If a pimped out, gigantic version of the Hostess cupcake is not your style, you could always make this high-end homemade version of the snack time treat. — Big City, Little Kitchen

Last Thursday night, I had some friends over for a quick dinner. I forgot to purchase wine and asked Katie, one of my guests, if she could bring a bottle. Always one to oblige her hostess, she showed up with a magnum of Estancia Cabernet Sauvignon. She purchased the super-sized bottle for only $8 at a nearby liquor store, so we were a little worried it was going to be horrible.

Surprisingly, it was a wonderful, light, moderately priced wine excellent for a work night. A food friendly red with soft plum flavors and a smooth, rich finish, this wine paired perfectly with the cheesy butternut squash lasagna I served. The bottle was the ideal amount for five people to have a few glasses each. If you are looking for a budget red to serve at an upcoming party, I highly recommend this bottle.

Source

I've heard of beer of the month clubs that let you sample different microbrews, as well as wine of the month clubs, which are a great way to discover small wineries. Now, I've just discovered a similar service for coffee lovers, called Citizen Bean. Guided by the principle of "coffee with a conscience," Citizen Bean sends its subscribers a new organic or fair-trade coffee each month, selected from micro-roasters all over the US.

The service ranges from $79.99 for four months to $199.99 for an entire year. Each month, you get a full pound of coffee, sent within days of its roasting date, along with assorted coffee-related accessories and treats. Plus, Citizen Bean asks each of its featured roasters to designate a charity, to which CB donates a portion of sales. This would be a great way to branch out from your supermarket offerings, and it would also make a delicious gift for any coffee aficionados in your life. What do you think? Would you use a service like this?

• With more than 2,500 brews, the Great American Beer Festival is like the X-Games for beer. — Los Angeles Times
• Cooking and baking attract drastically different types of people. — Baltimore Sun
• Getting local produce into schools is fraught with red tape. — The New York Times
• Is the Southern tradition of pan-fried chicken flying the coop? — Atlanta Journal-Constitution
• The annual Good Eating Awards honor people feeding Chicago's foodie scene — Chicago Tribune
• Goat is good for you, so why is it still so novel in the US? — The Oregonian
• How does legendary Bay Area chef Alice Waters play in the rest of the country? — San Francisco Chronicle
• Raising grass-fed beef without much grass is a challenge thanks to this Summer's drought. — Washington Post

Source

It’s Halloween, so there should be plenty of treats — both savory and sweet — at your pumpkin carving party. I recommend offering one homemade treat and lots of store-bought goodies. Make pecan bars dipped in melted chocolate, then fill bowls with your favorite Halloween minis: Air-Heads, Reese’s Pieces, Kit-Kats, and candy corn.

Got extra time on your hands? Make spiked (or regular, if you don't drink) Jell-O jigglers in jack-o-lantern shapes. Want these devilish recipes? All you have to do is read more

Pink is my favorite color. Call me crazy, but if I had to marry a color, it would be pink. Since it's Breast Cancer Awareness month, I thought it would be a great time to pack my kitchen with pink! Lots of companies are selling pink kitchen tools or pink linens with proceeds that go towards the cure.

Since I love the idea of getting pink kitchen supplies while doing something good for the world, I asked you to help me find the most fabulous pink kitchen supplies. You bookmarked your discoveries in the Yum Market on TeamSugar with the keyword tag Pink Kitchen. There was an amazing selection of all things pink, from rolling pins to onion goggles.

I loved the 48-piece pink food storage set, but my favorite find was this pink crystal wine cooler. A girl after my own heart, aimeeb says it's something "every girl needs"! Thanks to everyone who participated! If you are interested in pinking out your kitchen, browse below for ideas.

For more on how to bookmark, refer to geeksugar's guide.

I love this time of year mostly because I have a great excuse to put pumpkin into my baking. I love pumpkin cakes, pumpkin pies and most of all, pumpkin cookies. The other day I pulled out my favorite pumpkin chocolate chip cookie recipe and headed to the kitchen. Half way there I had decided to make a few tweaks to it. The end result ended up being more like a muffin than a cookie; however it was perfect right after dinner, as well as first thing in the morning. To get your hands on a muffin-top styled pumpkin chocolate chunk cookie, read more