Sweet potatoes are a sweet, starchy root vegetable we call a tuber. Although sharing the name, sweet potatoes are only distant cousins to the actual potato. Around the world, sweet potatoes are baked, sautéed, made into soups and desserts, fried, steamed, boiled and fermented.

Growing up, we loved sweet “patata” (pronounced quickly as pa-tate-a) covered in marshmallows and brown sugar for Thanksgiving and baked up into one of my grandmother’s sweet-“patata” pie recipes, of which she had more than a few. Here are a few updated ways to enjoy sweet potatoes:

• Bake and eat: Wash and pierce sweet potatoes with the tines of a fork. Place on a parchment-lined cookie sheet (for easy clean up) and bake at 375°F until fork tender, about an hour or so. The longer they bake the sweeter they become.
• Here’s a delicious recipe for Herb-Roasted Sweet Potato Skins and here is a recipe for Roasted Sweet Potatoes and Macadamia Nuts that I created in my kitchen in honor of my two favorite states: Louisiana and Hawaii.
• If you love pie, you’ll love this tropical Coconut-Gingersnap Sweet Potato Pie.
• We love colorful, tasty dishes. Sweet Potatoes with Collards and Aduki Beans is a healthy and good-looking recipe.
• Sweet potatoes can be used in many recipes that call for plain potatoes such as potato salad, Sweet Potato Pancakes, and Baked Sweet Potato Fries.
• Enjoy a side dish of roasted or steamed sweet potatoes with salmon, roast chicken or turkey, pork chops, or baked or grilled tempeh.
• Roast apples or pears with sweet potatoes for a hearty winter dish. Roasted Spiced Sweet Potatoes and Pears adds natural, warm, seasonal “aroma” to your home while baking!
• Mash sweet potatoes and add to cookies, muffins and quick breads. Use interchangeably in recipes calling for butternut squash or pumpkin. Try equal amounts of sweet potato in place of pumpkin in these Cornmeal Muffins and these Millet Muffins.
• Make traditional ethnic dishes with sweet potatoes. Here is a recipe for Turkey and Sweet Potato Curry.
• Consider adding sweet potatoes to soups or a favorite vegetable or meat stew. Here’s an idea for Split Pea-Sweet Potato Soup.

If you are wondering about sweet potato vs. yam, here’s the deal: The two are often confused but, in reality, they are hardly related. Yams are larger than sweet potatoes and are grown in Africa and Asia. Did you know a yam can grow up to 100 pounds? Probably not, because they are rarely seen in the US. Because sweet potatoes are often referred to as yams, it’s common and acceptable to use either name.

When shopping, always choose firm sweet potatoes with no soft, decaying spots. The skin should be smooth with no wrinkling. To keep them fresh, store in a cool dry location such as a pantry or cellar. Sweet potatoes don’t like humidity, so keep them out of the refrigerator. When stored properly, (around 50 to 60°F), they will last a month or so. If you plan to use within a week, keep them on the kitchen counter. Remember: Don’t wash until ready to use.

Got a sweet tooth for sweet potatoes? What about a favorite recipe? Let me know!

Not only are all of the myriad forms of chocolate indescribably decadent and aromatic, the darker versions are also good for us! Here’s what I mean:

• Dark chocolate is packed with high-quality polyphenol antioxidants that may promote overall cardiovascular health.
• Cocoa beans include flavonoids (like those found in tea and red wine), which support healthy cholesterol levels and act as antioxidants.
• Chocolate delivers stearic acid, a unique fatty acid thought to be neutral for cholesterol levels.

Here’s a peek at the many glorious forms of chocolate:

