The Chopping Block Cooking & Wine Blog

Still have Halloween Candy? Make these Cookie Bars

Halloween is over and chances are, you might have some (in my case, a ton) leftover candy to deal with! My days of hosting a big Halloween party are over, but my daughter, Scarlett, is now 20 months ...

How to Plan the Perfect Dinner Party

There is nothing that brings me more joy and excitement than hosting a holiday party! I love everything from the planning, decorating, cooking, to above all, welcoming guests into my home. I even ...

Savory Stuffed Pumpkins for All of Fall

I struggle with Halloween party food. I know it’s supposed to be a time to embrace the tacky (as Executive Chef/Owner Lisa Counts likes to remind me), but as I scoured Pinterest looking for something ...

Real Caramel Apples

Caramel apples have come a long way since I was a kid. Back then, caramel apples were for Halloween and nothing else.

Scary Good Brownies

Trick or Treat? Treats, please! Halloween is just around the corner. While I’ve seen lots of Halloween festivities in the past few weeks, this coming weekend is when the majority of Halloween parties ...

Mac O' Lanterns

It finally feels like Fall in Chicago, and Halloween is just around the corner! While Halloween puts lots of attention on candy and all things sweet (Reese’s are my favorite), I was racking my brain ...

Mull this Perfect Spicy and Sweet Halloween Treat Over

Cinnamon, cloves, allspice, nutmeg, apple and orange are all the classic scents and tastes of fall. Add to that candy, costumes, candy, pranks, candy, scary scenes, oh, did I mention CANDY – and you ...

Sugar Skull Fun for Halloween

October is my favorite month of the year. The leaves are changing colors, the air is getting colder and the best reason of all is coming up soon: Halloween! Halloween is a holiday that carries a lot ...

Scared of Sugar? Try these Healthy Halloween Treats

So this whole Halloween thing has me wondering… who was it that decided that the requirements for Halloween treats had to be either sugary, buttery, or both sugary and buttery? My teeth just ...

Dinner Party Elegance

If you have ever thrown a dinner party at home for friends and family, then you have definitely asked yourself; “How can I make this look fabulous?” And with the fall season heading our way, I’m sure ...