Ahhhh, 7-11 Coffee - it is addicting! And we have the absolute secret to finding the freshest pot of coffee. Look at the inside rim of every coffee pot. The one with the most condensation on the inner plastic spout is the freshest!

So the next time you are in 7-11 getting one of those amazing cups of coffee, look for the condensation. Then fill your cup to the brim with steaming hot fresh coffee, french vanilla cappuccino, or any of the other condiments you have a fancy for - and enjoy!

Having trouble coming up with new, healthy ideas for your child’s lunch? Is your son or daughter eating the dessert and skipping the carrots? How about serving up some Kid Sushi!

This is especially fun for younger children who enjoy the novelty of "sushi" in their lunches. Take a piece of bread and flatten it out a bit. Put on anything that your child enjoys that would wrap well – cheese, peanut butter, tuna, ham, pimento spread, shaved carrots – whatever sounds fun and healthy. Now, roll the bread along the longest edge and pinch it so it won’t unroll. Take a serrated knife and cut off pieces to resemble sushi. Pack two blunt wooden chopsticks to make the lunch even more unique!

The next time you grill kabobs, add some extra flavor to your seafood or meat. Cut a few branches of rosemary and rinse them thoroughly. Pinch the top of the branch and pull it downward, stripping off the rosemary pieces. You can leave a few rosemary pieces on each end for a nice look to your final meal. Now, use the cleaned branches for your skewers! This gives your grilled food a unique and delicious flavor that won't overwhelm the overall taste. The rosemary branches will also add a beautiful look to your kabobs.

This tastes delicious and will last if sealed tightly in the fridge. Cream together 1/2 pound softened bleu cheese and 8 oz softened cream cheese with a fork or pastry blender. Stir in 1/8 tsp. nutmeg and 1/3 to 1/2 cup of brandy. Serve at room temperature. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Nothing can be better than a homemade lemon square!





1/2 cup butter
1 cup flour
1/2 cup confectioners sugar
2 tbsp lemon juice
grated rind of one lemon
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup sugar
2 tbsp flour
2 tsp baking powder

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Make a crust combining butter, flour and confectioners sugar. Pat into the bottom of a 9" square pan and bake for 15 minutes. Prepare filling by combining remaining ingredients, mixing well. Spread over baked crust and return to oven for 15 minutes. Cool and cut into squares.

If a raw egg spills on the floor, don't wipe it up with a paper towel. That will only smear the egg and make more of a mess. Instead, sprinkle a generous amount of salt on the egg and let it dry. Then sweep the egg up with a broom.

How many times have you burned the top of your arm trying to get individual baked potatoes out of the oven? The next time you plan on baking potatoes, place them in a muffin tin and slip them in the oven. When they are done, simply take out the one tin with all the potatoes.

The next time you are baking or frying breaded meats, prepare them and then place them in the refrigerator four about five hours before frying. This will retain the breadcrumbs, making your meal fit for a king!

Is your soup or gravy too salty? Too much salt in your broth? Add a quartered white potato to the pot and boil for ten minutes, then remove the potato pieces. This will help to take away the salty taste.

With the holidays around the corner, you will probably be asked within the next month to come to a party and “bring a little something” for the buffet. With time so short, we have an award winning dip that is fast, easy and amazingly delicious. When you read the recipe, you won’t believe how good this can be. But trust us – there won’t be a drop left to take home after the party!

Buy two large containers of sour cream and a box of brown sugar. Scoop the sour cream into a bowl and add about a half cup of brown sugar. Stir and taste. After you pick yourself off of the floor, add more sugar if you feel it needs it. You want enough sugar in it to hide the taste of the sour cream without being sickeningly sweet. When you have the right balance, you won't be able to tell what ingredients make this rich flavor.

This is one of those recipes that is truly, “add to your taste.” Now if you think you can handle another wonderful test – dip in a piece of pineapple. Then apple. Then a grape. Now the best – a strawberry! This dip is creamy, rich and tastes of vanilla.

Place the bowl of sour cream fruit dip in the middle of a dish and arrange fresh fruit around it. Don’t be surprised if many people ask you for the recipe to this dip – and think you are joking when you tell them the two ingredients. Although this is a simple recipe, the taste is full and beautifully complicated. It must be magic!

This morning I was watching Rachael Ray and decided to try the quick dinner of the day. It was boneless chicken breast coated in pretzels, fried and accompanied with a fast cheese sauce.

