Food Network Magazine December 2019

DINNERS UNDER 500 CALORIES Sheet-Pan curried Chicken and Root Vegetables PAGE 84 CALORIES: 450 Everything-spiced Shrimp, Broccoli and Potatoes PAGE 94 CALORIES: 430 Turkey and wild Rice Soup PAGE 90 CALORIES: 490 coriander Chicken with spaghetti squash PAGE 94 CALORIES: 480 THE SUGAR RUSH MYTH You might think that sugary drinks or desserts give you quick energy, but recent research found the opposite. According to a study published in the journal Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews, participants who consumed sugar felt more fatigued and less alert afterward than those who hadn’t. We’re not saying you should skip the Christmas cookies—but you might want to balance them out with the veggie snacks on page 68. Looking Good According to German researchers, the beta carotene in sweet potatoes and carrots can help prevent sun damage and premature aging. Try the steak with sweet potatoes on page 86 to get…

7 cooking functions in one appliance – including AirFry Introducing a healthier way to fry, and so much more! The Cuisinart® AirFryer Toaster Oven is actually a premium full-size toaster oven with a built-in air fryer. That means it not only bakes, broils, and toasts, it also lets you air fry right inside the oven. Air frying, which uses powerful ultra-hot air and 98% less oil than deep-frying, is a healthier way to cook, allowing you to prepare delicious fried favorites, from wings and fritters to fries and shrimp, using little or no fat in the cooking process! Enjoy the crunch without the calories and messy cleanup, with the AirFryer Toaster Oven from Cuisinart! Williams-Sonoma • Crate & Barrel • Macy’s Follow us @Cuisinart cuisinart.com…

“It’s a Wonderful Life—but I bet everybody says that. Does When Harry Met Sally… count? I love when she lugs that Christmas tree down the block!”“I loved watching A Charlie Brown Christmas with my children. And Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, of course!”“The Santa Clause because its portrayal of the North Pole is the coziest and I want to try Judy’s hot chocolate. Also, the cookie dispenser in the sleigh is my fantasy.”…

We have a holiday tradition in our family that I secretly want to undo: Every year on December 1, we put out our reindeer Advent calendar—a wooden creature that has 24 little drawers for my daughters to open as they count down to Christmas. He looks innocent enough, but he’s an endless pit of need. I fill a drawer with two gifts, and he just needs two more the next night, and the next… nonstop until Christmas Eve. This reindeer has literally given me nightmares: Three or four times every December, my husband or I wake up at some ungodly hour because we’ve forgotten to fill the drawer for the morning. And we have to go scavenging for something, anything, that would qualify as a gift: a few morsels from…

1 Start the month with s’mores hot cocoa: Dip the rim of a mug in melted chocolate, then crushed graham crackers. Fill with hot cocoa and marshmallows. 3 Today is Giving Tuesday. Go to nokidhungry.org to help the fight against childhood hunger. 4 Three weeks until Christmas! Pack a red-and-green lunch: Toss spinach tortellini, bocconcini and cherry tomatoes with pesto; serve with toothpicks. 7 Try an easy holiday party app: Slice the top off a wheel of brie. Top with chopped fresh cranberries and honey. Bake at 375?, 10 to 15 minutes. 9 Give yourself a Monday boost: Mix ¼ teaspoon instant espresso powder and 3 ounces melted chocolate; eat with sliced pears. 10 Happy Birthday, Bobby Flay! Try the chef’s gingerbread cupcakes with mango buttercream. Find the recipe at foodnetwork.com/bobbycupcakes. 13 Make happy hour toasts: Top with a mix of ¼ cup…

If you find yourself short on cookie cutters or cake pans this holiday season, you might want to ask your library to start lending them out. “Not everyone wants to buy a Bundt pan they might use only once a year,” says Maria Buhl of the Guilderland Public Library in New York, where patrons can borrow seasonal cookie cutters and cartoon-themed cake molds. Some libraries loan appliances, too: Cardholders of the Hillsboro Public Library in Oregon can check out a commercial-grade popcorn machine, a KitchenAid stand mixer and a chocolate fountain, in addition to about 100 cake pans!…