• Cocoa Powder is the result when cocoa solids are removed from the chocolate liquor, pressed into a cake and then ground into a fine powder. We use cocoa powder in our recipe for warming Mexican Hot Cocoa.
• Unsweetened Chocolate is also known as baking chocolate, and it’s about 55% cocoa butter and 45% cocoa solids; the tempting aroma is hard to resist, but one bite makes for a bitter lesson – pure chocolate without anything added is NOT sweet at all. Baking Chocolate is the first ingredient in this perfect-for-your-Valentine Bittersweet Chocolate Tart with Raspberries.
• Bittersweet Chocolate contains at least 35% chocolate liquor. The higher the percentage, the darker and more bitter the chocolate. Bittersweet Chocolate Chips are wonderful in cookies like these Chunky Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies with Fleur de Sel. But if you are looking for a truly romantic bittersweet chocolate experience, look no further than this Flourless Chocolate Cake with Dark Chocolate Glaze.
• Dark or Semi-Sweet Chocolate (my favorite) usually contains 15% to 35% chocolate liquor. It is mildly sweet and somewhat bitter. Here is a great recipe for Chocolate Dipped Marcona Almond Biscotti and here is an amazing Dark Chocolate and Coconut Dessert Sauce.
• Milk Chocolate is likely the favorite of most Americans.  Some of the chocolate liquor is replaced with milk and/or milk solids to make sweet, mild, smooth chocolate. You will love this recipe for Milk Chocolate Panna Cotta with Blood Oranges.

To keep chocolate fresh, wrap it tightly, preferably in its original wrapping, and store it in a dry place at about 65°F to 70°F. Since it easily absorbs odors, be sure to store it away from any strong-smelling items.  Properly stored, most chocolate will keep for more than a year, and dark chocolate will keep even longer.

Remember that cocoa butter melts at just below 98.6° F, the body’s average temperature. This is exactly why the best place to melt chocolate is directly in your mouth! But since that’s not practical or acceptable for chocolate recipes, you’ll want to avoid scorching by gently melting at 115°F or less.  You can do this in two ways:

1. Double Boiler Method: Put chopped chocolate into a double boiler or heatproof mixing bowl set over a pot of barely simmering water and stirring gently until the chocolate is completely melted and smooth. (Make sure the bowl doesn’t touch the boiling water or the chocolate may burn.)
2. Microwave Method: Heat chopped chocolate in a heatproof bowl at half power, stopping to stir gently every 30 seconds, until completely melted and smooth.

As the chocolate melts, be sure to watch for signs that it may be “seizing” or turning grainy. This happens when moisture, such as a splash of water or a bit of steam, gets into the chocolate after it’s already begun to melt. Some recipes call for melting chocolate along with liquid such as milk. That’s okay, as long as the liquid is added at the beginning.

If you’ve been wondering about white chocolate, it does resembles chocolate and certainly smells like it, but because it’s made of cocoa butter, milk solids, sugar and vanilla and does not contain chocolate liquor, it’s not really chocolate at all.

For more information, here’s our Guide to Chocolate.

Are you celebrating this Valentine’s Day with a chocolate romance? Got a favorite way to indulge with chocolate? Let me know!

Availability and limits may vary by region, so you can contact your store for details. While supplies last. Most of our stores do not provide rain checks for sales like this.

*Due to supply issues, Arizona stores will have organic Valencia oranges for the same price, 79 cents per pound, so you won’t miss out on this organic citrus deal!

Navel oranges are chock full of vitamin C, plenty of juicy flavor, and they’re a refreshing addition to most anything, from breakfast to snacks and salads, main dishes and desserts. You can use the juice, the rind, and the inside sections. They’re perfect in a pinch, they’re seedless and they section easily so they’re ideal for plenty of recipes and now’s the time to get ‘em fresh!

Navel oranges are quite unique; once peeled or cut open, you’ll find a little tiny twin attached to the main flesh tucked away at the bottom (or blossom) end. From the outside it looks like a navel (aka belly button). That’s why as children growing up in California, we called them belly button oranges.

You’ll be amazed at how easy it is to liven up recipes just by adding sections of navel oranges. Of course, you can always enjoy them straight out of hand, or tempt yourself with some of our fresh ideas:

• Add to a leafy green salad. Here are some refreshing salad ideas: Orange and Fennel Salad, Sweet Onion Salad with Orange Vinaigrette and Orange and Avocado Salad. Try this recipe for Mixed Greens with Oranges and Pecorino using navel oranges.
• Add to a stir fry made with shrimp or chicken, broccoli and sweet bell peppers; serve over rice or noodles. Here’s a recipe for Orange Chicken with Almonds and Sesame Seeds.
• Add to whole grains and grain pilafs. Try wild rice pilaf with celery, onion, fennel, parsley and sections of fresh navel oranges.
• Add to a favorite fruit salad recipe.
• If you make your own jam or preserves, try it with navel oranges. Here’s a wonderful recipe for Ginger-Scented Orange Marmalade.
• Top sections with yogurt, grated unsweetened coconut and a few dark chocolate chips or layer with pound cake, whipped cream and toasted almond slivers for a parfait or trifle.
• Make salsa with diced orange sections, minced scallions or chives, and diced fresh fennel and red onion. Add a squeeze of lime and a pinch of crushed red pepper, then serve as a topping for grilled chicken or fish, tofu or tempeh.
• Make a marinade with navel orange juice like we did in this recipe for Citrus-Marinated Salmon.
• Stir into prepared coleslaw, or make this recipe for Rainbow Kale Slaw.
• Add slices to party punch or iced tea. Try our Spiced Iced Tea Punch or our Easy Elf Punch for your next party.

