Onions come in all shapes and sizes, not to mention a variety of colors. Their textures and flavors can be quite different. Different types of onions can’t necessarily be substituted for one another.

So how do you know which onions are best for which dishes? From French onion soup to succotash, the onion varietal you use does matter.

To help get your onions in order, we’ve created an “onion glossary,” explaining the differences among green onions (scallions), leeks, pearl onions, red onions, shallots, sweet onions, yellow onions and others.

Know your onions! Head for the onions.

Find more of our favorite vegetables and recipes in our Vegetable Section.

Consider replacing wood cutting boards with
acrylic boards. Cutting board set from
Farberware.

To prevent the cutting board from slipping, place a moist paper towel underneath it.

If you have slippage problems, try it.

When you’re done slicing and dicing, wash the cutting board and use the paper towel to wipe the counter.

Cutting boards can deteriorate over time, as they develop deep knife grooves that can harbor bacteria. Then, it’s time to replace them. Rather than toss them in the trash, seek ways to repurpose them—for example, underneath houseplants, as a cutting surface for crafts and other projects, and as a surface protector when using glue.

Instead of wood, select acrylic cutting boards. We use these cutting boards, from OXO Good Grips.

Lastly, to prevent cross-contamination, you need to thoroughly wash cutting boards with soap and hot water after cutting raw meat or seafood. To address the contamination problem, some companies are producing color-coded cutting boards. But we haven’t yet seen a set that’s large enough for serious cooking.

Acrylic cutting boards can go right into the dishwasher, for a thorough sanitizing.

Here are some tips from the experts at Eight O’Clock Coffee and THE NIBBLE:

 
Consider A House Gift Of Coffee

While many guests bring a bottle of wine, consider bringing a bag or two of coffee. You can make the gift special by choosing a seasonal blend for Thanksgiving or Christmas.

Especially if you’re one of the caffeine-conscious, feel free to BYOB (bring your own bag) of decaf.

COFFEE LOVERS: Check out our Coffee Section for recipes, reviews and lots of great information on brewing and serving coffee.

This week, everyone’s focused on the turkey.

But let us present a crowd pleaser that you can whip up in a jiffy when the turkey’s gone: roast marrow bones.

Marrow bones, you say? Aren’t they a treat for the dog?

Lucky dogs and lucky humans both eat marrow bones. Humans cook them first, and enjoy them on toast points. No less a gourmet than Anthony Bourdain has said that if he could choose his last meal, it would be roast marrow bones.

While we previously thought that bone marrow was pure cholesterol, according to Wikipedia, bone marrow is high in monounsaturated fats that are known to decrease LDL cholesterol levels, resulting in a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease.

It does sounds counter-intuitive! Bone marrow also contains a high proportion of vital nutrients: protein, B complex vitamins, calcium, magnesium and zinc, among others. It was a prized food in hunter-gatherer societies.

How To Serve Roasted Bone Marrow

Serve the bones standing upright on a plate. If you have espresso spoons, they’ll fit more easily inside the bones to scoop out the marrow, which you can then move straight to your mouth. Otherwise, use a dinner knife to spread the marrow on toast.

Another way to serve the bone marrow is as a steak topper. Remove the marrow from the roasted bones and mix it with gremolata, a combination of three minced garlic cloves, 1/4 cup finely chopped parsley and minced lemon peel (remove the peel with a vegetable peeler).

Atop a warm steak, the marrow will melt into the meat and the gremolata will add bright flavors.

Pour some hearty red wine, and you’ll be in heaven.

In addition to buying beef bones for marrow, you should also enjoy the marrow from braised beef shanks. You can enjoy the marrow from any bones. Our dad liked to crunch on chicken bones for the marrow.

Let us know how you enjoy marrow.

Find more of our favorite beef recipes.

Each participant bakes a large batch of a particular cookie recipe, then meets up at the host’s home for a cookie exchange, where everyone trades some of their batch for other participants’ cookies. The parties are also an occasion to share a cup of coffee and tea—or something stronger—and catch up with friends.

Everyone goes home with different types of cookies to serve over the holidays.

The folks at Chex, who introduced America to Chex Party Mix, are looking to save you time (and a sugar high) over the holidays. They’d like you to turn the cookie exchange into a Chex Mix exchange.

We like the idea!

Instead of a holiday cookie exchange,
go exchange crunchy Chex snack mixes.
Photo courtesy General Mills.

 
Hosting a Chex Mix Exchange Party involves minimal planning and preparation. You can find all the information at Chex.com, including invitations, packaging ideas and shopping lists.

Let us know your favorite recipe!

Find more of our favorite snacks and recipes in our Gourmet Snacks Section.

RECIPE: NIBBLE ON THIS! JAPANESE CHEX MIX

Ingredients

 
Preparation
1. In large microwavable bowl, mix all dry ingredients.
2. In small microwavable bowl or measuring cup, microwave butter uncovered on High for 40 seconds or until melted. Stir in soy sauce. Pour over dry mixture, stirring until evenly coated.
3. Microwave bowl of mix uncovered on High for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring every two minutes. Spread on foil, wax paper or paper towels to cool. Store in an airtight container.