Yum's craving a perfect picnic basket and Latin-inspired grilling
Geek is geeking out on a Clare Vivier laptop tote and Nooka wristwatches
Fab's coveting crisp, white jeans and bright dresses
Bella's got an eye on Dior Addict lipstick and Spring hair accessories
Très is curling up with biographies on President Obama's mother and Cleopatra
Lil likes Calypso St. Barth's for Target and Growums gardening kits
Casa's cozying up to new ideas for reusing books and easy ways to green your roof
Buzz is anticipating Blue Valentine on DVD and the Beastie Boys' latest
Fit is worked up for National Bike Month and Adidas's high-tech new tennis shoes
Savvy's sprucing up for Spring with terrariums and cute calendars
From Lauren HendricksonMango, Black Bean, and Jicama SalsaIngredients1 medium-sized mango, cut into small bite-sized pieces
1 small jicama, cut into small bite-sized pieces
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 jalapeno, finely chopped with or without seeds, if desired
1 lime juiced and zested
Pinch of salt
Directions
Combine all of the ingredients in a large bowl.
1 medium-sized mango, cut into small bite-sized pieces
1 small jicama, cut into small bite-sized pieces
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 jalapeno, finely chopped with or without seeds, if desired
1 lime juiced and zested
Pinch of salt
Directions
Combine all of the ingredients in a large bowl. Season with salt.
If possible, leave in the fridge overnight for the flavors to come together.
We're so excited that it is finally May! With long days, hot nights, and alfresco dining, the warmer months are our favorite time of year. The weather here in San Francisco has been gorgeous for the past couple of days, and we are ready to get our grill on while sipping refreshing cocktails. Here are five items we can't live without this month.
Waking up isn't all that difficult when you have a delicious, personalized espresso drink to look forward to atStarbucks!
For decades, Starbucks has catered to different taste buds and needs, making sure each customer is happy and satisfied with their morning (or evening) drink on the go. With over 87,000 combinations, you can rest assured that when your name is on your cup, it's made just for you. Enjoy!
I've always been a fan of flames, so the number one reason I love Cinco de Mayo is the fact that it's one heck of a great excuse to light my mouth on fire.
I've always been a fan of flames, so the number one reason I love Cinco de Mayo is the fact that it's one heck of a great excuse to light my mouth on fire. Each year, I make something deliciously spicy and this year, I'm not positive, but I'm thinking I'll serve chiles rellenos.
One thing I'm sure of: there will be pineapple margaritas with a chili-salt rim. The spice is no joke; it hits you up front, but is tempered by a gentle fruitiness that's not too sweet. I love the sweet-salty-fiery complexity so much that I had multiples in one sitting. Want to do the same this May 5? Then read more.
If you purchase avocados, you probably know the proper technique for checking for ripeness. Give the flesh a soft squeeze and it should yield to moderate pressure. However, sometimes a soft avocado is actually bruised. Since there's nothing more disappointing than slicing into a browned avocado, I've got another way of testing for ripeness. Flick the small brown stem off the top of the avocado. If it comes off easily and you can see green underneath it, the avocado is ripe! If the stem doesn't come off or if you see brown, the avocado is not ripe.
Do you eat avocados? What's your favorite preparation?
From Lauren HendricksonAsparagus Pizza With Lemon VinaigretteIngredients1 package of premade pizza dough
3/4 cup mozzarella cheese, grated
1/2 cup ricotta cheese, preferably full fat
1 bundle of asparagus, thinly sliced
1 lemon, juiced plus 1 teaspoon zest
2 tablespoons champagne vinegar
6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Pinch of salt
1/4 cup green garlic or scallions, thinly sliced
Directions
Preheat the oven to 500°F.
1 package of premade pizza dough
3/4 cup mozzarella cheese, grated
1/2 cup ricotta cheese, preferably full fat
1 bundle of asparagus, thinly sliced
1 lemon, juiced plus 1 teaspoon zest
2 tablespoons champagne vinegar
6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Pinch of salt
1/4 cup green garlic or scallions, thinly sliced
Directions
Preheat the oven to 500°F.
On a large cookie sheet lightly covered in flour, prepare the pizza dough. Roll or stretch the dough until it's thin and covers the whole sheet. To prevent large bubbles, prong with a fork, punching small holes, all over the dough.
Place the pizza dough in the oven and cook halfway until it is just golden brown, about 5-7 minutes.
Once the dough is golden brown, flip it over to ensure a crispy crust. Top with grated mozzarella, spoonfuls of ricotta cheese, and the sliced asparagus. Cook until the cheese is golden, about 4-6 minutes. If the pizza is not browning, try using the broiler for just a couple minutes but be sure to keep a close watch.
While the pizza is cooking, whisk together lemon zest, lemon juice, and champagne vinegar. Slowly pour and whisk in olive oil until the mixture is emulsified.
Move the cooked pizza to a cutting board and top with lemon vinaigrette and sprinkle the green garlic or scallions over the top.
There's nothing worse than a bad recipe! Over the weekend, I had a horrible time making pepper jack cheese fondue. I followed the recipe exactly, but the fondue was a soggy mess. It consisted of a bottle of beer, which was brought to a boil. It simmered with garlic and cayenne pepper for several minutes. Then, I added in a pound of grated pepper jack cheese by the handful.
However, while the cheese melted, it didn't combine with the beer. The soup-like fondue was gloppy and made me want to cry! It was a complete failure. I tried to salvage it by pouring out the excess liquid, adding in more cheese, and baking it in the oven, but in the end, that didn't really work either. Any idea what went wrong? Have you ever made fondue that didn't emulsify?
Wondering what to serve with all that salsa on Cinco de Mayo this Thursday? How about some delicious Mexican food? From nachos to tacos, there's much to love about this amazing cuisine. To encourage you to make something Mexican this week, I've rounded up 10 of our favorite dishes. Read on for the inspiration!
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If you purchase avocados, you probably know the proper technique for checking for ripeness. Give the flesh a soft squeeze and it should yield to moderate pressure. However, sometimes a soft avocado is actually bruised. Since there's nothing more disappointing than slicing into a browned avocado, I've got another way of testing for ripeness. Flick the small brown stem off the top of the avocado. If it comes off easily and you can see green underneath it, the avocado is ripe! If the stem doesn't come off or if you see brown, the avocado is not ripe. 
There's nothing worse than a bad recipe! Over the weekend, I had a horrible time making pepper jack cheese fondue. I followed the recipe exactly, but the fondue was a soggy mess. It consisted of a bottle of beer, which was brought to a boil. It simmered with garlic and cayenne pepper for several minutes. Then, I added in a pound of grated pepper jack cheese by the handful. 