I’m happy to say the entire family absolutely wolfed the dinner down and then went back for seconds. And it really was a quick meal to prepare. Rachael used chicken breasts that she pounded thin. I only had pork chops in the freezer so I used those. I think I would prefer the chicken next time, but the pork was still delicious. Mix a few eggs and some milk together and dip the pork or chicken in to the egg.

For the breading, simply take several cups of pretzels and either hand crush them or run them through the food processor. Make sure there are still pieces of pretzel intact – you don’t want a mixture of pretzel powder. Coat the meat with the pretzels and fry them up in a pan that contains just enough oil to reach the middle of the meat.

Rachael also made a cheese sauce for the meat. She melted butter and added flour, letting it cook until brown. Then she added milk, mustard and lots of cheese for the cheese sauce. After tasting the final product I decided to give it a bit more zing. I added hot sauce and some leftover champagne to make it simply delicious.

For a side I steamed broccoli and made rice with chicken broth instead of water. As my family sat down I asked them to guess what I used to coat the pork. One said rice crispies (well, it did look close to that!) and the other guessed pretzels right away. There wasn’t a scrap of food left on anyone’s plate.

So Rachael, you sure did hook us up tonight. Thank you for the fast, easy and a bit unusual recipe. I plan to add this meal to our regular family dishes!

I am very upset and just have to shout about it. Today, I went to 7-11 for my daily coffee and found all of the cups changed to cardboard. I gasped in horror as my eyes drew up to the flat plastic lids, then back to the cardboard cups. Surely this must be a mistake! Where are those wonderful plastic cups!? Where are those incredible lids with the sliding top? I broke out in a cold sweat as the panic swept over my entire being.

Not one to walk away from a new experience, I sheepishly poured my cup of 7-11 coffee, adding a bit of french vanilla cappuccino at the end. Immediately I knew I was in trouble. My hand began to feel warm... no, practically began to burn! I set the cup down and found the cup insulators - just begging me to try one. They looked up at me mockingly, knowing if I used one I would immediately drop the cup as the insulator slid to and fro. I decided to be brave and go without.

After crying to the poor cashier, I angrily stomped to my car with my cup of coffee. As I closed the door, a new horror arose. My car began to reek of hot cardboard... this is not good! I drove back to work, and not being able to stand it anymore, tried to open the top. Five minutes later, I took a big swig. BLAH! Cardboard Coffee! More stomping as I walked in to work. By the time I was half way down the hall, the coffee began to slosh out of the cup and down my hand. Huge droplets of my precious liquid java spent on the floor - such a waste! Hands covered with sticky coffee, I opened the door to my office space.

7-11, how could you do this to me! How could you take my one true joy and turn it in to cheap, drive-thru coffee? You work so hard to provide your customers with excellent fresh coffee, and then you serve this Cadillac in a Yugo cup??! Oh the pain, the agony... the absolute feeling of defeat as I type and sip my paper infused coffee. Hmmm, I wonder what McDonald's cups are like?

Tired of the same old rice? Tonight, why don’t you try something new – and easy! Instead of using water to cook your rice in, replace it with chicken broth. Any store bought one will do. This simple change adds a nice depth to the flavor that will keep them coming back for more. Top with some chicken and feta cheese for a healthy, flavorful meal.

For some more easy rice recipes, use a whole can of cut tomatoes with the juice, adding water to make your liquid two times the amount of rice. Try some spices as well – oregano, garlic or basil. Or squeeze some lemon juice in your chicken broth and sprinkle the finished rice with fresh mint.

Our favorite rice side dish? Melt about two tablespoons of butter in your pot. Add half a pack of Lipton Onion Soup Mix to the butter. You can use the whole package and more butter if cooking for a large family. Pour in your water. Again, two parts liquid to one part rice. Add rice and let it cook. This is a fabulous side that can be taken to pot lucks or parties– and trust us – everyone will ask for the recipe!

Want a great dish to serve at the big game? How about an amazing and easy Reuben Bread Bowl?!

Purchase a large round baked bread from your local store, bakery or sandwich shop. Slice the top off to make a bowl shape. Carefully scoop out the bread to make a crusty bread bowl. Slice the bread you scooped out in to cubes or rectangles. You can leave these as is or toast them in the oven for easier dipping.

Now spray an oven-proof dish with non-stick cooking spray. Add chopped pastrami or turkey, sauerkraut and Swiss cheese. Bake at 350 until the cheese has melted. Transfer the heated food in to the bread bowl and serve with your cut bread slices. If you like, place a bowl of brown mustard or Thousand Island Dressing on the side.

