Now introducing… the wintery side dish or vegetarian main dish that you didn’t know you needed! You’ll love how it comes together with one pot on the stove and one pan in the oven.

This festive green and red dish features roasted Brussels sprouts cooked to crisp-tender perfection with fresh cranberries, which become so lovely as they bake on the same pan alongside the sprouts. Add chopped pecans to the pan toward the end of baking to toast them.

Once your components are done cooking, combine them in a bowl over cooked wild rice blend. Finish it off with crumbled goat cheese, plus a drizzle of balsamic vinegar and maple syrup. The flavors remind me of my popular Balsamic Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Cranberries & Pecans, but you can eat this one as a standalone meal. It’s a winner.

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This creamy pumpkin dip straddles the line between sweet and savory in the best way. It’s a seasonal riff on my recipe for Baked Goat Cheese that incorporates pumpkin purée and pumpkin spice. If you enjoy pumpkin and goat cheese separately, I’m confident you’ll love this recipe!

The key flavors in this dip are goat cheese, cream cheese, pumpkin purée, pumpkin spice and honey. Then we ramp up the savory side with one clove of garlic, salt, pepper and red pepper flakes (optional, for some heat).

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Friends coming over? Make this baked goat cheese! It’s warm, creamy, tangy but lightly sweetened with honey, and a touch savory.

This irresistible appetizer comes together quickly in a food processor with simple ingredients. We’ll whip the goat cheese with cream cheese, honey, garlic and seasonings. Once baked, this dip is your favorite restaurant-level delicious.

I modeled this recipe after the lovely goat cheese dip at Rye, a restaurant in Kansas City. We visited a couple of times to research the French Blond Cocktail (reportedly Taylor Swift’s favorite!) and I remembered how much I love their goat cheese appetizer.

I asked about the ingredients and came home determined to recreate it. I’ve simplified the ingredients a bit, but this dip is just as nice. I hope you’ll try it!

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This fresh pomegranate salsa recipe is bursting with sweet-and-spicy flavor. It’s a fun holiday appetizer or wintertime snack. You can serve it with tortilla chips like any other salsa. Of course, a side of guacamole is always a good idea.

For a special Christmas salsa presentation, try it as shown here, with whipped goat cheese as a creamy base and the salsa arranged in a wreath-like shape on top. This variation goes well with sturdy crostini or crisp toasted pita. The whipped goat cheese component is included in the recipe below, and it’s so easy to whip up.

This year, I’m bringing pomegranate salsa to my friends’ annual Christmas party! Lighter and brighter options are always welcome amongst heavy and sweet holiday fare. Let’s start the pomegranate salsa trend together.

Here in the U.S., pomegranates are typically available from the end of September through January. I hope you have the chance to make this recipe while we can.

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Make this spinach salad recipe to serve with your favorite main dishes! This fresh spinach salad features seasonal fruit, creamy goat cheese, toasted pecans, just enough red onion, and the perfect amount of vinaigrette. It’s finished with a drizzle of thick balsamic vinegar or balsamic glaze.

This spinach salad is beautiful, absolutely delicious, and holiday worthy. It’s also easily adjusted to the changing seasons, and simple enough to make on a weeknight. Hooray!

You’ll see raspberries in these photos, which are wonderful. You’re not limited to raspberries, though—this spinach salad would be equally great with apples, pears, strawberries and more. You’ll find a full list of options below.

I’ve created quite a few green salad recipes over the years, but not a lot of spinach salad recipes. Arugula, kale, romaine and spring greens are usually my fresh greens of choice. The other day, I tried a spinach salad at a local French restaurant that inspired me to give fresh spinach in salads another chance. Let me tell you, this spinach salad is worth making! I love it and hope you do, too.

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This wholesome tomato pasta recipe makes a wonderful weeknight dinner! This feel-good recipe is warm, comforting, and lightly creamy, but not heavy.

It’s bursting with Mediterranean flavors—roasted cherry tomatoes, hearty chickpeas, creamy goat cheese, pops of briny olives, and garlic. Each one benefits from the heat of the oven, and the end result is just fantastic.

I love how this recipe comes together and I think you will, too. Basically, we’ll cook the pasta on the stovetop and roast the remaining ingredients in one baking dish. Stir it all together, add fresh basil, and you’re ready to eat. You’ll have plenty of time in between steps to tidy the kitchen or chat.

