My dad told me that my pappou started giving people the flyers — which also included recipes for Greek treats like trigona and galaktoboureko — because they were constantly asking how he made them.

His baklava recipe is less than 70 words and basically translates to: "We add breadcrumbs and a bit of sugar in the mix. We lay the phyllo in layers of two. We add the mix in multiple layers, not just the middle."

During the holiday season, my dad would always help my pappou at the store. But he didn't start making the dessert himself until he moved to the US, wanting to continue the tradition while more than 6,000 miles away from his entire family.

Like my dad, every Christmas memory I have includes baklava. It doesn't feel like the holidays without it. And since my dad taught me how to make his famous pastitio and avgolomeno soup, it was only natural that baklava would be next on the list.

And, lucky for you, he was more than happy to share the family recipe — and prove that baklava is a lot easier to make than it looks.

To make my dad's baklava, you'll need:

• 1 packet of phyllo dough
• 2 sticks of unsalted butter
• 2 cups of chopped walnuts
• 2 cups and 2 tablespoons of sugar
• ½ cup of plain breadcrumbs
• 1 tablespoon of cinnamon

"As Paul Hollywood would say, you need good lamination," my dad told me sagely as he watched to ensure the butter didn't burn.

"You don't want them to be a powder," he told me.

No food processor? No problem. My dad said it's also perfectly fine to roughly chop your walnuts with a knife or buy pre-chopped walnuts from the supermarket.

We added the walnuts to a large bowl with 2 tablespoons of sugar, as well as the cinnamon and breadcrumbs.

My dad told me that breadcrumbs help the baklava absorb the syrup better, a helpful trick that was actually discovered by accident.

"Walnuts in Greece used to be very expensive, and people would cheat with breadcrumbs," he said. "But they found that the breadcrumbs actually really help with absorption."

Just make sure the breadcrumbs are plain — no Italian seasoning!

As the scents of cinnamon and walnuts twisted together, I felt like I could already smell the baklava.

It brought me back to being a kid, where I'd walk by the kitchen every Christmas break and watch my dad dutifully prepare this mix.

No one expects you to make your own phyllo — this isn't "The Great British Bake-Off." But make sure to leave your phyllo in the fridge for a day or two before you make the baklava. It can't be used frozen.

My dad's pro tip is to take your pan (he recommends using one that's medium-sized and has a rectangular shape) and place it over the sheets. Then, using a sharp knife, cut the phyllo to almost match the size of the pan.

"It's OK to fold a little phyllo on the side, so give yourself some extra dough," my dad said. "But you don't want a huge amount."

Make sure you save some of your best sheets for the bottom of the baklava (you need a strong base) and the top (so it looks extra impressive).

You don't need much; just a thin layer will do.

As you build the baklava, you always add two phyllo sheets at a time and brush the second layer with a little butter.

"Not too much," my dad said. "It doesn't have to be soaked, or else the baklava will be very oily."

"Sprinkle the whole pan with a thin layer of your mix," my dad said. "And put a bit more of the mix around the middle of your phyllo."

"But you don't want areas where there's no filling," he added. "You want some in every bite."

Remember, the breakdown is:

• Two layers of phyllo at a time, the top brushed with butter
• Every six layers of phyllo, add some of the walnut mixture

Place the strips next to each other, as we did above, to mimic a full sheet and get the most out of your box of phyllo. Just make sure you're still doing two layers at a time.

"It's not an arts and crafts project; it's food!" my dad said. "You're not going to see any of this when you cut the baklava, just multiple layers of phyllo."

And if you end up missing the count and accidentally put three layers of phyllo instead of two or the walnuts on top of layer seven instead of six, my dad said it's "not the end of the world."

"The key is you just want to make laminated layers with the filling," he added. "Don't panic, and do the best you can."

For this pan of baklava, we actually did four final layers instead of six since we ran out of phyllo.

If you want, you can always make more mix. And if you have extra phyllo, you can use it to make tiropitakia (cheese pies) or spanakopita (spinach pies) and really turn this into a Greek feast.

This is why you want to use full sheets of phyllo on top — it's very hard to butter broken layers.

And don't forget to butter the edges. My dad says this will help protect the phyllo from burning.

Before baking, use a sharp knife to cut the baklava into small triangles or squares.

"If you don't cut it, the baklava will not cook," my dad told me. "Raw baklava is not good. Plus, it's very hard to cut after you cook it because the baklava is very flaky."

It helps the cooking process, and it's the traditional shape. First, cut the baklava into squares, then slice them diagonally.

My dad said the baking time will take 45 to 55 minutes. Every oven is different, so check on yours until you get that beautiful color.

To begin the syrup, mix the 2 cups of sugar with 1 cup of water.

My dad told me that lemon juice helps prevent the syrup from crystallizing, which makes the baklava last longer.

Then mix the syrup as you wait for the first boil.

"Wait a few seconds after it starts boiling, then take it off of the heat," my dad said. "Don't let it boil for more than a minute."

My dad recommends using a ladle for this step and says it's important to pour the syrup evenly over the baklava.

It's also important to note that your baklava needs to cool completely before adding the syrup. My dad usually lets the baklava sit overnight, but he said you can just wait a couple of hours if you're in a crunch for time.

This helps the baklava absorb all that delicious syrup.

To make sure the syrup doesn't crystallize, my dad says it's important to always use a clean knife when you're cutting new pieces and always avoid using a wet knife or wet utensils.

Also, there's no need to refrigerate. You can let your pan sit out in the kitchen for days (if it's not eaten before then!).

There are so many incredible textures and flavors that dance together as you bite into a piece of baklava. You've got the flakiness from the phyllo, combined with that sweet, sticky syrup. And then there's that satisfying crunch of the walnuts in the middle, bringing everything together as it melts in your mouth.

I brought some of my dad's baklava on a road trip with friends years ago, and they still talk about it to this day. My boyfriend and his roommates said it was so good it gave them goosebumps.

This recipe has won my dad baking contests at his office and has been the talk of every Greek holiday party we've ever attended.

I'm telling you, this is the real deal.

The most special thing about food to me has always been the stories it can bring. My pappou passed when I was 4 years old, but I've been able to keep a connection with his spirit through the baklava that my dad has made every Christmas. And now that I can make it as well, it's a tradition I know I'll always honor.

While I know it can seem intimidating, my dad's recipe proves that you don't have to be a Greek phyllo maker (or the descendant of one) to make some amazing baklava for your family and friends.

So, whether you only make this baklava once or it earns a permanent spot on your family's holiday menu, I hope you feel the love in this recipe.

Garten's rosemary roasted potatoes couldn't be easier to make. All you need are small red and white-skinned potatoes, fresh rosemary leaves, garlic, and olive oil.

