Comfort Food for the Holidays A roast chicken dinner is one of life's true pleasures. Depending on how the bird is presented (and what accompanies it), the meal can take on many different characteristics - from romance to comfort to festiveness.

Holiday Fare with an International Twist Casual cocktail party food has become so generic, you can often expect the same tired appetizers at every gathering. Choosing an international theme for your next holiday party adds an element of surprise to the gathering.

The Accidental Soup As a trained chef, it's easy to forget how intimidating cooking can be to the novice. Teaching cooking classes reminds me, however, just how uncomfortable many people feel in the kitchen. Trying new recipes is a chief source of discomfort for many of my cooking students. To ease their anxiety, I often start beginners out making soup.

A Fresh Way With Fish When you first hear the words en papillote, the French term sounds refined, even pretentious. Yet this simple method of preparing fish roasted in foil is actually quite modest.

October and Pumpkins Go Hand-In-Hand What could make a more delectable (and appropriate) seasonal meal on a chilly autumn night than a bowl of hearty pumpkin soup?

Not Your Grandmother's Spaghetti We all love pasta. In fact, roughly one-third of Americans eat pasta three or more times a week. Experience all of the comforts of traditional pasta with none of the guilt -- by using spaghetti squash rather than spaghetti.

Indulge Yourself In The Joys Of Tomato Season The tomato is one of summer's greatest gifts. Beautiful, healthy, low-calorie and versatile, tomatoes are delicious served in any number of ways. Article includes recipe for Broiled Tomatoes Provencal.

Get Creative With Gazpacho Dip Try this recipe for "Gazpacho Dip with Garlic Pita Chips" and you may be surprised to find how easy and inexpensive it is to make something refreshing and delicious.

Vegetable Dishes Brighten Summer Menus No matter what the season, you can never have too many healthy, easy-to-prepare vegetable dishes. In summer, when local gardens and farmers' markets have produce aplenty, you can establish a broad repertoire of recipes drawing from the many fruits and vegetables in season.

A New Take On Burgers Everyone loves a good burger, especially when warm weather invites outdoor grilling and casual al fresco meals. But not all burgers are equally healthful. Article includes an easy recipe for Jerked Veggie Burgers.

Making a Great Quesadilla Friends in Los Angeles insisted I try the corn and spinach quesadilla at a now defunct eatery in Santa Monica. The chef was utterly devoted to making his Mexican offerings deliciously interesting as well as sensible. The result was a light quesadilla with a satisfying succession of warm crunch, rich cheese and tender vegetables.

Great Grilling On Father's Day Dad or no dad, on Father's Day, let your favorite guy sink his teeth into something meaty. No, not a beefy steak. Make it a Grilled Ginger Tuna steak.

Edamame Becomes an American Taste Most Americans first discovered edamame at Japanese restaurants that presented them as an appetizer before sushi. Their mild, slightly sweet flavor won people over. We think this simple recipe for Edamame and Orange Salad will win you over, too.

Gear Up for Salad Season May is when much of the country gets the first real hints of summer hot days and longer, warmer evenings. More often than not, salads replace soup and hot, cooked vegetables at lunch or dinner. Includes recipe for "Mixed Greens with East-West Fusion Dressing."