Is it any wonder that January has been designated National Soup Month? We're run down from the holidays, plus fierce weather keeps us indoors at the mercy of cold and the flu viruses.

Cook up your own bowl of prevention. Researchers have proven what mom knew all along: Chicken soup really does help the symptoms of colds and flu. It has anti-inflammatory properties that stop sore throats and protect us from congestion.

The applause comes... after you privately put forth the gigantic effort. Or, did you?

It's great to have a few time-saving tricks up your sleeve, especially around the holidays, like Simply Potatoes® Mashed Potatoes and Mashed Sweet Potatoes. Always fresh, never frozen, these are the potatoes Mom used to make - only faster!

Rave reviews don't need to be a chore. Kindly accept the standing ovation for this elegant side dish. (And, tell no one it takes just 5 minutes to prepare.)

Fill your kitchen with the cozy aromas of hearty soups and chowders. It's easy. Simply Potatoes® Shredded Hash Browns and Mashed Potatoes add satisfying flavor while creating a thick, hearty soup.

Sweet potatoes aren't just for holidays anymore.

Sweet and sassy, vibrant sweet potatoes are masquerading as the perfect ingredient for autumn desserts.

Cakes, cookies, puddings and more are bursting with unique flavor thanks to this very special spud.

Simply Potatoes Mashed Sweet Potatoes take the hassle out of homemade. Easy 10 minute prep!

It's sometimes hard to please everyone at the dinner table. You crave bolder flavors but the kids want Mac and Cheese. Avoid the hassle of preparing two meals. Simple stir-ins add 'grown-up' flavor to Simply Potatoes® Traditional Mashed Potatoes while the kids can enjoy this favorite side dish without the extra ingredients.

Kick it up a notch with minced garlic, goat cheese, Chipotle peppers, or whatever suits your fancy. Get creative! Simple stir-ins add lively flavor to America's favorite side dish.

Fresh herbs are an easy way to add great flavor to simple meals. Grow them at home, shop the summer farmer's markets, or experiment with the plentiful varieties offered by most grocery stores.

Substituting Dried Herbs for Fresh:
The general rule of thumb when using dried herbs is 1 teaspoon of dried for each 3 teaspoons of fresh.

Pineapple juice, soy sauce, white wine, salsa… there are an endless array of flavorful marinades available at your local supermarket. Or, get creative and concoct your own.

Marinades impart great flavor to beef, pork, chicken, fish or seafood. They also add moisture, improving tenderness.

Keep it simple: place meats in a zippered plastic storage bag, cover in marinade and refrigerate overnight.

Onions contain a chemical that is released when they are sliced. Once airborne, this chemical combines with the moisture in your eyes to produce sulfuric acid, making you 'cry'.

Try these handy tricks to eliminate tears when dicing or mincing onion:

• Peel onions under cold running water. This washes away the chemical before it becomes airborne.
• Refrigerate the onion before you peel it. Refrigerating onions slows down the chemical release into the air.

From hot and spicy, to cool and mild, colorful peppers add great flavor to a variety of dishes. Hot peppers contain a natural substance that produces a burning sensation in the mouth, causing eyes to water and noses to run. Ultra-spicy Habaneros can even induce perspiration.

Too hot to handle? Enjoy the flavor, without all the heat, when you cook with mild red, orange and green bell peppers.

Tip: Reduce the amount of heat in peppers by removing the ribs and seeds.

Avoid lumps in homemade gravy by thoroughly dissolving cornstarch or flour in cold liquid before adding to your hot saucepan.

For extra special gravy, add a half cup of red wine for complex flavor.

Helpful hints for problem gravy:

• Too salty: A few raw potato slices will absorb some of the salt. Let them simmer while cooking, remove when you are ready to serve.
• Too much fat: Use a slice of bread to absorb the fat that rises during the cooking process.

Aromatic bay leaves are a popular spice for hearty soups and stews. Slow crock pot cooking draws out the pungent aroma imparting a bold, distinctive flavor.

Try tossing a bay leaf into your soup stock and let it slowly simmer throughout the day.

Spice up sauces, casseroles and more by experimenting with Dijon mustard. The slightly grainy texture comes from crushed black mustard seeds.

Mixed with wine and other spices, Dijon imparts a pleasant bite and bold, distinctive flavor to savory dishes.

Make a double batch of your favorite soup and freeze it, to enjoy later. Soups often taste better the second time around. Reheating gives spices more time to blend into a rich and flavorful broth.

To freeze and reheat soup:

• Cool completely
• Ladle into one-serving, airtight, microwavable containers
• Slowly defrost soup in the refrigerator
• Reheat, in just a few minutes, in your microwave
• Most soups freeze well, for up to 3 months

Create delightful holiday side dishes with simple stir-ins and shortcuts.

Easy Mock Twice Baked Potatoes
Jazz up traditional mashed potatoes with crumbled bacon, cream cheese and fresh chives. This delicious dish takes 10 minutes to prep with Simply Potatoes® vs. hours from scratch.

