Serious Eats - seriouseats.com

For a collective New Year's Eve party, I threw myself into making not one, not two, but three complicated appetizers and desserts. My proudest achievement was my successful completion of the delicious Bailey's Boozemuffins. Decadent!

When I was a kid, it was all about Little Debbie snacks, especially Swiss Cake Rolls (preferrably after they had been in the freezer for about an hour so they could harden up and make peeling off the chocolate easier and more delicious).

Yeah, even my friends who are die-hard Starbuck freaks are not into this deal. Of course, I'm completely biased because I work for B&N and its true that our discount card really is a better deal since the range of stuff you get discounts on is better. I admire Starbucks for their idea, but it is a wee bit too similar to our own and we've already heard customers telling us how they're mad that Starbucks (which has a store in the mall in which we're located) is trying to rip us off. Obviously, they are exaggerating, but it does seem a little odd.

Oh man, someone beat me to the Publix praise. I swear, there is no grocery store like it. Not only is their produce selection fantastic, but their store brand is sometimes superior to the name brand. Oh, and seriously, their Publix Deli Subs are the glorious antidote to a horrible day. Oh, and recently they started putting in a couple of "Gourmet Publix" in the Florida area and it was like green-hued HEAVEN. I actually jump for joy and giggle like a mental patient when I know I get to go there. Since Publix is only located in the Southeast (Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, Alabama and Tennessee), the many friends I have had that moved out of their range actually cry out with pangs of loss. Whenever they come back to visit, no matter what the urgency, they HAVE to stop at Publix for a sub before moving on. I actually have plans to leave Publix's area of influence in the near future and nearly everyday my boyfriend must assure me that I will find another grocery store to love, even if its not Publix. I'm completely sad, I know, but they are just that good.