Stare your hot chocolate right in the eyes — spooky, no? Well, not really. It actually is pretty cute. This easy finish to a steaming mug of the good stuff involves ingredients you already have in your pantry, but dresses it up for the holiday and makes it a lot more fun to sip.

<p><a href=’http://www.thekitchn.com/spooky-eyeball-hot-chocolate-236347′><strong>READ MORE »</strong></a></p>

Out of something the same can grow something new. Not to get too precious, but it really is the miracle of life — and there’s something wonderful about bringing that miracle into your home, in the form of plants, flowers, or herbs.

The RÅSKOG cart can play the role of plant stand quite well, but I like it in particular for a good old-fashioned herb garden. The sturdy casters allow for easy transportation, letting you wheel the cart into the perfect afternoon sunny spot. Once your ingredients have grown to perfection, you can roll them into the kitchen for a swift turn-around into your special dish or secret recipe.

<p><a href=’http://www.thekitchn.com/the-ikea-raskog-cart-as-herb-garden-236481′><strong>READ MORE »</strong></a></p>

When fall finally returns, we start to crave roast chicken. You can eat it just out of the oven on the first night, make chicken salad for lunch the next day, and make chicken noodle soup after that.

Make your roast chicken dinner even better with a selection of tasty sides. We have plenty of suggestions to help you fill the table. Here are our top 25 sides for your roast chicken dinner.

<p><a href=’http://www.thekitchn.com/25-fall-side-dishes-to-accompany-roast-chicken-236139′><strong>READ MORE »</strong></a></p>

On October 4, 2016, The Mindy Project is back on Hulu for a new season, with the first episode, called “Decision 2016,” penned by Mindy Kaling herself. To mark the occasion, I am making some fast and easy chocolate-filled baby bear claws to nosh on, because that’s what Mindy would want.

<p><a href=’http://www.thekitchn.com/the-mindy-project-is-back-tonight-lets-make-bear-claws-to-celebrate-237014′><strong>READ MORE »</strong></a></p>

That liquid hiding in your can of chickpeas is the magical egg replacement vegans and non-vegans alike are going crazy about. Aquafaba, the drained chickpea liquid in a can or a pot of cooked beans, can be whipped like egg whites into meringue or swapped out for eggs entirely in baked goods.

So how to start using it? You just need to know the simple formula to swap out one unexpected ingredient for the other.

<p><a href=’http://www.thekitchn.com/the-simple-formula-for-using-aquafaba-as-an-egg-replacement-234588′><strong>READ MORE »</strong></a></p>

A bar cart should never be a luxury — we’ll drink to that! But wait, where are you going to fit it? The crowd-favorite, small-scale RÅSKOG cart from IKEA comes to the rescue again. It’s the perfect size for any space, whether that’s a tiny apartment or not-so-noticeable nook in the corner of your dining room.

<p><a href=’http://www.thekitchn.com/the-ikea-raskog-cart-as-home-bar-236282′><strong>READ MORE »</strong></a></p>

Last week, we kicked off fall with some delicious savory pumpkin recipes. This week, we’re getting to the good stuff: pumpkin desserts. Bring on the pumpkin cookies, Pumpkin Spice Lattes, and yes, even the pumpkin pie. We’re ready.

Just in case you weren’t in the mood for fall, you will be after browsing these recipes for everything from a pumpkin cinnamon roll to pumpkin kettle corn.

<p><a href=’http://www.thekitchn.com/the-15-best-pumpkin-treats-for-fall-236140′><strong>READ MORE »</strong></a></p>

My love for cast iron is so deep and abiding that I won’t even let my own husband clean my beloved cast iron skillet. While there are myths aplenty about the curing, caring, and cleaning of cast iron, I subscribe to very few of them. In fact, here are six things that I will never do to a cast iron skillet.

<p><a href=’http://www.thekitchn.com/all-the-things-i-never-do-to-my-cast-iron-skillet-235233′><strong>READ MORE »</strong></a></p>

We can all probably agree that fish tastes best with crispy skin, but with the high heat and time it takes to sear the skin, the fish itself frequently gets overcooked. Especially when using thinner or less fatty pieces of fish, getting the best of both worlds seems impossible. Not quite.

<p><a href=’http://www.thekitchn.com/the-key-to-getting-crispy-skin-on-fish-without-overcooking-it-236427′><strong>READ MORE »</strong></a></p>

Your freezer doesn’t have to be a sad wasteland of ice cubes and freezer-burned leftovers. With a little bit of preparation, it can be stocked full of from-scratch meals that can be taken straight from the freezer to the slow cooker, pressure cooker, oven, or even the grill. No thawing, forethought, or last-minute grocery store run means your freezer can be your weeknight dinner lifesaver.

<p><a href=’http://www.thekitchn.com/5-dinners-to-freeze-now-and-cook-later-236710′><strong>READ MORE »</strong></a></p>