This recipe is a variation on last summer’s Baked Feta Dip with Cherry Tomatoes, which was inspired by the viral TikTok roasted cherry tomato and feta pasta and Deb’s version of it.

It’s always fun to see how recipes morph over time, and this one is a real winner. Please give it a try and let me know what you think!

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This roasted beet salad with greens is exactly what I’m craving right now. It’s hearty, fresh and spring-y, which is perfect as the weather turns from downright arctic to patio-worthy. Cookie and I couldn’t be more excited about the warmer temperatures and sunnier days! I bet you can relate.

This salad was inspired by the beet salads at my favorite local French restaurants, Westport Café and French Market. Over the past year, I’ve really missed sipping wine in their establishments and soaking up their vibes. You should know that I’m constantly daydreaming of a French vacation.

Both restaurants offer beet salads with pistachios and goat cheese, yet they each have their own unique spin on the combination. I always order the beet salad and French fries, naturally!

This recipe incorporates my go-to method for roasting beets, which yields amazing flavor. I used arugula as the base, which contrasts nicely with the earthy flavor of the beets.

Then I added goat cheese and pistachios, plus some radish and green onion for extra freshness and some crunch. The zippy, Dijon-forward vinaigrette brings it all together. Serve this salad as a side dish or enjoy a large portion for a satisfying but light dinner.

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Confession: I brought a sad cheese plate to last year’s Friendsgiving, and it went ignored in the corner. It was an embarrassing moment for a cookbook author, and I’ve been determined to improve my cheese board game ever since.

I walked into the party to find a gorgeous and elaborate cheese board nearly spanning the full length of the dinner table. My friend Jordan has a degree in sculpture, and she can sure put together a beautiful cheese board.

I took the opportunity to study her design. I can’t say that my efforts are quite to her level yet, but I’ve picked up a few tips and tricks to share with you today.

Building a beautiful cheese board feels like a fun art project. We’ll mix different flavors, colors, shapes and textures to build an enticing appetizer board. Give yourself some time to put it together, and you’ll enjoy the process all the more. The trick is to fill every little space on the board with nuts and fruit so it looks completely abundant.

A cheese board is the perfect excuse to break out your special serving items. If you don’t have a dedicated cheese board in your cabinets, though, don’t fret. For your base, you can use a nice wooden cutting board, a large serving platter, or even a tray or baking sheet covered with parchment paper. If you don’t have a set of cheese knives, offer butter knives, cocktail forks, cocktail picks or toothpicks.

Basically, anything goes, and no occasion is too minor for a cheese board. You just might have everything you need at home already. How about a cheese board with your French 75 this evening?

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Sometimes, you need a healthy make-ahead breakfast. Whether you’re serving a crowd or trying to ease busy weekday mornings, this breakfast casserole is just the ticket.

Typically, breakfast casseroles includes sausage and potatoes. I loaded this one up with fresh veggies and greens instead, including red bell pepper, green onion and spinach.

Creamy feta or goat cheese rounds it all out. You don’t need a ton of dairy to achieve a lovely, luxurious texture. This is a lightened-up dish that seems more indulgent than it really is.

This healthy breakfast casserole is the perfect addition to a holiday breakfast spread. Since it offers some protein and vegetables, it’s a great way to help balance those delicious carb-heavy treats, like muffins and pancakes. I’d be thrilled to find this option alongside bagels and cream cheese. Leftovers are good for lunch, too.

To develop this recipe, I followed my foolproof frittata formula. It’s easy to make, colorful and delicious!

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This concept started out as a Thanksgiving stuffing recipe. It took a few twists and turns through the development process.

Here’s what we ended up with:

• Wild rice, tossed in a gingery dressing, plus some kale for extra green stuff and health bonus points
• Roasted butternut squash
• Red pomegranate, green onion, and crumbled goat cheese, which yield a festive color combination
• Pepitas (green pumpkin seeds), toasted with a little cinnamon for warming spice

I’m not sure what to call this situation. Can we call it a stuffing? Or is it a dressing? As a vegetarian, the distinctions are lost on me. Maybe it’s just a salad?

Here’s what I know for certain. This dish is a…

• Christmas-worthy, wildly colored main dish for vegetarians
• Healthy holiday side dish for all
• Special diet-friendly option, since it’s gluten free, nut free and easily dairy free/vegan

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