1 ⅓ cup packed brown sugar ½ cup butter 1 ⅓ cup all-purpose flour ½ teaspoon baking powder ⅛ teaspoon baking soda 1 egg 1 teaspoon vanilla Ginger Cookies 1 ½ cup all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon ground ginger ½ teaspoon baking soda ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon ¼ teaspoon ground cloves Pinch of salt ½ cup butter, softened ⅔ cup granulated sugar 1 egg 3 tablespoon molasses 1 tablespoon coarse sugar

3 cup white rice flour 3 cup potato starch 2 cup sorghum flour 4 teaspoon xanthan gum

Bugbane (Actaea simplex ‘Brunette’, syn. Cimicifuga) Bugbane is a tall, graceful perennial that will add a touch of refinement to any lightly shaded border. The foliage is fernlike and warm brown in color. It sends its flowers up on 5- to 6-foot stems in late summer. The white flowers are very fragrant and conveniently grow tall enough so you don’t have to stoop to smell them. Consider planting it with yellow variegated plants, such as Japanese forestgrass or hostas....

4 large unpeeled cloves garlic ½ cup butter ¼ teaspoon anchovy paste (optional) 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce (optional)

2 cup coarsely chopped tomatoes (2 large) ¼ cup finely chopped sweet onion 1 small fresh serrano or jalapeño chile peppers, seeded and finely chopped 1 teaspoon sugar ½ teaspoon salt

Grilled Provolone and Pepperoni Sandwich: Prepare as directed, except substitute Provolone cheese for the Swiss cheese, 1 tablespoon pizza sauce for the salad dressing, and 5 to 6 slices (1/2 ounce) thinly sliced pepperoni for the corned beef. Omit sauerkraut.

1. Broiling Broiling is a great way to give your food a crispy, crunchy outer layer (after all, who doesn’t love chicken with crispy skin?). Broiling means cooking food a measured distance below direct, dry heat. When you’re broiling, position the broiler pan and its rack so the surface of the food (not the rack) is the specified distance from the heat source. And don’t rely on estimations—use a ruler to measure the distance while the oven is still cold (so you don’t get burned), or you could end up accidentally over- or undercooking your food....

What Is a Tea Egg? Tea eggs are hard-cooked eggs marinated in a savory liquid infused with tea and spices. The eggshells are usually cracked before marinating, resulting in the signature crackly appearance. Originating in China, tea eggs are commonly sold by street vendors or restaurants and enjoyed as a snack. As for the taste, tea eggs have the same texture as a hard-cooked egg, only with a salty, lightly spiced flavor....

Think about it. She’s perhaps the one darn thing we can all agree on today. So, deep into the holiday season, whether you’re red, blue, or purple, whether or not you write to Santa Claus or pray to a, well, more northerly being, and even if you’ve never been to Dollywood, chances are you believe in Dolly Parton. It’s upon that premise we begin this Christmas story. Dolly—we all call her by her first name and she knows this—has her own firmly held beliefs....

Owns Happy Kids KitchenWrote Little Helpers Toddler CookbookWrote e-book: Easy Snacktivities and No Sugar Still SweetContributes food expertise to Better Homes & Gardens

The hebe plant grows best in full sun or part sun and well-drained, sandy soil. Too much shade, and it will become leggy and might cease blooming. Although relatively drought-tolerant, this shrub requires about an inch of water a week in summer to maintain healthy, robust foliage and produce large, color-drenched blooms. You can plant hebe all year long where it’s hardy, but spring or summer planting will give roots a chance to settle before cold temperatures arrive....

Cherry Extract: Prepare as directed, except use vodka, brandy, or rum for the liquor and substitute 1/2 cup pitted, fresh dark sweet cherries for the vanilla beans. Use for baking. Chocolate Extract: Prepare as directed, except use vodka, brandy, or rum for the liquor and substitute 1/4 cup cacao nibs, finely crushed, for the vanilla beans. Use to flavor frostings and beverages. Cinnamon Extract: Prepare as directed, except use vodka, brandy, or rum for the liquor and substitute 3 (3-inch) cinnamon sticks, crushed, for the vanilla beans....