During today's live chat we started talking about simple and easy appetizer ideas. (If you missed out, don't fret, we'll be there next Thursday to chat some more!). I mentioned that I'm obsessed with endives with creamy blue cheese, PartySugar talked about these great crostinis, but it was our gal TeamSugar who really knocked everyone's socks off with a simple, but elegant, selection. Her choice for a great appetizer was a caprese salad skewer. I never understand salads as a party appetizer, but salad on a stick?! That is genius! To check out TeamSugar's fantastic creation, read more

• PUT DOWN THE PEANUT BUTTER! Looks like Peter Pan and Great Value peanut butter is being recalled due to a salmonella outbreak. - FitSugar and TeamSugar
• Sure, you may be bettering your bod with clean water, but what about the planet? Sustainability Engineer Pablo Päster, has calculated the true cost of producing and transporting bottled water. - treehugger
• Okay, it's official, the Stephen Colbert ice cream we reported about last week is definitely on its way to a store near you. Oh and all the proceeds will be going to charity.- USA Today
• Is reclaimed whiskey, where you add water to old whiskey barrels to make new whiskey, cheating? - slashfood



• Even though Valentine's day is over, doesn't mean I have to stop linking to things like this romantic Nougat Glacé on a Warm Fruit Compote, does it? - What's For Lunch, Honey?
• Is it true that women expect to drink for free? - Chow
• If you've ever wondered what a cloudberry was, now's your chance to find out. - Nami-Nami

PartySugar came up with some great drinks for your Mardi Gras party, but today I thought we'd take one of her choices (The Hurricane) and make it non-drinker safe. Afterall, a Hurricane is such a great, festive and totally appropriate drink for Mardi Gras, that everyone needs to participate. To check out the recipe for a Virgin Hurricane, read more

Turns out that Grammy Award-winning Carlos Santana and his wife Deborah are die hard foodies too. So much that they've decided to take their passion for food to the public by opening a new chain of restaurants named Maria Maria. The restaurants, which are named after Santana's 2000 Grammy-winning song, are being developed by the Dudum Sports & Entertainment Corporation (which is responsible for several other celebrity restaurants) and "promises" to deliver authentic Mexican cuisine in an atmosphere inspired by Santana's music.

"The passion that we have for food and for creating a unique experience really resonated with Carlos and Deborah," said DSE executive Jeff Dudum. "I couldn’t be more excited about having the opportunity to work with them on restaurants that honor and celebrate Latin American culture, food and music."

The first location will open in Walnut Creek, CA in April, followed by one in Mill Valley in May and Santa Rosa in June (all of which are in the Bay Area). Now, I know that Santana lives in the area, but I wonder how much participation he'll have. Do you think he'll actually be there, or is it just something to put his name on...

Source: NBC 4
Image Source

My mom is a fantastic cook, one who takes a ridiculous amount of pride in the fact that it's been nearly three decades since she's last used a recipe. When I was at home for Christmas she was experimenting and perfecting her own version of Chinese New Year Cake (Nian Gao), only instead of steaming it (as it's traditionally done), she was baking it. During the course of a week, she concocted at least five creations, one of which came surprisingly close to the steamed version, but with a crust on the outside. I wrote down her "recipe" and was determined to recreate it at home.

Now, fast forward a few months, Chinese New Year is this weekend and I still had a baking project to tend to. So I rolled up my sleeves, put on my apron and realized I didn't have all of the ingredients. I could have gone to the store, but I decided to do what my mom would do and made it up as I went along.

The end result was pretty great directly out of the oven, the edges were nice and crispy, and the middle oddly chewy (just like real Nian Gao). I didn't have sweet red beans, so I used shredded Medjool dates instead (which, by the way, is my current favorite food item), and the flavor really complemented the cake.

To check out my version of New Year Cake, which is very unlike real New Year Cake, read more

Hey everyone! Thanks for hanging out in our chat room.
Join us next Thursday at 11am PT/ 2pm ET.

Today we talked about:

• Valentine's Day Meals
• Super Easy Appetizer Ideas
• Cheese and Wine
• and a bunch of other yummy topics

So be sure to stop by the chat room next week.
We'll be there at 11am PT / 2pm PT. See you there!

I happen to sit right next to the kitchen at my office. While this has plenty of perks (I can easily refill my water bottle all day) it also has its downfalls. The biggest of which is the wide variety of stenches that come wafting towards me each afternoon around lunchtime. One of the girls I work with has an extremely sensitive stomach when it comes to odd smells (she swears she's not pregnant) and is always feeling nauseous due to people's stinky lunches. I'm all for packing a lunch and bringing it to work - it's healthier and cheaper (according to geeksugar you can save $5000 a year if you make your lunch... think about it: you could go on several luxurious vacations or buy 2.5 Chanel handbags!), but when you decide what to pack keep in mind the presence and noses of your coworkers. Foods with heavy smells such as curried fish with asparagus or spicy unusual dishes are NOT OKAY as they will fill the office with an unpleasant smell for the rest of the day. Sandwiches, salad, soups, and foods that have relatively little to no smell are acceptable and encouraged. If the kitchen in your office has a door (mine doesn't) this does not automatically mean you are free to bring super fragrant food. Remember that your coworkers will be eating in that kitchen and you should be respectful. The last thing you want is people at the office calling you Stinky Food Girl behind your back. So do yourself and your colleagues a favor, don't bring smelly food to work.

Today's Special is for all of the vegetarians out there who have been asking YumSugar and I to please feature more meatless recipes. Creamy and rich, this sandwich features Italian flavors (basil, mozzarella, roasted red peppers) and can be made quickly and efficiently. It's the perfect standby meal for one of those rushed nights when you are forced to eat dinner on the go. If you do not have an indoor grill the eggplant can be broiled for the same quick cooking effect. Use the best whole grain bread you can find, preferably from your local bakery, and you're in for a delicious dinner.

For the recipe, read more

Now that Valentine's Day is officially over I can turn 100% of my attention towards making my Mardi Gras blowout bash a memorable, fun, fantastic, and talked about party. I've already put time and energy into the planning stages of the event: on Monday I made and sent invitations in the shape of a Mardi Gras mask, on Tuesday I created a snack-able menu, and yesterday I decided to serve Hurricanes and beer (I'm getting a keg!). Whenever I am hosting a party, I take it one day at a time and organize a different aspect of the fiesta each day. This process allows me to get everything done without getting super overwhelmed or overly stressed out. Today I'm focusing on the Look of my party. The official colors of Mardi Gras are purple, green, and gold and they represent the symbols of justice, faith, and power, respectively. These three colors will be the foundation of my look, for the details, read more