I've had this great book, The Perfect Scoop by David Lebovitz, on my desk for a few weeks now. I've been drooling over it every day, but it was either too cold for ice cream, or the ice cream machine wasn't ready, or I was just too lazy. Lucky for me, I saw that Eat Drink Live was hosting a sorbet challenge and it was enough inspiration to whip up a batch of David's strawberry sorbet. The result was a delicious sweet treat with just the right amount of tartness. The best part was that it came together with very little effort. In fact, it was so easy, I decided to make an alternate version with balsamic vinegar and basil added in. If you've never made your own sorbet, stop reading and start creating! But first you're going to need the recipe. To check it out, read more

This weekend when I made the sangria and clerico for a welcome back party, I realized the importance and the invaluable use of a nice, good sized pitcher. To avoid spending way too much time behind the bar, I prefer to make a few batches of one specialty cocktail in advance. The concoction can sit in the fridge until the guests arrive, when it is then placed on the bar next to the serving glasses. For intimate dinner parties fill the pitcher with cool water and lemon slices or fill with flowers and use as a centerpiece. I've assembled a bunch of my favorite pitchers below, scroll through until you find the one perfect for you.

If there was ever a reason to purchase a mandoline, I think it might be this one. Doesn't this paper-thin zucchini carpaccio salad look amazing? - Smitten Kitchen

Incorporating fruit into a centerpiece or arrangement, is a very hot trend right now. I've noticed it at several parties and love using fruit because it's cheaper than having a professional florist, and less expensive than purchasing several bouquets and arranging them yourself. You can have gorgeous, professional looking decorations ready in under five minutes:

• Fill vases, preferably in various sizes and shapes, with the fruit of your choice (tomatoes are pictured here).
• Add water so the fruit bobs and bounces buoyantly.
• Wrap a thick satin ribbon around the vase and secure in place with a tiny squeeze of hot glue.

On last night's season 3 premiere, Top Chef appeared to be back on form - solidifying its place in my cooking reality shows hierarchy. Unlike Hell's Kitchen, which is about Ramsay screaming at folks and The Next Food Network Star, which is about people showing off their personalities, last night's Top Chef was mostly about the food. Sure there was a little contestant squabbling and drama, but overall it was about the food and the cooking. Plus any show that pulls out my favorite food celebrity as guest judge is going to get big props anyway. To get the full recap (with spoilers), read more

Want to learn how to make herb infused syrups? Be sure to check out this great step-by-step photo tutorial. Flickr user a minor thread suggests putting them in lemonades, but I like them with champagne! - Flickr

If your dad is the king of the kitchen, then undoubtedly you've got some great foodie gifts lined up for him for Father's Day. If not, then you're in luck, because we've come up with some great ideas for you. First there's this fun King Dad platter that your dad can proudly display his cooked wares on. Next up is See Dad Cook, a book for the dad who needs a little more help in the kitchen, as well as a laser/probe thermometer so he'll never burn anything again. There's also the ultimate pig decadence combo for the pops that loves bacon, a reversible manly apron and classic monogrammed beer mugs. To check out the selections, use the scroll bar below.

Before you start making a new dinner dish, it's important to completely read the recipe. For example tonight's vegetarian meal can be made in thirty minutes as long as you multi-task. While the veggies do their thing in the oven, get the black beans cooking on the stove. While both of these parts cook, prepare the taco's toppings. Tacos are an excellent menu choice for last minute entertaining, they can be paired with store bought guacamole and cool bottles of beer for a meal that is hearty and simple. Get the recipe now so when your husband asks what's for dinner you can tell him tacos (doesn't every guy love tacos??), just read more

In honor of national candy month, I thought I'd pull out a classic candy-related TV Dinner clip for us all. Do you remember the lunchtime scene in The Breakfast Club? Molly Ringwald confuses Judd Nelson with sushi, Emilio Estevez has enough food for a large family and Ally Sheedy perplexes everyone by tossing the pimento loaf out of her sandwich and replaces it with Pixy Stix and Cap'n Crunch cereal instead? If so, then have I ever got a treat for you! Not only do I have the recipe to recreate your own Pixy-Stix sandwich, but I've got the clip as well! To check it all out, read more