For our black and white luau, FabSugar has requested a special dessert. While marshmallows don't have anything to do with the luau part of the theme, they'll be black and white, and more importantly: bite sized and delicious! Homemade marshmallows are a marvelous treat that will impress guests. Once you make them, you'll never go back to purchasing their grocery-store counterpart. Instead of dipping the marshmallows in coconut, I plan to dip the squares in chocolate and roll them around in crushed oreos! Served plated with toothpicks they're the perfect party dessert. For the recipe, read more

Perhaps it's no surprise that when I host a party, I like to serve some type of sandwich. (You know, like a Caesar wrap at an Ides of March party.) The easiest thing to do is make one long party sub then slice it into individual servings. If you're serving the sandwich as a way to soak up booze (which is often the case at my parties), you can't go wrong with a salty but simple combination of salami, cheese, and pickles.

Though rather minimalist in its ingredients, this sub is incredibly easy to prepare, and your guests will gobble it up. Plus, the lack of any wet components, aside from a smear of mustard, means no messy sauces dripping all over your house. The crunchy pickles, creamy cheese, and decadent salami keep the sandwich from being dry. To get the recipe, read more

• Four festive and portable dishes for your Fourth of July celebration. — Boston Globe
• Top Chef's Richard Blais and others are turning deviled eggs into an art form. — Atlanta Journal-Constitution
• Rumor has it that Rachael Ray is releasing a memoir. — E! Online
• Prepare for picnic season with these 101 ideas for 20-minute dishes. — New York Times
• Beat the heat this Summer with cool aguas frescas. — Los Angeles Times
• Forget cold leftovers: Hot pizzas are showing up on breakfast menus. San Francisco Chronicle
• Three local chefs design outdoor-dining options to fit any budget. — Washington Post
• How the Bourdeaux wine region is adapting to modern times. —Chicago Tribune
• Try smoking meats on the grill as an alternative to burgers. — The Oregonian

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It's down to the final two on Hell's Kitchen! This week there was no elimination as the contestants created their own menus, remodeled the restaurant, and jetted off to New York to compete. I greatly enjoyed the episode because it showed a much tamer Ramsay. Did you watch? To discuss in depth, read more

Whenever I decide to host a party the first thing I do is look for inspiration. It can be found anywhere, but I always enjoy checking out pictures of other people's parties for ideas. I love looking at party pics so much I have created a group — Super Special Occasions — on TeamSugar where you can share all of your party pics with me.
If you're hosting a child's birthday party, be inspired by the 8th birthday party just donna recently threw her daughter. The tea party has a girlie, fun pastel color theme. The menu involves crustless sandwiches that are cut into age appropriate festive shapes, and a variety of dainty cupcakes. To check out all the pics from her adorable party, read more

When you're in a pinch and need to make a meal quickly, turn to this simple recipe. It's a delicious and healthy chicken dish that's cooked in the microwave. The seasoned chicken is coated with a light parsley white wine sauce. After being zapped, it's surprisingly moist and tender.

When served on top of a bed of greens it makes the perfect light Summer meal. For the recipe, read more