Graduation season is upon us, and you know what that means: graduation parties. Parties that typically include lots of young individuals. Young individuals who will arrive armed with appetites ready, willing and able to polish off any amount of food laid out, and still have enough room for cake.

Believe me, they’ll be expecting cake. Every party needs to have some cake.

If the thought of preparing a huge cake, cutting it into slices and portioning the slices out onto plates doesn’t quite appeal to you, why not do cupcakes instead? They’re cute, come in individual sizes, and are pretty much the same as cake, except in miniature form. (Side note: A muffin, on the other hand, is more like a quick bread than a cake. Which is why you’ll find it under our Breads category, and not under Desserts.)

So I thought I’d round up a few options for you, because I like you so much, and also because it means I get to look at lovely photos of cupcakes.

Clockwise from top left: Almond Cupcakes with Ultimate Vanilla Buttercream Icing from threepeas, Maple Pecan Cupcakes from wynk52, Banana Cupcakes from Bakerella, Peanut Butter Cupcakes from loveandbutter (Jamie), Key Lime Cupcakes with Coconut Buttercream Frosting and Toasted Coconut from missamy, Apple Spice Cupcakes with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting from multiplydelicious, and Chocolate Cream Filled Vanilla Bean Cupcakes with Vanilla Bean Frosting from Kelly @ EvilShenanigans.

 
 
What’s great about cupcakes is that you can also create versions of your grad’s favorite cake, candy, or even cookie. That adds a nice personal touch, and since the guests will all be friends and family, everyone will recognize the gesture. Here are some cupcake recipes that are a take on popular candies and desserts.

Clockwise from top left: S’more Cupcakes from myrecessionkitchen, Snickerdoodle Cupcakes with Cinnamon Buttercream from threepeas, Strawberry ‘Cheesecake’ Cupcakes from lairythecupcakefairyxx, Cannoli Cupcakes from Tracy (sugarcrafter), Turtle Cupcakes from pleasanthome, Cookies and Cream Cupcakes from HowSweetEats, Tres Leches Cupcakes from piescientista, and Oreo Cupcakes from Tracy (sugarcrafter).

 
 
You can even decorate the cupcakes with a theme in mind, like the Beach Cupcakes seen below. If you want to get even more creative, Ree has a great post on How to Decorate Cupcakes with Fondant from that time Bakerella visited the ranch and killed all of us with the cuteness of her creations. Or you can simply choose to make cupcakes in your grad’s favorite color.

Clockwise from top left: Red Velvet Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting from sweettooth, Blue Velvet Cupcakes from sprinklebakes, Coconut Cupcakes with Pomegranate Frosting from FrontierKitchen, Chocolate Cherry Cupcakes from Cooking Ventures, Lucky Green Velvet Baby Cakes from pickypalate, Ree’s Yellow Cupcakes with Sticky Chocolate Icing, and Beach Cupcakes from chefmommy09.

 
 
And finally, you didn’t think I would do a post on desserts without showing you some chocolate, did you? From chocolate chips to flourless versions to mint and even salted caramel creations, feast your eyes on some of the mouthwatering chocolate cupcakes I found. (There were so many of them, I didn’t even have room to include Ree’s incredible Life by Chocolate Cupcakes in the collage.)

Clockwise from top left: Chocolate Yoghurt Cupcakes from Bindi, Chocolate-Peanut Butter Cupcakes from ThreeManyCooks, Mint Chocolate Cupcakes from manicmother, Flourless Chocolate Cupcakes from elanaspantry, Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cupcakes with Chocolate Sour Cream Frosting from Winnie Abramson, Fleur de Sel Cupcakes from melting, and Chocolate and White Chocolate Chip Cookie Cupcakes from multiplydelicious.

 
 
So there you have it, just some of the many ways to serve up some cupcakes for that upcoming graduation party! Or any party, for that matter. I remember that I once made chocolate cupcakes and threw myself a graduation party. I was graduating from laundry, mopping, and bathroom-cleaning duties. No one came, and I ended up eating all the cupcakes. Then I had to clean up after. It was a sad day, made better only by chocolate.

