Christmas Eve isn’t on a Saturday this year, but it is a special night deserving of a special menu, including Fettuccine Alfredo and a spectacular Chocolate Hazelnut Torte.

Fettuccine Alfredo is the perfect special occasion dish – festive and special, rich and creamy, but so simple to make it comes together in 15 minutes, so you have more time for making merry.

Chocolate Hazelnut Torte is a masterpiece that tastes as decadent as it looks, with dark chocolate and hazelnuts flavoring each rich and sinful layer.

There’s more to November than turkey dinner. On this chilly Saturday night I made a big pot of warm, saucy, wine-braised beef short ribs, cheesy little crackers to start, and simple but elegant chocolate dipped oranges for dessert.

Pinot Noir, salty pancetta, a splash of Cognac and stems of rosemary and thyme flavor the braising liquid that coddles these Pinot Braised Short Ribs.

We had the most addictive, tender, flaky, cheesy little Cheddar crackers in the luxurious cocktail bar at the Goring Hotel in London. Until we can return, I’ll be making this copycat version at home.

Does Sweet Potato Casserole qualify as a vegetable, with its crispy crunchy topping of brown sugar and pecans? Who cares, it’s the holidays.

Chocolate-Dipped Mandarin Oranges are the easiest showstopper dessert ever – three simple steps to make, gorgeous to look at, a tantalizing contrast of juicy/smooth textures and an explosion of sweet/tart flavors.

These are quiet days at home, trying to appreciate what’s good about life right now – like a soul-warming seasonal feast of spiced pecans, prosciutto-wrapped pork loin and pumpkin-spiced icebox cake.

Easy, sweet/salty Spiced Pecans are the perfect nibble to serve with cocktails or a glass of wine.