Interior designer Shea McGee is fluent in the language of rooms – the flow, light, and casually elevated styling that she’s known for as the co-founder of Studio McGee. Her new cookbook, then, is less of a departure than it first appears. In Around The Table: Tables and Traditions For Gathering, available on Amazon, McGee approaches food the way she approaches a living space: with an eye toward how it feels to be there, how people gather, linger, and, ideally, help themselves to seconds.

She begins her cookbook with a line that disarms: 'I am an interior designer, not a professionally trained chef.' It’s a teaser for her ultimate thesis: That the recipes are only one part of the offering, and the real subject is the moment they create.

'I’m not just thinking about flavors – I’m thinking about color, texture, height, composition, and how the whole scene comes together,' she says. The table, in her hands, becomes an extension of the room – another surface to layer, edit, and bring into balance. A platter of salmon scattered with citrus and herbs is treated with the same care as a console styled with books and objects. 'The table is just another room to me. And food is just another form of design.'

The book is organized by season, a structure that feels intuitive once you hear her describe it. 'My whole approach to gathering is shaped by how I’m experiencing the season,' she says. 'What produce is in season, what the light looks like outside, whether we're eating around the fire pit or out on the patio with the doors open.' To McGee, spring is light and bright, summer relaxed and a little improvisational, fall layered and candlelit, winter pared back to soup, bread, and closeness. It is a way of cooking that pays attention to mood as much as ingredients.

Late spring, which happens to be when her book was released this year, is her favorite time to host. 'After a long winter, we’re all coming out of our shells – there is a sense of possibility as everything comes to life,' she says. The menus, she insists, 'almost build themselves,' guided by fresh herbs, crisp vegetables, and whatever looks good at the market that morning. There is a pleasing lack of overthinking in that approach, a confidence that the season will carry you.

Though her focus is always on beauty, her idea of the perfect spring party food is sneakily pragmatic. 'To me, the best party food is essentially a portable salad – it should look beautiful, taste interesting, and require almost no effort to eat,' she says. Skewers of blackberry and Gouda, smashed tzatziki cucumbers, whipped ricotta piped onto croissant crostini – each one designed to feel generous without demanding much from the host or the guest.

That ethos extends to the way she sets a table: Bring the outside in, use what you have, and let things be a little imperfect. A few bud vases with flowers clipped from the yard, rumpled linens, a woven element to break up the ceramics – small gestures that add up to something memorable.

There is, throughout the book, a sense that hospitality is less about performance and more about attention. McGee describes a last-minute visit from a friend with a kind of ease that feels aspirational in the best way: a board assembled from whatever is in the fridge, a quick crostini, conversation unfolding in the kitchen. 'Thoughtfulness, not perfection, is always the goal,' she says.

A designer writing a cookbook makes perfect sense when you consider the end goal of any gathering: Never the dish itself, but the room it creates around it.

Blackberry Gouda Skewers

'Color and texture are top of mind when creating a menu. These skewers have a contrast of dark and light hues with a pleasant, toasty crunch from coarse salt and walnuts. It’s essentially a portable salad, easy to eat and transport, whether I’m at the beach, hosting a barbecue, or sneaking a few into lunchboxes.'

Ingredients

• 1 pound peeled, seeded, and diced honeydew melon
• 5 ounces Gouda cheese
• 32 (4 3/4-inch) bamboo skewers
• 5 ounces spring mix
• 1 pint blackberries
• ½ cup walnuts
• Balsamic glaze, for serving
• Coarse grey French salt, for serving

Directions

1. Dice the honeydew into 1-inch cubes. Next, chop the Gouda into ½-inch cubes.

2. Assemble by layering a piece of honeydew, pinch of spring mix, cube of Gouda, blackberry, another pinch of spring mix, and another piece of honeydew on a skewer. Place in an airtight container or cover in plastic wrap, then refrigerate until ready to serve.

3. Meanwhile, toast the walnuts in a small nonstick skillet over medium heat for 5 to 7 minutes until fragrant. Finely chop.

4. Stack the skewers in an airtight container for easy storage and transport. To serve, set the skewers on a platter and drizzle with balsamic glaze, then sprinkle with the toasted walnuts and French salt. Alternatively, let guests dress the skewers on their own.

Tzatziki Cucumbers

'Thanks to a punchy dill vinaigrette and creamy yogurt base, these tzatziki-inspired cucumbers are cool, crunchy, and packed with flavor. With just a few ingredients and simple prep, this dish delivers the refreshing bite of tzatziki in an engaging, deconstructed form.'

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
• ½ teaspoon granulated sugar
• ¾ teaspoon kosher salt, divided
• ¼ cup fresh dill, packed
• 1 garlic clove
• 1 lemon
• 2 English cucumbers
• ¾ cup plain whole-milk Greek yogurt

Directions

1. In a large bowl, make the vinaigrette by whisking together the oil, sesame seeds, sugar, and ½ teaspoon salt. Chop the dill, grate or finely mince the garlic, and zest and juice the lemon. Add the dill, garlic, lemon zest, and lemon juice to the oil and whisk to combine.

2. Cut the cucumbers into thirds crosswise, then smash each piece with the side of the knife or a mallet. Roughly chop the smashed cucumbers and add them to the vinaigrette. Stir to combine.

3. Add the remaining ¼ teaspoon salt to the yogurt and stir to combine. Spread the yogurt over the bottom of a serving platter or shallow bowl. Spoon the cucumbers on top of the yogurt. Pour any remaining vinaigrette over the top and serve.

Whipped Ricotta Crostini

'These crostini are a simple, elegant appetizer that feeds a crowd. Using croissants in place of a typical baguette yields a supremely buttery toast that delicately shatters beneath each bite of cloud-like ricotta. For a little extra color, finish with flaky salt and a sprinkle of dried edible flowers.'

Ingredients

• 3 ¾ cups (30 ounces) ricotta
• ½ cup heavy cream
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 3 to 4 large croissants
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• Flaky salt, for serving
• Dried edible flowers, for serving (optional)

Directions

1. To the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, add the ricotta, heavy cream, and salt. Whip on medium-high speed, scraping the sides of the bowl occasionally, for 3 to 4 minutes. The mixture will be light and fluffy.

2. Transfer the whipped ricotta to a piping bag or gallon storage bag and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or up to overnight.

3. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and slice the croissants into ¼-inch slices, just like you would a loaf of bread, to yield about 10 slices per croissant. Nestle the slices onto a parchment-lined sheet pan in a single layer, using two sheets if needed.

4. Brush the croissants on both sides with the oil, then transfer to the oven and bake for 7 to 8 minutes. Flip the croissants, then bake for another 5 to 6 minutes until they are deeply toasted and crisp. Set aside to cool completely.

5. When ready to assemble, cut the tip of the bag to create a ¼-inch opening. Pipe the whipped ricotta onto each crostini in a squiggle motion, then sprinkle with flaky salt and dried flowers (if using). Serve immediately.

Menu of the Moment is a monthly Homes & Gardens feature which taps into a seasonal cookery mindset or food trend, with a selection of recipes inspired by the calendar or zeitgeist, and an interview with the cook, chef or recipe book author about the story behind them, and what brings them joy about cooking seasonally and for the moment.

Here’s a family secret I didn’t learn until I was grown: my mother didn’t like red sauce. This is a woman who married into an Italian family in the 1950s (the first non-Italian to do so on my father’s side) and still cooked like her mother-in-law expected her to: She simmered tomato sauce at least once a week, fed a table full of hungry people, kept the traditions moving forward… and never once announced that she wasn’t crazy about the very thing we all considered sacred. When she finally admitted it, I laughed so hard I nearly fell over! Not because it was outrageous, but because it was so her: Cooking as a form of love.

The good news is, not every pasta dish in the Italian-American tradition involves the long-simmered Sunday Sauce. In fact, plenty of pasta nights in my family have been hurried affairs: I walk in the door, drop my bag, and put a pot of water on to boil before I’ve even decided what I’m making. When my two sons were teenagers, this was how I kept the household stitched together on weeknights. That’s the quiet genius of what I call 'sauced and tossed' pasta – the kind of dish where the noodles cook in a big pot while the sauce comes together in a shallow pan. Then everything meets at the last moment, glossy and delicious, like it was always meant to be that way.

The Sanctity of Italian Traditions

When I travel in Italy, I hear a lot of rules about how things must be done: guanciale, not bacon; this cheese, not that one; this shape of pasta, not that one. I respect tradition deeply – I’ve spent much of my life learning it and writing about it – but the Italian-American way comes with a particular kind of liberation. We made do. We had to. And out of that necessity came an instinct that I treasure: the assurance that there is almost always a meal within grasp in twenty minutes.

Take, for example, the classic 'midnight pasta' – spaghetti with garlic and olive oil – as proof. Aglio e olio is pantry cooking at its most elegant: garlic, olive oil, salt, heat, and noodles. That’s it. It’s also endlessly versatile with whatever you have on hand: chopped sun-dried tomatoes, capers, a shower of parsley, a squeeze of lemon. Old-timers from big Italian families remember it as a meatless Friday-night staple, sometimes made with anchovies – a briny, savory boost that turns simplicity into depth. It’s universal and it’s deeply personal, because it becomes your version the minute you make it.

And here’s the thing people forget: the quickest pasta dishes often require the most technique. Not chef-y technique, but the kind of technique that is born through years of tasting and repetition.

Three Rules for Perfect Pasta

My cardinal rule is to salt the water right before I drop the pasta. I do that for a simple reason: Because I never want to forget this step, and because I salt aggressively – 'salty like the sea,' as a cook I once worked with used to say. That salt is how flavor gets into a benign noodle – a good handful, not a timid pinch.

The second rule: Cook the pasta a little under, about two minutes before the package tells you it’s done. In 'sauced and tossed,' the pasta finishes in the sauce – and that final minute is where the alchemy happens. The noodles absorb flavor. The sauce thickens and clings. Everything fuses.

And yes, reserve pasta water. You don’t need it, but that starchy water creates a silkiness that coats noodles in a way plain water can’t. Italian-American cooking is filled with these so-called 'scraps' that are actually superpowers: bean liquid, mushroom-soaking liquid, the last spoonful of brine from a jar of peppers. No frugal housewife would waste them – and neither should you.

Making Food Taste Good With What you Have

This brings me to shopping, which I consider part of the pleasure. A well-stocked pantry is not about being precious. It’s about being prepared. I always keep a long noodle and a 'macaroni' shape on hand, plus canned tomatoes, tuna, anchovies, chickpeas, olive oil, garlic, and something in the allium family – onion or shallot. If you have those, you can improvise your way to dinner. Add a cup of peas from the freezer. Grate a carrot into a sauce. Roast peppers you forgot you had. And always think of acids as interchangeable: lemon juice, a splash of vinegar, the liquid from jarred peppers.

I also think it’s worth buying good dried pasta when you can. It’s marginally more expensive, but the difference is real. I like pasta made in Italy; De Cecco is a favorite. That said, affordability is a core part of the Italian-American legacy – making food taste good with what you have. I never want anyone to think they can’t cook because the premium brand isn’t in the cart.

The Art of Crafting Memorable Meals

Which brings me to my mother. After her red sauce confession, I built her a pasta that spoke her love language: lemons. I infuse cream with strips of lemon peel, use the juice to brighten the sauce, and then – in the most frugal, satisfying flourish – I drop those squeezed peels into the pasta water to perfume the noodles. Every part used. Nothing wasted.

When it comes time to serve, I try to make even the simplest pasta feel intentional. While the noodles cook, I set the pasta bowls near the stove to warm. I plate from the kitchen – not a big communal bowl – and then I bring garnishes to the table: black pepper, red pepper, salt, grated cheese, or (my favorite) golden breadcrumbs made from stale bread, toasted in olive oil and garlic. Sometimes I add lemon zest. Sometimes an anchovy. Sometimes a little cheese when there isn’t enough for a full shower. Crunch turns a fast dinner into something you remember.

A 'sauced and tossed' pasta is not just dinner. It’s a way of saying: I can feed you, right now, with what we have. And some nights, that’s the most loving thing you can offer.

Sauced and Tossed Pasta Recipes

These are three of my favorite recipes to cook for loved ones, from the 'sauced and tossed' chapter of my book Mother Sauce (Artisan Books, available at Amazon).

Creamy Lemon Spaghetti

You won’t find this recipe anywhere in the canon of classic Italian American pasta dishes. Instead, it honors my mother, Rose, the Canadian wife of my Italian father. Visiting the lemon groves of Ravello in the Campagna region of southern Italy was one of her cherished travel memories. I spent much of my adult cooking life trying to delight her, lemon-wise, with the same passion she used to bring our Italian legacy to our childhood dinner table.

Ingredients (serves 4-6)

• 2 lemons, preferably Meyer lemons
• 1 pound (455 g) spaghetti or other long noodles
• 1 cup (240 ml) heavy cream
• 1 sprig fresh basil, plus basil leaves for garnish
• 6 tablespoons (85 g) unsalted butter
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt, or more to taste
• ½ cup (50 g) grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
• Freshly ground black pepper

Method

• Use a vegetable peeler to peel the zest from the lemons in strips into a bowl and set aside. Squeeze 1/4 cup (60 ml) of juice from the lemons and reserve both the rinds and the juice.
• Fill a large pot with water, add the lemon rinds, and bring to a boil. Salt the water generously, add the spaghetti, and cook for 2 minutes shy of the package instructions; the noodles should be slightly soft with a firm chew to them. Scoop out 1 cup (240 ml) of the pasta water and drain the spaghetti.
• Meanwhile, combine the cream, lemon zest, and basil in a saucepan large enough to hold the pasta and sauce. Bring to a simmer over medium heat and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes, pushing down on the zest with a spoon to release the oils, then remove and discard the zest and basil sprig.
• Slowly whisk the butter into the cream, about 1 tablespoon at a time, until fully emulsified (this is important to the final consistency of the sauce). Add the salt to the sauce, then whisk in ½ cup (120 ml) of the reserved pasta cooking water.
• Add the pasta, along with the cheese and lemon juice, and toss and turn the noodles to fully coat with the sauce and melt the cheese. If necessary, season to taste with more salt and/or stir in additional pasta water to achieve the desired creaminess.
• Serve the pasta immediately in warm serving bowls with more grated cheese and black pepper on top.

Utica Riggies

The Chesterfield restaurant in downtown Utica claims to have invented Riggies; no doubt a cook there used ingredients on hand to create such a memorable concoction that a nickname (from the macaroni shape, rigatoni) was coined for it.

Ingredients (serves 4-6)

• 1½ pounds (680 g) boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs, cut onto bite-sized cubes
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 sweet red pepper, cored, seeded, and cut into 1½-inch-wide (4 cm) strips
• 1 onion, chopped (1 cup/100 g)
• 4 small garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 3 pickled cherry peppers, chopped plus ¼ cup (60 ml) of the pepper brine
• 1 cup (240 ml) white wine
• 1 cup (240 ml) heavy cream
• One 28-ounce (800 g) can whole tomatoes, pulsed to a puree
• 1 pound (455 g) rigatoni
• ½ cup (50 g) grated Romano cheese

Method

• Toss the chicken with a generous amount of salt and black pepper. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and swirl in the olive oil. When it glistens, add the chicken, spreading the cubes out to avoid crowding the pan, and sear until golden on all sides, about 6 minutes.
• Remove the chicken to a plate. Add the pepper strips, onions, and garlic to the pan and cook, stirring constantly, until lightly golden, about 4 minutes.
• Return the chicken (with any juices) to the pan and add the cherry peppers, then pour in the brine and wine to deglaze the pan and cook, scraping up the brown bits from the bottom, until the liquid is slightly thickened, 2 to 3 minutes.
• Stir in the cream and tomatoes, reduce the heat to medium-low, and simmer for 20 minutes, or until the sauce has reduced and thickened.
• Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Salt the water, add the pasta, and cook for 2 minutes shy of the package instructions; the pasta should be slightly soft with a firm chew to it.
• Scoop out 1 cup (240 ml) of the cooking water and drain the pasta. Add the reserved cooking water to the sauce, along with the drained pasta, and stir in the grated cheese.
• Cook over medium heat, stirring, for a minute or two, to coat the noodles and finish cooking them in the sauce. Serve hot.
• VAR IATION: Thinly sliced sausages, browned in a skillet until cooked through, can be swapped for the chicken. Some versions of Utica Riggies also include sliced mushrooms, added to the skillet at the same time as the red peppers.

Pasta Alla Norma

The combination of fried and sautéed eggplant brings maximum oomph to this sauce. Its flavors pop when the two distinctly different cooking methods coalesce. The eggplant’s essential taste is sealed within the fried disks with their crispy, caramelized coating, while the spongy, porous texture of the cubed eggplant allows it to absorb the flavors of the other ingredients it is cooked with. The result makes the most of the eggplant’s potential.

Ingredients (serves 4-6)

• 1 medium Italian eggplant
• ¾ cup (180 ml) extra virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 2 cups (425 g) chopped tomatoes
• 2 sprigs fresh basil, plus basil leaves for garnish
• ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
• 1 pound (455 g) macaroni, such as rigatoni, penne, or radiatore
• ½ cup (50 g) grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 cup (170 g) grated ricotta salata or 1 cup (100 g) Romano cheese

Method

• Cut 15 to 20 thin slices from the narrow end of the eggplant. Cut the rest into ½-inch (1.25 cm) cubes. Pour half the olive oil into a large skillet and heat over medium-high heat until it’s glistening. Add the eggplant slices and fry, turning once, until a deep golden color on both sides, 6 to 8 minutes.
• Remove the slices to paper towels or a wire rack set over a baking sheet to drain. Sprinkle with ½ teaspoon of the salt on both sides. Add the remaining olive oil to the pan and heat until glistening. Add the cubed eggplant and sauté until lightly golden and soft, about 7 minutes.
• Stir in the garlic and cook for a minute, without browning it. Add the tomatoes, basil sprigs, pepper flakes, and the remaining ½ teaspoon salt and simmer for 10 minutes; add the vinegar in the last couple minutes of cooking.
• Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Generously salt the water, add the pasta, and boil until 2 minutes shy of the package instructions; the pasta should be slightly soft with a firm chew to it.
• Scoop out 1 cup (240 ml) of the cooking water and drain the pasta. Stir the reserved pasta water and the Parmesan into the sauce. Add the pasta to the pan, stir well, and cook for a few minutes to coat the pasta in the sauce.
• Top each serving with some of the fried eggplant, ricotta salata and basil leaves.

A Cook's Legacy is our six-part series with award-winning cookbook author, Lucinda Scala Quinn, exploring the family, food, and cultural memory that inspired her latest cookbook, Mother Sauce, through her beloved culinary voice.

One-Pan Wisdom

When I was a little girl, my grandmother’s lasagna felt like an event before it even hit the table. You smelled it first – hours of slow heat building in the house, curling up the stairs, threading its way into every room. And then you saw it: a pan so heavy it seemed to require ceremony. But the real thrill – the part I still remember as vividly as anything – was the treasure hunt hidden inside each slice.

My grandmother tucked mini meatballs into the layers like little jewels. I would take my fork and quietly excavate, eyes flicking to my brothers’ plates to see if they’d been luckier than me. Did he get two? Did I only get one? It was pure childhood math, performed with total seriousness.

That memory is one reason I dedicated an entire chapter in my book Mother Sauce: Italian American Family Recipes and the Story of the Women Who Created Them (Artisan Books) to what I call 'Layered and Baked. To me, these dishes embody the unmistakable allure of home cooking.

Sure, sautéed onions smell wonderful, but they’re a quick flash of perfume. The oven is different. The oven is a slow build: the kind of scent that you can smell in an apartment building the moment you step off the elevator. It’s pervasive in the best way, like the house is quietly telling you, come in, stay a while.

That aroma became a sort of homing device for me when my boys turned into teenagers – the age when they start orbiting away from you, pulled by the promise of independence and pizza with friends. I noticed that even when they were halfway out the door, a long-cooking dish had a way of stopping them in their tracks. 'See you later,' they’d say – then pause. 'Wait… when is that going to be ready?'

The Delicious Precursor to Casseroles

It’s funny to me that we talk about casseroles as this very American mid-century idea –the bubbling dish, the apron, the oven door shut with a hip. But Italian American kitchens had their own version long before the 1960s put a name to it. Baked ziti and lasagna are, in many ways, the precursors to the American casserole: make-ahead meals that feed a crowd, travel well, reheat beautifully, and stretch ingredients into something greater than the sum of their parts.

And this way of cooking goes back even further. In Italy, when cucina povera was at the forefront because resources were limited and ingenuity was essential, not every home had an oven. Families would assemble dishes and take them to a communal oven, often at a bakery. I always say it was like a car wash: people coming in and out with their pans, queued up to get their baking done. That communal practice cemented something lasting: layered dishes as a practical, communal, deeply human way to cook.

Kitchen Shortcuts That Have Stood the Test of Time

After years of working on my brand Mad Hungry in Martha Stewart’s test kitchen, I became ruthless about steps and ingredients that don’t pull their weight. Home cooking isn’t restaurant cooking. In a restaurant, every cutlet has to be perfect, one at a time, on demand. At home, a meal needs to be delicious and fit into your life.

That’s why I’m always delighted to realize my Italian American ancestors were doing this kind of smart editing long before I gave it a name. Take the recipe for Chicken Parmesan, which I adapted from my grandmother’s. So many recipes insist on the full 'standard breading procedure' (dredge in flour, dip in egg, coat in breadcrumbs) – an assembly line that can make sense for a standalone cutlet, but becomes excessive when the cutlet is going to be baked under Sunday Sauce and cheese.

In my family, the women simply mixed the breadcrumbs with cheese and seasoning and pressed it directly into the cutlet. Straight to the point. Less mess and same satisfying result.

Modernising Traditional Methods

The Italian Oven Fries in this selection are also deceptively simple, and they come straight from the brilliance of another woman in my family: my mother.

My mother was not Italian; she was Scotch-English on one side of her life, and then married into a very Italian household where, in those days, you were expected to cook like your Italian mother-in-law did. She was also an artist, and she had the creativity to take traditional Italian flavors and translate them into a modern, practical form.

She took the seasoning spirit of baked artichokes – Romano, garlic, herbs – and applied it to potatoes. She used the oven instead of frying because she was feeding a crowd and trying to live her life. Those fries became iconic in our family, the kind of thing you forget until you make them again, and everyone loses their mind.

My mom and I went head-to-head for years about the 'dried Italian seasoning.' I’m not a fan of most pre-mixed herb blend – I’d rather list herbs individually in my recipes. But she loved that old-school grocery store mix – a very 1960s staple – and eventually, she won.

Lasagne With Mini Meatballs

And the famous Lasagna with Mini Meatballs from my childhood? Those little meatballs are labor-intensive – there’s no way around it – but they’re also the entire reason the dish lives so vividly in my mind. I like to cook them in sauce, so they stay tender and porous, almost 'naked,' so they can absorb and meld with everything else.

What all of the layered and baked dishes in my book have in common is the magic that happens in the oven. In a well-made lasagna, or chicken Parmesan, or a layered vegetable bake, liquids mingle and then evaporate. Sugars concentrate. Edges caramelize. The top becomes crisp, the middle stays soft and yielding, and the bottom turns crunchy in the most glorious way. Nothing is one-note. It’s bubbling, and melting, and rising, and crisping all at once. It’s the kind of food you never forget.

Ingredients (serves 12)

• For the tomato sauce:
• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
• Two 28-ounce (800 g) cans whole tomatoes, lightly pulsed in a blender
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 sprigs fresh basil (optional)
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• For the meatballs (See recipe on Lucinda's Sunday Sauce column, and roll into about ½ inch in diameter)
• 1 pound (455 g) dried lasagna noodles
• Extra virgin olive oil
• 1¼ cups (285 g) ricotta cheese, drained if not thick
• 1 pound (455 g) mozzarella, grated
• 1 cup (100 g) grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for serving
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 1 large egg
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Method

• For the tomato sauce:
• Heat a medium saucepan over medium heat and swirl in the olive oil.
• Add the garlic and pepper flakes and stir constantly for about 30 seconds, just long enough to release the garlic’s fragrance and transform it slightly from its raw state; don’t let it cook to golden.
• Raise the heat to high and stir in the tomatoes and salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, for 30 minutes.
• In the last 5 minutes of cooking, add the basil sprig, if using, then remove it before serving. Swirl in the butter
• For the meatballs (See recipe on Lucinda's Sunday Sauce column, and roll into about ½ inch in diameter)
• For the lasagne:
• Bring the tomato sauce to a boil in a large pot. One by one, stir the raw meatballs into the sauce and cook for 20 minutes. Remove from the heat and cover to keep warm.
• Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil and salt it generously (you will have to cook the noodles in batches unless you have an extra-large pot). Fill a large bowl with cold water and stir in a glug of olive oil.
• If using dried noodles, cook according to the package instructions and transfer to the bowl of water. Remove the noodles from the cold water and pat dry. Lay them flat on a baking sheet, separated by parchment paper or plastic wrap.
• Combine the ricotta, ½ cup (225 g) of the grated mozzarella, half of the Parmesan, the parsley, egg, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl and stir together.
• Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
• To assemble the lasagna, spread 1 cup (245 g) of the tomato sauce over the bottom of an oiled 9-by-13-inch (23 by 33 cm) baking dish. Overlap one quarter of the noodles over the sauce to cover the pan bottom.
• Spread a third of the cooked meatballs over the noodles and spoon over another 1 cup (225 g) sauce. Overlap another quarter of the noodles on top. Dollop all the ricotta mixture on top of the noodles and flatten it with the back of a spoon to make an even layer. Overlap another quarter of noodles on top.
• Spread over the second third of meatballs and 1 cup (225 g) sauce. Cover with the remaining noodles. Pour 2 cups (450 g) of the sauce to cover. Scatter the remaining meatballs on top. Scatter the remaining mozzarella over the top. Sprinkle with the remaining Parmesan cheese and drizzle with olive oil.
• Bake uncovered for 40 to 45 minutes, until the lasagna is bubbling all over and lightly golden on top. Let rest for at least 20 to 30 minutes before slicing. Serve with plenty of grated cheese and the remaining tomato sauce at the table.

A Cook's Legacy is our six-part series with award-winning cookbook author, Lucinda Scala Quinn, exploring the family, food, and cultural memory that inspired her latest cookbook, Mother Sauce, through her beloved culinary voice.

When winter really takes hold, we crave warming dishes that comfort and nourish from within. These soup recipes are bold, fragrant, and delicious, whether you're cooking for one or a crowd, plus they're perfect to make in batches.

Fennel and Bean Soup

Delicate and fragrant, this fennel and bean soup recipe is the lightest supper, while the cannellini beans add structure and creaminess. Serve with some crispy, grilled sourdough and lashings of melted butter.

Chicken Noodle Soup with Gingered Broth

A hefty hit of ginger and lemongrass packs a zesty punch in this light chicken noodle soup, which is wonderfully soothing if you're feeling in need of a boost during the long winter months. You can pre-prep the broth and freeze to save time if you're batch cooking, too.

Pumpkin and Apple Soup

Hearty and satisfying, this flavorful pumpkin and apple soup is served with a crisp hazelnut brittle for a welcome crunch. You'll make this from fall through spring.

Thai Butternut Squash Soup

With gently warming Asian spices and creamy coconut milk, this elegant Thai butternut squash soup is smooth, and simple yet bursting with flavor. Top with restaurant-style garnishes for a final flourish.

Winter Veg and Spelt Soup

This minestrone-style winter veg and spelt soup is positively packed with goodness from seasonal vegetables and iron-packed kale to grains and pulses for an easy, yet filling and flavorsome supper.

Four Allium Soup

For an indulgent twist on French onion soup, try this version, which calls for not one but four alliums – onions, shallots, leeks and garlic – and is topped with crusty bread and melted Manchego cheese. Rustic and delicious.

