Entertaining with easy-to-assemble party foods

It's easy to have romantic visions of the holidays — cozy fires, perfectly wrapped gifts, your house decorated like a magazine spread, all your friends gathered to celebrate, marveling at your culinary prowess.

Fatty duck? Not so fast. A healthy, delicious duck

Eaten without the skin, duck breasts are as lean as white meat chicken or turkey.

Fatty duck? Not so fast. A healthy, delicious duck

Duck is one of my favorite foods, roasted, braised, the legs confitted, the wings fried, the breasts grilled like a steak. It's just plain scrumptious.

Getting to the whole-grain side of risotto

Many people like the idea of cooking with whole grains — They are so healthful! — but refrain from actually plunging in because so many of them are unfamiliar.

The secret to great grilling is indirect heat

If you want to master the art of grilling, you need to accept the idea that more heat isn't necessarily better heat.

The secret to great grilling is indirect heat

Beer Can Chicken

A dessert for blueberry abundance, minus the guilt

Crisp blueberry shortcakes are prepared with three layers of baked phyllo dough cut into squares.

Creamed corn that is rich and creamy without cream

Sara Moulton took a tip from her chef friend and used pureed corn to achieve a silky richness without any additional fat in this spicy creamed corn recipe. Caramelized onions add great depth of flavor, while the chili's heat and lime juice's acidity balance the sweetness of the corn.

Creamed corn that is rich and creamy without cream

There are few foods as simple, delicious and complete as fresh seasonal corn on the cob. When it's really fresh, I'll even eat it raw. No boiling, no butter, no salt. It's perfectly sweet and tender right off the stalk.

Creamed corn that is rich and creamy without cream

Sara Moulton is shown on the set of her PBS show, 'Sara's Weeknight Meals.'

Healthy eating is matter of survival for this chef

Looks can be deceiving. Take Seamus Mullen.

Julia Child, a legacy of teaching the joy of food

Massaging poultry, dropping food and utensils, and warbling her way through boeuf bourguignon and coq au vin, Julia Child left an indelible mark on American food.

Wine pairings to toast the legacy of Julia Child

Maybe it's in the way one cook browns meat, or another views dessert. Or it may be in the moments when a harried chef seeks perspective in the well-worn pages of "The Way to Cook."

Mom's cooking inspires top kitchens and yours

When he was about 12, Hugh Acheson's mom went through a cooking phase: recipes from magazines, nice pots and pans, and exciting new dishes, like her signature chicken piccata.

20 fresh takes for dressing a stack of pancakes

As pancake toppings go, maple syrup is swell and certainly traditional, if not particularly inspired.

OF NOTORIETY: HBO's 'Treme' rules while showcasing soul of New Orleans

Phil Potempa's daily entertainment news column.

No shock: Winning big on TV boosts chefs' careers

Turns out, the obvious is true — winning big on a reality television cooking show can catapult the careers of even established chefs. Not so obvious — it also can leave them with more to prove.

Emeril's features latest menu selection created by New Orleans high school student

Emeril Lagasse has kicked off his latest promotion featuring a dish cooked up by a student at the New Orleans Center for the Creative Arts.

Beard Foundation celebrates anniversary with book

Long after James Beard helped trigger a cult of cooking in the United States, the foundation named for him continues to recognize the nation's top chefs in the field.

Beard Foundation celebrates anniversary with book

Long after James Beard helped trigger a cult of cooking in the United States, the foundation named for him continues to recognize the nation's top chefs in the field.