Certain items are staples of the Thanksgiving dinner table. For example, mashed potatoes, candied yams and stuffing are Thanksgiving stalwarts. Pumpkin and apple pies help wrap up the festivities.

(Family Features) As you gather with loved ones for the holidays, you can enhance the magic of the season by adding Chispa - a special spark - to your dinner table. It's as easy as adding classic Mexican dishes to your menu.

Roasts are customary during the holiday season because they often feed a crowd and look impressive on serving platters. Some people opt for a roast beef while others prefer to roast a turkey. However, chicken just as easily can be turned into a Christmas dinner since it is versatile and tast…

(Family Features) Whether your festivities include immediate family or bring together relatives from around the country, the holidays are about making memories with loved ones. From the first days of the season to the last, many families spend their precious time together with favorite activ…

(Family Features) Cool winter days and their cold, crisp air call for a quick warmup in the form of a classic combo: soup and sandwich. Next time you need warmed up from the inside out, go for a homemade pairing that brings together a cheesy handheld and hearty minestrone.

An extremely easy butter cookie for Christmas. Simple to make, we opted to use cinnamon for the hint of spice. With its unique flavor, cardamom would be delish too. These cookies are flaky, light, crispy, and crunchy with a rich, buttery taste.Ingredients2 stick butter (margarine is not reco…

(Family Features) Capturing the magic of the holidays often happens at the dinner table as loved ones toast the season with stunning meals worth celebrating. This year, call the entire family together and make your festive feast truly memorable with pairings that offer favorite flavors for all.

We absolutely loved everything about this corn casserole. It's very simple and has basic ingredients. Where this gets a little crazy, is it's cooked in a cast iron skillet like you would cornbread. When the slightly sweet casserole is done, it's inverted onto a platter showcasing the beautif…

Entertaining guests is a labor of love. Much effort goes into preparing a home for the arrival of friends and family, and that includes planning a menu that will accommodate as many people as possible.

Cooler weather arrives just as prime entertaining season heats up. Those who will be hosting gatherings soon can expand their recipe repertoire to feed guests and keep them satisfied. Borrowing some flavors from the season can make entertaining festive and even more flavorful.

Pumpkin pie is a fall favorite, but it’s also a perfect pie to serve throughout the holiday season.

Bacon and mac & cheese rolled into one sandwich... pure decadence and deliciousness.The outside is buttery and a little crisp from the cheese.Inside there's a creamy mac & cheese with a smoky flavor from the bacon.Although great alone, this would be yummy with a little bowl of tomato…

Pumpkin spice and everything nice, that's what these mini doughnuts are made of.With the perfect balance of pumpkin and spice, these are seriously addicting. You'll find yourself popping one after another into your mouth.They have the texture of a really soft muffin, but better.These doughnu…

(Family Features) Flavorful desserts are a staple of the holidays and the exciting, appetizing allure of new recipes can help elevate seasonal gatherings and create sweet memories. With near-endless options for celebrating the season, putting a plant-based twist on traditional recipes offers…

(Family Features) Memories made and recipes shared are the trademarks of a successful holiday gathering, and this year, you can host your way to a practically perfect party with delicious dishes that resonate with the flavors of the season.

When you gather 4,434 cheeses from 42 countries in one room to find out which is best, there's inevitably a sense of excitement in the air. There is, of course, inevitably also a very, very powerful smell.

This lovely beef chili has a subtle sweetness that is a welcome departure from traditional hot and spicy versions. We love the big tender pieces of beef in this chili. Corn throughout is a nice touch of sweetness when you get a kernel. It's hearty and great for game day.Ingredients2 lb lean …

(Family Features) Despite busy lives and full schedules, finding time for regular meals with loved ones encourages connections and conversations that can benefit mental and physical well-being. Gathering your family, friends, coworkers or neighbors at least once a week to spend time together…

Entertaining is a big part of the holiday season. Calendars are packed this time of year with gatherings with friends, family and professional colleagues.

Some like it hot -- and some like it hotter, still.

