TIP OF THE DAY: Stokes Purple Sweet Potatoes

Purple may not be a theme color for the holidays, but we can’t resist the Stokes purple sweet potatoes that are in markets now. Once a rarity outside of Asian markets, purple potatoes are now popping up in mainstream markets nationwide. There are different varieties, which vary in shape and levels of moisture, density, richness…
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RECIPE: Christmas Green Beans

[1] Green beans with red accents (photo courtesy Melissas.com). [2] Julienned sundried tomatoes (photo courtesy Sevillo Fine Foods).   Our holiday meals are known for too much food. We wish we could cut back on the number of dishes on the groaning board, but we can’t. We want them all. But we do intersperse high-calorie…
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FOOD HOLIDAY: Cupcake Flavors For National Cupcake Day

Whether you like your cupcakes buttery, gluten free or vegan, you can celebrate National Cupcake Day with any number of flavors. Beyond vanilla, chocolate and red velvet, bakeries all over the world are turning out cupcakes in flavors from lemon meringue to Margarita. But this list, adapted from the Carolina Cupcakery in Norfolk, Virginia, tops…
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TIP OF THE DAY: Flash-Fried Herbs & Other Christmas Garnishes

A bit of red and green garnish turns almost anything into holiday fare. Since so many of our foods are white or beige, they can use a colorful lift. While a baked brie topped with cranberry relish and rosemary is a holiday staple in our home, we love garnishing other foods with crisp, flash-fried herbs.…
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PRODUCTS: Favorites From Recent Grocery Tastings

[1] Tasty snacks from a French company that has set down roots in the U.S. (photo courtesy Bakerly). [2] Perfectly flavored rice sides are now a cinch (photo courtesy Royal Basmati). [3] The Thin Mint cookie finds a new expression in yogurt from Yoplait.   We buy lots of products to try, and we are…
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