And after tossing all the ingredients together, you just need to throw the potatoes in the oven for an hour.

Just because they're in sixth place doesn't mean Garten's rosemary roasted potatoes aren't delicious — the competition is just that fierce when it comes to "Barefoot Contessa" potato dishes.

The potatoes develop a beautiful golden color in the oven, and the pop of rosemary makes for a lovely Instagram photo. Plus, this dish makes your kitchen smell incredible.

Garten's rosemary roasted potatoes are also deliciously crispy, with a soft and creamy middle. Both of my parents were huge fans of the dish and liked that it was a lighter alternative to mashed potatoes or a gratin.

Get the full recipe for Ina Garten's rosemary roasted potatoes here.

Garten loves to give a new twist to a classic dish, and her Parmesan smashed potatoes are no different. Her recipe involves smashing the potatoes with an electric mixer, a great time-saving technique. It features unpeeled red potatoes, half-and-half, sour cream, butter, and freshly grated parmesan cheese.

"The key to mashed potatoes is what you add to them to make them have great flavor," Garten told Al Roker while demonstrating this dish on his podcast, "Cooking Up a Storm with Al Roker," in November 2021. "Two things people really miss a lot, in almost every recipe, is the salt. It needs a lot of salt to give it flavor."

I love the texture of these thick and creamy potatoes, and the salty sharpness of the Parmesan pairs really well with the subtly sweet red potatoes. I made these for the first time at a Friendsgiving, and they were a huge hit with my boyfriend and friends.

"The smashed potatoes were deliciously salty and also not overcooked," my boyfriend said. "They still had a bit of texture to them — it wasn't just like a bowl of soup."

"The best mashed potatoes I've had!" our friend Kayla added. "So creamy and thick."

Get the full recipe for Ina Garten's Parmesan smashed potatoes.

I know what you're thinking: How can store-bought mashed potatoes be so high on this list?

But if anyone can elevate something from the supermarket, it's the Barefoot Contessa.

Garten developed this recipe, a spin on her Parmesan smashed potatoes, for The New York Times in 2022 after declaring that she was burned out from cooking.

"Mashed potatoes are an essential Thanksgiving side dish but can be time-consuming," she wrote. "Instead of starting with raw potatoes, then peeling, cutting, and boiling them, start with these prepared potatoes, and no one will know you didn't make the dish from scratch."

Garten's recipe features a pack of refrigerated mashed potatoes, plus butter, sour cream, and freshly grated parmesan cheese. All you have to do is heat the refrigerated potatoes over a pan of simmering water and then throw in the extra ingredients.

Garten's elevated mashed potatoes were super creamy, with the Parmesan cheese infusing each bite with a lovely richness. I made these for my parents when I was home for Thanksgiving and they couldn't tell the mashed potatoes were store-bought.

What's really great about the recipe is how quick it is. You could easily whip up these mashed potatoes in less than 20 minutes and have a side dish everyone will love.

Get the full recipe for Ina Garten's elevated store-bought mashed potatoes here.

Garten uses diced instead of shredded potatoes for her hash browns, and Jeffrey — her husband of 56 years — is a huge fan.

"When my husband tasted them, he wanted to know if he could have them for dinner!" Garten writes. "Hey, why not? What makes him happy is just fine with me."

Garten's hash browns feature boiling potatoes, chopped yellow onions, butter, scallions, and fresh flat-leaf parsley.

Garten's hash browns were a huge hit when I whipped these up for brunch with my boyfriend and our friends.

The potatoes have a deliciously crispy exterior that gives way to the soft and creamy middle, and the parsley and scallions add so much extra flavor. One friend loved these so much they declared they could've eaten the whole pot.

I served the hash browns with Garten's sweet banana pancakes (also very delicious), but I think they'd also pair well with chicken, turkey, or any other holiday centerpiece.

Get the full recipe for Garten's hash browns here.

Emily Blunt's English roasted potatoes were such a hit that the "Barefoot Contessa" website temporarily crashed when Garten shared the recipe in May 2020.

Blunt taught Garten how to make her family's special recipe for roasted potatoes on a 2018 episode of "Barefoot Contessa." The simple dish only requires two main ingredients — Yukon Gold potatoes and parsley — and features some helpful cooking tips.

After parboiling the potatoes, Blunt shakes them in the pot to help roughen up the edges.

"If you rough up the edges, once you roast them, it just gives a really nice, sort of crispy, crunch," Blunt explained to Garten during the episode.

Blunt also lets the potatoes dry for 15 minutes before baking them, which she said creates "such a fantastic crust on the outside."

I will always love my dad's recipe for Greek roasted potatoes above all, but these English roasted potatoes are a close second.

Blunt's two quick tricks really pay off in terms of texture. There's such a satisfying crunch on the crust of the potatoes, which are deliciously soft and creamy in the middle.

These potatoes go great with just about everything, but you'll definitely have a lot of happy guests if you make them for the holidays.

Get the full recipe for Emily Blunt's English roasted potatoes here.

Garten's potato-fennel gratin is the first dish I cooked for my family's holiday menu. The recipe, which appears in "The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook," features russet potatoes, fennel, yellow onion, heavy cream, and Gruyère cheese.

"I love to make potato gratin and fennel gratin, so I decided to combine the two," Garten writes in the recipe description. "If you make this in an old French gratin dish, it looks wonderful and can go from the oven to the table with style."

Garten's potato-fennel gratin is just so creamy, comforting, and delicious. The potatoes always come out perfectly cooked, the combination of heavy cream and cheese is a dream, and the sautéed fennel cuts through with some lovely sweetness.

The dish couldn't be easier to assemble, especially if you want to hand off a holiday cooking task to a younger chef in the family (or that cousin whose most-used app is DoorDash).

I make Garten's potato-fennel gratin every holiday season, and it's always one of my favorite dishes at Thanksgiving and Christmas.

Get the full recipe for Ina Garten's potato-fennel gratin here.

Founded in 1911 by three Danish immigrants, Solvang was christened with the Danish word for "sunny field" (very appropriate for the Golden State) and attracted Danish settlers from the US and abroad, according to Elverhøj, the town's history museum.

Denmark has long been a leading force in wind power and renewable energy, and at one point there were thousands of windmills scattered across the country.

Solvang pays tribute to that history with its own windmills. You'll find four within four blocks of each other, and they make for popular photo opportunities for tourists.

There are gift shops under some of them, while another makes a picturesque backdrop for the town's brewery.

Solvang is all about "hygge," which is not so much a Danish word as it is a national mood. Hygge is about embracing coziness and warmth, like a cup of hot chocolate with your family or cuddling on the couch while watching "The Holiday."

