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Cupcakes are an easy sell. Add Nutella, and they’re a hit. Best of all, swirling the Nutella directly into the white batter before baking creates swirly, chocolatey tops that have no need for frosting – saving you a step. And if you have kids who like to lick the frosting off their cupcakes and leave a sticky stump, the Nutella is baked right in. Self-frosting Nutella Cupcakes 1/4 cup butter, at room temperature 1/4 cup mild vegetable oil 1 cup sugar 2 large eggs 1 tsp. vanilla 1 3/4 cup all purpose flour 2 tsp. baking powder 1/4 tsp. salt 1/2 cup milk or half & half 1/2 cup(ish) Nutella Preheat the oven to 350F. In a small bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder and salt; add half to the butter mixture and beat on low speed just until combined. Add the milk and beat just until combined, then add the remaining flour mixture and beat just until combined.In a large bowl, beat the butter, oil and sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add the eggs and vanilla and beat until smooth. Divide the batter between 12 paper-lined muffin cups. Spoon the Nutella into a small microwave-safe dish and microwave it for 10-20 seconds, until softened but not liquefied. Drop ...

With Valentine's Day around the corner, what's a Traveling Diva to do?  Restaurants will be packed full with obnoxious couples pawing at each other and for the single gal, Vday only shows the ugly side of commercialism and Disney-ized fantasies which you can read up on, on your own time. It's enough to drive you to hibernate until summer.   Luckily, you have options.  Internet savvy divas can always find that little hole in the wall that offers comfort and space, that off the beaten path experience that's a quick respite from Vday crazyness. One place to try out is WanderWe.com, an LA-based start-up that offers a new way to book close-to-home getaways, a travel site completely focused on the 2-4 day escape and the spontaneous weekend trip. While catering to the short-term, weekend and last-minute traveler, this site uses propriety algorithms combined with original editorial content, provided by locals (my favorite part.) Recommended itineraries are based on user-selected criteria including destination, budget and the type of experience they’d like to have (romantic, family time, bargains etc). Take a listen to this interview with Allison, from Wanderwe.com. https://soundcloud.com/aforkontheroad/sir-kenneth-branagh-musician If you've had an experience you'd like to share, we'd love to listen!  Email us at diva@travelingdiva.com.  Happy Staycation!

https://soundcloud.com/aforkontheroad/sir-kenneth-branagh-musician Sir Kenneth Branagh talks about Russia and Spies, musician Dan Navarro shares his music… and insider travel tips, and Allison from WanderWe.com puts your own personal travel concierge… in the palm of your hand. That, and the top 3 most romantic restaurants in the World, and in LA, and romantic hotels to target for the upcoming fabricated holiday of Valentine’s Day.   www.DanNavarro.com

According to James Hanning of The Independent "we've all committed them, but now, at last, we have no excuses. " The Parma-based Academia Barilla, which aims "to defend and safeguard Italian food products made by reputable artisans and certified denominations against poor-quality imitations", has released a list of ten kitchen faux pas, to "teach foreigners how to avoid culinary horrors" in respect to Italian food. The French have the Ministry of Culture in order to secure the beauty and finese of the French language, and now we have Academia Barilla's guidelines to consider whilst we "mangiamo Italiano!"    The rules are as follows: NEVER DRINK A CAPPUCCINO DURING A MEAL: A cappuccino is for breakfast and ideally should be drunk with something sweet. Although the Academia concedes it can be ordered afterwards, it points out that an Italian never would. RISOTTO AND PASTA ARE NOT SIDE DISHES: Unless you're serving it as part of a specialty dish such as l'Ossobuco alla milanese, it's a faux pas. DON'T PUT OIL IN THE PASTA WATER: Oil should be added after cooking. DON'T PUT KETCHUP ON PASTA: 'A true culinary sin', says the Academia. SPAGHETTI BOLOGNESE DOESN'T EXIST IN BOLOGNA: They eat their Bolognese sauce with tagliatelle and not spaghetti. PASTA WITH ...

Ingredients 4 (6-ounce) Yellowfin tuna steaks (about 3/4 inch thick) 1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper, divided salt to taste olive oil 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice 8 cups arugula leaves 2 cups thinly sliced fennel bulb (about 1 small bulb) Preparation Sprinkle tuna steaks with 1 teaspoon pepper and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large nonstick skillet with onions and spices over medium-high heat. Add tuna steaks; cook 2 minutes on each side or until desired. Combine 1/2 teaspoon pepper, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1 tablespoon oil, and juice in a large bowl; stir with a whisk. Add arugula and fennel; toss well. Place about 2 cups salad on each of 4 plates; top each serving with 1 tuna steak.

