What’s your favorite way to eat cake? We all know there’s an art to eating the Oreo, some of us start in the middle and save the chocolatey cookie for last. But what about cake. Do you eat the frosting on the outside first or start with the cakey center/filling then save the frosting for last?

I’ve got a craving for cake now! But with this heat, we’re gonna need something light and refreshing. Cake can be refreshing? Yes, Rei’s Mango Mousse Cake is fruity and lip smacking good but not heavy. She makes the topping completely from scratch, and if you’re wondering if the fruit is in the middle of the cake, it’s actually on top!

The mango mousse isn’t actually the kind of cake topping you’re used to hearing about, but that’s what makes it so good! This cake is cooool; so cool you’ll need to put it in the fridge so that it sets, then you can add the delicious mango puree topping. Both the mousse and puree rest on top of an airy sponge cake, this is quite the summer treat. I want this for my birthday, don’t you; forget the frosting!

Rei has more beautiful cakes and an assortment of desserts on her blog All That Matters, check it out!

Here I am thinking that the crock-pot is the most underrated kitchen device, that it really deserves to be in the spotlight for coming to our rescue when we’ve got too much on our plate and need to put something edible on our plate by the end of the day!

I was convinced there weren’t enough slow cooker recipes out there… But I’ve been convinced otherwise, you all have shared so many of your favorite slow cooker recipes with us on Key Ingredient!

I can’t decide which one to talk about first! Hopeky94’s Crock-Pot Mac and Cheese is what you’ll want to cook up on a hot day like today. Only thing is, there won’t be anything to cook or bake because the slow cooker does all the hard work!

Loving the sound of a pasta slow cooker recipe? Be sure to check out GriseschoolMom’s Slow Cooker Lasagna; I didn’t think it could be done without cranking up the oven to 350!

Savagerabbit revisits an old favorite with her Crockpot Chicken and Cornmeal Dumplings, she says her family loves it and we think yours will too.

But where are all the tasty soup recipes we usually see when we hear about crock-pot recipes? We’ve got those too. Seanachi’s Crockpot Lentil Soup is hearty and filling. With all those fragrant ingredients and herbs, it’ll make your place smell heavenly!

The best thing about using a crock-pot is the aroma coming from a mouthwatering meal simmering away in your slow cooker; it will make your house smell like a home!

The weekend’s finally here! Everyone’s looking forward to eating pizza this weekend but you’re tired of ordering out. Save money and make the pizza!

The nice thing about making the pizza at home is that you can divide up the dough so that everyone can have the toppings they want. If you like a hearty pizza, take a look at rhodesbread’s Stuffed Crust Pizza, it’ll fill you up!

Start the weekend off on a healthier note with Xrayj’s Whole Wheat and Honey Pizza Dough. He recommends making the dough ahead of time, which can definitely be a good thing when you’re looking for a meal you can throw together in minutes; make the pizza dough tonight and bake it tomorrow. His adapted recipe is perfect for larger families, you’ll have enough dough to make 6 mini pizzas.

The kids might be happy with cheese pizzas, but if you want something a little more grown up, try Lina’s Pizza with Chicken, Goat Cheese, Spinach and Sun Dried Tomatoes. Use XrayJay’s pizza dough recipe and finish it off with Lina’s tasty toppings — you’ll probably have a hard time going back to delivery after you try that combo :)!

Our Featured Recipes page is covered in ice cream! But don’t worry, it’s not a sticky mess, it’s just really tempting. The only challenge is trying to decide which one to make first. Ice cream is one of those desserts that tastes a little bit better when made at home, and we’ve got quite the selection, check it out here.

The one that’s perfect for those with a sweet tooth as big as mine is the Candy Jar Ice Cream. If you’ve still got a few candy bars left over from last Halloween or even Valentine’s Day, now’s the time to use them.

If you’re in the mood for something fresh and fruity, the Cinnamon Peach Ice Cream is just for you. Peaches are in season, so now’s the time to take advantage of the only fruit that’s allowed to be fuzzy!

Looking for something cool, light and dairy free?

This Mmmmango Tea and Honey Sorbet would make a great grown-up dessert for your special dinner. You won’t find a sorbet this natural in the freezer section, it uses just the ingredients required to add a subtle amount of sweetness and flavor — no sugar added, just honey. The title says it all, but I have to say you will be saying “Mmmm!” after giving any of these recipes a try.

We’re well into summer and the kids are out of school; you’re going to need plenty of ideas for what to serve when snack time rolls around!

Kiddos quickly get bored with the same old, same old, and pre-packaged snacks aren’t always the most affordable items. So what to do? Stock up on the tasty basics: peanut butter and jelly, flour, oatmeal, dried fruit. They’re guaranteed to satisfy when combined the right way…

For instance, fangfiona’s PB and J muffins are perfect for the finicky eater in the family who’d rather not eat the ends of the bread!

If you don’t have time to pick up flour from the grocery store, think out of the box, make chocolatechic’s tortilla granola snack. They offer a fun new way to serve peanut butter outside of a slice of bread.

Looking for a great on-the-go treat? GrieseschoolMom’s White Chocolate Cranberry Granola Bars are hearty and nutritious, packed with fiber and sweetened with maple syrup. If you’re looking out for kiddos with peanut allergies, you can easily substitute PB with almond butter in this or the other recipes. It’s just as yummy and a healthy alternative.

