This aigo boulido recipe is the Provencal cure for anything that ails you. A traditional recipe that incorporates garlic, herbs, and water, it is known informally as “boiled water.” It's a popular dish during the holidays, typically used to balance the rich food of large family gatherings. Bon appetit!

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Our Guide to Herbs & Spices, shares this recipe for Cinnamon Hazelnut Meltaways. Festive in their powdered sugar coating, these melt-in-your-mouth cinnamon nut cookies are perfect for holiday entertaining.

These delightfully chewy Chocolate Rice Cereal Squares are a great low-fat way to get your fix of chocolate. With just a drizzle of chocolate on top, these no-bake cocoa treats are almost guilt free. - From our Guide to Low-Fat Cooking.

Aigo Boulido Photo: ©Kathy Maister

Buckwheat crepes, or Breton crepes, from Brittany are a delicious way to make a simple, wholesome meal. This basic buckwheat crepes recipe is a great version. They beg to be filled with a variety of ingredients, so get creative with what you have on hand. Here are just a few ideas for inspiration!

Breakfast Crepes: Brush a few crisp slices of cooked bacon with apricot preserves and combine with a little bit of Camembert cheese.

Light Lunch Crepes: Toss your favorite chopped vegetables (zucchini, tomatoes, peppers, potatoes, onions, etc.) with a bit of olive oil and roast at 450F until they caramelize and turn tender. Season them with a bit of salt and pepper. Use them to fill the buckwheat crepes along with thinly shaved country ham and bits of Brie.

Dinner Crepes: Lightly sauté 1 1/3 cup mushrooms and ¼ cup chopped shallots in butter until tender and cooked through. Add 1 tablespoon dry white wine, 1 teaspoon fresh chopped thyme, and ½ cup chopped, cooked chicken or turkey, and heat through.

Buckwheat Crepes Photo: ©Stuart Spivack

This tourtiere recipe originated in Quebec and is frequently enjoyed in the winter months, particularly during the holidays. There are no absolute rules for making this meat pie. Some variations can include root vegetables, veal, or seafood in the filling.

The pastry itself is even up to individual interpretation; classic paté brisee is the most widely-known version, but some cooks swear by a seasoned mashed potato topping. Any way you make it, this French Canadian meat pie is a delicious way to warm up on a cold evening. Bon appetit!

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It just wouldn't be Christmas in Eastern Europe without Kolaczki. These flaky cookies start with a buttery cream cheese dough that's filled with fruit or sweet cheese filling. - From our Guide to Eastern European Food

These big, fat, chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies were given 5 stars by a panel of the toughest critics I've ever faced: my kids and six of their friends. Try them and see why! - From our Cooking for Kids Guide

Tourtiere Photo: ©The Vista Dome

France is quite chilly, if not downright cold, this time of year. This mulled apple cider recipe is a great example of a classic, seasonal beverage served in a salon de thé , or French tea house. Try it on a chilly day, or just when you’re craving a soothing, hot beverage. Bon appetit!

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From our Chinese Food Guide: Homemade Fortune Cookies taste so much better than store bought - besides, it’s more fun writing up your own fortunes to put in the cookies!

Our Guides to Spanish Food have a favorite and very traditional Spanish cookie for the holidays called Mantecados - Crumble Cakes. They are so soft, they will literally melt in your mouth. Light and with a delicate anise flavor, words will not do them justice.

Mulled Apple Cider Photo: ©Rebecca Franklin

According to the New York Times, bar-cafes in France are going out of business at an alarming rate. With this disturbing trend happening in a place once famed for long, luxurious dinners, it's no surprise that readers are asking me how to make restaurant meals at home. While no home-cooked meal can magically transport you to a quiet village in France, these recipes will bring a certain bistro-inspired air of sophistication to the table. Bon appetit!

Easy French Bistro Recipes

Aligot isn't so much a side dish as it is a work of art. Humble potatoes and cheese are beaten together with creme fraiche until they form silky, smooth ribbons of pureed potato. It's a deliciously hearty recipe, and it's tempting to eat it all by itself, in the dead of winter, for its sheer comfort value. Try to hold out, though, and accompany it with a rich steak for a luxurious meal. Once you do, it will be hard to go back to regular mashed potatoes. Bon appetit!

Aligot Photo: Flickr user e.t.

Christmas Around Europe

Barbara Rolek, About.com's Eastern European Food guide offers a gingerbread tell-all with a gallery of pictures, patterns, recipes and the history of this sweet treat. Every Eastern European country has its own Christmas traditions. Here Barbara Rolek describes a Polish Christmas with its lovely Star Supper or wigilia on Christmas Eve.

Oranges and sweet spices really perk up the already bracing flavor of tart, fresh cranberries in this spiced cranberry relish. Serve it as a refreshing, palate-cleansing side dish or a light dessert to accompany a big meal. Bon appetit!

Spiced Cranberry Relish Photo: ©Andrew Phelan

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John Mitzewich, our guide to American food offers this recipe and says “America's favorite gourd meets America's favorite cookie, pumpkin chocolate chip cookies!”

Elaine Lemm, our guide to British food says “This irresistible Scottish Shortbread is traditionally eaten on New Years Eve, but is so good you can really eat it anytime.”

Canadian Thanksgiving was held on Monday, October 13th, but there's no reason you can't add a little French Canadian flair to your holiday table this year. Celebrate a Canadian Thanksgiving with a traditional turkey, side dishes, and a rich, delicious maple pumpkin pie. Use a store-bought pie shell or make pâte sucrée in your own kitchen. This easy dessert is so fantastic, there won't be any leftovers! Also, be sure to check out Jessica Harlan's fantastic Thanksgiving Cooking Equipment Checklist to be certain you have everything ready for the big day. Bon appetit!

Maple Pumpkin Pie Photo: ©Mark Fowler

The wonderful thing about treating yourself with a chocolate tart is that a little bit will satisfy any chocolate craving. A flaky, buttery tart shell filled with a creamy, rich chocolate ganache makes a sophisticated dessert alongside a mellow café au lait. For a deliciously cool contrast, serve it with a dollop of lemon pastry cream as a garnish.

Chocolate Tart Photo: ©Sarah Katzenell

This country-style casserole of chicken stewed in wine is a fantastic chilly weather main course. Serve it with crisp greens drizzled with rosemary white wine vinaigrette, a fresh baguette, and good wine for a complete, easy meal. Bon appetit!

Coq au Vin – Chicken Stewed in Wine Photo: ©Rebecca Franklin, Licensed to About.com