Sales at Sur La Table are going strong, which is why the retailer says it's hiring more workers for the holidays in today's Bee story. The store's spokeswoman, Susanna Linse, told me that sales are boosted by people cooking more at home.

People are "nesting," staying in for dinner and entertaining more at home, she said. They're cutting costs, even if that means investing in a $279 stove top espresso maker. More people are expected to give homemade goodies for the holidays this year. And the cupcake trend is still going strong.

And then I read this. Adweek says the image of frugal cooks slaving over the stove top to create beautiful dinners from scratch is a farce. Americans are "microwaving their way through the recession," said the head of the research firm the NPD group.

Use of the stove has fallen and use of the microwave is surging as people buy more pre-packaged frozen foods. They're not going out for pizza, but buying frozen ones to warm up at home, he said.

So what do you think? Are you actually cooking at home? Or just warming up something frozen and wrapped in plastic?