Remember, navel oranges can be substituted for other varieties of oranges or tangerines in just about any recipe. Do you have a favorite orange recipe? Share it below. And don’t forget to pick up your organic navel oranges on sale this Friday only.

Here are some favorite short-cuts:

• Use pre-cut fruit such as pineapple, mango and papaya, kiwi and melon, or washed and ready-to-eat berries for a quick smoothie for breakfast, a fast fruit salad for lunch or a colorful dessert after dinner.
• Try our delicious, freshly made salsa, salsa fresca and pico de gallo to top baked potatoes, brown rice and beans, scrambled eggs or quesadillas.
• Grab a container of hummus and use it as a dip or a topping for baked potatoes, cooked grains, sautéed veggies and baked tofu or tempeh.
• Guacamole is not just for chips! Try it over fish, chicken, beef, stir-fries, seasoned tofu and tempeh, baked potatoes or beans and rice.
• Use guacamole and/or hummus as a salad dressing and a sandwich spread…great with plenty of piled-high veggies!
• Stop by our in-store salad bar for a ready-to-eat, ready-to-go wide selection of greens, grains, beans, fruits, cheeses, tofu, and much, much more.  Perfect when you want healthy food on the table fast!  It’s washed and fork-ready, and clean-up’s a cinch.
• Prepared salsa can be the perfect topping for grilled, broiled or baked fish or chicken. Here are a few recipes that you can easily adapt to use prepared salsa:
  • This Baked Salmon with Spinach has a strawberry salsa that’s easily replaced with prepared mango salsa.
  • This Barbecue Glazed Salmon is wonderful with spicy tomato salsa or topped with Pico de Gallo.
  • This recipe for Chicken Breasts with Grilled Pineapple and Tomatillo Salsa works great with pre-cut pineapple added to a favorite prepared salsa.

Here are a few meal ideas comprised solely of prepared foods that you can pick up in our stores. You’ll find some items in Prepared Foods, some in Produce and some on the salad bar. Selections vary, so swap things out for what’s available at your store:

Chicken Dinner: Rotisserie chicken, whole cooked kamut or couscous,  grilled veggies, pico de gallo or salsa fresca, fresh cut pineapple

Tofu Dinner: Tofu,  Caesar salad with dressing, cooked quinoa, guacamole, sliced fresh kiwi fruit

Fish Dinner: Grilled or baked salmon, mango salsa, rice dish, baby spinach salad, fresh mixed berries

Tempeh Dinner: Grilled tempeh, brown or wild rice pilaf, black bean salsa, salad bar fresh green salad, pre-cut mango and strawberries

Got a favorite time-saver for a quick delicious meal?  Let me know.

Also referred to as Chinese cabbage, bok choy, like other cruciferous vegetables, is a nutrient-dense, delicious, easy-to-prepare vegetable known for containing special compounds that support good health. Although technically classified as a member of the cabbage family, it neither resembles nor tastes like any of the cabbages we are familiar with. The stalks resemble white celery and the leaves look more like broccoli leaves or dark Romaine lettuce.

In China, bok choy is known as “pak choi,”,which means “white vegetable” (despite those lovely green leaves!). Here at home, you’ll mostly find either common bok choy, characterized by its large white stalks and crinkly green leaves, or baby bok choy, a tiny resemblance of the larger version with small, light green stalks and tender baby leaves. Both varieties are worth a try and can be a delicious addition to many a meal, whether Asian, Mediterranean, European, American or otherwise.

