Impress friends and family this Easter with a homemade decadent, moist coconut cake, layered with tangy lemon curd and strawberry, and cloaked in a velvety coconut frosting. No time? No worries. This cake can easily be prepared in approximately 60 minutes  with a little help from your local supermarket—in my case, Trader Joe's. Start with a vanilla cake mix. Trader Joe’s makes a wonderful vanilla-bean mix that calls for eggs, milk and melted butter. I substituted melted coconut oil which lends the cake a subtle coconut flavor. The zest of one lemon was also added to the batter. Since I wanted…

Memories of my childhood Valentine’s Days always include piles of paper heart doilies, red and pink construction paper, glue and glitter. I adored creating what I was certain were masterpieces, despite the likelihood I misspelled names or inadvertently created glue globs on my homemade hearts. Though I would love to recreate those memories with my own children, I don’t seem to be raising any crafters. I can, however, cajole them into making sweets, especially if those confections include frosting and sprinkles. This year we are making heart-shaped Rice Krispie treats, decorated with melted …

Hot chocolate truly is the ultimate summer drink.  No... that’s not a typo.  Historically, hot chocolate’s beginnings can be traced back to the  ancient Aztec and Mayan civilizations of balmy Mexico.   Food historians believed the Mayans drank the beverage both hot and cold, without sugar but with the addition of chile and spices.  Xocolatl, as it was called, was considered an excellent medicinal drink, especially for stomach ailments. Explorers discovered the drink and brought it back to Europe where it evolved into the sugary, rich libation we know and love today... one served mostly during…

I’m thrilled to be the “yes” mom this week. My kids are so used to hearing “no” when they beg me to purchase the junk food they see advertised on TV commercials. Imagine their surprise when I offered Oreos, or shall we say "Faux Reos," for their after-school snack. My reasons for saying NO to these foods has nothing to do with an aversion to sugar or fat, though I am an advocate of "everything in moderation." I'm not one of those über healthy moms that only shop at Mrs. Greens or the local farmer's markets—you know the ones. They radiate with good health, quietly add wheat germ, bee pollen, …