Blog Posts by Sarah McColl, Shine staff

It's hard to muster romantic feelings about winter right about now. Three-day weekends are behind us, our Valentine's flowers have wilted, and some of us can barely remember our new year's resolutions. Coworkers and friends alike report they're all feeling a little puffed-up and run-down. The season of colds and comfort foods has caught up with us, and I, for one, am in need of a little healthy inspiration. You too? Enter the mighty quinoa salad.

TasteFood | Kale and Quinoa Salad

Healthy Tasty Cheap | Warm Spiced Quinoa Bowl

Green Kitchen Stories | Moroccan Quinoa Salad

If you've got a load of cash to drop on V-Day, there's no shortage of store-bought or restaurant-procured luxuries on which you can blow your dough. But a frugal romantic need not fall short in the wooing department. Just look at Lady and the Tramp: drippy candle, table for two, smoochfest. But if you want a touch more luxury than a plate of spaghetti in an alley, a little know-how and imagination can create a Valentine's Day that's more thoughtful, more delicious, and much more affordable than anything you can find in a restaurant, promise. Stay home on Valentine's with our guide of swoon-worthy steals, and you should have money leftover for flowers. Happy romancing!

There are a million reasons not to cook: you're tired, the table's covered in mail, you're not in the mood for pork chops again, it's easier to pick something up. Even the most enthusiastic home cook gets flummoxed by what's for dinner. But there's one very good reason to go homemade: food bloggers.

© How Sweet It Is

Five years ago, there were a few stand-out blogs with beautiful photography, great storytelling, and I-have-to-make-this-now recipes. But we live in a brave new world for food enthusiasts: you can't click a mouse without getting inspired (thank you, Pinterest). This means my "want to cook" recipe pile grows taller while my reasons not to turn on the oven look increasingly pathetic.

So consider Feast Your Eyes a dose of inspiration to tie on an apron, turn on the stove, or just lick your screen. Honestly, the hard part will be choosing.

© How Sweet It Is

Let us first talk about these peanut butter pretzel bars from blogger How Sweet It Is, which caused me to gasp in my cubicle when my 3 o'clock hunger

Who doesn't love a quarterback?Truth be told, I'm no football fanatic. You won't see me crying tears of joy or defeat, whichever way the chips fall (mmm, chips). But I do love a good football game and all that goes with it: American nostalgia, plaid scarfs, tailgating, and thermoses filled with something to warm you from the inside out. You could say I'm in it for the J. Crew catalog angle.

But by the time the Super Bowl rolls around, the romanticism of the fall has long since passed, and we're deep into winter. In February, a "Which team is in the blue?" girl like me needs some motivation to stay alert. Then, friends, I'm in it for the food.

As the Giants battled the 49ers in the play-offs, I got so fired up by spicy wings and beer, I was hootin' and hollerin' alongside some of the fiercest fans. My hand ached from high-fiving. And when our spirits flagged, and overtime stretched on, there were cheese fries to fortify us. (It's hard work, but somebody has to do it.)

Quinoa, roasted squash,and kale salads all have

We're easing into the days of winter when we need all the help we can get. Pull yourself out from under the covers on cold mornings with these healthy, warming recipes. A kick-starting, cozy breakfast with a cup of tea or coffee might not raise the temperature outside, but it could raise your spirits.

The secret to home-cooked breakfasts on crazy mornings is a little forward thinking. Cook up one big batch of oatmeal that requires only a zap in the microwave in the morning. Stir together a batch of granola and then individually portion. Not up for baking in the morning? Join the club. Be a domestic goddess on the weekends, then extend the life of baked goods to make them weekday morning-friendly: tightly wrap muffins in plastic wrap and freeze individually. Thaw what you'll need in the morning overnight on the counter. Slice quick breads, wrap individual slices and freeze. Let defrost overnight, as with the muffins, or drop in the toaster straight from the freezer.

Cherry and tangerine oatmealCherry and

Betty White celebrates her 90th birthday with a custom Betty Crocker cake.Two of our favorite Bettys--Crocker and White--turn 90 this year. In honor of their shared celebration, Betty Crocker designed a three-tier triple chocolate cake for Betty White that's as vibrant and fun as the comedienne herself. (Tune in Monday night, January 16 for NBC's "Betty White's 90th Birthday: A Tribute To America's Golden Girl.") Funny, gracious, beloved, and wearing 90 years beautifully, both Bettys make us feel pretty great about the idea of getting older.

We know how you feel about Crocker. In every cookbook round-up we run on Shine Food--chef cookbooks, new cookbooks, best-selling cookbooks--the refrain is the same: Betty Crocker is the best. Whether you need to know what soft peaks look like, how to make perfect coffee, or how to set the table, you can count on Betty.

But how did you first find her? Were you given a Betty Crocker cookbook as a wedding present? Did you find it in a used bookstore when you moved into your first apartment? Did you see this commercial?

This lady makes whisking look like a blast!I hate to call them resolutions, really, since something as pleasurable as cooking shouldn't have to sound so joyless. How about intended cooking adventures or kitchen wishes? A little wordy, but it'll do.

No matter what we call them, everything in our lives right now--especially how we're choosing to nourish our bodies with what we eat--has the clean slate of a fresh beginning. And with so many of us thinking about what we want to be eating, it only follows to think about what we want to be cooking.

We asked about the recipes that knocked your socks off, and you answered. Here, the most outrageously delicious fudge, cakes, weeknight pastas, warming soups, and special occasion roasts as recommended by Shine readers. Here's to a delicious 2012!


Mushroom tacos: Jack called the mushroom tacos he made this year "a new diet staple."

Try it: Poblano and mushroom tacos

Or try: Zucchini, corn, and potato tacos