I unfortunately find myself lately driving straight through PA on 78 in both directions fairly often. Any favorite places to stop along the way that isn't a chain?

I'm making wedding favors for a bride, and she wants 2 truffles in a box with a bow. What size boxes do I want, and what's the most cost effective place to order from?

I've looked at nashvillewraps and papermart, but the sizes vary as do the prices.

I just made a KILLER blueberry sorbet. But it just wasn't as smooth as I wanted it to be. I strained it first through a wire strainer, but still seeds and smaller bits of skin. The flavor is fantastic, but how would I make it smoother next time? Food mill? Cheesecloth?

DH's bday is approaching. When I ask what kind of cake he wants the answer is always chocolate with raspberry filling. I'm tired of making chocolate cake with raspberry filling. I like to experiment.

So help me one-up the boring go-to choice with something else chocolatey and raspberry-y.

Looking for a BBQ or Greek place in Washington DC. Kid friendly (meaning not quiet and romantic), and mid range price (Under 20ish an entree?).

Found a recipe using tamarind, and I had never bought it before. I assumed it was a powder, but could only find a paste.

Does a powder version exist?
How long does an open jar of the paste last?
Refrigerate or in the pantry?
Any other recipes I can try since there's a ton left over?

A hard core craving for sweets kicks in. You have no ice cream in the house. Just a well stocked baking cabinet - nothing fancy, but all the basics. What do you bake to curb the craving?

Talk to me about cake donuts. I kind of want one of those donut pans (like a muffin tin, but round openings).

Would I just use a regular cake recipe for batter? Any recommendations on the pan? Tips?

What does a vegetarian hostess make for dinner for her gluten free friend? We used to just eat out, but now we're both broke and figured it makes more sense to stay in. Help!

15 people. 75ish latkes. (last year I thought 3-4 per person and we ran out early)

What's the best way to make them so that I'm not standing over the stove the whole time, and they are eating them faster than I can cook them? My mom says fry in advance, freeze, and bake day of. Is that blasphemy?

I have a bunch of blue potatoes, and company coming this weekend. Roast them? What else? Can't decide if the color is beautiful or a bit of a turn off...

15 people, roast chicken, latkes, sufganiyot.

What else? I need sides and appetizers - vegetarian for the non chicken eaters, and non dairy.

The other post about "finish you food and then..." got me thinking. I never say to my son (2 years old) "if you finish your veggies you can have a cookie". I don't want there to be rewards for eating veggies, and I don't want to have to use cookies as leverage.

He's a pretty good eater, but I'm always looking to improve my strategy. Anyone have good tips on getting a 2 year old to try new things, or how to react if he doesn't like anything at all on his plate?

So far he's pretty good about being coaxed into taking just one bite, and putting it aside if he doesn't like it. On the rare occasion that he won't eat any of the items on his plate, I hate giving in to fruit or cheese or whatever easy alternative there is, but I never want to force him to eat anything he doesn't want.

My friend just "hired" me to bake a cake for our friend's bridal shower. I've made some awesome cakes for smaller family gatherings, but for some reason I'm intimidated by the bigger crowd (maybe 30 people). And since she's paying me I can't mess this up!

Here are my questions:

How many people does a regular 9" layer cake feed? That's what I'm used to making.

Should I instead make a rectangular sheet cake?

If so - how? What size pan? Double the recipe and bake a bit longer?

Someone please talk me down, and tell me this is no harder than a round cake.

I have some very dried out vanilla beans - I can make extract with these, right? So I just soak in vodka? How long do I leave it?

I've only recently started cooking more and more Indian style dishes. After last week's attempt which was very turmeric-heavy, I made quesedillas the next night. My tortillas turned yellow while cooking. I yelled at DH for not washing the pan well enough. So I washed it myself. The next night I pan fried some tofu... and my tofu turned yellow. Oops. Do I need to designate one pot as "turmeric only"? My favorite wooden spoon is also now yellow.

I've finally built up a few basic spices in the spice cabinet for Indian cooking and am trying to do more of it. I've done some nice bean and veggie dishes, and want to try some things with paneer. Where do I buy it? Or am I better off making it? I don't make a lot of cheese because I hate how much liquid goes to waste. What's my best option?

Does anyone have a home-based food business? Making a product in your home, packaging and selling it locally? I know there are regulations in terms of using commercial kitchens, but are there ways around that to get started since it's not worth the rental fees for a few small test batches? Any tips?

I'm going to a potluck, and of course the host is making corned beef and cabbage. I'm in charge of the vegetarian main dish.

I want to make something green enough to be kitschy and fun, but also taste awesome. It's for a main dish, since there will also be some veggie sides, so I want something with at least a bit of protein. Some kind of green fritter type thing? No food coloring please, just veggies or beans....

Everyone tells me I need a crockpot. Do I?

I'm a vegetarian, so recipes would be limited. If I make soups and stews, do they taste as good in the crockpot? Will it make my life easier? I prepare dinner from scratch just about every night, and use few prepared products and ingredients.

Any tips for sending baked goods overseas? I;m told it can take 7-10 days for packages to arrive. I have access to a food saver to vacuum seal. Any other tips? What kind of things won't last long enough? What kind of things will?

Is it just crudite? I feel like it has another name... the platter of whole celery stalks and carrots and olives on crushed ice that they automatically put on the table in some restaurants.

It feels very 1980s to me. What's it called? Is it as outdated as I think it is?

I made the cookie stuffed cookies with the niece and nephew and they loved making (and eating) them. Any other baking projects like thse that anyone can think of? Things that will blow a little kids mind as much as stuffing a cookie inside a cookie?

My office's kitchen is fairly well stocked - coffee, tea, hot chocolate, soft drinks, milk, juice, pretzels and friut.

When my own desk drawer is out of snacks I need to get creative with what they offer. What kind of things do you make with the stuff your job provides? There's gotta be something interesting I can do with all of that!

I'm a vegetarian. The husband likes broccoli, and peppers, and that's about it. So I won't eat meat, and he won't eat the wide variety of veggies I would like to cook with. Meal planning is getting boring, as we try to come up with things we both like we eliminate lots of new ideas.

Help!!! I haven't made an eggplant parm in like 3 years since he just wont eat it. How do you accommodate different eating styles in your house without pandering to the lowest common denominator?