa Monica farmers’ market handed me a sample. I took it, thanked him, and walked on. After one bite, I turned around and headed straight for his table where I bought a pound of the biggest, softest, sweetest dates I had ever tasted.

Medjool dates, which are in season from late September through December, are considered the king of dates. Medjools are deep amber-brown and have a slightly crinkly skin that glistens from the fruit’s natural sugar crystals. The tender, sticky flesh tastes like rich caramel with hints of wild honey and a touch of cinnamon. Simply put, they are luscious.

Whether you buy fresh Medjool dates at the farmers’ market or dried ones from the grocery store, be sure to enjoy them this holiday season, because like Christmas, they only come once a year.

Make your breakfast special by swapping your tired bowl of cold cereal for a freshly baked treat. The Wednesday Chef offers wholesome Sweet Potato Muffins studded with moist Medjool dates. Or try my Lemony Medjool Date and Pomegranate Scones; these sweet-tart scones are low in fat yet high in flavor and make a great addition to any brunch. For a fast, healthy breakfast on-the-go, try my Date and Banana Breakfast Shake.

When it comes to savory dishes, Medjool dates make ideal appetizers. The Bitten Word’s simple yet sophisticated Asiago-Stuffed Dates with Bacon and Smoked Paprika would no doubt be the star of any cocktail party. You could also serve chips with ChileFire.com’s fiery Spicy Date Chutney that is made with chipotle chiles and comes with a warning: Not for the faint of heart.

Medjool dates can elevate simple salads and vegetables to something elegant. The Traveler’s Lunchbox offers a Seafood Socca (a chickpea pancake) that is topped with a Date-Orange Salad, Spiced Honey Sauce, and Crème Fraiche. It’ll be sure to excite your palette. For another flavorful salad, try my Dandelion, Persimmon, and Medjool Date Salad which combines bitter, tangy, and sweet flavors of autumn all in one simple dish. Medjool dates pair well with winter squash and sweet potatoes. For a brightly flavored side dish, try my Roasted Acorn Squash with Medjool Dates and Toasted Almonds that is seasoned with fresh parsley and lemon zest. Next time you make chicken try the WHOLE Gang’s inspired Roasted Whole Chicken with Dates and Caperberries.

Although wonderful in savory dishes, Medjool dates seem destined for sweeter things. Cook Almost Anything Once shares a remarkably easy recipe for Medjool Date Clafoutis made with mascarpone cheese and almond meal. Another easy winning recipe is The Cooking Photographer’s Chewy Medjool Date-Nut Pie made with a store bought crust for a real time-saver. For something more decadent, try Gina DePalma’s Chocolate and Date Pudding Cakes posted at Serious Eats. They’re called “pudding cakes” because of their “very gooey must-use-a-spoon quality.”

Of all the sweets to choose from, cookies are probably the most popular and easiest, and there is no shortage of recipes from which to choose. One Hot Stove’s Date Nut Slices are unique because they’re laced with fragrant cardamom and toasted sesame seeds. For a healthy yet delicious cookie, try Spiced Oats and Date Cookies from Sunita’s World, which are made with whole wheat flour, honey, and flaxseed. If time savers are what you’re looking for then make these Simple No-Cook Sesame Date Bites with savory tahini paste from Veggie Meal Plans. Or try Fat Free Vegan’s impossibly simple Cherry Nut Date Balls, which would make an ideal holiday gift.

So whether you have a warm breakfast scone, a sexy cocktail party appetizer, or a freshly baked cookie, you’ll soon discover that Medjool dates taste delicious any time of the day.

You can find more delectible date recipes from all over the internet on the FoodieView Recipe Search Engine.

Susan Russo lives in Southern California where she is addicted to local farmers’ markets. She publishes stories, recipes and photos on her cooking blog, Food Blogga, and is a regular contributor to NPR’s Kitchen Window.ß

By Lisa of La Mia Cucina

We’re smack dab in the middle of my most favorite season of all time. Autumn. There’s nothing better than the cooler, crisp air.. the smell of bon fires, newly fallen leaves, and BIRTHDAY CAKE! hehehe Yep, my birthday is in November and although I no longer really care to uhmm.. acknowledge them anymore, this time of the year still kicks off the holiday season for me. Originally I was going to make this a round up of birthday celebration foods, but at the last minute I decided that Autumn is way more special than me turning a year older, attaining another patch of gray hair, and discovering even more body aches than the previous year. Gah.

