1. I’m posting on Thursday instead of Saturday.

2. I’m featuring my favorite bakers from Tales from a Kitchen Misfit’s Baking & Bidding to End Cancer!

Using baked goods donated from local bloggers and bakers, Amanda from Tales from a Kitchen Misfit is raising money to benefit the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society by running the Boston Marathon! I’m excited about her success so far and I hope you’ll support her efforts to fund cancer research.

Like something you see below? The auction ends this Saturday, January 28, at 8pm. So get your bids in soon!

Here are my top picks. You can find the full list here.

Cara’s Cravings’ Chocolate Mint Chocolate Cookies

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Tri to Cook’s Rosemary Olive Oil Cake

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The Jey of Cooking’s Bacon Chocolate Chip Cookies

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Beantown Baker’s Hot Chocolate Cookies

Ready? Go bid!

Wallet looking a bit empty?

When it comes to food, I’ll try anything (exception endangered animals, that’s where I draw the line). A little hole-in-the-wall or a five-star eating experience – I love to try everything. As you know, I’m on a serious budget, so here are my top seven tips to being an adventurous eater on the cheap:

1. Eat out for lunch, eat in for dinner. Lunch deals are great. When I lived in small towns, I looked for lunch specials Monday-Friday. Since moving to Boston I’ve been spoiled by inexpensive lunch combinations every day of the week. You’ll receive a slightly smaller portion of food during lunch hours compared to dinner, but often for half the price. Plus, you can sample appetizers and entrees all within one order (for example, I’ve been to Thai places where you can order a soup, spring roll, dumplings, and noodle dish for $8 or $10).

2. Take advantage of happy hour. Massachusetts state law (unfortunately) prohibits discounted drinks, but the good news is you can find half-price appetizers before 6pm and on late-night menus. Instead of paying $8-$12 per app, you can make a meal out of them for less than $15. Plus, you’ll be able to sample multiple dishes.

3. Go to an expensive restaurant during you city’s Restaurant Week. I’ve enjoyed three-course lunches at great locations including Oishii, Henrietta’s Table, and Mooo… for $20 (dinner is $30). The next Boston Restaurant Week is March 18-30 and the Winter 2012 Dorchester-Milton Restaurant Week is on now through January 30.

4. Master a dish you love to eat at a restaurant. I’m known to crave Indian food. I would always eat it out because, when it came to cooking my favorite dishes, I had no idea where to start. I attended a beginner Indian cuisine class last year at BCAE and increased my confidence to start cooking Indian food at home. Any home cook will tell you – aside from super fancy, imported, or rare ingredients – making a meal is significantly less expensive than having someone else cook it for you.

5. Use online discounts, but be smart about them. I’ve bought and never used LivingSocial and Groupon ’deals’ before they expired (which is worse than simply paying on my own). Sites like LevelUp and Scoutmob are my favorites: LevelUp offers discounts to use at the time of sale and you pay through your LevelUp account; Scoutmob provides 50% off (and a few freebies) to select shopping and dining locations in major cities throughout the US.

6. A little research can go a long way. There are cultural and culinary gems in every town and city, no matter what the size. Take some time to try out lesser-known spots and I guarantee you’ll be glad you did. For example, Boston’s Chinatown and Allston/Brighton areas have some of the best Chinese and Korean restaurants that you’ll never see on Phantom Gourmet. Be adventurous – you’ll get to better know your city and you’ll save money.

7. Search out free food events. Twitter is a great tool for this – for example, @BostonTweet will let you know about everything from free burrito giveaways to fun local festivals. Town websites often have calendars where they’ll post upcoming events – HarvardSquare.com is updated frequently and perfect for this. Sometimes just showing up to an event ready for a few samples can introduce you to new products and restaurants you’ll love.

So those are my tips. Have anything to add? Feel free to comment!

I ate raw for a few days this summer. While I wouldn’t want to continue it long-term, I had so much energy, slimmed down while eating everything (raw) in sight, and found a bunch of great new recipes. As you may have read on my Food Goals for 2012, I’m planning to eat raw for at least two days each month this year. For a rich – raw – treat, check out these Avocado Chocolate Truffles from hearthstrung by way of golubka. They’re very impressive-looking!

Tracey’s Culinary Adventures has a recipe for (Panera-style) Broccoli Cheddar Soup. I rarely go to Panera, but when I do, I always order the Mediterranean Veggie on ciabatta or…the Broccoli Cheddar Soup! Very excited to try this recipe.

These Salt Roasted Pears with Cajeta from ‘desserts for breakfast’ are gorgeous. Enough said.

New York, New York Food Crawl from ‘The Small Boston Kitchen’ hits a bunch of must-try NYC spots. From Katz’s to Les Halles, this is the definition of a proper food crawl!

‘Eat, Live, Run’ shares a Thai Fire-Pot Soup recipe that looks perfect for one of these chilly nights we’ve been (finally) having in the Northeast. Not that I enjoy this below-freezing weather, but it is the season for it.