When purchasing bok choy, look for firm, smooth white stalks and dark, crisp greens. For baby bok choy, look for light green stalks with firm leaves and no yellow or brown marks. Store in a plastic bag and use within four to five days. Remember, you can eat bok choy stalks raw with dip or chopped fresh for salads. Otherwise, depending on your recipe, you’ll want to cook it quickly so the stalks stay crisp and the leaves get tender. For stir-frying, add stalks first and green leaves a minute or two later, towards the end of cooking.

If you haven’t tried it yet, let bok choy make a wonderful, healthy and simple-to-cook addition to your menus this season. Here are some delicious favorites:

• Use in stir-fries.
• Try with tofu or tempeh. You will love this recipe for Griddled Sesame and Garlic Tofu with Wilted Bok Choy.
• Pan-sauté with fish filets like we did in this recipe for Miso-Glazed Catfish and Bok Choy.
• Turn it into side dishes with other veggies such as mushrooms and carrots like in this recipe for Bok Choy with Carrots and Sesame-Orange Dressing or this recipe for Baby Bok Choy with Celery and Mushrooms.
• Steam it and serve over hot cooked grains or noodles.
• Pair with shellfish such as shrimp or scallops. Sesame Scallops with Tangerine and Bok Choy and Chardonnay-Poached Sea Scallops with Baby Bok Choy and Jasmine Rice are great places to start.
• Add to soups and stews. If you like curry, you’ll love this Chicken and Vegetable Curry Soup. This delicious Miso Soup with Garlic and Ginger is light but warming — a perfect starter to a wintery meal.
• Try it steamed or sautéed with white beans, chopped tomatoes, minced purple onion, your favorite cheese or sliced tofu for a healthy, delicious meal.
• Here’s a simple recipe for Baby Bok Choy with Sweet Chili Sauce and Garlic.
• Try bok choy finely diced and added to salads. Or try this recipe for Grilled Steak with Thai Summer Salad. It’s good in the winter, too!
• Grill and serve as a side dish to poultry, beef, lamb or fish. This recipe for Grilled Chili-Garlic Swordfish and Bok Choy does just that.
• Pair the greens with a little sharp cheese: Ale-Braised Baby Bok Choy with English Cheddar.
• Add to green smoothies and vegetable juices.

Have you tried bok choy? Got a favorite recipe? Let me know.

The origin of Brussels sprouts is a little sketchy but they do appear to be mentioned in the late 16^th century. They are likely native to Belgium, specifically near Brussels, and thus their name. They spread across Europe in the early 20^th century where they became a favorite in England. Even today, our British friends consume more Brussels sprouts than any other country in the world. Here in the US we grow them mostly in California and New York. They’re at their peak from September through mid-February, so now’s the time to brush up on Brussels sprout recipes!

When shopping, look for Brussels sprouts that are small and firm with compact, green heads, no yellowing or browning. If possible, choose similar sizes for more even cooking. If not cooking right away, store in a sealed plastic bag for no more than three or four days. For a quick meal, simply wash, dry and remove loose leaves. Mark an X in the stem end to allow for better cooking; steam or sauté for about 10 minutes or until tender. The Brussels sprouts should be bright green and crisp-tender. If they look dull green, they have been cooked too long. Remember: Brussels sprouts are a rich source of sulfur-containing nutrients that affect both smell and taste. Overcooking can create an off-putting odor, so watch carefully.

Brussels sprouts are wonderful baked, roasted, steamed and sautéed. They’re great in soups and stews, with grains, legumes, meats and salads. Here are some favorite ideas to help you put Brussels sprouts on your table:

• Serve as a side dish to your choice of protein such as chicken, pork chops, tofu or tempeh.
• Steam and toss with favorite vinaigrette or other salad dressing.
• Add to soups and stews. Here is a German-inspired Beer Braised Beef Stew with Brussels Sprouts.
• Roast for a wonderful, sweet flavor! Here are recipes for Oven-Roasted Brussels Sprouts, Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Walnuts and Crispy Bacon, and Brussels Sprouts with Roasted Chestnuts.
• Add to spaghetti sauce.
• Steam with colorful vegetables like this delicious Steamed Carrots and Brussels Sprouts with Tarragon.
• Roast them with sliced potatoes.
• Steam or sauté and add to a salad. Delicious with peppers and orange sections! Try this Warm Millet Salad with Brussels Sprouts, Creamed Mushrooms and Sage.
• Toss with pasta, rice, quinoa or millet.
• Brussels Sprouts with Apples and Shallots is a perfect festive side dish.
• Steam and toss with olive oil and parmesan cheese.
• Braise them in vegetable stock along with garlic and onions.