Walking around Solvang at night and seeing its windmills light up the little town, I couldn't help but think of that word and feel its spirit — even in my sundress and flip-flops.

The charming inns and small boutique hotels are named after the likes of Hamlet and King Frederik or Danish towns like Copenhagen.

Everything from the restaurants and shops to the public restrooms and bus stops has Denmark's distinct bindingsvaerk architecture, making you feel like you're in a different era — or at least outside of the US.

You likely won't see a chain restaurant, though I did spot a Subway and Domino's with very subtle signage.

My parents, who came along on my trip after Thanksgiving, said the town reminded them of Disneyland.

We made it our mission to find all the imitations of famous Danish landmarks recreated in Solvang. This included the Little Mermaid statue, which pays tribute to Danish author Hans Christian Andersen's fairy tale of the same name, as well as the Rundetaarn, a re-creation of the 17th-century tower that still stands in Copenhagen.

A horse-drawn trolley, done in the style of a 1915 Danish streetcar, also gave tours of the town. And a number of buildings featured wooden storks — a symbol of happiness — on their rooftops, just like in Denmark.

I have yet to visit Denmark, so I loved spending the weekend trying the Danish food in Solvang.

After reading several travel blogs, I decided to have lunch at Solvang Restaurant, where my family tried the ham and Tilsit cheese sandwich, Danish-style meatballs, and a sausage platter.

For dinner, we went to Bit O'Denmark, which also came highly reviewed, and ate the Flaeskesteg (roast pork stuffed with prunes) and Frikadeller (pan-fried Danish pork meatballs) — two words I'd never heard of before this trip — along with the Wienerschnitzel.

Our plates often came packed with red cabbage and potatoes and were always loaded with gravy. The food at Bit O'Denmark was especially delicious, with each dish packed with tons of flavor. The mashed potatoes were stellar, and the gravy was so good I want it at every Thanksgiving dinner.

Five authentic Danish bakeries are within five blocks of each other, making it extremely easy (and tempting) to indulge in the many incredible pastries on offer.

The Kringle Slice was so perfectly flaky that it instantly melted on my tongue. The Apple Danish was lush and fresh, while the Princess Mocha had a crunchy and sweet stroopwafel base with a deliciously light mocha cream stuffed inside.

Aebleskivers are small, fluffy Danish desserts often topped with raspberry jam and powdered sugar. They're a lot like doughnut holes but better.

Solvang Restaurant is well-known for its version of aebleskivers, and there's almost always a line of people waiting to grab some from its to-go window. Believe me, the wait is worth it.

According to the bakery's website, members of the Kardashian clan are regulars, and Kylie, Kim, Khloe, Kourtney, and Kris have all posted their gingerbread houses on social media.

Solvang Bakery sells customized gingerbread houses, along with those you can decorate yourself.

You can also buy individual gingerbread men (I tried one, and it was delicious), traditional Danishes in a variety of flavors, and ring cake.

The only thing there might be more of in Solvang than pastries are the hundreds of stockings, ornaments, and Nutcrackers you can find for sale throughout the year.

It seemed like every other window I walked by had a display of smiling Santas, delicately hand-carved Nativity scenes, and plenty of Christmas trees.

And, without fail, every shop blasted either the "Frozen" soundtrack or Christmas carols.

Walking into Jule Hus — which has been open for more than 50 years and celebrates Christmas every day — felt magical with over a dozen Christmas trees, plus sparkling lights and tinsel galore. The store was full of people happily debating which ornaments to buy for themselves or their loved ones.

"We're always in the spirit here," I heard one of the store's employees tell a customer.

Santa's Village is held in the town's main park every Saturday in December, and there are holiday food tours every weekend.

When I walked around Solvang, there were already Christmas trees sprinkled throughout the town, and every night, the town sparkled with fairy lights strung through the trees and across storefronts.

The "Nisse Adventure" is part of Julefest and is another feature of Solvang that gives the town some of that European Christmas magic (and lets you win special prizes).

I couldn't help but yelp with excitement when I spotted the nisse relaxing on this tree in the backyard of the Elverhøj museum.

I loved how much Solvang is inspired by Hans Christian Andersen. Just look at this entrance to the park bearing his name.

There are also references to his fairy tales throughout town, from the Little Mermaid statue to beautiful murals of "The Princess and the Pea" and "Thumbelina" on the walls of Solvang Restaurant.

I spent a night at Mirabelle Inn, which was mentioned in numerous travel blogs I read about Solvang.

The boutique hotel — which has only 12 guest rooms — felt like an intimate bed and breakfast.

According to the hotel's website, each room is decorated with a distinctive decor and ambiance.

Mine had lovely blue-and-white printed wallpaper that made the room feel light despite being on the first floor, as well as an antique dresser and mirror.

Paula's Pancake House seemed to be the most popular restaurant in Solvang, as there was always a huge crowd waiting to try the restaurant's famous Danish pancakes.

As an enormous pancake was set before me in the old-school diner-style restaurant, I could see it wasn't all hype.

My pancakes — topped with fresh strawberries and even fresher whipped cream — were thin and crispy, yet still somehow fluffy and flaky. Each bite immediately transported me back to a breakfast I'd had over 10 years ago in Amsterdam.

So much about Solvang reminded me of trips to Europe, and I have no doubt it's one of the most Christmas-loving places you'll find in the US.

The affordable shops and free holiday activities are perfect for families, while the delicious food and 15 different wine-tasting rooms could definitely keep you occupied on a weekend away with friends.

Plus, who doesn't love a bit of Christmas magic?

Just take a look at the success of Raising Cane's. The chain, known for its focus on chicken tenders and a limited menu featuring sides like coleslaw and Texas toast, has become one of the fastest-growing fast-food brands in the US. Bloomberg reported that the chain brought in over $2.3 billion in revenue during the first half of 2024, reflecting a 30% increase from the previous year.

When we first got to try Taco Bell's new chicken nuggets at the chain's headquarters in Irvine, California, we learned that the beloved fast-food brand had set out to create an "elevated" chicken nugget to compete in the crowded market. 

"This is truly a very premium nugget," Mira Leon, a member of the product development team, told us during a tasting at the secret test kitchen. "It's not a chicken nugget patty you might get at some fast-food restaurants. This is very much more elevated." 

"This is real chicken," added chef Brett Pluskalowski, who works on Taco Bell's food innovation team. "When you go to McDonald's, that's not what you see." 

The jalapeño honey mustard combines honey and hot mustard for a sweet and tangy dipping sauce, while Bell Sauce features red chilies mixed with tomatoes, garlic, and onions.

