In the kitchen with Kris
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What’s the best way to roast sweet potatoes?
This is my favorite method because it’s simple, hands-off, and creates beautifully caramelized sweet potatoes every time.
Instead of peeling and cubing them, leave the skin on, cut them in half, drizzle with olive oil, season with salt, and roast them cut-side down. Roasting them directly against the baking tray creates a deep golden caramelization while keeping the inside soft and creamy.
How to roast sweet potatoes:
• Leave the skin on and cut the sweet potatoes in half.
• Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt.
• Place them cut-side down on a parchment-lined baking tray.
• Roast at 425°F (220°C) for 25–30 minutes, or until the cut side is deeply caramelized and the sweet potatoes are fork tender. Baking time may vary depending on your oven and the size of your sweet potatoes.
This is my favorite base for loaded sweet potatoes, but it’s also delicious:
• Mashed sweet potatoes
• Grain bowls
• Salads
• Meal prep
• As a side with chicken, steak, or salmon
Once you try roasting sweet potatoes this way, it’s hard to go back.
Save this technique for the next time you’re making sweet potatoes.
Wondering what to make when you’re hosting friends or family?
This Orange & Fennel Spatchcock Chicken is one of my favorite meals for entertaining because it looks beautiful on the table but is surprisingly simple to make. The chicken roasts over fennel, citrus, onions, and garlic while fresh orange juice and the pan drippings create an incredible sauce. It’s one of those dishes that feels restaurant-worthy without requiring complicated techniques.
Orange & Fennel Spatchcock Chicken
Marinade
* 1 tbsp fennel seeds
* 1 tbsp coriander seeds
* 1 tbsp kosher salt
* Zest of 1 orange
* Fresh thyme, finely chopped
* 2 tsp Dijon mustard
* ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
Roast
* 1 whole butterflied (spatchcock) chicken (about 4–4½ lb / 1.8–2 kg) I always get mine from BELL & EVANS
* 2 oranges, sliced into rounds
* 1 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
* 1 large fennel bulb, sliced
* 1 small onion, sliced
* 1 lemon, sliced
* 4–5 garlic cloves, smashed
* Fresh thyme sprigs
* Olive oil
* Salt & freshly cracked black pepper
* Fennel fronds (optional, for garnish)
Method
1. Preheat the oven to 400°F (205°C).
2. Crush the fennel and coriander seeds, then mix them with kosher salt, orange zest, chopped thyme, Dijon mustard, and olive oil to make the marinade.
3. Coat the chicken generously with the marinade.
4. Arrange the fennel, onion, oranges, lemon, garlic, and thyme on a large baking tray. Drizzle with olive oil, pour in the freshly squeezed orange juice, and season the vegetables with salt and pepper.
5. Place the marinated chicken on top of the vegetables.
6. Roast for 45–55 minutes, or until the skin is deeply golden and the thickest part of the chicken reaches 165°F (74°C).
7. Let the chicken rest for 10–15 minutes before carving.
Save this recipe for the next time you want to impress your guests without spending all day in the kitchen.
How do you make homemade focaccia light, airy, and full of those beautiful bubbles?
Most of it comes down to technique rather than complicated ingredients. These are the five tips that make the biggest difference in my focaccia and will help you get better results at home.
🍞 Use bread flour. Bread flour has a higher protein content than all-purpose flour, creating stronger gluten for a better rise, a chewier texture, and an airy crumb.
🌡️ Use warm water (90°F / 32°C). This temperature helps activate the yeast without overheating it, giving your dough the best start.
🤲 Don’t skip the stretch and folds. They strengthen the gluten naturally, replacing kneading while helping create the open, airy structure focaccia is known for.
🥖 Bake in a pan with some depth. I use a 9 × 13 × 2-inch baking pan (internal measurements) for this recipe. The depth encourages the dough to rise upward instead of spreading out, giving you a thicker, fluffier focaccia with a soft, airy interior.
❄️ Cool it on a wire rack. As tempting as it is to leave it in the pan, moving it to a cooling rack keeps the bottom crisp by allowing air to circulate.
These are small details, but together they make a big difference.
If you’re new to bread baking, focaccia is one of the best places to start. Once you master this dough, you’ll be surprised by how many different breads you can make from it.
Save this post for the next time you bake focaccia.
06/09/2026
If you’ve ever wondered how to make hot pot at home, the key is a flavorful broth, a variety of ingredients, and a tabletop pot that keeps everything hot while you cook and eat together.
Hot pot is one of our favorite family dinners because everyone gets to customize their own bowl, and once everything is prepped, the cooking happens right at the table.
For this setup, I use a Cuisinart Fondue Pot. I love kitchen tools that can serve multiple purposes, and this one works beautifully for both hot pot and cheese fondue. One tool, two uses.
I recently joined Sur La Table’s Kitchen Table creator program and added some of my favorite kitchen tools to my storefront, including this one. Check the link in bio!
Have you ever made hot pot at home?
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