Got a recipe for Brussels sprouts you really love? Let me know!

There’s wisdom in ancient traditions. Our ancestors have been preserving food by natural fermentation and culture for millennia. By some accounts, there’s evidence that cultured milk dates back as far as 2000 BCE. Roman author, philosopher and naturalist Piney the Elder once made mention of certain tribes of people who knew the way “to thicken the milk into a substance with an agreeable acidity.”

With the creation of modern refrigeration, many of our traditional ways of fermenting and preserving food has largely been forgotten, but thankfully, the practice of eating yogurt, a popular fermented dairy food, still remains. Yogurt contains beneficial bacteria that support healthy digestion and promote beneficial intestinal flora. It’s been said that Francis I, King of France in the early 14^th century, suffered from a severe bout with diarrhea which no French doctor could cure until his ally Suleiman the Magnificent (what a name!) of the Ottoman Empire sent a doctor who cured King Francis with yogurt.

Here are some simple and simply delicious ways to enjoy yogurt:

• Marinate meats such as chicken, lamb or beef in a mixture of plain yogurt and spices. Our recipe for Lamb Skewers with Tahini Yogurt Sauce gets high marks.
• Substitute plain yogurt for sour cream or mayonnaise in dips and dressings. This Creamy Chicken Salad with Yogurt and Apples is wonderful as is this Yogurt-Cucumber Dressing.
• Blend yogurt with fruit for smoothies or freeze for popsicles.  Here’s an idea for Fruit and Yogurt Popsicles and here’s another for Cherry Frozen Yogurt.
• In India, the smoothie equivalent is called Lassi. It’s a popular beverage made with a variety of ingredients. This Rosewater and Cardamom Yogurt Lassi reflects traditional flavors of Indian desserts.
• Add vegetables and seasonings to plain yogurt — try cucumber, garlic, onion and dill — for sauces to accompany spicy dishes. Here’s an idea for Tzatziki Yogurt and Cucumber Dip and here’s another for Spicy Lamb Burgers with Cucumber Raita.
• Use yogurt in baking to make cakes and quick breads with a tender, rich crumb. Yogurt makes a great replacement for sour cream in many baked goods. Enjoy this Simple Yogurt Cake with Fresh Berries and this Orange and Clove Greek Yogurt Tea Cake.
• Use yogurt as a topping or garnish for soups, stews and casseroles.  Here’s our version of Lentil Curry with Cashews and Yogurt.
• Incorporate plain yogurt into chilled soups for a cool, tangy twist.
• Not just for breakfast with fresh fruit, try yogurt on poached fruits or in panna cotta with a fruit sauce.  If you love Parfait, our Vanilla Berry Yogurt version will put a smile on your face for sure.
• Mix yogurt with ricotta cheese, honey and vanilla for a delicious topping for pancakes, waffles and quick breads.  Enjoy our recipe for Waffles with Berries and Greek Yogurt.

Here’s my personal favorite:  Mix yogurt with roasted walnuts, vanilla and honey or maple syrup; enjoy for breakfast, snack or dessert.  Do you have a personal favorite?  Let me know.

Over the centuries, traditional cultures have created superstitions around foods for luck – generally connected to having money, being prosperous and having enough to eat. Food, of course, meant survival. It’s especially wonderful that many of these “good luck” foods taste great and can be so simple to prepare. Some are even nutrient dense and that makes them extra lucky.

Here are some of the “luckier” foods:

Cooked Greens: Around the world, all sorts of cooked greens are eaten on New Year’s Day. This is because green leaves represent folded money, a symbol of economic good fortune. The more you eat on New Year’s, the greater your wealth in the coming year. Leafy greens are nutritional powerhouses too.

My German ancestors ate plenty of pickled cabbage called sauerkraut; the Danes ate stewed kale sweetened with cinnamon and sugar; and southern folks in the U.S. (more of my ancestors!) cooked and ate collard greens. And interestingly enough, cabbage was a commonly used slang word for money in the mid-twentieth century. It’s still heard on occasion today and is acceptable as a substitute for collard greens in Texas. A good-luck flavorful recipe is our Sautéed Greens with Garlic and another wonderful “green” dish is this amazing Kale Waldorf Salad.

