Easter is this Sunday.

Like, whoa.

It seems so early to have Easter arrive, but here it is. And it’s time to start thinking Easter menus. Mine is typically pretty similar year to year — Overnight Creme Brulee French Toast, spiral ham, an egg dish … But the first two are the ones that everyone waits for. The rest is … the rest.

But not this year. This year, the eggs will be fabulous. Perhaps a quiche will appear on the table. And we’re definitely going crazy with deviled eggs. I’ve been playing with new deviled egg recipes and shared a few over on allParenting.com (head over there to check out three fabulous new recipes for deviled eggs!). One of them will even be making an appearance on our Easter table.

What do you have planned for your Easter menu?

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What will you be digging into this weekend while watching the Grammy’s? Not sure? How about some creamy, sweet, savory Strawberry, Basil and Brie Bruschetta? It’s super fast, super easy and absolutely delicious. It’s one of the recipes in my latest article on allParenting.com — and I would love if you’d check it out.

You can find the recipe for this Strawberry Bruscetta and more 5-minute appetizers perfect for your Grammy Awards Show viewing on allParenting.com.

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It’s no secret that I really to dig into a plate of good wings while watching football. They just go together. These crispy baked wings are tossed with a sweet-spicy Thai chili sauce that is just heavenly. The flavors and textures come together in a wing-tastic symphony.

And on Sunday, you can bet that we’ll be digging into these wings while watching the Super Bowl.

Check out the recipe for Crispy Sweet Chili Wings on allParenting.com.

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Soo … Whatcha making for dessert on Super Bowl Sunday? This rich, chocolatey cupcake is the perfect dessert for game day — and your beer and chocolate loving guests will be delighted. These babies go fast.

Get the recipe for Chocolate Stout Cupcakes with Buttermilk Vanilla Frosting on allParenting.com.

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As my husband was leaving for work this morning, he said, “I can’t wait for Sunday.”

Cause, as any football fan would attest, Sunday is kind of a big day. It’s the day that the two teams who’ll face each other in the Super Bowl will be decided. And this year? One team from each division is a favorite of his — being from New England, he likes the Patriots. But he’s also a 49ers fan.

My teams? Well, there’s always next year.

This Sunday, or any game day, snacks like these Cheddar-Stuffed Pretzel Bites are perfect for munching on. And they are pretty easy — you can whip up a batch in about 30 minutes.

Get the recipe for Cheddar-Stuffed Pretzel Bites on allParenting.com.

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If not for my lovely editor, Nichole, asking me to create Starbucks Seasonal Latte-Themed cupcakes, I would have never ventured beyond the Pumpkin Spice Latte and the Caramel Brulee Latte. And that would have been a loss for me … But because she did, I met and fell in love with a whole new one … the Gingerbread Latte. After sampling several a few, I spun the fab coffee drink into a decadent cupcake.

Look, I don’t care that the holidays are over. Make these Gingerbread Latte Cupcakes. They are moist, flavorful little bits of joy.

Find the recipe on allParenting.com.

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1. Chocolate Banana Marble Bread
2. Roasted Butternut Squash, Brussels Sprouts and Onions
3. Tangy Cranberry Almond Coleslaw
4. Chocolate Peppermint Bark Cookies
5. Roasted Spaghetti Squash with Avocado
6. Barbecue Meatballs Appetizer
7. Crispy Salt and Pepper Oven Fries with Curry Dipping Sauce
8. Roasted Vegetable Quinoa
9. Cinnamon Sugar Coffee Cake
10. Buttermilk Ranch Dressing

And … now I’m hungry. How about you?

About these recipes: Every year, I use my Google Analytics statistics to pull together the top 10 most popular recipes of the year as a year end recap. I love the insight it gives into my year in food. For instance, the 2011 list was filled with baked goods, a funny thing for me since I really gravitate towards more savory dishes. When I saw that this year’s list was filled with so many savory recipes, I couldn’t help but smile because it feels more reflective of me and my work.

