Baked in Vermont

When the holiday season arrives in Vermont, snow caps the green mountains and powdered sugar falls like snowflakes in Gesine Prado's kitchen. To celebrate the season, Gesine hosts a gingerbread house-making party for her friends, and the menu is equally festive. She bakes Pistachio Cinnamon Stars and Gingerbread Cookies in cheerful shapes, and she sets out Sugared Spicy Almonds for snacking. Gesine's centerpiece is a Chocolate Yule Log with a Gingerbread Ax Topper that knocks her guests off their feet.

A chill in the Vermont air inspires Gesine Prado to make a meal cozy enough to eat by the fire. She bakes a hearty Turkey Pot Pie with a Biscuit Crust and prepares Broccoli Salad with Baked Croutons to go alongside. For dessert, she uses the same biscuit dough in a Roasted Plum Shortcake and adds Maple Shortbread Cookies.

It's Gesine Prado's turn to host her knitting club's monthly get-together. The ladies will be showing up hungry, so Gesine stitches together a menu of small appetizers and simple finger foods including Cheese Puffs and Steak Hand Pies. For dessert, she makes a beautiful Charlotte Royale Ice Cream Cake along with Homemade Caramels.

Gesine Prado is making a big home-cooked meal for football players from her husband Ray's alma mater, Dartmouth College. While Ray shows the offensive line a few veteran moves in the backyard, Gesine bakes a Hearty Pork Pie with a Big Green Salad. She makes The Big Winooski Fudge Cookies and a decadent Interior Cake for dessert and tops it all off with a rich, chocolatey Hot Cocoa.

t's apple season, and Gesine Prado is inviting a few friends for baked brunch and cider-making in the barn. The menu is full of Gesine's apple-inspired brunch favorites including Poached Eggs on English Muffins with Helga's Hollandaise, Apple Cider Donuts, Latticed Apple Slab Pie and a Sparkling Apple Cider Cocktail.

Gesine Prado throws a twilight backyard birthday party for her husband, Ray, and she fills the table with both savories and sweets. On the savory side, she bakes Flaky Bacon Bruschetta and a Creamy Artichoke and Tomato Tart. Then Gesine pulls out all the sweet stops with Chocolate S'mores Pudding and a showstopping Flaky Birthday Berry Pie with a Celebratory Jaconde.