Piping frosting onto cupcakes, instead of simply spreading it on, can really change the look of your desserts. With neat little swirls, the presentation will look a cleaner and more professional. I have a pastry kit and will use the various star tips from time to time, but the best - and by far the easiest - way to pipe on frosting is to use a regular plastic bag. Simply scrape the frosting into the bag with a spatula, twist the bag at the top, just above the level of the frosting (this pressure forces it to go forwards, rather than getting stuck in the bag) and snip off the corner. A large opening is the best for covering large areas, but a small opening can let you get really precise when you want to use this method to ice cookies or other intricate patterns.

Kids love to use bags like this for decorating, by the way. They are much easier to maneuver than a spatula full or frosting and usually end up making less of a mess. Use a ziplock bag for an extra barrier between the frosting and the floor, just in case.

Gingerbread men are a bit of a hassle to bake. Mixing up the dough is not the problem and neither is decorating the cooled cookies or eating them. They annoying thing about the cookies is that the dough has to be chilled, rolled out, cut and rerolled before the cookies can even be baked. It is time consuming and, when you consider that you could have made at least a batch or two of chocolate chip cookies in the mean time, it doesn't always seem worth the effort. But there is no denying that the cookies are cute. Fortunately, Wilton makes a gingerbread man pan that can be used to bake little cakes, muffins, brownies and even mold rice crispy treats into gingerbread men. It is much faster than working with the cut-out cookies and you can still have fun decorating them. One additional bonus is that the cake pan gives you an easy alternative to cookies when the holidays tend to be cookie-heavy as far as desserts go.

Even though birthdays occur all year round, it sometimes seems like there are a lot of parties and other cake-making occasions during the summer. Perhaps it is the lack of other major holidays that draws attention to other events. One thing is for sure: if you make cakes, you're going to have to decorate them and if you decorate them, you may as well get a book that will give you some great tips. Pretty Party Cakes: Sweet and Stylish Cakes and Cookies for All Occasions has more than just cakes, but the emphasis is on dolling up desserts. All of the techniques that author Peggy Porschen uses are broken down into easy-to-follow steps, which make even beautiful wedding cakes possible for novice decorators. There are also some great photo tutorials. If you prefer more individual desserts, or simply feel more comfortable starting out with smaller things, there are cookies and cupcakes that will more than satisfy your desire for design.

If you're on a short-term mission (im)possible to get in shape before swimsuit season like me, then perhaps a little spring re-decorating is in order. As Nicole pointed out yesterday, what colors we paint our walls can affect the way we eat. Ever notice that burger joints use lots of red, orange, and yellow? That's because the opposite, cool colors like blues and greens, help to diminish your appetite. Sounds like a trip to the local Sherwin-Williams might be in order.

However, it's not just about the color of your walls. Research also suggests that fragrances that come from things like scented candles can also help, too. Scents like vanilla tend to calm and reduce the appetite, as does peppermint. According to Dr. Alan Hirsch, of the Smell and Taste Research Foundation, the scents of green apple and banana may also help in weight loss. However, as research has also warned, don't only rely on candle light at dinner time, since dim lighting tends to make people eat more.

I am not the best cook in the world, my children will easily vouch for that. Everyday when dinnertime arrives, I am always surprised that I am the one expected to figure out something nutritious, whip it up and serve it on a plate. And although the cooking process does not stir my inner muse, a beautiful kitchen does. I love watching cooking and redecorating shows just for the sole propose of ogling those gorgeous appliances. The classic stainless steal is smart and quietly whispers class and sophistication.

But I like a splash of color here and there.

Currently I am on a red kick, having just purchased a red Oster toaster oven and a lovely red tea pot. But I am starting to see orange pop up in the color scheme. This is not your horrid, screaming orange of the 1970's era, but rather a whimsical, perky orange that says, "Welcome to the new millennium. Let's cook up some fun cookies!" These orange appliances also have the vintage curves of yesteryear to lend a softer and more comforting feel to the kitchen. Who knows, if I had a kitchen chock full of happy and inviting appliances, I might be more apt to cook dinner in a timely fashion.

White chocolate is a great choice for making chocolate decorations because it is easier to handle than dark or milk chocolates. It is mostly cocoa butter with milk solids and sugar. It doesn't have cocoa solids, and does not have the same problems with "blooming" as milk and dark chocolates. Blooming is when cocoa butter appears on the surface of chocolate, contrasting with the cocoa solids and giving the chocolate a whitish appearance. While I have seen a few mentions that white chocolate must be tempered, a technique used to stabilize other chocolates, I have never done so and have never had problems with it.
For the snowflake cake, you can make the whole vanilla cake or decorate the icing of another kind of cake. To make the snowflakes, simply chop white chocolate and seal it into a plastic bag. Place the bag in a bowl of hot, but not boiling, water, until it melts. Cut off one of the corners of the bag and pipe snowflakes onto a piece of parchment paper. The snowflakes can set up at room temperature or in the refrigerator. When they are set, gently press them into smooth, white icing for a beautifully wintry look. The cake will have a slight crunch from the snowflakes, followed by a melting creaminess as the chocolate warms in your mouth.

[Photo by Nicole Weston]