Going on a health-kick for the New Year? Try skipping the gluten and serving up these soups with some freshly baked gluten-free bread courtesy of mindful baker Aran Goyoaga.

The attention you give the alliums – a full house of sweet onions, shallots, leeks and garlic in this case – as they slowly soften and caramelize is the key to this comforting, richly flavored twist on one of the most classic soup recipes.

Ingredients (Serves 4)

• 3 tbsp (40g) unsalted butter
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1⅓ lb (600g) sweet onions, peeled, halved and thinly sliced (the OXO Good Grips Mandoline from Amazon is perfect for the job)
• 10½ oz (300g) banana shallots, peeled, halved and thinly sliced
• 2 leeks, trimmed and thinly sliced (white and pale green parts only)
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tsp superfine sugar
• 4 garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced
• 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
• 1 cup (250ml) dry white wine
• 5 cups (1.2 liters) hot fresh beef stock or broth
• 4 slices French bread
• 3½ oz (100g) Manchego cheese, finely grated
• 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves

Method

• Melt the butter and olive oil in a large, heavy-bottomed lidded saucepan (our Cookware Editor loves the Our Place Titanium Always Pan Pro). Add the onions, shallots, and leeks with a pinch of salt, partially cover, and cook gently for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until very soft and barely colored.
• Sprinkle with the superfine sugar and cook uncovered for about 20 minutes, until the liquid has evaporated and the onions and leeks begin to caramelize to a rich, golden color. You may need to slightly increase the heat to encourage this; they should be extremely sweet and tender. Stir in the garlic and cook for 5 minutes more.
• Add the flour, stirring well. Increase the heat and gradually add the wine and stock, stirring as you go. Bring to a boil, partially cover, and simmer for 20 minutes. Season to taste.
• To serve, toast the bread lightly on both sides under the broiler. Divide the soup between heatproof bowls (like these classic French onion soup bowls) and place a slice of toast on top of each. Sprinkle with the grated cheese and half the thyme, then broil until melted and bubbling. Scatter over the remaining thyme and serve, taking care as the bowls will be very hot.

Keep up the rustic French theme and serve this delicious soup with Gluten-free baker, Aran Goyoaga's Rosemary Fougasse.

This is one of the most versatile soup recipes. To make a vegetarian version, simply leave out the bacon and serve with a Parmesan-style vegetarian cheese. You could also replace the salsa verde with store-bought fresh pesto, if you prefer (ensuring it's made with vegetarian Parmesan-style cheese), too, if you are cooking for non-meat eaters.

Ingredients (Serves 4)

• 2 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped
• 1 celery stalk, diced
• 1 carrot, peeled and diced
• 1 parsnip, peeled and diced
• 1 onion, peeled and diced
• 6 slices smoked bacon, diced (omit for vegetarians)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1¾ cups (600 ml) vegetable stock, plus more if needed
• ⅔ cup (120g) pearled spelt
• 5 ounces (150g) lacinato kale), shredded
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1½ cups/14-oz can (400g) chopped tomatoes
• 1½ cups/14-oz can (400g) cranberry beans, drained
• For the Salsa Verde
• 2 tablespoons salted capers, rinsed
• 1 garlic clove, peeled
• Large bunch flat-leaf parsley, stems removed
• 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
• 7 tablespoons (100ml) extra-virgin olive oil

Method

• In one of the best Dutch ovens or saucepan, gently sauté the garlic, celery, carrot, parsnip, onion and bacon (if using) in the olive oil for 10 minutes, keeping the heat low and stirring until the vegetables begin to soften.
• Stir in the chopped tomatoes, cranberry beans and spelt, followed by the vegetable stock. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook for about 25 minutes, until the beans begin to break down and thicken the soup.
• Stir in the kale and simmer for 5 minutes, adding more stock or water if the soup seems too thick. Season to taste with salt and black pepper.
• To make the salsa verde, finely chop or blend the capers, garlic, and parsley together (the Braun Multiquick 9 was highly rated for its value and versatility by our Kitchen Appliances editor in our best blenders guide). Transfer to a bowl, add the red wine vinegar and plenty of freshly ground black pepper, then stir in the olive oil to make a thick sauce.
• Serve the soup in deep bowls (like these Kaloh stoneware bowls from West Elm), with the salsa verde (or pesto) spooned over the top.

For another hearty veg-based soup, try our pumpkin and apple soup recipe, which is served with hazelnut brittle for added bite.

The toppings make this one of our favorite soup recipes for hosting, but you can pick which ones you use. Crispy fried shallots are available in Asian shops and some grocery stores, but you can either omit or fry your own if you can’t find them.

Ingredients (Serves 4-6)

• 1 lb 7 oz (650 g) peeled, deseeded and diced butternut squash
• 2 tbsp groundnut or sunflower oil
• 4 small Thai shallots or 2 normal shallots, sliced
• Thumb-sized piece of fresh ginger, peeled and finely sliced
• 2 lemongrass sticks, trimmed and sliced
• 2 red chillies
  • 1 deseeded and roughly chopped
  • 1 finely sliced
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1⅔ cups (400 ml) light coconut milk
• 1⅔ cups (400 ml) vegetable stock
• Light soy sauce, to taste
• Ground black pepper
• Lime juice, to taste
• To serve
  • Handful cashews, toasted and crushed
  • Small handful coriander sprigs
  • 2 tbsp crispy fried shallots

Method

• Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C)
• Toss the squash with the oil, shallots, ginger, lemongrass, roughly chopped chilli and garlic cloves in a roasting tin (like this Hexclad non-stick roasting pan from Amazon which is one of our Cookware Editor's best roasting pan picks). Cover tightly with foil and roast for 1 hour, until very tender.
• Tip half of the squash mixture into one of the best blenders with the coconut milk and blitz until very smooth. Pour into a large saucepan.
• Blitz the remaining squash mixture with the vegetable stock. Add this to the first batch in the pan and stir well.
• Put the pan over a low heat and gently bring to the boil, stirring often. Simmer gently for 5 minutes, then season to taste with soy sauce, black pepper and lime juice.
• Divide the soup between warmed bowls (these Mori matte black soup bowls from CB2 will make the vibrant orange soup the star) and scatter with the toasted cashews, coriander sprigs, sliced chilli and crispy fried shallots (if using) just before eating.

If you like soups with Asian flavours, try this zingy Chicken and Noodle Soup with a Gingered Broth. It's a lighter but equally flavorful option.

At this time of year, hearty soup recipes come into their own. This will keep covered in the fridge for a few days, so is a welcome standby when you don’t have the time or the inclination to cook.

Ingredients (Serves 6-8)

• Half a small pumpkin or butternut squash, about (about 1½ lb or 700g), peeled and roughly chopped into 2-inch (5 cm) chunks
• 2 red onions, peeled and quartered
• 4 apples, peeled, cored and chopped into small chunks (use a tool like this OXO Good Grips apple corer from Amazon)
• 3 sticks celery, chopped into small chunks
• 6 cloves garlic
• Olive oil, to drizzle
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Leaves of ½ medium bunch thyme
• 4¼ cups (1 litre) good-quality chicken stock
• For the brittle
• 1 tsp fennel seeds
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 cup (200 g) superfine sugar
• ½ cup (50g) hazelnuts, crushed
• ½ tsp chilli flakes
• 2 tsp sea salt

Method

• Preheat the oven to 400°F / 200°C. Put the pumpkin in one of the best roasting pans with the onions, apples, and celery. Bash the garlic cloves in their skins and add to the tin. Drizzle with olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and roast for 20 minutes.
• Meanwhile, make the brittle. In a large dry frying pan, toast the fennel seeds for 30 seconds, then roughly bash with a pestle and mortar (like this Priority Chef pestle and mortar from Amazon) . Lightly oil a large sheet of baking paper and set aside.
• Put the sugar and 2 tbsp water in the frying pan over a medium heat. Stay with the pan while it bubbles and swirl it around now and then. After about 10 minutes, the sugar will start to turn into a thick golden caramel.
• Once this happens, tip it onto the oiled paper. Sprinkle over the fennel seeds, hazelnuts, chilli and sea salt, and set aside to harden.
• After the vegetables have roasted for 20 minutes, toss them together well and add the thyme leaves. Return to the oven to roast for a further 20 minutes.
• Once the vegetables are cooked and golden, transfer to a large saucepan over a medium heat. Add the stock and blend with a hand blender until smooth and heated through.
• Smash the brittle and serve the soup with pieces of brittle on top.

Looking for more comforting dishes to ward off the winter chill? Try these slow cooker ideas, and read our guide to getting ahead with meal prepping.

A soothing, simple, and quick soup recipe that makes a wonderfully warming supper on a chilly evening or for when you need a little pick-me-up.

Ingredients (Serves 4)

• 2½ pints or 6 cups (1.4 litres) good chicken stock, preferably fresh
• 2½ inch (6cm) piece ginger root, peeled and sliced into fine matchsticks
• 3 sticks lemongrass, trimmed and finely sliced
• 1 carrot, sliced into coins or matchsticks
• 1 red chilli, finely sliced
• 1 tsp caster sugar
• 1 tbsp soy sauce, plus extra to serve
• 2 tsp oyster sauce
• 3 nests fine egg noodles
• 2 large skinless, boneless chicken breasts, sliced into thin strips
• TO SERVE
• Handful of bean sprouts
• 1 lime, sliced into wedges

Method

• In a large saucepan, simmer the stock, half the ginger and half the lemongrass for 20 minutes.
• Add the remaining ginger and lemongrass, the carrot and chilli, and simmer for 5 minutes.
• Season with the sugar, soy sauce and oyster sauce. Add the noodles and simmer for 1 minute, then add the chicken and poach gently for 3 minutes or so, until the noodles and chicken are cooked.
• Ladle into bowls and serve with bean sprouts, lime wedges and soy sauce, to season to taste at the table.

If you like fragrant broths like this, try this fennel and cannellini bean soup recipe, with soft herbs – perfect served with crispy grilled sourdough.

In this monthly Homes & Gardens feature, discover curated collections of seasonal recipes you’ll want to cook right now, alongside inspiration from culinary pros on finding joy in the kitchen – whether you’re cooking from scratch, feeding your family, or hosting a crowd.

From cozy winter soups and stews to fresh, vibrant summer dishes, plus celebratory menus for holidays and special occasions, Menu of the Moment has you covered all year long.

You’ll also find thoughtful insights and practical advice from home cooks, chefs, and cookbook authors who share a passion for food in all its forms – embracing cooking for the moment, from mindful gluten-free baking and delectable al fresco supper to creative fridge-foraging for easy family dinners.

Nothing makes me get out of bed in the morning like the prospect of a freshly-baked bagel, but I've finally decided to learn how to make them myself. And if there's anyone capable of convincing me to get baking rather than frequenting my local café, it's Joanna Gaines – which is why her Montana everything bagel recipe is about to transform my meal prep routine.

After months spent watching Joanna Gaines' new cooking show last fall, I've developed quite the collection of Magnolia kitchenware – so it seems only right to put my bread-making essentials to good use with one of Joanna's recipes. Her everything bagels are a crowd-pleasing classic, providing the perfect foundation for a speedy breakfast or a hearty lunch on the go.

I'll admit that my idea of baking usually extends no further than sweet treats – and while I'm proud to have mastered Joanna's famous cinnamon rolls, I'm not exactly well-versed in making dough. But I'll take any excuse to dust off my favorite Kitchen Aid stand mixer and get baking, especially when the result is a batch of crunchy, golden bagels topped with that irresistible blend of seeds, herbs, and salt.

So, in the name of new routines and healthy habits this New Year, I'll be endeavouring to transform my kitchen into a bakery. With a three-step process involving proofing, boiling and baking, Joanna's bagel recipe might seem like a labor of love, but trust me: it's more than worth it. Once you get a taste for homemade bagels, you'll wonder why you didn't learn to make them sooner.

Joanna Gaines' Everything Bagel Recipe

Ingredients

• For the dough:
• 4 cups bread flour
• 1 tsp active dry yeast
• 2½ cups water, at room temperature
• ½ tsp active dry yeast
• 3¾ cups bread flour
• 2¾ tsp sea salt
• 1 tbsp malt syrup
• Olive oil, for brushing
• For the topping:
• ½ cup raw white sesame seeds
• ¼ cup black sesame seeds
• ¼ cup flaxseed
• ¼ cup hemp seeds
• ¼ cup poppy seeds
• 1½ tsp fennel seeds
• 1½ tsp caraway seeds
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 2 tbsp dried onion, rehydrated with 2 tablespoons water
• For Boiling and Baking:
• 1 tbsp baking soda
• 1-2 tsp malt syrup

Method

• In the bowl of an electric mixer (like Hearth & Hand's KitchenAid artisan stand mixer, which can be fitted with the KitchenAid bread bowl), combine your bread flour, yeast, and water. Mix well with a wooden spoon (Joanna uses Magnolia's walnut spoon) until a smooth, sticky, batter forms.
• Scrape down the sides of the bowl using a bench scraper, then cover and set aside to rest at room temperature until light, bubbly and practically doubled in size (approx. 2-3 hours).
• To the same bowl after resting, add the yeast and 3 cups of the bread flour, plus the salt and malt syrup.
• Using the hook attachment of your stand mixer, mix on low speed until a rough dough is formed. Add more flour as needed to form a ball.
• Mix on medium-low speed to knead the dough until pliable and smooth (about 6 minutes). If the dough feels too tacky, add a touch more flour; if it feels too dry, add water 1 tsp at a time. The dough should be able to be stretched thin enough to allow light through without tearing.
• Divide the dough into 4oz pieces and form them into smooth balls, tucking the edges underneath. Cover the balls with a damp towel and allow them to rest for 10 minutes.
• Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper and lightly brush the paper with olive oil. Form each ball into a bagel by poking a hole in the center and working your thumb around the inside of the hole until you have a ring.
• Place the rings on your prepared baking sheet and cover them again with the damp towel. Allow to proof for another 20 minutes.
• Place the baking sheets in large bags (or cover with plastic wrap), and place in the refrigerator to proof overnight (or up to 2 days). To test the bagels, fill a bowl with water and place one bagel in the bowl. The bagel should float to the surface; if it doesn’t, allow the bagels to proof for another 10 minutes.
• To make the topping, combine the white sesame seeds, black sesame seeds, flaxseed, hemp seeds, poppy seeds, fennel seeds, caraway seeds, salt, and rehydrated onion in a small bowl. Set aside.
• When ready to bake the bagels, preheat your oven to 500°F. Position the racks on the upper third and lower third of the oven.
• Fill a large shallow saucepan with water and bring to a boil over high heat. Add the baking soda and malt syrup to the water, then gently drop as many bagels as will fit comfortably into the boiling water. They should float to the surface.
• Cook for 2 minutes on the first side before flipping the bagels gently with a slotted spoon (like this one from Target) and cooking for another 2 minutes on the second side. Use the slotted spoon to remove the bagels from the water, tapping to remove as much excess water as possible.
• Place the bagels smooth-side down directly into the bowl with the seed mixture, then transfer them to the baking sheets, topping-side up. Sprinkle with additional topping if needed. Continue with the remaining bagels.
• Bake the bagels for 5 minutes, then rotate the baking sheets top rack to bottom rack and turn them 180 degrees.
• Reduce the temperature to 450°F and continue to bake until the bagels are lightly golden brown and sound hollow when tapped on the bottom (approx. another 5 to 6 minutes).
• Allow the bagels to cool for at least 15 minutes before serving.

Shop Magnolia Bakeware

If you're on the hunt for more recipe inspiration, check out Aran Goyoaga's guide to the art of gluten-free baking – it's brimming with expert tips.

During the winter months, when the air is crisp and the days shorter, Aran Goyoaga retreats to her kitchen. The baker, photographer, and James Beard–nominated author has long been known for her soulful, poetic approach to gluten-free baking. Her new book, The Art of Gluten-Free Bread (Amazon), is exactly what is needed for the New Year and season of slow rituals.

The Evolution of a Family Baking Tradition

'This is the book I wish I had fifteen years ago when I stopped eating gluten,' she says. 'It’s the culmination of years of testing, learning, and refining.' Goyoaga grew up in the Basque Country in Northern Spain, where her grandparents owned a bakery and lived in the flat above the shop, so she spent her after-school hours doing homework surrounded by brioche and shortbreads. So, it’s no surprise that, when Goyoaga turned to baking to widen her own gluten-free options, she was determined to reimagine gluten-free baking as an evolution of her family traditions, not a compromise.

Celebrating a World Beyond Wheat

'The biggest misconception,' she explains, 'is that gluten-free bread has to be dense or flavorless or made with filler ingredients. It doesn’t have to be that way.' Instead, she approaches each recipe with balance and intention, blending whole grains and light starches to create structure and depth. 'People forget that wheat flour itself is mostly starch,' she says. 'In gluten-free baking, it’s about finding the right balance between whole grains and starches to achieve the texture you want.'

What emerges is a collection of loaves that are as nourishing as they are beautiful –breads that celebrate the vast world beyond wheat. 'Flours like sorghum, millet, brown rice, teff, and buckwheat each have their own character and aroma,' Goyoaga explains. 'When you bake with these, you’re expanding your palate.' Many of the breads in her book, she adds, are higher in nutrients and fiber than traditional loaves – and often easier to make. 'Because gluten-free doughs don’t rely on kneading, you simply mix, ferment, and bake. There’s something very freeing about that.'

Baking Fosters Connection

In The Art of Gluten-Free Bread, and in her on-demand gluten-free baking classes, Goyoaga goes beyond bread and explores an entire world of baking. It extends to classic cookies, buns, crackers, and all the comforting essentials you’d expect to find in a well-stocked bakery, like the one she grew up above – perfect to make as a nourishing and thoughtful gift for a gluten-free friend.

For Goyoaga, fall and winter are the natural seasons for baking. 'I’m a homebody,' she says. 'I look forward to this time – lighting the best candles, cozying up with blankets, making a fire, and filling the house with the smell of bread.' The act of baking itself becomes its own reward: 'Working with your hands, nurturing a starter, or sharing a loaf with a neighbor are grounding, creative acts. They bring you back to yourself and foster connection. There’s a deep sense of gratitude in that.'

Embrace the Pared-Back Process

Her pared-back philosophy extends beyond ingredients to the tools she keeps in her kitchen. 'I don’t like clutter, and I find it wasteful to fill a kitchen with single-use tools,' she says (learn how to declutter a kitchen in 5 simple steps). 'I’d rather invest in a few well-made pieces that last a lifetime – a great chef’s knife, (our Kitchen editor is a fan of the HexClad knives), a sturdy metal loaf pan, the best stand mixer, a heavy cake pan, a good rolling pin.' For her, the point isn’t just minimalism – it’s awareness. 'When you pare back, you learn what really matters. You understand why you’re using a tool, what it’s made of, and how it serves you.'

There’s also a quiet mindfulness to her process, a pace that feels increasingly rare. 'Baking is absolutely an antidote to the pace of modern life,' Goyoaga reflects. 'It asks you to slow down, to focus, to use your hands. In a world that’s so fast and digital, baking gives us a chance to make something real, beautiful, nourishing – and to share it.'

Let Practice Become Ritual

For those new to gluten-free baking, her advice is simple: start with intention. 'Read the introductions to my books,' she says. 'Learn the flours, use a kitchen scale, follow the recipes exactly at first. Repetition leads to intuition. The more you bake, the more you’ll understand how the dough should look and feel.'

In other words: let practice become ritual, and ritual become joy. 'Bread is emotional,' she says softly. 'It connects us to family, to community, to memory. Being able to bake a loaf that feels and tastes like bread again can be incredibly moving.'

Olive and Rosemary Fougasses

Grabbing a loaf of olive fougasse – a crispy and chewy bread in the shape of a grain of wheat, originally from Provence – was always on the top of the to-do list anytime we traveled across the border to France when I was a kid. A loaf doesn’t quite describe this bread; it’s more like a light olive oil–tinged stalk. The best way to eat it is to break off pieces, finishing the whole thing while silently walking along cobblestone streets – this is how I remember it.

The bread has a crispy crust with a chewy bite and nice air pockets and is a close cousin to focaccia. The most important thing for achieving a crispy exterior is to preheat your oven for a good half hour or even longer. Give the oven a chance to get really hot by preheating it to 500°F (260°C), then lowering it to 450°F (230°C) when the bread goes in. You can even skip the sheet pan and bake the bread directly on a pizza stone.

Ingredients (makes 2 large fougasses)

• 2 teaspoons (8 g) active dry yeast
• 475 grams water, heated to 105°F (41°C)
• 12 grams granulated sugar
• 20 grams psyllium husk powder
• 150 grams tapioca starch 150 grams potato starch 150 grams sorghum flour, plus more for dusting
• Leaves from 2 rosemary sprigs, finely chopped
• 2 teaspoons (8 g) kosher salt 25 grams extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for brushing
• 70 grams pitted Kalamata or green olives, chopped
• Flaky sea salt, for sprinkling Freshly ground black pepper, for sprinkling
• 15 grams sesame seeds

Method

• Make the yeast-psyllium mixture. Sprinkle the yeast into a medium bowl. Add the water and sugar and whisk until dissolved. Let the mixture sit until frothy, about 10 minutes. Whisk in the psyllium vigorously until smooth. Let it gel for 5 minutes.
• Make the dough. In a stand mixer, stir together the tapioca starch, potato starch, sorghum flour, rosemary, salt, and yeast-psyllium mixture. Snap on the dough hook and begin mixing on medium speed. Add the olive oil and continue mixing until you have a smooth dough. It will look dry initially, but it should come together in 2 to 3 minutes. Add the olives and mix until they are thoroughly spread through the dough. The dough should feel moist and a little sticky but hold together nicely.
• Proof the dough. Brush a large bowl with some olive oil and transfer the dough into it. Turn the dough around to coat in oil and shape into a ball. Cover the bowl and let it ferment until doubled in size, about 45 minutes.
• Preheat the oven. Position a rack in the bottom third of the oven and preheat the oven to 500°F (260°C).
• Shape the fougasses. Lightly dust a work surface with some sorghum flour. Transfer the dough to the surface. Using your fingertips, press down on the dough to gently stretch it into a round that is 1/4 to 1/2 inch (6 mm to 1.3 cm) thick. You can use a rolling pin if preferred, but be careful not to tear the dough. Using a bench knife or knife, vertically cut the dough in half. You should have two half-moons. Place one piece of dough on a sheet pan and the other on a second pan. Cut a center slash in the middle of each half-moon without cutting through the ends, then cut three slashes on each side. Gently pull apart the slashes so there is a nice opening in between. Again, be careful not to tear the dough. If you simply cut the slash but don’t separate the dough enough, it will end up baking together and not give you a nice opening in the fougasse. The dough can easily tear because it doesn’t have a lot of elasticity, so work gently.
• Bake the fougasses. Loosely cover one pan with plastic wrap and refrigerate it while you bake the other. Brush the top of the fougasse with olive oil and sprinkle with flaky salt, black pepper, and half of the sesame seeds. Place the pan in the oven and reduce the oven temperature to 450°F (230°C). Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until golden brown. Brush the second fougasse with olive oil, sprinkle with flaky salt, black pepper, and the remaining sesame seeds and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until golden brown.
• Cool the fougasses. Slide the fougasse loaves onto wire racks to cool for at least 30 minutes before cutting into them. They are best eaten the same day.

Rosemary Focaccia

My favorite focaccia has a very thin, slightly crispy, golden crust with a soft open crumb. This is achieved with a high-hydration dough that includes a lot of olive oil and millet flour to give the dough that golden color. This focaccia works really well for sandwiches when you cut it in half horizontally; a combination of mortadella, arugula, and almond aioli is my favorite.

If you have ever worked with gluten-containing focaccia dough, you might expect this dough to be very bubbly and might even be tempted to aggressively dimple the dough with your fingers before it goes in the oven. This dough will not create those large air pockets, so try to be gentle with the dimpling. I don’t recommend adding any heavy toppings like a bunch of tomatoes, because they can weigh down the dough while baking and compress the crumb.

If you don’t have a 9-inch (23 cm) square pan, you can use a 9-by-13-inch (23 by 33 cm) pan, but only stretch the dough to a 9-inch (23 cm) square.

Ingredients (makes one 9-inch focaccia)

• FOR THE SPONGE
• 175 grams sorghum flour 45 grams millet flour
• 10 grams active dry yeast 280 grams water, heated to 105°F (41°C)
• FOR THE DOUGH
• 170 grams water, at room temperature
• 35 grams extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
• 10 grams apple cider vinegar 20 grams psyllium husk powder
• 160 grams tapioca starch 90 grams potato starch
• 15 grams granulated sugar
• 21/2 teaspoons (10 g) kosher salt
• FOR TOPPING
• Fresh rosemary leaves Fresh thyme leaves
• Flaky sea salt, for sprinkling Freshly ground black pepper

Method

• Make the sponge. In a medium bowl, stir together the sorghum flour, millet flour, and yeast. Pour in the water and whisk until smooth. Cover with a kitchen towel and proof until the sponge rises up creating a dome and it has a mousse-like texture, about 45 minutes.
• Make the dough. Add the water, olive oil, and vinegar to the bowl with the sponge and whisk together. Whisk in the psyllium and let it gel for 5 minutes. In a stand mixer, stir together the tapioca starch, potato starch, sugar, and salt. Add the gelled sponge mixture. Snap on the dough hook and mix on medium speed until the dough comes together and is smooth, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer the dough to a work surface and knead it a few times to smooth out the surface.
• Proof the dough. Drizzle the bottom of a 9-inch (23 cm) square pan with 2 to 3 tablespoons of olive oil. Place the dough inside the pan and flatten it with your hands until it nearly reaches the edges and is about ¾ inch (2 cm) deep. Using your fingers, dimple the surface of the dough, making deep indentations. Cover the pan with a kitchen towel and proof until nearly doubled in size, 45 minutes to 1 hour.
• Preheat the oven. Position a rack in the bottom third of the oven and preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C).
• Top and bake the focaccia. Drizzle the top of the focaccia with more olive oil. Gently dimple the top of the focaccia with your fingertips. Sprinkle with rosemary, thyme, flaky salt, and black pepper. Bake the focaccia for 45 to 50 minutes, until the surface is a deep golden brown. If the surface becomes too dark after 35 minutes, tent it with aluminum foil. Drizzle the focaccia with a bit of olive oil for extra shine when it comes out of the oven.
• Cool the focaccia. Let the focaccia cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then slide it onto a wire rack to cool completely before cutting. It is best eaten the same day.
• VARIATION: Focaccia Crackers
• Thinly slice any leftover focaccia. Arrange the slices on a sheet pan in a single layer. Bake at 300°F (150°C) until dry and crispy, about 20 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool. Store the focaccia crackers in an airtight container for up to a week. Serve with dips and cheeses.

Menu of the Moment is a monthly Homes & Gardens feature which taps into a seasonal cookery mindset or food trend, with a selection of recipes inspired by the calendar or zeitgeist, and an interview with the cook, chef or recipe book author about the story behind them, and what brings them joy about cooking seasonally and for the moment.

The New Year has officially begun, and you guessed it: I'm looking for healthy recipes to try. Naturally, however, they simply must taste good enough to make me come back for more – and after putting Joanna Gaines' banana bread to the test, I think it checks every box.

Officially named 'after-school banana bread', it seems like this particular recipe was developed to sneak a few extra nutrients into hungry kids' meal routines, but I've certainly been benefitting, too. I first spotted it during an episode of Joanna Gaines' new cooking show, and my interest was piqued: packed with no fewer than 5 bananas, it curbs my cravings for a sweet treat without inducing a huge sugar rush.

'Nothing says welcome home like after-school banana bread,' Joanna declares in a recipe video from Magnolia Table. 'This is a recipe that my kids love – they ask for it on a weekly basis.'

