(Family Features) Holiday celebrations call for recipes of all kinds, but perhaps the most popular area at many parties is the dessert table. Add flavor to your get-togethers with a festive treat like these Peppermint Shortbread Cookies, which call for the seasonal taste of peppermint and th…

(Family Features) Whether you're huddled around the fireplace, gathered at the table or strolling through a winter wonderland, the holidays are all about enjoying pure and memorable moments with family and friends. With all of the seasonal gatherings, you can certainly expect that almost any…

5 tips to create holiday meal centerpieces

(Family Features) The holiday season is a perfect opportunity to gather with friends and family, and few things bring people together like an elegant, seasonal meal. Serving up a mouthwatering main dish worth celebrating can elicit rave reviews from your guests and keep them gathered around …

(Family Features) While heart disease is a leading cause of death for both men and women in the United States, many of the risk factors associated with the condition can be controlled with dietary and lifestyle changes. By centering your meals around better-for-you ingredients and recipes, y…

(NAPSI)—Here’s encouraging news for many people who like to indulge around the holidays: you can enjoy a sweet treat as a snack, a sauce, a spread and even dessert, that’s actually good for you. That is when you whet your appetite for dried fruits such as cranberries and cherries.

(NAPSI)—The next time you’re planning a family meal, a party or just a little snack for yourself, consider this: Reducing your meat consumption can have a multitude of benefits.

Snacks, small bites and savory treats to feed a crowd

(Family Features)Leading a busy lifestyle doesn’t always leave time for spending hours in the kitchen, and these Mystic Mini Turkey Loaves can be made in advance and frozen for later use. Perfect for simplifying busy evenings, they are made with mushrooms, yellow onions, oat milk, pumpkin pi…

(Family Features) Over time, many families tend to return to the same holiday favorites, from ham and mashed potatoes to pies and cookie classics. This season, you can add a twist to tradition with these globally inspired desserts.

(Family Features) When most families think of holiday cooking, they typically picture baked goods and time spent in the kitchen near the oven. This year, you can take your seasonal meal prep outdoors with cooking methods often overlooked during the winter: grilling and smoking.

(StatePoint) Whether you’re hosting a party, taking along treats to someone else’s gathering, or you just want to bring some joy and sweetness into your own home, experts say that on-trend flavors evocative of the season will be sure to please friends and family alike.

(Family Features) As families look to incorporate more nutritious dishes into meals from morning to night, using kid-friendly recipes can help make the process easier and more fun. For example, these frozen sandwiches make for an easy grab-and-go breakfast.

(Family Features) Most holiday feasts call for delicious dishes to please a crowd, but making preparation as simple as possible is as time-honored a tradition as the turkey itself. Simplifying your recipes and the ingredients you’ll need is one of the easiest ways you can take pressure off y…

(Family Features) If your family struggles to make meal time happen, try creating kid-friendly recipes that bring everyone together at the table. For example, these Pulled Pork Sandwiches from “Family Table by Robert Irvine” can help you incorporate assistance from your kids to nourish both …

(Family Features) As the weather cools, spicy recipes can warm things up by satisfying your taste buds.

(Family Features) Seafood can make for a healthy addition to diets, particularly for children. It improves body and brain function, and studies conducted by “Pediatrics” and the “American Journal of Clinical Nutrition” have linked seafood to reduced risks of heart disease and allergic condit…

(StatePoint) Wow your friends and family by using a wood pellet grill and smoker to create every dish on your holiday party menu this season.

(NAPSI)—This holiday season, making a marvelous meal for friends and family can be easier than ever with clever new cookware: a roasting pan with a concave bottom that naturally lets the juices pool to either side for safer, faster basting.

(Family Features) As a physical representation of cultures and regions from around the world, food can be more than just sustenance – it can connect you and your kitchen to faraway places. Whether you have opportunities to travel the globe or prefer to stick closer to home, foods can bring t…

(Culinary.net) A quick and easy way to get comfort food on your dinner table is this recipe for Cheesy Baked Mushroom Chicken. Add some green beans and mashed cauliflower for a well-rounded meal for your family.

