Well, I guess I was wrong. Turns out us food-folks would rather talk about American Idol, not eat it. I should be bummed out, but I received a great entry from Sarina in Trinidad with a "Paula's Done Lost Her Cool"-ade. It's a really fun name (I <3 bad puns!) and it sounds refreshing - absolutely perfect for the summer. Oh and as Sarina points out, "it's even better because it’s alcohol free and shouldn’t conflict with any ‘medications’ you may or may not be on!" Fantastic drink, thanks for sharing it with us! You should be expecting your YumSugar shirt in the mail soon!

The other American Idol Food creation that I have to share with you is my own. When I think Idol, I think cheeseball and when it came time to create something, I naturally ended up on cheeseballs. I ended up creating three different ones (one for each judge): there's Simon - a sharp pasty-colored English cheddar, Randy - a fresh feeling chocolate mint, and Paula - the sweet and nutty one. To check out my recipes read more

When I was a camarera (bartender in Spanish) at En Boga (in Cordoba Spain) we had the cutest little cocktail napkins with the En Boga (in vogue) logo. When a new customer approached the bar, a clean napkin had to be placed in front of them before asking, que te pongo (what can I get you)? Often overlooked, the cocktail napkin adds a polished touch to the presentation, especially when handing off your drink to a guest. Oh and did I mention they are 100% practical and actually serve the function of acting as a coaster, a plate, or a finger cleaner? Without cocktail napkins, your bar is incomplete. Cocktail napkins come in almost every color and pattern, so you can find the one that best suits your needs as a hostess. For summer - and margaritas! - I love these brightly striped cocktail napkins. A pack of 20 is the reasonable price of just $4.75, so buy two packs.

For a few more styles read more

This one's been making it's way around the blogosphere (sidenote: I hate that word), for a while now, but this morning GeekSugar was talking about how much she still wanted it and I realized that I never mentioned it. It's a waffle maker that makes keyboard shaped waffles. Talk about geeky breakfast chic! - GeekSugar

Everyone seemed to really enjoy the Midori Sour that we posted the other day, and so I decided to go on a hunt for an equally odd colored non-alcoholic drink. I ended up finding one called a Green Alien that actually sounds perfect for those warm summer days (I know, it's still spring, but you can tell that summer is just around the corner). It's a nice mixture of limes and lemons and the shocking green color will delight your pals (or kids). To check out the recipe, read more

A few weekends ago I attended a huge picnic on a ranch. The hosts provided the meat, drinks, and entertainment while the guests were asked to bring an appetizer, salad, or dessert-pot luck style. As I was hitting the appetizer side of the giant flatbed (where all of the food was laid out) I discovered a super easy, totally tasty appetizer that made me wonder, why didn't I think of that? Roasted garlic with tiny croutons. Someone had roasted up a bunch of garlic heads and crisped up pieces of bread. The guests were allowed to stab a clove or two of the gooey, sweet garlic and smear it on to a piece of crusty bread. Bite-sized and delicious, I made a whole plate full of these before heading back over to my friends. This is great for feeding a crowd, a picnic potluck, or a wine tasting party at an art gallery. To roast garlic, cut about 1/4 inch off of the top of a garlic head. Place in a baking dish, drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper and toss to coat. Sit garlic cut side up, cover with foil and bake at 350°F until garlic skin is golden brown and cloves are tender-about 45-55 minutes. Serve with Croutons and voila, instant appetizer!

It's about time I made my own chutney. This recipe for homemade mango chutney seems pretty straightforward and looks absolutely amazing. - Simply Recipes

Seems like this is the season for Free Ice Cream! This Saturday, May 19, from 1-5 pm all Stop & Shop and Giant Food locations will be offering free scoops of Edy's ice cream. That is free if you donate a dollar to The Jimmy Fund, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center or the Children's Cancer Foundation.

"This promotion brings new meaning to 'Triple Winner'," said Stop & Shop and Giant Food President and CEO Jose Alvarez. "By being a part of Free Scoop Day, customers receive a tasty treat and they will get the satisfaction of supporting a terrific cause."

I'm pretty sure all Stop & Shops and Giant Foods are located on the east coast, so no free ice cream for me. If you do go, be sure to get a scoop of the Triple Winner flavor - the limited edition flavor is only available at Stop & Shop & Giant Food stores.

Source: Forbes

I used to believe that vegetarian food could never be a filling, satisfying meal until I recently started to appreciate and embrace vegetarian cooking. I encourage you to give it a try with a super simple, quick fix dinner dish: tasty texas tofu recipe. It's a robust dish with layered spicy tofu, thick warm beans, and crisp sourdough bread. Turn it into a last minute week night dinner party with store bought chips and guacamole, icy cold beers, and a flan for dessert. Get the recipe now, read more

It seems like we can't get enough cake or chocolate around here - which is okay since the entire internet loves to help out. This time it's a gooey, runny yellow cake with lemon curd and chocolate ganache. I hope there's a slice for me. - Everybody Likes Sandwiches