 
Do you have a graduation party coming up? Tell us your plans! If not, do you have any stories to share about past graduation parties? Did you also try to graduate from household chores like I did? Because, despite the no-show, I’m still planning to pull that one again. I’m hoping someday, someone will believe me.

 
Today’s theme post is more like a theme and member feature combination. Most of you know that this weekend is the weekend that dads get to be in the spotlight, and I figured we’d start early. So today at Tasty Kitchen, it’s all about the guys!

(Disclaimer: I need to say up front that I had no way of systematically picking out all the men from our list of members, since we don’t even ask you for your gender when you sign up for an account. So for the most part, I relied on memory. Which, in my case, is probably the worst possible approach. So if I missed you, please accept my deepest apologies. Then be sure to let me know about it in the comments below!)

Let’s start at the very beginning: breakfast. Our guys think nothing of taking over the kitchen first thing in the morning and whipping up the morning meal. And they have the recipes to back them up. Seriously, there’s just something about dad making eggs and pancakes in the morning that just makes the day feel really special. It’s even more special when it means you get to lounge around in bed in your jammies for a few extra minutes.

Clockwise from top left: Huevos Rancheros from daxphillips, Whole Wheat Oatmeal Pancakes from mrnate, Homemade Protein Bars from Cooking Ventures, Daddy’s Special Waffles from matthewebguy, and Truckstop Buttermilk Pancakes and (White) Chocolate Pancakes from clarkitect.

 
 
Guys like to nosh, too, and fortunately, they’re quite adept at making great stuff to munch on. Whether it’s appetizers or dips, spicy or mellow, they’ve got it covered. They sometimes get all fancy and exotic, too. (I like to think they do that for us ladies. Making assumptions in our favor is a small hobby of mine.)

Left column, from top to bottom: Steve’s Gooey Cheese Bread, Spinach Balls from daxphillips, and Creamy Chicken Cracker Dip from JasonJ. Center column, from top to bottom: Zucchini Cakes from detzelpretzel (a.k.a. Pastor Ryan), Chili Cheesecake from dnvrbronco, and Grilled Stuffed Jalapenos from boturner. Right column, from top to bottom: Goat Cheese and Pistachio Stuffed Grapes from montanaeats and Petite Braunschweiger Cups from jimguymd.

 
 
And main courses? Fuggedaboutit! I’m not just talking meat and potatoes here, although we’ve got plenty of that. Along with hearty, uncomplicated meals like goulash and fried chicken strips, we’re also talking tostadas, shrimp creole, and linguine with clam sauce.

Top row, left to right: Cajun Meatloaf from detzelpretzel, Budget-Friendly Goulash from Cooking Ventures, and Margarita Shrimp Tostada from daxphillips. Middle row, left to right: East Buffalo Chicken from matthewebguy, Q’s Southern Fried Chicken Strips from qcancook, and New Orleans Style Shrimp Creole from Frank. Bottom row, left to right: Linguini with Spicy Clam Sauce from calou84523, Popeye’s Chicken from goodthingks, and Pulled Pork Pockets from patiodaddio. Not pictured: thatedeguy’s Chili recipes and Caveman Cooking’s delicious-looking (and sounding!) 2+2 Tequila Chili.

 
 
To end the meal, we’ve got some great dessert recipes from them too. Cheesecakes, tortes, ice cream, pies, cookies … they do it all!

Clockwise from top left: Barbecued Sweet Potato Pie from patiodaddio, MeMe’s Cheesecake from BigDaddy, Cookies ‘n Cream Ice Cream from daxphillips, Mini Chocolate Souffle from montanaeats, Apricot Coconut Cloud Torte from JasonJ, and Orange-Glazed Pumpkin Cookies from dnvrbronco.

 
 
Do you have any special weekend plans for the dad in your life? If you’re wondering what to make for them this weekend, I figured I’d cheat a little and peek into the Community Recipes that they saved in their recipe boxes. (Sneaky, eh?) You know something? Lots of them had soup recipes saved. All kinds of different soups. Who knew!

