With her new cookbook "Kitchen Revelry: A Year of Festive Menus from My Home to Yours" nearing its release date, Ali Larter pitches in on promotions by covering the September 2013 issue of Michgan Avenue magazine.

The "Final Destination" beauty looked absolutely stunning in designer duds from Jenny Packham and Laura Kranitz for the Brian Bowen Smith-shot spread, while she opened up about raising her son, Theodore.

Check out a few highlights from Miss Larter's interview below. For more, be sure to visit Michigan Avenue

On her son Theodore:
"He’s a very, very curious, verbal, fearless guy, and he keeps us on our toes. I’m so excited to be on this journey with him. It’s such an incredible joy. I don’t know what it’s like to sleep late in the morning; I don’t know what it’s like to ever really feel relaxed or have an extra minute to yourself—but I adore being a parent, and I think that any parent of toddlers knows that it’s such an exciting, thrilling moment of life."

On cooking with her husband, Hayes:
"He used to just be excited that he was getting dinner. Now he makes requests, and he’ll be like, 'Honey, you haven’t made anything in a couple days—what’s going on?' or 'I think that you put a little bit too much of whatever.' I love that he gets excited and appreciates that I cook dinner and love making big brunches on the weekends. Not only is it about having great food, but it’s about connecting with friends and family."

On her favorite movie genres:
"What’s funny about Hollywood is that it’s becoming tighter and tighter. It’s more competitive than ever, but on the other side there is also more opportunity; you’re not being boxed in… Drama will always be my first love. I love figuring out ways to communicate the pain that people feel; that said, there is nothing better than being on a comedy set."

On writing her new book:
"When I was younger, the kitchen was always the place to hang. My mommade it the sanctuary of the house. When I started traveling, I’d go into these cities and not know anybody, and my way of connecting with people was through food. I had a Polish roommate once, and I asked her to teach me how to make pierogi, and when I was living in Tokyo, I learned how to make miso soup. Kitchen Revelry is really a philosophy; it’s about enjoying the process, having fun, not worrying about the outcome, and finding beauty in imperfection. We shot [the photographs for the book] in my home, and I made sure that it was messy: There’s lipstick on glasses, napkins, crumbs.... The book provides two menus a month in a calendar year, so you flip to October and see “Harvest Party.” It’s things that are naturally in season, so it takes some of the guesswork out of it."