This is a quick and delicious dish to serve at your next party. It will make the crowd go wild!

Are you tired of crying every time you cut an onion? To help reduce the tears while you are cutting onions, try a few of these tricks!

First of all, a refrigerated onion will be easier on your eyes than a room temperature one. Then use a sharp knife, which will burst fewer onion cells than a dull knife. Always leave the root intact, since that contains the greatest amount of propanethial-S-oxide – the “root” of your tears!

You can place a lit tea candle near the cutting board to help reduce the irritants in the air. And while you are cutting, keep your mouth open. Strange, but true!

Ok, we all know that we have to eat healthy. Vegetables are at the top of the list, and fast food is at the bottom. But there are times when we find ourselves in front of a fast food restaurant at lunch time with no other options. And frankly, you haven’t had an order of hot, steaming fries in months!

So how do you actually get those fries steaming hot? Or get a fresh, juicy burger rather than a cold hard one? For the fries, ask for an unsalted order. This will force them to make a fresh batch just for you. Then if you like, add the salt at the table.

As for the burgers – it is best to ask for something a bit different from the menu listing. There are just too many fast food joints that have rows of ready-made burgers sitting under the heat lamps. So order a burger with no ketchup, or have them add extra onions - anything to make it different. This will help to make your order fresher and better tasting. Then savor those hot fries and that juicy freshly made burger. And later that night? Have yourself a nice healthy salad – or two!

Do you have some folks in the house who love sweet tea, while others enjoy it unsweetened? For those who like it sweet, spooning sugar in to the glass just doesn’t seem to do it. The sugar never quite mixes, and most of it simply sinks to the bottom.

The next time you make a batch of fresh iced tea, place a pot of water and sugar on the stove. Heat the mixture until the sugar is melted and the water is syrupy. If you enjoy lime or lemon, place a slice in the syrup as it cooks. Store the cooled syrup in the refrigerator.

Now, the next time you reach for some iced tea, pour in some sugar syrup for that wonderful North Carolina sweet tea flavor. The sugar will mix flawlessly with the tea, making it perfect refreshing summer drink.

Summer is a wonderful time to plant an herb garden. Whether you have a nice bit of land for planting or a simple window box, herbs can be grown quite easily.

Once you have fresh herbs on hand, you will be surprised at how many creative ways you begin to use these wonderful meal enhancers.

This is one of those recipes you will make a face at - until you try it! The next time you grill hamburgers outside, open up a can of pineapple rings and throw them on the grill too. They don't need long - just enough to warm them and give them a smoky flavor.

Now comes the strange part. Put a few pineapple rings on your hamburger and taste the magic! If you think about it, people have been adding pineapple to ham dishes for years... so why not beef?

Our favorite? After you flip your hamburgers, put some smoked gouda or cheddar cheese on the top. When the burgers are done, make yours with a bit of mayo, pineapple and some grilled jalapeño peppers. The sweet and the hot combined with the hamburger meat makes for a fantastic burger. Try it!

You have GOT to try these potatoes. They are easy and taste like you worked all day to make them. The kids go crazy for them, and they are yummy the second time around!

First, find some small to medium sized potatoes and wash them. In the meantime, saut some garlic in olive oil in a pan. Add onions if your family enjoys them. Salt and pepper to taste. Now, place your potatoes in the pan and fill the pan with enough chicken broth (store-bought is fine!) to cover them halfway. Cover and cook until they are soft.

Take off the lid and let the broth boil down. As it starts to get low, carefully flip your potatoes over. Now the fun part. Grab yourself a glass or coffee mug and carefully squeeze down the potato until it slightly cracks. When the skin on the bottom is a bit crispy or appears caramelized, flip the potatoes one more time if you want the other side to be a bit crispy. These potatoes are particularly tasty with kosher salt sprinkled on them.

The beauty of this recipe is its versatility. If you have no broth, use water and onion soup mix. Or use broth as well as the soup mixture. If you are short on time, microwave the potatoes first. Rosemary is delicious with these too, as well as a bit of parmesan cheese sprinkled on top. Use your imagination, and believe me, your family will thank you!

How would you like to look like an iron chef without even breaking a sweat? The answer? Puff Pastry! No no, you won't be rolling layers of dough, folding and spending hours in the kitchen. It's as easy and going to the frozen pie crust section of your freezer and taking out a box labeled, "Puff Pastry."

