Espresso Martini

Learn how to make an espresso martini! This caffeinated cocktail recipe is rich, frothy, smooth, and sweet. Coffee lovers, you have to try it!

This espresso martini recipe is smooth, sweet, and strong, with a rich coffee flavor and delicious layer of foam on top. It might seem fancy, but it’s easy to make with 4 simple ingredients: vodka, coffee liqueur, simple syrup, and freshly brewed espresso (or cold brew). You don’t need to be a bartender to master this classic cocktail! When I order an espresso martini at a restaurant or bar, I find that it can often be too sweet. I love making this recipe at home because I have full control over the balance of flavors. Jack and I started making it a…

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Roasted Fennel

These roasted fennel wedges are tender, sweet, and deeply caramelized. Garnished with lemon zest and/or Parmesan, they're a delicious side dish.

This roasted fennel recipe is one of my all-time favorite side dishes. I adore roasted broccoli, roasted cauliflower, and roasted carrots, but I might love roasted fennel most of all. Raw fennel has a distinct anise flavor and crunchy texture. Roasted fennel, on the other hand, is beautifully tender, almost silky. As it caramelizes in the oven, its licorice flavor transforms into something sweeter, nuttier, and richer. There’s nothing else quite like it. If you’ve never tried roasted fennel, I hope you will soon. Serve it as a side dish with any weeknight dinner, or dress it up with garnishes like lemon…

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Mulled Wine

This mulled wine recipe is perfect for the holidays! Simmered with citrus, apple cider, and warming spices, it's cozy, festive, and delicious.

winter / cocktail

Jack and I love to make this mulled wine recipe during the holiday season. Packed with notes of citrus, apple, and aromatic spices, it’s cozy, flavorful, and festive. Sipping a steaming mug of it is the best way to warm up on a cold winter night. This mulled wine is the perfect drink for holiday parties. For one, the recipe is easy to scale up or down depending on the size of your group. It also makes your kitchen smell amazing. The heady, spiced aroma on its own is reason enough to try it! Mulled Wine Ingredients Here’s what you’ll need…

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45 Christmas Breakfast Ideas

With recipes for cinnamon rolls, breakfast casseroles, French toast, waffles, and more, these Christmas breakfast ideas include something for everyone.

breakfast

All our best Christmas breakfast ideas, all in one place! In case you’re still figuring out your menu for the holiday morning (don’t worry, I’m right there with you…), I thought I’d share some of my favorite festive brunch recipes today. They include Christmas breakfast ideas of every size and style—sweet ones, savory ones, ones you can make ahead, and ones you can whip up at the last minute. Some are great for a group, while others are meant for smaller celebrations. I hope you find some you love! Christmas Breakfast Ideas for a Crowd Serving a crowd on Christmas…

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Creamy Mushroom Soup

This mushroom soup recipe is creamy, comforting, and bursting with savory mushroom flavor. Make it with or without cream—it's delicious either way!

winter / soups

This mushroom soup recipe has become one of Jack’s favorite comfort foods. He loves anything and everything with fresh mushrooms, and this creamy, savory soup is positively packed with them. One and a half pounds of mushrooms cook down with onion, garlic, and tamari to create the soup’s umami base. Fresh thyme brings out the mushrooms’ earthy flavor, and white wine adds a nice tang to brighten it all up. I puree part of this mushroom soup, so it’s creamy with or without heavy cream. Jack likes the rich flavor of the cream version—it tastes like a classic cream of mushroom…

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Homemade Caesar Dressing

This homemade Caesar dressing recipe beats any store-bought salad dressing I've tried. With a mayo base, it's creamy, tangy, and easy to make.

A great Caesar dressing is the secret to a great Caesar salad! This Caesar dressing recipe is my favorite. I love it because it’s easy and delicious. Unlike a traditional Caesar dressing, which is made with an emulsion of raw egg yolk and oil, this one has a mayo base. It’s super simple to stir together (and it doesn’t contain raw eggs!). Still, it’s rich, creamy, and packed with tangy, savory, umami flavor. Try it on your next Caesar salad, and you’ll never get a store-bought Caesar dressing again! Trust me, this homemade version is so much better. Caesar Salad Dressing…

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Waldorf Salad

This Waldorf salad recipe is simple, refreshing, and delicious! A tangy, creamy dressing coats crisp apples, celery, walnuts, and grapes.

