Photo: Cristina Ferrare

My husband, Tony, knows how much I love fresh herbs. I grow them year-round inside and outside our home. I use them in my cooking all the time because they enhance the flavor of any dish I prepare. Using fresh herbs is the perfect way to brighten up the flavor of low-cal recipes, so you don't miss the fat or the extra salt. (Follow me on Twitter @CristinaCooks for more on healthy cooking.)

The other evening, Tony came home with a beautiful bouquet of fresh herbs and edible flowers wrapped in a lovely ribbon. As I looked at the bouquet, I realized everything in there was suitable for eating, and that gave me an idea. I decided to experiment and make a bouquet using fresh lettuce leaves, watercress, wild arugula, cucumbers, frisee, herbs and edible flowers; wrap them with a ribbon so they'd would look like a bouquet; and serve it as a first course for dinner on Valentine's Day. You expect a bouquet on Valentine's Day, but not one you can eat!

Photo: Cristina Ferrare

I always test out my new recipes before I decide whether or not to serve them to company by getting feedback from family and friends. I wanted to come up with a better tasting chicken wing that didn't taste like spicy shoe leather. I set out to make a moist and tender wing, one that would knock your socks off! After some trials, I found a way to make the perfect tasting wing. The secret is to marinate them in buttermilk for two days. The acid in the buttermilk breaks down the protein in the meat, rendering it soft and juicy. Warning: These wings are not for the faint of heart or little kids. They have a kick better than the Giants' field goal kicker. Here's the recipe. For even more Super Bowl ideas, follow me on Twitter. Enjoy the game!

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Photo: Cristina Ferrare

Super Bowl Sunday is always a big deal in our house. I make a lot of food because I just never know who is going to show up. There has to be something for everyone, but I don’t like to create a menu that's all over the place, which creates havoc in the kitchen (and your stomach). I make sure to select dishes that won’t disappoint, and to have plenty of options, since the game is long and people will eat for hours. They mostly nosh until halftime, when I serve the main meal. There isn't much eating during fourth quarter, but after, everyone gathers around the table again to pick up where they left off. This year, I'm making Pulled Pork Carnitas. The recipe is from my show, Big Bowl of Love. This video shows just how easy it is to make. It's one of my favorite recipes, and is always a huge hit! Next up will be my chicken wing recipe, because what’s the Super Bowl without wings?

Photo: Todd Porter and Diane Cu

If you're still searching for the perfect cocktail to serve this holiday weekend, consider Cristina Ferrare's Cranberry Cosmopolitan. Cristina's twist on the classic drink is to sub in lemon vodka for regular, which gives it a brighter flavor. Garnish it with few fresh cranberries and a lime twist to keep the colors Christmas-y.

Photo: Cristina Ferrare

My family celebrates Christmas Day all day, starting with opening gifts then sitting down together to enjoy a great breakfast! These Sweet Potato Pancakes with Berry Good Syrup are always a huge hit. My husband will slather some room-temperature butter on them and watch it slowly melt and drip down the sides of the pancakes. (It’s okay; it’s Christmas, so he gets a pass.) I love to watch his face as he dips his fork into the Berry Good Syrup and takes his first mouthful. His expression looks like a little kid's! It always makes me smile.

Photo: Cristina Ferrare

For years in my family, every Thanksgiving, a petty argument among the dark meat lovers would start about 20 minutes before dinner. It was always about who was going to get a wing, leg, or thigh, since there are only two of those per bird. The thighs were the easiest to deal with, since I could get two to three servings from each. The wings and legs, not so much. So I decided to make life easier for myself by preparing extra wings, legs and thighs. I also realized by doing this I didn’t have to deal with people who would gather around the dinner table way before it was time to eat so they could be the first to grab the dark meat. Preparing extra turkey parts (I make more than I need) ensured everyone would get what they wanted and it made me feel less anxious since I always play chef as well as referee!

