1. Salsa Verde - This salsa green from the little green tomatillos, which aren't just small, underripe tomatoes, though they are in the same family. This recipe for Tomatillo Salsa Verde is by Bruce Aidells and Nancy Oakes and is part of an entire meal of fish tacos.
2. Pico de Gallo - Pico de Gallo is a chunky "salsa" that has three basic diced ingredients: diced tomatoes, onions, and jalapeno, plus chopped cilantro. If you happen to be a fan of that baastion of Southwest cuisine, Applebee's, CDKitchen has the restaurant's recipe.
3. Farm Stand Salsa - Speaking of Applebee's, Tyler Florence (who is Applebees' spokemodel chef) has a recipe for a farm stand salsa that includes fresh vegetables fresh from the farm.
4. Cowboy Caviar - It looks like caviar, but it's really a spicy salsa made with beans. Over on AllRecipes.com, this recipe got over 1000 5-star reviews!
   
5. Roasted Tomato Salsa - eHow explains step-by-step how to make a basic Roasted Tomato Salsa.
6. Avocado Salsa - An avocado salsa isn't the same thing as guacamole. Suite 101 has a recipe for a spicy, creamy avocado salsa.
   
7. Mango, Avocado, and Shrimp Salsa - This could be a ceviche, but technically, the shrimp is steamed in water before adding to the salsa (in ceviche, the raw fish are usually "cooked" with lime or other citrus juice).
   
8. Black Bean Salsa -The Hot Sauce Blog has a recipe for Black Bean Salsa, but we love what it comes with, too -- cheese stuffed poblano peppers!
   

• A look at the cuisine of Iceland.
• How to make a meal out of what you can buy at your small local grocer.
• Can hard cider make a comeback?
• It's holiday party season, and how about trying a crudites platter?
• Here's a gift idea for the cook/sports fan in your family.
• This week's recipes: Cobb Salad with Green Goddess Dressing, Mango-Red Pepper Salsa, Roasted Chicken Parts, and Chocolate Chip Sour Cream Cake.

Ah, nachos. The old standby for parties, watching football games, and appetizers at your favorite Mexican restaurant (though not this one).

Today is National Nachos Day, and I'm not really sure how we can celebrate it. Maybe we can celebrate by putting a topping on our nachos that we usually don't have. Or maybe you can just make one of the classic nachos recipes, like this one for Italian Nachos (pic on the right) or maybe this one from the Food Network for Macho Nachos.

• This is not your father's lasagna.
• The first crop of spring in New England? Maple syrup.
• Who makes the best salsa?
• Sausages in Blankets, made with chicken and turkey sausage.
• It's almost Easter, and that means it's time for chocolate (personally, I think it's always time for chocolate).
• The easiest dinner imaginable involves chicken, tomatoes, onions and a big pot.
• This week's recipes: Poor Man's Pudding, Bellybuttons, Creamy Shad Roe with Grits and Frog In A Bog Muffins.

OK, maybe not everybody, but this guy does, and he has a new blog about it.

The subtitle of the blog says it all: "This site is dedicated to everyone who loves nacho cheese." That's pretty upfront. You know what you'll be getting if you go to the site. It's not a site where you'll learn about the baseball or discuss politics or even see pictures of his cats. Unless, of course, they're covered in nacho cheese.

For such a limited topic, this is a great blog. You'll reviews of nacho products, links to other nacho blogs, and, of course, many recipes.

Suddenly I have an incredible urge to make nachos for dinner.

For hot dips, a, electric chip and dip set might come in handy. It has an electric power base that will gently heat the included 22-oz. stoneware crock in the center of the serving plate, ensuring that every dip you serve stays pleasantly warm regardless of how long you need it to sit out. The power base has an on/off switch so that it doesn't have to be left on all the time.

If you want something that is specifically designed for the big game, check out the Wincraft Super Bowl XLI Snack Helmet, which includes a realistic, logo-bearing helmet with two snack bowls: one on top of the helmet and one inside the facemask. It's best for serving chips, pretzels or other dry snacks, but the uppermost bowl has a lid if you choose to use it for a salsa or dip that might need to be covered.

Trader Joe's is sometimes criticized for the way that they package their produce. Much of it, with the exception of apples, is packed in little plastic containers that protect the fruit from being damaged or bruised and, in general, make it easy to grab a pre-set amount of tomatoes or other fruits and veggies. The pre-set amount is usually four or five items, depending on size, and can be inconvenient if you either need a lot of things or just want one. One of Trader Joe's newest offerings appeared in stores just this week and takes advantage of the grab-n-go nature of this packaging. It is a little kit containing all the ingredients you need to make fresh salsa: three tomatoes, a jalapeno pepper, a large shallot, garlic cloves and a lime. The instructions are printed right on the label and simply direct you to five up all the ingredients, combine and stir with lime juice.

I opted to make mine in the food processor, mincing the garlic, shallot and most of the jalapeno, then pulsing in the tomatoes and extra pepper. I used everything that was included and added a little bit of salt and pepper, too.

 You can't go wrong when you make room for more healthy foods in your diet. Unlike the worst foods you can eat, these are foods that have a great taste and are good for you. Adding them to your daily routine is a great idea, whether you want to get in shape for the summer swimsuit season, to lose weight or just get a little bit healthier. Of course, these aren't all of the best foods you can eat (that list would be too long), but it's a great place to start.

Almonds -- While walnuts contain up to 90% of the recommended daily amount of omega-3 fatty acids per serving, almonds are very high in monounsaturated fats, which have also been shown to reduce the risk of heart disease. They are high in calcium and fiber, low in saturated fats and are very satisfying. A great way to incorporate more almonds into your diet is by using a natural almond butter on your toast or in sandwiches, instead of a processed peanut butter, which may have sugars, stabilizers and hydrogenated fats added to it.

Oatmeal -- Oatmeal is high in soluble fiber, protein, vitamins B1, B12 and E and is low in fat. It has been shown to lower cholesterol when eaten regularly, and has been associated with the reduced risk of many cancers, including colon cancer. Steel cut oats, which are made by cutting a whole oat groat (the most nutritious form) into a few pieces, are the best way to get the maximum benefit from your oatmeal, but regular rolled oats are a good choice, too. Avoid instant oatmeals and, if plain is too boring, top a bowl with any kind of fruit or some of your own spices.

Tomatillos, despite their name, are not actually tomatoes, though they are members of the tomato family. They are members of the nightshade family and grow all over the western hemisphere, thriving in the southern United States and Mexico. The plant was originally domesticated by the Aztecs, well over 2,000 years ago, and was brought back to Europe by explorers and settlers, where it continues to flourish in Mediterranean climates.

Tomatillos are typically one to two inches in diameter and are green in color. They have a thin, papery shell on them, called the husk, that the fruit actually grows into as it matures. By the time the fruit is ripe, it may have split the husk open, though it is sometimes held in place by a slightly sticky coating. Peel back the husk before using a tomatillo and wash the fruit gently in soap and water to remove any unwanted residue. When selecting a tomatillo in the market, look for one that has a husk in good condition, rather than one that is shriveled. A fruit that is small, but heavy for its size is likely to be sweeter than a larger one.