It's always a Good time for Cake

After class today (yes I'm on a lab working on my blog!) I'm headed over the bakery where we got our wedding cake last year to order a mini-one to celebrate our 1 year anniversary next month.

We received many compliments on the lemon with/ raspberry and chocolate gouache filling with basket-weave frosting delight.

Read the link below if you're a bride to be (or if you're already married and still like to read about wedding trends) about wedding cake alternatives.

http://shine.yahoo.com/channel/food/5-mouth-watering-wedding-cake-alternatives-2511874/

Veggies I Can Skip?

I was eating brunch with a friend's little kid a few weeks ago who love love love broccoli. This is not the first kid I've met lately who's been raised to embrace veggies.

Is this a new segment on Sesame Street I'm not aware of?

Check out this article on Yahoo! Shine if you want know which Veggies you can skip:
http://shine.yahoo.com/event/vitality/the-3-veggies-with-the-least-nutritional-value-2510765/

Cooking with a Microwave- Your Pinch Hitter

I use my LG Microwave (thanks Dad for the housewarming gift!) about 4-5 times a week. I'm aware that it's dangerous to:
1. Heat plasticware:

2. Do not put alumimum in there!

3. Do not try to dry my socks in there (ahem) again.

I do use my microwave to:
1. Frozen Veggies in the Bag (I love them- the nutrients are so well preserved). I cannot get fresh veggies and live long enough in my fridge and don't have time to shop every 2-3 days for them.

2. Popcorn- I just learned how to perfectly pop it without burning the middle. I had a lot of mis-trials on that lab in the kitchen.

I'm not yet in the stage of life that I have to make baby bottles but my mom swears by using microwave (her's also has a built-in toaster on one side!) to detox her kitchen sponges. The versatile kitchen tool that's worthy of counter-top space!

Cookbook Collection- Reference or Bibliophilia

I have about twenty cookbooks. The last one I received was a Christmas gift from my husband: "America's Test Kitchen 2001-2011" which was suppose to come with the DVDs from last season. I just received the DVDs two weeks ago. I love receiving gifts later actually.

What is the purpose of cookbooks? For some, like new cooks, it's a step-by-step guide to make a dish. For others, like me who are more comfortable in the kitchen, it's a reference to get inspiration.

I have cookbooks on healthy cooking, low-sodium and Mediterranean, Alicia Silverstone's book on Vegetarian cooking . I've used cooking to look for answers when my allergies were driving me crazy. I followed my love for Julia Child through reading and re-reading my favorite foodie book, Amanda Hesser's Cooking for Mr. Latte.

What do you use cookbooks for?