Coming together surprisingly quickly, Joanna's banana bread is such a no-fuss treat, you'll wonder why you've never tried it before. It even makes an indulgent weekend breakfast or quick dessert whenever you fancy something comforting (though Joanna's cinnamon rolls are usually my go-to in that department.)

You don't even need a loaf pan: Joanna uses a standard square baking pan (like this one from Target) alongside her trusty Kitchen Aid Go cordless hand mixer and a large mixing bowl (Magnolia's vintage-inspired bowl set is a favorite of mine). The hardest part about this recipe is simply waiting for it to finish baking – but it really is worth it in the end. Check out Joanna's full banana bread recipe below, plus all the bakeware you might need.

Joanna Gaines' After-School Banana Bread Recipe

Ingredients

• 8 tbsp (1 stick) salted butter, melted and cooled (plus optional softened butter for serving)
• 1 cup packed light brown sugar
• 2 large eggs, beaten
• 1½ tsp pure vanilla extract
• 4-5 very ripe bananas, mashed
• 1¾ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• ½ tsp kosher salt
• ½ cup chopped pecans (optional)
• 1-2 tbsp granulated sugar

Method

• Preheat your oven to 350°F. Line an 8x8-inch pan with parchment paper, or spray with non-stick baking spray.
• Using one of the best hand mixers (or the best stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment), beat together the butter, brown sugar, eggs, and vanilla in a large bowl until well blended. Add the bananas and mix until combined.
• In a separate, medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt.
• Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and beat until just combined. Mix in the pecans, if using.
• Pour the batter into your prepared pan and spread evenly. Sprinkle the granulated sugar over the top.
• Bake until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean (approx. 45-50 minutes). Let the bread cool slightly in the pan on a rack, then slice and serve warm with butter, if you like.
• When completely cooled, cover the pan with foil and store at room temperature for up to 2 days.

Shop Everything You Need to Make Joanna Gaines' Banana Bread

Looking for more comforting recipes during the chilly season? I absolutely love Joanna Gaines' baked oatmeal – it's another simple dish that always delivers for a nutritional breakfast.

My favorite week of the year is the ‘lost days’ in between Christmas and New Year, where you never really know what day it is, no matter how often you are reminded. It’s a time for lazing about, reading, napping, and basically doing not much at all. I enjoy being a homebody around this time, and I very easily get into the rhythm of wake, walk, read, nap, maybe cook, and then wonder what I’m going to do for New Year’s Eve. (No, I still don’t know, but it will involve Champagne and some stylish New Year's Eve decor ideas).

Time to Pause and Reset

I avoid hardcore New Year’s resolutions – any unrealistic expectations of fitness, diet, goals all go out the window in a fit of rebellion the minute we hit the last week of January, so no juice-a-thons for me. I’d rather use this time as a pause, a week to consider the year to come and start my new weekly Moleskine diary (Amazon) (I’m old school). I consider how I’d like to evolve, and I try to add one clean-up chore (too many are overwhelming). This year I’m considering either purging the wardrobe (how many holey misshapen tee-shirts can you have?!) or organizing the garage – I’m leaning toward the latter.

Switch to Lighter Dishes

Foodwise, after the gorging of the holiday season, I’m happy to return to simple, good-ish-for-you dishes. I never begin a diet in January, but I do crave a lighter touch. It’s easier to lean into that while I’m in Australia post-holiday (see my last column on my rules for a relaxing Christmas wherever you are) – having fled the snowy, windy North Fork and NYC – because it’s summer and the food is so fresh, with lots of Mediterranean and Asian influences. When I’m back in colder climates for January and February, that lighter touch shows up as cozy comfort food done gently: hearty vegetable-based soups and broths, bright winter salads, simple tomato-based curries bursting with flavor, roast meats, and chilis.

This is also when I start batch-cooking again – simply doubling everything and freezing it. This style of cooking gets me through most of the winter months. I love comfort food, but at this stage, my gut just isn’t happy with super-rich dishes anymore, so I save those for dinner parties or restaurant treats. Simple vegetable dishes, especially with Middle Eastern or Persian flavours, lift my mood the most.

A Favorite Recipe, Many Ways

One of these recipes that has sustained me for years is Ottolenghi's Hot Charred Cherry Tomatoes with Cold Yoghurt from the cookbook Simple by Yotam Ottolenghi (Amazon). I’ve cooked this so often that my friends think I invented it, and I’m always asked to share it. It's heavy in my rotation because it’s all the good things: A main dish that’s quick to prep, uses just one pan, and is layered with those OMG-its-so-good gutsy flavours you just want more of. The magic of this dish is in the serving, when the bursting, charred, hot tomatoes contrast with the cold yogurt. I have adapted this recipe in so many ways, but I always double the base tomato recipe. Load up sheet pans, cook, cool and freeze flat in Zip Lock bags or plastic containers for later. I’ve also turned it into a base for baked eggs for breakfast, into soups and stews, but sometimes I just have it on toast as a snack.

Hot Charred Cherry Tomatoes with Cold Yogurt (serves 4-6)

I know this recipe by heart, and adapt it in many ways. Sometimes I add a teaspoon of fennel seeds or a grating of fresh ginger, always thyme sprigs, and I add the grated zest lemon directly into the pan rather than the yogurt. Sometimes I just roast the tomatoes for 20 to 25 minutes until bubbling and a little browned, other times I do as Ottolenghi does, and broil / grill for five to eight minutes to blister the skins.

I serve it as a main course for a mezze style appetiser with pita or sometimes as a side – it is great with grilled beef, roast lamb, pan-roasted chicken thighs, and a green salad.

• Heat oven to 400°F / 200°C. Toss 500g cherry tomatoes with 2-3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil ,1 tablespoon each cumin and fennel seeds, 3–4 garlic cloves flattened with the back of a knife and sliced finely.
• Add a strip of peeled lemon zest and finely grate the remainder and add to the dish with thyme and oregano sprigs, a pinch of chili flakes to taste, a pinch of sugar and season with sea salt, and a good grind of black pepper..
• Roast 20–25 minutes until bubbling and lightly browned. For blistered skins, grill/broil for an additional 5–8 minutes.
• Spread plain full-fat Greek yogurt (about 1 cup/240 ml) on a chilled serving dish and spoon the hot tomatoes and juices over the cold yogurt, scatter with fresh oregano leaves, a few extra lemon strips, and drizzle with olive oil.

Kitchen Must-Haves For the New Year

For many of my friends, a New Year’s 'resolution' looks less like a complete life overhaul and more like a thoughtful kitchen refresh – specifically, clearing out tired plastics and cooking with better, longer-lasting utensils made from non-toxic materials. If you’re thinking about resetting your kitchen this year, these are a few must-have pieces I truly can’t cook without. They’re the kinds of everyday essentials that make meals feel better from the start, replacing disposable or questionable tools with things designed to last.

With that, I hope yours is the celebration you want it to be. I'll be soaking up the sun in Australia with family and friends. Looking forward to a new year of eating, dining, gardening, and homebodying. Follow along for more food, style, and other adventures @Anna_Last on Insta and more in my newsletter Bread & Gravy. Cheers!

At Anna's Table is a biweekly column and modern guide to Savoir-Faire, in which Homes & Gardens' Editorial Director, Anna Last, shares a glimpse into the mindset of the moment, as well as what she's doing in her kitchen and bringing to the table with the best of the season's produce.

After weeks of planning, every host knows the relief that comes with finally tucking into the meal you've worked so hard to prepare. Not so long after this, however, the question arises: what next? If you're wondering what can be done with the remains of your Christmas Day menu, allow me to share my secret: Martha Stewart's ham and potato bake.

I love to curate dinner party menus and try out new recipes, but I'll admit that leftovers can sometimes leave me stumped. And after pouring my energy into the (often hectic) Christmas hosting countdown, I don't always find myself brimming with inspiration – which is where a failsafe recipe like Martha Stewart's comes in. Combining eggs and cream with potatoes, ham, cheese and broccoli, it makes the perfect post-Christmas dish.

While Christmas dinner itself requires a rather tight schedule, I try my best to keep things relaxed for the rest of the holiday season. In fact, December 26 is a famously slow day in my household, and Martha Stewart's ham and potato bake has become something of a breakfast tradition.

Using up the all-important leftovers from the day before, this recipe involves minimal preparation and serves up to 8 people. Most importantly, it can be enjoyed at any time of day, either hot or cold. So, once you've successfully pulled off Christmas hosting for another year, you can take a well-earned break and whip up this simple dish whenever you feel like it.

Martha Stewart's Ham and Potato Bake Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp butter, for pan
• 6 large eggs
• 1 ½ cups heavy cream
• 2 tsp coarse salt
• ½ tsp ground pepper
• 2 baking potatoes (about 1 ¼ pounds), peeled
• 10 ounces leftover Christmas ham, thinly sliced (less than ¼ inch thick)
• 1 package (10oz) frozen broccoli, thawed and squeezed dry with paper towels
• ½ cup (2oz) grated cheddar cheese

Method

• Preheat your oven to 350°F and butter a 9-inch round cake pan like the Caraway ceramic non-stick circle pan. (The pan should be at least 2 inches deep.) Line the bottom of with parchment paper.
• In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs and cream, then season with salt and pepper. Cut the potatoes (each slice should be less than ¼ inch thick) and add them into the egg mixture to soak.
• Lift the potatoes out of the egg mixture and set it aside. Arrange half of the potato slices in your pan and layer with ham, broccoli and cheese, then layer up the remaining potatoes. Pour the egg mixture over top and press down firmly so that the potatoes are fully submerged in the eggs.
• Cover with foil and cook until the potatoes are tender (about 1 hour). Uncover and continue cook until golden and set (30 to 45 minutes more).
• Leave to cool for 15 to 20 minutes in the pan. Then, run a knife around the edge and carefully invert the potato bake onto a plate. Peel off the parchment, reinvert top side up, and slice with a serrated knife (like the HexClad Damascus steel serrated bread knife) to serve.

Shop Everything You Need to Make Martha Stewart's Ham and Potato Bake

Looking for more cozy recipes this holiday season? You simply can't go wrong with Martha Stewart's chocolate chip cookie recipe; it's another classic that I return to every year.

If you love to cook, serving up store-bought dishes can feel like a bit of a cop out. While I know it would save me plenty of time (especially as I'm preparing to host Christmas this year), I'm always reluctant to offer guests anything that isn't homemade from scratch by my own fair hands – but since I spotted Ina Garten give store-bought ingredients her seal of approval, I'm starting to change my mind.

In a video posted just before Thanksgiving, Ina Garten revealed that – just like anyone cooking for a crowd – she's 'always looking for shortcuts'. And when it comes to staples like cranberry sauce, she combines a few store-bought finds with fresh ingredients, allowing her to 'hot rod' a dish so that it tastes like it was made from scratch. It's an ingenious trick, and it's really transformed my approach to menu planning and hosting.

'When I say store-bought is fine, I don't mean go to the grocery store, buy an entire Thanksgiving dinner, and serve it – that's not great,' Ina says in the video. 'What I do mean is: go to the store, buy really good ingredients, and 'hot rod' them by adding other ingredients that make the dish so good, nobody will ever know it wasn't made from scratch.'

Before I discovered this hack, I was determined to serve up a Christmas Day menu that was completely homemade – but now I'm planning to incorporate a few pre-made elements from pastry crusts to sauces. Ina's easy cranberry sauce recipe is the perfect example: she 'hot rods' a store-bought can by adding fresh ingredients like orange juice and grated apple.

'I'm going to start with whole berry cranberry sauce,' she explains, adding the entire can to a pot (like the All-Clad stainless steel saucepan – Ina also swears by the All-Clad stainless steel frying pan). Then, the all-important additions: a quarter cup of freshly-squeezed orange juice, a dash of orange zest, and half a grated apple. Once the sauce has simmered for 15 minutes, Ina also mixes in a half cup of raisins and a half cup of roughly diced pecans.

'You have the best cranberry fruit conserve that was incredibly easy,' she says as she dishes up the sauce. 'It's chunky and it's sweet, but it's tart. Perfect cranberry sauce, and no fuss.'

If store-bought ingredients are good enough for Ina, they're certainly good enough for me – and I can't wait to find more ways to 'hot rod' my holiday dishes – next on the list is a no-cook festive grazing table. Time-saving hacks like these really are the secret to seamless hosting.

Ina Garten's Cranberry Sauce Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 can whole berry cranberry sauce
• ¼ cup orange juice
• 1 tsp orange zest
• ½ an apple, grated
• ½ cup raisins
• ½ cup roughly diced pecans

Method

• Add the entire can of cranberry sauce to a medium saucepan along with the orange juice, orange zest and grated apple.
• Simmer for 15 minutes, then add the raisins and pecans.
• Refrigerate the sauce until you're ready to serve.

Shop Everything You Need to Make Ina Garten's Cranberry Sauce

Looking for more shortcuts to revolutionize your holiday prep? Try the Christmas morning mimosa hack – it guarantees delicious (and picture-perfect drinks, every time.

While I'd say the humble chocolate chip cookie is one of life's simplest pleasures, that doesn't mean it's easy to perfect. But since Christmas is, naturally, the best time to host a cookie exchange party, I've spent weeks hunting for the very best recipe, and I think I've finally found a winner: Martha Stewart's cakey chocolate chip cookies.

Now, if you're an eager baker – or simply a devoted cookie fan – alarm bells might start to ring at the idea of a 'cakey' cookie. But trust me: Martha Stewart's meticulous formula guarantees a light, fluffy chocolate chip cookie that's utterly addictive. The only other recipe that's scored such high marks from me is Joanna Gaines' famous Silo Cookie recipe – but since Martha really is the queen of cookie parties, I might just find myself baking a few extra batches of cakey chocolate chip cookies this holiday season.

These cakey cookies are not to be confused with Martha's soft and chewy chocolate chip cookies, which use a higher proportion of butter and sugar to produce a firmer, flatter cookie. In contrast, Martha's cakey cookies call for less butter and sugar but more flour, resulting in a cookie with a bakery-style domed look (since it doesn't spread out as much in the oven) and a fluffy, airy texture.

Blame it on a sugar rush, but a simple chocolate chip cookie always fills me with nostalgia. It's the perfect treat for chilly winter afternoons, and a real crowd-pleaser among guests. Although I must admit that Joanna Gaines' sugar cookies are a wonderful choice if you're looking for a traditional festive recipe that the kids can help with, too.

Whether your ideal cookie is chewy, crispy, or soft, I'm certain these cakey cookies will surprise you – and you won't be able to stop thinking about them. I've even invested in Martha Stewart's 3-piece cookie sheet set so I can really do the recipe justice.

Martha Stewart's Cakey Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe

Ingredients

• 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• 14 tbsp (1 ¾ sticks) unsalted butter at room temperature
• ¾ cup granulated sugar
• ¼ cup packed light-brown sugar
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs
• 2 cups (approx 12 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips and/or milk chocolate chips

Method

• Preheat your oven to 350°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
• In a small bowl, whisk together the flour and baking soda and set aside.
• Using an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, combine the butter with both sugars, beating on medium speed until light and fluffy.
• Reduce the speed to low and add the salt, vanilla, and eggs. Beat until well mixed (about 1 minute).
• Add the flour and baking soda and mix until just combined. Stir in the chocolate chips.
• Using a cookie scoop (like Martha Stewart's Richburn kitchen scoop), place heaping tablespoon-size balls of dough onto your baking sheets, about 2 inches apart.
• Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the cookies are golden around the edges and set in the center.
• Remove the cookies from the oven and let them cool on the baking sheets for 1 to 2 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Shop Everything You Need to Make Martha Stewart's Chocolate Chip Cookies

Looking for more winning recipes this holiday season? Joanna Gaines' chocolate cherry bites are a must-try – they're a real festive treat.

Party season is in full swing, and nothing will delight guests more than a cocktail to kick things off. When it comes to the best Christmas Day menus, simplicity and speed are key – which is why I'll be counting on the viral mimosa ice cube hack for my Christmas morning drinks this year.

The holidays are all about tradition, and I can't imagine Christmas morning without a mimosa. It's my favorite festive tipple, and perhaps the easiest recipe I can think of – but after years of batch-prepped mimosas served at busy Christmas breakfasts, I've been keen to add a more professional touch to the proceedings.

Enter Instagram's 'mimosa cube' trick, which uses just two ingredients to produce a picture-perfect set of ice cubes ready to be finished off with a (generous) splash of Prosecco. It's the perfect make-ahead recipe for Christmas morning.

Every host is looking for easy wins during the holiday season, and to me, this means show-stopping dishes and drinks that don't require hours of setup (or a crowd of people in the kitchen – check out our ultimate Christmas hosting guide if you want to streamline your festive parties). Mimosas will always be my go-to, but I can't wait to elevate my recipe using the mimosa ice cube hack – and I know my guests will be won over by the rose petal-style detail.

Creating these gorgeous ice cubes is simply a matter of cutting oranges into slices and folding them into large ice cube molds (like this king ice cube tray from Williams Sonoma). Tucking the slices into the molds in a little spiral will create that unique rose petal look, leaving you to top up each mold with water (or OJ) before popping them into the freezer.

With the mimosa ice cubes prepped and frozen in advance, all you need to do come Christmas morning is add the finishing touches to your festive drinks. I might even batch-mix a few sloe gin pomegranate sparklers, too, for another spin on the classic festive cocktail – and I'll be serving everything up in red and gold coupe glasses from CB2. (The most festive piece of tableware in my hosting closet, naturally.)

Shop Everything You Need To Make Christmas Morning Mimosas

With tricks like these up your sleeve, you'll be ready for holiday entertaining – but if you need a little more inspiration, we asked experts exactly how to host a cocktail party.

The secret to successful Christmas hosting is preparation, so choose dishes that need minimal last-minute work and schedule in some time a day or two before the party. This menu is ideal, and would easily serve eight.

Cook the ham in advance, so you only need to glaze it; if you have freezer space, make a clutch of baked alaskas the day before and keep frozen until needed; bake the Gorgonzola biscuits a few hours ahead, so they need only be topped with extra cheese and quince paste just before serving.

In fact, you’ll find that all of the recipes can be at least partly made in advance, so you’ll be free on the night to indulge in the sloe gin and pomegranate sparklers.

Gorgonzola Crackers with Quince Chutney and Chicory

A flavor-packed but light savory morsel is exactly what is needed as a Christmas day appetizer and these Gorgonzola Crackers with Quince Chutney and Chicory are the perfect bite-sized treats. You could serve them earlier as canapes or plate them up before the main meal.

Beet, Potato and Taleggio Gratin

This Beet, Potato and Taleggio Gratin is like three sides in one, incorporating your potato, seasonal beets and creamy indulgent cheese with crispy breadcrumbs on top. Serve up in generous scoops.

Spiced Red Cabbage with Warm Winter Spices, Juniper and Bay

A festive classic – everyone needs a go-to red cabbage recipe for Christmas, and this one with winter spices, red currant jelly, and red wine vinegar is a failsafe option, which can be prepped in advance.

Christmas Ham with Chilli and Marmalade Glaze

A Christmas ham is the centerpiece around which your Christmas meal is based and this marmalade and chilli glazed ham is a sticky, spicy showstopper. Plus it will make wonderful leftovers as cold cuts for Boxing Day.

Roast Carrot, Mushroom and Chestnut Puff Pies

Vegetarians can often be an afterthought but these Roast Carrot, Mushroom and Chestnut Puff Pies are so delicious that even the meat-eaters will want to try them – just be sure to make enough so there are plenty to go around.

Chocolate Cherry Bombe Alaskas

These decadent Chocolate Cherry Bombe Alaskas will bring real wow-factor to your Christmas Day menu, with a moist chocolate cake, cherry compote, and ice cream center, and soft, blow-torched meringue topping.

Sloe Gin Pomegranate Sparklers

For a festive twist on the classic bellini you can't beat these sloe gin cocktails. With Prosecco and pomegranate seeds they are such a gorgeous color and make a sparkling aperitif to kick off your Christmas day menu.

Welcome guests with this simple sloe gin cocktail; to be honest, any concoction with sparkling wine feels special. This recipe adds sloe gin and fresh pomegranates to Prosecco for a very seasonal tipple that's the perfect start to your Christmas day menu.

Sloe Gin Pomegranate Sparklers

Ingredients (makes 16 or 2 rounds for 8)

• 1 cup (250ml) sloe gin, chilled
• 1 cup (250ml) pomegranate juice, chilled
• 3 tbsp pomegranate arils/seeds
• 1 x 25oz (750 ml) bottle Prosecco or Champagne, chilled

Method

• Put a dash of sloe gin, a dash of pomegranate juice, and a few pomegranate arils into each of eight Champagne glasses (like these Nattie Champagne glasses from Crate & Barrel)
• Slowly top up with Prosecco or Champagne.
• Repeat for a second round.

For more of a winter warmer for Christmas Eve or later in the day, try this whiskey and spice hot toddy – it's a cozy and festive sip for a chilly afternoon.

Even if you have no intention of making these chocolate cherry bombe alaskas for your Christmas day menu (magnificent and surprisingly easy, though they are), don’t pass the chocolate cake base by. It’s such a light, fudgy cake, perfect with ice cream and chocolate sauce or iced as a birthday cake. If you can’t find morello or sour cherries in syrup, don’t worry, black will do.

Chocolate Cherry Bombe Alaskas

Ingredients

• For the cake
• 2 cups (250g) all-purpose flour
• ½ cup + 2 tbsp (60g) 70% cocoa powder (60g)
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 cup (190g) granulated sugar
• 1 cup (190g) packed dark brown sugar
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• ½ cup (125ml) buttermilk
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tbsp chocolate extract or brandy
• 9 tbsp (125g) unsalted butter, cubed
• ½ tsp salt
• 8 scoops white chocolate or vanilla ice cream
• For the cherry compote
• 12 oz jar (340g) morello or sour cherries in syrup or 14 oz can (400g) black cherries in light syrup
• 2 tbsp granulated sugar
• 1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise with seeds scraped out
• For the meringue
• 4 egg whites
• ⅔ cup (140g) granulated sugar
• 1 ¼ cups (140g) powdered sugar
• 1 tsp cocoa powder, for dusting

Method

• Pre-heat the oven to 375°F and line a 8 x 12 inch cake pan (like this Nordicware Aluminum cake pan from Amazon) with non-stick baking paper.
• Sift the all-purpose flour, unsweetened cocoa powder, baking soda, and baking powder into a large mixing bowl (these Pyrex colored mixing bowls from Amazon have handy lids). Stir in the sugars, mixing everything together evenly.
• In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs, buttermilk, vanilla extract, and chocolate extract or brandy together briefly.
• Place the cubed butter and salt in a saucepan with 1 cup (240ml) water. Set over a medium heat and remove the pan as soon as the water boils. Pour into the dry mixture and begin to stir in with a spatula or large metal spoon, pour in the egg mixture and fold everything together thoroughly.
• Pour into the tin and bake for 25–30 minutes, until risen and springy. Turn out and peel the paper away then leave to cool.
• Meanwhile, put the cherries and their syrup in a saucepan with the sugar and vanilla bean and seeds. Bring to the boil and simmer briskly, stirring occasionally, for about 6 minutes, until the liquid is thick and syrupy. Set aside to cool. Remove the vanilla bean.
• Pre-heat the oven to 430°F. Using a plain round cutter (these biscuit cutters from Amazon are ideal), stamp out 2 ½ inch diameter circles of cake (the remaining cake scraps can be frozen and defrosted to serve with ice cream when needed). Space the cake discs out on a baking tray and top each with a spoonful of cherry compote.
• Using an electric whisk (we like this KitchenAid Hand Whisk from Macy's) – handheld or free-standing – whip the egg whites, salt and granulated sugar together until holding stiff peaks. Sift the powdered sugar over and continue to whisk for 3-4 minutes, until the mixture is very stiff and has a shine to it. Put a scoop of ice cream on top of each cherried cake disc. Using a palette knife (like these frosting cake knives from Amazon), smooth an even coating of meringue over each stack, right down to the baking sheet, making sure there are no gaps at all. The Alaskas can be frozen for up to 24 hours at this point and baked straight from the freezer.
• When you are ready to serve, put the Alaskas in the oven for about 3 minutes, until just browning on top. Alternatively, you can use a powerful blowtorch (like this mini kitchen blow torch from Amazon) to brown the meringue all over. Serve immediately, scooping them onto serving plates with a fish slice. Dust lightly with cocoa powder at the table using a small sieve.

For a different dessert option that's chocolate-free, try Clodagh McKenna's Butterscotch Mousse with Cardamon Biscuits, which is a beautifully creamy and lightly spiced dish.

To me, the holidays will always be about family – and food. There’s something magical about gathering around the table, sharing stories and laughter, and indulging in recipes that carry memories from year to year. In the countdown to Christmas, we lean most heavily on time-honored traditions and beloved treats, savoring any excuse to gather, indulge, and unwind.

This year, however, I’m branching out a little with a brand-new recipe: Joanna Gaines’ chocolate cherry mashers. I discovered this sweet treat while scrolling through videos shared by Magnolia Table, and I wasted no time tracking down all the details on Joanna Gaines’ blog. More affectionately known as Aunt Mary's Cherry Mashers, these little bites are, frankly, genius: combining frosting mix and powdered sugar with maraschino cherries and condensed milk, they firm up in the freezer before being dunked in chocolate.

Just like Joanna Gaines' famous sugar cookies, her cherry bites feel like a holiday classic from the moment you bite into them. They’re perfect for sharing, gifting, or enjoying as a sweet moment amid the festive chaos, and I’ll definitely be making them as edible Christmas gifts this year.

'There is an unexpected delight that comes with the blend of cherry and chocolate,' writes Joanna on her blog. 'My dad’s sister used to make these candies every year around the holidays, and his love for them became my own. I asked my aunt Mary if I could share her recipe in this book, and she gladly obliged.'

Since I spent the fall stocking up on the kitchenware from Joanna Gaines' new cooking show, I'm now the proud owner of the Magnolia flat cookie sheet, some stylish walnut and copper measuring spoons, and a set of vintage-inspired mixing bowls – so it's only right that I put them to good use by trying out some of Joanna's cherished recipes. You can find this one in Joanna's cookbook, Magnolia Table: A Collection of Recipes for Gathering, Volume 2, but I've outlined the full recipe below, plus a few essential bakeware pieces to shop for, too.

Joanna Gaines' Chocolate Cherry Mashers Recipe

The moment I spotted the recipe for these cherry mashers, I knew they were exactly what I wanted in a festive treat: irresistibly indulgent yet delightfully moreish. Best of all, they’re blissfully no-bake, making it easy to whip up large batches at short notice – perfect for entertaining or bringing to a holiday party.

Ingredients

• One 7.2oz package of Betty Crocker Home Style Fluffy White Frosting Mix (if you can’t find this, simply omit it and decrease the amount of sweetened condensed milk to 3 tbsp)
• 1 lb powdered sugar
• 6 tbsp (¾ stick) margarine, at room temperature
• One 10-oz jar maraschino cherries, drained and chopped
• ½ tsp pure vanilla extract
• ¼ cup sweetened condensed milk
• One 20-oz package chocolate almond bark, broken into smaller pieces
• One 11.5oz bag milk chocolate chips
• 2 ½ cups dry-roasted salted peanuts, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil

Method

• Line a flat cookie sheet with parchment paper.
• In a mixer (Joanna uses the KitchenAid Artisan 5qt stand mixer) fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the frosting mix, powdered sugar, margarine, maraschino cherries, vanilla, and condensed milk.
• Beat on low speed, gradually turning the speed to medium until the mixture takes on a fluffy consistency (about 4 minutes).
• Form the mixture into 1-inch balls using a ¾oz cookie scoop, like this one from Amazon. Place on the prepared baking sheet and freeze until firm (approx. 1 to 2 hours).
• To make the chocolate coating, combine the chocolate bark, chocolate chips, peanuts, and vegetable oil in a medium saucepan and melt over medium heat, mixing to combine.
• Working in batches, remove the cherry balls from the freezer and dunk them one at a time with a fork or spoon into the chocolate mixture. Allow any excess chocolate to drip off over the pan, then return the balls to the parchment paper.
• Refrigerate until completely hardened (about 20 minutes), then serve. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Shop Everything You Need to Make Joanna Gaines' Cherry Mashers

Want to really level up your holiday baking? Joanna Gaines' Silo Cookies are faultless – it's no wonder they're beloved by Magnolia's customers.

