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"Stuck on just what to get your favorite home cook this holiday?\r\nTop Chef&amp;apos;s Gail Simmons has a few ideas, and she shared them with Us Weekly during a recent visit to our New York City offices.\r\n\r\nIn the exclusive video above, Simmons gives Us her top gift picks, and offers one of her favorite holiday recipes: Her mom&amp;apos;s latkes!\r\n&amp;quot;I used to eat them by the dozen when I was younger, and now that I don&amp;apos;t live at home anymore, I love to make them because they remind me of home,&amp;quot; the New York City-based Top Chef star tells Us. Simmons&amp;apos; recipe secret? Use sweet potatoes and dill, which amps up the flavor.\r\n\r\nWhen it comes time to shop for the home cooks in your life, simplify your shopping with a few of Simmons&amp;apos; fave products, including a citrus reamer, kitchen tweezers and a home soda maker. Plus, Simmons suggests filling home cooks&amp;apos; stockings with a rich lotion or moisturizer.\r\n\r\nThe chef and TV personality, who is a member of Eucerin&amp;apos;s Skin First Council, loves that brand&amp;apos;s Intensive Repair hand cream. &amp;quot;While chefs are spending so much time in the kitchen, they should be washing their hands,&amp;quot; she tells Us. &amp;quot;My hands get so cracked and sore because I&amp;apos;m using them so much and cooking so much, so I love getting products that keep me moisturized.&amp;quot;\r\nFor more of Simmons&amp;apos; top holiday menu tips and gift ideas, check out the video above!"^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://www.usmagazine.com/celebrity-news/news/top-chef-star-gail-simmons-holiday-menu-tips-and-tricks-20113011>