Photo: Cristina Ferrare

I have been having so much fun sharing Thanksgiving recipes with you over these past few weeks (follow me @cristinacooks for the latest). I'm curious to hear which ones will actually make it to your dinner table. This week I'm sharing a recipe for stuffing that happens to be one of Oprah's favorites dishes! I made it for her on her show and we had a great time in the kitchen together. I've also had the pleasure of making it for her along with family and other friends for Christmas Day feasts many times over the years! The moment I start to prepare the stuffing, I get so excited. The aroma from the onions, carrots and celery in the fruity olive oil smells so familiar, I guess because it's how my mom and grandmother would start their stuffing. It immediately conjures up warm feelings of home and family. I love it when my kids or husband will shout out from the other room, "It smells like Thanksgiving in here!"  That makes me smile every time!

Photo: Diane Cu and Todd Porter

Every year at the end of September, I wait anxiously for cranberries to arrive at the market. I buy two bags every time I go and freeze them (my freezer's filled with them and ice cream). I hoard them because fresh cranberries are seasonal, and I like to use them all year long. If you buy cranberries in a plastic bag they can go directly into the freezer and will last up to nine months. You can use them in recipes without thawing them first; plus, it's easier to chop or grind them while frozen. Added bonus: Cranberries are a rich source of vitamin C. You'll always find cranberry sauce in my refrigerator, especially during the holiday season. It's a great side dish for most everything--particularly turkey. The bright red color of the cranberries brightens up the holiday table and makes everything look so festive. Just a little fun fact: Americans consume over 400 million pounds of cranberries each year. About 80 million pounds are gobbled up during Thanksgiving week alone! I've been sharing some of my favorite holiday recipes over the past few weeks for you to try before Thanksgiving. You can follow me on Twitter @cristinacooks for updates, but just in case you missed any recipes, I have already posted Creamy Mashed Potatoes with Scallions, Creamed Spinach, Pumpkin Cheesecake with Caramel Sauce and Blackberry Cobbler. This week, I'm including three different kinds of cranberry sauce to try: Cranberries in Orange Mint Sauce with Jalapenos (my personal favorite; I really love the bit of heat and crunch you get from them); a Kid-Friendly Cranberry Sauce; and Spiced Cranberries that work as a side or over ice cream for dessert.

Photo: Diane Cu and Todd Porter

As promised, I am sharing two recipes a week over the next three weeks for you to try and see if you would like to serve them for Thanksgiving this year. As always I try them out first to make sure that everyone will be pleased. Last week I included the recipes for Scallion Mashed Potatoes and Creamed Spinach. Both dishes are a family favorite and I always include them no matter what. Besides how can you not serve mashed potatoes with your turkey? This week I'm going to skip right to the dessert and give you recipes for an outstanding Pumpkin Cheesecake and Blackberry Cobbler. The cheesecake is a definite crowd-pleaser. It has a creamy, smooth consistency with just the right amount of pumpkin flavor that is surprisingly light. The crust adds just the right amount of crunch thanks to the gingersnap cookies and the warm flavors of ground ginger and cinnamon that adds the perfect touch to what will become a family favorite. And give the cobbler a try. It has an intense blackberry flavor that's juicy and not too sweet. Having something that is too sugary after such a big meal is just too heavy. Serve the cobbler warm with vanilla ice cream or vanilla frozen yogurt. I love the sensation when I take my first bite of the warm cobber with the cold melting ice cream. It's just so good! If you have any left over store in the refrigerator over night. It tastes great right out of the refrigerator cold. I hope you enjoy these recipes (for more, follow me on Twitter @cristinacooks)!

Photo: Diane Cu and Todd Porter

Thanksgiving is right around the corner, again! I’m having so much fun looking through all the new cooking magazines; I get great inspiration from them and love to try new recipes. As always, I try new dishes on my family first to make sure they're not too difficult to make and that they taste great. I wouldn’t like to spring a new dish on everyone, especially on a holiday, and not have it go over so well. Right about now, I start picking out the new recipes I want to try for the holidays (follow my adventures on Twitter @cristinacooks). I choose four or five new dishes, and out of those, I pick at least two to include or replace on the holiday table. Over the next few weeks, I'll be sharing my favorite family recipes you might like to serve at Thanksgiving this year. Here are two of my family’s favorite sides, Yukon Gold Mash Potatoes with Scallions, and Creamed Spinach. Enjoy!