Holiday Reading, Gift Ideas and Party Tips

I confess, I haven't been cooking much this past week. But I have a good reason. I had leg surgery last Thursday to remove some of the hardware in my leg, from when I broke it two years ago, a depressing five days before Christmas.

But after a few painful days on the couch, I'm happy to say I'm back up and walking around. And soon, I won't need a cane to help me along and I'll be back in the kitchen cooking up a storm. In the meantime, please scroll down and enjoy some holiday reading, gift ideas and party tips. Have a great weekend!



Pam Grant: City's best fast (good) food
Christmas shopping can be hungry work, but fast food doesn't have to mean something you would be embarrassed to tell your jogging buddies you ate.

Island Vittle's Five of the Best Preserves I Made This Year
Here are some great ideas for homemade food gifts for the holidays.

Dollop of Cream and Mrs. Doucet's Apple Chutney
And speaking of homemade gift ideas, this deliciously rich apple chutney recipe is top of my list.

How To Throw A Cocktail Party Like A Pro
This is one list I'm checking twice (at least). Lots of great tips to hosting the best holiday cocktail party.

Food 52 Classic Hanukkah Latkes
While pouring over all the variations for latkes people have submitted to Food 52, I've come to realize that some classic recipes don't need reworking. My go to recipe is Smitten Kitchen's potato pancakes.