About Diane Morgan

Diane Morgan is the award-winning author of more than a dozen cookbooks. She was a caterer and chef in Chicago for six years before moving to Portland, OR, where her focus shifted to teaching cooking classes and pursuing food writing. She’s now a regular contributor to the Los Angeles Times food section and has also written for Bon AppétitFine Cooking, and Cooking Light, among other national publications. @dianemorgancooks

Hazelnut and Fresh Herb Popovers

Hazelnut and Fresh Herb Popovers

Fresh popovers, flavored with ground hazelnuts and zesty herbs, are a Thanksgiving must. These popovers are easy because the batter is made ahead then baked right before dinner.

Four salmon summer rolls on a metal sheet with a piece of scallion and a bowl of dipping sauce.

Salmon Summer Rolls

Swapping out traditional pork and shrimp with salmon makes for a simple, stunning, and super impressive upgrade to classic Vietnamese summer rolls.

A glass of homemade ginger ale with ice and a lime wedge, and a gar of ginger syrup in the background.

Homemade Ginger Ale

Full of natural ingredients that pack a wallop of intense, true-to-life ginger flavor, this brilliant hack for making real ginger ale will make you a convert.

A light-blue gravy boat filled with svelte green goddess dip

Svelte Green Goddess Dip

This evocatively named dip isn’t the same as the one of yore. It’s got the same sumptuous taste, the same creamy texture, the same luminous color, just not the same calorie count.

A white bowl of wild rice, roasted chestnuts, and cranberries with a gold spoon resting inside..

Wild Rice with Roasted Chestnuts and Cranberries

This Christmas and Thanksgiving dish of wild rice is combined with freshly roasted chestnuts, cranberries, and apricots then baked in the oven. The sweet and savory notes hit just the right spot with guests.

A raw salmon fillet.

How to Buy Salmon

It can be confounding as you stand at the seafood counter confronted by little signs with confusing and misleading marketing terms. Here’s how to shop with confidence.

Bowl of yellow lemon curd, whisk, stick of butter, egg shells, halved lemons.

Meyer Lemon Curd

You may think you’re going to gift these little half-pint jars of lemon curd, but who are you kidding? Our money says you’ll be lapping it up straight from the jar.

A ceramic bowl filled with oyster stew with several oysters in the center and a spoon resting beside the bowl.

Oyster Stew

This oyster stew, rich with cream and plump with oysters, is a classic and consummate first course for Thanksgiving or Christmas.

A garlic-herb pork crown roast on a square serving pedestal.

Garlic and Herb Pork Crown Roast

This Christmas crown roast of pork is brined then rubbed with garlic and herbs then oven-roasted. The center of the crown roast is filled with wild rice.