Every so often I come across a simple recipe and wonder — why on earth didn't I think of that?! While browsing a recent issue of Bon Appétit, this was the case with frozen chocolate-dipped bananas. Frozen chocolate banana Popsicle are a fave, but, with their variety of toppings, these bites are even better!

The banana bites are quick to make and once the dipping and coating starts, things get messy. Kids would have a great time preparing them.

Toasted hazelnuts, shredded coconut, crushed creme-filled cookies. and chocolate covered pretzels were my toppings of choice. Be sure to remove the bites from the freezer at least 10 minutes before serving, so the frozen banana can slightly soften. If you have extra candy from Easter lying around, melt it down or crush it up to get started on your own scrumptious banana bites! For the recipe, read more

For some spice lovers, jalapeno-laden hamburgers just won't do. Take Anandita Dutta Tamuly, a 26-year-old woman from Assam, India, who set a Guinness world record last week when she consumed 51 of the world's hottest chile peppers in only two minutes. She also rubbed 24 of the same chile peppers in her eyes over the span of one minute.

Overseeing the feat with a watchful eye was none other than chef Gordon Ramsay, who was in India filming for a British TV program. The reality show host and restaurateur could only consume one of the peppers before screaming for water. Measuring in at 1 million Scoville heat units, the bhut jolokia is known to the be world's hottest known chile pepper (jalapenos, in comparison, contain roughly 2,500 to 8,000 Scovilles.)

A single seed from this pepper is known to cause puffy, watering eyes, a runny nose, and a burning sensation that may last for up to five hours. So how did she manage to defy the laws of nature? The mother of one explained:

I have been eating bhut jolokia since my childhood and never felt the hotness in my mouth. When I was five, I had a sore tongue and my mother applied a chili paste to cure the infection. Since then I developed a penchant for chiles. To be honest, I barely notice them now.

I'm shocked to hear that this record was humanly possible — especially considering the tragic death that occurred last year after a UK man consumed too much spicy sauce. What do you think of the stunt: is it amazing, or simply incredibly foolish?

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Although balmier weather and longer days clue me in to Spring, the season doesn't officially begun until the day I spot fresh garden peas at the farmers market. Although I take advantage of frozen peas to enjoy the legumes year-round, there's simply nothing that can replace the toothsome snap of a freshly-shelled English pea.

English peas — also known as shell peas and garden peas — enjoy a short-lived season during late Spring and early Summer, and are at their best in May. For peas that are sweet and crisp, start by looking for shiny, firm, brightly-colored pods that feel swollen and heavy. When cooking with English peas, buy much more than you think you will need, as one pound of peas will only equate to roughly one cup of shelled peas. While it's ideal to eat garden peas as soon as they're picked, they can keep for up to three days when wrapped tightly and placedin the coolest part of the refrigerator. For more pointers on preparing them, read more

Last week I got my hands on a container of Sprinkles vanilla cupcake mix ($14). The LA-based bakery boosts a celebrity following and is famous for its rich cupcakes topped with swirled frosting and signature modern dot. Currently, there are six bakeries sprinkled throughout the Western United States, but thanks to Williams-Sonoma, you can experience the sweetness of Sprinkles in the comfort of your kitchen. The mix comes in seven flavors: chocolate, red velvet, vanilla, lemon, pumpkin, chocolate peppermint, and banana. To find out what I thought of the vanilla variation, read more

Sounds like Iron Chef wines will need to make room for some company: Top Chef wines. The New York Times reports that Bravo is moving beyond mere product placement on its shows, and is licensing its own line of products. Besides wine, the cable network's planning floral arrangements, cutlery, and cooking classes. In case your screen wasn't sufficiently overwhelmed with product plugs from Glad, Swanson, and Diet Dr Pepper, future Top Chef episodes will feature food-and-flora arrangements (such as a mix of daisies and brussels sprouts) in the background, with an onscreen graphic telling where to purchase the products.

Want to chop like a cheftestant? There'll also be branded knives from Master Cutlery and online cooking classes led by the contestants. You can sit back, relax, and enjoy the show while sipping on TC wines by Terlato Wines International, the group behind big labels like Santa Margherita and Rutherford Hill.

With waning advertising revenue, a number of media brands have turned to product licensing to bring in much-needed profits. In the past, Bravo charged a fee for featuring the likes of Glad and Swanson on Top Chef. But with its new licensing arrangements, the network will ring in even more money, receiving cuts from the sale of all its products sold online.

Do you think this will be a successful strategy for Bravo? Could you see yourself buying Top Chef-branded knives, wine, cooking classes, or flower arrangements?

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A couple of weeks ago FabSugar hosted a shopping event at Saks Fifth Avenue in San Francisco. The caterer of the party found a fun way to incorporate Sugar into the menu — they rimmed each of the champagne flutes with pretty pastel-colored sugar. The sugar wasn't flavored so it didn't affect the taste of the dry bubbly. This is a sweet way to incorporate color into a girlie party.

Wouldn't sugar-rimmed champagne glasses be fun at a baby or bridal shower? To rim the glasses, simply dip a flute into cold water and then the colored sugar. Carefully fill with sparkling wine.

Did anyone come to the party at Saks? What did you think of the sugary champagne?

It's the week after a long weekend of Easter entertaining, and your refrigerator's jam-packed with everything from baked ham to frozen peas.

Put your springtime ingredients to good use with this fresh flavored combination of fettucine with mint, cream, peas, and ham that's as gratifying as it is effortless to make.

The best part about the dish? It won't take more than half an hour of your time. Get started on it when you read more