The newest sauce, the Fire Ranch sauce, is a collaboration with Hidden Valley — the first-ever ranch partnership for Taco Bell. It mixes the chain's signature Fire hot sauce with Hidden Valley Ranch.

The new chicken nuggets feature all-white chicken breast meat marinated in spiced jalapeño buttermilk and coated with a special crispy breading made from breadcrumbs and tortilla chips.

The nuggets are $3.99 for a five-piece order and one dipping sauce or $6.99 for a 10-piece order with two dipping sauces, though prices may vary depending on location. 

Anneta: Chicken nuggets were my favorite thing to eat as a kid (groundbreaking, I know), and I've tried dozens of iterations from different chains and restaurants — many of them soggy, bland, or just forgettable. 

Taco Bell's chicken nuggets are none of the above. The meat tasted juicy and fresh and was clearly premium. The breading was true to the "crispy" name, providing a super satisfying crunch that gave way to the tender meat underneath. There was actually texture, which is more than I can say for some other very popular chains' nuggets. 

I tried these nuggets during a tasting that featured six different menu items, and I still couldn't resist finishing the entire box. They were really that good. 

Erin: These chicken nuggets, which come coated in a blend of breadcrumbs and crunchy tortilla chips, really impressed me with their texture and well-balanced flavor. When I first held one in my hand, I worried it would be hard to bite into — it had some weight to it. However, when I bit in, I found juicy, flavorful meat inside.

They were salty, with a subtle corn taste from the tortilla-chip breading, and reminded me more of a boneless wing than a chicken nugget. I also liked how the outer breading wasn't completely uniform. You could clearly see the tiny pieces of tortilla chips that made up the breading.

Anneta: I was a fan of both the Bell Sauce and the jalapeño honey mustard, which had very different flavor profiles. The Bell Sauce carried a smokiness that reminded me of barbecue sauce, while the jalapeño honey mustard was deliciously creamy with a zingy kick. 

Erin: I was a fan of all three sauces, but the jalapeño honey mustard and Fire Ranch stole the show for me. The jalapeño honey mustard was the perfect balance between a classic, tangy honey mustard and a slight kick of heat from the jalapeño flavor. I also quickly noted that this sauce actually tasted like I was biting into a real jalapeño pepper, unlike some sauces that say they're flavored with jalapeño but just taste generically spicy.

The Fire Ranch was a good balance between creamy and a slight kick from the Fire sauce, but it didn't have as much heat as the other two sauces. The Bell Sauce was also good and reminded me of a chipotle aioli. It was more smoky than spicy. 

It's been years since the fast-food chains were embroiled in the chicken sandwich wars. But what they should really be worried about now is Taco Bell coming for their nugget crown. 

The crispy chicken nuggets and their new sauces taste elevated, and it's clear that Taco Bell's big swings and risks are paying off.

The menu continues to feel fresh and exciting at a time when so many other chains are sticking to the norm. During the 2023 tasting, one of Taco Bell's representatives explained that the nuggets were also designed for people who don't like tacos but are along for the drive-thru ride — which is an extremely smart strategy move.

People might think Taco Bell has no place in the nugget space, but it's been delivering delicious chicken for a long time, and chicken chains should be a little scared.

To whip up this delicious dish, you'll need:

• Dried tagliatelle pasta
• Sausages (Ramsay recommends fennel or Sicilian)
• Tomatoes
• Half an onion
• A few cloves of garlic

If you can't find tagliatelle at your local supermarket, pappardelle always makes for a great substitute.

One of the best parts about this dish is that there's barely any prep. It takes me about five minutes or less to prepare everything before I start cooking.

While Italian parsley isn't part of Ramsay's recipe, I love adding it if I have any lying around. The herb brightens all the flavors and brings a bit of freshness and color to the dish.

One thing I love about this dish is how easily it can be adapted to your preferences — and what you can find in the supermarket. On this night, I used cocktail tomatoes, which have a juiciness that works great in the Bolognese sauce.

You need to peel the casings from the sausages before crumbling the meat. Ramsay recommends slicing each sausage down the middle to help remove the skin.

To avoid burning the onions, I let them cook for a few minutes before adding the garlic and parsley.

Ramsay recommends letting the garlic and onions "sweat until they're soft" before you add the meat.

Don't forget to sprinkle some salt and pepper on top!

The first two times my dad and I made this dish, we thought the sauce was a little dry with just the chopped tomatoes. Tagliatelle and pappardelle noodles are perfect vehicles for thick sauces; they almost seem a little naked without one.

Since we already loved the taste of the pasta, we didn't want to change the recipe drastically. The extra can of crushed tomatoes gives the Bolognese sauce a bit more oomph in taste and texture but still stays true to Ramsay's flavor profile.

My method is always to catch one of the pappardelle ribbons in a ladle, run it over some cold water for a few seconds, and then bite into it to see how firm the noodle is.

I picked up this trick from Ramsay, who notes that the starch from the pasta water helps to thicken the sauce and make it stick to the noodles.

After ensuring the noodles are coated with the sauce, I'll throw some parsley on top.

There's just something about this dish that reminds me of my favorite little Italian restaurant in New York City's West Village neighborhood. The sauce is meaty and rich, the flavors are complex, and each bite floods me with comfort.

My parents have made Ramsay's 15-minute tagliatelle pasta almost every week since we first tried it years ago. My dad loves how much flavor the sausage adds to the Bolognese sauce, and my mom said she always feels "warm inside" when she eats this dish.

"It feels like home," she told me.

When it comes to appetizers, the Barefoot Contessa says she likes to make one item and then buy the rest. In October 2022, she told Bon Appétit that her tried-and-true homemade dish for this purpose is a serving of chipotle cheddar crackers. 

Garten says she keeps a log of the cracker dough in her freezer. This way, even if she has some surprise guests over for drinks, she can pull them out and bake off a few as she needs them. 

We thought this recipe tasted just like Cheez-It crackers but with the consistency of a biscuit. These could be a pre-meal crowd-pleaser at your Thanksgiving gathering.

Get the full recipe for Ina Garten's chipotle cheddar crackers here.

We first made Garten's brown-butter skillet corn bread for Friendsgiving, and it was the biggest hit on the menu. 

The corn bread — which serves 10 to 12 people — has a gorgeous golden-brown hue, making it the perfect centerpiece at the Thanksgiving table. 

Garten's corn bread also tasted deliciously fluffy and moist, with a salty and crunchy crust and delightfully sweet filling. No one could resist getting seconds, and the leftovers still tasted just as fresh on the second and third day. 

The recipe was also super easy. It's no wonder the brown-butter skillet corn bread has earned a permanent spot in our holiday cooking repertoire. 

