Winter Comfort Food

Sometimes all you need are a few simple ingredients to make a fast weeknight meal worthy of a dinner party. That’s what I’m doing with my Pork Medallions with Prunes in a Spicy Mustard Cream Sauce.

The winter is full of big family meals where you really have to be on your game to get food on the table all at once. Sara shows a little love to the unsung heroes of the big meal: the sides. She's got delicious winter vegetables like shredded butternut squash with dates, Brussels sprouts with panko breadcrumbs and a creamy tahini sauce, plus a creamy root vegetable soup that can stand on its own as a main course or serve as a first course. And for the hungry cook: apple nutmeg bites to tide you over until dinnertime.

It's a well-known fact that honeybees are a precious resource for pollinating the food we eat, but they are mysteriously dying off. Sara joins a beekeeper in Savannah, Georgia to discover the secrets of bees and beekeeping. Then they make a honey centered dish that's pure Georgia — rosemary honey and Georgia peach chutney burgers. Next, she travels to Napa, California to gather ingredients at a farm and cook with chef Joey Altman. His grilled duck breast with honey roasted carrots, farro-herb salad and cider jus is easier than it sounds, and delicious as well.