Cupcakes and Cookies and Pies OH MY

For some reason this time of year always triggers my sweet tooth. I don’t know if it’s the approach of the most sugar-filled children’s holiday of the year or if it’s the anticipation of end-of-the-summer gatherings that gets me craving sweets.  And not just any sweets, the best sweets in Durham, Mad Hatter Bakeshop sweets! YUM. Just thinking about it sets my sugar senses a twitching.

Mad Hatter Bakeshop and Cafe is my favorite spot in town to get the best cakes, pies, cookies and other baked goods. Not only that, but they have a vast selection of savory lunch, dinner and brunch items for those of you with a less prominent sweet tooth.

The sweet aroma of cheesecake, pound cake, fruit tarts, pies and more hit you instantly as you walk in the door. With their friendly staff and high quality ingredients, you will feel right at home at Mad Hatter.  Have an event coming up? Let Mad Hatter take care of your catering needs! From breakfast and boxed lunches to pastries and platters, they’ve got you covered. If you haven’t been it’s time to let your sweet tooth lead you! It’s right down the road from West Village at 1802 W. Main Street. Swing by today… but be warned, you may get hooked!

Farmer’s Market Party at Duke

Who doesn’t love fresh fruit, ripe vegetables, and the buzzing of honeybees?  Those are some of the joys of growing up in the South and enjoying summertime.  Well residents of the Durham area will be in for a treat July 16^th.  The Duke Farmer’s Market is up and running!

The Duke Farmers Market is celebrating this season with 10th anniversary in 2010. People who visit the market site will see tents, booths and trucks from farmers and vendors who are selling fresh, locally-grown fruits and vegetables, flowers and herbs.  There will also be gift items, local pasture raised meats, roasted coffee beans and teas.  Also, if you need new ideas for healthy lunches, this is the place to be.  Cosmic Cantina, Jason’s Deli and The Picnic Basket will provide you with the health conscious meals.

Located near the Bryan Research Building , you can easily follows the directions and have a joyous day amongst nature.  The market will be held weekly until the end of July, and then will begin appearing every other week beginning August 13^th.

Live for Life is the sponsor for the Duke Farmer’s Market, and this year’s theme will celebrate the number 10 due to the 10th Anniversary of the market.  There is also a huge focus on making people “Locavores”, which are those of us who try to eat as much local food as possible.

So come on down to the Duke Farmer’s Market and meet the actual farmers who are growing your food!  To learn about weekly event updates, join their Facebook fan page!

Pork, Pickles and Peanuts OH MY!

Pork, Pickles and Peanuts: Tastes of North Carolina is a fun-filled festival and barbecue taking place this Saturday, July 10 from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm. As part of the 2nd Saturdays events here in Durham, Tastes of North Carolina brings you historical cooking demonstrations, arts and crafts vendors and a juried tasting

competition featuring  pickles, pies and preserves. Can you say YUM?

Head over to the Duke Homestead State Historic Site and Tobacco Museum on Saturday for a day of tasty treats and treasures. It’s a completely FREE event, yes I said FREE, and one that you will absolutely enjoy! The history of Durham is alive and well all throughout the city and this is just one way of showing it off!

We hope to see you there, and don’t forget to bring your appetite!

Broad Street Cafe presents Anna Rose Beck

I have always loved attending ‘dinner and a show‘ events.  It combines two of my favorite things; entertainment and food!  Needless to say, I am extremely thankful to live in Durham since there are so many’ dinner and a show’ events to choose from. If you play your cards right every meal of the night could be linked with a performance. Of course by that point you and I would both probably be broke, but lets focus on the positive!

One of my favorite places to enjoy dinner and a show is the Broad Street Cafe. They feature some of the best food and entertainment combinations in the area. And as a bonus they highlight up and coming local artists.  I’ve always been a big fan of supporting local talent so the Broad Street Cafe is the perfect fit for me!

Tonight come out to see Anna Rose Beck, an acoustic/folk artists from Austin, TX. Anna attended Duke University *GO BLUE DEVILS*, and has been greatly inspired by the music of Durham. Her biggest musical influences range from Paul Simon and The Beatles to Regina Spektor and Iron & Wine so her personal style is like no one artist you have ever heard. Let’s just say her music has been compared to “something that would be in a movie like Juno“. She hasn’t released an album yet but is working to have one out by the end of this year. Hear her before she hits the ‘big time’ while enjoying a meal from Broad Street Cafe’s amazing menu.

Information from Broad Street Cafe’ events page.

Have Your Cake And DECORATE It Too

I am a self-proclaimed foodie so you can imagine that my TV station of choice is often The Food Network.  Through my many years of watching The Food Network I would have to say that my favorite show is Ace of Cakes. It amazes me the things that the cake artists can create… out of cake and sugar! I’ve always wanted to try my hand at making a lavish cake design, but I don’t have the confidence or materials needed. I thought about taking a class but they all seem so long and expensive. That was until I heard about the Wilton Cake Decorating Classes at Michaels craft store (8210 Renaissance Parkway).

You can take a four-week course all about the basics of cake decorating. They start you out with the basics and move you up through the course to gum paste, fondant, and more! By the end of the class you will be able to dazzle your friends and relatives with your deliciously stylish cakes! Save money on buying fancy cakes when you can create your own!

The next course starts the week of July 4 so call Michaels on Renaissance Pkwy at (919) 206-4388 and register today!

