TIP OF THE DAY: Struffoli, An Italian Christmas Tradition

[1] A mound of struffoli, the traditional shape, from Linda’s Italian Table. It can be cut into slices, or for a party, put on the buffet so everyone can pick off what they like. [2] A loose wreath style from Il Cuori In Pentola. [3] A cornucopia shape, called Cornucopia di Sfoglia in Italian. It’s…
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Skillet Cornbread & More Cornbread Recipes

[1] The earliest cornbread was made in a skillet: Rectangular baking pans were not yet in use. This recipe is courtesy… [2] …the New England Open House Cookbook by Sarah Leah Chase. [3] Today cornbread is most often cooked in a rectangular pan, like this recipe from Sally’s Baking Addiction.   Serve this skillet cornbread…
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GIFT OF THE DAY: Merci Chocolates

Need a bunch of small, affordable holiday gift for teachers, salon staff, the letter carrier and others you’d like to thank? Or do you need a stash of $10 gifts for anytime gifting? Give a box of Merci Chocolates. The very name of the product says “thank you” in French. The miniature bars, in an…
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TIP OF THE DAY: Instant Holiday Ice Cream

Turn any flavor into “Christmas” ice cream with red and green sanding sugar. If you want to save calories, check out Halo Top: our favorite of the low-calorie ice creams with just 240 calories for the entire pint. And it has extra protein—really! Here’s our review (photo courtesy Halo Top),   When you hear “Christmas…
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TOP PICK OF THE WEEK: Aldi For Christmas Entertaining

Recently, we went to our neighborhood specialty food store to buy appetizers for a get together with wine. Sure, the cheeses we picked were $25 a pound; our favorite crackers from La Panzanella and Raincoast Crisps aren’t inexpensive. And we do tend to buy too much. But when the cashier said, “$146.76 please,” we were…
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