parmesan

I'm a little sick of the traditional Thanksgiving meal. That's why this year I plan on serving slightly different versions of old favorites — like a turkey roulade instead of a whole roasted turkey, for instance.

Rather than the usual green bean casserole, I'm reaching for a neo-Southern riff on the creamed spinach standby, and plan on impressing guests with creamed collard greens. Unlike creamed spinach, this vegetable side isn't swimming in heavy cream; the cream adds subtle body, while smoky bacon rounds out the collards' bitter character.

But the pièce de résistance is really the crispy, cheesy crumb topping. Be sure to make a generous amount, because the more, the better. Add a new tradition to your meal when you keep reading

When it comes to the month of April, it can be hard to decide what to cook. Some days are gloriously sunny and Spring-like, others are chilly and rain-filled. When you find yourself at home on one of those cool April days, whip up a platter of comforting and delicious eggplant parmesan.

This Italian-American favorite is layered with eggplants, tomato sauce, and cheese. While you could use store-bought tomato sauce, the dish will taste so much better if you take the time to make your own.

The recipe doesn't specify what kind of breadcrumbs to use — I made mine with homemade. However, the texture was a little off, and I would have preferred it with more crunch, therefore I recommend making it with purchased crumbs. Eggplant parm is a vegetarian entree that's great for entertaining, so get the recipe now.

If you're not a fan of raw oysters, I highly suggest you try them cooked. It's a great way to introduce your palate to the briny shellfish, and after all, what's not to love about anything that's covered in a delicious mixture of melted butter, cheese, herbs, and garlic?

Although this recipe hails from Mobile, AL, I'm suggesting you make it for Mardi Gras. Buy gulf oysters and you'll be supporting the community of Louisiana! These addictive oysters are a crowd-pleaser and a scrumptious start to any celebratory shindig, so check out the uncomplicated recipe now.

The Golden Globes are this Sunday, and if you plan on viewing the awards ceremony with friends and family, why not whip up a delicious and simple appetizer?! We recommend chef Meg Hall's parmesan puff pastry twists. Learn how to make them now!

Haven't made a resolution yet? Make an intention to buy better ingredients, like Lesleykat has with parmesan cheese — then learn how to properly store them, too.

Part of my New Year's resolution is to not buy crappy parmesan cheese. You know the stuff I'm talking about. It comes in a green cylinder with a snap lid. It's powdery, gritty, and utterly tasteless. Yes, there are better options than this crap, but what you REALLY want to get is the good stuff: PARMIGIANO-REGGIANO. Look for the rind stamped with dotted block letters or even a stamp. Examples here.

The quickest way to ruin a good chunk of heavenly parmesan is to not store it properly. The air in your refrigerator will carry the scents of other foods and get into food that isn't well protected. The best example of this is stinky ice. So gross!

Learn to properly store your cheese when you keep reading.

During the holidays, stock your fridge with puff pastries for quick appetizers that can be thrown together in a pinch. The flaky, easy-to-thaw, simple-to-slice dough is irresistible, whether it's stuffed with something sweet like ginger and holiday spice or savory like sliced prosciutto. Wow guests with minimal work by serving two types of puff pastry spirals — one sweet, filled with diced green apples and dusted with pecans and powdered sugar; the other savory and infused with the Roman flavors of sharp parmesan cheese and black pepper. Everyone will be raving at both the beginning and the end of the meal. Want the recipes? Then click to read more.

I love recipes that take classic ingredient combinations and reinvent them in new ways. Exhibit A: this effortless recipe for grilled eggplant parmesan pizzas. The traditional Italian-American dish layers lightly fried eggplant slices with marinara sauce and mozzarella cheese. This variation lightens things up while making the meal a little more substantial. The eggplant is cooked on the grill and then the three components are turned into a topping for pizza. Instead of pizza dough that has to be tediously rolled out, the recipe employs pita. which results in a super quick and crisp crust. Get the vegetarian recipe now.

If the middle of the week has got you down, why not cheer up with cheeseburgers? This recipe for meatball sliders seasons the beef with breadcrumbs, sage, and lots of parmesan cheese.

They're quick to put together and fun to eat. The smaller size means you can indulge without the guilt. Serve the sliders with salad greens, couscous, or grilled potatoes. Want the recipe? Get it right here.

Over a thoroughly enjoyable bite of blackberry fool, I couldn't help but dream about a crumbly, larden shortbread round to dust off with it. So tonight, while I've still got some blackberry dessert in the icebox, I think I'm going to bake up a batch of shortbread coins to go along with.

A traditional shortbread is truly spare of ingredients, calling only for butter, flour, and sugar. In fact, it's so simple that I plan to experiment with other add-ins just for fun, like the addition of garlic, pepper, and Parmesan cheese to form savory, bite-sized shortbread coins that can be served with any manner of cheese or charcuterie. Want to follow suit with the same idea? Then get both recipes when you read on.