Design & Decor Blog

I’ve already had lunch but suddenly, I’m ravenous again …

Recipe: Flourless chocolate cake

Recipe: Mint and zucchini pasta

Recipe: Spinach, ricotta and dill pies

All recipes excerpted from No Time to Cook by Donna Hay. Copyright 2009 by Donna Hay. Excerpted with permission by HarperCollins. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.

Looking and smelling positively good enough to eat, these products from Calgary-based Frilly Lilly are actually supposed to go on your body, not in it! The product line (inspired by desserts, of course!) launched in 2005 and since then has garnered recognition here at home and with our neighbours to the south; the line has been picked up by Fred Segal in Santa Monica, Kitson in Los Angeles, as well as The Palms and The Wynn hotels in Las Vegas. And with plans for expansion, the Frilly Lilly brand is about to go global; they’re already in Hong Kong, France and Qatar with plans to open more international boutiques in the future. But I’m simply in love with the fabulous offerings Frilly Lilly puts forth, not just because they’re wonderful products and beautifully packaged, too, but because this company is homegrown talent at its best. For more information, visit frillylilly.ca and click here to find a list of boutique locations.  Even better, visit their online boutique and shop from the comfort of home! OK, ready to check out the goods? Here are some of my faves!

Mini Cupcake Bathcakes
Price: $16.00 CAD

Pink Lemonade Lip Butter
Price: $10.00 CAD

Lemon Meringue Bathcake
Price: $12.00 CAD

Fresh Tangerine Sugar Scrub
Price: $28.00 CAD

And for more great decorating and design inspiration, follow me on Twitter!

Every day, it’s inevitable. Around 3pm in the afternoon, I start to crave sugar. I just seem to need an extra jolt to push me through to the end of the day. And today, the perfect match for my sweet tooth would most certainly be these lemon cupcakes.

Excerpted from Cupcake Kit: Recipes, Liners, and Decorating Tools for Making the Best Cupcakes! by Elinor Klivans, this recipe is easy and makes a delightfully delicious sweet treat.

“Lemons are always in season and these lemon cupcakes are ready to party, to picnic, to lunch, or to take part in any happy occasion.

The yellow part of the lemon peel has a strong lemon flavor and is used to flavor the cupcake batter and frosting. Be sure to wash and dry lemons before grating the peel, and to grate only the colored part of the rind (the white pith under the rind is bitter). The cake flour used here adds an especially tender texture to these cupcakes. It can be found in the baking section of supermarkets.”

Get the entire lemon cupcake recipe! Plus, check out our food section for more easy recipes.

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This blog post is designed specifically to make you salivate. These Rice Krispie treats (pictured left) from The Crispery are available for order only in the U.S. (boo!) but they look so yummy, I had to share! They come in a variety of individual flavours like: Caramel and Marshmallow, Peanut Butter, Coconut and Chocolate Dipped Crispy to name a few. Mmmm! It’s not like my hometown of Toronto doesn’t have its own fair share of bakeries that make mouthwatering treats. This blogto.com blog post lists the best cupcakes in Toronto, for example. And Rice Krispie squares are easy enough to make at home (though The Crispery certainly adds an original twist to an old favourite!) If you’re interested in making your own squares at home, here are a few recipes from Canadian Living: Cocoa frosted Rice Krispies peanut squares, Rice Krispies fruit and nut granola bars.

Anyway, I’m just feeling mighty hungry now. If you’ve got an insatiable sweet tooth and are looking for more ideas, check out our Food & Entertaining section, full of easy recipes for delicious desserts! The weekend is the perfect time to try your hand at a new recipe.

Here are a few of my faves (pictured right):

Chocolate dream scone with mascarpone spread
Cranberry pistachio biscotti
Baby butter and jam sandwiches