Blog Posts by Sunset Magazine

Indulge in one of these surprising, dangerously delicious recipes.

Single-Girl Melty Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake
Single-Girl Melty Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake
L.A.-based blogger Joy Wilson says, "I'm a single girl. That means I don't have to feed anyone but myself...and I can have chocolate...for dinner." This version of a standout recipe in her Joy the Baker Cookbook ($20) adds peanut butter or bourbon, two of Joy's favorite flavors.
> Get the recipe

Post Ranch Inn, Big Sur, CA
Post Ranch Inn, Big Sur, CA
The most dramatically situated and architecturally ambitious of the Big Sur inns, Post Ranch Inn has rooms set along the bluffs and others tucked away in the forest. And what do we think of the clifftop rooms? Wow. As in: Wow, check out those end-of-the-earth ocean views and get a load of those James-worthy bells and whistles.
> Related: Monterey Bay Area hotels

Rolling Huts, Methow Valley, WA
Rolling Huts, Methow Valley, WA
Skip the snow cave, and check into a stylish winter perch. Tucked into the tranquil upper end of northern Washington's Methow Valley--where the loudest noise is the swish of cross-country skis--are the Rolling Huts, tricked out with platform beds, wood-burning fireplaces, and sleek kitchenettes. If cooking isn't your thing, order tapas to go from the Wesola Polana Diner, and snuggle in to watch shadows play on the peaks above the ponderosas. Or ski out your door 6 miles for an espresso and fresh-baked goods at the Mazama Store. No tickets necessary for the nightly

From lipstick-worthy red hues to nature-inspired shades, there's a red to suit every taste.

Create a bold backdrop
Create a bold backdrop
A lipstick red wall sets off black-and-white family photos and is absolutely made for showcasing a collection of handmade valentines hung from a picture rail.
> Related: Decorate with your favorite things

Red kitchen island
Red kitchen island
A coat of brick-red paint makes the island the star of this kitchen.
For a sophisticated look, try pairing one red object with neutral tones. Here, dark-wood surfaces and stainless steel appliances do the trick.

Create interest
Create interest
This built-in display is all about function (it houses art and conceals stereo equipment) but the bright color helps make this workhorse feature look special too.
> Related: 14 key decorating strategies

Define a space
Define a space
In this home office, a wall of red delineates the work area from the rest of the space. The invigorating shade can also help keep you alert and focused.

Update a classic
Update a classic
Don't be afraid to introduce bright red

It's not game day without eating some sausage! Try one of these easy, creative sausage recipes for your tastiest Super Bowl Sunday yet.

Argentine-style sausage sandwiches
Argentine-style Sausage Sandwiches
For these sandwiches, Morgan Robinson, chef-owner of Smoke Open Fire Cooking in Napa, grills the sausages outside (and the cheese too, in a small cast-iron skillet). This indoor, cold-weather version is easily expanded to feed a crowd.
> Get the recipe

Wine-glazed sausages with watercress potatoes and sauerkraut
Wine-glazed Sausages with Watercress Potatoes and Sauerkraut
This recipe works with nearly any sausages except super-spicy ones, which would be overpowering with the tangy sauerkraut. You can easily double the amounts here.
> Get the recipe

Chorizo with shrimp and toasted pasta
Chorizo with Shrimp and Toasted Pasta
In Spain and Mexico, this style of soup is called fideos (after the thin noodles used) and can be very brothy, like this version, or very dry (when it's called sopa seca). You can double this recipe, or even triple it.
> Get the recipe

Grilled Beer-cooked Sausages
Grilled Beer-cooked Sausages
Simmering these sausages

Spinach, chard, pea shoots, and kale are just a few of the greens that take center stage in these healthy and hearty dishes.

Tagliatelle with Nettle and Pine Nut Sauce
Tagliatelle with Nettle and Pine Nut Sauce
Seattle chef Ethan Stoll serves this delicate, fresh-tasting sauce over housemade nettle pasta. Nettles have small stinging hairs when raw; once cooked, they're safe to touch.
> Get the recipe

In a small space, being creative with color, materials, and layout yields big payoffs-and savings.

Mix high and low
Mix high and low
Inexpensive furniture mingles with high-end touches in the living room: Ikea curtains hang on plumbing pipe behind a $1,200 chandelier from Leah's shop; custom pillows sit atop a bargain (at $579) settee from Urban Outfitters; a hand-painted chinoi­serie coffee table rests on an old Pakistani rug ($85 on eBay).
> Related: Tips for freestyle decorating

Update secondhand furnishings
Update secondhand furnishings
A $10 framed mirror from Goodwill reads "high class" with a couple of coats of high-gloss red paint.
> Related: Turn secondhand finds into eco-chic decor

Create multi-purpose areas
Create multi-purpose areas
With no proper dining room, the breakfast nook functions as such-and doubles as an art table for the homeowners' two daughters. Thankfully, the vinyl cushions are specially treated to resist ink "and basically everything known to man," says Leah. The benches provide storage space under their hinged lids. Bold

Make the ultimate appetizer for game day with these recipes for delicious dips.

Creamy Spinach and Parmesan Dip
Creamy Spinach and Parmesan Dip
Spinach is a vitamin powerhouse. Cottage cheese subs for sour cream, making the dip high in protein and low in fat. Scoop it with whole-grain baguette toasts.
> Get the recipe

Don't let your collection just sit in a closet--start enjoying those paintings, posters, and photos right now.

Shelve it
Shelve it
Have more bookcases than free wall space? Hang your art on the shelving itself. This works well for both large and small pieces; with small ones, group lots of them together or they'll get lost visually.
> Related: Great ideas for shelves

Let art imitate life
Let art imitate life
Who says that art has to be serious? Hanging a picture of a bed, above the bed, is just the right amount of cheeky.
> Related: 14 key home decorating strategies

Interrupt the pattern
Interrupt the pattern
A boldly graphic piece give the eye somewhere to land in a room full of patterns.

Use negative space
Use negative space
Corners are notorious difficult places to fill. Take the opportunity to make your own curated corner gallery.
> Related: How to decorate with your favorite photos

Don't commit
Don't commit
For less serious art, like concert posters, keep them off the wall so that you can rotate them on a whim.
> Related: The rules of freestyle decorating