And if the kids have been good all day and you want to reward them with a special dessert? Take a look at these amazing Gelato Sandwiches by Domestic Muse! Who wouldn’t love these?

You’ve been asked to bring pasta to the summer potluck this year. Mac and cheese sounds like a good idea, but so does Sensei’s Mom’s Macaroni Salad, a true classic.

But you’re also in the mood for some fresh Tex-Mex food. Ktbnkr shows us that noodles can be tasty without tomato sauce. Her Taco Pasta is full of flavor and color. Her recipe is a flexible one, too, so you can sneak in some of your personal favorite ingredients, maybe a few jalapenos.

Because you’ll finish making Ktbnkr’s salad in no time, you also might want to try The_knittymommy’s Portobello Mushroom Stroganoff. If you’re serving a vegetarian crowd, you can easily substitute the beef broth with vegetable bouillon, the rest of the dish is completely meat free.

What we love about each one of these recipe? They’re affordable, come together easily, and will hit the spot, whether you’re hosting a picnic or looking for a light mid-week bite.

Featured Key Ingredient?

That would be you — our members, you’re our Key Ingredients, the ones who make this the most delicious site on the web. So where are the recipes? You can search for any of them on our site by just typing in the name of the ingredient you’d like to use or the recipe name… or you can do what I did and browse the featured recipes!

The member we’re featuring today is mytastytreasures who’s posted nearly 90 recipes already. If you’ve got a sweet tooth, you’ll want to check out mytastytreasures’ Pecan Raspberry Thumbprints, they’re yummy nutty sweet treats that she likes to serve around the holidays.

Speaking of the holidays, her Mini Chocolate Chip Butter Bites may look like Christmas snowballs with they’re powdered sugar exterior, but they’re filled with a combination of two well-loved cookie ingredients: chocolate chip and peanut butter.

Mytastytreasures also knows how to make a mouthwatering breakfast! Take a look at her Banana Pecan Pancakes with Maple Honey Butter…can you believe they’re 100% homemade?!

You can see her other recipes by clicking here.

Don’t forget to check out her blog, My Tasty Treasures :)!

Have you all checked out our new Featured Recipes home page? So many delicious meals and treats to choose from, and we’re now displaying them with photos!

One of the first recipes that caught my eye today was the Southwestern Black Bean Salad from Pumpkinpassion, it’s colorful and guaranteed to brighten up your plate next to the barbecued ribs you might be eating on Father’s Day.

And how about serving a Warm Pasta Salad instead of the Caesar this weekend? Orchidgirl1979 shares her impressive recipe with us, but Cacahuete’s recipe looks pretty good too. Her Quinoa Pasta with Sauteed Spinach and Portobello Mushroom dish can be served as a side, like a pasta salad, but it can also be considered a meal because it’s protein-packed and filling.

I know we’re talking about side dishes, but make sure to leave room for dessert!

We’ve got a few colorful dessert recipes that include the fresh berries you’ve been seeing all over the place this season, take a look at this French Fruit Tart that Lesley made. One of the best parts about it? You can prepare it tonight then put it all together on Father’s Day morning, this is the best way to keep the berries fresh and juicy for your sweet colorful treat.

Gone are the days of hot apple cider and steaming cups of hot chocolate. Well…they’ll be back again soon enough :). But while the sun’s out, let’s enjoy the rays and sip something fresh and cool.

Whether you like the more traditional summer drinks, like ice cold lemonade, or you’re looking for something fun and different, we’ve got the drinks that’ll quench your thirst!

Start your sunny day off with Sophie32’s Wake Up Smoothie. When we see pink smoothies, we usually think strawberries, but Sophie’s recipe is a little different, it includes the juice of a whole pomegranate. Instead of picking out the individual seeds, just squeeze out the juice of the vibrant red fruit into a blender with yogurt and a banana, you’ll have an antioxidant rich breakfast drink in no time!

When noon rolls around, cool off with a tall glass of watermelon juice. It doesn’t get any healthier than this; Sharmistha uses simple, natural ingredients to make her refreshing beverage.

When happy hour rolls around, wrap up the day with MyTastyTreasure’s homemade Icy Lemon-Ginger Cocktails.

The kids can even enjoy an ice cold lemony treat with KraftKitchenExpert’s Berry Lemonade Slush!

Stay cool and hydrated with these and many other summer drinks shared by the Key Ingredient foodie community!

The 50s and 60s had plenty to offer in terms of interesting food. TV dinners were all the rage in the 50s, and just under a decade later we found ourselves trying things like astronaut ice cream and 7 UP waffle syrup! The latter seemed to have a much larger following; suddenly 7 UP recipes and cookbooks were springing up everywhere.

These days we’ve taken the idea of soda-inspired desserts to a whole new level. We’re finding some pretty clever recipes on Key Ingredient, and Allie5Jones even shares a 7 UP Pound Cake recipe with us!

If you’re feeling adventurous, try these Cherry Cola Brownies posted by Rejadez. Cherry cola goes into both the frosting and the cake.

If your sweet tooth is asking for more, move on to BoofusMcGoofus’ brain freeze-free Root Beer Float Cupcakes, they have so much flavor that you won’t even miss the ice cream!

All of these recipes are especially delicious because they combine timeless treats with our favorite classic sodas.