Hosting Lessons Learned

It's the race to the end of the year, and I’m feeling it. I’ve put the garden in the North Fork to bed, the barn is shut down, and the countdown is on to days in the sun. It’s been freezing in New York, and this year I am heading back to my hometown, Sydney, Australia, for Christmas. It’s my annual voyage, and it always involves prepping to host a house full of people, a big seafood feast, a Kris Kringle present swap, Champagne with crackers and bon bons, possibly a swim in the ocean, some backyard cricket and, of course, a Christmas ham. I will likely make a massive Eton Mess for dessert, which I’ll get the kids to help me with (smashing meringues is very satisfying). And I will eat ham on toast the day after (and the day after that) with all the condiments.

This year, as my siblings and I were planning the holiday feast via group text, I realized we have, unconsciously developed a rhythm for entertaining with a house full of people over the years. Yes, there is still often chaos, but it feels semi-organized, thanks to a few unspoken habits we have developed, as a way to get through holiday hosting (or any hosting), in the most elegant way possible.

The Warmest of Welcomes

If people are staying overnight and coming in late the evening before, I’ll have some cheese and crackers, (I love Murray's Monthly Cheese Club for discovering new and interesting cheeses – a subscription makes a wonderful gift for food lovers, too), a charcuterie spread, or a soup on the stove. Something a little hearty if travel has been far. And obviously some delicious wine. Sometimes the quiet before the chaos is one of the loveliest moments with a smaller group before all arrive.

Room to Unwind

Good hosts know the magic is in the details, especially when it comes to where guests will be sleeping. My mum always has fresh flowers next to the guest bedside tables. Other simple but sometimes forgotten touches are guest towels in the bathroom, a beautifully made bed, space cleared to hang clothes (no one wants to ask for a hanger or fight for space amongst the old coats).

And especially for late-night arrivals and weary travellers, don’t forget a water carafe by the bedside (like this Joss & Main Delaria 2-Piece Carafe and Cup Set) and a lamp turned on at dusk or a candle lit to a lovely glow. Diptyque's Feu de Bois (Bloomingdale's) is perfect, as it has a warm and woody aroma that captures notes of smoky warmth with Lapsang Tea notes to create a unique, slightly mysterious scent that's lovely for cosy spaces.

Morning Meal for a Crowd

Breakfast is personal (Designer Bryan Graybill has some nice ideas for his breakfast ritual), and I use that as a way to treat it casually, especially on Christmas with a full house and a big dinner or activity that day. I set up a breakfast bar the night before in a spot slightly off to the side for people to help themselves: Coffee cups, plates, toaster, condiments, and a spot for pastries, bread, or bagels, and cut fresh fruit (in Australia this time of year it's mangos, cherries, and passionfruit). Sometimes I’ll add a bowl of boiled eggs, some ham, a jar of granola, and a note for where to find what (yogurt, milk, coffee, tea). Freshly heated croissants are always a treat and the easiest on Christmas day (I like Williams Sonoma's Croissants)

While breakfast is happening, I get the serving platters (I'm loving this ribbon serving tray from Atelier Saucier), glasses, and the other table business for dinner out. I may or may not have set the table before – that’s always a good job for the kids.

All-Day Snacking

After breakfast we begin our present-opening ceremony and I set out something moreish that will take us through the rest of the day til the main event: a platter of smoked salmon, sourdough bread, capers, lemon, horseradish sour cream and Champagne served on a silver tray (these decorative trays from Zara Home are ideal). It makes a great brunch, is easy to throw together, and carries everyone through to the main event later in the day. I also do this at any time of the year for weekend guests before we head out for other adventures.

The Big Feast

While our seafood menu of shrimp and oysters feels quintessentially Australian, I maintain it can be applied to any celebration, no matter the time of year or where. It looks dramatic and generous, and there is an ease to it that takes out some of the heavy cooking fuss. Of course, not everyone in the family loves seafood, so we include ham and some delicious sides (always roast or smashed potatoes, greens beans and possibly an Ottolenghi-inspired salad). Each item has its own platter and is placed down the center of the table for the full visual feast effect. What I like about serving seafood in this way is that it can be made in advance for the most part and can be as simple or as complex as we choose to make it. That said, in the cooler part of the hemisphere, where cozy really is called-for, roast beef is a great celebratory dish to prepare in advance, too.

The Group Comes Together

None of this can be done alone, of course, so together my siblings and I loosely decide in advance who is doing what. Someone is assigned to buy and shuck the oysters and de-vein the shrimp, I sometimes make an Italian style seafood salad and my brother might make Singapore Chilli crab. Each year we mix it up. I've cooked calamari on the the grill or in the pan just till it curls, then add a splash of good vinegar. I’ve made an octopus stew with red wine and potatoes, minted shrimp, mussels in white wine, tomato and saffron spiked with fennel. There is always a lot of sourdough with European butter. Salad and sides are divvied up closer to the time (my sister is very good at this), and last year my brother-in-law mastered margaritas, which managed to derail some of the master-cheffing going on. Shockingly, we almost forgot the oysters.

Sweets

For Christmas, it's often some kind of meringue recipe. Often a pavlova, though I've done a Torta di Verona – a rich gluttony of a dessert made with mascarpone, blue berries and Marsaka and Amaretto-soaked Pan d’Oro topped with sugared almonds. One year, we just bought drumstick icecreams – always a hit. And sometimes I will do my Killer Eton Mess served in the largest footed glass bowl I can find. I buy or make massive meringues and then have the kids help me assemble – each is given a job to crush meringues, whip cream or, for the littlest, layer on the strawberries and raspberries. The secret is to keep the meringue pieces large, make the raspberry coulis in advance (I’ve also used store-bought puree or curd) and serve with some lemon cream to cut through all that sweetness. It’s such a drama-queen of a dessert and perfect in its imperfection.

Killer Eton Mess (serves 10-12)

• Macerate the fruit: Slice 1½–2 lbs strawberries and toss with 3-4 tbsp sugar and 2-3 tbsp St-Germain. Set aside until juicy. Add ½ cup pomegranate seeds if using.
• Make the lemon cream: Whip 1¼ quarts heavy cream with 2 tbsp powdered sugar and the juice of ½-1 lemon until stiff peaks form - taste as you go for the right balance.
• Break up 6–8 large meringues (homemade or store-bought), or use a pavlova broken into big, rugged pieces — you’ll need about 6–8 cups in total.
• In a large glass bowl, layer raspberry coulis, lemon cream, meringue pieces, and the macerated strawberries with their juices. Repeat to the top.
• Let it stand for 10 minutes so the meringue softens slightly, then serve generous spoonfuls straight from the bowl.

Hosting, Guesting & Gifting

The holidays sometimes involve more guest-ing than hosting for me – mainly because I am either flying back to Aus or having an orphan Christmas here in the US. Either way, I am often staying with family or friends vs. hosting myself. I love to host – I take pleasure in knowing people are happy and comfortable, setting the scene, adding the little touches to make it special. I love the anticipation of getting ready, but admit to feeling sometimes rather relieved (selfishly) to not be in the hot seat during the holidays. Because of this, I also take my role as a guest seriously, too. To be a good guest is a gift in itself (and gets you invited back). Obvious tips are; not overstaying your welcome, being the right kind of helpful, giving space to the host when needed and bringing something thoughtful and personal as a hostess gift.

Last-Minute Gifting

There are some people who give amazing gifts. They have a gift for the gift and plan it for months, manage to wrap it beautifully, and it's the most thoughtful and delightful moment. I am not that person. I love giving, and I love receiving (to the point my family hide mine up to the day under the tree), but it's usually a last-minute rush. My gifting love language is food. I either make it or find some gorgeous ingredient for ever-generous hosts.

That said, it's not for everyone, so make sure you know your host. I don’t think everyone appreciated my handmade pate or red wine-poached prunes last year. But if they do like to cook, a gorgeous bottle of extra virgin olive oil and a good Sherry vinegar are always appreciated (my go-to is Flamingo Estate's Olive Oil and Fuyu Persimmon Vinegar). When in doubt, a scented candle (Zara Home's set of scented candlestick candles makes me smile – it's so clever) or some lovely bathroom soap is always right (when in doubt, I always give Aesop and the Party in the Greenhouse set is a gorgeous gift).

Napkins, platters, and other table decor, is lovely, but make sure you feel confident with the recipient's taste (white linen napkins, like these embroidered linen cocktail napkins from Zara Home – I might buy them for myself, in fact) are the safest bet, and you can never have too many). Try to avoid flowers without a vase, wine (unless asked), or things they might feel they need to serve then and there. I try to keep it to something they can tuck away and enjoy themselves.

My Personal Selection of Gorgeous Gifts for Hosts & Guests

My recipe for at Eton Mess is the perfect allegory for how to be a good host over the holidays: I know it can be a lot of work to make everything seem effortless, and the holidays can often add another layer of pressure, so plan something that looks better broken and a little messy and have a bit of fun while you’re at it. Wherever you are in this world, may it be merry and bright. Happy Holidays to all and to all a good bite!

At Anna's Table is a biweekly column and modern guide to Savoir-Faire, in which Homes & Gardens' Editorial Director, Anna Last, shares a glimpse into the mindset of the moment, as well as what she's doing in her kitchen and bringing to the table with the best of the season's produce.

An easy side for your Christmas day menu, that's perfect with the marmalade-glazed ham and chestnut puff pies. It can be made in the morning and gently heated through when required.

Spiced Red Cabbage with Juniper and Bay

Ingredients

• 1 small red cabbage
• 2 tbsp (about 1.75 tbsp) butter
• 1 red onion, finely sliced
• 1 tsp juniper berries, lightly crushed
• 1 star anise
• ½ cinnamon stick
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 small quince or eating apple, grated, leaving the core behind
• 4 tbsp red wine vinegar
• 2 tbsp red currant jelly

Method

• Slice the cabbage as finely as possible (this OXO Good Grips Mandoline at Amazon is ideal for the job), discarding the core and any tough pieces of leaf.
• Melt the butter in a pan with a tight-fitting lid (such as the HexClad Deep Saute pan) over a medium heat. Cook the onion, uncovered, for 5 minutes until softened, but not browned.
• Stir in the spices and bay, then add the cabbage, grated quince or apple, red wine vinegar and sugar plus about ⅓ cup + 1 tbsp (100ml) cold water. Stir until thoroughly mixed. Season.
• Bring to the boil, then cover tightly and simmer for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the cabbage is very tender and the liquid has evaporated. Stir in the red currant jelly, allowing it to melt and glaze the cabbage, then serve.

Looking for more festive sides? Try Clodagh McKenna's Winter Slaw – a beautifully seasonal and bejewelled dish that brings freshness and crunch to the table.

Put this indulgent beet, potato and taleggio gratin together as part of your Christmas day menu on the morning and keep in the fridge until ready to cook. It's a crowd-pleasing side that will keep your guests coming back for more.

Beet, Potato and Taleggio Gratin

Ingredients (Serves 8)

• 1 lb 5 oz medium-sized, waxy potatoes (such as Yukon Gold), very thinly sliced
• 10.5 oz beets, about 3 medium, scrubbed and very thinly sliced
• 3 ½ tbsp (1.75 oz) butter, softened
• 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
• 6 sprigs thyme, leaves only
• 4-5 tbsp fresh breadcrumbs (use one of the best food processors to make them)
• 3.5 oz Taleggio cheese, diced
• 1 oz Parmesan cheese, finely grated
• 1 cup crème fraîche
• 1 cup whole milk

Method

• Bring a large saucepan of water to the boil and add the potato slices to the boiling water. As soon as the water returns to the boil, drain the potatoes. Refresh under cold water. Drain again and spread out on kitchen paper or a clean tea towel to dry.
• Pre-heat the oven to 350°F. Grease a shallow gratin dish (about 12 x 8 inches - like this Le Creuset Heritage stoneware gratin) with 1 tbsp softened butter and sprinkle the garlic and a little thyme over it. Arrange half the potatoes in the bottom of the dish, season with salt and freshly ground pepper.
• Cover with the sliced beets and a little more thyme. Pour half the crème fraîche mixture over. Season generously again and finish off with a final layer of overlapping potatoes and the remaining crème fraîche mixture.
• Combine the breadcrumbs, remaining thyme, diced Taleggio and grated Parmesan (this microplane grater from Amazon is our pick) in a bowl. Sprinkle the breadcrumb mix on top, dot with the remaining butter, and bake for about 1 hour 10 minutes, covering loosely with foil if it looks to be turning too dark, until the gratin becomes crisp and golden brown with the cream bubbling up around the edges.

This indulgent side will be the perfect accompaniment to our marmalade glazed Christmas ham for the main event.

Classic dishes will always earn a spot on my holiday table, but I'm keen to serve up a few surprises this Christmas. It might sound risky, but I have a trick up my sleeve: Shea McGee's pork tenderloin recipe, which calls for a rather unexpected ingredient that I know my guests will love.

While the Christmas hosting countdown might not seem like the time to experiment, Shea's recipe combines a few beloved flavors to produce a hearty, indulgent dish. The secret? Hot honey and apple butter – a combination that's eternally tempting, undeniably comforting, and a guaranteed crowd-pleaser.

'I love hot honey on everything,' says Shea in a recipe video shared on her Instagram. The marinade is, she explains, 'the best part of this dish. You can do a quick marinade for 30 minutes, but I think overnight or at least three hours is ideal.'

To ensure the dish is packed with as much flavor as possible, Shea even sets half of the marinade aside to use as a dressing once the pork is cooked.

You might expect to see a hot honey and apple butter marinade on a comforting fall menu rather than a holiday spread, but Shea's recipe feels like a timeless choice to me. I'll never say no to the sweet-and-spicy delights of hot honey, and I'm happy to indulge in harvest-inspired flavors long after winter sets in.

Plus, as Shea notes in her pork tenderloin recipe post on the Studio McGee blog, the recipe is 'a complete, no-sides-needed meal which comes together quickly – perfect for this wonderfully busy stretch of the year.'

Once the meat has been marinated, Shea sears it on the burner while roasting chopped shallots, potatoes and apples. She then adds the pork loin to the vegetable mixture and places everything back in the oven.

'You can finish this dish in two ways: in more of a salad form, or you can create a beautiful presentation on a platter,' Shea explains. In the video, she arranges slices of pork loin on McGee & Co's scalloped Veridien serving platter before adding chives, arugula, and that all-important hot honey dressing.

'This dish is comfort food with a kick,' concludes Shea on her blog. 'It's effortless, elevated, and exactly what this time of year calls for.' I know my holiday menu is about to get an upgrade – and who doesn't love a touch of spice during the Christmas season?

Shea McGee's Hot Honey Pork Tenderloin Recipe

Ingredients

• 2 (1 ¼ to 1 ½ pound) pork tenderloins
• For the marinade:
• ½ cup hot honey
• ¼ cup apple butter
• ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
• ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 4 garlic cloves
• 3 tsp kosher salt
• For the vegetables:
• 1-pound yellow baby potatoes
• 1 Honeycrisp apple
• 3 shallots
• 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• To serve:
• 1 cup arugula
• ¼ cup finely minced chives

Method

• To make the marinade:
• Combine the hot honey, apple butter, vinegar, and ¼ cup of the oil in a bowl. 
• Finely mince the garlic, then add to the marinade along with 3 tsp salt.
• Mix to combine. Set aside a ½ cup of the marinade for serving.
• To prepare the meat:
• Use a fork to prick the pork tenderloins several times on each side, then place them in a bowl or disposable plastic bag. Add the portion of marinade and toss to coat.
• Refrigerate for at least 3 hours, or overnight.
• To prepare the vegetables:
• Preheat your oven to 425°F.
• Slice the baby potatoes in half, core and slice the apple into eighths, and peel and halve each bulb of the shallots.
• Toss the vegetables with the remaining 2 tbsp oil and remaining 1 tsp salt, then add to an 18 x 13-inch sheet pan, making sake sure each potato is face-down.
• To cook:
• Roast the vegetables for 23 to 25 minutes, or until the tops of the onion and apple start to deeply char.
• Meanwhile, warm a large skillet over medium-high heat. Remove the tenderloins from the marinade and sear both sides until golden (about 4 minutes each or 8 minutes total).
• Nestle the tenderloins onto the sheet pan with the vegetables and place it back into the oven for an additional 15 to 20 minutes, or until the potatoes are extremely tender and the meat's internal temperature is 140°F.
• Remove the pan from the oven and let the pork rest for about 5 minutes.  
• To serve:
• Slice the tenderloin and serve it on a platter surrounded by potatoes, apples, and shallots.
• Top with the minced chives, a pile of arugula, and use the remaining marinade to drizzle over the dish as a dressing.

Shop Everything You Need to Make Shea's Pork Tenderloin

Looking for more festive recipes? Check out Lucinda Scala Quinn's modern guide to the Feast of the Seven Fishes – it's a glorious way to kick off your Christmas celebrations.

These rustic, little roast carrot, mushroom, and chestnut pies are designed to either accompany the ham for your Christmas day menu, or entirely replace it for vegetarians. Either make the filling a couple of days ahead and assemble the pies on the day, or finish them off the day before, keep them chilled, and reheat in a hot oven when needed.

Roast Carrot, Mushroom and Chestnut Puff Pies

Ingredients (makes 8)

• 3 medium carrots peeled and diced
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 shallots, halved and finely sliced
• 2 tbsp (1 oz) butter
• 4.5 oz small cremini mushrooms (about 1 ½ cups sliced)
• 1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
• 2 tbsp brandy
• 4.25 oz cooked chestnuts, roughly chopped (about 1 cup)
• 1 oz walnuts, roughly chopped (about ¼ cup)
• A large handful flat-leaf parsley, chopped
• A little all-purpose flour
• 2 x sheets ready-rolled puff pastry
• 1 egg yolk
• 1 tbsp milk
• 1 tsp nigella (black onion) seeds

Method

• Pre-heat the oven to 400°F. Toss the carrots with 1 ½ tablespoons olive oil, spread out on a baking sheet (or one of the best roasting pans) and season well. Roast for 25-30 minutes, until soft and caramelised.
• Gently cook the shallots in half the butter in a large skillet (we like the Lodge Cast Iron Skillet) for 10 minutes until soft, but not coloured. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
• Return the pan to a high-medium heat and add the remaining butter, and olive oil, and the mushrooms. Fry for 2 minutes, then stir in the walnuts, thyme, brandy and chestnuts. Continue to cook for 2 minutes until no liquid remains. Remove from the heat and stir in the carrots and parsley. Season to taste and set aside to cool.
• The filling can be made up to 2 days in advance and kept chilled until needed. Either turn the oven down to 375°F or preheat it to this temperature (if filling has been made in advance).
• On a lightly floured surface, roll out the pastry sheets a little thinner. Stamp out 16 x 3½-inch rounds, 8 per pastry sheet (these round cookie cutters from Amazon are ideal). Space 8 pastry rounds out on two baking sheets, 4 per sheet, and put 2 tablespoons of filling in the centre of each.
• Brush the pastry edges with water (use something like this Cuisinart Bamboo basting brush from Amazon) and top each with the second pastry round, pressing firmly around the edges to exclude any air. Use the tines of a fork to press all around the border, imprinting a pattern and sealing the edges further.
• Combine the egg yolk and milk and brush over the pastries to glaze. Scatter lightly with nigella seeds and bake for 25-30 minutes, until puffed and golden.

Looking for something for the meat-eaters, too? This classic marmalade-glazed Christmas ham is a real show-stopper that will leave plenty for sandwiches on Boxing Day.

Leftovers, some will argue, are the best bit of the Christmas day menu, and this Christmas ham recipe will deliver on the day and beyond – a majestic, clove-studded baked ham with its chilli and marmalade glaze that is actually a cinch to put together. Cook it in the stock a couple of days ahead of time, ready to glaze on the day.

Christmas Ham with Chilli and Marmalade Glaze

Ingredients (serves 8-10 with leftovers)

• For the ham:
• 4 kg gammon joint (about 8.8 lb) uncooked ham on the bone
• 2 tbsp soft dark brown sugar
• 4 whole cloves
• 1 tbsp whole black peppercorns
• 2 bay leaves
• Water to cover (about 2.5 liters/10 ½ cups
• For the glaze:
• 2 tbsp thin-cut marmalade
• 2 tbsp ginger preserves
• 1 red chilli, deseeded & finely sliced
• 1 tbsp soft dark brown sugar
• Large pinch (about ¼ tsp) ground allspice
• 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
• 1 tbsp cider vinegar
• 2 tsp cornstarch or all-purpose flour
• 3 tbsp whole cloves

Method

• Put the ham in a large casserole or saucepan, big enough to hold it comfortably. Add enough water to just cover – approximately 10½ cups – along with the brown sugar, 4 cloves, peppercorns and bay leaves. Bring to the boil slowly, skimming off and discarding any scum with a large spoon. Simmer very gently for 1 hour 50 minutes. Leave to sit in the hot cooking liquid for 20 minutes. Drain then cool slightly.
• Carefully remove the skin with a knife, leaving a good layer of the ham fat behind. Score the fat in a diamond pattern with a sharp knife (our Cookery Editor reviewed the HexClad Knives and highly recommends them), being careful not to cut into the ham itself. At this point, the ham can be cooled completely, then wrapped and chilled for up to 2 days before leaving at room temperature for 30 minutes and continuing with the recipe.
• The glaze – excluding the cloves – can also be made up to 5 days ahead of time and kept in the fridge until needed. Preheat the oven to gas 6, (or 375°F convection). Combine all the glaze ingredients in a small bowl and spread thickly over the scored fat. Press the pointed end of a clove firmly into the criss-cross join between each scored diamond, repeating until the top of the joint is completely studded.
• Sit the joint on a rack, nestled in one of the best roasting tins lined with aluminum foil (to make the tin easier to clean afterwards). Add about ¾ cup of water to the roasting tin and bake the ham for 30 minutes, until the glaze is well-caramelized.
• Rest for 10 minutes before carving into thin slices.

If you love the idea of a marmalade glaze, but would prefer to serve turkey for Christmas Day, try this wonderful recipe for a mulled marmalade-glazed turkey, which is equally showstopping.

These Gorgonzola crackers with Quince Chutney and Chicory make a wonderful starter, as part of your Christmas day menu, but will work equally well as a canape recipe for a drinks party. Soft blue cheese, sweet quince, and slightly bitter chicory blend beautifully.

Gorgonzola Crackers with Quince Chutney and Chicory

Ingredients (makes 24)

• ¾ cup (100g) all-purpose flour
• 7 tablespoons (100g) slightly salted butter, cubed
• 1 teaspoon wholegrain mustard
• ½ teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
• 5 oz (150g) gorgonzola picante
• 2.5 oz (75g) quince paste (membrillo)
• 1 red or white chicory bulb, trimmed and sliced

Method

• Finely chop or crumble about 1.75 oz (50 g) of the gorgonzola. Set the rest aside.
• Rub the butter into the flour. Add the mustard, black pepper, and finely chopped gorgonzola. Knead lightly to form a dough. Divide into two and roll each half into a sausage about 1½ inches in diameter. Wrap in clingwrap and chill for 1 hour. The dough logs can be kept chilled for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 3 months (defrost in the fridge overnight before continuing).
• Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Unwrap the rolls and slice each into about ⅓-inch slices. Space out on two baking sheets lined with non-stick baking paper.(our Cookware Editor recommends the Caraway Non-stick ceramic baking sheets, from Amazon)
• Bake for about 10 minutes, until slightly puffed and just turning golden. Cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack (these stainless steel wire racks from Amazon are ideal) to cool completely.
• Top the baked crackers with a small wedge of the remaining gorgonzola, a scant ½ teaspoon of quince jam, and a sliver of chicory.

Looking for more bite-size recipes ideas for your festive celebrations? Try these antipasti ideas for an Italian-inspired gathering, and take a look at Designer, Bryan Graybill's column on perfecting the charcuterie formula for a more relaxed approach to hosting.

Sweet treats are (almost) universally beloved, but the perfect cookie is, in my view, a deeply personal matter. Crunchy or soft? Plain, spiced, or packed with mix-ins? Recipes can be hard to nail down, especially if you're prepping batches for busy periods like the Christmas season. But now I can confidently say that I've found a crowd-pleaser: Joanna Gaines' Silo Cookies.

Just like Joanna's famous sugar cookie recipe, the Silo Cookies are a Magnolia staple – and I love that they can be baked in a skillet as well as on a traditional cookie sheet. In fact, this is Joanna's preferred baking method: in her skillet Silo Cookie post on the Magnolia blog, she notes that a skillet produces 'one big shareable cookie', ultimately resulting in a more 'elevated dessert'. (Plus, it provides the perfect opportunity to invest in a handsome piece of kit like the Lodge Magnolia-branded cast iron skillet.)

'This is one of our favorite cookies to make at the bakery,' explains Joanna in a video for Magnolia Table. 'It's really the best of everything in one cookie.'

Forget experimenting with recipes and baking countless batches; Joanna's Silo Cookies call for all the mix-ins, all at once. Think chocolate chips, peanut butter chips, oats, and walnuts, all expertly folded into a classic cookie base. The result is an expertly balanced dessert: sweet and yet subtly salty, with a crumbly edge, a soft center, and pockets of crunch. 'You can't really go wrong with this recipe; it hits every note of flavor and texture,' Joanna explains.

Yet as I've learned while perfecting Joanna's cinamon roll recipe, the secret to a winning dish doesn't just lie in the ingredients, but the preparation – and Joanna shares a few nuggets of wisdom to ensure your cookies are really bakery-worthy.

'The key to these cookies is to put the dough in the fridge for about 30 minutes,' Joanna advises. 'Then put them in the oven at 350°F for 13-15 minutes.'

Not only that, but if she is using a skillet pan instead of a baking sheet, Joanna serves them warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream – it doesn't get much more indulgent than that.

Having already snapped up some of the gorgeous kitchenware in Joanna Gaines' new cooking show, I can't wait to put it to good use by whipping up a few batches of Silo Cookies. Magnolia's copper mixing bowl set was perhaps my most stylish investment, though the flat cookie sheet will really come in handy, too. Not forgetting my prized possession: the KitchenAid Go hand mixer from Joanna Gaines' 2025 Target collection, which happens to be on sale right now if you want to spoil a keen baker in your life this Christmas.

The Silo Cookies might be beloved by Magnolia fans, but I know they're about to be just as popular in my household – especially during the holidays. You'll find Joanna's full recipe below, plus a skillet cookie alternative.

Joanna Gaines' Silo Cookie Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 cup packed light brown sugar
• ¾ cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1½ cups rolled oats
• 1½ cups semisweet chocolate chips
• 1½ cups peanut butter chips
• ½ cup chopped walnuts

Method

• Preheat your oven to 350°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
• In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy (about 4 minutes).
• Reduce the speed to medium-low and add the eggs one at a time, beating until each one is fully blended into the mixture. Add the vanilla and beat until everything is well incorporated.
• In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, and baking soda. Slowly add this mixture to the wet ingredients and beat until incorporated.
• Add the oats, chocolate chips, peanut butter chips, and walnuts, and beat on low speed until incorporated (about 15 to 20 seconds).
• Using a 2oz cookie scoop, place balls of dough onto one of your prepared baking sheets and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
• Set the dough balls 3 inches apart on the second prepared baking sheet and bake until browned (13 to 15 minutes). Bake in batches, leaving the dough balls in the refrigerator until you're ready to transfer them to the oven.
• Once baked, let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for about 10 minutes. Repeat with the remaining cookies.
• To bake in a skillet instead of on a sheet, arrange up to 5 dough balls in an even layer on a 6-inch skillet and bake for 18 to 20 minutes, or until golden around the edges and soft in the center. Let cool in the skillet on top of a cooling rack for about 5 minutes, then top with vanilla ice cream and serve warm.

