Recently a great friend celebrated his birthday. To surprise him, I decided to turn his favorite cocktail into a cupcake! A must for any party, these gin and tonic cupcakes are stunning and surprisingly easy to make. Be careful when baking; the cake should be light and airy rather than hard and overcooked. The creamy frosting has a mild gin flavor, but feel free to add more or less booze to suit your tastebuds. My local market did not have citrus jellies, so I used sugar-coated lime slices as garnish. Homemade candied lime peel is another excellent option for garnish. To celebrate with your own gin and tonic cupcakes, read more

I didn't grow up eating Brussels sprouts, and due to the vegetable's notorious reputation, I didn't think I was missing out on much. When I had my first bite of the vegetable a few years ago, I found that it wasn't bitter; rather, it was rich, sweet, and tender. I've been a devotee of the nutritious Brussels sprout ever since.

While Brussels sprouts are often available yearround, they're in their prime now: Peak season is from September to February. To find out what to look for, read more

Let's hope Bobby Flay is ready for his latest throwdown: a lawsuit from his restaurant employees.

New York-based employees of Bold Food, the celebrity chef's restaurant group, have filed a labor violations lawsuit, alleging that the company cheated its employees out of wages. In the suit, filed late Thursday night in New York federal court, the employees claim the company engaged in improper tip-pooling practices, didn't pay correct overtime wages, and failed to reimburse workers who bought their own uniforms. Although the food personality has yet to comment on the lawsuit, I hope he's able to come clean on the issue.

With multiple Food Network shows, a slew of restaurants, several cookbooks, a brand-new Sirius radio show, and other endorsements, it's clear that the celebrity chef has his hands full. What do you think of the lawsuit?

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To honor the Presidential inauguration, tomorrow Krispy Kreme doughnuts is giving away free doughnuts. In the promotion every customer will receive a free doughnut of his or her choice. Krispy Kreme's executive chef, Ron Rupocinski, explains that "Krispy Kreme is taking the inaugural festivities nationwide. We're inviting our fans in cities across the country, including Washington, D.C., to commemorate this historic day with a favorite American treat." No purchase is necessary for the free doughnut. Be sure to find out if your local Krispy Kreme is participating.

Are you excited about inauguration day? Will you celebrate with a free doughnut?

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Ask anyone who knows me: Fried chicken is one of my favorite indulgences in life. Unfortunately, the key word here is "indulgence," meaning I don't allow myself to have it at every whim (e.g., daily).

I could foresee myself enjoying this buttermilk baked chicken on a regular basis. The recipe, which is the perfect use of leftover chicken legs, is texturally similar to fried chicken, sans the grease. To prepare this simple recipe tonight, read more

In the January issue of Bon Appétit magazine there's a recipe for homemade, fresh ricotta that I'm dying to try. Although the recipe only calls for three simple ingredients, it requires several cooking utensils. One of them is a good slotted spoon. I know this may be hard to believe, but I don't own a good slotted spoon, I don't even own a bad one! Can you help me find this essential tool so I can finally make the ricotta? Head off to market in search of a reliable slotted spoon. Bookmark the spoons in the Yum Market on TeamSugar with the keyword tag Slotted Spoon.

Geeksugar has put together a post that explains how to bookmark. Check it out for more details. Not sure where to start looking? Be inspired by some of my favorite online stores when you read more