Cupcakes are one of my favorite things, so I thought I'd died and gone to heaven when I saw Renees3's recipe. She starts with chocolate cupcakes, stuffs them with a white chocolate filling, ices them with a cream cheese frosting, and tops them off with a drizzling of seedless raspberry sauce. 
When Renees3 couldn't find an adequate cupcake recipe, she decided to adapt a bunch of different recipes to make her own customized cupcakes. To me, that's one of the true virtues of cooking: You can tailor any recipe to suit your needs, which can result in something even better! To see how her cupcakes came together, read more
Yesterday evening over dinner, my cousin and I got into a discussion about sweet foods versus savory ones. He said he would take a dessert any day over something savory. I love them both but would definitely reach for salty things — among them chips and salsa, olives, and pickles — first. What about you? Which do you prefer?
What would you do if you had the exact same name as celebrity chef Rachael Ray? Well, cook of course! Last week the Oakland Tribune introduced the world to the other Rachael Ray, a 10-year-old Fremont resident, who enjoys spending her time in the kitchen:
Rachael was born years before the cooking show host hit the big time, she definitely wasn't named after Rachael Ray, and she's used to getting yak-back about her name. When she was 7, she had a Rachael Ray birthday party. Guests dressed as chefs and got little cookbooks filled with family recipes for things such as cheeseburger soup.
The newspaper asked the energetic youngster to test out recipes from the Food Network star's latest cookbook Rachael Ray Yum-O! The Family Cookbook. When celeb Rachael Ray heard about the story, she was absolutely charmed and sent the girl a complete set of her signature pots and pans.
I know that many of you find Rachael Ray annoying, but you have to admit this story is pretty cute!
In case you don't already own cheese serving tools, I went shopping for stylish cheese serving trays and found a fabulous selection. They run the gamut from ornate and over-the-top to sleek and minimalist. My favorite is this marble tray with silver bamboo hardware ($78); it's got the perfect amount of flair and will look excellent displaying everything from a pungent blue to a sharp cheddar.
To scope out all my finds, click on the arrows below.
Last week I was out to sushi with a large group of people. When my friend suggested that we share a bunch of rolls and equally split the bill at the end of the meal, I hungrily agreed. The majority of the table was in, but the lovely couple seated to my right preferred to order on a separate bill. While this can lead to an awkward meal, the duo knew exactly how to handle the situation. To check out their advice to elegantly get out of the group order, read more
For a boy's birthday party on Alcatraz, pack a portable feast of special dishes that wouldn't normally be found in the common ten year olds lunch box. Keep things simple with easy to eat chicken salad pitas. On the side offer a pasta salad packed with salami and cheese and small bags of chips (let each boy select their favorite bag of chips). Don't forget to pack snacks in case they get hungry while on the tour. Cheese and crackers, crunchy trail mix, and homemade fruit roll ups are filling without being too sweet.
For these kid-friendly recipes, read more
Fajitas are similar to a stir-fry because they're made with the same quick-sear cooking technique. In this recipe onions, bell peppers, and beef are tossed in a hot sauté pan. A simple sauce made with fresh tomatoes and bottled Italian dressing adds a delicious flavor to the cooked meat-veggie mixture. Wrapped tightly in a whole wheat tortilla, these fajitas could easily be filled with chicken or mushrooms instead of beef. Check out the recipe when you read more
While browsing online, I came across these chocolate-covered insects. Although insects are a category of food that Americans aren't accustomed to eating, they have long been a prized delicacy in places like Thailand, Australia, and China. 
The purveyors of this delicious product, which includes both crickets and larvae, describe it as tasting "like chocolate-covered popcorn." I think chocolate-covered popcorn is absolutely delicious, so I would want to try one of these. What about you: Would you try one? Which would you eat first, the larvae or the adult cricket?