Shop Joanna Gaines' Silo Cookie Essentials

Want to put a festive spin on your baking setup? Joanna Gaines' Target cookie decorating kit is my preferred way to get into the Christmas spirit – and channel some holiday nostalgia.

I grew up between two very different Christmas Eve celebrations. On my father’s side – the Italian one – the night was a marathon of dishes and arguments over how the squid should be cooked. On my mother’s Scotch-English side, things were quieter and much more restrained: a perfectly roasted beef and Yorkshire pudding on the good china. Depending on which relatives we were visiting, the experience was night and day.

So 40 years ago, when I started my own family and began crafting my own Christmas hosting traditions, I chose to celebrate Christmas Eve the Italian American way, with the Feast of the Seven Fishes, because it was the most wonderful celebration I knew. It wasn’t just about the food, it was about the feeling: The rhythm of the kitchen, the chaos of a crowd to feed, the clatter of pans, the women – always the women – commanding it all like an orchestra.

The Origins of La Vigilia

The Feast of the Seven Fishes, also known as la vigilia (the vigil), is one of the most enduring Italian American food traditions. Observant Catholics once abstained from meat on the eve of a feast day, which meant they’d be eating seafood the evening before Christmas. In coastal southern Italy, that meant eel, which was rich and nutritious yet widely available and affordable. So when those Italians arrived in America – many settling near harbors and coastal cities – they found an astonishing abundance: Fish, lobster, squid, oysters, clams, crabs, and shrimp were plentiful and cheap. Even the poorest families could create a lavish meal that felt like a miracle, and so the tradition persisted.

No one can quite agree on why it is seven fishes – some say for the seven sacraments, others for the seven days of creation – but the history hardly matters at this point. What endures is the ritual: gathering, cooking, eating, giving thanks. A meal that honors both poverty and plenty.

In Italian American culture, it was the women who brought the Feast of the Seven Fishes celebration to America and banded together to produce this feast. In old tenement buildings, they’d gather in one apartment to clean the fish, in another to roll ravioli, and finally retreat to their own small kitchens to serve their own feasts. I find that so moving. Like Shabbat in the Jewish community, it was a collective act of care, a ritual that bound people together week after week, generation after generation.

Bringing the Feast into Modern Life

It’s true that traditionally La Vigilia is sprawling – fried eels, stuffed squid, linguine with clams, baked shrimp, roasted fish, and endless sides. Today, most of us don’t have an army of aunts or a week to prepare. But what matters to me is that the spirit of the meal remains: abundance, gratitude, and togetherness.

My favorite way to honor the tradition now is with my Seven Fishes Seafood Stew from my latest book, Mother Sauce: Italian American Family Recipes and the Story of the Women who Created Them, a modern interpretation that condenses the entire feast into one glorious pot. The key is the broth – a deep, fragrant stock that can be made a few days ahead. That’s where all the flavor and effort live.

Then, just a few hours before dinner, I’ll heat the broth, taste for seasoning, and – just before serving – drop in a mix of whatever seafood I’ve been able to find: shrimp, scallops, mussels, chunks of white fish, maybe a few clams or crab legs. It’s different every year, depending on what looks good at the market.

I serve the stew ladled over ridged penne, the way they do in some of my favorite old-school seafood joints in San Francisco. The pasta soaks up the broth like an olive in a martini, and when you reach the bottom of the bowl, it feels like finding a secret. Add a simple salad of winter greens and a loaf of garlic-herb bread for dunking, and you’ve got the essence of La Vigilia without losing your mind in the kitchen.

A Feast Worth Celebrating

What I love most about this meal – about all these enduring foodways – is that they connect us to something bigger. To the women who once stood elbow to elbow, cooking for their families and neighbors. To the immigrants who built new lives while holding onto old rituals. And to the sense of comfort that comes from feeding people you love, with whatever you have.

Feasting days like this one, that bring us to the table and make us feel good, are at the core of how the Italian American community built its beloved cuisine. They remind us that food is not just nourishment; it’s memory, faith, and generosity. And at Christmas, there’s no greater gift than that.

Seven Fishes Seafood Stew (Cioppino)

Ingredients (serves 6-8)

• Two 1-pound (455 g) live lobsters
• About ½ cup (120 ml) extra virgin olive oil
• 2 shallots, minced
• 1 cup (120 g) finely chopped onion
• 8 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 anchovies
• 2 preserved Calabrian chilies, minced, or 1 tablespoon Calabrian chili paste or 2 teaspoons red pepper flakes
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• ¾ cup (180 ml) white or red wine
• 4 cups (950 ml) canned whole tomatoes (from about one and half 28-ounce/800 g cans), finely chopped or pureed
• 8 fresh basil leaves
• 1 pound (455 g) ridged penne pasta
• 12 cockles, Manila clams, or small little necks, cleaned
• 12 small mussels, cleaned
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano or 1 sprig fresh oregano
• 8 ounces (230 g) monkfish or other firm-fleshed white fish fillet, cut into 2-inch (5 cm) chunks
• 8 ounces (230 g) sea or bay scallops (cut sea scallops in half if using)
• 8 ounces (230 g) rock shrimp or small shelled shrimp
• About 5 ounces (140 g) cleaned squid, bodies cut into thin rings, tentacles cut into bite-sized pieces Kosher salt Warmed sourdough bread for serving

Method

• Pour 1 inch (2.5 cm) of water into a large pot with a tight-fitting lid and bring it to a boil. Add the lobsters, cover, and steam for 13 minutes. Remove the cooked lobsters and let cool slightly, until you can handle them.
• Strain the broth through a cheesecloth or kitchen towel–lined sieve set over a bowl and reserve it. Remove the lobster meat from the tails, claws, and knuckles; reserve all the shells. Let the meat cool, then cover and refrigerate.
• Heat a medium pot over high heat and swirl in 3 tablespoons of the olive oil. Add the shallots and the reserved lobster shells, stirring to coat them in oil, and cook until the shallots are translucent, about 3 minutes. Add the lobster broth and enough water to cover, bring to a simmer, and simmer for an hour or two (the longer, the better, for deeper flavor).
• Strain the lobster broth through a cheesecloth or kitchen towel–lined sieve into another pot and discard the solids. Simmer the broth to reduce it to 4 cups (950 ml). (This can be done up to 1 day in advance; store the broth in a sealed container in the fridge.)
• Heat a large pot over medium-high heat and swirl in 1/3 cup (80 ml) olive oil. Add the onions and cook slowly until lightly golden, 6 to 8 minutes; add the garlic in the last 2 minutes. Stir in the anchovies, chilies (or chili paste or flakes), and tomato paste and cook, mashing the anchovies into a paste as they cook and scraping the bottom of the pot, a couple of minutes.
• Add the wine, stirring to deglaze the pot. Add the tomatoes, the reserved lobster broth, and the basil, and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer until the sauce is slightly reduced, about 30 minutes. (The brothy sauce can be made up to a day in advance, covered once cool, and refrigerated. Return the sauce to a clean pot and bring to a simmer when ready to serve.)
• Meanwhile, about 20 minutes before cooking, remove all the raw seafood from the refrigerator and place on a platter to bring to room temperature. Cut the lobster meat into large, bite-sized pieces (leave small claws whole).
• Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Salt the water generously, add the penne, and cook until 2 minutes shy of the package instructions; the pasta should be slightly soft but with a firm chew to it. Drain the noodles, transfer to a bowl, toss with a little olive oil, and cover to keep warm.
• Submerge the clams, mussels, and oregano in the simmering tomato sauce. After 3 minutes, add the monkfish and cook for 5 minutes. Carefully fold in the scallops, rock shrimp, and cooked lobster and simmer for 2 minutes. Add the squid and stir gently for about 1 minute. Turn off the heat and season the sauce to taste with salt. It should be slightly spicy; add more chili if necessary.
• To serve, divide the penne among warmed serving bowls and ladle the stew over the top, including some of each type of fish/seafood in each portion. Drizzle with olive oil and serve immediately, with warm bread.

Lobster Fra Diavolo

Ingredients (serves 4-6)

• Three 1½-pound (680 g) live lobsters
• 4 tablespoons (60 ml) extra virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
• 2 shallots, minced ½ cup (120 ml) white wine
• 1 bay leaf
• 6 black peppercorns, crushed
• 4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 2 teaspoons red pepper flakes, plus more for serving
• A 28-ounce (800 g) can whole tomatoes
• 1½ teaspoons dried oregano
• 1 pound (455 g) spaghetti
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• Toasted breadcrumbs for serving

Method

• Bring 1 inch (2.5 cm) of water to a boil in an extra-large pot with a tight-fitting lid. Add the lobsters, cover, and steam for 13 minutes.
• Remove the lobsters from the pot and set aside. Strain the broth through a cheesecloth- or kitchen towel–lined sieve set over a large bowl or other container and reserve. When the lobsters are cool enough to handle, remove the meat from the tails, claws, and knuckles (you should have 4 cups/1 kg meat).
• Crack the lobster shells into smaller pieces. Heat a large pot over medium-high heat and swirl in 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Add the shallots and cook, stirring, until translucent, about 2 minutes. Add the shells and stir to coat with the oil. Stir in the wine, then add the reserved lobster steaming liquid, bay leaf, peppercorns, and enough water to fully cover the shells. Bring to a simmer, and simmer, uncovered, for 45 minutes. Skim any foam from the top of the broth and strain the broth through a cheesecloth- or kitchen towel–lined sieve into a bowl; you should have 4 to 6 cups (950 ml to 1.5 L) broth. Measure out 2 cups (475 ml) of the broth for this recipe and freeze the remaining broth in a resealable container to use for another soup or a sauce recipe.
• Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and swirl in the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil. Add the garlic and pepper flakes and stir until light golden, about 1 minute. Add the tomatoes and the reserved lobster broth, bring to a simmer, and simmer uncovered for 30 minutes, mashing the tomatoes in the pan as they soften and break down. Add the oregano and lobster meat to the sauce in the last 3 to 5 minutes of cooking, just to heat the lobster through.
• Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Salt the water generously, add the spaghetti, and cook until 2 minutes shy of the package instructions; the pasta should be slightly soft but with a chew to it. Scoop out 1 cup (240 ml) of the pasta water and drain the pasta.
• Add the pasta to the sauce along with the butter and toss and stir for 1 to 2 minutes, adding some of the reserved pasta water as necessary for the desired consistency. Serve in warm bowls, topping each with a drizzle of olive oil, some red pepper flakes, and toasted breadcrumbs

Spaghetti with Clam Sauce

Ingredients (serves 4-6)

• 24 small clams such as littleneck, Pismo, or sweet butter, cleaned
• 1 pound (455 g) spaghetti or linguine
• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus more as needed
• 3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1 cup (340 g) grape or cherry tomatoes, sliced crosswise
• ½ cup (120 ml) white wine
• 2 fresh basil sprigs, plus ¼ cup (15 g) basil leaves, torn, for serving
• 1 recipe Crispy Savory Breadcrumbs

Method

• Put the clams in a large pot, add 1 inch (2.5 cm) of water, and cover tightly. Steam over high heat until the shells open, 3 to 5 minutes. As the clams open, transfer them to a bowl (some will take longer than others). If any of the clams do not open eventually, discard them. Leave the clams in their shells. Strain the broth through a cheesecloth- or kitchen towel–lined sieve set over a bowl and set aside.
• Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Salt the water generously, add the spaghetti, and cook until 2 minutes shy of the package instructions; the pasta should be slightly soft but with a firm chew to it. Scoop out 1 cup (240 ml) of the pasta water, drain the spaghetti, transfer to a bowl, and toss some olive oil to prevent sticking.
• Meanwhile, heat a large skillet over high heat. Swirl in the olive oil, add the garlic and pepper flakes, and cook, stirring constantly, until the garlic begins to turn golden on the edges, about 1 minute. Stir in the tomatoes and cook until they just begin to break down, 3 to 4 minutes. Pour in the wine to deglaze the pan, scraping up any browned bits on the bottom, and simmer until the sauce has reduced by half, about 2 minutes. Stir in the clam broth and bring to a simmer, then fold in the clams.
• Add the noodles, reserved pasta water, and basil sprigs to the sauce and heat, shaking the pan and tossing the pasta, until it is fully coated with the sauce. Discard the basil sprigs and serve the pasta in bowls, topping each with a drizzle of olive oil, a handful of the toasted breadcrumbs, and some torn fresh basil leaves.

A Cook's Legacy is our six-part series with award-winning cookbook author, Lucinda Scala Quinn, exploring the family, food, and cultural memory that inspired her latest cookbook, Mother Sauce, through her beloved culinary voice.

For some, Christmas is about eggnog, mulled wine, and indulgent cocktails, or a table laden with stuffing and roast ham. If you have a sweet tooth like me, however, Christmas means one thing: baked treats.

While it feels like I've spent the fall in hibernation, making pots of soup and watching Joanna Gaines' new cooking show, I'm desperate to start baking festive treats now that December is finally here. And as a devoted fan of all things Magnolia, the only way to kick off the holiday season is by trying out Joanna Gaines' sugar cookie recipe. It's simple, speedy, and a guaranteed crowd-pleaser – and I know it's about to claim top spot in my Christmas baking rotation.

I've been baking sugar cookies every winter for as long as I can remember, but that doesn't mean I'm not willing to try out a new recipe. (Joanna Gaines' baked oatmeal was an unexpected addition to my breakfast routine this fall, for example.)

Joanna's sugar cookies call for all the standard ingredients, alongside a splash of milk to loosen the dough and a hint of vanilla extract for depth of flavor. Plus, no sugar cookie is complete without a generous amount of frosting, and Joanna's recipe includes her signature vanilla buttercream. Add sprinkles and you can even make cookie sandwiches, which are my preferred sweet treat during the holiday season.

I have no doubt that her sugar cookies will be a hit – especially since I already swear by Joanna Gaines' cinnamon roll recipe. (I've even invested in Magnolia's flat cookie sheet and vintage-inspired green mixing bowls so I can feel just like I'm baking in Joanna's modern rustic kitchen.) Below, I've shared exactly how to bake Joanna's sugar cookies, alongside all the Magnolia bakeware to shop right now.

Joanna Gaines' Sugar Cookie Recipe

Ingredients

• For the cookies:
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
• 1½ cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 1½ tsp vanilla extract
• ½ tsp baking powder
• 2½ cup all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp milk
• For the vanilla buttercream:
• 9 ounces (2 sticks plus 2 tbsp) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1½ tsp pure vanilla extract
• 3¾ cups powdered sugar
• 1½ tbsp whole milk
• 1 cup of sprinkles to decorate (optional)

Method

• Preheat your oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar on medium high until light and fluffy (about 3 minutes). Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
• Beat in the eggs, milk, and vanilla extract on medium speed until combined.
• Whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt in a separate bowl. Slowly add this mixture into your wet ingredients while mixing on low speed until thoroughly incorporated.
• Scoop the dough onto your prepared baking sheet using a cookie scoop or large spoon (approx. 1½ tbsp dough per cookie).
• Bake for 10-12 minutes. Allow the cookies to sit on the pan for 3-5 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.
• To make the frosting, cream the butter in a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, mixing on high speed until light and fluffy (about 3 to 4 minutes).
• Add the vanilla and continue to mix on high speed for about a minute.
• Reduce the speed to low and slowly add in the powdered sugar, approx. ¼ cup at a time. Add the milk and continue to mix slowly until smooth. When the mixture is smooth, increase the speed to medium, mixing until fluffy (about 2 more minutes).
• To assemble your cookie sandwiches, set the cookies up in pairs. With the bottom of one cookie facing up, use a small scoop to place about 2 tbsp of buttercream on this side of the cookie, and place the second cookie on top.
• Sandwich them together, pressing just enough to spread the filling to the edges. Repeat this process with the remaining pairs, and roll the edges of each cookie sandwich in sprinkles if you wish.
• Store the cookies in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

Shop Joanna Gaines' Sugar Cookie Essentials

If you really want to bake like Joanna Gaines, I'd say you need to invest in her trusted appliances. I'm hoping I find the Hearth and Hand with Magnolia KitchenAid stand mixer under my Christmas tree this year, though I'm also a huge fan of Joanna Gaines' Kitchenaid Go hand mixer from Target.

Canapes, hors d'oeuvres, appetizers, amuse-bouches: all the snack-ety bits. Whatever you want to call them, I love them.

But, without the right strategic approach, canapes can be a lot of work – and a massive fail. From how many you’ll need per guest to striking the right balance of flavors and types, there is a level of decision making that can be overwhelming. Designer, Bryan Graybill shared his Charcuterie formula for Homes & Gardens recently, while Lucinda Scala Quinn mused on the Italian art of antipasti.

I’ve been lucky enough to learn from some of the best in the business: My mother was a caterer (I was her sidekick during my university years), and I have worked with others: famous caterers, chefs, food editors, tastemaker friends and some stylish and savvy non-cook cooks who just knew how to please a crowd.

The common ground? All understand the key to success is simplicity. None of these food-mentors would ever serve something on a spoon (remember the Asian soup spoon years?!), on a stick, in a bowl or, worse, a shot glass (rule to live by: no soup should ever be served if you're hosting a cocktail party, it is just wrong). In fact, any gimmicky-style vessel that leaves guests clutching the used item in one hand with a glass in the other looking desperately for a discreet place to dispose of it, is a big no-no for me.

And, of course, there are other common canape faux pas: sticky finger food, too big food (like lamb chops – no woman in a lovely silk cocktail dress wants this), too-gimmicky food (lolly-pops or jelly shots, both yuck in their own ways), or towers of sauce-laden tiny balancing acts sure to go straight down the front.

Sorry for the snark, but I have very definitive views on finger food. Years ago, I competed in a Champagne-pairing cook-off with chefs, caterers, and other people from the food world. We were tasked by a notable Champagne house to create the perfect amuse-bouche for their bubbly – MasterChef-style, all of us cooking side by side. I was terrified… And then I won.

The trick, of course, was that I kept it simple. While my far more accomplished competitors turned out intricate wagyu-three-ways creations, I made a humble brandade de morue – salt cod whipped with olive oil, potatoes, cream, and garlic, served with toast points. No gimmicks, no jazz hands. And it was perfect with Champagne.

Don’t get me wrong, it is most certainly about impressing the guests. After all, this is the first or only thing your guests will eat at your party, so there is a degree of theater required: You want the wows, and you want your effort to be worth it. To that end, here are my best tips, ideas, and a few simple recipes gleaned over years of hosting, working, and attending parties with my very strong opinions.

At a Pinch Simplicity

• Stock the pantry. Top-notch ingredients matter when keeping it simple. I always, always have olives, nuts, tins of anchovies and dolmades (the Greek-made ones are the best), a decent cheese, some Prosciutto or charcuterie, and crackers in stock.
• In the freezer, I have rolls of slice-and-bake cheese coins. It's rather lovely to pop these straight in the oven for freshly baked goods, and it looks really impressive. (Another friend is clever with making batches of gourgeres to freeze. That involves a pastry bag, so a bit much for me, but you look enormously clever baking them off straight from the freezer.
• Of course, a cheese plate (some Languiole cheese knives like these at Macy's are a staple), the ultimate in simplicity, and there’s no need to overthink it, especially if it's an amuse-bouche, prior to dinner. With one really great cheese or a pate, accompanied by nuts or olives. Much better to invest in one excellent chevre versus three or four just mediocre ones. Or, try a plate of smoked salmon, toast points, capers, onions, horseradish, and creme fraiche: It is a very delicious thing and takes no time to prepare.

• Chicken salad on white bread sandwiches is one of my crowd pleasers for more substantial finger food. If I don’t make it myself I’ll cheat and buy a good-quality one, add a lot of chopped herbs (dill, parsley, chives, tarragon), some very finely sliced celery, and the secret ingredients: Fennel and lemon juice.
• I rinse dolmas in water and serve with lemon wedges, olives, and chunks of creamy goat's feta drizzled with an excellent extra virgin olive oil and some pita. Sometimes I’ll make some filo triangles to go with it for something hot (and sometimes I buy them frozen).
• My friend Simon will often serve a tin of anchovies (Ortiz is the preferred brand, available on Amazon), sourdough, and European unsalted butter. It is divine and enough to tickle the taste buds for the main event.

Something Simply Decadent

• For a small group as a treat, or just because, splurge on a large tin of caviar (Williams Sonoma do an excellent range). Serve it with toast points or Lays chips, plus the best creme fraiche and that is it. If you Invest in the best of the best and serve only that, it will have maximum effect with minimum effort.
• A note on oysters: Baked oysters are having a moment. There are plenty of classics online like Oysters Rockefeller (saute finely chopped spinach with shallot, garlic add to cold butter, then top the oyster with a mix of breadcrumbs, Parmesan and a splash of Pernod and bake in the oven or under a grill). Lately I’ve been experimenting with other combinations: browned butter mixed with panko bread crumbs, lemon zest, chopped herbs and a mix of Parmesan and Provolone and a splash of Pernod. Or my attempt at Oysters Bingo from the Buckeye Roadhouse in San Francisco: Freshly shucked oysters with a gorgeous mix of spinach, Asiago or Parmesan cheese, lemon juice and Cognac, spooned over the oyster and baked.

• Home-made pate. It is worth the effort. I always get very big compliments here. The trick is to soak the chicken livers in brandy the night before. I make double at Christmastime, fill jars and give as home-made Christmas gifts.
• My other friend John of Roast Chicken & Chocolate Cake, for whom all food is the essence of joyful simplicity, serves Prosciutto di Parma leg as a carving station and a massive wheel of Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese for guests to break up themselves. Alongside that, he offers delicious Italian bread and an aperitivo of Campari-spiked grapefruit. Like the man himself, it is often an exercise in restrained theatrics.
• One of my favourites is pan-fried chorizo deglazed with sherry vinegar, with Manchego, a bite-sized version of pan con tomate with a plate of thinly sliced jamon.

Helpful Guidelines

• No matter what you decide to serve, stick to one region: all French cheeses or Middle Eastern mezze, for example, and a balance of carb, salt, acid, fat, and protein.
• For calculating quantities at a party, a client taught me this trick: Draw each item on an imagined dinner plate, then eyeball it as though it were a meal. Is it too much or too little? Let that be your guide.
• Try to plan for 6-8 different items to give guests plenty of options. Four should be simple assembly, two are cooked items (raid the gourmet food freezer), the other two are platters (think oysters, shrimp, smoked salmon, charcuterie and cheese).

Some Favorite Canape Recipes

Oysters Bingo

Sauté 1 bunch finely chopped spinach (or 1 cup thawed frozen spinach, squeezed dry) with 1 tablespoon chopped garlic in 2 tablespoons olive oil until the spinach is wilted and the moisture has evaporated. Season with salt and pepper and let it cool slightly. Stir in ¾ cup mayonnaise, 2 tablespoons grated Asiago or Parmesan, 1 tablespoon lemon juice and 1 tablespoon Cognac. Spoon a small amount over 12 oysters on the half shell and bake at 450°F for 8–10 minutes, until the topping is lightly browned.

Pan-Fried Chorizo with Sherry Vinegar

Slice 1-2 dried chorizo sausage to about ½ inch thick. Add to a frying pan set on medium heat (you don’t need any fat, the chorizo has enough). Pan fry til just browning on either side, working quickly to turn. Once the sausage starts to brown and slightly turn up at the edges deglaze with Sherry vinegar. It will bubble up. Scrape up all the bits and transfer to a bowl. Serve with Spanish Olives, Manchego, Sherry and either Pan con Tomate (tomato bread) and Jamon.

Slice and Bake Cheese Coins

Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a large baking sheet with parchment. In one of the best food processors, blend 7 tablespoons unsalted butter with ¾ cup all-purpose flour until the mixture looks like breadcrumbs. Add 1 cup grated cheese (sharp Cheddar, blue cheese, goat's cheese, Parmesan, or a mix, all work), ¼ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon white pepper, and ¼ teaspoon cayenne (optional).

Process until the dough forms a smooth ball. Remove the dough and roll it into an 8-inch log, wrap tightly in plastic, and refrigerate until firm or freeze until ready to use. Slice thinly and arrange on the baking sheets, leaving space for spreading. If you like, sprinkle with chili flakes, caraway seeds (especially good with blue cheese), or any seasoning you prefer. Bake for 10-15 minutes, or until golden. Cool briefly on the sheet, then transfer to a rack to cool completely. Store in an airtight container.

Around and About

Speaking of great parties: Last week I went to the opening of the Ticking Tent in Bedford, NY – a fabulous twice-yearly brocantes-style artisan, antiques, and design shopping event. There was everything from vintage blue and white china and table linens to oyster plates and dinnerware.

Listening to: Anything by Leon Bridges and the Cocktail Hour 2025 on Spotify

Drinking: Via Carota in New York now has simply the best Manhattan, Negroni, and French 75s mixes in chic bottles. Perfect gifts this time of year, or to have in your own pantry if, like me, you don’t have patience for making cocktails (though I do like to drink them).

My Canape Essentials

Lastly, enjoy yourself at your own party. Assign someone to drinks, music, and have the cocktails pre-made. Socially, the best way to chat with people at a party is to grab a platter and hand it around.

And my final piece of advice? Make a little extra, so you have enough for dinner the next day. A good host deserves a great meal twice.

For more ideas on entertaining, follow along for next adventures @Anna_Last on Insta and more in my newsletter Bread & Gravy.

At Anna's Table is a biweekly column and modern guide to Savoir-Faire, in which Homes & Gardens' Editorial Director, Anna Last, shares a glimpse into the mindset of the moment, as well as what she's doing in her kitchen and bringing to the table with the best of the season's produce.

My very earliest memory of what I’d now call antipasti is standing at the table with my mother and brothers, making mini meatball sandwiches en masse. Everything was laid out in an assembly line: soft bread, room-temperature butter, a big bowl of meatball filling. We’d all pitch in, talking and laughing, wrapping and stacking until there were literal bags of sandwiches heading for the freezer in the run-up to the holidays.

The Antipasti Tradition

The tradition has deep roots. In my research for my latest cookbook Mother Sauce: Italian American Family Recipes and the Story of the Women Who Created Them (Artisan), I traveled through the classic Italian American hubs – New Jersey and South Philly, Boston and Chicago, Rhode Island, San Francisco – and I saw how antipasti evolved on this side of the Atlantic. Early immigrants were profoundly poor, but they knew how to preserve and stretch food.

There were always 'nibbles' in some form: taralli, those dry, savory rings that once were so humble they were even hydrated with seawater; cured salami from the whole slaughtered pig; peppers and tomatoes put up in jars; dried nuts and fruit. Bread, a scrap of sausage, a few olives – that could be a snack, a light meal, or the beginning of a feast. For rich and poor alike, the idea was the same: if you’re waiting to eat, you’re eating.

When to Serve Antipasti

As part of Thanksgiving menus or Christmas meals, those were always the first things to come out: hot, crispy little bites that felt wildly special to us, even though they were made from very ordinary ingredients. To this day, there’s controversy in my extended family about whose grandmother 'invented' them, which feels exactly right for Italian Americans. Everyone claiming the recipe is just another way of saying: this is ours, this is who we are.

My mom used to call the hours between lunch and dinner, or after dessert but before midnight, 'the betwixt and between time.' In our world, that liminal space was never empty. There was always something to nibble on – a little sandwich, a slice of tomato pie, a dish of olives, a shard of cheese – something to bridge the gap between one meal and the next, or to accompany a glass of wine and a good conversation.

In Italian American families, mealtimes may be the main event, but antipasti sets the tone. While the Sunday sauce bubbles, before the soup is ladled, or simply to keep company with an aperitivo, a small spread appears almost without thinking: salumi, cheeses, pickled or marinated vegetables, maybe a family specialty or two.

