sage

Bacon doesn't do anything wrong — and that certain truth applies to everything, including the blank canvas of bread. Here, Monica Bennett shows how, when combined, bacon, apples, and sage make for a killer sweet-salty bread pudding.

For the recipe, check out her blog — and share your latest culinary creations with us in the YumSugar Community.

If you're hungry for turkey, but don't want to wait till Thanksgiving to make the mouthwatering meat, serve up this simple turkey scaloppine recipe. It comes together quickly, meaning you can enjoy it as an elegant and flavorful main any time of the week. When using thinly pounded slices of boneless turkey breasts, pay attention to the heat, as you don't want to overcook the poultry. The fast pan sauce is a mixture of white wine, chicken broth, fresh sage, and chopped pancetta. A couple pats of butter add a glossy sheen to the sauce. For a complete pre-Thanksgiving meal, serve with stuffing muffins and a glass of Beaujolais. Want the recipe? Check it out after the break.

Recently I had a fun idea: I would make roast chicken, come up with two different ways of using the leftover meat, and share the whole thing with you! Since stuffing is an Autumnal favorite, I selected this recipe for roasted chicken halves with sage stuffing. It's seasoned with fresh sage and paprika and cooked on a bed of homemade croutons, celery, onion, and garlic. The finished dish is insanely scrumptious! The chicken meat was moist and flavorful, and the skin was crispy and addictive. The rich and caramelized stuffing sucks up all the chicken's juices while cooking. If you like roast chicken, you must make this dish. Check back tomorrow and Friday to find out what I do with the leftovers, and to see this recipe, read more.

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.

They were going to start surfacing on star feet sooner or later. Apparently, the comeback clog was hard for cutie Rachel Bilson to resist. She opted for a slingback clog while signing a gay marriage rights petition in Beverly Hills. The rest of her outfit — an embellished LBD and black Chanel bag — would go with any shoe, but her hippie-esque choice warrants a free-lovin' vibe.

While the bulbs have started popping up, the cold weather is still in effect and I'm craving Winter comfort food. To feed that hunger, this weekend, I made a hearty and scrumptious butternut squash lasagna. It wasn't a fast process, but the finished product is rewarding.

Prepping a butternut squash can be a little intimidating, but if you follow my guide to peeling, scooping, and chopping, it will be a cinch. Once the butternut squash is roasted and tender, a couple quick whirls in the food processor will create a creamy texture.

The sage, thyme, and garlic bechamel takes a short time to prepare, and when that is done, the assembling begins. All of the flavors combine as it cooks, resulting in a deliciously decadent lasagna. If you want to warm up a cold evening, keep reading for the recipe.

Some of you might remember that my aunt has a thing for conjuring up herbal remedies, like her cold-fighting ginger tea. So when I got hit with a nasty fever last week, I called dear ol' auntie first.

After I described my ailment, she said one word: sage. I was skeptical, mostly because I have never been a huge fan of the pungent, peppery herb. But since sage has been a longstanding healing plant, I whipped up my aunt's recipe. Not only was my cough suppressed, I could actually breathe for a few hours! Give this tea a try the next time you're feeling sickly.

To see the recipe, read more

While roast chicken is one of my go-to weeknight comfort meals, tonight I'm turning my attention to the other white meat. A pork tenderloin is a quick-cooking, affordable cut of meat that, like chicken, can be seasoned with virtually any ingredient.

In this recipe it's rubbed with dried sage and sprinkled with parmesan cheese. When roasted with a variety of vegetables, it makes for a simple and satisfying one-pan meal. Check out the recipe when you read more

A couple of weeks ago, I made sparkling pomegranate cocktails; since then, I've been looking for ways to use the elderflower liqueur known as St. Germain. I came across this fresh sounding recipe that combines the floral spirit with simple syrup, lemon juice, and gin.

I know many of you aren't fans of gin, but since tomorrow is repeal day and everyone (gin and vodka drinkers) should be celebrating, I took the liberty of performing an impromptu taste test. I made two drinks — one with Hendrick's gin and the other with Grey Goose vodka.

Six people blind tasted both cocktails. While everyone agreed the gin one tasted better, the vodka one wasn't bad. The moral of the story? This cocktail is smooth, refreshing, and wildly good made with vodka or gin! Get the recipe and read more