Editor's note: For our last week at Food Lush, I've asked the writers to share both a favorite post by another writer, from over the last three years, and a favorite post of their own. You'll see these posts linked to at the top of their new post for the... Continue reading

By Tara C. You guys, I am feeling pretty lousy this week. This winter has just been one cold after another around here. And do you know what I don't care about when I feel this way? Food. I really don't want to put forth the effort to make anything,... Continue reading

By Tara C. While paying for some take-out at a local restaurant recently, I noticed a basket by the register of what appeared to be rice krispie treats topped with a dark caramel-colored topping. The topping turned out to be cajeta. If you are not familiar with cajeta, it is... Continue reading

Updated: The giveaway is now closed, and we have a winner! Congratulations to Stephanie M. (#7). I'll be in touch this week to get your mailing address to send your cookbook to. Happy cooking! *** Editor's note: Tara received a free copy of The Unofficial Downton Abbey Cookbook with no... Continue reading

by Tara C. Happy 2013, everybody! How many of you made resolutions for the new year? Have you broken any of them yet? This year I decided to set my style-related resolutions at a nice, reasonable level. I'm not exactly reaching for the stars here, but following these rules will be an improvement for me. Don't wear anything that is ripped, stained, or has holes. I know, this should really go without saying. But I'm saying it anyway. I've been guilty of ignoring little signs of disrepair, and it's just not a good look. Stop wearing things that don't make... Continue reading

By Tara C. In the melee leading up to Christmas, I feel like New Year's festivities are sometimes overlooked. And it's too bad--New Year's Eve seems like a great opportunity to bring out our fanciest food and drinks. It's a time to reflect upon and celebrate the past year and... Continue reading

Tara C. I recently came across this compilation of 38 Clever Christmas Food Hacks That Will Make Your Life So Much Easier and thought I would highlight some of my favorites here. You've probably seen some of these on Pinterest before, but some were new to me. Personally, I will... Continue reading

by Tara C. This year my 5-year-old daughter asked for an American Girl doll for Christmas. After some hesitation, I bought her one. My hesitation was based on her age and the price of the doll. These dolls are lovely but at $105 they are also quite expensive. They are, in fact, recommended for age eight and older. At five, I'm not sure my daughter is really old enough to take care of an expensive toy. I fear that by December 28 it might end up naked and tossed into a pile of other toys. Target has a similar 18"... Continue reading

Tara C. When you saw the title of this post, there's a good chance that you thought ewwww. And I know, I know, date balls are not cool. What's next, fruit cake recipes? Let me explain. Back in August, I posted about the family recipe book with photos that I... Continue reading

By Tara C. If you have seen Caitlin's wonderful gift guide (and if you haven't you should) you may have noticed that Cook's Illustrated topped her list--this year with the cookbook and last year with the magazine subscription. But let's say the food lover on your list already has a... Continue reading

by Tara C. As someone who is around 5'7" and not particularly tiny, I've never considered shopping in the petite section. In fact, I've actively avoided that section, fearing that I might look like a giant stomping around in the land of the little people. However, I recently learned from Stacy London's The Truth About Style that petite sizing is not only for the short and super-skinny. I purchased The Truth About Style on impulse from Costco. I have watched Stacy's show, What Not To Wear, for years, so I figured I would enjoy her book too. I did enjoy... Continue reading

By Tara C. Let me tell you a little story about my experience with Barefoot Contessa cupcake mixes. I once worked with a woman whose personality was pretty darn melancholy. I brought some cupcakes that were leftover from my son's birthday party to a meeting, and we witnessed a complete... Continue reading

By Tara C. If you live with a child or pet, chances are pretty good that at some point they have created a mess that has left you scratching your head and wondering how you're going to fix it. These are messes that require something special and beyond your normal cleaning routine. Here are three solutions I've found for some stubborn messes. Situation 1: Lipstick and cream blush crushed into carpet. Our master bathroom is carpeted, which I really don't like. But until we get around to changing the flooring, we're stuck with it. When one of my children was... Continue reading

By Tara C. Since becoming a parent nine years ago, I've never known the best way to handle the influx of candy around holidays, especially Halloween. What do you do with it all? Let the kids go wild and stuff themselves for a few days, then get rid of it?... Continue reading

By Tara C. I first learned about soul cakes from the Stuff You Missed in History Class podcast A Brief History of Trick-or-Treating. Halloween is commonly thought to have its roots in the Celtic festival Samhain, however a wide range of traditions paved the way for Halloween as we know... Continue reading

by Tara C. I love the way earrings look and how they can dress up an otherwise plain outfit. For instance, I might like to wear these: Or perhaps these: However, lately my ears have been rejecting all earrings. Within a few minutes of putting them in, my earlobes become itchy, red and ANGRY. I used to wear earrings a lot, but as I've gotten older it has become increasingly uncomfortable. I'm not sure which metal my body finds irritating. I've tried nickel-free earrings and they were not any better. Someone suggested that I try earring with a high gold... Continue reading