Surprise your friends with something sweet this spring. Whether you want to add a little flavor to your weekly meetings or aren’t sure what to bring to your next potluck, these cupcakes just might work. They each take less than an hour to make and serve about 20 people.

Carrot Cake Cupcakes

Ingredients:

1 cup melted butter

1 ½ cups sugar

2 cups buttermilk

½ tsp. vanilla

¼ tsp. salt

1 ½ tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. nutmeg

1 ¾ cups flour

4 cups carrots (cut carrots in ½ to measure)

about 1 ½ cups of walnuts

1 can of cream cheese frosting

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
2. In a large bowl, beat together the butter, sugar, buttermilk and vanilla until well mixed.
3. Grate the carrots using a cheese grater, then pour into the butter mixture and stir until evenly distributed throughout the mixture.
4. In another bowl, stir salt, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and flour.
5. Pour the flour mixture into the carrot mixture and stir until all dry ingredients are mixed in and carrots are evenly spread out.
6. Fill cupcake pans with liners. (batter should fill about 20 liners)
7. Fill liners two-thirds of the way with batter.
8. Bake for 20 minutes, then let cool.
9. Spread about a spoonful of frosting over each cupcake, then sprinkle each cupcake with a spoonful of walnuts.

Strawberry Lemonade Cupcakes

Ingredients:

1/2 cup water

1 cup chopped strawberries

1 cup lemon juice

2 cups sugar

2 eggs

1 cup melted butter

1 cup milk

½ cup vanilla flavored yogurt

1 2/3 cups flour

2 tsp. baking powder

1 can strawberry frosting

pink sprinkles

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
2. Combine water, strawberries, lemon juice, sugar and butter in a blender.
3. Beat eggs, milk and yogurt in a bowl.
4. Add flour and baking powder and mix well.
5. Line cupcake pan with liners.
6. Fill liners two-thirds of the way up with batter.
7. Bake for 20 minutes then let cool.
8. Cover cupcakes with a spoonful of frosting, then shower with sprinkles.

Vanilla Cream Cupcakes

Ingredients:

Frosting:

1 pint of heavy whipping cream

3 tbsp. powdered sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

½ tsp. of melted butter

Cupcakes:

½ cup sugar

1 stick of butter (softened)

1 1/2 tsp. vanilla

2 eggs

3/4 cups of milk

1 ½ cups flour

¼ tsp. salt

1 tsp. baking powder

Directions:

1. Beat whipping cream until peaks appear. Mix in powder sugar, vanilla and melted butter. Refrigerate while completing other steps.
2. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
3. Combine butter and sugar using beater.
4. Add vanilla, eggs and milk, and beat well.
5. In another bowl, mix flour, salt and baking powder together.
6. Pour dry ingredients into butter and vanilla mixture and stir everything together.
7. Fill cupcake pans with cupcake liners and fill about two-thirds high.
8. Bake for 20 minutes.
9. Spread refrigerated cream mixture over each cupcake.

With the Lane County Farmers’ Market only a few EmX bus stops away from campus, fresh and local foods aren’t far from students. Some of the freshest produce to look for at markets and stores this spring are asparagus, peas, artichoke, spinach, rhubarb and strawberries.

Besides the Farmers’ Market, there are other food vendors that specialize in fresh, organic ingredients. The Kiva Grocery Store, located on W 11th Ave., is a locally owned grocery store that sells products from over 250 food suppliers in the Eugene area. Sundance Natural Foods on E. 24th Avenue is also unique to Eugene, and receives lots of its produce from local farmers.

The following recipes use the fruits and vegetables mentioned above to bring the freshest meals to the table. Some also feature wine and beer ingredients that are best cooked in the spring months and also compliment each dish.

These recipes can be served as a full meal if desired: an appetizer, a rich or light entrée option and a dessert.

Spring Appetizer Salad (1 serving)
This light appetizer is a satisfying introduction to any meal. It’s simple to make, but the cooked artichoke hearts add a little special flavor to it. Some ingredients can get expensive, so it can be served as a light meal by itself.

Ingredients:

• One artichoke
• A large handful of spinach
• 1 1/2 tbsp. of pine nuts
• 2 tbsp. of olive oil
• 1 tbsp. of parmesan

Directions:

• Boil water in a large pot, then cook artichoke for about 40 minutes, turning halfway through. Drain water and refrigerate until cool.
• Slice the heart of the artichoke into small cubes.
• Pour spinach, pine nuts and ¼ cup of artichoke hearts into a bowl, then toss.
• Drizzle olive oil over, then toss again. Sprinkle parmesan cheese, then toss again.

(Anna Lieberman/Emerald)

Rich Cream Gnocchi (3-4 servings)
This gnocchi plate is heavy and filling and best served in small quantities with other dishes. Although most beers can be used in this dish, Eugene’s Ninkasi Brewing Company produces a Believer Double Red Ale that would work well. Red ale is considered in season during spring, and the company’s website mentions that this beer goes well with cheeses, and with this dish. 

