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Brooklyn artist James Gulliver Hancock dazzles with his Christmas pudding, a step-by-step in fun. Click the image to expand.

The Dish is teaming up with Nate Padavick and Salli Swindell, founders of They Draw and Cook, all December to share holiday recipes rendered by artists and inspiring all sorts of seasonal cooking with Food Network chefs. Each day, stop by the Dish for a new drawing and Nate and Salli’s liner notes about the illustrations and the artists. Tell us which you like and why. A dollop of this, a dash of that and some talent add up to interesting ideas in the kitchen. Visit theydrawandcook.com for more info.

Okay, we’ll admit it: we are huge fans of James Gulliver Hancock. The guy is so creative and is such a great illustrator. We love every recipe he sends in, and this is no exception. We are so intrigued by his recipe for Xmas Pudding and equally intrigued by all of the awesome doodles and design elements. The instructions are all there: Follow the arrows. According to the artist, this is soaked in 1/4 cup of brandy, which equals “yummers.” No kidding. Have some fun on his site; it’s a treat, just like this recipe.

See more super fun and cool illustrated holiday recipes today on They Draw and Cook. And get all the last-minute Christmas feast recipes at FoodNetwork.com.

—Nate Padavick & Salli Swindell from They Draw and Cook.

British artist Sarah Ward makes whimsical Christmas cookies that sparkle. Click the image to expand.

The Dish is teaming up with Nate Padavick and Salli Swindell, founders of They Draw and Cook, all December to share holiday recipes rendered by artists and inspiring all sorts of seasonal cooking with Food Network chefs. Each day, stop by the Dish for a new drawing and Nate and Salli’s liner notes about the illustrations and the artists. Tell us which you like and why. A dollop of this, a dash of that and some talent add up to interesting ideas in the kitchen. Visit theydrawandcook.com for more info.

Artist (and baker!) Sarah Ward from Sheffield, United Kingdom, makes these stunning cookies seem simple to make. Her super sweet illustrations lead you easily from one step to the next. We both love her fanciful lettering style and tumbling snowflakes. The end result could not be one bit sweeter than the little girl winking in the cookie window. It’s 100 percent charming, as is every single illustration on Sarah’s website. We think these would make beautiful ornaments for your tree; don’t you?

See more illustrated dessert recipes today on They Draw and Cook. And get all sorts of holiday recipes at FoodNetwork.com.

—Nate Padavick & Salli Swindell from They Draw and Cook.

Victoria Donnelly's cute and flavor-packed cupcakes wowed Candace and her fellow Cupcake Wars judges.

Cupcake Wars judge Candace Nelson is the founder and pastry chef of Sprinkles Cupcakes, the world’s first cupcake bakery. She joins us on the FN Dish each week to recap all the sweet details of the competition from her seat at the judges’ table. Here’s what she had to say about last night’s episode, LA Kings.

It’s always difficult for us when a great baker has to go home too early. In round one, Michelle from Auntie Em’s presented us with a delicious olive oil, sweet potato cupcake topped with orange cream cheese frosting and garnished with a beautiful pine nut-and-rosemary brittle. But the orange in the frosting overwhelmed the subtle challenge flavors to the point where Florian and I couldn’t taste them. Though there were technical issues with Victoria’s wasabi cupcake, such as the unevenly baked cake, the primary task of the flavor round is to incorporate two ingredients in a compelling way. And, according to these rules, Michelle had to go, but it hurt us to see her leave so soon!

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Holiday drink #25 in Food Network Magazine's 50 Holiday Drinks booklet: Shirley Temple Punch.

The Shirley Temple Punch (# 25 in Food Network Magazine’s 50 Holiday Drinks insert) is a kid-friendly favorite that can easily be dressed up with a festive ice float:

Layer sliced oranges and maraschino cherries in a 10-inch Bundt pan.  Cover with 3 to 4 cups of water and freeze until completely set.  Run cold water over the Bundt pan to help release the ice ring.  Place in the bottom of your serving bowl and top with punch.

