Blog Posts by Sunset Magazine

Cook up comfort in a bowl in 30 minutes or less.

Roasted Red Pepper Soup
Roasted Red Pepper Soup
This soup is always a winner. If you're really in a rush, you can use jarred roasted red peppers; just drain and rinse them well before adding.
> Get the recipe

Brighten gray, drizzly days with these lovely cool-season flowers.

Calendula
Calendula (Calendula officinalis)
Daisy-like calendula provides easy color from late fall through spring in mild-winter climates, and are long lasting in a vase. Choose classic orange and bright yellow, or opt for subtler shades of apricot, cream, and soft yellow.
> Learn more

Cyclamen
Cyclamen
Few blooms say winter like cyclamen. Pretty flowers in shades of white, pink, rose, and red are carried atop an attractive clump of leaves. Flowers resemble shooting stars or butterflies. Large-flowered florists' cyclamen (pictured) is most often seen as a container-grown gift plant though they also make great bedding plants.
> Learn more

English daisy
English daisy (Bellis perennis)
Plump, perky English daises make great edging plants. Or slip a few into your lawn for unexpected bursts of color.
> Learn more

Hellebores
Hellebores
Plant hellebores for distinctive flowers in winter and spring. Flowers are usually shaped like cups or bells, either outward

Sweet, spicy, tangy baby back ribs are the perfect game day food. Choose from 5 lip-smacking recipes, plus the perfect rib-fest side dishes and dessert.

Baby Back Ribs 3 Ways
Baby Back Ribs 3 Ways
Pick a glaze--or do all 3: sweet-spicy Sticky Brown Sugar Glaze (left), MiddleEastern-flavored Zaatar Glaze (middle), and the tart, spicy, and aromatic Basil Chile Lemonade Glaze (right).
> Get the recipes

Make this the year you check one of these iconic experiences off your bucket list.

Raft the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon
Raft the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon
The raft floats beneath towering rock walls apparently colored using the largest box of crayons in the universe: all ochres and umbers and corals. You trail your arm in the cool river, and the water is heaven-literally, you are sure this is what heaven feels like. The current speeds up and your guide shouts, "Hold on!" because you're approaching one of the rapids that would make the World River Rapids Hall of Fame if there were such a thing.
> Get more info

Hike hut to hut in Yosemite
Hike hut to hut in Yosemite
Two days into the six-day, nearly 50-mile High Sierra Camps loop, you feel like you're free-floating. You're roaming the granite bowls of Yosemite National Park's backcountry, surrounded by only wind and sky and the occasional marmot. At night, there's a hearty family-style dinner and a real bed in a tent cabin.
> Get more info

Ride the Continental Divide
Ride the Continental Divide
Stand on the

Get slow-cooked flavors in 45 minutes or less with these hearty and healthy winter recipes.

White Wine Coq Au Vin
White Wine Coq Au Vin
Think of this as a fresher, green herb-laced version of the French classic. Serve with a crusty baguette for dunking.
> Get the recipe

No matter where your team loyalties lie, these recipes are sure to get your fellow football fans cheering.

Gabriel's Guacamole
Gabriel's Guacamole
This is the base recipe from Gabriel's in Santa Fe, New Mexico. It is intended only as a jumping-off point: Add more seasonings to your taste. We preferred it with 1/2 teaspoon jalapeño, 4 teaspoons onion, and 4 teaspoons lime juice.
> Get the recipe

Greek Spinach Dip
Greek Spinach Dip
This savory spinach dip takes its flavor cues from spanakopita. Serve it with warm pita bread or crisp crudités.
> Get the recipe

Poblano and Nopales Chimichangas
Poblano and Nopales Chimichangas
Who needs the deep fryer when you can bake a flaky crust?
> Get the recipe

Buttermilk Grilled Chicken
Buttermilk Grilled Chicken
Soak chicken in a buttermilk brine for extra moist and tender results, then add subtle Indian-inspired spices for a go-anywhere feast that's miles from boring.
> Get the recipe

Grilled Beer-Cooked Sausages
Grilled Beer-Cooked Sausages
Simmering these sausages in beer first makes for quick grilling and helps feed tailgate guests fast. We love these smeared

Go beyond the same-old, same-old New Year's resolutions. Get inspired to step outside your comfort zone and try something new this month.

Check an item off your bucket list
Check an item off your bucket list
Make this the year you check one of these iconic Western adventures off your bucket list, from kayaking Washington's San Juan Islands to bike-riding Colorado's Continental Divide.

> Related: Top 10 life-list adventures

Grow fruits
Grow fruits
Don't forget dessert! The cold weather is the perfect time to get a jump-start on growing these fruits so you can incorporate them into all kinds of homemade confections.

> Related: The best fruits to plant in cold weather

Reinvent your commute
Reinvent your commute
Make the most of your weekdays by ditching the car and hopping on a bike--a hydro-bike, that is.

> Related: How to reboot your commute

Rock a bold, new color scheme
Rock a bold, new color scheme
Want to add a burst of color to your home without going overboard? The secret to lively (yet livable) rooms: Team a bold paint with robust neutrals.

> Related: 5 tastefully

Check out the exciting developments we're eager to watch this year.

San Francisco's new waterfront
San Francisco's new waterfront
America's Cup is the premier sailing compe­tition in the world, so when San Francisco was named a host city of the 2013 regatta, it was huge. For the first time in a long time, the city will actually feel like a port town. The northern waterfront (for decades a tangle of dilapidated piers) begins reno­vations this summer, and two weeks of races kick off in August. americascup.com

> Related: Insider guide to San Francisco Bay Area

The new gardening bible
The new gardening bible
The brand-new Western Garden Book hits bookstands in February. This latest edition includes more than 2,000 full-color photos, an all-new PlantFinder, and no-fail gardening tips for flowers, vegetables, natives, and more. 

> Related: Order at sunset.com/books

Vegan goes gourmet
Vegan goes gourmet
Flirting with vegan cooking? Cast away any thoughts of bland bowls of tofu and brown rice. The new vegan cooking is all about bold flavors, colors, and