“The holidays are my favorite time of year! Christmas was always one of the biggest celebrations in Sweden, and I look forward to the festivities each year.”

“Casseroles don't have to be about canned ingredients and vegetables you normally wouldn't even think of eating alone, much less stuck in between layers of sauce and breadcrumbs. They can vary from everyone's favorite all-time casserole, macaroni and cheese, to the ultimate English casserole, Shepherd's Pie.”

“They say never trust a skinny chef, but the fact is, to stay healthy when you're a chef means you have to work twice as hard.”

“I came into this environment where there was so much love, so much positive energy. I never heard my parents say, 'We have adopted kids.' The minute my sister Linda and I landed in Sweden, we were their kids.”

“Being an Ethiopian-born, Swedish-raised chef, there's nothing traditional about my Thanksgiving spread.”

“Thanksgiving is probably my favorite holiday - it's a day that's American to the core and it's a day that's all about what and how we eat.”

“Thanksgiving is one of my favorite American traditions. I quickly picked it up when I moved to the U.S. from Sweden.”

“It's often hard for us to imagine going without some of our luxuries like travel, dining out, or Internet, much less our basic necessities like food and water. But try for a minute to imagine how life would be with such deprivations.”

“I've been lucky to travel and work all over the world through the lens of the back of the house, and I love that monocle. I love that lens, because it's real people.”

“Not only are pasta dishes delicious, but they are also great, easy options for a quick dinner during a busy weekday.”

“Whether you're on a diet, or you're looking for a go-to one bowl dinner recipe, salads should be thought of as crowd-pleasers, not a dreaded component of a meal.”