"cooking with amy" news and stories

Each many Friday afternoons, I sort through the list of recipes, newspaper articles and blog posts that I've bookmarked over the previous week (or two) in order to dish up a tasty assorted eight. Here's the selection this week:

• Several weeks ago, Amy made Franks & Beans and I just haven't been able to get them out of my mind.
• We all have beloved kitchen tools that serve us well over the years. In this fun little post on Simmer Til Done, Marilyn says goodbye to her oven mitt.
• Food Networks stars immortalized in pancakes?
• Trix Are For Kids makes Lara Bars at home. Easy, cheap and you avoid any possible contact with contaminated peanut butter.
• Love the taste of roasted garlic, but can't quite seem to manage to make it successfully in the oven? CNET's Appliance and Kitchen Gadgets blog introduces us to the counter-top garlic roaster.
• Need a romantic dessert for your sweetie? Bake up a cake in this silicone cake pan that spells out LOVE.
• Did you know that Thin Mints make up one quarter of all Girl Scout cookies sold each year?
• I love cakes that get better after a day or two. This Danish Sand Cake from Kate at Warm Olives and Cook Cocktails sounds like it deserves a place in the rotation.