When was the last time you made a Waldorf salad? Up until recently, this classic fruit and nut salad wasn’t in my rotation, but this fall, I started making it on repeat. A friend of a friend brought a Waldorf salad to a dinner party I attended, and I couldn’t resist going back for seconds…and then thirds. The combination of crisp apples, juicy grapes, crunchy celery, and walnuts was sweet, savory, and surprisingly refreshing. Halfway through my last helping, I was already looking forward to making my own version at home. This Waldorf salad recipe is simple and delicious. It stays…

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Acorn Squash with Chickpeas & Chimichurri

Warmly spiced chickpeas, tangy chimichurri, and roasted acorn squash fill this recipe with an unexpected—but delicious—combination of flavors.

dinner / vegetarian / gluten free

Every year in November, I like to share at least one vegetarian main dish recipe. I find that Thanksgiving hosts often like to have a special option for vegetarians at their table, especially if they’re newer to the family. But what people don’t know is that, for the most part, herbivores are usually happy filling up on sides like stuffing, mashed potatoes, and roasted veggies. I certainly am! So this year, I’m bringing back a “main dish” that can double as a side dish: acorn squash with chickpeas and chimichurri. I stuff roasted acorn squash quarters with warmly spiced chickpeas…

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Twice Baked Potatoes

These twice baked potatoes have crispy skins and a rich, creamy mashed potato filling. Topped with melty cheddar cheese and green onions, they're a delicious side dish!

This twice baked potatoes recipe is a comforting, delicious side dish. I take my signature baked potatoes, hollow them out, and load them with a rich, creamy mashed potato filling. Then, the stuffed potatoes get baked again with a layer of melty cheese on top. Twice Baked Potatoes Ingredients In addition to the potatoes, you’ll need these simple ingredients to make this recipe: Olive oil – You’ll rub it over the potato skins to help them crisp up in the oven. Sour cream – It adds richness and tangy flavor to the filling. I’ve also tested this recipe with Greek yogurt instead of…

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Sweet Potato Casserole

Without question, this is the best sweet potato casserole recipe I've tried! Smooth and creamy sweet potatoes are topped with a savory pecan crumble.

fall / side dishes

This sweet potato casserole recipe is one of my favorite Thanksgiving side dishes. Instead of topping it with mini marshmallows, I cover it in a crisp pecan crumble. I love how this nutty, savory topping balances the creamy sweet potato filling. It’s delicious…and it tastes like it belongs at dinner, not dessert. 🙂 This recipe is great for the holidays because the ingredients are super simple (ALDI shoppers, you can get all of them there!) and you can make it ahead. Prepare the filling and topping up to 2 days in advance, and store them separately in the fridge until the…

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25 Best Thanksgiving Appetizers

Kick off your holiday feast with these easy Thanksgiving appetizers! They include fun, festive ideas like stuffed mushrooms, baked brie, and more.

If I’ve learned one thing from hosting Thanksgiving over the years, it’s this: Thanksgiving appetizers are essential. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve served a holiday meal 30 minutes or an hour (or two) later than planned because my roasted beets were still rock-hard or the water for my mashed potatoes took longer than expected to boil. In those moments, Thanksgiving appetizers save the big day. They tide over hungry guests until it’s time to sit down to dinner, keeping everyone’s spirits up and the atmosphere light. I’m sharing my 25 best Thanksgiving appetizer ideas below. They include a simple cheese…

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Fresh, easy
recipes for
every day.

Jeanine Donofrio in her kitchen

I'm Jeanine, a New York Times bestselling cookbook author, recipe developer, and founder of Love & Lemons, a trusted recipe resource for millions of home cooks. I create fresh, easy, and delicious vegetarian recipes that celebrate seasonal ingredients and flavors.

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