Get the full recipe for Ina Garten's brown-butter skillet corn bread here.

We love making — and ranking — Garten's pasta recipes, and this overnight mac and cheese is among our favorites. 

Garten calls this recipe the "creamiest, crustiest, most delicious mac and cheese" that she's ever made. It features cavatappi or elbow macaroni, heavy cream, Gruyère and sharp white cheddar cheeses, nutmeg, breadcrumbs, and plenty of butter. 

This mac and cheese is the perfect make-ahead dish. We first made it the night before Friendsgiving and just threw it in the oven when the party started. It was ready in less than 30 minutes and made a big day of cooking much less stressful. Plus, it's extremely delicious. 

Get the full recipe for Ina Garten's overnight mac and cheese here.

Whether you're looking to keep the main dish low-lift this year, or you find out you're in charge of cooking turkey the day before Thanksgiving, we think this recipe should be your go-to. 

This dish was easy to put together and doesn't require the same amount of time and prep as cooking a full-size bird, which makes it ideal for last-minute chefs. 

Get the full recipe for Ina Garten's herb-roasted turkey breast here.

This quick marinade was our favorite part of the turkey-breast recipe. You can use the extra rub to season green beans, sauce up potatoes, or even serve it as a general dipping sauce for the table. 

Even if you're not making Garten's turkey breast, you should pull out this part of the recipe and add some bright, citrusy, fresh-herb flavors to your otherwise rich plate. 

Get the full recipe for Ina Garten's lemony, herby turkey rub here.

Garten's Parmesan smashed potatoes, which serve six to eight people, feature red potatoes, unsalted butter, half and half, sour cream, and freshly grated Parmesan cheese. 

This dish blew us away. The potatoes were delightfully thick, deliciously creamy, and packed with tons of flavor thanks to the salty Parmesan and subtly sweet potatoes. One friend even said it was the best mashed potatoes they've ever tasted. 

And the recipe is incredibly easy and quick. After giving the potatoes some time to just sit on the stove, we barely had to do five minutes of work. It's another great make-ahead dish from the queen of hosting. 

Get the full recipe for Ina Garten's parmesan smashed potatoes here.

If you're looking for something a little more classic, we recommend trying Garten's rosemary roasted potatoes instead. 

The recipe only requires a few basic ingredients: small red and white-skinned potatoes, garlic, olive oil, and fresh rosemary leaves.

The potatoes looked gorgeous when they came out of the oven, and were an instant crowd-pleaser. They had a deliciously crispy exterior that gave way to a perfectly warm and creamy middle, and the rosemary added a burst of surprising flavor to the dish.

With so many dishes to juggle on the menu, Garten's recipe is a great way to get delicious potatoes on the table with as little effort as possible.

Get the full recipe for Ina Garten's rosemary roasted potatoes here.

Garten's potato-fennel gratin recipe appeared in her very first cookbook, "The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook."  It only requires a few main ingredients: russet potatoes, one small fennel bulb, yellow onion, Gruyère cheese, and heavy cream. And it's so comforting. 

Garten's gratin is deliciously creamy and satisfying thanks to the Gruyère, and the potatoes are perfectly cooked. The fennel also adds a lovely mild sweetness that cuts through the saltiness of the cheese.

Better yet? You can even make it ahead. Garten says her gratin can be cooked the day before and reheated for 30 minutes — perfect if you want to save some time on Thanksgiving. 

Get the full recipe for Ina Garten's potato-fennel gratin here.

What makes these cookies special is that they're super thin and ripple out from the middle to the edges. This wrinkly effect is due to Garten's tip for banging the pan on a counter or stovetop several times throughout the baking process. 

These cookies were both sweet and salty, and their texture was a combination of crispy, flaky, crunchy, and gooey. The finished product was well worth the effort. 

Get the full recipe for Ina Garten's giant crinkled chocolate-chip cookies here. 

During our interview, Parton told me she loves adding fried apples to her mac and cheese for a "great taste combination."

She sticks to a more traditional recipe for Thanksgiving mac and cheese but still adds some fun ingredients.

To make Parton's mac and cheese at home, you'll need:

• 2 ½ cups shredded cheddar cheese
• 2 ½ cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese
• 1 (8-ounce) block of Velveeta, cubed
• 2 cups elbow macaroni
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1 cup whole milk, room temperature
• ½ cup sour cream
• 2 tablespoons butter melted, plus more for greasing
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon mustard powder
• 1 teaspoon salt

When I made "Next Level Chef" star Tineke "Tini" Younger's uber-viral mac and cheese recipe (it racked up over 92 million views), she instructed that you should never use pre-shredded cheese.

I have never forgotten that lesson, so I decided to shred both the cheddar and Monterey Jack cheeses for Dolly's recipe. But if you're in a crunch for time this Thanksgiving, I wouldn't worry too much about using pre-shredded!

Per Parton's recipe, I saved ¼ cup of shredded cheddar and ¼ cup of shredded Monterey Jack for the top of the mac and cheese.

Then, I preheated the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and greased a 9-inch by 13-inch baking pan with butter.

I also placed a large saucepan filled with water over medium heat, adding a teaspoon of salt. Parton says to cook the macaroni for two to three minutes less than indicated on the package.

"Don't overcook and don't rinse," she adds. "Drain the macaroni well in a colander, return it to the pot, and add the olive oil. Gently stir to coat so the macaroni doesn't stick together."

Parton's mac and cheese is extremely quick and easy because you don't need to worry about making a roux on the stove.

I just added the beaten eggs, milk, sour cream, melted butter, and mustard powder to a large bowl and gave everything a good mix.

I threw in the cubed Velveeta, as well as the remaining shredded cheddar and Monterey Jack cheeses, and stirred everything together.

I mixed everything together until the macaroni was nicely coated.

Parton says to bake your mac and cheese for 20 to 25 minutes. You'll know it's ready when "the cheeses are bubbly," she adds.

I served Parton's mac and cheese to my boyfriend and friends as we tested some of her Thanksgiving recipes, and the mac and cheese was the clear favorite.

We all loved the delicious combination of the three cheeses, although my boyfriend thought there was just a tad too much Velveeta. The sour cream also added a lovely tang and satisfying creaminess to the overall taste and texture, and the mac and cheese still tasted just as good the next day when we ate our leftovers.

If you're looking for a delicious mac and cheese to celebrate this Thanksgiving, you can't go wrong with Dolly's.

"When the holiday season arrives, why not dress up your mashed potatoes! That's what we do," the sisters write in their cookbook. "All it takes is some cream cheese, sour cream, a little garlic, and your mixer!"

