In keeping with the fiesta theme this week, today we are talking tacos. I have never made it a secret that tacos are one of my favorite foods. And I am not talking about the ground beef mixing with a package of seasonings – though, those are perfectly delicious – I am talking about the homemade kind with great toppings. Over the weekend while I whipped up some chorizo tacos while we were enjoying our sangria.

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As part of my year as a food correspondent for Sargento I am exploring the wild world of mushrooms. It has been awesome so far, playing with new ways to enjoy mushrooms. I love any excuse I can get to find new ways to eat them at home. This week I picked up a few portobello mushrooms and kept them around for a few days until I could decide what to make. I always enjoy a good portobello mushroom burger, but this time I wanted to change it up and come up with something easy and fresh.

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Last weekend my neighbor had us over and she served the kids dirt cake for dessert. I have to be honest, most of the adults had a few bites too. It was a hot mess of sugar, candy, and cookies and was totally, sinfully delicious. Needless to say, the children fell in love with the concept of dirt cake and my daughter begged me to make it for her class for my planned visit. How could I refuse? It is such a cool idea! Since a lot of the children in her class have food allergies I was challenged with the process of making the cake completely dairy and gluten-free.

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It has been a crazy busy week around here and I haven’t gotten much cooking done. Over the weekend we were helping my in-laws move and spent most of the time packing up the attic. It was exhausting! Anyway, the one thing I have been doing, when putting my feet up at the end of a long day, is flipping through some new design books I got this spring. They are my new favorites! Design, architecture, and style have always been interests of mine. More like side interests, things I enjoy but am not necessarily an expert at. As my husband will attest, I could spend hours rearranging our furniture, building tablescapes, and styling my coffee table. My eye is still a work in progress, but I am getting there. While I tinker away I am always looks for new ideas and these books have really been inspiring me lately.

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Over the weekend I am pretty sure everyone in Connecticut turned off the heat, threw open the windows, and breathed a deep sigh of relief. The thermometer was north of 50 degrees F for the first time in five months! Naturally, the minute I felt the rush of spring I indulged in some long overdue spring cleaning. Nothing too wild, just the usual rummaging through closets, cleaning out cupboards, etc. It felt so good to get rid of the dead weight and haul a few bags over to Goodwill! Since I know a lot of you are probably in the same boat – spring cleaning like mad people, relishing the chance to start the season anew – today I am sharing my top ten tips for preparing your kitchen for spring and summer. If you see anything I am missing, please let me know!

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If you even hint to me that there is a fresh lobster roll in my immediate vicnity I am there. Seriously, a good roll is one of my all-time favorite foods. Especially in the summer. So, when my husband came home last month and told me that the new LobsterCraft food truck was in the area for the afternoon I threw the kids the car put the pedal to the metal. No matter that it was the last snowstorm of the year (I hope!), I wanted me some fresh lobsta!

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I have been a huge fan of Daphne Oz ever since she started on The Chew. Her youthful energy and commitment to health is such an inspiration! I wish I had has it as together at her age as she does now. (Just saying that makes me feel so old!) Lucky for us, this week Daphne stopped in for a quick interview about her awesome new book, Relish: An Adventure in Food, Style & Everyday Fun. Anyone looking for an uplifting book filled with healthy recipes, solid life advice, and tips for home improvement this volume is for you!

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Today I am thrilled to kick-off my holiday gift week chatting about one of my favorite causes, Cookies for Kids’ Cancer. I know cancer isn’t necessarily a fun topic, but making cookies and selling them to support pediatric cancer research is definitely a fun thing to do. For me there are fewer things that feel better or more worthwhile than putting my baking skills to good use during the holiday season. This month I have joined several of my food blogging buddies to create and promote a great Holiday Recipe Video series featuring our favorite holiday cookies to support Cookies for Kids’ Cancer.

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Vegetable Pie  * Quinoa Salad * Roast Lamb * Green Beans * Easter Cloud Cake * Coconut Shortbread with Lemon Buttercream