 
Of course, they had other great stuff saved, too. I picked out those that appeared in more than one recipe box and put them together in the collection below.

Clockwise from top left: Crash Hot Sweet Potatoes from Donalyn Ketchum, Cinnamon Bun Pancakes from sapeylissy, Divine Breadsticks from Melanie, Volcano Cakes from mamabunny, Sweet Potato Fries with Lemon-Chipotle Mayo from Jessica, French Toast Bites from crystalscozykitchen, Beef and Potato Tacos from Cooking Ventures, and Funnel Cakes from HeatherD.

 
 
And there you have it! Our small tribute to the fathers (and by fathers we mean dads, grandpas, father figures, and fathers-to-be) everywhere who do what they do so well. You carry so much on your broad shoulders, and often let us take credit for it. You let us inflict our kitchen experiments on you, and you don’t complain too much when we try to serve you a salad as a meal. And you even pretend to enjoy dishes you really hate, just because you like us.

 
We hope this weekend brings something special to all the fathers who deserve it. Now it’s your turn to chime in! Tell us the most wonderful thing about your dad (or husband). Yes, you can pick more than one.

 
For a football fan, this weekend isn’t just any football weekend. It’s the weekend. The weekend important enough to cause re-scheduling of Mardi Gras parades this year. The one when folks plant themselves on the couch for hours, strategically positioned for the best view of the TV. When snacks aren’t just nice to have; they’re mandatory and usually the only grub served. When adults are allowed to hoot and holler and scream at officials on the screen without being shushed or stared at. And, I admit, it’s just about the only time I actually look forward to watching commercials.

You know what else this weekend is good for? It’s good for noshing. Copious amounts of noshing. And few noshes are as welcome—or even expected—on a Superbowl spread than Buffalo wings.

But of course, you know how we are. We’re not going to show you a recipe for Buffalo wings. Instead, we’ll show you all the incredibly creative ways our members have riffed off Buffalo wings. Because we’re kinda crazy like that, and riffing’s what we do best. (Remember these Cauliflower Buffalo Wings?)

Okay, here we go!

 
 
 

Hot Buffalo Chicken Dip from Rebecca of Foodie with Family. You know we had to start with this.

 
 
 

Buffalo Chicken Quesadillas from Jessica of A Kitchen Addiction. Because adding melted cheese that you can pick up with your hands is always a good thing.

 
 
 

Speaking of picking up melted cheese with your hands, how about some Layered Baked Buffalo Chicken Nachos courtesy of Jessica from How Sweet It Is? Sign me up.

 
 
 

Buffalo Chicken Bites from Sommer of A Spicy Perspective. So we can all be a little more dainty-like.

 
 
 

This kills me: Spicy Buffalo Chicken Cannoli, from Sandy of Everyday Southwest. The first time I saw this, I needed to sit down for a moment and remember to breathe.

 
 
 

Buffalo Chicken Flat Bread Pizzas by Laurie of Simply Scratch. This one, too. I almost had to break out the smelling salts.

 
 
 

Or, if you’d rather skip the frying, you can make these Buffalo Chicken Wraps from Bev Weidner. Or make both! You know you want to.

 
 
 

Shredded Buffalo Chicken Tacos by Kate of Diethood. Mmmm. Tacos. They’re always a big hit.

 
 
 

Or go with pasta instead, like this Baked Buffalo Chicken Pasta. Jessica does it again! She knows her stuff, that Jessica.

 
 
 

Buffalo Chicken Potato Skins by Amy of A Stool at the Counter. Like Amy says in her blog post: “It looks like Buffalo wings and potato skins had a love child, and it just showed up to watch the game with you.”

 
 
 

Jalapeno Popper Buffalo Chicken Macaroni and Cheese from Lauren’s Latest. This is one awesome threesome. Not that I generally approve of threeso—you know what I mean.

 
 
 

Buffalo Chicken Meatballs from Colleen of Souffle Bombay. Meatballs swimming in spicy tangy cheesy sauce. Doesn’t get much better than that.