Legumes: In many cultures, small beans, peas and lentils are symbolic of coins and are thought to bring financial rewards when eaten. This is another great example of a good luck food that’s super lucky for you nutritionally when it shows up on your dinner plate! Legumes are packed with soluble fiber, good protein and carbohydrates and an array of vitamins and minerals.

In Italy the custom is to eat sausages with lentils after midnight. In Germany, pork with lentils or split peas is a common good luck meal. In Brazil, lentils and rice or lentil soup is the first meal to celebrate the New Year. In Japan, black beans are eaten at the first of the year. Here’s a lucky recipe for Hearty Lentil and Sausage Soup, and here is a truly yummy Tofu and Black Bean Tacos recipe perfect for a New Year’s party.

During the time of the Civil War the town of Vicksburg, VA, ran out of food while under attack. Apparently, the residents of the town discovered black-eyed peas and thereafter the legume was considered a lucky food. Some believe you should eat at least 365 black-eyed peas, preferably before noon on New Year’s Day, to ensure good fortune for each day of the coming year! Hoppin’ John is a famous black-eyed pea and rice dish that sometimes contains pork. A favorite dish for observing this tradition in the South, sometimes a small coin is buried in one portion and whoever receives it is singled out for special good fortune. Here’s the perfect dish for good luck this New Years Day – Black Eyed Pea Soup with Collard Greens.

Pork: Pigs are a symbol of progress and pork is a symbol of wealth and prosperity. In Cuba, Spain, Portugal, Hungary and Austria, a hearty roast suckling pig is served on New Year’s Day. The Germans love pork sausage and in Sweden, pigs’ feet are often served. We are lucky to have this delicious recipe for Pork Chops with Cranberry-Pear Chutney.

Grapes: In 1909, a tradition began in Spain of eating twelve grapes at midnight – one grape for each stroke of the clock. The practice spread to Portugal, Venezuela, Cuba, Mexico, Ecuador and Peru. Each grape represents a different month; if one of the grapes happens to be bad or sour, it means the corresponding month in the coming year will be the same. If you’re eating grapes for good luck this New Year’s, you may want to try this Salad with Red Grapes and Feta.

Isn’t it wonderful that some of the luckiest foods we have honored for centuries are truly some of the best and tastiest foods we can eat? Here’s to a happy New Year!

Do you have a special good-luck food or tradition you honor on New Year’s Day? Let me know.

Potatoes were first cultivated about 7, 000 years ago in South America, where their early reputation was neither humble nor happy. The Spanish first encountered them in Peru and took them back to Europe where they were regarded with tremendous suspicion, trepidation and fear. The poor potato was considered unfit for human consumption and only suitable as animal fodder or food for starving people. Eventually, the “upper class” in Europe recognized the potato’s true potential, and slowly but surely, the humble spud gained its rightful popularity.

Potatoes are amazing in plenty of dishes, whether roasted, grated, sliced or diced, steamed, fried, smashed or mashed, you can be sure potatoes are delicious, versatile, filling and satisfying. But with all the varieties available, how do you know which to choose? Remember, the more starch, the fuller and fluffier the texture. The less starch, the more they hold their shape, making them perfect for stews, soups and salads. Here’s a general guide:

Baking:          Russets and Yukon Gold

Frying:           Russets and Yukon Gold

Roasting:       fingerlings, heirlooms, red potatoes, Yukon Gold

Salads:           Red, purple and white potatoes, waxy varieties and fingerlings

Mashing:       Russets, Yukon Gold, red potatoes

Steaming:     Red and white varieties, and Yukon Gold

And here are plenty of ideas:

