At first glance, reader mandiesoh's recipe for Dark Chocolate Puds looks like a big gooey cookie (which is definitely what caught my attention). However, when you read through it and view all of her awesome step-by-step pictures, you'll see that it's actually a type of muffin/cake with a gooey chocolate center. Talk about tasty! To check out mandiesoh's recipe, read more

You've made it past the first date, the first kiss, and those first awkward silences. He has grilled steaks for you at his place while you watched him dreamily and sipped on your Pinot. Now it's your turn to invite him over for a thoughtful and delectable meal prepared by you! If you start to panic while reading the above scenario, take a deep breath, I've come here to rescue you. First of all you can (and will) prepare an easy dinner that will wow him. No man can refuse a good old plate of meat and potatoes so give him what he wants: chicken and potatoes. Show off your sophisticated style by taking regular chicken 'n' taters to the next level: Chicken Roll-Ups With Goat Cheese And Arugula and Garlic Roast Potatoes. The potatoes can be roasting in the oven when he arrives and the rolled up chicken waiting to be cooked in the fridge. Cap the night with Easy No-Bake Peanut Butter Squares: or purchase a sweet treat at your favorite bakery. Make sure he brings the wine and you're guaranteed to have an easy, stress-free romantic dinner.

• Be sure to check out the battle between Martha Stewart's and Amy Sedaris's vanilla cupcakes. Sometimes the beautiful ones don't always win. - Cupcake Bakeshop
• If you've become overwhelmed by all of the chocolate desserts that the Valentine's season offers, then give these scrumptious Sour Cream Lemon Bars a try. - Baking Sheet
• Sometimes the most simple dish can win over all of your guests. If you're looking for something delicious that will do the trick, try these Chicken Breasts Braised with Hard Cider & Parsnips. - The Amateur Gourmet
• Either you love Valentine's Day, or you hate it. Either way you can get a tasty meal. - Chow



• If you've ever found yourself wondering what happened to Stephen Asprinio from Top Chef Season 1, then wonder no longer. He's opening up both an "ultra-modern" wine boutique and a contemporary Tuscan restaurant. - Slashfood
• I'll let it be known now, I have a serious weak spot for fried eggs, that's why this Southern Fried Eggs "Benedict" is going to get devoured this weekend. - The Delicious Life
• What's a holiday without specialty drinks? If you need a few more ideas, check out these flirty drinks. - Liquor Snob

40 years ago today, The Beatles released their single Strawberry Fields Forever. Ever since then, bartenders and mixologists everywhere have come up with their own drinkable version. Although there have been several variations throughout the years, most people agree that there is only one way to mix up a Strawberry Fields Forever. To get the recipe, read more

Earlier today I talked about the menu for the Mardi Gras fiesta I am hosting this Saturday night. I intend on making several savory and sweet appetizers to tide the crowd over for the night. I already decided to offer guests Muffulettas, Spicy Bacon-Wrapped Shrimp, and a Cajun Crab Dip. To see what sweet treats I'll be pairing alongside these tasty nibbles, read more

In honor of the $25,000 dinner, I thought I'd find some extravagant, over-the-top Valentine's finds.

To start things off, Alizé Rose has commissioned a handful of expensive limited edition Valentine's Day Alizé bottles. Each handmade bottle took over 100 hours to create and is completely covered in authentic Swarovski crystals. It will cost you approximately $2000 a bottle, but don't worry there's already a two month waiting list, so you've got some time to save.


Next on the list is a fun kit from Wiseman House chocolates. Their Perfect Evening kit includes a luxury bathrobe, a Chris Botti CD (talk about cliché!), a Cocoa Fleur chocolate scented candle and the Wiseman House Chocolates Love Letter collection. The Love Letter collection features a delectable selection of romantic chocolates and an excerpt from a century old love letter. The Perfect Evening kit is available for a pricey $175, but the chocolates alone will only set you back $38.

Two more decadent gift ideas, including one that costs more than most automobiles, so read more

Cioppino is a slow cooked fish stew with a tomato based broth. Although the name sounds Italian, the stew actually was born here on the piers of San Francisco. At the end of a smelly day selling fish, the men (many of whom were of Italian descent) would throw the unsold fish into a big pot to make a hearty and hot stew. A quick stew is a food oxy moron (stew is usually considered to be left over the stove for several hours), but this dish can be prepared in 45 minutes. The key to making this version so rapidly is to use a really good fish stock that will flavor the fish while it is poached in the liquid. To take a peek at the recipe, read more

When I was a kid, I used to think it would be cool to be an astronaut. Then I learned all the requirements and realized, who am I kidding? I'm too lazy for all of that. So unless cheap space travel becomes a thing of the now, I won't be orbiting the globe anytime soon. And since I won't be circling around the planet, it looks like I'm going to have to settle for food that has instead.

Last year China's second manned space mission (shown during take off) included many plant experiments. During the five day flight, some onboard sweet potato seeds mutated. When they returned to Earth they were planted on the beaches of southern Hainan Island. The end result? A purple potato (dubbed "Purple Orchid III") that tastes and smells the same as its Earth brethren, but is more "glutinous."

If you're in Shanghai right now, you'll probably notice quite a few of these spuds on Valentine's Day menus - after all purple is the color for nobility and romance - and besides, 30 local chefs have been invited to try the potatoes out and put them on their menus.

I must admit, I'm pretty curious to try these spuds (or at least see what they look like). Although, something about the whole idea seems like the plot to a rather bad B horror film, doesn't it?

This week I had a very tough decision to make: should I host a Chinese New Year dinner party and invite a select group of intimate friends or a blowout Mardi Gras bash and tell everyone I know to come party with me? If you caught yesterday's do-it-yourself masquerading invitations, you know what I chose (I guess it says in the title above, doh): Mardi Gras blowout bash. I need a break from planning dinner after dinner and want to host a party where I can let my hair down, wear something a little scandalous, and dance dance dance. A party without food is non-existent in PartySugar land, so I will be making a few bite sized nibbles in both sweet and savory varieties. To see what Creole inspired dishes, I'll be making read more