With its oozing center and rich, mild taste, baked brie is one holiday appetizer that many people look forward to. I'm definitely among this group: what's not to love about creamy, melted cheese?!

While brie en croute (brie that's baked in puff pastry) is a favorite, I prefer brie baked with nuts and jam. That way you can slather the warm mixture on crackers or crostini.

Although my recipe calls for pecans and strawberry jam, feel free to substitute other nuts, preserves, or even honey. This killer app is unbelievable easy to put together and requires virtually no culinary expertise. To look at my recipe, read more

As part of our annual end of the year coverage, we asked you who your favorite Top Chef contestant was. Over the course of 2009, we were lucky enough to watch two exciting seasons of Top Chef.

The first, Top Chef season five, was shot in New York City and featured the infamous relationships of Leah and Hosea — and Stefan and Fabio. The following season, which just ended and was filmed in Las Vegas, was the first time we saw brothers compete.

The voting was across the board with fan favorite Kevin Gillespie taking the majority at 37 percent. We agree with you readers: Kevin is a lovable inspiration, and I'm dying to eat one of his pork masterpieces. We look forward to seeing what's next for Kevin!

Photo courtesy of Bravo