Although chili season is coming to a close — it's generally a Winter dish — I thought this Southwestern Chicken Chili that TeamSugar member MotoLinz posted looked too good to pass up. She gets a lot of help from canned ingredients, not to mention a beer, but the whole thing looks like a great dinner. It simmers for four hours — you want those flavors to mix — although the actual recipe can come together in about an hour. To make a batch of this delicious chili tonight, get the recipe and read more

I don't know about you, but being this close to Cinco de Mayo makes me crave margaritas! Simply made, a margarita is tequila, orange liquor, and lime juice. However, this recipe for the ultimate margarita takes the concoction to a whole new level. Limeade concentrate and beer are the secret ingredients that make it exceptionally refreshing. While I prefer my margaritas on the rocks, this recipe is also nice blended.

To rim the glass with salt, rub a lime wedge around the rim of the glass. Dip it in a bowl of coarse salt, turning the glass in a circular motion. Carefully fill with ice and the margarita.

To check out the recipe — seriously this is a keeper, I've made it more times than I can remember! — read more

If you're ever in China and have a strange craving for an Oreo cookie, you're going to be out of luck. According to the Wall Street Journal, back in 2005 Kraft Foods revamped its iconic cookie there, replacing it with four thin crispy wafers, a layer of vanilla cream, thin layers of chocolate cream, and a coating of chocolate. The Chinese weren't keen on eating the traditional biscuit-style cookies, so Kraft — after testing 20 prototypes on consumers — changed the cookie to appeal to the masses.

Before the cookie transformation, Kraft Foods tried to reach out to consumers by creating a brand ambassador program that equipped university students with free Oreos and bicycles clad in wheel covers that looked like Oreos. However these marketing schemes didn't work, and the change became necessary. Now, with the new wafer version, China's Oreo sales have doubled in the last two years.

All of this is totally fascinating to me. It's interesting to see what brands have to do in order to appeal to foreign consumers. I understand adding new flavors and names. But does changing the product completely actually count? Isn't it, at that point, a completely new product? What do you think? Is it still an Oreo even if it doesn't look like a real one?

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Boston Cream Pie is a weirdly misunderstood dessert. It says it's a pie, but in actuality it's a cake. It also gets the reputation for being rather finicky to deal with. Yet every baker should learn how to make one some day.

Because pastry cream can be difficult to work with, I've found a recipe that uses instant pudding instead. If your skill level is beyond that, don't worry, there's a from-scratch one for you as well.

To check out the two recipes — one is easy, you could even whip it up after work, while the other is a bit more challenging — all you have to do is read more

Don't underestimate the power of your microwave! When cooking quick dinners, it can be an invaluable tool. In this recipe it's used to rapidly steam asparagus and summer squash.

The vegetables are topped with a chicken bacon mixture and a broth sauce. The final dish is filling and succulent. To take a look at the recipe, please read more

• What does Fugu really taste like? — New York Magazine
• Wow, Padma can cook! Her cornbread looks surprisingly delicious. — The Morning Show with Mike and Juliet via Amuse Biatch
• While we are on the subject of Top Chef, find out what Season 3 contestant Casey Thompson is up to. — Slashfood
• Here's a fun project: make all of the dishes on this 50 ways to use bacon list! — Start Cooking



• The Food Network was nominated for 8 daytime Emmys. I don't know about you but I really hope Sandra Lee wins for Outstanding Achievement in Hairstyling! — Well Fed Network
• Should vegetarians be allowed to demand meat-free environments? — Chow
• Learn when it's okay to use imitation vanilla extract while baking. — Baking Bites

On the last episode of Top Chef, we said farewell to Mark Simmons. All of his midnight musical serenades and bubble bath hi-jinks couldn't convince the judges to keep him there.

Yesterday I was lucky enough to engage in a funny conversation in which Mark told me what he's been up to and what he thought of the whole process. He's not bitter, but he's not rooting for anyone, only himself. To find out what he had to say, read more

Let the official Kentucky Derby Churchill Downs poster inspire the look for your Kentucky Derby party. First cover the dining table in a simple white cloth. Next add splashes of color with the accessories.

Sprinkle horse and jockey confetti down the middle of the table. Bright blue plates pop against the white cloth. Red napkins contrast with the plates and match the confetti. Purple flowers are regal and festive.

If you can, splurge on authentic metal julep glasses. Add, fun novelty items — a horse stuffed animal, a book about horse racing wages — that will spark conversation among guests.

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