Well hello, golden potatoes. You are exactly what I crave with dinner after a long day. More redeeming than French fries, yet just as nice.

I’ll admit that it took me quite a few tries to perfect this roasted potatoes recipe. So, I have a few tricks to share today. This method yields substantial hunks of potatoes that are beautifully golden on the outside and pillowy-tender on the inside.

These roasted potatoes are lovely on weeknights and perfect for the holidays, especially when you add the optional rosemary. Sometimes, I load them up with some sour cream, chives, dill, flaky salt and pepper for a variation we could call ranch potatoes. They’re also great with a drizzle of Easy Green Goddess Dressing.

Bottom line, you can’t go wrong with these roasted potatoes. Serve them up!

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This sweet potato casserole is for everyone, even the people who don’t like sweet potato casserole. I’m serious! If you enjoy sweet potato casserole, I’m confident you’ll love this marshmallow-free version.

If you don’t like sweet potato casserole, this recipe will change your mind. I know it will, because it changed mine. I’ve sworn for years that I only like savory sweet potatoes, but I’m officially eating my words. I love this recipe.

This sweet potato casserole features an ultra creamy, pillowy interior with deep sweet potato flavor. The buttery pecan topping is crunchy-tender and lightly sweet, with optional fresh rosemary.

Overall, this dish is entirely irresistible. I hope it’s a big hit at your Thanksgiving table.

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These roasted mixed nuts are completely irresistible. They’re a little sweet, a little spicy, and nice and toasty.

These nuts will be a hit at your holiday parties, or a redeeming snack in between. I love to add fresh rosemary, so they taste like the holidays in the best way.

This recipe is so versatile, too. You can easily change up the nuts and seasonings to suit your preferences. These photos show my favorite iteration, made with pecans, almonds and pepitas (pumpkin seeds).

Ready to raid your pantry for the ingredients?

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Quick! Name this cocktail. I’m at a loss for what to call it. It’s not quite a sparkler, fizz or smash. It’s also not a daiquiri, which is made with rum, or a bee’s knees, although it’s close (this little pink number is made with vodka instead of gin). It doesn’t qualify as a martini, either, and let’s definitely not throw -tini on the end, which we all know is code for syrupy sweet, girly drinks.

Maybe I should pause to tell you what this drink is, precisely. It is composed of freshly squeezed Ruby Red grapefruit juice, vodka, a splash of lemon, a sprig of rosemary and just enough honey simple syrup to make it irresistible. It is: fresh, pretty and pink, but not so sweet that a dude would refuse it. A gussied-up version of my rosemary gin fizz. Light and refreshing but packs a punch, which makes it perfect for the holiday season.

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My grandmother Mimi was known for her homemade shortbread. Unfortunately, I can’t remember ever tasting her shortbread. She was 70 years old when I was born and, naturally, her cooking aspirations declined with age. By the time I was old enough to help in the kitchen, she wasn’t doing much cooking. We made old-fashioned fudge together, I remember that. She always served me bacon and Welch’s grape fruit for breakfast because it was just what I wanted.

I pick up on little tidbits about Mimi’s cooking from my dad, like that she fried her grilled cheese sandwiches with some shredded cheese on the outside like I do. And last winter, the scent of my friend’s pot roast almost brought me to my knees—not because I love the smell of beef, but because it took me back in time to Mimi’s kitchen.

Mimi was born in 1915, the last of five children. My great grandmother’s family came from Scotland so maybe shortbread runs in the blood. Rumor has it that in high school, Mimi decided to add an “e” to the end of her middle name because she liked the extra flourish it provided. Mildred Kathryne looks nice, I think. She had two sons, seventeen years apart, with my grandfather. The love of her life. When I was little, their exceptional fondness for one another was as real and warm as Mimi’s soft cashmere sweaters.

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I should warn you: these nuts are absolutely irresistible. A little bit salty, spicy and sweet, these herbed nuts are proof that sometimes a little bit of butter and sugar go a long way.

Finely snipped rosemary adds an unexpected element, taking this nut mix to the next level. I don’t always love rosemary, but it’s perfect here. Your guests will ask for the recipe!

To make the recipe as shown, you’ll need almonds, cashews, walnuts or pecans, and pepitas. While the nuts roast in the oven, stir together a mix of rosemary, brown sugar, salt, and cayenne pepper (if you’d like some spice). Then stir the nuts and spice blend together with melted butter. This recipe smells fantastic, and it’s so easy to make.

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Occasionally, I live in a Disney fantasyland where candlesticks come to life and orchestrate the cleaning of my kitchen and Prince Charming actually texts me back.

In reality, dishes are piling up in the sink and my phone is all too quiet. On the bright side, even though this pumpkin didn’t magically transform into a carriage, it did turn into the tastiest alfredo of my life. Alfredo sounds like he could be a charming character, doesn’t he?

Technically, this is an abstract alfredo since it’s not loaded with butter and Parmesan like traditional alfredo sauce. Instead, it’s made creamy with pumpkin purée and seasoned with rosemary, red pepper and tangy goat cheese. It’s precisely what I’ve been craving in this chilly weather, especially after what’s-his-name didn’t holler back. Alfredo it is.

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I hope you are all feeling warm, merry and bright. I feel a bit sacrilegious sharing a cocktail recipe the day before Christmas (must be my Protestant upbringing) but I owe you a holiday cocktail. If family time is getting the best of you, run to the store for some gin, club soda, lemon and fresh rosemary and relax with one of these delightful and refreshing drinks. I made this drink for the first time yesterday and it truly became an instant favorite.

I was going to talk about my feelings about Christmas and the holiday season today—about growing up a Christmas baby and feeling overwhelmed with love and loss this time of year. But I won’t. I don’t want to interrupt your family time and I need to hurry home to my own family. This year, I’m so grateful that we are healthy and well and I’m looking forward to spending time with loved ones over the next couple of days. Cheers to that!

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I begin this post with an urgent plea: you must try this. If you like savory sweet potatoes like I do, you’ll go mad for this easy baked sweet potato recipe. You’ll dream about it. I know, because I did.

Due credit goes to my friend and neighbor, Matt, who improvised the sweet potato toppings. He chopped up some fresh rosemary from my herb garden, chives from his garden, and added a pat of butter. I grated parmesan cheese over the top, along with fresh black pepper and sea salt. End result? Magic.

Try it. I insist.

P.s. This recipe inspired me to add rosemary to my Pecan Sweet Potato Casserole. That dish is perfect for the holidays!

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