Brown sugar and toasted pecans add sweet, nutty flavor to Crunchy Praline Topped Sweet Potatoes. Prep this fanciful dish in 5 short minutes.

Coordination is key when it comes to a big holiday meal. With one oven and lots of side dishes, a big challenge is getting everything to the table hot and ready, to eat at the same time.

Try preparing side dishes the night before, or as early in the day as you can. Square-shaped casserole dishes make the most of your oven space and can really save the day. Be ready to pop all of your side dishes into the oven as soon as the turkey is done. Keep turkey warm by covering it with aluminum foil. Make gravy while side dishes are baking. Brown the rolls while guests are gathering at your table.

When nights cool down, our thoughts turn to hearty stews, casseroles and favorite comfort meals. Visit a bustling farmer's market for a choice selection of unique harvest vegetables. Most local growers pick their produce at peak freshness when veggies are busting with flavor. Homegrown carrots, squash and crisp, ripe apples all contribute to a delightful autumn meal.

When kids are involved in the kitchen, exciting things begin to happen. Amidst the giggling and the messes, they are learning a great skill for later in life. Kids love to cook. Let them act like grown-ups, by contributing to the preparation and serving of the family meal.

If you've got a picky eater, try getting them involved. Kids who participate in cooking and shopping are more likely to take part in eating those foods, too. Plus up the fun factor and watch dinners disappear!

Moroccan dishes get their distinctive flavor through an aromatic blend of savory spices.

For the adventurous soul, specialty spice shops sell Ras el-Hanout, a concoction of 16 different hard-to-find Moroccan herbs and spices.

For tamer palates, consider more common flavorings, such as cumin, turmeric and ginger. Each of these adds gentle heat without the spicy bite of cayenne. A pinch of these seasonings can turn everyday chicken into an exotic, mouthwatering meal.

Mayonnaise gets a bad rap during picnic season but it's actually safer than you think.

Food safety concerns stem from earlier decades when most salad dressings (especially mayonnaise) were made from scratch using raw eggs.

Commercial brands of mayonnaise contain pasteurized eggs, lemon juice and vinegar – ingredients that prevent the growth of dangerous bacteria.

Select beef cuts based on your method of cooking and save. Beef prices vary dramatically and that has a lot to do with tenderness.

If you're grilling, a sirloin or filet is a wise choice - even though they are more expensive. No amount of tenderizing will make a less expensive cut of beef as tender.

But, if you're preparing a slow-cooked recipe, such as our Slow Cooked Swiss Steak, there is no sense is spending the extra money. Heat and moisture during the cooking process does a great job of tenderizing tougher cuts of beef. A round or chuck roast is an excellent choice. It's less expensive, works best for slow-cooking, and the end-result is delectable.

Homemade fries are more flavorful than typical fast food fries. Plus, they have less saturated fat, calories and sodium.

Once you've tried our Spicy Breakfast Fries, use the measurements in this recipe as a guideline to create your own flavorful blend - increase, add or subtract certain spices until it tastes just right to you. Keep your spice mixture in a shaker to speed up prep time. When you eliminate the measuring of each of these spices, you can cook up delicious home fries in no time.

In the U.S., nutmeg is commonly used as a baking spice but elsewhere nutmeg is used to jazz up a variety of dishes. Try this sweet, pungent spice on vegetables, meats, soups, and stews.

A little goes a long way. Begin with 1/8 teaspoon per 4 servings - so as not to overwhelm your dish. Sprinkle it over fish or chicken for a surprisingly exotic taste.

Low-sodium or salt-free canned and frozen vegetables (such as asparagus or broccoli) are sometimes nutritionally superior to fresh produce.

That's because these vegetables are processed immediately after harvest, when nutrient content is at its peak. Out of season fresh produce travels a long distance to get to your store. In addition to being expensive, the flavor and nutrient content generally suffers.

In most supermarkets, you'll find light and dark brown sugar and sometimes variations in between. The darker the sugar, the more intense the flavor.

Dark brown sugar is a great choice for sweet potatoes, baked beans and other full-flavored foods. Brown sugar is white sugar combined with molasses. That's where it gets it's soft texture and why it often hardens, or clumps, during storage.

Slow simmering soup allows more time for herbs and spices to blend into a rich, delicious broth. That's why homemade soups and chowders often taste better when re-heated the following day. It's that extra simmering time that enhances the flavor.

If you're like most, mealtime is a frantic event – so who can devote hours to making homemade soup? Your crock pot can, that's who. Toss in the ingredients before you leave for work in the morning. Come home to a kitchen filled with delightful aromas and hearty, delicious soul-warming soup, ready to serve.

Cheese is the secret ingredient in most of our delicious potato side dishes. Keep a brick of Crystal Farms® Sharp Cheddar on hand and you'll be one step ahead of the game. Cheese needs to breathe. Wrap cheese in wax paper vs. plastic wrap and store in the vegetable drawer of your refrigerator. This method provides the right amount of air and moisture to prevent drying and keep cheese tasting great.