19 Weight Loss Secrets From Around The World

Bathing suit season is here and some of you might be thinking that your bodies aren’t quite in the beach-ready shape you would like. I’ll be the first to admit that I have been working out non-stop in preparation for summertime but I am still not satisfied. What I am, is excited about these new weight loss secrets I found from Readers Digest. Now, don’t get me wrong, I have full understanding that any new system I try will take time to show results, but I’m eager to get started with some of these tricks from around the world! They have listed 19 total, but I thought I would highlight a few of my favorites.

1. Spice it up – If you have ever had Thai food, you know that it is some of the spiciest in the world. The great part about spicy food is that it not only speeds up your metabolism, but also slows your eating. When you slow down your eating, your body can accurately tell you when you are fill and you are less likely to overindulge.
2. Serve a side of red beans and rice – Brazilians stay slim by enjoying this traditional side with almost every mean. This dish is low in fat and high in fiber, which stabilizes your blood sugar.
3. Eat your breakfast – 75% of Germans eat breakfast daily while Americans sit at only 44%. This doesn’t mean stopping for an Egg McMuffin on the way to work, this means having fruit, whole grain cereals, and breads every morning. Reports have shown that by skipping breakfast your brain-stomach connection will actually be triggered around high-calorie food more frequently, making you more likely to indulge in unhealthy treats.

The rest of the list is really quite interesting. I have learned some of these “secrets” before, but after seeing some of the facts that accompany them, you can bet I will be following some of these worldly practices much more closely from now on.

Buy The Best Meat For Your Buck

By the first day of Spring I am only thinking one thing… time to start grilling out. I think the desire comes from all the fond childhood memories of summer that were always accompanied by the smell of someone grilling nearby. Now that I have a family and home of my own,  it’s my turn to provide that sweet smell.  I only wish that, as it was back then, I wasn’t having to foot the bill for the ingredients.  I’m no good at buying meat so I usually leave it to my husband, but he tends to get the really good stuff that makes my eyes about pop out of my head when I see the receipt. I’ll admit the taste is amazing but there has to be a cheaper solution to my NEED for grilling .

I guess that someone heard my cry because Shine from Yahoo has given me a solution! Check out this article on how to buy the best meat for your buck. With this information, I can go to the store with my husband and reign him in when he goes steak-happy. Thanks Yahoo!

Diet Destroyers To Avoid

I can’t believe it is bathing suit season already. I don’t know about you but I’m a little nervous about dusting off my swim suit. Let’s face it, it’s been a stressful year and so many of us are not be in the shape that we would like.  We have dieted, cut back on sweets, and started exercising regularly. But still there are moments of weakness and we run off the diet track. TV’s Dr Oz has a remedy for falling off the diet track… beware the diet destroyers!

In his Ultimate Summer Slim Down, Dr. Oz presents us with some very important secrets to help us stay on the diet path. There are temptations all around us that would like nothing more than deter us from staying on the right path. I couldn’t believe when I read the list that these things are actually powerful diet destroyers.

1. Transparent Bowls – Studies have shown that people eat more when they can see inside containers. Choosing ceramic over clear plastic will offer less temptation and keep you from following the voice of your tummy.
2. Warm Colors -  surrounding yourself with warm colors can destroy your diet! Strange I know but believe it or not, cool colors like blue are natural appetite suppressants. Paint party anyone?
3. Dim Light – People eat more when they can’t see their food as well.  So turn on the lights and keep away from those dim restaurant booths. Sneaky sneaky.
4. Floral Centerpieces – Smelling fruit actually causes people to eat LESS. So, ditch the flowers and go for a fruit centerpiece instead.

By steering clear of these diet destroyers you and I both can get bathing suit ready in no time!

What NOT To Feed Your Pets

It’s pretty common knowledge that you shouldn’t feed your pets chocolate. There’s something about it that just doesn’t set right with them, but what exactly. Speaking of which, what are some other things that you should avoid feeding your pets? Sometimes they get into the grossest things and eat garbage or grass and seem to be okay, so are there really that many things that you shouldn’t feed them? YES! A lot more than you would think actually!

Thanks to RealSimple.com, you have a full list of the basic things you should avoid feeding your pets! Some of them I already knew or assumed, but others I never would have thought of.  I’ve even fed my pets some of these things without realizing it wasn’t good for them!

For example, I never knew that feeding a dog macadamia nuts could actually cause muscle and nervous-system problems.  Or that giving a grape to your cat could severely damage their kidneys.  I would have never thought that those things could be harmful. Shows how much I know!

Take a look at the list and see how many things are actually very problematic for your pets. We love our furry friends, so remember what things are big NO-NO’s for them!

Cinco De Mayo CREAMY Jalapeno Dip

When it comes to celebrating Cinco de Mayo, it all starts with the perfect chip dip selection. Salsa is a no-brainer and guacamole is always great, but today my friends, heat is the word. I found this AMAZING recipe from RecipeZaar.com and had to share it with everyone else! It’s a creamy jalapeno dip and it’s not only delicious but simple to make as well! All you need is:

1 1/3 cups mayonnaise
1/3 cup buttermilk
1/3 cup chopped jalapeno
1/3 cup green chilies
1/3 cup cilantro leaf
1 (1 oz.) packet dry ranch dressing mix

Simply give ALL the ingredients a ride in the food processor until they are blended smooth! Serve with tortilla chips or as a spicy salad dressing!

Yes, this Cinco de Mayo is looking pretty tasty!

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