Love and food have always been closely linked, and for many people, there is nothing more romantic than delicious food. Often considered a symbol of love, food is a big part of our everyday lives and our romantic relationships. Perhaps nowhere is the link between food and love seen more than during February and the love-filled holiday of Valentine’s Day—known for its signature heart-shaped boxes of chocolates, decadent desserts, and, of course, special dinners to mark the special occasion.

Whether you are cooking a romantic candlelight dinner for two for your sweetheart, or spending a cozy evening in the kitchen cooking together, or simply want to prepare and enjoy a special meal for yourself, there are so many ways to bring the love to your Valentine’s Day meal. And with Italy bursting with love, romance and exquisite cuisine, an Italian-inspired dinner is the perfect choice for what is sure to be a perfect night. Italian food is famous for its flavorful dishes, fresh ingredients and cooking techniques developed across the Italian Peninsula and is considered to be one of the most romantic cuisines in the world.

Winter is in full force and while Mother Nature will throw us a few warm days, there are sure to be chilly days that call for a warm blanket, a big comfy chair, and a bowl of steaming, savory soup.

With that in mind, we are bringing Progresso's passion for soup to our readers. Progresso's inventive recipe team has created hundreds of soup creations from tried-and-true chicken and noodle to extraordinary sweet potato, coconut and gingerroot. At Progresso they humbly believe in better ingredients, creating their soups with 100 percent antibiotic and hormone-free chicken and no artificial colors or flavors. They've also created soups for every preference, including gluten-free, vegetarian, organic, low-sodium and light.

Including freshly picked, local produce in your favorite dishes is easy during the spring and summer months. But it’s actually just as easy to enjoy the delicious tastes, and health benefits, of some of the most flavorful fresh fruits and vegetables during the winter months, as well. The key? Knowing what’s in season, what to buy (and when)—and how to best use the many winter vegetables out there just ripe for the picking.

The holiday season is inspiring! As you count down the Saturdays before Christmas (which always seem to shock you) a change comes over you. Nostalgia from years past creeps in, causing a sudden yearning to spend much needed time with family and friends, a glitter bomb goes off in your home—on purpose— and best of all, the urge to BAKE is ignited!

Whether your sweet tooth has you scouring Pinterest for the best Christmas cookies, or you’re looking for sweet and savory appetizers and holiday drinks, there’s one brand that has you covered—Domino® Sugar. Their products are at the heart of beloved recipes that have been passed down through many generations. A mainstay in pantries across the country, Domino® Sugar has been dedicated to sweetening the lives of countless bakers (and their families) for more than a century.

The holidays are the perfect time to discover the joy of being in the moment with family and friends—and to also spend time taking care of and nurturing yourself. Most of us get caught up in the hustle and bustle of the holiday season and are faced with the pressures of jam-packed schedules and last-minute holiday shopping and errands. When your mind and body are in overdrive, it’s easy to miss the magic of the holidays. It’s the magic of the little moments that make the season (and every day) so special. Be mindful about being in the moment and take in the special experiences, connections, sights, sounds, tastes and smells that happen only during this most wonderful time of the year. Take a moment to notice how truly magnificent your Christmas tree is, how spectacular your holiday table looks, how delicious your famous chocolate chip cookies are and just how excited your children or grandchildren are to put a few out for Santa. Finally, make time, take time and savor that time with talks, laughs, hugs and lots of I love yous with your favorite people, which is really what the holidays are all about.

As the holidays draw near, stained and well-loved cookbooks get pulled out for tried and true family recipes. And if you're like me, when I pack my bags to head home for Thanksgiving, my McCormick spices are sure to be in them.

McCormick's familiar red label and quality herbs and spices have been thrilling people’s taste buds all over the world for nearly 125 years, with no end in sight. McCormick boasts about their quest for flavor and passion for creating endless excitement as they meet the demand for “food personality” by delivering the deepest and broadest range of flavors and ingredients. Their vision for fascinating food inspires people to try bold flavor ideas, collaborate and brainstorm—all while having fun doing it. "Great-tasting meals start with pure flavor, and flavor is the heart of everything we do here." It’s amazing what spices can do. They can make a dish zesty, or sweet, or spicy, or herby—but always delicious.

Family. Friends. Football. And, of course, food—lots and lots of it! There are a number of reasons why so many people claim Thanksgiving as their favorite holiday—and most of those reasons center on the traditions of spending time with loved ones in living rooms, kitchens and, gathered around the dining room table. Thanksgiving’s emphasis on spending time with family and friends, without presents and the associated stress of holiday shopping, makes this holiday one to enjoy just being together. Equally as important, it’s the perfect time to enjoy some fabulous food, from traditional family favorites to some new “twists” on Thanksgiving classics that are as delicious as they are healthy.

It's time to fall in love with pumpkin all over again. Fall is all about cooler weather, a crackling fire, holiday parties, football and pumpkin everything. One name synonymous with holiday baking tradition is Libby's® Pumpkin, an American classic for more than 75 years. And, it's not just for the holidays; cooks and chefs are discovering pumpkin is a moist, creamy and nutritious addition to recipes year-round.

The power of pumpkin is showcased in just one delicious serving of Libby's® 100% Pure Pumpkin, which offers a rich source of nutrients, all while being low in calories and fat, and naturally sodium-free. From breakfast to dinner, sweet to savory, pumpkin-filled recipes are versatile and nutritiously beneficial. In fact, pumpkin is used as a healthier alternative ingredient for many recipes. The swaps are easy: One egg can be swapped for 1/4 cup of Libby's® Pumpkin, 1 tablespoon of oil or butter can be swapped with 1 tablespoon of Libby's® Pumpkin—how easy!

