It’s Nona again. Lindsey will be back tomorrow.

Some of my favorite dishes are the simplest to make. And as much as I like to cook and bake, I also take a little store-bought help wherever I can find it.

I made one of my favorite desserts Sunday night. I started with a chocolate angel food cake from the Kroger bakery. I put the cake on a plate, poked holes in it with a fork and drizzled a big shot of Kahlua over it. I let the cake sit for an hour so it can soak up all the liquid. After about a half hour, I set two 8-ounce containers of mascarpone cheese out on the counter to get to room temperature.

To the softened cheese, I added another shot of Kahula, a quarter cup of powdered sugar and a couple of tablespoons of Hershey’s syrup. I whipped that all together into a smooth frosting and covered the cake with it. Then I put the cake in the fridge to chill until after dinner.

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As long as we’re on the subject, I wanted to share a recipe I didn’t have with me at my desk yesterday when I wrote the asparagus entry.

This recipe originally came from my friend and co-worker, Natalee Waters. But like many recipes, this one traveled an unusual path. Natalee gave it to me, I gave it to my dad, I lost it and dad gave it back to me. Ha.

I first tasted this when Natalee brought it to a cookout at my house. It has a wonderful Asian flair and it’s a perfect dish for a potluck or a cookout because it can be eaten chilled or at room temperature. And it can be eaten with your fingers as described in yesterday’s blog entry.

Keep bringing on those great thoughts and recipes about this favorite veggie.

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It’s that time again, folks — time to give away a free cookbook to one lucky blog reader!
Since March is National Peanut Month and we live in one of the peanuttiest states in the country, if not THE MOST peanutty state in the country, I figured we might as well go with a peanut theme.
Peanuts can contribute in a fine way to just about every course in a meal. Pad thai is terrific with crushed peanuts, roasted peanuts are fab on a tossed salad and peanut butter…well, peanut butter is the king of all manners of cakes, pies and cookies. It can also be incorporated into sauces, marinades and soups.
Of course, some folks would say their favorite way of eating peanuts is roasted, salted and straight out of a can. Especially if that’s a Virginia’s Finest can.
The cookbook I’m going to give away today is called The Only Bake Sale Cookbook You’ll Ever Need by Laurie Goldrich Wolf and Pam Abrams.
Conveniently, it contains a recipe for a treat called Everything Peanut Squares. It’s got your peanut butter, your chopped peanuts and your peanut butter chips. It’s chock full o’ nuts!
You can find the recipe below. And if you’re interested in winning this cookbook, write a comment about the best peanut-related food experience you’ve ever had. The deadline is Wednesday.
Have a nutty weekend! But not too nutty…

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Ten years ago, I would never have considered rolling a lime on the counter before cutting and juicing it.
I never would have thought to serve pasta on warm plates or bring eggs to room temperature before adding them to a cake batter.

These are the little tips we pick up along the way, from the moment we decide to roast our first whole chicken in our tiny apartment to the day we present a table of 10 with a gorgeous standing rib roast and a fine red wine.

Since I began to cook seriously, I’ve had dozens of “Aha!” moments as I pored over recipes, cookbooks and chef’s memoirs. I’ll venture to say that some of us will go to our graves not knowing several simple tips that would have made cooking and entertaining so much easier.
In my mind, that’s one of the best things about writing a food blog. Almost every day, someone has kitchen advice to share with the rest of us.

I’ve come across a book that is packed with such tips. It’s called “Kitchen Wisdom” by Anne Sheasby, and I would recommend it to anyone who strives constantly to improve their productivity and safety in the kitchen.

A few gems from the book:

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