Thank you so much for reading Sarah’s Cucina Bella this year. It’s been a rough, emotional year filled with some really big ups and some really tragic lows. But in the end, the things that stand out most for me are the hugs, the love, the support and the care I’ve felt. Thank you. Thank everyone. And may 2013 be an incredible, happy, positive year for us all.

Happy New Year!

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About six weeks ago, I got an email from one of my editors asking me if I was interested in a special project — a cupcake project. Now, don’t get me wrong, I love cupcakes. But

But these weren’t just any cupcakes. She challenged me to transform four favorite seasonal latte flavors (from Starbucks, natch) into decadent cupcakes. I was all in. And last week, I made one that might just be my favorite of all: The Peppermint Mocha Latte Cupcake. Oh, hello.

This moist chocolate mocha cupcake is topped with peppermint frosting and a sprinkling of crushed candy canes. It’s simply divine. Just ask Shawn and the kids — who practically ate the whole batch.

Get the recipe for Peppermint Mocha Latte Cupcakes on allParenting.com.

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Cinnamon rolls are pure comfort — that swirled cinnamon center and creamy glaze remind me of childhood and family and holidays. But what if you took those flavors and transformed them into a moist, chocolate covered cake ball? Pure bliss. My kids go crazy for these sweet treats. Get the recipe for Cinnamon Roll Cake Balls on Pillsbury.com.

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See how I used the AccuCore Stainless Steel 3-quart Sauté Pan and the Unison Non-stick 10″ Omelet Pan for My Set, My Hash Browns and Eggs.

Click here to read my post and enter for a chance to win one of 16 prizes worth $8,500! You can win a $1,000 cash gift card or one of 15 $500 Your Set by Calphalon gift cards so that you can build your own perfect set!

Click here to start customizing Your Set right now!

I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls Collective, and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.

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When I was at my cousin’s for Thanksgiving dessert last week, eggs came up — and my love of them. Actually, it went more like this: my cousin was giving some fresh farm eggs to my other cousin and said “Sarah loves eggs. She eats them every day.”

I wonder how he knew that. It’s really not common knowledge. I don’t think.

But it’s true — I eat eggs nearly every day and almost always ones that are in the runny, creamy style like poached or fried. Sometimes they are breakfast with toast, sometimes they are lunch served over veggies. Sometimes they are dinner or over rice or with avocado. But one way I really, truly love runny eggs is over hash browns.

Recently, I was asked to create a recipe that’s a fresh take on a classic comfort food — and hash browns and eggs immediately came to mind. It’s like the perfect diner food — but made better with sweet potatoes and an easy at-home preparation.

To make my dish, Calphalon provided me with two of their amazing pans to work with. The AccuCore Stainless Steel 3-quart Sauté Pan was perfect for making some tender, lightly browned sweet potato hash browns and the Unison Non-stick 10″ Omelet Pan was awesome for the olive oil fried egg, which slide right out of the pan as it should. You can check out my recipe for Sweet Potato Hash Browns with Olive Oil Fried Eggs on Relish.

Calphalon has developed a fantastic new way for people to buy their cooking sets — and it’s perfect for those who love to cook. You know how sets come with a prescribed array of pots and pans — and they are all one type (such as all nonstick)? Well, that’s always seemed a little impractical to me. I mean, while I love my set of stainless steel pans, I needed more than just one type of pan — nonstick is important to have for cooking things like eggs too. So my cabinets are filled with nonstick and stainless pans that I have assembled together to create my own set … but now making that perfect for you set is way easier. At www.calphalon.com/yourset, you can create your own set based on your specific needs (how cool is that?!?).

I can’t tell you how much I adore the two pans I tried out from Calphalon. They both cook evenly and feel so sturdy. With the Unison Nonstick Omelet pan, it’s so easy to cook up foods that would normally stick — like eggs — and let them slide to the plate without a broken yolk or stuck-on-bit. The AccuCore Stainless Steel, with its copper core for even distribution of heat, is perfect for searing meats (or making hash browns!), letting the food get a nice golden hue. I really, truly love these pans.

What’s your ideal mix of pans for cooking?

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Disclosure: I was compensated by Calphalon via Clever Girls Collective for participation in this program and also provided with two pans to work with. All opinions are my own.

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