 
 
 

Buffalo Chicken Soup by Cassie of Bake Your Day. Give me a loaf of hot buttered garlic bread for dunking, and I’ll be a happy camper.

 
 
 

Grilled Buffalo Shrimp Po’ Boys by Jennifer of Mother Thyme. Because Buffalo ain’t just for chickens no more. (That’s me trying to sound all cowboy-like. And failing miserably.)

 
 
 

And finally, we have these Soft Pretzels with Hot Buffalo Cheese Sauce by Tieghan of Half Baked Harvest. If yeast scares you, you can at least make the Hot Buffalo Cheese Sauce and buy some pretzels, make breadsticks from store-bought dough, or just serve it as a dip for chips or veggies.

 
Of course, you can always just stick to the classic Buffalo Wings, which will be a hit with everyone. But so many of these variations look incredibly good, it’s hard to resist trying even just one. Or three. And if you have your own favorite version that wasn’t mentioned here, shout it out below!

Do you have any big plans this weekend? Are you game central, where everyone hangs out? Or do you have a friend with an amazing setup, the place all your friends want to go to for the game? Got any friendly wagers going? Any tips for those of us dreading the post-game cleanup? Do share!

 
Someone told me about a big game going down this weekend. For some, it’s THE biggest game of the year. There are folks who are so hip to the game that they know everything from the point spread to the MVP odds. Some simply watch it for the commercials. Maybe this year, a few will tune in just to see if The Who can still rock it. And few may be wondering what the big deal is about a giant dish that holds soup.

Whatever group you belong to, chances are, you’ll be around a bunch of other people this Super Bowl Sunday, whether it’s at your home or someone else’s home. There’ll be friends, family, loud conversations, and food. Lots of food. Mostly the kind that you can hold in your hand while jumping up from the couch either giving everyone high fives or trying very hard not to throw things at the television.

It’s been known to happen.

If that sounds like your upcoming weekend, we’ve got you covered! There are lots of game day choices here, from dips cold and warm, to all kinds of pizzas, finger foods, different versions of chili … and many of them require minimal preparation, so you can actually enjoy the game with everyone instead of being stuck in the kitchen where the smallest television in the house sits.

For starters, here’s a virtual staple for any football party: Salsa, Baby! TK member Stefanie’s recipe is fresh, simple, and is a cinch to throw together.

 
 
 
If warm dips are more your thing, how about this beauty from whiteonricecouple? Their Baked Sweet Onion Dip only needs about 20 minutes of prep time, and then it goes into the oven for a mere 30 to 45 minutes. (And no, there are no game day favorites being implied here with that horseshoe in the photo.)

 
 
 
You could also make cookingdunkinstyle’s wonderful spin on queso below. Her Chery’s Kicked Up Queso is just the thing to keep everyone dipping all day. Make sure you stock up on chips!

 
 
 
And take a look at these Sausage Stuffed Mushrooms from Mariel Emory. These little bites look so good that they may never make it past the kitchen.

 
 
 
If your worried about feeding a group of famished carnivores, we have just the thing for you. Here’s a Slow Cooker Pulled Pork from one of our other favorite guys around here, Cooking Ventures. It’ll make awesome sandwiches that will keep everyone happy, and maybe even some wraps for the ladies.

 
 
 
Make extra, so you can make some “brain-dead easy” Pulled Pork Pockets from our resident grilling pro, PatioDaddio.

 
 
 
So, do you have big plans for this Sunday’s big game? Are you going all out with your spread, or are you just planning on a big batch of your favorite chili and calling it a day? (If so, we have some Baked Hushpuppies from beachbumwannabe that’ll be a wonderful complement to your chili.) Or maybe pizza’s your thing, the kind that only needs a phone and some fast-dialing fingers.

Whatever it is you’re planning, here’s hoping your Sunday is filled with wonderful food, good friends, and screen-protected televisions. I hear they can repel BBQ sauce-coated projectiles.

We’re just looking out for you.

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