• Thicken soups with peeled russet potatoes instead of flour or cornstarch.
• Soups and stews love potatoes, but chowder simply demands them! Try this Cod Chowder or this Cheddar, Corn and Potato Chowder and you will demand a second helping!
• Cook extra potatoes for dinner; the next morning, grate or dice and make hash browns.
• Potato courts curry! Here’s an idea for Spicy Beef and Potato Curry.
• Mash potatoes with their skin – add a little butter, sour cream or cheese. You will love this recipe for Cheesy Mashed Potatoes and this recipe for Irish Cheddar Potato Bites.
• Would you ever have thought to pair potatoes with tahini? We did in this recipe for Tahini-Garlic Mashed Potatoes.
• Stuffed Potato Skins with Roasted Chicken, Onions and Sour Cream! Need I say more??
• Potato salad is not just for summer. You can enjoy a warm potato salad made with freshly steamed potato chunks, chopped favorite veggies and a tossing of vinaigrette, or you can enjoy any one of our many delicious and elegant potato salads featured this post.
• Add potatoes to casseroles and roasted root vegetables. Here’s an idea for Baked Mashed Potato Casserole.
• Love French fries? We’ve got a kid-friendly recipe for Baked Potato Fries.
• Bake a potato and mash with a little mayonnaise and a dash of pepper and parmesan cheese.
• Make potato pancakes or latkes. Here’s a recipe for Zucchini Potato Latkes and another for Simple Potato Pancakes.
• Roast potatoes like they do in Greece, with olive oil and lemon.
• Purple potatoes are pure pleasure. Roast and stuff with caramelized onions, sautéed peppers and feta cheese.
• Last but not least, don’t forget the Scalloped Potatoes!

Got a passion for a good potato? What’s your favorite recipe? Let me know!

Ginger

Available candied, powdered or fresh, all have unique and interchangeable uses. You can add grated ginger to fruit juice, dairy, nut or coconut milk, and even a little rum! Add dried (or fresh) ginger to cookies, cakes, muffins, pancakes, soups and stews. Here’s a recipe for Cranberry Sauce with Candied Ginger and here’s an idea for Ginger Applesauce, so perfect for the season. If you love hot soup, this Carrot-Ginger Soup will hit the spot. You can also try a cup of hot ginger tea on a cold day, or add it to punch and fruit juice for holiday parties. Peel ½-inch piece of ginger root finely grate it into a mug and pour boiling water over it. Cover and steep for 5 minutes. Strain or leave as is. If desired, add a squeeze of lemon and a bit of honey or other sweetener.

Cinnamon

Available powdered or in stick form, cinnamon can be added to baked goods, pies, pancakes and waffles, hot cereal, whipped cream for holiday pies, hot cocoa, brownies, soups and stews. In some cultures, cinnamon is used as a rub or a marinade for roasting meats. Don’t hesitate to use it in grain-based side dishes and sauces for vegetables (think glazed carrots simmered in a cinnamon sauce)! This holiday-party-perfect Roasted Spiral-Sliced Ham with Maple and Orange Marmalade Glaze uses both cinnamon sticks and ground cinnamon. And this recipe for Classic Gingerbread Cookies is made with cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and cloves. Yams are a holiday favorite and this recipe for Baked Pecan Yams with cinnamon and maple syrup is a must-try.

Nutmeg

Perfect sprinkled over eggnog at Christmas time and baked custard all the time! Ground or whole, nutmeg is a must for holiday baked goods, quiches, yeast and quick breads, nut-meat pies, and hot cocoa. Grate fresh nutmeg over beverages, puddings and cookie dough, or try this beautiful breakfast of homemade Almond-Nutmeg Granola and Breakfast Turkey Sausage made with apples and nutmeg. If you’re baking gifts this year, consider a Nutmeg Coffee Cake to warm and please your friends.

Cloves and Allspice

Cloves and allspice are powerfully aromatic, so just a pinch goes a long way. The two are interchangeable in recipes. Buy them ground for baked goods, spice cakes and muffins, yeast breads, quick breads, soups and stews (especially stewed fruit). Whole cloves and allspice are perfect for long simmered or steeped recipes such as flavored stews and meat dishes, applesauce, apple butter, chai tea and slow simmered fruit. This recipe for Gingerbread Squares uses allspice and this recipe for Orange and Clove Greek Yogurt Tea Cake would make a great treat or gift. Both whole and ground cloves add depth and flavor to this Cassoulet-Style French Bean Stew.

Cardamom

Frequently called for in Indian foods and beverages, cardamom adds a unique, sweetly aromatic flavor to chai tea and sweet treats. Perfect for cakes, coffee cake, tea breads and other baked goods. Cardamom pods are awesome when simmered with rice and stewed with fresh and dried fruit and ground cardamom is a welcome spice in this Creamy Roasted Butternut Squash Soup with Cardamom. These Baked Apples Stuffed with Cranberries and Almonds use ground cardamom for flavor and aroma and Homemade Chai Tea would never be the same without cardamom pods.

Got a special spice that lifts your spirits for the holidays? I’d love to know!