Holiday Central 2012

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Holiday Planning Calendar

Celebrate the happiest time of year with a daily recipe or tip, starting with 12 Days of Cookies and then delving into festive menus, entertaining tips and Champagne how-tos for New Year's Eve.

12 Days of Cookies: Ina's Shortbread Cookies

We're kicking off Food Network's annual 12 Days of Cookies with this classic cookie recipe from the Barefoot Contessa.
Ina's Cookie Recipe

12 Days of Cookies: Alton's Ginger Snaps

Bake a batch of Alton's crisp, spiced cookies and watch them disappear. They're completely irresistible.
Alton's Cookie Recipe

12 Days of Cookies: Paula's Loaded Oatmeal Cookies

Paula loads up classic oatmeal cookies with raisins, nuts and warm winter spices like ginger, nutmeg and cinnamon.
Paula's Cookie Recipe

12 Days of Cookies: Melissa's Mint Sandwich Cookies

Melissa's delicate sandwich cookies are fun to make with kids. And a few drops of mint extract in the frosting filling gives them a festive flavor.
Melissa's Cookie Recipe

12 Days of Cookies: The Neelys' Spiced Gingerbread Piggies

It wouldn't be the holiday season without gingerbread. Try Pat and Gina's piggie version, with just a touch of cayenne pepper.
The Neelys' Cookie Recipe

12 Days of Cookies: Giada's Holiday Biscotti

Biscotti are always welcome additions to cookie plates, since they're great dipped in coffee.
Giada's Cookie Recipe

12 Days of Cookies: Cherry White Chocolate Almond Sandwich Cookies

Food Network Star winner Jeff Mauro transformed his wife's cookie into a sandwich, filling it with almond butter filling.
The Sandwich King's Cookie Recipe

12 Days of Cookies: Anne's Meringue Cookies

Anne's light, airy Meringue Cookies are laced with almonds and cinnamon for the holidays.
Anne's Cookie Recipe

12 Days of Cookies: Bobby's Throwdown Chocolate Chip Cookies

Bobby makes his chocolate chip cookies crisp on the outside and chewy on the inside, perfect for a Throwdown or your holiday cookie plate.
Bobby's Cookie Recipe

12 Days of Cookies: Sandra's Macadamia-Coconut Cookies

Follow Sandra's lead for quick and easy shortcut cookies bursting with tropical flavors of macadamia nuts and sweet coconut.
Sandra's Cookie Recipe

12 Days of Cookies: Alex's Whoopie Pies With Toasted Almond Cream

Alex gives whoopie pies a festive upgrade by using dark chocolate and filling them with almond cream laced with lemon zest and cinnamon.
Alex's Cookie Recipe

12 Days of Cookies: Guy's Blondies With Dark Roots

Guy's blondies are sure to be a welcome addition to your holiday cookie plate.
Guy's Cookie Recipe

Facebook Fan Cookie: Apple Snickerdoodles

We asked our Facebook fans to pick our bakers' dozen cookie for 2011, and they overwhelmingly voted for snickerdoodles. The Food Network Kitchens gave this classic cookie a new apple-y spin.
Facebook Fan Cookie Recipe

Holiday Menu Planning

Now's the time to plan your holiday feasts. Follow the lead of Food Network chefs like the Barefoot Contessa and Paula to create crowd-pleasing holiday menus.
Get Holiday Menus

See How to Host a Cookie Swap

With the weekend coming up, send invites for a fabulous cookie swap today. Sunny, Anne, Alex and Aida show you how to get started.
Start Swapping Cookies Now

Our Food Lovers' Gift Guide

We've rounded up great gift ideas to fit any budget, from homemade treats to great gadgets and the latest must-haves.
See Our Top Gift Picks

How to Build a Gingerbread House

For kids, you can bake gingerbread house pieces ahead of time and then let them dive in, constructing and decorating. See how to do it, plus get a perfect recipe for spiced cookies and firm frosting.
The Perfect Gingerbread House

Anne's Baking Shortcut: Freezable Sweets

Anne makes holiday baking easy with make-ahead, freezable pie crust and biscotti doughs.
Holiday Baking Made Easy

Last-Minute Homemade Gifts

Out of gift ideas? This year, go ahead and make thoughtful, tasty gifts straight from your kitchen.
Cakes, Candies and More

A Latke Cook-Off

Food Network Magazine challenged Duff and Nigella to fry up dueling batches of latkes. Who makes the best? You decide.
Vote for the Best Latkes

Special Occasion Rib Roast

With 500+ reviews and 5 stars, you can count on Paula's rib roast to be truly foolproof.
Foolproof Standing Rib Roast

Make-Ahead French Toast Casserole

Paula's French Toast Casserole is prepared the night before so the bread can soak up the custardy egg and milk mixture overnight. In the morning, all that's left to do is bake and enjoy.
Baked French Toast Casserole

Plan On Sandra's Easy Appetizer

Starting your get-together with easy, savory-sweet toasts buys you a few extra minutes in the kitchen while guests mix and mingle.
Gorgonzola-Pear Toasts

Easy, Creamy Scalloped Potato Gratin

Need one more side dish to round out your menu? Tyler's easy scalloped potatoes are classic and creamy.
Scalloped Potato Gratin Recipe

A Merry Christmas Ham

For a hearty brunch or a family supper, feed a crowd simply and easily with Paula's festive holiday ham.
Old-Fashioned Holiday Glazed Ham

For Your Kwanzaa Feast

Serve up Southern-inspired comfort foods for a happy Kwanzaa dinner.
Classic Fried Chicken and More

50 Holiday Drinks

Warm up with steaming mugs of Hot Buttered Rum, Sugar-and-Spice Hot Cocoa and more festive cold-weather drinks.
Find a New Favorite Winter Drink

Get a Healthy Head Start

Jump-start your New Year's resolutions by making Ellie's meatless pasta dish. It's special enough for guests but easy enough for a weeknight meal.
Meatless Penne and More

Host a New Year's Happy Hour

Follow Ted's lead to host a fabulous New Year's get-together.
Get Ted's Party Menu

Make a Meal of Fun Apps

Instead of serving a sit-down dinner make cute meatball sliders and other finger foods for your New Year's bash so guests can mix and mingle.
Meatball Sliders Recipe