If you’re serving adults, stir in some bourbon, gin or vodka for a spiked refreshment (they’ll still love the ice ring!).

Shirley Temple Punch from 50 Holiday Drinks

Mix 5 cups ginger ale, 2 cups orange juice and 1/2 cup grenadine in a punch bowl. Add sliced oranges and maraschino cherries. Serve over ice.

By Leah Brickley, Recipe Tester, Food Network Kitchens

California artist Shirley Ng-Benitez dips berries, candy canes and pretzels in chocolate for chocolate-dipped treats that are surefire hits. Click the image to expand.

The Dish is teaming up with Nate Padavick and Salli Swindell, founders of They Draw and Cook, all December to share holiday recipes rendered by artists and inspiring all sorts of seasonal cooking with Food Network chefs. Each day, stop by the Dish for a new drawing and Nate and Salli’s liner notes about the illustrations and the artists. Tell us which you like and why. A dollop of this, a dash of that and some talent add up to interesting ideas in the kitchen. Visit theydrawandcook.com for more info.

Everything is made sweeter with a velvety coating of chocolate AND an illustration by Shirley Ng-Benitez. Her wonderful watercolor style and sense of playfulness brings instant joy. She is truly an inspiring artist. Her characters are every bit as sweet as this caravan of critters luxuriating in chocolate. Her simple recipe for “Chocolate dipped…anything” makes it so easy to add that extra sweetness to your holiday menu. Strawberries, pretzels, marshmallows–all just the beginning.

Feast your eyes on more wonderfully illustrated recipes today on They Draw and Cook. Get all sorts of last-minute sweets and treats at FoodNetwork.com.

—Nate Padavick & Salli Swindell from They Draw and Cook.

Holiday drink #47 in Food Network Magazine's 50 Holiday Drinks booklet.

I knew that I was finally an adult when my mother let me have my first Brandy Slushie (#47 in Food Network Magazine’s 50 Holiday Drinks booklet) at our annual holiday party one year.  I tried to recreate this recipe from memory for the booklet, and when I gave my mom a copy of the magazine, she approved, but said that something was missing.  It turns out that all those years she had boiled her water and sugar with a secret bag of green tea!  The difference with the tea is subtle; either way the slushes are yummy.  Experiment with your favorite tea and start a family tradition.

Brandy Slushes from 50 Holiday Drinks

Bring 1 cup each water and sugar to a boil; cool completely. Mix with 1-1/2 cups brandy, 2 cups orange juice and 1/2 cup lemon juice in a baking dish; freeze until slushy. Scoop into glasses, top with seltzer and stir to desired slushiness.

By Leah Brickley, Recipe Tester, Food Network Kitchens

Brooklyn artist Charrow makes meatless stuffing for vegetarian guests. Click the image to expand.

The Dish is teaming up with Nate Padavick and Salli Swindell, founders of They Draw and Cook, all December to share holiday recipes rendered by artists and inspiring all sorts of seasonal cooking with Food Network chefs. Each day, stop by the Dish for a new drawing and Nate and Salli’s liner notes about the illustrations and the artists. Tell us which you like and why. A dollop of this, a dash of that and some talent add up to interesting ideas in the kitchen. Visit theydrawandcook.com for more info.

A holiday dinner just isn’t the same without a heaping mound of stuffing. For turkey lovers, stuffing is best when it comes straight out of the bird’s cavity, but for vegetarians, that’s a no-no. So for your vegetarian guests take a hint from artist and illustrator Charrow, and whip up this super savory meat-free stuffing. If there’s room in your oven, you can bake it there, but if your turkey is being an oven-hog, follow Charrow’s instructions and pop it in the microwave. You can never have too much stuffing and there’s nothing better than a slice of leftover stuffing on a turkey sandwich the next day, right? Charrow is a frequent recipe contributor to They Draw and Cook, and her artwork always brings a smile to our face.