Ingredients:

• 3 oz. of cream cheese
• 1/3 cup red ale
• 3 tbsp. butter
• ¼ cup of parmesan cheese
• 1 cup of shredded mild cheddar cheese
• 1 tbsp. of bread crumbs (plus more for garnish)
• 3 cups of gnocchi
• a pinch of salt
• a generous sprinkle of sugar

Directions:

• Place a small pot of water on medium heat. Complete steps 2-5 while it boils.
• Pour red ale into a pot and bring to a boil.
• Add cream cheese, butter, parmesan cheese, cheddar cheese, salt and sugar.
• Stir until melted.
• Stir in breadcrumbs, then let simmer on low heat, stirring occasionally while gnocchi cook.
• When the first pot boils, add gnocchi. Drain when they rise to the top of the pot (about 3 minutes).
• Pour gnocchi into cheese mixture and stir everything together, then garnish with bread crumbs.

(Anna Lieberman/Emerald)

Light Pea and Asparagus Risotto (about 2 servings)
If you’re looking for something a bit lighter that’s also healthy, this risotto made from cauliflower rice is a flavorful option. It’s common to cook with dry wines, so a pinot grigio is a good option.

Ingredients:

• 24 oz. of cauliflower
• ~ 25 asparagus
• 1 cup of peas
• ¼ cup of pinot grigio
• 2 tbsp. butter
• ½ tsp. onion powder
• a generous sprinkle of salt
• 2 tbsp. of olive oil
• 2 tbsp. of parmesan cheese

Directions:

• Grate the flower parts of the cauliflower. They should roughly resemble white rice when finished. Set aside.
• Cut the tips of the asparagus, then steam them using a steamer over a pot of boiling water, covered, for about minutes. Boil another pot of water, and cook peas in it for about 5 minutes while asparagus is cooking.
• Drain peas and remove asparagus from heat. Set aside.
• Pour butter, olive oil, salt and onion powder on a pan. Let get hot on medium heat.
• Add cauliflower rice, peas, asparagus and pinot grigio.
• Cook for about 5 minutes, then stir in parmesan cheese.

(Anna Lieberman/Emerald)

Sweet Crepes with Strawberry Rhubarb and/or Chocolate Filling (Serves about 5)
This recipe features some of the best of spring: strawberry and rhubarb. It seems fancy, but as long as you cook the crepe batter carefully, it’s fairly simple.

Crepe Batter Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup of milk
• 1 egg
• 2 tbs. of melted butter (plus more for greasing pan)
• 3/4 cups of flour
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 2 tbsp. brown sugar
• ¼ tsp. of salt

Strawberry Rhubarb Filling Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup of frozen rhubarb
• 1 cup of strawberries
• 1 tsp. lemon juice
• 3/4 cup brown sugar

Chocolate Filling Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup of heavy cream
• 1 tsp. of sugar
• 1 4.4 oz. bar of milk chocolate

For garnish:

• Powdered sugar

Directions:

• Crush the rhubarb in a blender until smooth, but not completely liquid.
• Slice the strawberries into small pieces.
• Pour strawberries, blended rhubarb, 3/4 cup of brown sugar and lemon juice in a pot.
• Mix on medium heat until brown sugar melts into mixture. Drain out about ½ the liquid, then set aside.
• Beat heavy cream using mixer until peaks form. Add 1 tsp. sugar, then mix in.
• Melt chocolate in microwave for 50 seconds, then pour into the cream mixture.
• Mix together, then set aside.
• Blend all crepe batter ingredients in a blender.
• Melt a small spoonful of extra butter over a medium sized pan on medium low heat.
• Pour about ¼ of batter over the whole pan and quickly tilt the pan to cover it evenly with the crepe mixture. Twist a spatula in circular motions over crepe to spread evenly. Cook about 1 1/2 minutes, then flip over. Cook another 30 seconds then place on plate.
• Repeat with remaining batter, adding a small spoonful of butter to pan each time.
• Heat each filling for 10 seconds in the microwave, stir, then fill each crepe with a few spoonfuls of the strawberry rhubarb or chocolate filling. Fold crepes over.
• Sprinkle with powdered sugar.

(Anna Lieberman/Emerald)

My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2 starts as the type of movie you don’t want to sit through. You stay because you paid for your tickets, and then it all ends up being worth it. The chemistry gets better, the jokes get funnier and the dialogue becomes realistic and relatable.

The film features the same characters as the original: Toula Portokalos, her now-husband Ian, her parents Gus and Maria, her aunt Voula and the rest of Toula’s big, Greek family. Like the first movie, half the charm of the film is the giant Portokalos family. They’re overbearing in the most loving and hilarious way, and their interactions between each other and the non-Greek world are filled with humor.