(Family Features) Schedules full of homework, practices, performances, social activities and more make fall one of the busiest times of year, which often pushes meal planning to the backburner. This autumn, as you look to keep family meals on the menu, consider simple strategies that take th…

Cocktail parties feature prominently on social schedules each holiday season. Such get-togethers are convenient because the foods and beverages served are designed to be small and portable. That can save any holiday host time in the kitchen.

Vanilla wafer cookies, often called nilla cookies, are a friend to dessert cooks. These plain, delicious cookies are a key ingredient in banana pudding, and they also can be crushed and used to make pie crusts. Some people also may have seen the cookies used as the base for cheesecake cupcak…

(Family Features) After a cool, blustery day, it's hard to beat a satisfying meal that provides comfort from the inside out. Better yet, turning to a filling dish that's easy to prepare means more time cozying up with a favorite book or movie and less time in the kitchen.

Prepare for your kitchen to smell like fall while these apple dumplings bake. We love the flavor the simple cider syrup adds. Sprinkling the pastry-wrapped apples with a cinnamon sugar mixture adds a little crust on top. A wonderful fall dessert.IngredientsSIMPLE CIDER SYRUP1 c sugar1/2 tsp …

(Family Features) Cool, crisp days call for comfort foods, like the classic flavors of traditional Italian cooking. Whether you're Italian by heritage or simply by heart, learning the art of Italian cuisine may be easier than you may think.

Make sure to marinate the beef for this stir-fry as long as Diana suggests. It soaks up the delicious marinade and adds the perfect Asian flavor to the dish. The broccoli is crunchy and a nice contrast to the tender meat. Serve over rice for an Asian-inspired meal.Ingredients1 lb beef cut in…

(Family Features) From watching scary movies to dressing up as ghouls and goblins, spooky season means it's time to pop up your loved ones' favorite snacks for a ghostly good time. Before heading out to trick-or-treat, gather your minions in the kitchen for some family-friendly fun crafting …

There are plenty of reasons to enjoy oatmeal. This fiber-rich food is filling and can be part of a healthy eating plan that promotes weight loss. In addition, health experts say that oatmeal can be instrumental in helping to moderate cholesterol levels in the blood.

Spinach packs quite the nutritional punch, making it a favorite of people who want to eat healthy without sacrificing flavor. Spinach contains carotenoids such as beta carotene, lutein and zeaxanthin which can help to prevent inflammation, reduce cancer risk and prevent potentially harmful e…

(Family Features) Fall provides almost endless opportunities to gather friends and family around great food. From tailgates and family events to those precious last outdoor meals before winter sets in, the scenery of autumn is a perfect backdrop for sharing meals together.

Rene learned from her mom how to make sausage gravy very well. This sausage gravy is so yummy. Every Southerner has a jar of bacon drippings in their fridge - it makes everything better. This sausage gravy is easy to whip up and most of the ingredients you probably have in your fridge. Serve…

Made with very basic ingredients, this is a delicious old-fashioned apple cobbler. The apple filling is sweet with a hint of spice. The apples in this wonderful recipe literally seem to caramelize. Make sure to cook the filling until it's nice and thick because it will thin out while baking.…

This is not your traditional meatloaf, but it's fairly simple to make and quite tasty. It's an individual serving of meatloaf with a surprise stuffing in the middle. We used leftover cornbread stuffing, so this recipe would be a great way to use stuffing leftovers. Filled with flavor, the sa…

Who says salads are just for summertime? Now that hot and humid days have given way to the crisp evenings of fall, it’s time to tweak lunch and dinner menus accordingly. Even though soups and stews are the norm this time of year, salads can have their menu moments as well. What better way to…

(Family Features) After families across the country began cooking more at home during the pandemic, that trend has continued as loved ones seek comfort in the kitchen in the form of their favorite recipes and time spent together.

Sweet treats are on display come Halloween. People hosting Halloween parties or bringing items over to others’ homes for the holiday may need to scare up some new ideas for dessert.

Apple butter is very versatile. It can be added to oatmeal, served on top of pancakes, smeared onto a slice of toast with butter, can be added to baked goods, and more. Thick and super yummy, this slow cooker recipe is so good you'll be finding places to add a dollop. It does take a while fo…