To make the Parton sisters' holiday potatoes at home, you'll need:

• 5 pounds russet potatoes
• 4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1 stick (8 tablespoons) butter, room temperature
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• ½ cup sour cream
• 2 tablespoons fresh parsley for garnish
• 1 ½ teaspoons salt

I washed, peeled, and quartered the potatoes, per Parton's instructions.

Parton says to wash the potatoes "until the water runs clear." I'm not totally sure why this step was necessary, as the potatoes had already been washed and peeled. The water was immediately clear.

So, unless your potatoes are really dirty, I think you can skip this step!

Parton says to cover the potatoes by two inches, then add one teaspoon of salt.

I brought the pot to a boil and then lowered the heat to medium. I allowed my potatoes to cook for 20 minutes until they were fork-tender.

I threw in the butter, cream cheese, sour cream, ½ cup of milk, and ½ teaspoon of salt.

I blended the potatoes on medium speed as I mixed everything together.

Then, I added the remaining half cup of milk and mixed the potatoes on high speed until they became fluffy, which took a few minutes.

I served these holiday potatoes alongside Dolly's recipes for mac and cheese and cornbread stuffing, and it was my favorite dish of the three.

The holiday potatoes are deliciously rich and luscious with the addition of cream cheese and sour cream, while the chopped parsley adds a nice pop of color. They also had a lovely smooth and whipped texture, which paired well with the other Thanksgiving-inspired dishes on the table.

If you're looking for a last-minute addition to your Thanksgiving menu, the Parton sisters' holiday potatoes will definitely impress the whole family.

To make Garten's "grown up" mac and cheese for four, you'll need:

• 4 cups elbow macaroni or cavatappi
• 4 slices white sandwich bread
• 8 ounces Gruyere cheese, grated
• 6 ounces extra-sharp cheddar, grated
• 4 ounces blue cheese, crumbed (Garten recommends Roquefort)
• 8 ounces thick-sliced bacon
• 3 cups milk
• 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 4 tablespoons freshly-chopped basil leaves
• ½ teaspoon freshly-ground black pepper
• Pinch of nutmeg

I arranged my bacon on a sheet pan in one layer. Garten recommends placing a baking rack over the sheet pan, but I didn't have one, so I just lined mine with aluminum foil to avoid making a greasy mess.

I cooked my bacon for 15 minutes, until the strips turned crisp, then transferred them to a plate lined with a paper towel.

I sliced the crusts off my sandwich bread, cut each slice into smaller pieces, and roughly chopped my basil.

Then, I threw my pasta into a large pot of boiling salted water, letting it cook for around six minutes. I opted for cavatappi over elbow macaroni because I believe it's better at carrying the ooey gooey sauce of a great mac and cheese.

Once my noodles were al dente, I drained the pasta and set it aside.

If you're making this for Thanksgiving, just recruit some family members to help!

After a few pulses, my breadcrumbs were ready!

Garten kept her bacon pieces pretty chunky while demonstrating this recipe on an episode of "Barefoot Contessa," so I did the same.

I heated the milk in a small saucepan, making sure not to boil it.

I added the butter to a pot set over medium-low heat.

I stirred the butter and flour together over low heat for two minutes.

"This cooked butter and flour is going to act as a thickener for the sauce," Garten explained during the episode.

Garten says you should cook the sauce for about one or two more minutes, until it's thickened and looks smooth.

"It's not incredibly thick, but what it does is it just coats the spoon," she added.

Garten recommends adding one teaspoon of salt, some freshly-ground black pepper, and the nutmeg.

"It's a really classic spice that's used in gratins," Garten says in the episode. "You won't know it's there, but it'll make everything taste better."

I gave everything a good stir as a delicious cheesy scent filled my kitchen.

Garten used individual gratin dishes while making this on "Barefoot Contessa" since she was only making it for herself and Jeffrey. Since I doubled the recipe to make dinner for my family, I used a 12-inch casserole dish, which was the perfect size.

I didn't end up using all of the breadcrumbs because I had already fully covered the top, but my family later said they wished there had been more — so I recommend using every last crumb!

If you're planning to make Garten's "grown up" mac and cheese the day before, just throw your dish into the fridge overnight and bake it right before you want to serve it.

While reading reviews of Garten's recipe on the Food Network's website, I saw that many people said their mac and cheese had turned dry after baking it for the recommended amount of time. Many people recommended baking the pasta for 25 minutes or less.

I checked my mac and cheese at the 20-minute mark and saw the breadcrumbs were already starting to brown. At the 25-minute mark, they were beautifully golden, so I took my dish out of the oven.

The moral of the story? Not all ovens are made equal, so check your mac and cheese as you go.

The sound from the bubbling sauce was so satisfying I couldn't resist taking a few videos of it.

My family watched with excitement as I dug my spoon through the breadcrumbs and pulled up a scoop of ooey gooey noodles. Dinner couldn't come soon enough!

My parents and sister were huge fans of Garten's mac and cheese. The texture is velvety rather than cloying, and I loved the balance of flavor between the Gruyere, cheddar, and blue cheeses. The Roquefort adds a bit of tang, so if you're making this for someone who really dislikes blue cheese, maybe only do half so you're still getting the depth it adds. But, personally, I'm not a huge blue cheese fan, and I didn't find it overpowering.

I also loved how the smoky bacon cut through the cheesiness — I'd even recommend throwing in an extra slice or two. The crunchy breadcrumbs on top were also a huge hit, adding a lovely contrast to the creamy noodles underneath (definitely don't skimp on them).

I think the flavors of Garten's mac and cheese are perfect for a holiday side and would pair well with turkey. We also enjoyed eating it as a main course for dinner.

If you're looking for a great traditional Thanksgiving dish with a twist, Garten's "grown up" mac and cheese is a great pick.

I found the corn-bread recipe while leafing through the republished version of "The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook," which originally came out in 1999. I knew it'd be perfect for Friendsgiving. 

In the description of the dish, Garten says she was inspired by The New York Times' Melissa Clark's corn bread with brown butter. 

"Since I can't pass up any recipe for corn bread, I decided to test mine with brown butter too," Garten writes. "Best corn bread I've ever made! 

That was all I needed to hear — time to get baking! 

To make Garten's corn bread, which serves 10 to 12 people, you'll need: 

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 cups whole milk 
• 1 cup fine cornmeal (Garten says this makes moister corn bread than medium grind)
• 1 cup sugar 
• ½ pound unsalted butter 
• 2 extra-large eggs, lightly beaten 
• 2 tablespoons baking powder 

I continued to heat the butter until it became browned but not burned, listening to Garten's advice to "watch it very carefully!" 

I whisked the milk into the butter, according to Garten's recipe. 

