Ok, so I know I've been posting guilt free desserts for the past two days, but it's Friday and I think we all deserve something a little more rich and in the form of a cake. Don't worry it's not loaded with chocolate or butter, it's a really simple recipe that jazzes up a normal cake mix with lemon flavorings and poppy seeds. My brother who doesn't cook had this cake at an office party and sent me the recipe because it was "one of the most moist cakes I've ever eaten". And it comes from a box! I'm all for baking from scratch but every now and then, when you're in a hurry, taking a box mix and making it your own by adding or changing the flavors is a much needed break. For the lemon cake recipe, read more

A friend of mine is having a drink making contest! I can mix up a mean margarita and a chic martini, but this one has to be super original, creative, absolutely mouth watering, and most importantly, it has to incorporate vodka. All of our friends read this site and have placed their bets on me, but I'm worried I won't live up to their high expectations. That's why I need your help! If you have a rad recipe that could win the contest, add it to the recipe database with the tag of The Winning Drink. If your drink calls for a specific glass post a picture in the Yum Market, again tag it with The Winning Drink.

If you're interested in learning more about the Yum Market or how to save on TeamSugar read, geeksugar's great explanation.

One of my New Year's Resolutions is to bake something every week, preferably something I haven't baked before. So I've been going through all of my cookbooks and magazines and looking for recipes that inspire me. Since one of my other New Year's resolutions is to eat less sweets (I give this one 1 month tops), I've decided to start off with a nice savory bread. However, I knew if I started off with something that needed proofing and a long overnight wait, I would never succeed with my goal. So I found a great book on quick breads and went to town with a Basil Cheese Bread. To see how it turned out, including recipe and pictures, read more

It seems that pomegranate martinis are everywhere these days. A while back, when he was obsessed with making them, my friend Gabe taught me his recipe. However I'm kinda martini-ed out and even though it's the middle of winter, I feel like something refreshing and light. So I'm taking a classic mojito recipe and giving it a twist by adding a new flavor, pomegranate juice. To make a pomegranate mojito tonight, read more

So you're thinking about fulfilling your culinary dreams by going to culinary school and getting a dream job on Food TV. Turns out you're not alone. Right now, a record number of aspiring chefs are enrolling in culinary school (some of which charge more than $20,000 a year). However, many graduates are finding themselves up to their eyeballs in debt, working long hours, making low wages at entry-level jobs. To learn more about it, read more

In the long cold days of winter there is nothing more soothing than sitting down to a warm bowl of soup and a glass of wine. Soups chock full of ingredients and flavor are hearty and heating, yet sometimes a simple soup that highlights the goodness of one or two vegetables is the only way to go. I first heard about this technique when I read French Women Don't Get Fat.

Apparently one of the reasons French women stay so thin is because they eat a lot of simple vegetable soups. I propose that tonight we all pretend we are French by enjoying a no frills simple cream of broccoli soup that reader Colormesticky requested. To be French for a night, and to celebrate National Soup Month, read more

The other day my girlfriends, Maite, Luisa, and I were chatting about, yep you guessed it, cooking! I was saying how much I love cooking with garlic but I hate the stench it leaves on my hands for the rest of the night. They told me an old wives secret and I tried it out and it worked. So here's the deal: once you have finished chopping your garlic, gently take the knife in your hands. Under a stream of cold water hold the knife in with your fingers pressed against the metal for about thirty seconds. So I went home and did a little bit of research. Turns out that you can do the same thing with stainless steel sink faucets, spoons or a Stainless Steel Bar of Soap. I'm not sure what occurs scientifically (please write me if you know), but the steel and cool water neutralize the odors (it should work for fish and onions or any other pungent smell, too!). I can't believe I didn't know about this trick before.

DearSugar also has a list of ways to combat the smell of garlic.

It's one of my New Year's resolutions to make more fish dishes. Even though I love fish I usually only eat it in the form of sushi or when dining out. At home I tend to cook with salmon, halibut, and shrimp, but I've decided it's time to expand my horizons. There are so many delicious types of seafood out there, we all really should be taking more advantage of it. So tonight I plan on doing just that by roasting a few slices of cod in a cherry tomato olive sauce. To join me in my under sea adventure, read more