The Instagram Influence

Over time, what we’d now call an antipasti platter might have been a whole lunch or evening meal. Today’s charcuterie board craze? (Designer, Bryan Graybill talks about creating a charcuterie formula in a recent column for Homes & Gardens). To me it’s just the latest expression of something Italian families have quietly done for generations: put out what you have, make it look inviting, and let people help themselves.

Antipasti at Home, in the Modern Kitchen

In my own life as a cook in New York, antipasti has become my favorite way to welcome people in. I love a big surface – a wooden board, a worn tray, a marble slab – covered in things you can grab: roasted peppers slick with olive oil, marinated mushrooms, wedges of fennel, a few beautiful tinned fishes opened and arranged with lemon, slices of salami, a pile of fresh ricotta for smearing on bread.

I almost always mix homemade with store-bought. Maybe I’ve preserved my own mushrooms or peppers, or baked a slab of tomato pie to cut into little rectangles. I’ll round that out with good olives from the shop, a tin of sardines or anchovies, crackers, a hunk of Parmesan. Sometimes I go all-seafood – a 'fish board' that’s wonderful for the Feast of the Seven Fishes – sometimes it’s mostly meat, sometimes it’s vegetables and beans. The point isn’t perfection; it’s generosity.

And of course, those mini meatball sandwiches still make an appearance, especially around the holidays. I make them ahead, freeze them, and then bring them out as soon as people start drifting in.

It’s All About Abundance, no Matter Your Means

Antipasti used to be reserved for holidays and big celebrations. Now, I see it as an everyday expression of abundance, no matter what your circumstances are. It can be as simple as a few olives and a chunk of cheese, or as elaborate as a groaning board before a feast.

However you do it, the message is the same: there’s always something to eat here, and there’s always room for you.

How to Build an Antipasti Platter

If you want to be the person who can pull together antipasti at a moment’s notice, it starts with a well-stocked pantry and freezer. I keep jars of relishes, tinned fish, olives, caper berries, nuts, and crackers or toasts on hand. I organize the freezer by tucking away a few well-wrapped packages of sliced cured meats and, when I can, a slab of tomato pie.

If I’ve prepped antipasti ahead, I make sure it comes back to room temperature before serving – about 30 minutes out of the fridge. Cold cheese and cold tomatoes never taste as good as room-temperature ones.

And whenever possible, I make fresh ricotta. It’s three ingredients – milk, acid, salt – and once you realize how easy it is, you’ll start using it as a stand-in for butter: thick on toasted bread, under roasted peppers, alongside those little meatball sandwiches.

When I’m arranging antipasti, I think like an architect and a cook at the same time – everything has to taste great and make sense together.

• Flavors: You want tangy, briny, sweet, spicy, salty, and buttery all in conversation with one another. Hot cherry peppers next to creamy ricotta, marinated mushrooms against a nutty Parmesan, olives to cut through the richness.
• Textures: Crunchy and crispy alongside smooth and creamy. Crackers or toasted bread with something soft to smear, something chewy to bite, something juicy to burst.
• Colors and shapes: Red, yellow, green; round, flat, rolled, stacked, cubed, torn. I use little ramekins and prep bowls to create pockets of color and height, and I’ll often tuck in citrus wedges or slices – blood oranges, lemons – for brightness.
• Seasonality: In tomato season, a bowl of just-picked cherry tomatoes with torn basil, crunchy salt, bread, and olive oil is all you need. In winter, I lean more heavily on preserved things: caponata, pickled peppers, roasted nuts.

Recipes For Your Antipasti Platter

Mini Meatball Sandwiches

Ingredients (Makes sixty 1½-inch squares)

• 1 loaf (about 30 slices) very thin sliced soft white bread, such as Pepperidge Farm
• 1 pound (455 g) ground pork, or a combination of pork and beef
• ¼ cup (25 g) grated Romano cheese
• ¼ cup (25 g) grated Parmesan cheese
• ¼ cup (15 g) fresh flat-leaf parsley eaves and tender stems, finely chopped
• 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 large egg 1 garlic clove, minced
• ½ teaspoon dried oregano
• ½ teaspoon dried thyme
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 8 tablespoons (1 stick/115 g) unsalted butter, at room temperature

Method

• Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
• Process the end slices of the loaf of bread to fine crumbs in one of the best food processors or blender combos, about ½ cup (28 g). Transfer to a large bowl, add the meat, cheeses, parsley, olive oil, egg, garlic, oregano, thyme, salt, and pepper, and mix well with your hands to combine.
• Moisten your hands with cold water and roll the meat mixture into 1-inch (2.5 cm) balls; reserve on a baking sheet. Line another baking sheet with parchment or a silicone mat.
• Lay 2 slices of the bread on a clean work surface. Butter one side of each slice. Place 4 meatballs on one slice of buttered bread, top with a second slice, buttered side down, and press firmly together. Use a serrated knife to cut off the crusts. (Reserve the crusts and bake separately for a 'cook’s treat.')
• Repeat with the remaining bread and filling. Cut each sandwich into 4 squares and transfer to the lined baking sheet. (This process can be done assembly-line style, lining up slices of buttered bread and assembling multiple sandwiches at a time.)
• Bake until the sandwiches are golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes. Transfer to a rack pan and let cool slightly. Serve warm

Tomato Pie

Ingredients (makes 12 servings)

• FOR THE DOUGH
• 5 cups (625 g), all-purpose or bread flour, plus more for kneading
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt
• 2¼ teaspoons (7 g) active dry yeast (from a ¼-ounce packet)
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 2 cups (475 ml) water
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• FOR THE SAUCE
• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• One 28-ounce (800 g) can whole tomatoes
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt 1 teaspoon sugar 1 teaspoon dried oregano (optional)
• ½ teaspoon dried thyme (optional)
• ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
• Olive oil for brushing
• ½ cup (50 g) grated Romano cheese (optional), plus more for serving

Method

• MAKE THE DOUGH
• In a large bowl, or the bowl of one of the best stand mixers, whisk together the flour, salt, yeast, and sugar. Add the water and olive oil and stir to combine the wet and dry ingredients. Knead by hand, or fit the mixer with the dough hook and knead on low speed, until the dough is soft and smooth, about 5 minutes (a few more minutes if kneading by hand).
• Turn the dough out and shape it into a tight ball. The dough will be sticky but workable. Dust flour on your hands and the work surface as needed. Use a bench scraper to assist you.
• Transfer the dough to a large oiled bowl and turn to coat with oil. Cover the dough tightly and set aside to rise in a warm spot until almost doubled, 3 to 4 hours.
• MAKE THE SAUCE
• Combine the olive oil and garlic in a medium pot and stir constantly over medium-high heat until the garlic begins to sizzle, about 1 minute. Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring, for 1 to 2 minutes to smooth the harsh taste of the paste.
• Add the tomatoes, with their juices, the salt, sugar, and oregano, thyme, and/or pepper flakes, if using, and bring to a simmer, then reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for about 5 minutes, smashing the tomatoes with the side of a spoon as they begin to soften. Partially cover the pot and cook, continuing to smash the tomatoes occasionally as they cook, until they have broken down to a smooth but slightly chunky texture, about 30 minutes total. Remove from the heat and let cool. (The sauce can be made ahead and refrigerated for up to 5 days.)
• MAKE THE PIE
• An hour to an hour-and-a-half before baking the pie, oil an 11-by-17-inch (28 by 43 cm) rimmed baking sheet. On a clean work surface, using a rolling pin, roll the dough out to a rectangle approximately the size of the pan. Fit the dough into the pan, pressing it into the corners (a small straight-sided juice glass can help with fitting the dough into the corners).
• Brush the surface with olive oil. Cover the dough and let it rise until puffy (it should leave a fingerprint behind when pressed), at least 60 minutes, and up to 90 minutes.
• Position a rack in the top third of the oven. Preheat the oven to 500°F (260°C). Press your fingers into the dough to create dimples. Spread a thin layer of the sauce evenly over the entire surface of the dough (extra sauce can be served on the side or reserved).
• Sprinkle with the cheese, if using. Bake until the crust is golden brown and cooked through, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool completely. (The pie can be wrapped tightly in plastic wrap and frozen for up to 6 weeks.)
• Cut the pie into squares or rectangles and serve with extra grated cheese to sprinkle on top.

Fresh Ricotta

Ingredients (makes 1 cup / 227g)

• 4 cups (950 ml) whole milk
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Method

• Line a small colander with cheesecloth (a paper towel will work in a pinch) and set it over a bowl.
• Combine the milk and salt in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat.
• Add the lemon juice, lower the heat, and stir until the curds coagulate and separate from the whey, 1 to 2 minutes.
• Pour the curd mixture into the strainer and set aside until most of the liquid has drained away, about 1 hour.
• Cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days if not using right away.

A Cook's Legacy is our six-part series with award-winning cookbook author, Lucinda Scala Quinn, exploring the family, food, and cultural memory that inspired her latest cookbook, Mother Sauce, through her beloved culinary voice.

I'm hosting my first Thanksgiving this year, and while I'm making every effort to be the perfect host, I have a feeling I might ruffle a few feathers – because I'm officially replacing a trusted family recipe with Joanna Gaines' pecan pie.

Trust me: I don't mess around when it comes to pecan pie, and I've given this decision some serious thought. The fact of the matter is, I'm ready to add something new to my Thanksgiving menu – and just like my family's own formula, I know that Joanna's is a time-honored recipe (and I'd say it's even more delicious. Sorry, Grandma.) It's even better served up in this stunning scalloped baking dish from Magnolia.

As soon as the recipe was shared by Magnolia Table, I just knew I had to try it. I've spent plenty of time browsing the kitchenware in Joanna Gaines' new cooking show – and now, I can finally recreate one of her signature holiday dishes. It feels a little like getting an invite to the Gaines' Thanksgiving, and I'm not wasting that kind of opportunity.

So, while I'm busy working through my Thanksgiving checklist I'll be spending most of my time in the kitchen, making like Joanna Gaines and perfecting her pecan pie recipe, using her Magnolia laurel green mixing bowls and adding some ceremony by serving it up with her vintage-style pie server. Here's exactly how to make it – just in case you'd like to shake up a few family traditions, too.

Joanna Gaines' Pecan Pie Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1 cup light corn syrup
• 3 tablespoons salted butter, melted
• 3 large eggs
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, plus more for serving
• 2 teaspoons ancho chile powder (you can pick this up at Walmart)
• 2 cups coarsely chopped pecans
• 1 unbaked deep-dish pie crust, or a 9-inch store-bought, deep-dish version
• Homemade whipped cream, or good-quality store-bought whipped cream

Method

• Preheat your oven to 350°F and lay out your pie crust in your chosen pie dish.
• In a large bowl, whisk together the butter, brown sugar, and corn syrup.
• Whisk the eggs into this mixture, then whisk in the cinnamon and ancho chile powder.
• Stir in the pecans, then pour the mixture into your pie crust.
• Bake for about 1 hour, or until the filling puffs around the edges and is nearly set in the center. According to Joanna, a knife inserted around 2 inches from the center should come out clean.
• Cool the pie on a wire rack, then serve (at room temperature or slightly chilled) with a dollop of whipped cream dusted with cinnamon. The covered pie can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.

Shop Joanna Gaines' Pecan Pie Essentials

I'm constantly inspired by Joanna Gaines, but she's perhaps my biggest source of wisdom when it comes to Thanksgiving this year: I'll definitely be investing in some of her favorite green and white vintage tableware, too.

Gathering your loved ones and giving thanks for the year is such a wonderful tradition, and it calls for a Thanksgiving menu that pays homage to the season, feels familiar and comforting, but also a little bit special. This collection of recipes is exactly that.

The most adorable pumpkin starter acts as a prelude to a maple and marmalade-glazed turkey, served with some creative sides. To follow, there's an alternative dessert to serve alongside (or, dare I say, instead of) pumpkin pie, and a warming, spiced cocktail to get you and your guests into the spirit.

And, if you're adding the finishing touches to your plan for the day, don't forget to consult our Thanksgiving hosting guide for expert advice on helping it go without a hitch.

Miniature Baked Pumpkins with Gruyère Fondue

These indulgent mini pumpkin fondues are perfect to serve as an appetizer or conversational sharing dish at a fall gathering or Thanksgiving dinner. Use the finest quality Gruyère you can find for the best results.

Orange and Thyme Roasted Potatoes

It's not Thanksgiving without some beautifully crisp and fluffy roast potatoes, and this take on an essential side dish from Clodagh McKenna combines citrussy orange zest and fragrant thyme for a fresh twist.

Brussels Sprout and Cabbage Slaw

If you're looking for an alternative way to serve Brussels sprouts and red cabbage this year, try this bejewelled winter slaw by Clodagh McKenna, which is a crunchy and fresh dish, with a light, creamy dressing and pops of juicy seasonal fruit.

Mulled Marmalade Glazed Turkey

The tangy marmalade glaze in Clodagh McKenna's turkey recipe brings a delightfully citrussy twist. Consult our guide to the best turkey roasting pans before you start, serve it up on a nostalgic platter (Pottery Barn's Thanksgiving tableware has the perfect heritage look), and let the turkey do the talking.

Butterscotch Mousse with Cardamom Biscuits and Candied Walnuts

This butterscotch mousse is indulgent, yet light, with the warmth of spiced cardamom biscuits and festive candied walnuts scattered over the top. It's the perfect end to your Thanksgiving menu and a worthy alternative to a traditional pumpkin pie.

Whiskey and Spice Hot Toddy

A warming cocktail is just what's needed to signal the change in season and this hot toddy recipe with whiskey, spicy ginger, fruit slices and cinnamon sticks is just the thing. Plus it will make the house smell so festive for when your guests arrive.

If you're looking for more ideas for your Thanksgiving menu, do read our Editorial Director, Anna Last's column, At Anna's Table: Thanksgiving Sides and Pumpkin Pie, which includes some delicious ways with potatoes and a maple-spiked pumpkin pie.

This comforting tipple will fill the house with a festive aroma and make a wonderful aperitif to serve ahead of a deliciously seasonal Thanksgiving menu.

Whiskey & Spice Hot Toddy

Ingredients (serves 8)

• 6 cloves, plus extra to serve
• 2 cinnamon sticks, plus extra to serve
• 2 × ½-inch slices fresh ginger, plus extra to serve
• Pared zest of 2 clementines, plus extra to serve (we love the Microplane Zester at Amazon for best results)
• 6 tablespoons honey
• 1 ⅔ cups whisky
• 2 lemons, sliced
• 3½ cups water

Method

• Place the water, the spices, and clementine zest in a small pan. Bring to a boil, then simmer gently for 10 minutes.
• Stir in the honey and the whisky, then strain into a jug.
• To serve, put a slice of lemon, some spices, and zest into each heatproof glass, (like these Viski Hot Toddy Glasses from Target). Pour in the hot toddy and enjoy.

If you're in charge of the festivities this year, make sure you consult our guide to hosting Thanksgiving like a pro, which is packed with expert tips and tricks for everything from food to decor.

Looking for something a little different for dessert to finish off your Thanksgiving menu? This indulgent yet light mousse brings an unexpected but gorgeous combination of flavours with which to end the meal, the perfect way to satisfy those sweet cravings.

Butterscotch Mousse With Cardamom Biscuits and Candied Walnuts

Ingredients (Serves 8)

• For the candied walnuts
  • 2 ½ cups walnut halves
  • 1 egg white, lightly whisked
  • 6 tablespoons sugar
  • ½ tsp sea salt
  • 1 tbsp ground espresso coffee (or very finely ground coffee)
• For the biscuits
  • 5 cardamom pods
  • 5 tablespoons butter, softened
  • 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
  • 2 tablespoons honey
  • ⅓ cup rice flour
  • ⅔ cup all-purpose flour
• For the mousse
  • 6 tablespoons butter
  • ½ cup sweetened condensed milk
  • ⅔ cup packed light brown sugar
  • 3 ½ cups heavy cream
  • 2 egg whites

Method

• For the candied walnuts
• Preheat the oven to 320°F. Lightly oil a baking tray. Toss the walnuts in a bowl with the egg white. Combine the sugar, salt and coffee in another bowl and stir in the walnuts. Spread them in an even layer on the tray and bake for 20–25 minutes. Leave to cool before transferring to an airtight container, (such as these Amazon Basics Glass Food Storage Containers). Store at room temperature for up to 1 week.
• For the biscuits
• Increase the oven temperature to 340°F. Bruise the cardamom pods to open and pick out the seeds. Grind them in a pestle and mortar (we like this Ceramic Mortar and Pestle from Crate & Barrel), then beat into the butter with the sugar and honey. Sieve in the flours and slowly mix to form a soft dough. Knead lightly with your hands, until smooth, then wrap in cling wrap and chill for 30 minutes.
• Roll the dough out onto a floured surface to the thickness of a pound coin (about ¼ inch). Using a biscuit cutter (try this 3-pc Cookie Cutter Set from Amazon), cut out 2-inch round biscuits, put on a baking sheet, and chill for 10 minutes.
• Bake for 25–30 minutes until golden. Transfer to a wire rack (such as these Stainless Steel Wire Baking Racks from Amazon) to cool once firm enough to handle. They will keep in an airtight container for up to a week.
• For the mousse
• Melt the butter in a small pan over a low heat. Add the condensed milk, then stir in the sugar until it has dissolved. Increase the heat to medium and stir continuously with a wooden spoon for 2 minutes, until thickened and starting to darken. Pour in 1 ¼cups of cream, a little at a time, until combined. Ladle ½ cup of the butterscotch into a small bowl (to serve as the sauce), and pour the rest into a large mixing bowl.
• Once the butterscotch has cooled, whisk the remaining cream in a large bowl until it holds its shape (these Stainless Steel Mixing Bowls from Amazon are ideal). In a separate bowl, whisk the whites to soft peaks.
• Using a large metal spoon, fold the cream into the large bowl with the larger amount of the butterscotch, then fold in the egg whites. Chill for at least 1 hour, or overnight.
• Remove the mousse from the fridge 10 minutes before serving. Heat through the butterscotch sauce. Spoon the mousse onto dessert plates, crumble over some candied walnuts, and serve with the biscuits and a drizzle of butterscotch sauce.

This is a wonderful alternative dessert for Thanksgiving for guests who aren't fans of a traditional options, although in our Editorial Director's column, At Anna's Table, you'll find a delicious twist on a classic pumpkin pie recipe.

Whatever your own traditions, it's just not Thanksgiving without an abundance of the crispiest roast potatoes, covered in lashings of gravy. If you're looking for a clever twist that will really help this essential element of your Thanksgiving menu to stand out from the crowd.

Orange and Thyme Roasted Potatoes

Ingredients (Serves 8)

• 4lbs potatoes (such as Russet)
• 2 oranges
• 3 tablespoons goose fat
• 3 tablespoons chopped thyme leaves
• 2 cloves garlic
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method

• Preheat the oven to 400°F (Gas Mark 6).
• Cut the potatoes in half – or into quarters if they’re very large – so they’re all roughly the same size.
• Place them in a saucepan, cover with cold salted water, bring to a boil, and cook for 8 minutes. Drain.
• Use a vegetable peeler (we like the OXO Good Grips Swivel Vegetable Peeler from Amazon) to remove long strips of peel from the two oranges.
• Place the goose fat in one of the best roasting pans and set it over medium-high heat on the stovetop.
• When the fat is hot, stir in the orange peel, chopped thyme, and garlic cloves.
• Add the potatoes to the pan and season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Toss to coat in the hot fat.
• Transfer the pan to the oven and roast for 30 minutes, basting the potatoes with the goose fat every 10 minutes while they cook (our Cookery Editor recommends the OXO Good Grips Stainless Steel Spoon).

Of course, the star of the show will always be the turkey, and Clodagh's recipe for a mulled marmalade glazed turkey is the perfect centerpiece for your roast potatoes to accompany. Plus, the orange zest will complement the marmalade in the glaze beautifully.

With all the indulgence of the season, a crisp, fresh slaw is the perfect accompaniment to a Thanksgiving menu, adding color, texture and bursts of flavor from the peppery veg and juicy fruits.

Brussels Sprout and Cabbage Slaw

Ingredients (Serves 6)

• 7 oz Brussels sprouts (roughly 2 cups trimmed and halved)
• ½ small red cabbage (3–4 cups shredded)
• 3.5oz black kale/Tuscan kale (3 cups chopped)
• 2 clementines, segmented and roughly chopped
• 1 teaspoon red chilli flakes
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley (these 5-blade herb-chopper scissors from Amazon are ideal for the job)
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped mint
• ⅓ cup crème fraîche
• ⅓ cup mayonnaise
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons pomegranate seeds
• 1 tablespoon pumpkin seeds

Method

• Thinly slice the Brussels sprouts and red cabbage and combine in a large bowl. Cut the thick stems off the kale, shred the leaves and add to the bowl.
• Add the chopped clementine segments, chili flakes, chopped parsley and chopped mint and mix. Add the crème fraîche and mayonnaise, mix well and season to taste. Transfer to a serving bowl and scatter over the pomegranate seeds and pumpkin seeds.

This makes a fresh alternative to the usual Brussels sprout and red cabbage dishes, and works perfectly as a Thanksgiving side, along with Clodagh McKenna's Orange and Thyme Roasted Potatoes.

Is it just me or does daylight saving time end with a thud for everyone? It always puts me in a funk. It conjures up a Winter-is-Coming Game of Thrones dramatic overtone, and the first two weeks I'm in the doldrums, as though I’ve never been through it before. When I’m here in the North Fork, I bemoan the darkness at 4.30 pm. All of a sudden I look up and it's dark out, and so quiet it's as though I’m the only person on earth.

But in the city, where I spend about half my time, it's already Christmas: All sparkly, pop-up stores galore, trees lining the streets, and the atmosphere brimming with that it's-the most-wonderful-time-of-year anticipation. This helps shift my mind to what's to come and, just like that, my seasonal change grieving period is over. My mental lists become paper lists, and I start planning: who is hosting Thanksgiving? (what to cook, who with, and where) and Christmas (whose place, what to wear, and give the kids). And always, what will I be eating?

As an expat, Thanksgiving is not technically my holiday. At home in Australia, spring is turning into summer, and my friends and family are swimming in the ocean, enjoying a seafood feast outdoors, and playing cricket in the backyard with a glass of chilled white.

But here in the US, Thanksgiving has quickly become one of my favorite holidays. I’ve been a part of all kinds of Thanksgivings in my 18 years of living here; family gatherings as traditional as Norman Rockwell paintings, casual, wine-soaked friendsgivings and potluck dinners, expat-style holidays (one host controversially rebelled by serving porchetta with crackling instead of turkey and gravy), restaurant dinners (always a relief every now and then) and destination celebrations (as I will be this year).

Combine all of those gatherings with a career in an industry that takes Thanksgiving very seriously (I was previously the Editor of Martha Stewart’s food magazine and the Creative Director for Williams-Sonoma), and I think it’s fair to say that, even as an expat, I have come up with a few best practices that any host can benefit from. (For more practical ideas, consult Homes & Gardens' very helpful Thanksgiving checklist for a stress-free holiday).

My Top Tips for Hosting Holiday Gatherings

1. Make what you can in advance (gravy, cranberry sauce, vegetables, casseroles)
2. Set the table a few days before
3. Place the platters with sticky notes to label the dish name on each
4. Outsource pies or sides if it's potluck – even if it's not, people love to contribute.
5. Set up your home bar, glassware, ice buckets, booze, so it's ready to serve on the day
6. Create a list of small kitchen tasks in advance – people also like to help, so give them something to chop or stir.
7. Stock up on storage containers, for prep and because leftovers are the best.
8. If you are like me and often making it up as you go along, I’ve discovered AI is an enormous help for quick questions or recipe troubleshooting on the fly.

And although I have been to my fair share of, shall we say, less-than-traditional Thanksgivings, I have learned that, for most, there are three real non-negotiables: turkey, potatoes, and pumpkin pie. There is leeway with the rest, and debates to be had: stuffing inside or outside the bird (you need both, in my opinion), sausage or not (I’m the latter). Potatoes can also be contested: Is mashed a must-do, or would you consider the gratin, or even a hasselback?

What’s certain is that Thanksgiving tables today are a blend of nostalgic, time-honored recipes and fresh ideas – bright salads bursting with flavor, roasted vegetables with tangy dressings, and other newcomers that bring balance to the feast. Who knows, perhaps these are the new non-negotiables. Here are a few of mine.

Decadent New Non-Negotiable Potatoes

Inspired by the classic French gratin dauphinois, these mini versions are baked in a muffin tin (I like this non-stick muffin pan from Williams Sonoma) for delightfully individual, creamy golden stacks. This recipe is rich with the addition of Gruyère or Taleggio cheese, but you can simplify the flavour by omitting these and the leeks. You may need to trim the potatoes to fit your muffin cups.

Recipe: Mini Dauphinoise Potato Gratins

• Lightly butter or spray with olive oil a non-stick 12-cup muffin tin, and dust each cup lightly with finely grated Parmesan. In a small pan, melt 2 tablespoons butter over medium heat and sauté 1 finely sliced leek (white and pale green parts only) for 4–6 minutes, until softened. Add ¾ cup heavy cream, 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard, and season with salt and freshly ground pepper. Stir in 2 tablespoons finely snipped chives and simmer for a few minutes to thicken slightly. If it becomes too thick, loosen with a little cream or milk.
• Thinly slice about 2 pounds potatoes on a mandoline (I like the OXO Good Grips Mandoline, available from Amazon) – roughly ⅛ inch thick – I used new potatoes, but Sebago or another roasting variety also suits. Arrange the slices, overlapping as needed, to touch the sides and fill each cup halfway. Spoon over about 1½ teaspoons leek-cream mixture and top each with a slice of Gruyère or Taleggio. Continue layering until just above the rim, then top each with the remaining leek-cream mixture, 1 teaspoon Parmesan, and a thyme sprig.
• Cover the tin loosely with foil, leaving a small vent at one corner. Bake at 400°F (200°C) for 35–40 minutes, until the potatoes are tender, then uncover and bake another 15–20 minutes, until golden and bubbling at the edges. Rest for 5–7 minutes, then run a thin knife around each edge to loosen and lift out gently and serve warm.

A Bright, Crunchy Salad for the Thanksgiving Table

I first had this salad at a local restaurant in West Hampton and was intrigued by the combination of Asian flavours with winter greens, peanuts and Parmesan – bright and hearty all at the same time, which often makes a great Thanksgiving side. While researching, I found it’s a cult favourite at a restaurant chain here, with plenty of copycat versions online. Here’s mine. You can prep the ingredients a few days ahead.

Recipe: Winter Green Salad with Peanut and Parmesan Dressing

• In a blender or jar, combine ⅓ cup rice vinegar , 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 2 tablespoons sugar, a squeeze of lime and 1 tablespoon spicy brown mustard. Whizz together in one of the best food processors with ½ cup olive oil and ⅓ cup peanut oil until smooth and emulsified. I like these Made In Measuring Cups for perfect portioning.
• Thinly slice a mix of chopped kale, cabbage, radicchio, and finely sliced Brussels sprouts, then toss them in a large bowl with 3 sliced scallions, a handful of torn mint leaves, and a handful of cilantro.
• Add ⅔ cup roasted, chopped peanuts and 1 cup finely grated Parmesan and toss with the dressing. Let it sit for 15–30 minutes to allow the flavours to develop and the greens to soften. Before serving, sprinkle with more peanuts and Parmesan.

Your New Favorite Sweet Potato Dish

The combination of lime, sherry vinegar, and maple syrup cuts through the sweetness of the roasted potatoes, while toasted hazelnuts add depth and crunch.