See more illustrated recipes that are vegetarian-friendly today on They Draw and Cook. And get all sorts of Christmas recipes at FoodNetwork.com.

—Nate Padavick & Salli Swindell from They Draw and Cook.

California artist Monika Roe has a bark to boast about; can it measure up to FN chefs? Click the image to expand.

The Dish is teaming up with Nate Padavick and Salli Swindell, founders of They Draw and Cook, all December to share holiday recipes rendered by artists and inspiring all sorts of seasonal cooking with Food Network chefs. Each day, stop by the Dish for a new drawing and Nate and Salli’s liner notes about the illustrations and the artists. Tell us which you like and why. A dollop of this, a dash of that and some talent add up to interesting ideas in the kitchen. Visit theydrawandcook.com for more info.

We think this recipe and especially Monika Roe‘s illustration are totally amazing. We posted another recipe for peppermint bark several days ago and just couldn’t resist posting this one too. (Only a few days until Christmas–it’s a popular gift, hint, hint.)

Monika is one of our favorite illustrators, and in this recipe illustration her visual instructions are so fun and easy to follow. Plus the layout she used for this recipe is 100% perfect. From the various lettering styles to the sparkly bursts and snowflakes to the wonderfully festive and simple color palette, this recipe has so many things we love. Wouldn’t a mountain of this peppermint bark look awesome on your holiday table? Save room for dinner!

See more deliciously drawn illustrated recipes today on They Draw and Cook. And get all sorts of holiday dessert recipes at FoodNetwork.com.

—Nate Padavick & Salli Swindell from They Draw and Cook.

Maryland artist Kristen Nohe joins in the party with a classic Italian delicacy. Click the image to expand.

The Dish is teaming up with Nate Padavick and Salli Swindell, founders of They Draw and Cook, all December to share holiday recipes rendered by artists and inspiring all sorts of seasonal cooking with Food Network chefs. Each day, stop by the Dish for a new drawing and Nate and Salli’s liner notes about the illustrations and the artists. Tell us which you like and why. A dollop of this, a dash of that and some talent add up to interesting ideas in the kitchen. Visit theydrawandcook.com for more info.

Pizzelles! Oh, what we wouldn’t give for a plate of pizzelles right now. For some reason, these little Italian waffles are so easy to eat a whole stack of without even thinking about it. They’re so light and crunchy and just sweet enough. This recipe is for the plain version, but you can also add a little flavoring such as vanilla, anise, lemon zest or even a little cocoa to satisfy everyone’s tastes.

We were first introduced to artwork of Kristen Nohe through a class assignment, in which her instructor Rebecca Bradley at Maryland Institute College of Art assigned her students to draw a recipe for They Draw and Cook. Kristen’s recipe was for peach cake and was so good that we decided to include it our cookbook, which comes out next fall. Next to try: the pizzelles, which are, well, just peachy.

See more illustrated recipes that will bring you holiday happiness today on They Draw and Cook. And get all sorts of holiday recipes at FoodNetwork.com.

—Nate Padavick & Salli Swindell from They Draw and Cook.

Guy and Matthew rocked it out on the bongos between takes on Guy's Big Bite.

What’s one of People magazine’s sexiest men alive doing playing the bongos and making soy-glazed green beans on Guy’s Big Bite? Turns out, Guy and Matthew McConaughey are buddies—they’ve cooked together several times, and one day at Matthew’s house they decided it would be fun to do so on Guy’s show.

Don’t miss the special one-hour episode tomorrow night, December 18, at 8pm/7c. Matthew loves to cook—he’s all about healthy, flavorful food—and brings along some recipes of his own, like Malibu Oysters and JKL Peso Pork, named for his charity, the Just Keep Livin’ Foundation.

Check out our behind-the-scenes gallery of Guy and Matthew on set, and don’t miss the episode tomorrow night at 8pm/7c.