(Family Features) As one of the most popular holiday traditions in the United States, families have celebrated Thanksgiving for decades. However, as more and more hosts look to put a new spin on the festivities, Friendsgiving continues to grow in popularity.

(Family Features) The rush of the holiday season – shopping for gifts, decorating the house, hosting loved ones and other added obligations – can be challenging. Restore balance and holiday cheer by treating yourself and others who are home for the holidays to a no-fuss, relaxing dinner that…

(Culinary.net) Feeding an entire family can be difficult enough on its own with busy evenings full of hustle and bustle. One additional factor that can cause even more headaches is dealing with a picky eater, especially a child whose preferred menu ranges from hot dogs to candy.

Kid-friendly, make-ahead meals

(NAPSI)—Getting new toys for your kids or grandkids on holidays, birthdays or any time can be fun, but it’s wise to watch out for these four safety concerns:

(Culinary.net) Fill your house with the aroma of fall with warm slices of this Pumpkin Loaf dolloped with butter.

(Family Features) Hosting a crowd can be exciting and rewarding, but it can also come with plenty of challenges. One of the simplest ways to make mealtime stress-free when entertaining is to focus on ingredients that can be incorporated into a variety of different dishes.

(Culinary.net) This ultimate fall dessert is filled with caramel sauce, topped with a fluffy cream cheese frosting and drizzled with even more caramel sauce. Family and friends can enjoy every morsel of this moist, autumn-themed cake.

(Family Features) No matter the season or the reason, no party is complete without dessert. The trick to making the most out of your celebrations is finding ways to trim your kitchen time so you can enjoy the festivities, without sacrificing quality or flavor in your favorite sweet treats.

(NewsUSA) - With the holidays just around the corner, you might be worrying about how to get through all the parties and cookie exchanges without derailing your healthy lifestyle. It can be a struggle to avoid temptation, particularly when you're busy, stressed, sleep-deprived, or all three.…

(NAPSI)—There’s nothing quite like the taste of fresh strawberries—every sweet, delicious bite conjures warm memories of spring and summertime. But did you know that same fresh strawberry taste—and the health benefits—can be enjoyed during the chilly months when you select frozen strawberries?

(NAPSI)—Here’s an exotic twist that transforms everyday cheesecake into something sophisticated, elegant and worthy of your holiday table. Pureed sweetpotatoes, five spice powder and candied ginger star in a dessert that’s easy to make and can be enjoyed year-round. The sweetpotatoes not onl…

(Family Features) Ever wonder about the secret to making your favorite restaurant’s ranch dressing? Look no further – the secret could be Hidden Valley® Ranch Seasoning Mix. In fact, more than half of all restaurants that use a ranch seasoning mix use Hidden Valley Ranch signature buttermilk…

(Family Features) Hay rides and pumpkin carving aren’t the only time-honored traditions of fall. This time of year also brings the opportunity to enjoy spooktacular and hair-raising seasonal treats.

(Family Features) When it comes to Halloween, carving the same pumpkin designs each year can become routine. This year, save a pumpkin and carve your spooky masterpiece into a watermelon instead.

(Culinary.net) Going door to door for candy and treats is part of many families’ Halloween traditions, and the routine almost always ends with a kitchen loaded with treats. When the spooky season comes to a close, consider these ways to use up those delectable goodies.

(StatePoint) Heading into the holidays can be both exciting and terrifying. Part of the stress factor comes from food and drink -- specifically, what to serve guests, bring to parties and how to stay healthy and centered through the thick of it.

(Culinary.net) Halloween calls for candies and treats of all kinds as trick-or-treaters roam neighborhoods, but don’t forget to stock your own snack supply with homemade goodies.

(Family Features) When it comes to family fun, it’s hard to beat Halloween, and with all the candy flying around, it’s an opportunity to add something nutritiousand delicious to festive celebrations.   

(NAPSI)—With summer in the rearview mirror, school back in session and days getting shorter, it’s the perfect time to rethink your dinner routine.