I have to admit, I forgot to lightly beat the eggs together before throwing them into the mixture — but it didn't seem to affect the corn bread in any way. 

I also threw in the baking powder and some kosher salt. 

Barely five minutes had passed, and my batter was almost ready. 

Per Garten's instructions, I stirred everything together with a rubber spatula until it was just combined. The "Barefoot Contessa" star notes that it's OK if the batter looks a little lumpy. 

Garten's recipe calls for the batter to sit for 15 minutes. She said this step is essential to getting the best corn bread possible, so don't try to skip it.

Make sure you don't wipe out your cast-iron skillet after melting the butter. Just throw the batter right in. 

Garten's recipe says to bake the corn bread for 35 to 40 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit. After 35 minutes, I stuck a knife in the middle and it came out clean, so I knew it was ready. 

One thing to note: If you're using an 11 ½-inch skillet, Garten recommends baking your corn bread for only 25 to 30 minutes. 

Garten's brown-butter skillet corn bread definitely makes for a gorgeous centerpiece at the Thanksgiving table (we all know no one really cares about the turkey). 

But would it taste as good as it looked? 

I could write an essay on how much I love this corn bread. It was so moist and fluffy, with the sweet and savory elements working together in perfect harmony. We were all stuffed, but everyone at the table couldn't resist getting seconds of the bread. 

"The salt really brought out all the flavors," my friend Oliver said. "10/10, would recommend." 

"So delicious," my fellow taste tester Kayla added. "The outside had a nice salty and crunchy texture, while the inside was moist and sweet." 

There's no doubt in my mind that Garten's brown-butter skillet corn bread was the star of Friendsgiving. It was perfectly baked and still tasted just as moist when we ate leftovers on the second and third days.

And for a novice cook like me who never bakes, I couldn't believe how easy and foolproof it was to make. Seeing that corn bread come out of the oven, so beautiful and golden, made me feel as if I was about to get a Paul Hollywood handshake.   

Garten's recipe has won a permanent spot in my holiday cooking repertoire. 

To make Parton and her sister's sweet potato casserole at home, you'll need:

• 5 large sweet potatoes, peeled and quartered
• 2 cups miniature marshmallows
• ½ cup chopped raw pecans
• ½ cup light brown sugar, packed
• ½ cup (1 stick) butter at room temperature, plus more for greasing
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

I set the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and buttered a 9-inch by 13-inch pan, per Parton's instructions.

I also washed, peeled, and quartered my sweet potatoes.

I brought the pot to a boil over high heat, then lowered the heat to maintain a low boil for 20 minutes while the potatoes cooked.

Parton said you'll know the potatoes are ready when they're "fork tender."

I threw in the brown sugar, vanilla, salt, cinnamon, and butter, adding the latter in knobs so it'd be easy to mix.

Parton recommends using a potato masher to mix the ingredients until they're "well combined," but I don't own one, so I simply used a big wooden fork. It worked like a charm.

I sprinkled the pecans before evenly covering the casserole with my miniature marshmallows.

Parton says you should bake your sweet potato casserole for 20 minutes.

Parton says your marshmallows should be "golden brown" once the five minutes are up. My marshmallows were still white as snow, so I turned on the broiler and baked the casserole for two additional minutes to give them some color.

I was slightly disappointed when the sweet potato casserole came out of the oven. The marshmallows got a little overcooked by the broiler and now only covered half of the casserole. Next time, I think I'll skip Parton's aluminum foil trick and just let the marshmallows cook uncovered the entire time.

But unphotogenic marshmallows aside, the flavor of this sweet potato casserole was delicious. The crunch of the pecans was a delightful twist, and the combination of the brown sugar, vanilla, and cinnamon was well-balanced. The texture was satisfyingly creamy, and the dish smelled delicious.

I brought this for a recent Friendsgiving, and the pan was empty within minutes — despite having a lot of competition!

So, with one little tweak, I think the Parton sisters' sweet potato casserole will be a hit on your holiday menu.

In her cookbook "Go-To Dinners," Garten said her overnight mac and cheese is the "creamiest, crustiest, most delicious mac and cheese."  

And believe me, she's not exaggerating.

To make Garten's dish for four, you'll need:

• 8 ounces cavatappi or elbow macaroni
• 3 cups heavy cream
• 2 cups Gruyère cheese, grated
• 1 ½ cups fine fresh white breadcrumbs
• 1 cup sharp white cheddar, grated
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg

Garten's mac and cheese couldn't be easier to assemble — you don't even need to make a roux. Plus, it requires less than 30 minutes in the oven, so it's an easy dish to bake right before Thanksgiving dinner.

More importantly, Garten's overnight mac and cheese is extremely delicious. I love the crunchy breadcrumbs on top, and the sauce is decadent without being too rich. When I made this dish for the first time at Friendsgiving, my boyfriend praised it for being "exceptionally creamy" while a friend said it tasted "like a hug in your mouth."

It's my favorite "Barefoot Contessa" mac and cheese recipe, although Garten's "grown up" mac and cheese is definitely a close second.

Get the full recipe for Ina Garten's overnight mac and cheese here.

I wasn't much of a cook before the pandemic, unless you count warming up frozen food from Trader Joe's. But when I wanted to contribute something to my family's holiday menu, this recipe seemed like a good place to start.

Garten's potato-fennel gratin, which appears in her first cookbook, "The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook," is 100% foolproof.

Plus, it tastes amazing.

"I love to make potato gratin and fennel gratin, so I decided to combine the two," Garten writes in the recipe's description. "If you make this in an old French gratin dish, it looks wonderful and can go from the oven to the table with style."

To make Garten's gratin for four, you'll need:

• 1 pound russet potatoes (2 large ones)
• 1 small fennel bulb
• ½ yellow onion
• 1½ cups Gruyère cheese
• 1½ cups plus 1 tablespoon heavy cream

If you're trying to make the dish for a larger party, Garten also has a recipe that serves 10.

Garten's potato-fennel gratin is such a creamy and satisfying dish, with perfectly cooked potatoes and a deliciously cheesy cream thanks to the Gruyère. The sautéed fennel also adds a lovely mild sweetness to each bite.

This is easily one of my favorite holiday side dishes, and it's so much better than mashed potatoes.

Get the full recipe for Ina Garten's potato-fennel gratin here.

Garten included this corn-bread recipe in the republished version of "The Barefoot Contessa" cookbook, calling it the "best corn bread I've ever made!"

I decided to try the recipe for the first time before a Friendsgiving party a few years ago, and it was a huge hit.

