Weekly Wrap-Up: 12/16-12/22

In case you missed them, here’s a wrap up of our favorite blog posts of the week. Read, get inspired, and start cooking!

 

Christmas Morning Breakfast Menu Christmas morning wouldn’t be complete without warm pajamas, a big, cozy breakfast, and mugs of steaming coffee and hot chocolate. Pair a crowd-pleasing homemade frittata with an assortment of artisanal pastries and breakfast cakes, and this long-awaited celebration comes together in no time.

Ingredient Spotlight: Pomegranate Juicy, sparkling pomegranate seeds are like little gems in the winter months, adding bright color and flavor to all kinds of dishes. Read on for our best tips for working with pomegranates, plus creative ways to use them from the Williams-Sonoma Test Kitchen.

Roast Chicken and Vegetables with Fall Spices Winter is closing in on fall, but the warm flavors of cumin, coriander and sweet paprika taste great any time. By roasting chicken in pieces instead of whole, you can speed up the cooking time — this dinner is served in just 30 minutes!

Cookie of the Day: Blackberry-Pecan Thumbprints These buttery pecan cookies are a holiday classic and a lot of fun to make with kids, who will love pressing their thumbs into the cookies to form the indentations. When the cookies are baked, the jam becomes firm and chewy and the nuts turn toasty.

Recipe Roundup: Holiday Roasts A show-stopping roast cooked to juicy perfection makes the ultimate centerpiece for a special occasion (plus, it’s a great way to feed a crowd). Here, we’ve gathered our favorite recipes that are sure to impress, from a crown roast of pork and a standing rib roast to Thomas Keller’s herb-crusted rack of lamb.

Dark and Sticky Gingerbread This dark, spicy and ultramoist cake is never more delicious than it is during the holidays. Its warm flavors are perfect for a wintry day — and even better when paired with a frothy pint of Guinness.

What We’re Reading: Schiller’s Liquor Bar To help you make spirits bright this holiday season, look to Rich Bubbico, co-author of the new book Schiller’s Liquor Bar Cocktail Collection. Here, we ask Rich all about how he started mixing cocktails, his favorite recipes from the book, and the most important techniques for mixing.

Weekend Project: Chocolate-Marshmallow Fudge Rich, gooey fudge makes a great holiday gift for friends or co-workers. Cut it into bars or squares before serving or pack pieces into gift boxes!

Recipe Roundup: Warming Winter Drinks It’s cold out there! Warm up with a steaming mug of something fragrant and comforting. Here are our favorite drinks for sipping in front of the fireplace on a cozy winter day.

Cookie Tin 101 There’s an art to building the ideal holiday cookie tin. For the ultimate homemade gift box, you’ll need to balance flavors, colors and textures — all while making sure the cookies stay fresh and don’t break in transit. Here are our tips for pulling it off, plus recipes to fill your tin.

Oysters on the Half Shell with Tarragon Mignonette This dish is as impressive as it is easy to prepare. The mignonette sauce—a classic accompaniment to raw oysters—gets a flavor boost from fresh tarragon. Serve it at an elegant cocktail party or as a starter at a holiday gathering.

Sweet Potato Hash with Poached Eggs This is a lovely brunch dish that no one will guess is healthy. A little bit of ham adds smoky flavor without too much additional fat, but you can omit it for a vegetarian version.

Recipe Roundup: Quick Winter Breakfasts Rise and shine to a nourishing bowl of oatmeal or fluffy scrambled eggs! These delicious breakfast dishes are cozy and comforting and come together quickly, perfect for this busy — and wonderful — time of year.

Cookie Saturday with Joanne Chang of Flour! Every Saturday until Christmas, we’ll be talking to some top cookie experts for the inside scoop, sharing their best cookie tips and go-to recipes for the holidays. Here, we ask Joanne Chang of Flour Bakery and Cafe all about her holiday baking traditions. Read on!

Cioppino with Toasted Baguette This hearty, fragrant fisherman’s stew turns any dinner into a special occasion. Use this recipe as your guide, but let the bounty of what’s available at your local fish and produce markets steer your ultimate ingredient choices.

Holiday Wine Guide From cocktail soirees to dinner parties and gift-giving, wine is at the center of the holiday season. We asked wine expert Jordan Mackay for his tips on the best wines to serve, give and enjoy for every occasion. Read his tips below, then visit Williams-Sonoma Wine to find the perfect bottle.

Setting the Perfect Holiday Table To create our most beautiful holiday table yet, we talked to Alison Attenborough, the stylist behind our Christmas entertaining story. Read on for her best tips and creative ideas!