In the spring and summer, I flock towards big, bold colors in the kitchen: the bright greens of asparagus and peas, the vibrant yellow of lemons, the red hues of strawberries and raspberries. In addition to bright color, after a winter of routine meals and not-so-inspiring produce, I also reach for interesting new flavors. Lately, I've landed on rose petals and rose water.

Sometimes killing time results in a wonderful discovery. This was the case a few weeks ago while waiting to meet a friend at the all-too-good chocolate cakery Hot Cakes in the Ballard neighborhood of Seattle. It was then and there that I made a dangerous discovery: smoked chocolate chips. 

I've never made bagels at home. They fall into the category of things that I like to buy from people who do them well. Good bagels are really good, and I figure that supporting the people who have it mastered is a smart move. That is, until I saw this recipe for granola bagels. I may have been convinced to give them a try myself! I mean, come on. Chocolate chip granola bagels? 

Buttery Popcorn Ice Cream with Homemade Cracker Jack

Whether you are a kid, or just a kid at heart, sometimes there is no better way to end a summer meal then with a big bowl of rich, creamy ice cream. If you've planned ahead, nothing pleases a crowd like homemade, but if you're strapped for time, dress up store bought ice cream with an array of unusual toppings. I can guarantee you won't hear a single complaint.

Regardless of the season, my go-to dessert when people come over to visit has always been ice cream. However, I have a handful of friends who've recently gone dairy-free, so I've been creatively challenged when thinking about something other than sorbet, sherbet or fresh fruit to serve to my old ice cream homies when they stop by in the evening. Now I have a few new ideas.

I purchased a doughnut pan a few years back for a recipe testing project I was working on, but after two or three uses, it got squirreled away to my laundry room along with plenty of other unitaskers left quietly to die. I decided recently to brush off the pan and give it another go, and I am so glad I did. l will be the first to admit that these "faux-nuts" will never be as good as a warm batch of Krispy Kremes, but they are definitely delicious enough to satisfy a hankering when there's no glowing 'Hot Now!' sign in sight.

Come springtime and warmer weather, I get positively giddy when I hear the first chimes of the ice cream truck. But now I don't have to wait for the truck to make its rounds — I can make my favorite chilled treat, the Drumstick, whenever a craving hits. Seriously, this version is easy, fast, and a million times better than the original!!

I'll grant you that we've become a little coconut obsessed lately, what with the coconut chips and the coconut cooking spray and all the reasons we love coconut water. But before you declare coconut overload, you have to give this coconut sugar a try. For starters, I bet you'll never guess what part of the coconut it's made from!

Joanne Weir, a San Francisco chef, tequila expert, and the subject of one of our early kitchen tours, makes a margarita at her Bay Area restaurant Copita that is known as one of the best in the region. She says — and I agree whole-heartedly — that the biggest mistake people make with their margaritas is that they use too many ingredients like Triple Sec, Grand Marnier, or Cointreau. It’s all about the balance of sweet and tart in a glass with just a few ingredients: 100% agave tequila (Weir prefers blanco), freshly squeezed lime juice and agave nectar.