It’s no secret that kids won’t eat food that doesn’t taste good, so parents are often faced with the daunting challenge of sneaking nutritious nibbles past finicky taste buds.

With football time in full swing, and family and friends gathering to celebrate the season, the pressures to host this year’s best game-day or celebratory party can be stressful. Avoid a staid, run-ofthe-mill celebration and try the new entertaining trend that is certain to add a taste adventure to your next get-together.

When it comes time to entertain early-arriving guests on the morning of the Pinstripe Bowl or to feed the family on New Year’s Day, holiday celebrations may have worn us out a bit.

Be prepared for the heady aroma of Indian spices permeating the air as you enter Dosa Grill, the home of, as the menu states, “Fine Indian Cuisine.” The restaurant that opened in early October at 4467 E. Genesee St.

As Americans increasingly seek healthier holiday eating habits while dealing with tighter budgets, cooking and eating at home become more attractive than ever.

“Wine is one of the few presents that makes both the giver and the receiver look good,” says Natalie MacLean, the red-nosed e-sommelier behind www.nataliemaclean. com, one of the largest wine websites.

Never mind the sugarplums dancing in your head and the candy canes on the tree. If you really want to sweeten your holiday season, you need chocolate. Milk or dark, plain or filled, nutty, fruity or creamy, fancy or festive, Syracuse candy makers have them all in designs, shapes and wrappings, many made especially for Christmas, Chanukah or Kwanzaa.

Nate Champion was watching SportsCenter in the living room of his Logansport, Ind., home last Nov. 3 when ESPN switched to last-minute live coverage of a college basketball exhibition game.

Mexican food lovers generally feel a little lost in November when local favorite Boom Boom Mex Mex closes for the season. Thats when owners Tom and Lupe Bryan migrate to Mexico for a winter of well-deserved rest.

Dominick’s marks three decades of serving up hearty portions of tasty Italian fare

If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. That’s Bob Habberfield’s motto, anyway. The Syracuse native and real estate broker visits Dominick’s Restaurant at least three times a week for lunch and twice a week for dinner. And he’s been doing so since 1995. 

Abbondanza!: Desiree McLeod (below, left) and Cindy Harrington invite the community to celebrate Dominick’s 30th anniversary on Friday. No doubt the eatery’s sautéed sea scallops, broccoli and mushrooms served over linguine (left) will be on the menu.  MICHAEL DAVIS PHOTOS

The only variation in Habberfield’s routine? What he orders. The Cobb salad is his favorite light lunch. The chicken and biscuits special is a hearty once-in-a-while indulgence. And the plentiful chicken parmigiana dinner, in Habberfield’s opinion, is the best in town. 

“The old joke goes, if you don’t know where Bob is, check Dominick’s,” says Habberfield. “It’s tasty, reasonably priced and everyone is very friendly, so why go anywhere else?”