Who doesn’t love a reason to celebrate?! National Grilled Cheese Day, why not?! It’s rainy and dreary here and I think a melty grilled cheese is just what the doctor ordered on such a drab day. I’ve posted this recipe before and I may even post it again. It’s one of my absolute favorites. I make this recipe all of the time and never tire of the combination of cheddar, bacon, apple, and mustard (for me it MUST be whole  grain mustard). I also just developed a new grilled cheese recipe for the upcoming season on Kelsey’s Essentials that takes cheese to a whole new level and will knock your socks off. We start filming next week!

Get the recipe here.

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I can’t believe that Easter is quickly approaching! Weren’t we just in the midst of the holidays? Maybe I’m having a hard time feeling spring-y because there is still snow on the ground when I look out the window. Baby steps to better weather.

If you’re starting to plan out your menu for your Easter celebration, don’t pass on these Deviled Eggs with Candied Bacon. The candied bacon alone should lure you in, but I’m also a huge fan of the filling for these eggs. I think it’s the addition of the whole grain mustard that takes them over the edge for me, but don’t take my word for it. It’s a fun, playful dish that would compliment any Easter table. If you’re looking for a slightly different flavor profile, check out my Curried Deviled Eggs which are also delicious and were an attempt to mimic my favorite deviled eggs found in the city at Blue Smoke BBQ.

I feel like deviled eggs are a great vehicle for variations and an easy recipe to play with different flavors. What’s the craziest deviled egg you’ve ever had?

Grab the recipe HERE.

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Are you as paranoid about the flu outbreak as I am?! Despite flu shots, both my husband and I caught some form of the flu over the holiday break (which was AWFUL) and miraculously did not pass it on to Oliver. With all of the hype lately about this being the worst flu season in a decade I’ll admit to being somewhat of a homebody with Ollie and avoiding as many public places as possible. We continue to cross our fingers that Ollie will come out on the other side of flu season unscathed!

If you do happen to be one of the unlucky ones that catches the flu this season, I can’t think of anything better than having a big bowl of chicken noodle soup to jump start your recovery. Turns out that there has been clinical research done that leads researchers to believe that this wonder soup can have positive affects on those that are under the weather. So whether you need a big bowl of chicken noodle soup for yourself or a loved one that isn’t feeling so great, I highly recommend this super simple recipe that is so delicious.

p.s. This soup also freezes great! Make a double batch and keep it on hand as we all try to survive the next couple of months.

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This is about the time of year when I start to consume an absurd amount of cookies – and for good reason. There is no better time of the year to enjoy the delight that is a cookie than during the holidays. For the past couple of years I’ve participated in Cooking Channel’s  holiday cookie round up. Each year I look forward to it and the recipe testing that precedes it. Unless of course things go awry, like last year when I learned that crushed peppermint candies cannot be mixed into cookie dough. What a mess, trust me.

Cooking Channel just released their lineup of holiday cookies for 2012 and it looks really good. I contributed an Almond Butter Shortbread Cookie (“Mandelmusslor”) that is perfectly traditional and delicious. Robby’s favorite cookies are always shortbread and he’s also got a thing for almond, so these were right up his alley. My dear sweet Grandma Karen passed along this recipe and it has instantly become a hit!

Last year were the infamous Peppermint Meltaways that required 27 re-tests in my home kitchen. Delicious, and worth all of the blood, sweat, and tears that I put into that recipe.

I also shared my family’s famous Pumpkin Penuche Cookies on the Holiday Cookie Swap special that aired last year. (look for it re-airing this month on Cooking Channel! I got to feed fancy people like John Legend and his gorgeous bride-to-be Chrissy Teigen cookies all night long!) We also made these this year for Thanksgiving and they were as delicious as ever.

Finally, two years ago I shared my Peppermint Fudge Crinkle Cookies and they are awesome. They look as good as they taste and when fudge meets peppermint all of the world’s problems can be solved.

What are your favorite cookies to make (or eat!) during the holidays? Do you have family recipes that you make year after year? Check out Cooking Channel’s full cookie lineup this year – the recipes look fantastic and festive!