It’s great to be back! And just in time because it’s mid-January and I have some food goals.

1. Eat more whole grains, seeds, and beans. Quinoa, for example, is a complete protein and gluten free. I love the nutty flavor and it holds up well in a variety of dishes. Eating whole grains instead of more processed foods (pasta, bread, etc) is something I’m striving to do in 2012.

2. Can (and pickle!) fruits and vegetables during the summer. I’m very excited to can fresh produce and make use of my Joy of Pickling book by Linda Ziedrich from Harvard Common Press. This will mean visiting farmers’ markets, looking for inexpensive (and local) fruits and veggies in the market, and… I plan to sign up for a CSA this year! I split a share in college and loved it. Please feel free to name your favorite Boston-area CSAs (preferably pick up will be less than 10 miles from the farm).

3. Buy more local foods. Slightly more difficult in Boston than in rural areas, but definitely possible. I’ve been trying to buy food exclusively from the US (even though Florida is still far away, it’s closer than China), and from Massachusetts when available.

4. Share baked goods. I love baking, but I know I shouldn’t eat lots of sugar (or throw out food). This way, I can share with friends and I won’t eat everything.

5. Plant and grow my own (apartment-style) herbs and vegetables. So far I’m considering basil and mint. This will be exciting to document – I gardened every year when I was young, but it’s my first time indoor gardening. Anyone have suggestions? From plant varieties to window boxes, I’m looking for resources!

6. Do a raw detox for two days/month (breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks). I love eating raw. If I worked from home and lived in California, I would eat maybe…50% raw, but winter in New England and sitting in an office 50+ hours each week doesn’t make this a feasible option for me. A two-day detox will be perfect to correct any bad habits I’ve fallen into during the month, jumpstart my energy levels, and it will encourage me to try some new recipes.

7. Be prepared with healthy snacks. Chocolate is my go-to snack. Those terrible 20 minutes before dinner is ready when I can’t wait any longer…chocolate. Mid-day on the weekend when I want something sweet…chocolate. You get the idea. There are so many other – and still convenient – options for these snacks (carrots and hummus, dried fruit, an apple and peanut butter, etc), I just need to have them ready to go before I make a bad decision.

I’ve been reading great posts lately about 2012 goals. Here’s to staying focused and accountable!

You’ve been together on-and-off for two years. The relationship is generally good – you look forward to spending time together, you’re optimistic about the future, you’re growing in similar ways. Then, one afternoon you have a small disagreement and you realize – this is not where you want to be! Something needs to change.

Have you ever felt this way? A romantic partner, best friend, thesis…blog?

In mid-December I attended five Boston blogging events over a week and a half. I enjoyed the company of other bloggers – some new faces, some already friends – summarized my blog about forty times, and realized I felt stuck.

So I stopped posting, turned off my Twitter phone application, and took a break. I had accidental breaks in the past – a week or two would go by without writing, but I would always attempt to make time for it. Not this month. I completely shut off my blogging and social media planning with no plan of when I’d return.

I’m back now and it’s funny how all of this came together right before the start of the New Year.

You know I love food. You may have figure out two of my favorite things are travel and sociology. You might even have a feeling I’m an artist (painter, primarily). So, where is all of this in EatingPlaces? Going forward, I plan to follow something Richard from The Passionate Foodie recently posted on Twitter:

@RichardPF: If your blog is the same at this moment as it was one year ago, there is something wrong. Be dynamic, not stagnant.

Blogging about restaurant reviews and recipes is fine and I enjoy it, but I’ve been craving something more. Something that challenges me and makes use of my passions. If you’re a blogger, how has your blog evolved?

If you’re an EatingPlaces reader, what do you like most about this blog and what would you like to see change in the future?

See you in 2012!

The Short List is arriving a bit late today because it’s been a wonderfully busy food week!

There are a bunch of holiday-related events going on this weekend. After great experience at Temple Bar, a few bloggers and I walked over to the Harvard Square Holiday Fair. It was inspiring to wander around talking with artists and looking for gifts.

101 Cookbooks brings us her December Favorites List. I love looking into someone’s special projects and preferences.

Frugal Foodista’s Five Couse Dessert Tasting at Finale sounds a-maz-ing.

The Boston Foodie shares a recap of Ferran Adria’s visit to Harvard.

A short Saturday Short List for today, but I hope you’ll look forward to a recap of the Whole Foods River Street Bloggers Holiday Party and Margaret Fuller House Snowflake Social. Also, I’ll be posting my review of brunch at Temple Bar. December has been (and will be) a busy month!

A view from the beautiful Scottish Highlands for your Saturday

Well December certainly snuck up on me. I even forgot to renew my MBTA monthly travel pass for the first time since moving to Boston. It finally feels like winter, though, which is putting me in the mood for cold weather cooking! With the inspiration of seasonal recipes and approaching holidays, here’s the Saturday Short List:

• Ruth Reichl’s Gift Guide for December. I’ve always liked her, but after reading Garlic and Sapphires: The Secret Life of a Critic in Disguise I was inspired by her outlook on food and approach to being a critic.

