• This week we are throwing a festive luau dinner party. There are fantastic appetizers, lovely drinks and cute invitations.



• Our very own 7bits - winner of a peach-pie eating contest - brought in a load of peaches. I decided to make a ginger peach upside-down cake.
• Our summer reading continues with books about food science, partying and cupcakes.
• Speaking of cupcakes, did you see these Root Beer Float Cupcakes? Decadent!
• Another decadent treat is PartySugar's Puff Pasty and Cherry Chocolate Sandwiches. I'm just bummed I missed out!
• Her ice cream definitely looked tasty, I wish I could say the same for all the crazy ice cream flavors on Top Chef this week.



• Which of these crazy candies would you choose?
• What did you think of the not-quite finale of Hell's Kitchen? Were you upset that they didn't make beef wellington?
• If you need a fast and easy meal, be sure to check out these beef and potato burritos.
• Pizza Hut's Double Roll continues to blow my mind. The commercial is outrageous!



• Finally, for this month's challenge, we're asking you to take a pic of yourself with your favorite cookbook!

When I was trying to determine which cookbook was my favorite - for our current summer reading challenge - The New Basics by Sheila Lukins & Julee Russo, came in at a close second. What I love about this cookbook is that it covers everything from appetizers and cocktails to sauces and desserts. This cookbook lives at my vacation house so I make dishes there while relaxing at the cabin - except for the few that I have memorized such as tasty chicken, bacon, and avocado sandwich or the classic mustard vinaigrette.

The New Basics is such a complete and reliable source for recipes that I never have to pack my cookbooks or recipe folders. In summer, I make the key lime pie and in winter I make the cheese and beer soup. Usually I prefer cookbooks with lots of colorful images, but the blank pages and black and white illustrations are oddly comforting. If you are looking for a cookbook that basically covers everything, I suggest checking this out!

Grilled corn on the cob is one of summer's great pleasures. Last summer I loved pairing my corn with creamy herb butters, and this summer I've taken to a light coating with lime juice, mayonnaise, chili powder, and feta cheese. The mixture is brushed on the corn after it's char-grilled and the limes provide a zingy freshness. The chili powder gives it a balancing heat, and the feta brings a nice saltiness. Guests are sure to marvel at your ingenuity when you serve this corn paired with burgers, grilled steaks, or BBQ chicken. So take a look at the recipe now, just read more