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Can you believe that Thanksgiving is only two weeks away? It’s my favorite food holiday and it’s time to start thinking about what your lineup will look like this year. I’ve pulled together some of my favorite turkey day recipes that live on cookingchanneltv.com to share with you and hopefully get the wheels spinning on what your menu will be composed of. I’m a fan of sticking with some of your family favorites and throwing in a few new recipes to keep things interesting.

Easy Herb Roasted Turkey: This my friends, is as easy as Thanksgiving turkey gets. This recipe is as simple as it is delicious. If you’re intimidated by cooking a turkey, this is the recipe for you. No brining, no basting, yet fantastic results. I’ll be doing something really similar for my own turkey this year. If you’re cooking for a smaller group or prefer the white meat (like my mom always does), consider this Cranberry Apple Roasted Turkey Breast recipe. The glaze is soooo good and you could even use the yummy glaze on whatever size turkey you’re roasting this year.

Baked Apple Pear Stuffing: I’ve always been a fan of having something sweet in my stuffing and seasonal fruits like apples and pears in this recipe sure do hit the spot. I really love this recipe and like using this stuffing starter for almost all of my stuffing recipes.

Pickled Root Vegetable Salad: This recipe shows up in my Thanksgiving episode that will air on November 17th and it’s a fun twist on those beloved root vegetables that always make an appearance at the Thanksgiving table. Rather than roasting them, which is what I always do, I wanted to try and quick pickle thinly sliced root veggies for both a different taste and texture. I love the pungent zippy flavors that are in this salad and think that it’s a great thing to have on your menu when everything else is heavy and comfort food like.

Cranberry Salad: Be still my heart. If you know anything about me and my Thanksgiving preferences, you know that my family’s famous cranberry salad is one of my favorite things to eat. Period. I don’t remember having a Thanksgiving without it. It may contain mini marshmallows and crushed pineapple, but believe me…no one is too good for this quirky holiday side dish. Admit it, you all have a family recipe that either incorporates jello, marshmallows, or something else trashy that you secretly love.

Rapid Rolls: It’s one of my most popular recipes on Cooking Channel’s website and always fool proof. Fresh rolls hot out of the oven are a mandatory part of my Thanksgiving meal.

Twice Baked Potatoes: This is my Grandma Karen’s recipe and you’re lucky she shared this one with me to share with all of you. These potatoes are all sorts of creamy, cheesy, potato-ey goodness. I love em’.

Sweet Potato Salad: I first had a version of this recipe from my friend Maribeth and remember being as impressed with the flavor as I was with its appearance. It’s bright and colorful and a great, yet unexpected way to enjoy sweet potatoes on turkey day.

Sausage Stuffed Mushrooms: This would be the perfect option for an appetizer, if you’re planning to be a holiday over-achiever. Or better yet, delegate and ask a family member or friend to bring an appetizer to prime everyone for the big meal. These stuffed mushrooms would be a delicious way to kick things off.

Mile High Apple Pie: You can’t have Thanksgiving without pie. It should be illegal. This classic apple pie has a lovely twist with a layer of almond paste on the bottom crust that adds a punch of almond flavor to the apples that is super complimentary and delicious. My sister-in-law Betsy was the first one to tip me off on this idea and I loved it. This is apple pie at its finest.

Apple Bread Pudding with Caramel Dessert Sauce: If you are looking for something other than pie to finish off your meal, you can’t go wrong with this sweet bread pudding. It’s easy to assemble and the sauce is so good that you’ll be pouring it over everything. This particular recipe is so good with a big fat scoop of vanilla ice cream on the side which most definitely requires and extra drizzle of the caramel dessert sauce.

Pear Crumble with Pomegranate Sauce: I’ll never refuse a crisp or a crumble this time of year and pears and the perfect pairing with a tangy pomegranate sauce.

Hopefully this lineup gives you a few different ideas about what will end up on your holiday menu this year. There is no better time of year for food, and these recipes won’t disappoint. I personally can’t wait to start cooking for the big day!

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