• Bostonchefs.com brings us 25 Days of Gift Ideas From & For Boston Chefs. I love the Boston chef community: it’s small enough to be manageable, but still exciting and always changing.

• Basic Polenta from America’s Test Kitchen. I’m not ashamed to have a roll of Trader Joe’s Quinoa Polenta in my pantry right now…but the real thing looks perfect for a cold evening.

• I’m known to make huge quantities of soup – as in enough to eat for three days straight and still freeze half. I have a feeling Trina Hahnemann’s Nordic Winter Vegetable Soup from Food & Wine will be a great addition to my arsenal.

• Melissa Rubel Jacobson’s Do-It-Yourself Truffles, also via Food & Wine, might be on the agenda this month as well. So easy, yet so rewarding!

Local bakeries and cafes will share delicious samples in rooms throughout the house (including Café Luna, Crema Café, Mariposa Bakery, Toscanini’s, and Veggie Galaxy). There are also fantastic raffle prizes (including Sebastians and Flour Bakery). You can’t miss this!

You can register here and pay at the door (a $10 donation) for this fun event. The Margaret Fuller House makes a huge difference in the families of Area IV and Cambridge through their food pantry, after-school program for youth, computer lab and classes, health support groups, and other resources.

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And…EatingPlaces is giving away two Snowflake Social tickets!

How to enter (one entry for each option, for a total of up to two entries):

1. Comment below, answering this question: What do you like most about winter/holiday parties?
2. Follow @EatingPlaces, tweet the following, and leave a comment below saying you did: I entered to win @MFNHouse #SnowSoc tix from @EatingPlaces! http://bit.ly/qGtXvb #Boston #nonprofit

The contest will end Friday, December 2, at noon (EST). The winner and one guest will attend the Snowflake Social (located in Cambridge, MA) on Thursday, December 8 (6-8pm).

One winner will be chosen at random using an online generator. I will contact the winner via email on 12/2 and if there is no response within 24 hours, an alternate will be chosen.

Good luck!

Steph Yiu, the ATK Social Media Manager (above explaining the ‘Wall of Awesome’), was our headquarters guide. The wall is full of website comments and image submissions that change weekly to reflect reader experiences. Steph shared ATK history, was patient with all of our necessary food blogger photography, and even let us in on a few secrets.

Our first stop was the library. ATK has thousands of cookbooks and other food-themed literature. Steph explained the reason for having so many books: before a new recipe is developed in the Test Kitchen, there’s a ‘Five Recipe Test’. Five versions of the same dish are made to compare options for the future ATK recipe. Test cooks can easily find variety with so many books.

After the library we visited the photography rooms where photographers use natural light. This is how they achieve the stunning ATK images that you see on The Feed and in their magazines and cookbooks (and why I’ll wake up at 6:30 on a Saturday morning to cook and take photos).

We’re going in!

The most well-stocked kitchen I’ve ever seen (although, as you can see, many of the items are for photography purposes). We learned that ATK buys kitchen items from local stores and everything is home-size with the exception of the hoods and an industrial refrigerator and dishwasher. This allows cooks to test the true quality of items as if they were home cooks. Similarly, they purchase ingredients from markets at home kitchen-size portions (no industrial orders!).

There are about 25 test cooks (and 10 test cook interns) at ATK and editors bring together their work for publication. Two posed for a quick photo op in the kitchen.

If you’ve seen the ATK tv series you’ll recognize this room. I had no idea they film an entire season over a three week period in May (that means those thick winter stews are made in the summer!). The majority of cooks leave the main kitchen during filming because of constant activity in the room. Throughout the rest of the year the kitchen is busy with activity and ovens are on for over 40 hours each week.

I also learned that recipes are made six months in advance, so sometimes you’ll find test cooks grilling outside in the snow with a space heater. That’s dedication!

It was such a privilege to tour America’s Test Kitchen and have a behind-the-scenes look at the dedicated and enthusiastic team. It’s amazing how much work is produced behind these Brookline doors – now whenever I watch ATK shows on PBS I have a completely new appreciation. It was a wonderful experience!

Hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving. It was wonderful to spend time with my family and eat delicious food – two things to be very thankful for! We also took a short trip to the Cape and spent a day in Provincetown, one of my favorite towns.

• Another great food documentary: The Killing of a Chinese Cookie.

• Bakerella is where edible treats meet design. Angie Dudley, its creator, made cake pops of the adorable Target dog. Find them on the store’s blog, A Bullseye View.

• Simple Bite’s 2011 Top 10 Cookbook Picks will inspire your holiday shopping. Technology is great, but there’s nothing like a beautiful cookbook.

• Ten Steps to Coffee from the US National Coffee Association. It’s great to be excited about informed consumption and the coffee industry is fascinating.

• Tracey’s Culinary Adventures brings us a gorgeous Rustic Free-Form Apple Tart adapted from Cook’s Illustrated.