I hate to admit it, because it's hardly exciting, but bananas are my favorite fruit. I have at least one a day and have for as long as I can remember. Bananas are like Starbucks, there is something extremely comforting in their consistency: you can find bananas at almost any location practically everyday of the year. Unlike other fruits, a banana's stage of ripeness is simple to follow along: green = unripe, yellow = ripe, and brown = too ripe. Different from a melon or a peach where the taste is left unknown until the first bite, a peeled banana will meet your mouth with the same sweet taste. I've found a way to take my beloved fruit to the next level by easily jazzing them up for a delicious, caramelized, banana-y dessert. For the recipe, read more

Quick, what comes to mind when you think Easter? I bet some of you said Chocolate Bunnies and some of you probably said Jesus, but did any of you say Chocolate Jesus??

Artist Cosimo Cavallaro has created a confectionary Christ made from more than 200 pounds of chocolate (entitled "My Sweet Lord"). The folks at Esquire have even broken down the nutrition facts for the anatomically correct chocolate Jesus. The sculpture will be revealed to the public on April 1st (which, by the way, made me think it was a joke when I first read it) at the Lab gallery in the Roger Smith Hotel in New York. The creative director of the gallery, Matt Semler, says, "The sign of any great artist is how their work affects the observer."

So how are you affected by it?

Update: Due to the large number of protests, it looks like the Chocolate Jesus won't be shown afterall.

Source: Esquire

Last Friday night, when I was out and about spring breaking it in New York City, I went to a small get together at a friend of a friend's house. I was feeling a little tired from too much partying the night before, so I opted to drink only wine. After a glass or two I was feeling better and rolled up my sleeves (not really, I was wearing a spaghetti strap top) to help Mike, the man of the house, prepare dessert. He let me pick out a bottle of dessert wine from his extensive collection and I chose this Moscato for two reasons: (1) according to Mike it was the least sweet of all of his dessert wines (my sister doesn't like sweet dessert wines so I wanted her to be happy) and (2) the pretty sunset like label appealed to my romantic side. It's made with an ancient grape called moscato bianco that dates back to the Italian 17th century. The wine was incredibly light on the palate which forced us to open several bottles. A pale straw color (perfect for Easter) adds to this wine's sublime delicateness and smooth elegance. It has a fragrant fruity bouquet with a fresh, clean finish. We all enjoyed this wine: 92 Sugar Points.

My mom is hosting a dinner party and since she does not cook I promised her I would cater the event. To keep things simple she requested a meal that consists of chicken and pasta. Chicken and pasta are two dishes that really take on the flavorings of the food they are cooked and the possibilities are endless: Simple?! Make that stressful. Luckily I have you readers and you saved your best chicken and pasta recipes in the database on TeamSugar. You tagged your most innovative, crowd-pleasing recipes with the keyword Chicken With Pasta. Here are the most mouth-watering recipes:

Doesn't this Chicken Sylvia with Fettucine look absolutely delicious? I want to make a big plate of it for myself right now! This recipe by mandiesoh features Mediterranean ingredients: olives, canned tomatoes, and basil.

For more original chicken and pasta recipes, read more

It's Wednesday and that means it's time for the weekly food section newspaper roundup. Again, I apologize if several of these need logins to access...

• Start spring right by cleaning out the pantry - use your pantry items to make easy, tasty dishes. Plus, don't miss this recipe for Fudgy Coconut Macaroons. - SF Chronicle
• If you've always wanted to know more about Joël Robuchon, now's your chance. Plus, kosher Sephardic dishes for Passover (these look amazing - chocolate and olive oil mousse anyone?), and oh how I love Mark Bittman (aka the Minimalist), today he's teaching us all about the joys of savory pancakes. Photo by Andrew Scrivani. - New York Times



• Celebrate Passover with Italian flavors, don't forget the Italian wines. - Chicago Tribune
• Indian-Chinese food is one of the most popular styles in India, now you can try it at home, plus check out this ricotta cheesecake for Easter. - Boston Globe
• Sophisticated brisket goes up against a traditional Passover recipe, which will win? Also, ever wonder what goes into a bottle of wine? New federal labels may tell you more than you wanted to know. - LA Times

I love recipes that require a distinctive homemade sauce. Homemade dressings and sauces can add pizzazz to store bought ingredients and make a simple meal seem slow cooked and difficult. Taking the time to make a quick sauce adds tremendous flavor for a markedly home cooked feel. The homemade peanut sauce slathered over the chicken in this wrap consists of friendly, basic pantry components so no need to worry about buying a bunch of expensive vinegars and over priced oils. Pair your sauce with stir fried chicken and vegetables and you'll have a delicious ethnically inspired dinner in no time flat. To glance through the recipe, read more

So you've picked out your dinnerware and drinkware, looks like the flatware is next!

Just like dinnerware and glassware, you will (traditionally) want to register for both fancy and everyday versions. Your fancy flatware is reserved for holidays and special occasions, while your everyday flatware is the stuff that is going to get banged around and ground up in the garbage disposal (come on, who hasn't done that at least once). You may decide that fancy flatware is not your thing, and that you would rather your guests spend the money on other accessories (soup spoons, knives, serving sets) instead. To check out a few tips on what to look for in flatware, as well as get a list of useful things to add to the flatware portion of your registry, read more

The announcement of a marriage is an excellent reason for a party. I love the idea of making it a surprise by inviting intimate friends and close family over to a party and, along with your boyfriend (who has already proposed), announcing your engagement. If the announcement will be made at the soiree, the couple should host the engagement party. However, if the engagement is known it is typically thrown by the bride's parents. Another option (fellows please pay attention) is for the groom to host the party and surprise by proposing to his girlfriend in front of everyone. It's the most romantic if the groom lets all of the guests know the reason for the celebration, which can be easily conveyed in a short polite phone conversation. The last wedding I went to, the engagement party was the latter option and Ryan surprised Sarah on a vacation in Tahoe by getting down on one knee in their hotel room. Little did she know that he had rented the room next door as well and that all of their friends were waiting to commemorate the occasion. This week I am helping julieulie's parents plan an engagement for her and her husband-to-be, Scott. I created a collage (ideally of the couple) invite and chose the desserts to be on the menu. Today I am talking about what drinks should be poured during the fete, so please read more