I’m getting ready to go on holiday in a few weeks so I’ve been eating a lot of fresh greens and raw veggies to shed this extra layer of warmth that somehow glommed onto me this winter.

I’ve been topping my salads with freshly squeezed lemon, but sometimes your mouth craves a little more excitement.

This vinaigrette is deliciously easy, versatile and light enough for tiny baby greens… but it goes perfectly with romaine, iceberg and spinach salads. Another idea: I pour this vinaigrette over all kinds of vegetables before I roast them in the oven. I’ve even used it instead of mayonnaise in chicken salads! Here’s how to make the  best vinaigrette ever… an easy recipe that everyone should have in their back pocket!

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When I was a kid growing up in West Texas, we used to pick pomegranates off of trees, throw them to the ground to break them open, and eat the delicious seeds inside.

I know… raised by wolves, right? 

Seriously, pomegranates are my favorite winter fruit. They are bright and slightly acidic and add a punch to everything (oh, I get it, kind of like me!). Seriously. Seriously.

The downside to pomegranates is that they stain EVERYTHING. If you look at them, they’ll stain your eyeballs. That’s just their nature… trying to protect themselves from being thrown to the ground, broken open and eaten, I guess!

But I digress…

Here’s how to open a pomegranate. Your beautifully crisp white J. Crew shirt will never again be soiled by a drop of ruby-red color. Someday, you’ll thank me.

What’s the secret? A big bowl of water! Click here to find out how to open a pomegranate.

This is a great idea for when you have a lot of leftovers: 

Set up the BEST BAKED POTATO BAR EVER.

A lot of us (especially kids) love a good Baked Potato Bar… and with leftovers in your fridge, dinner is almost ready.

Pull out leftover taco meat and the steamed veggies. Chop up the remaining rotisserie chicken and warm it up. Got some salsa? Add that, too.

I’ve never tried leftover pie on a baked potato, but, heck, why not? Don’t forget the whipped cream!

Here are a few more suggestions for your potato bar buffet:

• Chopped crispy bacon, feta cheese, steamed broccoli
• Shredded rotisserie chicken, salsa, cilantro, sliced jalapenos
• Taco-seasoned ground beef, Monterrey Jack cheese, chopped tomatoes,
• Canned chili (or homemade, if you’ve got it!), shredded Cheddar cheese, diced onions
• Pepperoni slices, pasta sauce, Mozzarella cheese, shredded basil leaves

So think: Thanksgiving Leftovers = Baked Potato Bar

For more ideas on how to achieve Baked Potato Perfection, click here!

There are ghosts flying around my kitchen.

Halloween starts the deluge of sweet treats and eats in my home,* and I’ve finally come up with the best cutout cookie recipe ever! These are so buttery and delicious, I know this will become my go-to cookie recipe for the holidays. The secret is to use superfine sugar!

Since I was making the cookies from scratch, I turned to Wilton to help me make everything else easier.

I’ve always struggled to get the thickness of these cookies just right, so I really liked using the Rolling Pin Guide Rings. You slip the rings on  either end of the Rolling Pin and roll out the dough to a perfect ⅛-inch thickness.

I used the Royal Icing Mix to give the cookies a smooth, glossy finish. This is such an easy way to make your cookies look like they came from a fancy-do bakery! The finishing touch? The fun Candy Eyeballs and Black Icing Color I used for the mouth. I ordered these items on line, but you can also find them at Michael’s and other craft stores.

So, go ahead and let the ghosts fly in your kitchen! Don’t forget to print or bookmark this cookie recipe… you’re going to love it for all of your holiday cut-out cookies!

*That’s actually a lie. There are always sweet treats and eats in my home because I have a wicked sweet tooth. 

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