Hello all Travelers!  Traveling Diva is proud to be part of the very first and ONLY Travel & Food show on iTunes! Along with my husband, Emmy winning comedian Mark DeCarlo, each week we will embark on a great quest for food, travel and fun! We'll interview interesting and unique folks across the world who travel for a living, including musicians, chefs, and comedians. Our past guests included Brad Sherwood from Who's Line Is It Anyway?, Rick Browne, author of  A Century of Restaurants, comedian Jimmy Palumbo and Hell's Kitchen Chef Barbie Marshall. Subscribe to A FORK ON THE ROAD show on iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/a-fork-on-the-road/id637933581?mt=2 STAY TUNED !!!  We'll see you at A Fork On The Road! CLICK HERE TO GO DIRECTLY TO OUR ITUNES PAGE: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/a-fork-on-the-road/id637933581?mt=2

I gotta say it:  Up until a few years ago, New York City held the number one spot in my heart.  Then came NOLA.  It was love at first bite.  From the incredible food, to the narrow cobblestone streets, to the artistic, caring, amazing people, this city captured my heart in a New York minute. If you’ve never been to New Orleans, you are truly missing out.   Don’t think of it as just an endless carnival, although it can be.  New Orleans is many things.  There’s Jackson Square Park in the French Quarter, where, on any given day you may witness a brass band parade or a wedding presided over by a voodoo priest.  Surrounded by artists, vendors, and most of all music, Jackson Square is the mecca of what down home New Orleans feeling. Next is Bourbon Street, just steps from Jackson Square.  Bourbon Street has survived fires, endless parties, and Hurricane Katrina.  Nothing can keep this stretch of road down.  It keeps rising up for more like a Phoenix.  Filled with jazz clubs, mom and pop restaurants and stores, Bourbon Street is the nightlife spot to go to in the French Quarter. A taste of ...

Ritornano #LeRicettedelloChefLorisIndri ! Ogni mercoledì, una ricetta dello Chef del Ristorante Do Leoni, da provare a preparare a casa o venire ad assaggiare al ristorante dell’Hotel Londra Palace, in veranda, davanti al Bacino di San Marco! Oggi un dolcetto fresco fresco! IL “BARATTOLINO DO LEONI” “Prepariamo la marmellata di mango, i savoiardi e il gelato al cioccolato bianco. Una volta pronte queste tre basi, prepariamo il croccante di granella di nocciole con gli amaretti e il burro fuso. Prendiamo ora il nostro barattolino , riempiamo a tre quarti con il gelato al cioccolato bianco mantecato, successivamente una cucchiaiata di croccante, ora una cucchiaiata di marmellata di mango tiepida e finiamo con la decorazione di ribes, menta e una macinata di pepe lungo indonesiano. Infine chiudiamo il barattolino, cosicchè il calore della marmellata, ammorbidisca il gelato e sprigioni i profumi della menta e del pepe. Serviamo con due savoiardi fatti in casa”. Ingredienti: 150 gr di gelato al cioccolato bianco 30 gr di marmellata di mango 2 savoiardi fatti in casa 1 rametto di riber rossi 2 foglie di menta fresca piperita Una macinata di pepe lungo indonesiano 10 gr di amaretti tritati 10 gr di granella di nocciole 10 gr di burro Per il gelato al cioccolato bianco: 1 lt di latte 400 gr di cioccolato bianco 250 gr di zucchero semolato 2 ...

Hello all Travelers!  Traveling Diva is proud to announce the launch of the very first and ONLY Travel & Food show on iTunes! I will be joining Emmy winning comedian Mark DeCarlo each week as he embarks on a great quest for food, travel and fun! Mark will be having interviews each week with interesting and unique folks across the world who travel for a living, including musicians, chefs, and comedians.   This month, we will be giving away Cancun discount coupons and a chance to win a HD Underwater VIVITAR 850W CAMERA to all subscribers! Here's what you have to do: 1. Subscribe to A FORK ON THE ROAD show on iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/a-fork-on-the-road/id637933581?mt=2 2. Let us know you subscribed and give us your email address.  You can do this by following and tweeting @MarkDeCarlo #AForkOnTheRoad, or sending us an email to: markdecarlotv@gmail.com, or leave us amessage at 424-250-FORK. 3. We will send you the code and enter you in the contest.  Winners announced on the podcast JULY 4th, 2013. Also, Mark is here to help YOU the listener with your travel-related questions. All you have to do is call 424 - 250 - FORK, leave your name and contact information and we'll have you on the show ...

Lately I've been obsessed with the show The Profit, where investor/philanthropist  Marcus Lemonis comes into a business and either invests large amounts of money and make it thrive, or totally ruins their reputation by airing all their dirty laundry.  Marcus is so incredibly brilliant at what he does, I am considering hiring him myself.  Take a look at how the other half travels, as he confides in Jae-Ha Kim from The Chicago Tribune.   By Jae-Ha Kim Tribune Content Agency August 27, 2013 Born in Beirut, Lebanon, Marcus Lemonis was adopted as a baby by a Greek family living in Florida. His parents were friends with Lee Iacocca, who advised Lemonis to get into the camping and RV business. After making guest appearances on NBC’s “Celebrity Apprentice” and ABC’s “Secret Millionaire,” Lemonis — who’s also the chairman and chief executive of Camping World — caught the attention of CNBC. On his reality series “The Profit,” the 39-year-old entrepreneur invests cash into failing businesses, teaches the owners how to better their businesses and, hopefully, earn a profit. Fans may follow him on Twitter. Q. What is your favorite vacation destination? A. Paris. Love the fusion of art, food and culture. Q. To someone who was going there, what would ...