To make Garten's corn bread, which serves 10 to 12 people, you'll need:

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 cups whole milk
• 1 cup fine cornmeal (Garten says this makes moister corn bread than medium grind)
• 1 cup sugar
• ½ pound unsalted butter
• 2 extra-large eggs, lightly beaten
• 2 tablespoons baking powder

Garten's brown-butter skillet corn bread is one of my favorite "Barefoot Contessa" recipes of all time. It's perfectly baked and delectably moist, which is evident the minute you cut the first slice.

The warm, golden hue makes for a stunning centerpiece, and the corn bread just tastes so deliciously fluffy. It's the perfect blend of sweet and savory, and I can never resist getting seconds — no matter how stuffed I am.

Get the full recipe for Ina Garten's brown-butter skillet corn bread here.

Original release: The tostada, with its refried beans, tangy red sauce, lettuce, and shredded cheese layered over a crunchy corn tostada shell, was part of Taco Bell's original 1962 menu, but it was discontinued in 2020.

Price: $2.19

Note: All prices listed here may vary in different markets.

Anneta: The corn shell was satisfyingly crispy, and the refried beans on top were well-distributed across the tostada. They also packed a punch of delicious flavor thanks to the red sauce.

But I found the lettuce to be limp and distracting, especially since it covered the rest of the ingredients. Customizing the tostada with some pico de gallo would help, but otherwise, I'd probably skip this.

Priyanka: I usually prefer crispy-shell tacos over soft ones, so I enjoyed biting into this crunchy tostada. It felt like I was eating one giant, perfectly layered nacho, minus the melted cheese and sour cream. And while initially this looked more like a side dish than a main dish because of its size, I realized how filling it was after a couple of bites.

However, I thought the tostada was a bit bland and would've benefited from another layer of hot sauce or some pico de gallo.

Original release: The Gordita Supreme, which appeared on Taco Bell's menu in the '90s, features a flatbread shell filled with seasoned beef, sour cream, lettuce, diced tomatoes, and a three-cheese blend of mozzarella, cheddar, and Monterey Jack.

Price: $2.99

Anneta: The flatbread was the best part of my Gordita Supreme. It was warm, soft, and delightfully pillowy. But with no additional sauce and your standard rotation of veggies — lettuce and tomato — there just wasn't much flavor to it. I doused my Gordita Supreme with some avocado verde salsa, which helped a little.

I think this really needs some pico de gallo and purple cabbage, two new ingredients for Taco Bell that helped elevate its fantastic Cantina Chicken Menu.

Priyanka: Since I don't eat red meat, I swapped the beef for chicken, which I thought complemented the other ingredients well.

The light layer of sour cream gave the folded wrap a nice pop of freshness alongside the lettuce and diced tomatoes, and the chicken was well-seasoned. However, this dish would be better if the flatbread were lightly grilled or toasted.

Original release: The green sauce burrito, which debuted in 1970, was among the chain's most loved and replicated items until it was discontinued. The burrito contains refried beans, onions, cheddar cheese, and a spicy green sauce made from green chili, tomatillos, jalapeños, and spices.

Price: $2.49

Anneta: I don't usually go for a bean burrito at Taco Bell (I'm all about the Grilled Cheese Burrito and, more recently, the Cantina Chicken Burrito), but the Green Burrito took me by surprise. The green sauce brings so much flavor and elevates the entire burrito, adding subtle heat and pairing perfectly with the delicious refried beans.

My only wish is that my burrito had more crunchy onions for a little extra texture. But I couldn't resist finishing the entire dish, even though it was the last item I tried on the Decades menu.

Priyanka: It took a few bites before I reached the oozing refried beans and crunchy onions, but once I did, the burrito was flavorful. Even though it was made using simple ingredients, it came together well, and I liked that it didn't contain rice.

To elevate it slightly, I'd add some pico de gallo and request that my tortilla be extra toasty next time, but it was a solid dish.

Original release: The Meximelt was on Taco Bell's menu for 30 years before it was discontinued in 2019. The dish, which first appeared in the '80s, features a tortilla full of seasoned beef, pico de gallo, and a three-cheese blend of mozzarella, cheddar, and Monterey Jack.

Price: $2.99

Anneta: The ingredient list in the Meximelt is simple and short, but each one is performing at its peak. The pico de gallo added a burst of freshness to every bite, and the three-cheese blend was perfectly melted, wrapping up the beef in a deliciously cheesy hug.

I usually douse my Taco Bell order in hot sauce, but there was so much juice and flavor in the beef of the Meximelt that I completely forgot to add it. Even my boyfriend, who isn't a huge Taco Bell fan, was impressed.

Priyanka: Similar to the Gordita Supreme, I swapped the beef in the Meximelt for a layer of chicken, and I'm glad I did!

At first glance, I thought it looked a lot like the Gordita Supreme and would probably taste the same. But with the first bite, I was proven wrong. The tortilla was a bit thinner than the Gordita's flatbread, which I preferred since it allowed the flavors of the other ingredients to shine through.

Original release: The caramel apple empanada was first introduced in 2004 as part of Taco Bell's Big Bell Value Menu but was discontinued in 2019. The sweet treat consists of apple pieces and a creamy caramel filling encased in a crispy pastry.

Price: $3.65

Anneta: I was a huge fan of Taco Bell's Cheesy Chicken Crispanada, released for a limited time earlier this year, so I had high hopes for the Caramel Apple Empanada — and it delivered.

My empanada came out piping hot. As I took my first bite, the crispy shell immediately gave way to the warm and lovely filling. The shell had a great crunch and a super satisfying flakiness. The empanada also had plenty of juicy apple chunks, which paired well with the subtle hints of caramel.

This is a great sweet treat, especially for the chilly winter season. My only complaint is that it isn't a permanent menu item!

Priyanka: A bite of this crunchy, creamy empanada instantly put me in the holiday spirit. I've tried apple pies from various fast-food chains, but this one stands out for its perfectly crisp golden pastry and well-balanced apple caramel filling. I ate my dessert about 15 minutes after I'd received it, but when I took it out of its paper sleeve, I could still feel the warmth, which was very impressive given the cold weather outside.

I also loved not having to work through layers of crispy dough to get to the heart of the dish: the filling. The two were perfectly balanced right from the first bite. The tart apples and salted caramel paired beautifully without being overly sweet. If there's one item on this menu you shouldn't miss, it's the dessert!

When Business Insider contacted Taco Bell about the menu and our thoughts on it, the brand said it "is proud to have been able to provide fans with new and authentic innovations for decades."

It added, "As our fans continue to call for the legendary mouth-watering favorites that they miss, or that they have only heard about and never got the chance to experience, the Decades Menu is reintroducing the classics from the first five decades to connect generations of Taco Bell fans with nostalgic flavors that have withstood the test of time."