Food

This recipe from Alicia Silverstone's "The Kind Diet," is whole grain and vegan, but tastes decadent.

If you buy raw walnuts, toast them by spreading on a baking sheet. Place in a 350 F oven for 8 to 10 minutes, or until lightly browned and fragrant. Stir once or twice as they toast.

Coffee Fudge Brownies

Servings: 12

For the brownies:

cup whole-wheat pastry flour

cup brown rice flour

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cups maple sugar

Between kindly neighbors, generous officemates and your own seasonal baking lust, it's easy to get overwhelmed by cookies during the holidays. What to do with all the cookies that don't get gobbled up right away?

Kate Merker, associate food editor at Real Simple magazine, suggests morphing cookies into a different kind of treat. Or simply storing them in the freezer to preserve freshness until you're once again craving gingerbread.

Looking for a tasty and decadent gift, that comes from the kitchen this holiday? Why not try your hand at caramel apples, covered in a rich coating of milk chocolate?

These apples sell in the gourmet stores for $10 to $20 each, but are not difficult to make at home. All it takes is a little time and a little creativity, and you will become everyone's favorite gift giver.

Caramel Apples

6 medium to large apples (preferably with a rough textured outer skin, like Winesap)

1 pound of caramel candies, unwrapped

2 tablespoons cream

Preparing Thanksgiving dinner is enough of a pressure cooker, never mind having to do on-the-fly math to get it right. Here are all the numbers you need to have a safe, worry-free and delicious Turkey Day dinner.

All serving estimates are generous to allow for plenty of seconds and leftovers.

HOW BIG?

For turkeys under 16 pounds, estimate 1 pound per serving (this accounts for bone weight). For larger birds, a bit less is fine; they have a higher meat-to-bone ratio. But if your goal is plenty of leftovers, aim for 1 1/2 pounds per person whatever the turkey's size.