• In case you've forgotten, Mother's Day is this Sunday. If you haven't bought her any great gifts, you can still make it up by planning a fantastic breakfast in bed with sparkling cocktails or juice.
• If the person you celebrate on Mother's Day is not into breakfast in bed, why don't you surprise her with strawberry shortcake instead? We've got two recipes, one for beginners and one for those who love a kitchen challenge.
• Did someone mention challenge? Get your oven mitts out, we've extended the deadline to our American Idol Themed Food Challenge. Get your submissions in by Tuesday May 15.
• This week we saw a photo of Gordon Ramsay carrying a dead deer through his restaurant. He goes hunting on an upcoming episode of his show the F word and well, I guess venison made the menu that night. Oh and the new season of Hell's Kitchen starts on June 4.
• Speaking of new seasons, Bravo finally announced the contestants for the upcoming season of Top Chef. New season starts June 13, with a special on June 6. The upcoming date means a lot of miscellaneous Top Chef news turning up everywhere.
• If Top Chef's not your bag, then perhaps you enjoy Easy Entertaining on Food Network. If so, then be sure to check out our exclusive interview with host Michael Chiarello. We hear his Julia Child impersonation, learn how to make perfect crepes and discover a great red wine blend.
• Everyone loves free stuff! In Japan you can get free drinks (as long as you watch a 30 second commercial) and here in the US, participating Häagen-Dazs stores will be giving away ice cream on Tuesday, May 15.



• If you're looking for a way to start a healthier lifestyle, check out Heidi Swanson's new cookbook, Super Natural Cooking. She covers meals, salads, drinks, desserts and more. One of her desserts is great, even if I did screw it up a bit.
• The who's who of the food world were out and about for the James Beard Awards. Was your favorite chef/restaurant a winner?
• Finally, we want to know:
  - What do you eat when you're drunk?
  - Do you drink sparkling water?
  - How about hot or cold water?
  - Do You prefer hamburgers or hot dogs?

The last few weeks I have provided you with delicious, fresh, healthy side recipes... however sometimes a girl just wants something that has a little crunch to it, and I don't mean the crunch of a carrot. I'm talking about the crisp bite of homemade potato chips. I have a huge weakness for them, so salty, so potatoey, and so satisfyingly tasty that I lick my fingers every time. Unfortunately I've made homemade potato chips countless times with a variety of recipes and have yet to perfect the art that is potato chip making. Always up for a compelling challenge, I'm going to give this recipe a try. Potato chips are a great side with sandwiches, soups, burgers, and hot dogs. They make a great appetizer when paired with a selection of dipping sauces and are excellent picnic food. For the recipe, read more