Recipe: Caramelized Roasted Sweet Potatoes with maple and lime brown butter

• Heat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Halve 6–8 small sweet potatoes lengthwise, about 3 inches long, and place them on an unlined baking sheet with 3 tablespoons oil and a pinch of salt. Toss to coat, then turn cut side down and roast for 25–35 minutes, checking after 20, until golden and caramelized.
• While they roast, melt 4 tablespoons butter in a skillet over medium–low heat. Add 1 cup chopped hazelnuts and cook, stirring, until the nuts and butter are deeply golden – about 4–6 minutes.
• Remove from the heat and stir in the juice of 1 lime, 2 tablespoons maple syrup, and 1 tablespoon sherry vinegar immediately. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer the roasted sweet potatoes to a serving platter and spoon over hazelnuts and brown butter dressing. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Which brings me to another non-negotiable, Pumpkin pie; to my expat mind, pumpkin is a vegetable, not a dessert ingredient. Once as a newly minted editor in the US at a food magazine, putting together the annual Thanksgiving menu, which was a bit of a chore due to said non-negotiables, I made the ultimate faux pas and asked if we could skip the ol’ PP that year. The room went silent. I redeemed myself with the solution: serve more than one kind of pie ok? This was absolutely acceptable.

I do not love pumpkin pie, I often find them cloyingly sweet and too loaded with cinnamon and spice (there are always a few of us at the dessert buffet eyeing it suspiciously, taking the smallest portion possible). This year however, I decided not to be a hater and take it as a challenge to make a pumpkin pie I would be happy to eat, and more importantly to serve. So here you have it.

A Game-Changing Pumpkin Pie

If, like me, you’ve never quite understood the appeal of pumpkin pie – too sweet, too spiced, too much – this one might change your mind. I used butternut squash instead of canned pumpkin and it's a gamechanger. It’s silky, balanced, and bourbon-scented, with roasted squash is sweet enough and slightly caramelized. The filling can be made ahead, refrigerated overnight, or frozen unbaked and thawed before use. Use a store-bought or your favourite homemade crust, blind-baked and ready to fill. If you like a spicier pie - add a little more cinnamon or ginger. It's up to you, (just don't freeze the whole uncooked pie, or you will get a soggy bottom).

Recipe: Bourbon and Maple Syrup Pumpkin Pie

• Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). On a parchment-lined sheet pan, toss 1 pound peeled and cubed butternut squash with a light spray or drizzle of olive oil. Roast for 20–30 minutes, until tender and lightly caramelized. Pulse the cooled squash in a food processor or blender until completely smooth, scraping down as needed. You will have around 1 ¾ cups.
• Add 3 eggs, 1 cup heavy cream, ¼ cup brown sugar, ¼ cup pure maple syrup, and 1 tablespoon dark muscovado sugar (optional), 2–3 tablespoons bourbon, 1 teaspoon ground ginger, ¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon grated nutmeg, a pinch salt, and 2 teaspoons lemon juice for brightness and a few drops vanilla extract. Blend in one of the best blender-food-processor combos.
• Pour the filling into your prepared pie crust and bake in a preheated 325°F oven until just set with a slight wobble in the center, about 45–55 minutes. Cool completely before serving. Serve at room temperature with vanilla bean ice cream or whipped cream.

As my very first Thanksgiving host here in the US told me, 'It's really just about getting a bunch of randoms together – um, no offense – to eat and drink too much and have a good time.' No offense taken, I was charmed by this sentiment and have taken it to heart as the mark of what makes a truly great Thanksgiving. Afterall, no gifts means no pressure and everyone is welcome (even the 'randoms'). At the risk of sounding a little Hallmark-y (though, ‘tis the season) it really is about giving thanks, and that is a very lovely thing in itself.

Styling it Up

As I will be on a boat in the sun far away from the chill of November this year (destination celebration!). But if I were hosting here are my favourite Thanksgiving table decor ideas for this year. I’m big on adding to what you have with a few new things to refresh your family heirlooms. This season I’m loving mixing snowy white Damask tablecloths (like this Beauregard by Garnier Thiebaut tablecloth from Fine Linens), mixed with brown or green plaid, gingham, or striped runners in rust colors, pomegranate reds, with blue dinnerware and serveware, plus maybe a touch of gold.

Wishing everyone a wonderful Thanksgiving, whatever your approach is this year – eat, drink, be merry, and give thanks. I'll be on a boat heading to Key West, where we'll be celebrating dockside. Back in two weeks, sharing my best ideas for snackity bits (read: hors d'oeuvres) for holiday entertaining and beyond, which I love and sometimes wish I could just have for dinner. Follow along for my Thanksgiving-in-the-sun adventures @Anna_Last on Insta and more in my newsletter Bread & Gravy.

At Anna's Table is a biweekly column and modern guide to Savoir-Faire, in which Homes & Gardens' Editorial Director, Anna Last, shares a glimpse into the mindset of the moment, as well as what she's doing in her kitchen and bringing to the table with the best of the season's produce.

There is no vegetable more evocative of fall and winter than the pumpkin, yet there are so many other ways to cook with it than just baking it in a pie – for example, they provide an excellent and delicious vessel for a bubbling fondue. These mini pumpkin fondues make a wonderful starter for a Thanksgiving menu.

Miniature Baked Pumpkins With Gruyère Fondue

Ingredients (Serves 4)

• 4 small pumpkins or winter squash (about 1–1½ lb each)
• 3½ tablespoons soft salted butter
• Handful of sage leaves (about ¼ cup)
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1½ cups dry white wine
• ⅔ cup milk
• 4 cups grated Gruyère cheese
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• Crusty bread, for serving, such as baguette or sourdough

Method

• Pre-heat the oven to 400°F. Slice the top off each pumpkin, about a quarter of the way down. Scrape the seeds out of the pumpkins and the tops using a spoon (or a specific tool such as this Chef'n 3-in-1 pumpkin tool from Amazon). If the seeds are plump and shiny, rinse and reserve. Rub the insides of the pumpkins and the tops with most of the butter.
• Pop a sage leaf or two into each pumpkin and season, then stand on a baking tray (we recommend a non-stick one like this Caraway Ceramic baking sheet, from Amazon), with the tops tucked in alongside. Roast for 40 minutes, until the flesh is tender and the skin is beginning to darken. Remove from the oven and set aside. Turn the oven down to 350°F.
• Pour the wine into a medium saucepan and bring to the boil for a few seconds. Reduce the heat so that the wine is barely simmering. At the same time, pour the milk into a small saucepan and gently warm through. Toss 3½ cups of the grated Gruyère with the flour to coat the strands.
• Add the flour-coated cheese to the wine, a small handful at a time, stirring between each addition and making sure the cheese has melted smoothly before adding more. Gradually whisk in the hot milk, then season.
• Divide this mixture between the pumpkins, filling them almost to the top. Rub the remaining butter over the rest of the sage leaves and place on and around the pumpkins, along with a handful of pumpkin seeds, if they were reserved.
• Top the pumpkins with the remaining Gruyère and return to the oven for 15-20 minutes, until bubbling and golden. Serve with warm crusty bread for dipping and spoons to eat the flesh of the pumpkin containers.

Looking for more pumpkin recipes to make the most of this harvest favorite while it's at its best? We have a whole collection here, featuring fragrant Asian-inspired soup, a baked lamb dish, and honeycomb hotcakes made with squash.

If you're looking for the perfect centerpiece for your Thanksgiving menu, award-winning cookbook author, and TV presenter Clodagh McKenna brings an impressive twist on a traditional roast turkey recipe. If you spotted her in our recent How I Host with Clodagh McKenna video, you'll be eager to replicate her fabulously cozy entertaining style for fall, and Thanksgiving is the perfect chance to steal a few of her foodie and styling tips.

Clodagh McKenna's Mulled Marmalade Glazed Turkey

Ingredients (Serves 6 - 8)

• For the turkey
• 1 free-range or organic turkey (about 9–10lbs)
• 2 bunches of thyme and sage (roughly 2 small bunches each, or about ½ cup of fresh thyme leaves and ½ cup of fresh sage leaves, loosely packed)
• 70 g butter (about 5 tablespoons)
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• For the glaze
• 1 jar marmalade (about 1½ cups)
• 2-inch piece of ginger, peeled
• 8 cloves
• 1 stick cinnamon
• 1 star anise
• For the roasting pan
• 4 shallots, peeled and halved
• 6 carrots, peeled and cut into 3-inch pieces
• 4 parsnips, peeled and cut into 3-inch pieces
• 4 beets peeled and quartered
• 1 whole head of garlic, halved crosswise through the center
• 1 small bunch fresh thyme
• 1 small bunch fresh sage

Clodagh McKenna's Method

• Make the marmalade glaze the day before you start the turkey. Place the marmalade in a small saucepan over low heat to melt. Stud the ginger piece with the cloves and add it to the pan along with the cinnamon stick and star anise. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and let it infuse for at least 2 hours or overnight. When ready to use, gently rewarm the glaze and strain it through a fine sieve to remove the spices and any orange peel. Set aside.
• Take the turkey out of the refrigerator about an hour before roasting so it can come to room temperature – this helps ensure tender, evenly cooked meat. Preheat the oven to 450°F. Remove the giblets, rinse the cavity, and pat dry thoroughly with paper towels. Season the cavity with salt and pepper, and place some of the thyme and sage inside. Scatter the rest of the herbs around the bird in the roasting pan (our Cookware Editor, Lydia, named the Hestan Provisions Classic Roaster, available at Macy's, the best in our guide).
• Using the back of a spoon (or your fingers), gently loosen the turkey skin and rub butter under and over the skin. Season generously with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Place the turkey in the preheated oven. Roast for 45 minutes at 450°F, then remove from the oven, baste with pan juices, and reduce the temperature to 350°F. Cover the turkey loosely with aluminum foil and return it to the oven. Continue roasting for about 3 more hours, or adjust the cooking time according to the size of your turkey and baste every 45 minutes.
• Add the vegetables around the turkey in the roasting tin and baste in the juices 45 minutes before the turkey is due to come out of the oven (we recommendthe OXO Good Grips Turkey Baster from Amazon). Brush the turkey all over with the marmalade glaze for the final 5 minutes of roasting.
• Check to see if the bird is cooked by inserting a skewer into the thickest part of the thigh; the juices should run clear. When you have taken the turkey out of the oven, leave it to rest for 30 minutes with a loose tent of aluminum foil to keep it warm. This will allow the juices to redistribute themselves, giving tastier meat. Brush the turkey with any remaining glaze just before serving.

British-born cookery writer, Skye McAlpine, has lived in her beloved Venice for over three decades. She is the author of four beautiful cookbooks, which, along with her stunning recipes, offer a veritable feast of seasonal styling inspiration from fall table decor ideas through Christmas and beyond.

Skye has collaborated with brands including Anthropologie and Papier on tabletop collections that capture her relaxed and elegant approach to hosting, and launched her own dedicated tableware collection, Tavola, in 2021, which brings her playful and storied aesthetic to special gatherings.

Her books reflect that beautifully warm and nostalgic essence, too, from A Table in Venice (Clarkson Potter), which is an homage to the food of her childhood in Italy, to A Table for Friends (Bloomsbury) – a celebration of Skye's long-ingrained passion for gathering with loved ones to share food – and A Table Full of Love, which is packed with recipes to comfort, seduce, spoil, nourish, and cocoon.

As she celebrates the launch of her new book, The Christmas Companion (Bloomsbury) Skye joins Homes & Gardens for our latest How I Host video, to share her styling tips and favorite holiday recipes for a gorgeously unfussy, yet memorable Christmas.

Homes & Gardens' How I Host Video

How Skye Creates A Welcoming and Generous Festive Table

'I love this time of year because it’s a wonderful excuse to bring the people that you love together and go over the top,' shares Skye as she lays a simple white tablecloth over her rustic wooden table, which is flanked by Bentwood chairs painted in a vibrant forest green. 'You either want to start with a bare surface of the table or with a tablecloth, but it feels very "special occasion" to have a white tablecloth,' she adds, before layering up her place settings.

'These plates, which are part of my own range, (Fiocco Plates at Tavola), are hand-painted with bows – I love bows. They’re green and red, so they feel like very festive, celebratory colors.' Skye stresses the importance of having complementary tableware to serve your carefully planned and prepared dishes on.

'I love adding a little vintage something - old things add story and character,' says Skye as she adds her Tavola Vintage Napkins to each place setting, folded diamond-style to show off the beautiful hand-embroidered detailing. 'I’m definitely a big believer in fabric napkins, as I think they just feel so luxurious. If you’ve got a nice big cotton napkin that you can drape over your lap, it makes you feel very welcome.'

Next, she selects some beautiful amber glassware from her enviable floor-to-ceiling cabinet – creating your own hosting closet like Skye's is a wonderful way to store and show off your favorite pieces. 'These glasses were a wedding present, so they are very precious to me,' explains Skye. 'They’re a beautiful Champagne color, which almost feels golden and feels quite celebratory.'

'One thing that I love at Christmas is a salad, as I think you eat so much rich food that it’s nice to have a pop of freshness, and I love red chicory because it looks so festive,' Skye shares. She separates the deep red and white leaves and places them onto her Bianco Serving Dish, which she drizzles with her 'go-to' mayonnaise dressing, made with olive oil vinegar and sometimes a little mustard. 'I like to use fresh crisp leaves and use different kinds of leaves for that contrast of texture and shape,' Skye adds. 'Then I like to toss in extras – blue cheese, pomegranate seeds and nuts.' For this recipe she uses caramelized pecans. 'It's super indulgent and makes it feel that extra bit special.'

As she places a selection of different-sized glass taper candle holders along the table, with bright red taper candles (try these smokeless taper candles from Amazon), Skye continues: 'I like having different height candleholders as I think it adds a bit of drama.' It's touches like this that add her signature understated glamor to her gatherings. 'Imagine yourself wearing a ballgown but going barefoot. Very celebratory but also warm and cozy and comfortable – that's the mood I want to create,' she smiles.

Having grown up in Venice surrounded by incredible opulence and architecture, Skye muses, 'the buildings are like nowhere else in the world, but they’re often crumbling. That actually translates really well to a table.' She continues, 'you want it to feel opulent and over the top, but also kind of imperfect.' For that same reason, a lot of her inspiration comes from Georgian or Victorian tables, she explains, as she delivers bowl after bowl of ripe seasonal fruits, whole walnuts in their shells, (‘they always make me think of Christmas because I have them in my stocking’), marzipan fruits, gold and silver sugared almonds and candycanes to the table.

The Nutcracker Ballet is another source of inspiration for this treat-laden tablescape, which is full of 'beautiful, spoiling, and joyful things that you wouldn’t have at your table on an average day.’ For her finishing touch, Skye adds lots of gold coins scattered all over and around her table decor. 'It’s something that my mother always does on her Christmas table, so for me it wouldn’t be Christmas if there weren’t gold coins everywhere,' she shares.

So, what would her friends say about her hosting style? 'They would describe it as chaotic,' she laughs. 'I hope they’d say fun, friendly, and probably slightly greedy, too, as there’s always lots of food!'

Skye McAlpine's Festive Recipes

Skye shares three beautifully colorful and indulgent dishes from her latest cookbook: The Christmas Companion. 'It’s perfect for the festive season,' she says. 'We’re going to start with a lovely gnocchi gratin, made with a crumbling of toasted panettone on top, a fresh red chicory salad, then roasted sprouts, and to finish off, a gingerbread, cranberry and zabaione trifle.'

Gnocchi and Pumpkin Gratin

'I love this dish because it’s really comforting,' explains Skye. 'Pumpkin, gnocchi and sage is such a classic combination in Italian cooking, but I add in, controversially, quite a lot of grated Cheddar which is a British cheese and this is an Italian dish'. The addition of the panettone however, roots it back in Italy and brings a 'touch of sweetness that feels really festive,' Skye adds. 'So much of the way I cook is influenced by Italy, It is home for me and I have a lot of childhood memories from there, especially around the festive season.'

Ingredients (serves 6)

• 2.8 oz panettone (about 1 cup or 80g torn into small pieces)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 medium red onion, thinly sliced
• 12 oz (about 2½ cups or 350g) chopped pumpkin or squash
• Small bunch of sage (about 10–12 leaves)
• 2 teaspoons (10g) salted butter
• 1.1 lb (500g) gnocchi
• ⅓ cup (100ml) light or half-and-half cream
• 7 oz (about 1 ¾ cups or 200g) mild Cheddar cheese, grated
• 1.4 oz (about ½ cup or 40g) Parmesan cheese, finely grated

Method

• Heat the oven to 350˚F (180˚C). Tear the panettone into small pieces, spread out on a roasting dish, then toast in the hot oven for 6–8 minutes until lightly golden. Set aside.
• Heat the oil in a large, ideally ovenproof, pan. Add the onion and fry gently for 3–5 minutes, until translucent and soft.
• Now add the pumpkin or squash, sage and butter, frying gently over a medium heat for 5–10 minutes until the pumpkin starts to colour. Now reduce the heat a little, cover the pan and cook for a further 10–15 minutes until the pumpkin has softened (if you insert a knife, you should feel little by way of resistance).
• Take off the heat, add the gnocchi, cream and Cheddar, then toss together. (If your pan wasn’t ovenproof, transfer everything to an oven dish at this point.)
• Crumble over the panettone and sprinkle over the Parmesan. Cover with foil. At this point, you can cool to room temperature, then cover and store in the fridge for up to 2 days before baking.
• Set the gratin in the oven (at 350˚F or 180˚C) for 20 minutes, then uncover and bake for a further 10 minutes until the cheese is all melted and lightly golden on top. Serve immediately, while still piping hot.

Sticky Roast Sprouts with Dates and Pistachios

'It’s not really Christmas if you don’t have sprouts,' says Skye. 'I love this way of cooking them where you roast them in the oven, toss them with a sticky sauce, which is made with dates that almost caramelize.' Finally, Skye sprinkles over some chopped pistachios which adds a delicious crunch. 'If I could only eat Brussels sprouts cooked this way for the rest of my life I’d honestly die a very happy woman,' she exclaims'.

Ingredients (Serves 8)

• 1¾ lb (6 cups or 800g) Brussels sprouts, trimmed
• 1½ oz (3 tablespoons or 40g) salted butter
• 2–3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 3½ oz (⅔ cup or 100g) dates, pitted and chopped
• ¼ cup (4 tablespoons) extra virgin olive oil
• 3 oz (¾ cup or 90g) pistachios, coarsely chopped (optional)
• Sea salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Method

• Cut the sprouts in half and toss onto a baking tray, spreading them out in a single layer.
• In a large pan, melt the butter over a medium heat. Once melted, increase the heat and add the balsamic vinegar and chopped dates, along with a generous pinch of salt and a very generous grinding of black pepper. Let bubble away for 2–3 minutes, until the sauce is thickened into something that looks like bubbling molasses. Remove from the heat.
• Heat the oven to 425˚F (220˚C). Line a large baking tray with foil.
• Drizzle the oil over the sprouts, season very generously with salt, and roast for 15–20 minutes, until crisp and tender. Meanwhile, reheat the date sauce.
• Add the roasted Brussels sprouts to the pan of date sauce and stir to coat, then sprinkle with pistachios, if you like, before serving.

Gingerbread, Cranberry and Zabaione Trifle

'Last but not least, we have the trifle,' says Skye. 'The bottom layer is sticky spiced gingerbread, which is so rich and innately tastes like Christmas, then there’s a layer of tart cranberry sauce, zabaione custard.' If that wasn't indulgent enough, it's topped with whipped cream and toasted almonds. 'It just says "massive festive celebration" and encourages everyone dig in with a spoon.’

Ingredients (serves 8-10)

• 1 lb 4½ oz (580g) ginger cake (such as Jamaica Ginger Cake, available from Amazon)
• 10½ oz (1¼ cups or 300g) cranberry sauce
• 12 egg yolks
• 1 cup (200g) sugar
• ½ cup + 2 tablespoons (140ml) Amaretto
• 1 oz (¼ cup or 30g) flaked almonds
• 3¾ cups (900ml) heavy cream

Method

• Slice the ginger cake into 2–3cm-thick pieces and arrange in a trifle dish in a single layer, squishing the pieces of sticky cake together with your fingers so the entire area is covered. Now spoon the cranberry sauce over the cake, spreading it out evenly.
• Fill a pan up to one-third full of water, set it over a medium heat and bring to the boil. Put the egg yolks and sugar into a heatproof bowl and best with an electric whisk – plugged in (if they need to be) close to the stove – for 2–3 minutes, or until you have a light, fluffy and voluminous mass.
• As the mixture begins to froth up, set the bowl over the pan of gently simmering water, taking care that the hot water doesn’t touch the bowl. Keep whisking until the mixture is thick enough for a trail of it to remain on the surface when drizzled over from the whisk. Slowly pour in the Amaretto, whisking all the while. This should take 3–5 minutes, and as you add the liquid, the zabaione will double in size and thicken. Remove the bowl from the heat and let the zabaione cool to room temperature, whisking occasionally to prevent a skin from forming.
• Toss the flaked almonds into a non-stick frying pan and set over a medium heat. Toast for 2–3 minutes, shaking the pan from time to time to move the shards of nuts about, until they are lightly golden. Take off the heat and set aside.
• In a second bowl, whip 400ml of the double cream until soft peaks form, taking care not to over-whip. Gently fold the whipped cream into the cooled zabaione and spoon the yellow, Amaretto-scented custard into the trifle dish, over the cranberry sauce, spreading it out evenly.
• Store in the fridge, covered, for up to 36 hours. Alternatively, freeze for up to 3 months, then defrost overnight in the fridge before adding the whipped cream and nuts.
• When ready to serve, whip the remaining cream to soft peaks, spoon it over the layer of zabaione and sprinkle over the toasted flaked almonds. You can prepare this up to 24 hours before serving and keep it in the fridge until you’re ready for pudding.

Shop Skye's Fabulously Festive Look

From specialist pieces selected from her own Tavola collection, to suggestions from some of Homes & Gardens' favorite retailers, to help you get the look, here's what you need to create a fabulously festive table in the style of Skye McAlpine.

How I Host, an exclusive Homes & Gardens video series that invites us into the homes of chefs, entertainers, and tastemakers who celebrate the art of gathering. Each guest shares their own approach to hosting, weaving together memory and nostalgia with personal style – from timeless tablescapes inspired by family traditions to menus that tell a story. Expect ideas, recipes, and small gestures that turn every occasion into something beautifully memorable.

It's this time of year again – that moment just after Halloween – where I realize I’ve (yet again) not been particularly organized in planning for the months ahead. November and December are filled with all the best things: friends, family, travel, food, and drink. It's an indulgent season, to be sure. And though it’s a marvellous time, it can also be an exhausting time, working through the Christmas hosting prep and beyond. I know as soon as Christmas Day passes (namely, Boxing Day for the Aussies and Brits), I will be out of gas and most likely eating ham on toast for most of the day.

At this moment, though, I'm enjoying the calm before the frenzy of feasts, and that involves creating comforting food and cozy spaces that ward off the chill in the air. By now we’ve been through the back-to-everything sprint of September, tidied the garden (ish… still much still to do here), have had the first fire of the season, and are enjoying that easy kind of cooking and entertaining that is the Sunday lunch.

The Easy Art of a Sunday Lunch

I do love a Sunday Roast, though this year I’ve been a little less grand-plan-roast-y and a little more casual figure-it-out-as-you-go-along-y. Nevertheless, there is still a sense of theatre: The more formal dinnerware comes out, and the rumpled, devil-may-care washed linens and bistro glasses are replaced with more considered fall table decor ideas, pressed napkins and wine glasses with stems. There is still room for whimsy on the table though (always!), and my table arrangements tend towards the more sculptural sticks-in-a-jar foraging style, starring large branches of autumn colors (I've been raiding my crepe myrtle for stems) or the end-of-seasons blooms (have I mentioned my dahlia table arrangements?!).

Freezer as Muse

It's also the time of year I seriously start batch-cooking – cauldrons of chicken broth and fragrant herb sauces, using up my glut of end-of-season leafy herbs, and enough Bolognaise sauce to feed a rugby team. My freezer makes it look as if I'm some sort of crazed food hoarder preparing for imagined months of scarcity, ignoring that there is nothing scarce about November and December, ever. But growing up on a farm in rural Australia, some distance from the nearest supermarket, the goal was always to preserve as much as possible and not waste a thing, so an organized freezer brimming with food is in my DNA.

This habit really comes in handy when figuring out what to cook for Sunday lunch because, in order to fit more in the freezer, something must come out. I unearthed pork chops, slice-and-bake cheese biscuits (good, quick pre-dinner drink pairing), aforementioned chicken stock, red wine syrup spiked with aromatics, and some frozen plums. There was also a chicken stew (and more slow cooker recipes) I had forgotten was there (more of a weekday affair), frozen nuts (the best way to store these), boiled new potatoes, some lovely pre-made pastry, and even a chocolate cake. This is not to say I had everything pre-cooked for the menu, but a little help can go a long way.

The Warm-Up Act

I begin with the chicken stock, simmered until reduced by at least a third and transformed to a rich deep golden shade. Add salt to taste, plus a few grinds of pepper, and serve it with a little dry sherry like they do at one of my favourite restaurants in New York, Antons. This combination has served as a simple make-ahead appetizer at many a dinner party: The flavor is deep and satisfying as only chicken soup can be, with the sherry cutting through to give it some edge. I serve it in vintage tea cups so it looks impressive, tastes delicious and nourishing, and it always earns a few oohs and aahs.

The Main Event

For Sunday lunch I’m serving the doctored-up broth with pork chops on fennel, onion and apple with smashed potatoes on the side and a Plum and Fig Clafloutis. Most can be prepped in advance, so you can spend more time on table drama.

Roast Pork Chops with Fennel, Onion and Apple (serves 2-4)

• Preheat the oven to 400°F.
• Pat 2-4 thick-cut pork chops dry and season with salt, black pepper, and about 2 teaspoons each crushed caraway and coriander seeds, pressing them into the meat.
• Heat a cast-iron pan over medium–high with a little oil and sear the chops with a sprig of rosemary for about 2 minutes per side until browned, then remove to a plate.
• In the same pan, add 2 sliced fennel bulbs and 1 sliced onion with a pinch of salt and pepper (and a little more oil if needed) and cook 5–7 minutes until lightly caramelized.
• Add 1 thinly sliced apple and stir briefly, then return the pork on top and transfer the pan to the oven for 8–10 minutes until just cooked through.
• Rest the pork for 3–4 minutes, then stir 1–2 tablespoons sherry vinegar (to taste) into the fennel and apple and spoon onto a plate.
• Crisp a few sage leaves in butter and scatter them over the pork to serve, slicing the chops across the grain and place on top of the fennel and apple.

Crisp Smashed Potatoes

I always have a stash of baby or new parboiled potatoes in the freezer, the first step in this genius method for prepping the ever-reliable spud: The freezing makes them even crispier.

• Pour some frozen potatoes onto a baking dish, spray or drizzle with olive oil (or duck fat) and place in a preheated 450°F oven until soft-ish, about 15 minutes.
• While still warm, smash each potato gently with the back of a jar or tumbler so they split and flatten with craters at the tops, then drizzle with more olive oil all over (the spray works perfectly here) and roast until crisp and browned, about 20-25 minutes.
• Serve sprinkled with salt or herbs to taste.

Plum and Fig Clafoutis

• Butter a 9×13" baking dish and sprinkle the base with turbinado sugar (optional).
• Toss 6 plums (quartered) and 6–8 fresh figs (halved) with about 2–3 tbsp cooled red wine syrup (you'll find the recipe for this in my last column on figs and dahlias) (also optional), to just lightly coat.
• Arrange the fruit cut-side up in the dish. In one of the best food processors, blend 1 cup whole milk, 3 large eggs, ½ cup sugar, 1 tsp vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt, then add ½ cup all-purpose flour and pulse briefly until smooth (the batter can be made ahead and chilled up to 24 hours).
• Pour the batter gently over the fruit and bake at 350°F for 40–50 minutes, until puffed and lightly golden. Serve warm with mascarpone and more red wine syrup.