With puff pastry, I have made some gorgeous meals that took less time than the old "standards." Usually the pastry comes in two sheets, each the same rectangular size. Now here comes the magic. Simply put the first layer of dough on a cookie sheet, place filling on it and then place the second layer on top. If you like, add an egg wash for golden color, but this is not necessary for a beautiful dinner. Bake as directed and voila - you will get "oohs and ahhs" from everyone in the household!

I use puff pastry when I am at a loss for ideas as well as ingredients. Last week I simply sauted garlic in olive oil, added ground beef and tossed in some Worcester sauce, a touch of catsup and some water and flour to make a bit of gravy. On my first puff pastry night I again sauted garlic and olive oil. Then I added leftover shredded chicken, some fennel seeds, a bit of wine, flour, butter, sun dried tomatoes and some parmesan cheese. Just look around your refrigerator and cabinets for some great ideas.

You can use any type of filling imaginable. If you have a bit more time, try making individual pastries or fancy edges. You can even make a dinner with one layer of puff pastry and a topping - almost like a pizza. Once your masterpiece comes out of the oven, it is a light, crispy, fluffy and gorgeous puff pastry 'delight' that took absolutely no time to make. Try it, you'll LOVE it!

We love coming across a restaurant that only the locals seem to know about. You know the kind! From the outside it might look old or cheap. But the moment you walk in you are greeted by friendly staff, a wonderful chef and fabulous home cooked food. Usually we hear about these by word of mouth.

So we thought, why not try a “word of mouth” local restaurant directory on the internet! But not just a list of restaurants – you can find that anywhere! We want people to put in their favorite local eatery – the one that might not be fancy, but makes the best food. So we called it, Area Gems, to highlight your area’s “gem” of a restaurant.

Obviously there is no way we can do this on our own. This has to be a restaurant directory created by folks like you and me. It is a way you can support your favorite local restaurant, while telling others just how great it is.

Will you help us build this new site? If everyone who visits puts in just one restaurant, we will have a site simply brimming with awesome ideas for a great local place to eat. But we can’t do it without you. Will you take just a moment of your time and plug in your favorite fabulous Area Gem?

Click here to add your favorite restaurant - and thank you for helping!

Imagine taking a bottle of Tabasco sauce and shaking it into your mouth. Immediately your mouth is filled with a sweet, wonderful flavor. You then chase it with some vinegar, which melts like sugar in your welcome mouth. Are you dreaming? Not if you have just eaten a Miracle Berry from the plant Synsepalum Dulcificum!

Indeed, a new craze is spreading around the world. People are beginning to host Tasting Parties using what is deemed the “Miracle Fruit.” When you eat one of these berries, a molecule binds with your taste buds, making sour and bitter foods actually taste sweet! The effects last from thirty minutes to as long as two hours.

Some are hosting parties in which you pay to get in, and are given one berry upon entry. After eating the berry, you are given an array of sour and bitter foods, from limes to hot sauce and wine. Each of these foods taste incredibly sweet, which may or may not be pleasing to some!

Imagine the possibilities. Eating a berry before swallowing bitter but necessary medicine. Or giving a reluctant broccoli eater a berry before dinner!

Miracle Fruit is not for everyone – and is more of a gimmick nowadays then something easily accessible and regularly used. But if you would like to try it, you can visit www.miraclefruitman.com for a fun personal trial!

Linguine and clam sauce… exotic and hard to make, right? Not at all! My Aunt taught me a simple way to make this wonderful and easy dish.

The next time you are grocery shopping, pick up a few cans of clams, some linguine, a lemon, garlic, olive oil, parmesan cheese and oregano. For a family of five, I like to use two soup-sized cans. If the store only has the “tuna sized” cans, I’ll get four.

To make this great dish, sauté some garlic in olive oil in a pan. Add some oregano, and then throw in your clams, including the juice. Pepper to taste, but you probably won’t need any salt after adding the clams.

Then, add about a cup of water and turn up the heat enough for it to simmer. As the sauce boils down, keep adding more water. This brings out the wonderful flavor of all your ingredients. You can make this ½ an hour before you eat, or keep it cooking for a few hours, adding water as it gets low.

Believe it or not, you are done! I like to add lemon juice to mine, and fresh parmesan cheese on top makes this a delight. But it is actually fabulous on its own. And even more surprising? My three children LOVE this dish. Clams??!! Yes… clams!