This year, surprise your family and friends with delicious twists on America's favorite pumpkin classics, or with new exciting recipes that will have pumpkin lovers begging for more.
For more benefits of pumpkin and tons of great recipes, log on to www.verybestbaking.com.

Everything’s better when there’s music involved, and that includes food. Just like music can set the mood in your everyday life, it can also set the mood in the kitchen. The mood-boosting benefits of listening to your favorite tunes as you chop, braise, roast, sauté, stir-fry, or grill can often be just as important as the ingredients you put into your meal. Music not only helps to make cooking more fun, but it also helps to inspire your creativity in the kitchen when it comes to healthy cooking.

ROCKTOBER is the perfect time to pump up the volume, pump up the energy and pump up the flavors when it comes to cooking healthy dishes. Whether it’s streaming your favorite Spotify or Pandora playlist, popping in your favorite old CDs, or simply turning on a kitchen radio, let the energy of the music fill your kitchen. Rock out, and dance as you cook! The power of your favorite songs can transport you to anywhere you want to go, boosting both your mood and creativity. Plus, dancing in the kitchen is a great way to clear your mind, soothe your soul and burn some calories.

Sultry summer nights are coming to an end, and there’s a whisper of fall in the air. Sounds of game days, cookouts and front yard football are just around the corner. And, when it comes to fantastic fare, grilling great Robyn Lindars has you covered.

Known as “Grill Girl,” Robyn has been serving up grilling adventures since 2008. “I’m happiest when I am testing out new recipes, particularly anything cooked over live fire—grilling, smoking, campfire cooking. As a girl who likes to eat, I try to keep my recipes healthy and full of flavor,” said Robyn. She’s the main ingredient behind www.grillgirl.com, her blog-turned-career, as she continues to light a fire under flavorful fare. A city girl turned rancher, Robyn and her family live on a ranch in Fort Meyers, FL. It’s the perfect place to house her 12 grills and smokers—yep, you read that right TWELVE!

Even if your summer fiesta is nowhere near the water, you can find cooling refreshment in these cocktails and more from Deep Eddy Vodka! Craving the lime and salt of a margarita, but fresh out of tequila? No problem! Watermelon Margarita to the rescue! Looking for an easy-drinking, not-too-sweet refresher: meet The Chilton. It is bright and refreshing, exactly what you need to cool down on a hot day. There’s no sugar in the Chilton recipe, so it drinks very dry. But the salted rim gives the effect of a salted lemonade with each thirsty sip. If you’re heading out to the beach, or camping, and don’t want to pack your shaker, Deep Eddy’s got you covered there, too. Just toss some cans of their new ready-to-drink sodas in the cooler, and you’re all set!

Summer is wrapping up and families are getting in the back-to-school mindset. In our already busy lives, the addition of sports’ practices, homework assignments and packing lunches can easily send a person off the deep end. But don’t worry, we’re here to catch you! This month we reached out to one of the biggest names in the food industry—Tyson—to bring you delicious, easy meals that will help preserve your sanity.

Tyson has been “keeping it real” since 1935. Their mantra: “In life, as in chicken, it’s always better when you just keep it real. No filler. No nonsense. Just stick to the good stuff. The 100% real stuff. The simple things that make life, and chicken, great.” It all began during the Great Depression in Arkansas when John W. Tyson loaded up his old truck and began delivering quality chicken to other hard-working people. From those humble beginnings, Tyson Foods has grown over the decades to find new ways to help feed the nation, with the belief that every family deserves to bring quality chicken to their table. As they’ve grown, their beliefs remain the same. Be good. Be humble. And always keep it real.

August may often be one of the hottest months of the year, but it can also be one of the healthiest. These mellow days of summer are the perfect time to savor all that Lowcountry living has to offer, with laid-back days and nights spent outdoors enjoying your favorite friends and activities. What’s more, this relaxed end-of-summer month is the perfect time for simple, quick, no-fuss meals that are as good for you as they are good to eat, all while enjoying every minute of the easy, breezy last days of summer.

America’s beloved little indigo-colored berry has been around for ages—13,000 years to be precise. Who can resist that burst of blueberry flavor, whether it’s picked fresh, or in a muffin or a protein shake? Taste alone makes these sweet poppers desirable; but now they’ve been anointed as one of the healthiest foods on the planet—full of antioxidants and part of a healthy brain diet. This month we invite you to include these delicious blueberry recipes as part of your summer freshness. Have fun and make July all about the red, white and blueberry!

July is filled not only with a wonderful mix of colors of the freshest, ripest summer fruits and vegetables, but also with foods bursting with the month’s most famous colors: red, white and blue. Independence Day the perfect time to set out a table full of fun patriotic-themed desserts to go along with the festive decor of July 4th. There are some wonderful and healthy ways to “cook with color” when it comes to incorporating the natural reds, whites and blues of one of the most celebration-filled days of the summer.

Whether you are packing a fun meal for a day spent with family and friends at the beach, or hosting a gathering in your own backyard, there are many ways to add a little sparkle, and a whole lot of color, through food, while still sticking to a sugar-free, gluten-free and/or keto diet. In fact, some of today’s healthiest foods are naturally red, white and blue—giving you a lot to work with when it comes to creating incredibly delicious and healthy dishes to add to your patriotic celebration.