Styling it Up

I’ve been so inspired by the fall landscape and wildlife colors this year – I even saw a pheasant near my home in the North Fork a few weeks ago – that I can’t resist setting a gorgeous table with a fall dinner party theme, even for a simple Sunday lunch. Sometimes I find whimsy in restraint, keeping things spare and simple; other times, I add a hint of drama where quiet would have done just fine. Here, I have set a foundation of a foliage-inspired tablecloth and layered fall colors and textures in the linen and glassware. I’m using my vintage Sanssouci Rosenthal dinner set, Italia wine glasses, and some amber glassware with the mushroom-shaped bud vases I scored at White Flower, a Vintage Garden and Flower Shop, which is near my house in Southold, North Fork.

For flowers, I make it up as I go along. There is not a lot of expertise and certainly no equipment involved, so often it is a feat of engineering that the stems stay in the non-arrangement arrangement. I do like to group certain flowers and add something unexpected. My go-to fall flower and foliage decor idea has been magnolia leaves for structure, with groupings of sedum, dahlias, dried hydrangeas, and hellebores (the only store-bought flower, but I do love them), and now I’m adding some long stems of rosemary.

Savor this time before the season completely ramps, cook for one, two, or a crowd. Spend the day cooking or fling it together. Cook simply, make it gorgeous, and get ready to dive right in.

This & That

• The one thing: a good quality food processor is the work horse of the kitchen, there are good brands at different price points. I like this Cuisinart 50th anniversary edition food processor from Williams Sonoma for its nostalgic look.
• Invest in: well-designed flatware. You use it every day, and a quality set should last through all the daily meals and parties. I have had this Astier de Villatte stainless steel flatware set from John Derian, and I still love it. I've also been looking at this beautiful Bean and Bone collection from RW Guild, the perfect mix of modern simplicity.
• For the table: If you are looking for linen napkins to update your table this season, these Eastfork Italian linen napkins come in all the rusty hues of fall. I’ve been obsessed with the Hortus Home tablecloth ever since I saw it at Field & Supply Market in the Hudson Valley. And the mushroom bud vases from White Flower. Nate, the owner, has a truly beautiful eye for vintage and new garden and flora-inspired pieces.
• Coveting: this Tiffany Twist Tumbler has been handcrafted and mouth-blown in Murano, Italy.
• Cooking from: Ottolenghi's Simple (at Amazon) – I return to this for inspiration again and again
• Listening to: The Diary of a CEO, this long-format podcast hosts conversation with thought leaders on everything from health topics to relationships, and business leadership.

Finds of the Week

The leaves are turning, the oven’s on, and the table’s set — I can’t think of a better way to ease into the season. See you in two weeks for the next chapter.

At Anna's Table is a biweekly column and modern guide to Savoir-Faire, in which Homes & Gardens' Editorial Director, Anna Last, shares a glimpse into the mindset of the moment, as well as what she's doing in her kitchen and bringing to the table with the best of the season's produce.

On any given Wednesday at her home in Nashville, cookbook author (Simple Beautiful Food) and restaurant owner, Amanda Frederickson is standing in front of her open refrigerator, phone in hand, chatting to her Instagram followers (@amandafrederickson) about what she can throw together from what’s inside. This is Fridge Foraging – the series she started as a playful challenge and which has since become a cult favorite among home cooks who love her mix of humor, practicality, and unfussy good taste

In each episode, she turns a few overlooked ingredients from an organized refrigerator – half a bunch of kale, leftover rice, maybe an egg or two – into something satisfying and smart, reminding her followers (all 100k+ of them) that dinner doesn’t need to be perfect to be good.

It’s that same easy-going, real-world approach that guides her life off-camera. Frederickson is the owner of Radish, a bright, health-focused restaurant in Nashville serving fresh salads and grain bowls, and its sister concept Little Rad Market, known for its freezer meals made from scratch. Between running two restaurants, writing cookbooks, and raising two young kids, she’s living the same busy, modern juggle as her audience.

Weeknight Wins

'Weeknight cooking is not easy,' she says. 'I always joke that the next great reality TV cooking show should be moms cooking when they have tired and hangry kids waiting for their meals.' Her family eats early – around six – so she preps as much as possible in the morning. 'Not in the traditional meal prep way,' she clarifies, 'but I look at the recipe and ask: what can I do now that will make five o’clock easier?' And on the nights she can’t manage it, she turns to Radish or Little Rad, where the freezer is organized with ready-made meals like veggie-packed bolognese. 'Even last night, that’s what we had for dinner,' she admits. 'Lots of vegetables – don’t tell my kids.'

For Frederickson, success at dinnertime isn’t about the menu – it’s about the moment. 'If the four of us are sitting down together, that’s a win,' she says. 'I used to worry about what my kids were eating, but I’ve noticed if we all sit together and no one leaves the table until we’re done, they eat more. It’s valuable just to be together.'

Don't Underestimate Eggs

Her approach to cooking mirrors her personality: practical, optimistic, and always a little playful. She believes convenience and quality can coexist. 'There are easy ways to make meals that are convenient and still filled with good ingredients,' she says. Her go-tos? Rotisserie chicken ('use the leftovers for stock') and eggs, which she calls 'the most underrated dinner ingredient.' She’s quick to list ideas: 'Breakfast tacos, frittatas – just whisk eggs with cream, toss in quick-cooking veggies like spinach or tomatoes, a little cheese. Eggs are fast, easy, and nutritious. When in doubt,' she says, 'make some eggs.'

Edit Your Grocery List

The secret to cooking well on busy nights, Amanda believes, begins before you even turn on the stove. 'Great meals start at the grocery store. You need to go in with a plan,' she explains. 'Even though I cook professionally, I still spend Sunday morning making a quick list of what I’ll cook each week and what days we’ll actually be home. It saves money and stress – you buy what you need, not what you think you need.'

Her fridge staples reflect the same ethos: ground chicken, pasta, cherry tomatoes, eggs, Parmesan, and a rotating cast of condiments. 'People underestimate their condiments,' she says. 'They last forever and can totally transform your food.'

Make the Most of Mornings

And when it comes to saving her sanity in the kitchen, she swears by one simple rule: prep in the morning. 'If I can make a dressing or marinate a protein before work, the five-to-six o’clock hour is so much easier,' she says. Even something as simple as laying out ingredients – her home version of 'mise en place' – can make a world of difference. 'That way, when you get home, you’re just assembling, not starting from scratch.'

For Frederickson, the busy season doesn’t mean giving up on cooking – it just means rethinking it. With the right staples, a bit of planning, and a flexible mindset, dinner becomes what it should be: 'A chance to sit down, connect, and eat something you’re proud of, even if it came out of the freezer or from what’s left in your fridge.'

Amanda Frederickson's Easy Family Recipes

From a one-pot chicken dish made with orzo to sheet pan shrimp tacos and a hearty pork tenderloin, these Fridge Forager recipes are easy mid-week wins that the whole gang will enjoy.

One-Pot Chicken with Orzo and Sun-Dried Tomatoes

'Swap out the orzo for rice to change things up,' says Amanda. 'Either way, this dish is destined to become a weeknight staple'.

Ingredients (serves 4)

• 6 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• Kosher salt
• Freshly cracked black pepper
• 1 onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 cup dried orzo
• ½ cup sun-dried tomatoes, roughly chopped
• ½ cup dry white wine
• 2 cups chicken stock
• ½ lemon, thinly sliced

Method

• Preheat the oven to 375°F.
• Pat the chicken thighs dry and sprinkle generously with salt. In a large cast-iron skillet or sauté pan, warm the olive oil over medium heat. Add the chicken, skin side down, and brown until golden, 4 to 6 minutes per side. Work in batches if needed. Remove the chicken and set aside.
• Add the onion to the same pan and cook for 4 to 6 minutes, or until soft and translucent. Stir in the garlic and a pinch of black pepper; cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
• Add the orzo and chopped sun-dried tomatoes, stirring to coat them in the oil and pan drippings. Cook for another 30 seconds.
• Pour in the wine, scraping up any browned bits, and cook until reduced by half.
• Stir in the chicken stock and layer the lemon slices on top.
• Nestle the browned chicken thighs back into the pan, skin side up. Transfer the skillet to the oven and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and the orzo has absorbed most of the liquid.
• Let the chicken sit for 5 minutes before serving.

Mustardy Pork Tenderloin

'Use a meat thermometer to make sure not to overcook pork which will cause it try dry out and lose flavor,' says Amanda. 'If you can’t find celery root, use potatoes instead, and mash the potatoes with a hand masher or ricer since a food processor will leave a gummy texture from the starch. And add a dollop of butter before serving.'

Ingredients (serves 4-6)

• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 3 tablespoons maple syrup
• 1 tablespoon whole caraway seeds
• 5 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 pork tenderloin (about 1 ½ lbs)
• 1 minced shallot
• ¼ cup chicken stock
• 2 tablespoons of butter

Method

• In a large bowl, combine the Dijon mustard, maple syrup, caraway seeds, 2 tablespoons of the apple cider vinegar, and 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Pour marinade over pork tenderloin for at least an hour, or up to 12 hours in the refrigerator.
• Preheat oven to 400°F.
• Place 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large cast iron pan, (large enough to fit the entire pork tenderloin). Sear the pork on medium-high heat until evenly browned on all sides then put in the oven for 12 to 14 minutes or until a meat thermometer reaches 135°F.
• Remove pork from pan and let it rest on a large plate for 10 minutes, covered with foil. Return the skillet to the stovetop and, over medium heat, add the minced shallot. Saute for 30 seconds then deglaze the pan with 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar and the chicken stock.
• Cook mixture for about 1 to 2 minutes, or until reduced by half. Add 2 tablespoons butter and continue cooking until melted.
• Slice the tenderloin, drizzle with pan sauces, and serve warm.

Shrimp Tacos with Roast Tomatillo Salsa

'Save the seasoning mixture in an airtight container at room temperature for the next time you make these tacos,' suggests Amanda.

Ingredients (serves 4-6)

• For the seasoning mix
• 1 tablespoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon pepper
• pinch of cayenne pepper
• For the rest
• 1 lb halved tomatillos
• ½ roughly chopped onion
• 3 cloves garlic
• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• Juice of ½ lime
• large pinch of salt and pepper
• 1 ½ lbs of peeled and deveined medium-sized shrimp
• 6 warm tortillas
• Sliced avocado, fresh cilantro, pickled red onion, and hot sauce, to serve

• Preheat oven to 450°F. Line a sheet tray with parchment paper.
• In a small bowl combine the paprika, garlic powder, dried oregano, dried thyme, salt, pepper, and cayenne pepper. Mix well and set aside.
• Place the tomatillos, chopped onion, and garlic cloves on the prepared sheet tray. Toss the mixture with 2 tablespoons olive oil and a large pinch of salt and pepper. Roast for 13 to 15 minutes, or until tomatillos are soft and the onions have begun to char.
• Carefully place the tomatillo mixture into the bowl of one of the best blenders and blend on medium until slightly chunky. Add the juice of half a lime and taste for salt.
• Toss the shrimp with 2 tablespoons olive oil and sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of the seasoning mixture. Spread in an even layer on the same sheet tray and cook for about 5 minutes, or until the shrimp are firm and opaque.
• Serve with warm tortillas, slices of avocado, fresh cilantro, pickled red onions, and your favorite hot sauce.

Menu of the Moment is our monthly celebration of seasonal, trend-led recipes from our favorite chefs, food writers, and cookbook authors, all designed to elevate your hosting, inspire you to cook, and bring friends and family together around the table

Just last week, some friends visiting from abroad texted me on a Sunday to say they’d love to get together while they were in town. 'But don’t go to any trouble – we’ll just order a pizza, they said. I laughed. 'Too late,' I told them. 'I’ve already been cooking all morning.' That’s what happens on Sundays in my house. Even if I don’t know who’s coming by, there’s always something simmering on Sundays: A pot of beans; a red sauce; a pan of green beans braised with garlic and vinegar. This is the ritual of Sunday Sauce. Cooking slows me down – it’s the one thing that grounds me at the end of a week, stretches the weekend, connects past and present, and feeds everyone you love. It's the foundation of my cookbook, Mother Sauce.

The Sauce That Built a Sunday

I grew up with the tradition of Sunday Sauce, or what some call 'Sunday Gravy.' In New Jersey and South Philadelphia, they’ll tell you gravy is a tomato sauce enriched with meat drippings. In Boston, Chicago, Rhode Island, and San Francisco, it’s just 'sauce.' Whatever you call it, it’s meant to feed everyone after a Catholic Mass, on a family Sunday around the table – the so-called day of rest, which was never restful for the women stirring the pots.

The ritual came out of cucina povera – the make-do cooking of Italian immigrants who arrived in America with cooking and foraging skills, but little money. They knew how to stretch food: simmering the tough end cuts of beef and pork into tenderness, coaxing flavor from bones and scraps, and turning a humble can of tomatoes into a meal. When those families came to America, they found bounty in the seas and forests and markets, and butchery that was available to all. Sunday became the day to put it all together: a sauce that could handle the cuts of meat the more monied customers left behind, and a way to serve every cousin who happened to drop in.

The Women Who Made It Happen

When I was little I remember my grandmother’s small yellow kitchen, where the light would filter through the colored glass panes in the window. Women in floral house dresses moved in and out of the garden, chatting in half English, half Italian, frying pizza fritta for the kids, arguing about meatballs. (One side of the family swore you had to brown them first; the other side insisted you dropped them directly into the simmering sauce.) There were no recipes – just instinct, and whatever the butcher had left at the end of the week.

By the time everyone came home from church, the table was set with roasted peppers, fennel, cheese, bread, and platters of pasta in that deep, rich red sauce. There was always enough. If someone brought a friend, a boyfriend, or a stray neighbor, the answer was never no. You just squeezed in another chair.

My Own Way with Sunday Sauce

A century later, my Sunday Sauce still follows those roots – but with a few modern tweaks. I don’t make my own sausage, but I’m particular about how I cook it. Sausages vary wildly – too much fennel here, too garlicky there – so I brown them separately and add them back at the very end. It keeps the flavor clean and the sauce balanced.

I also follow Marcella Hazan’s trick of adding a whole onion to the simmering sauce, then pulling it out before serving. It perfumes the pot without leaving bits of onion behind. As for meatballs, I’m flexible. If my son is coming, they’re non-negotiable – he’d never forgive me if they weren’t in the pot. When I’m feeding a crowd, I drop them directly into the sauce for the last half hour so they absorb its flavor without drying out.

And, because I never know whether four or twenty people will show up, I make more than I need. The extra goes into quart containers to freeze or send home with guests. A good sauce reheats in the time it takes to boil pasta – my idea of the perfect weeknight gift.

A Modern Sunday Mindset

People tell me all the time, 'I’d love to do a Sunday dinner, but it’s too much work.' I tell them it can be as simple as you want: canned tomatoes, a splash of wine, a plate of pasta, maybe a salad. The point isn’t the menu – it’s the moment. I’ve worked demanding jobs or booked TV appearances on a Sunday so I always believed in sharing the work. When I leave I’ll tape a note to the fridge that says, Turn off the sauce at 11, trim the beans, set the table. Everyone contributes. And, unlike when I was growing up, it’s not only the women doing the dishes at the end of the meal either!

I’m not a baker, so I make it easy on myself for dessert too: When the meal’s over, I make a little platter of roasted nuts, dried fruit, and chocolate with a bottle of Marsala or port. It’s a gentle landing, a way to linger.

Saving Your Sundays

For me, Sunday Sauce is less about religion now and more about reverence – for the day, for the people, for the pause before the week begins again. I even play a mental trick to ensure that my Monday – whatever it holds – doesn’t ruin my Sunday: I just pretend Sunday is Saturday until midnight. It keeps the anxiety of the week at bay and stretches the feeling of the weekend a little longer.

So whether it’s four people or twenty, whether you simmer all day or throw together pasta in thirty minutes, don’t let Sunday escape without a meal to mark it. Make a pot of sauce, open your door, and let Sunday linger.

Lucinda's Sunday Sauce Recipe

Sunday Sauce is chock-full of meats and a couple dozen simmering meatballs, and, on special occasions, Beef Braciola. Sometimes a simple dish of spaghetti twirled in a buttery smooth Tomato Sauce is all you want!

Ingredients (serves 8-10)

• 1 pound (455 g) pork ribs – country-style, back ribs, or spareribs 1 pound (455 g) bone-in beef shank, chuck, or short ribs
• Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
• ⅓ cup (80 ml) extra virgin olive oil
• 9 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 1 onion, halved lengthwise, root end left intact to hold the layers together
• Three 28-ounce (800 g) cans whole tomatoes, coarsely blended or chopped
• 2 large sprigs fresh basil
• 12 meatballs – see below
• 1 pound (455 g) sweet or hot Italian sausages (optional), each poked in several spots
• 3 pounds (1.4 kg) macaroni, such as rigatoni, penne, fusilli, or campanelle
• Grated Parmesan or Romano cheese for serving
• For the meatballs
• 1 pound ground meat (pork, beef, veal, turkey, or chicken, or a combination)
• 1 cup breadcrumbs soaked in ¼ cup warm milk
• 1 large egg
• ⅓ cup Romano or Parmesan grated cheese
• 1 large garlic clove, minced
• Leaves from 3 sprigs fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
• ¾ teaspoon dried herbs, such as oregano, thyme, or basil, or a combination (optional)
• ½ - 1 teaspoon kosher salt, to taste
• ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Method

• Generously season the pork and beef with salt and pepper. Heat a large heavy pot over medium-high heat and swirl in the olive oil. When it glistens, and working in batches, add the meat to the pot and sear on all sides until golden brown, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer to a plate.
• Pour off most of the excess fat, leaving about ¼ cup (60 ml) in the pot. Reduce the heat to medium, add the garlic and onion, and cook, stirring constantly, for a minute, being careful not to burn them. Pour in the tomatoes, then half-fill one can with water and add to the pot, scraping the brown bits off the bottom. Return the meat and any accumulated juices to the pot and simmer, partially covered, for 1½ hours.
• For the meatballs: Transfer the soaked breadcrumbs to a large bowl. Add the meat, cheese, egg, garlic, parsley, dried herbs, salt, and pepper and combine the mixture with your hands. Moisten your hands to make it easier to shape the meat mixture and roll it into 1½-inch (4 cm) balls; transfer them to a baking sheet as you form them. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and swirl in the olive oil. When it glistens, add the meatballs in a single layer, leaving some room around them (cook in batches if necessary). Reduce the heat to medium and brown the meatballs on all sides, 5 to 6 minutes.
• Remove the onion halves from the pot and discard. Increase the heat to high and carefully drop in the meatballs one by one, gently stirring (so they don’t break apart before they are firmly set) as you go to coat them in the sauce. Add the basil sprigs, reduce the heat to low, and simmer, partially covered, until the meatballs are cooked through, about 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, poke each sausage a couple of times with a fork or sharp knife. Place the sausages and 1 cup (240 ml) water in a large skillet and bring to a simmer over high heat. Simmer, turning to brown the sausages on all sides, until most of the water has evaporated, about 8 minutes. Pour off any excess fat and add 1 cup (240 ml) of the simmering tomato sauce to the pan; remove from the heat and cover to keep warm. (When ready to serve, add the sausages to the bowl with the rest of the meat.)
• While the sausages are cooking, bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil and warm a large serving bowl. Add the macaroni (1 pound at a time unless the pot is very big) to the pot and cook for 2 minutes shy of the package instructions (the pasta should be slightly soft but with a firm chew to it). Drain the noodles, transfer them to the warm bowl, and stir in some sauce to coat. Repeat with the remaining macaroni. (If cooking all 3 pounds/1.4 kg of pasta at once, drain the noodles, return them to the pot, and stir in some sauce to coat. When ready to serve, fill the warm bowl with the sauced pasta and refill as necessary.)
• If serving family-style, warm another large serving bowl and fill it with the meat and sauce. If serving individually, heat the pasta bowls or plates before serving by setting them on or next to the oven, on a warm stovetop, or in a low oven. Place extra sauce and meat in a small warm bowl on a plate, with a large spoon or small ladle. Either way, place a small dish (or two) of grated cheese on the table.
• Keep a stash of reusable storage containers on hand to fill with any leftovers (pasta, sauce, and meat) and send home with your guests. Or store the leftovers in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 6 months.

A Cook's Legacy is our six-part series with award-winning cookbook author, Lucinda Scala Quinn, exploring the family, food, and cultural memory that inspired her latest cookbook, Mother Sauce, through her beloved culinary voice.

Chef, television presenter and best-selling cookbook author, Clodagh McKenna has shared this beautiful fall bake with Homes & Gardens and you can see her assembling it in our exclusive video, How I Host with Clodagh McKenna (coming soon!). The savory parsnip is sweetened with an indulgent maple frosting, crunchy roasted hazelnuts, some refreshing orange zest and a drizzle of Clodagh's own farm honey.

Ingredients (makes 20 squares)

• For the cake
  • 2 cups (250 g) self-rising flour (or 2 cups all-purpose flour + 2 tsp baking powder + ½ tsp salt
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 2 teaspoons mixed spice (or substitute with 1 tsp cinnamon, ½ tsp nutmeg, ½ tsp allspice)
  • ¾ cup (1 ½ sticks / 175 g) unsalted butter
  • ⅓ cup + 1 tablespoon (100 ml) pure maple syrup
  • 3 large eggs
  • 2 ½ cups (250 g) parsnips, peeled and grated (about 2 medium parsnips)
  • ½ cup (50 g) hazelnuts, roughly chopped (this Norpro nut chopper will make light work of this).
  • Zest and juice of 1 orange
• For the maple frosting
  • 10 ½ ounces (300 g / about 1 ¼ cups) cream cheese, softened
  • 3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
• For the topping
  • 1 tablespoon hazelnuts, finely chopped
  • Zest of 1 orange (this microplane zester from Amazon is our choice)

Clodagh McKenna's method

• Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C) convection or 375°F (190°C) conventional.
  Line a 13 x 9-inch (33 x 23 cm) rectangular baking pan with parchment paper.
• In a small saucepan, melt the butter and maple syrup together over low heat. Let it cool slightly.
• Whisk the eggs into the butter-maple mixture until smooth.
• In a large mixing bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, and mixed spice. Stir in the grated parsnips, chopped hazelnuts, orange zest, and orange juice.
• Pour in the butter-maple-egg mixture and mix until fully combined.
• Pour the batter into the prepared pan, smoothing the surface evenly and bake for 35 minutes, or until a toothpick (like these bamboo toothpicks from Amazon) inserted in the center comes out clean.
• Remove from the oven and let the cake cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
• To make the frosting: Whisk together the cream cheese and maple syrup until smooth and creamy (this KitchenAid Go Cordless Hand Mixer is the perfect tool for the job)
• Spread the frosting over the cooled cake, then sprinkle with the chopped hazelnuts and orange zest.
• Cut into 20 squares and serve.

Like the idea of adding vegetables to your sweet treats? Expert baker, Samantha Seneviratne shared a wonderful recipe for carrot cake buns with us, which are a beautiful hybrid between carrot cake and cinnamon buns and delicious for breakfast.

In her exclusive video for Homes & Gardens, How I Host with Clodagh McKenna, the chef and cookbook author shares her favorite recipes for fall hosting, including this crusty home-baked loaf, topped with crunchy mixed seeds, which is so wonderful alongside her Roasted Cauliflower Soup, another recipe from her new book, Clodagh's Happy Cooking.

Ingredients (makes one loaf)

• 2 ¾ cups (350 g) whole wheat flour
• 1 ⅔ cups (200 g) all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 ½ cups (350 ml) milk
• 1 cup (250 ml) plain yogurt
• 4 ½ ounces (125 g / about 1 ¼ cups) sharp Cheddar cheese, grated
• For the topping: ½ teaspoon of any of these: pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, poppy seeds, caraway seeds, sunflower seeds, cumin seeds, chia seeds, mustard seeds

Clodagh McKenna's method

• Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C) convection or 425°F (220°C) conventional.
• Sift together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, and salt (this flour sifter from Amazon is ideal for the job) into a large mixing bowl.
• Stir in the whole wheat flour and the grated Cheddar cheese, mixing with clean hands until well combined. Make a well in the center of the mixture.
• In a separate bowl, whisk together the milk and yogurt (use the KitchenAid gourmet whisk from Amazon). Slowly pour this mixture into the well of dry ingredients. Using a fork, mix until all the flour is moistened and there are no dry patches. The dough should be quite soft and slightly sticky.
• Lightly flour your hands, shape the dough into a round loaf, and place it on a floured baking sheet.
• Using a floured knife, cut a vertical cross and then a diagonal cross across the top of the loaf, forming eight wedges (like cake slices). Don’t cut all the way through – only about two-thirds of the way down.
• Using a pastry brush (like this Walfos Silicone brush), lightly brush the top of the loaf with a little of the milk and yogurt mixture – this helps it brown beautifully.
• Sprinkle your chosen seeds evenly over the top of the loaf. The pattern of wedges and seeds should resemble a flower.
• Bake for 20 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 300°F (150°C) convection or 325°F (165°C) conventional and bake for another 15 minutes, or until the loaf is golden brown and sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom.
• Transfer to a wire rack (these cooling racks from Amazon are ideal) and allow to cool completely before slicing.

If you love making homemade bread, we recently wrote about Joanna Gaines' bread slicer, which will make your kitchen feel like an artisan bakery. It's an investment but a seriously useful gadget if you make (and give away) a lot of homemade bread.

This luxuriously creamy (yet dairy-free) soup is one of chef Clodagh McKenna's favorite entertaining dishes for fall, as it showcases an often overlooked vegetable that is prolific on her farm at this time of year. In our exclusive How I Host video with Clodagh McKenna, she shares how she makes this rustic and flavorful starter from her new book, Clodagh's Happy Cooking, and you can find the full recipe below.

Ingredients (serves 4)

• For the soup
  • 1 ¾ pounds (800 g) cauliflower florets
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 2 teaspoons ground turmeric
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 cup (5 oz / 150 g) roasted cashews
  • 3 cloves garlic, crushed
  • 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh sage (these herb scissors from Amazon are perfect for the job)
  • 4 cups (1 quart / 1 liter) hot vegetable broth
  • Juice of 1 lemon
  • Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• For the aromatic sourdough croutons
  • 4 slices sourdough bread, cut into small cubes
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 teaspoons garam masala
  • Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Clodagh McKenna's method

• Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C) convection or 425°F (220°C) conventional.
• On a large baking sheet (we love this Caraway non-stick ceramic baking sheet), spread out the cauliflower florets and chopped onion. Sprinkle over the turmeric, cumin, salt, and pepper, then drizzle with 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Toss to coat evenly.
• Roast for 25 minutes, until the cauliflower is tender and slightly charred at the edges.
• After 10 minutes of roasting, remove the tray from the oven, add the cashews, garlic, and sage, toss again, and return to the oven for the remaining 15 minutes.
• While the vegetables roast, make the croutons
  • Place the cubed sourdough bread on a separate baking sheet.
  • Drizzle with 2 tablespoons olive oil, sprinkle with garam masala, and season with salt and pepper.
  • Toss to coat evenly and roast in the hot oven for about 10 minutes, or until the croutons are crisp and golden brown.
• Once the vegetables are roasted, transfer them (and any pan juices) to a blender or food processor (we recommend the Ninja Professional Plus kitchen system in our guide to the best blender food processor combos). Pour in the hot vegetable broth and blend until completely smooth.
• Transfer the blended soup to a saucepan or Dutch oven (this Lodge Dutch oven is a reliable buy that will last years), stir in the lemon juice, and warm gently over low heat. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
• To serve: Ladle the hot soup into warmed bowls and top generously with the garam masala croutons, (try Martha Stewart's square ladle and you won't go back).

If you love warming soups at this time of year, try our herby fennel and cannellini bean soup with ricotta, which blends creamy soft cheese with fragrant fennel.