So without further ado, check out these really fabulous blogs and the foods they make to celebrate Autumn and its bounty. xoxo

Starting us off is Faith over at The Kitchn. Faith stumbled up on this recipe for Crab Apples Poached in Sweet Wine when looking for another use for crab apples. When I first saw the post, I was like, “oh yeah.. crab apples.. the lil apples that used to rot all over our yard when I was growing up.” My parents would never let us eat them.. said we’d get a belly ache! So not only did I snag this recipe because it sounded SO DARN GOOD but I also learned that you CAN eat crab apples if prepared properly!

Next is this delicious Plum Tart from Janine at The Rustic Kitchen. Hello! This tart calls out to me in a very sexy way.. like, put a billowy white halter dress on it and stand it over a subway grate in NYC kinda sexy. Ohhh la la.. *slurp*

Moving right along to another lil number I wouldn’t mind slipping my spoon into - Alanna’s fabulous Apple Cider Indian Pudding. I have always had a soft spot for those “puddings” that are half cake, half decadent sauce - and this one fits that bill perfectly as it SCREAMS Autumn!

Another one I couldn’t pass up from Alanna at Kitchen Parade is her Chicken with Creamy Cider Gravy. I don’t know if you are like me, but I buy way too much apple cider in the fall and although I can easily drink a truck load of it, I always have lots left over.. so finding recipes that use it - especially in a gravy - really makes me happy!

Let’s talk bread, shall we? I found a few recipes for Autumn breads that I instantly fell in love with. Starting with my sweet friend, Elle of Feeding My Enthusiasms. She baked this Autumn Harvest Bread that is not only beautiful, but sounds amazingly tasty!

Next on my MUST MAKE BREADS list are a couple recipes from another dear friend, Michele of Veggie Num Nums. Her Winter Squash Bread - Two Ways post had me at the sweet bread, but I ended up proposing to the savory loaf.

Myself.. well I’ve got boatloads of Autumn type recipes that I adore.. but I’m just going to include this one today.. mainly because I haven’t made it in over a year and now that I’ve looked back on it, well I’ll be making it this weekend.. for sure. It’s a lovely little apple cake that’s pretty simple and pretty much tastes like whatever your favorite apple cake recipe tastes like. But the twist - the seductive twist, is the cinnamon sauce you pour drizzle over it.. Dear Jeeberies that stuff is delectible! So yeah! Try this Apple Cake with Cinnamon Sauce the next time you want the perfect cozy night dessert.

Although I am not a gluten-free type of baker/cook.. I LOVE checking out Karina’s Gluten Free Goddess blog. This gal can cook!! Here are two recipes that I had to copy into my files - but believe me, I’m just sharing two with you.. I ended up copying MANY OTHERS. *grin* First is her Roasted Corn Chowder with Chicken, Lime and Cilantro. Perfect for all of that corn that’s sitting in your freezer from the summer’s harvest.

And these Maple Roasted Acorn Squash and Cornbread Stuffing with Curried Apples & Cranberries had me picturing how nice they’d look on my Thanksgiving table this year. I know my family will love this recipe. I can’t wait to hear the “ohhhs” and “ahhhs”!

Finally.. finishing off this list of superb Autumn inspired recipes is another from sweet Michele.. I figure her Molasses Ginger Cookies, a warm cup of cider or freshly brewed tea and snuggles under the down-filled comforter in front of my boob-tube any cold Autumn evening would make all the bad stuff of a stressful day run crying for it’s mommy. Would you agree??

Happy Autumn everyone!! xoxo

You can find more delicious recipes perfect for your Autumn celebrations on the FoodieView Recipe Search Engine.

You can find out more about Lis on her blog, La Mia Cucina.