• End-of-the-year investments that are worth the money
• Learn how to choose the perfect live crab
• Quick fixes for common makeup mishaps
• Nostalgic stocking stuffers for '90s girls
• Get Tori Spelling's tips for dressing boho-chic this holiday
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• Kate Middleton and Prince William kick off the holiday season in London!
• Video: Ashton Kutcher and Lea Michele flirt at NYE premiere

The holiday season is always a busy time, but preparing edible gifts for your friends is a great gesture. If you are short on time, don't worry: you can make plenty of this olive tapenade in just minutes.

Give the garlic and onions a rough chop, and with a couple pulses on the food processor, you will have a tasty olive tapenade in no time. To jazz up and add a wonderful richness to this traditional spread, add a splash of Cognac or, if you aren't ready to splurge on fancy French brandy, you can easily substitute Champagne vinegar. Package the olive tapenade in small jars with festive labels and deliver it with a baguette and your favorite brie for a savory edible gift.

Get this incredibly easy recipe when you read more.

With the demands of the holidays, these days when I make a weeknight dinner at home, it's got to be fast. An hour won't cut it — I want something on the table within minutes.

My first rule of thumb? Choosing a protein that cooks virtually instantly. Shrimp and thin fillets of fish always do the trick, but last night, I was in the mood for something heartier, like pork. The easiest way to make pork in a flash is to pound down some center-cut pork chops — it helps them cook quickly and evenly.

For a little textural contrast, I recommend breading them with panko or Italian bread crumbs, then making a quick mustardy pan sauce. Add a salad or sautéed greens, and dinner is served. See the recipe when you read ahead.

• 30 yuletide cakes guaranteed to get you in the spirit of the holidays. — MyRecipes
• This Bitchin' Kitchen Christmas video is really, really weird. — Grub Street NY
• How to tell if your wine is corked. — Serious Eats
• In-N-Out just ran a pop-up in Shanghai. Yes, Shanghai. — Eater
• Meet Brunchables, the Lunchables for Brooklyn hipster children! — CollegeHumor
• Master the art of kneading bread. — Vegetarian Times
• Make those chestnuts roasting on an open fire. — KitchenDaily

We're officially in the throes of West Coast Dungeness crab season, and there's no better way to celebrate than by purchasing a live or fresh-cooked crab, while the crustaceans are local and affordably-priced. But how do you know which live member to pick out from the crowd?

Mike La Rocca, who helms A. La Rocca Sea Food, a wholesaler that supplies fresh Dungeness to seafood restaurants like Bistro Boudin and supermarkets like Mollie Stone's, offers one critical piece of advice: look for a critter that's heavy. "The best way to judge if you're getting a nice, fresh crab is if it's got some weight when it's sitting in your hand. You should feel that pound and a half in your hands — then you know you're getting a crab that's full of meat and juice. If it's been sitting in a counter for a few days, it's going to lose its juice."

Also, the obvious: live crabs should be, well, alive. "If the crabs are alive, they need to be moving," La Rocca insists. For those of you comfortable cooking live seafood, how do you choose and prepare crab?

We want to thank jbauman23 for sharing her ingenious idea of combining two of the world's best desserts — pumpkin pie and ice cream! — into one. That is all.

Get the step-by-step recipe here, and check out her blog for more ideas. Don't forget — you, too, can share your favorite recipes in our Kitchen Goddess group!