Beyond The Brownies

As you know by now, I love to cook, and my kids are always bragging at school that I make the best cupcakes at birthday time! I have to admit that I get a lot of help from my buddies Betty Crocker and Duncan Hines in that department ... but I also like making stuff from scratch, especially treats I can make with my girls. The other night at parent-teacher conferences, there were sign-up sheets for all sorts of volunteer things and I put my name on anything that had to do with food. That means bakes sales, too! And just in the nick of time we had a segment today on great bake sale ideas. I sampled more than a few -- the brownies are outrageous!

And on a personal note, our school has now banned birthday cupcakes. A lot of schools are moving in that direction and it seems a little over the top. Isn't healthy eating about moderation not deprivation? How about making cafeteria food healthier and letting little kids celebrate their birthdays? What do you think?