(hover for a description, click a photo for a recipe) ~ All 2002 Kitchen Parade Recipes ~ Kitchen Parade is written by second-generation food columnist Alanna Kellogg and features fresh, seasonal dishes for every-day healthful eating and occasional indulgences.Never miss a Kitchen Parade recipe: Sign up for a free e-mail subscription.If you like Kitchen Parade, forward this recipe to a friend who might too! © Copyright Kitchen Parade 2002, 2007 & 2015

When people come for dinner, they know to arrive hungry! To stave off hunger before we eat, I put out small dishes of nuts to nibble on as we gather in the kitchen for the first hellos and catch-up conversation.But so many "party nut" recipes are sugary. Instead, these are totally savory nuts, dark and sultry with just a touch of heat and only slightly addictive – okay that's a lie, they're totally addictive! Even at the last minute, throw roast some pecans in the oven for a quick appetizer or hostess gift.
COMPLIMENTS!
"... quick, easy and turned out great. These will not last long..." ~ Julie
The holiday season can seem sugar-coated – candy canes, cookies, chocolate, Christmas cakes. While hardly healthful, these spicy pecans will tickle another part of your palate. If you have pecans leftover from holiday baking, this is a good way to use them up. I’ve made Savory Pecans often – after baking, the brown-black nuts look nice in glass jars for hostess or las…

My long-time favorite cut-out cookie, with an easy-to-handle dough and lovely gingerbread flavor - with just a touch of chocolate. Plus, how to host a cookie exchange, a favorite tradition at Christmas.
COMPLIMENTS!
"Totally delicious!" ~ momof3
"This is by far [my] most requested recipe ..." ~ Brooklyn Chick
It’s a family tradition: the annual cookie exchange. My mother hosted one for many years. Afterward we would all swarm into the kitchen to sample the goodies. Her friends were good bakers and those cookies didn’t last long!I started hosting my own cookie exchange some years ago. Now my friends count on this annual event to simplify their holiday entertaining and as a source of homemade food gifts for family and neighbors.Think of a cookie exchange as “instant baking”. The premise is simple: each person bakes many of one kind of cookie, then swaps these for many different kinds made by someone else! Here’s how we do it.Invite a dozen or so friends to bake twelv…

Three recipes for easy, quick make-ahead appetizers. This week’s Kitchen Parade is dedicated to cooks who want quick-to-make and quick-to-serve appetizers on hand when family and friends stop by unexpectedly. With offerings like these, you’ll have regular company! CREAM CHEESE-CHUTNEY SPREAD Mix 8 ounces light cream cheese, 1/2 cup mango (or other) chutney, 1/4 cup chopped cilantro (or parsley) and 1/2 teaspoon curry powder. Place in covered container and refrigerate 24 hours to meld flavors. Serve on crackers. Makes one cup.CHEDDAR-OLIVE SPREAD Stir together 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, 4 ounces sliced canned black olives, 1/2 cup mayonnaise, 1 teaspoon curry powder and 1/2 bunch chopped green onions (bulbs and green tops). Place in covered container and refrigerate 24 hours to meld flavors. Serve on crackers or baguettes sliced thin on the diagonal. Makes two cups. Kitchen Parade is written by second-generation food columnist Alanna Kellogg and features fresh, seasonal dishes for ev…