Sorbet is a great alternative to ice cream. It's perfect for those who are lactose intolerant, refreshingly fruity, and way lower in fat. While it's great served alone in a delicate little bowl, it's more festive as part of a super simple frozen dessert. This dessert is so simple, the only thing you need is time for it to freeze. Purchase groceries today, assemble tomorrow night, and serve on Wednesday. Serve on a white plate, garnished with blueberries, for a patriotic splash.

I know lots of you will love this recipe, so get it now, just read more

Alright, I'll admit it, this one's going to be a difficult one. However, it's an interesting bit of trivia and I'm confident that some of you will know it right away. You ready?Guess which world-renowned (think high-profile non-US) chef was seen at the international premiere of Ratatouille? To find out who he is, why he's there and who he's pictured with (several of whom are internationally famous chefs themselves), read more

For those of you lucky enough to have scored an iPhone last week, you can now enjoy Heidi Swanson's gorgeous recipes on the go! - 101 Cookbooks

Oh and if you don't have a web-enabled phone, you can always try to win an iPhone over at geeksugar!

Based on the previews, I was actually looking forward to last night's Next Food Network Star. I'm a big Alton Brown fan and the commercials made it look like it was going to be an interesting drama-loaded trainwreck. So naturally, like all drama-loaded trainwrecks, I couldn't wait to watch.

Let me start with one word: Wow. And that's more of an "Are you serious?" sort of wow, as opposed to an "Amazing!" sort of wow.

We're down to five chefs and at this point none of them look like they're ready (or deserve) their own show. They're yelling, crying, flubbing lines, not cooking anything, and just failing in every way possible. I know that there's a lot of fancy editing, and that they're living in this unnatural pressure-cooker type of environment, but still, get it together folks. Quit your crying, start your cooking, and get ready to be a star!

To see what happened, find out who went home, and discover what causes Alton to breakdown and say, "Can we send them all home and start over?" read more

My cousin Caroline is very mature for her 11 years. She is the oldest of four children and loves learning. I'm not sure how much she cooks with her mom, but I thought it would be fun to get her a cooking kit. I'm hoping to find one that comes with an apron, cookbook, cooking tools, and everything in between. Let's head off to market in search of a fun cooking kit for Caroline. It should be age appropriate, informative and challenging. Bookmark your finds in the Yum Market on TeamSugar with the keyword tag Kid's Cooking Kit.

To learn how to participate in Off To Market please refer to geeksugar's guide to saving on TeamSugar.

When I think of 4th of July, I often think of food and fireworks, but never together. However this year, I may have to change my line of thinking. The California Strawberry Commission has just released a new concept for deliciously cool carbonated strawberries that will fizz and pop in your mouth. I personally can't wait to try them, but will have to find a place that sells dry ice first. That's right, this recipe is part home-ec class, part science class. You could even say that it's a little journey into molecular gastronomy. To see how you can make your own carbonated strawberries, read more

I ended up throwing an impromptu dinner party last Wednesday. Instead of panicking, I took a deep breath, came up with an easy, manageable menu, and wrote out a grocery list. If you ever find yourself on the hosting end of an impromptu dinner party, be sure to check out my no fail planning tips.

• For appetizers make one dip (I made a quick Sun Dried Tomato Dip that involved no chopping) and round it out with store bought goodies. Bowls of burst-in-your-mouth blueberries, salty black olives, crispy flatbread, and buttery french bread crisps can be plated in a matter of minutes. Chunk a few pieces of smoked gouda or other cheese and slice up some salami.



• Choose a menu that is quick, easy and meat-free in case any vegetarians unexpectedly show up. Fresh Basil Pesto with pasta and a Green Salad With Citrus Vinaigrette is a simple meal that can be put together in under an hour.
• For dessert, have everyone help out and make ice cream sandwiches.
• Ask your guests to bring a bottle or two of wine.

What do you cook for your last-minute dinner parties?? Share your menus with me below!

To take a look at a gallery of images from my middle-of-the-week dinner, read more