The first 20 minutes or so of My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2 are cute, but some of the chemistry between actors is so uncomfortable that it’s hard to watch. Several of the jokes are perfect until someone adds a line that ruins them. The daughter of main characters Ian and Toula, Paris, also seems unrealistic and unlikable.

Gus Portokalos (Michael Constantine) and Aunt Voula (Andrea Martin) make the film comedic, especially for viewers who may see some of their own family in the characters. Gus is the older dad who’s trying to keep up with 21st-century technology while informing everyone about the importance of his heritage. Aunt Voula is the relative who tells people more information than they want to hear and always has an opinion about everything. Still, these characters are caring, genuine and hilarious.

This is nothing new, though. If you watched the first film, you already know these characters are funny and you already know the overwhelming dynamic of the Portokalos family. My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2 isn’t anything surprising. It’s the first film all over again, perhaps with a bit more cheesy material and less originality.It’s the perfect movie for when you don’t want to think too much and just want to watch something that will put you in a good mood.

If you’ve seen My Big Fat Greek Wedding and it made you laugh, then the sequel is a must see. The plot of the first film was sweet, but its real success was from how funny it was. The plot of the sequel isn’t that strong or creative. However, the humor is still there.

This Friday, historian and activist Michael Helquist will discuss his novel, Marie Equi: Radical Politics and Outlaw Passions, which won the 2016 Stonewall Honor – given to “exceptional merit relating to the gay/lesbian/bisexual/transgender experience” – for Non-Fiction.

He will also be signing books, which will be for sale in the Knight Library Browsing Room during his visit on March 18 at 3 p.m.

Equi was an activist who became a doctor after graduating from the University of Oregon in the early 1900s. Helquist believes she was the first publicly known lesbian on the West Coast. When he learned that Equi horse-whipped a superintendent whom she believed wasn’t paying her girlfriend fairly, Helquist said he had to learn more.

How do you think Marie Equi’s story is still relevant today? Imagine someone today who fights on the front lines of issues like voting rights, better working conditions, reproductive rights, economic justice, and free speech and antiwar. She did all of that 100 years ago. So what’s discouraging and ironic a bit is that those are the same issues we’re talking about now. And then the other thing on a more personal level that I think is important is she tried to achieve a balance in her life in the way that many of us try to do today. She fought a profession and became a doctor, she tried to maintain a personal relationship, and then she also followed her passion which is mostly in politics.

What motivated you to write about Equi? When I first heard about her I was very captivated by her adventurous and compelling story because she was so bold and so fiercely independent trying to make a life for herself that I found it both inspiring and extra compelling. She ended up facing so many issues to what’s going on today. The other thing is that she spent most of her adult life in Portland and I’m from Portland originally.

What do you want people to learn from Equi’s story? I would like them to get a really good sense of this woman because she’s important not only to Oregon’s history and to Western history, but I think she’s important to her time, for how an individual struggles to find her own way and to create a life that worked for her while she also defended the rights of others. I’d also like for people to see that it’s just a really good story. Although it’s a historical biography, they say it reads like a novel.

How long did it take you to write this novel? And how did you research for it? I’ve been working on it for 10 years. This book was particularly a challenge because there were not very many readily available journals or diaries that Marie Equi kept. What she did have growing up was either thrown away or lost after she died. But she was featured in more than 300 newspaper articles so I was able to get a lot of information and then I also traveled to all the places where she lived.

It’s something special when a parent can enjoy a stereotypical kid’s movie. This phenomenon describes Disney’s newest movie, Zootopia, which tackles the subject of disregarding stereotypes.

Zootopia stars a small, suburban bunny named Judy Hopps who dreams of making the world a better place. She lives in a world of animals, both predator and prey, who live together peacefully. Of course, there are some mean animals here and there, but as it’s mentioned several times in the film, these mean animals’ personalities have nothing to do with their predator or prey identity.

Hopps strongly believes that animals’ identities shouldn’t control who they are in life. Even when her parents insist that she should be a carrot farmer like many bunnies, Hopps says that she can be anything and quickly starts battling social norms.

She becomes the first bunny cop in the city of Zootopia, a job that’s typically filled by larger animals. She encounters a fox, Nick Wilde, along the way, and the remainder of the film concerns her and the fox’s journey in solving a missing mammal case for the Zootopia police department.

This is where Zootopia turns into a cute crime movie, if there is such a thing. Hopps and Wilde follow leads that carry them through a series of adventures: sneaking through a building guarded by wolves and being threatened by a tiny, yet powerful mouse.

Disney has created a whole world for these animals to inhabit. This animal metropolis is fascinating and funny as you watch little mice villages with their animal versions of Macy’s and Target or watch Hopps and Wilde walk through a group of animal naturalists. There’s nothing funny about parking tickets or taxes in the human world, but these concepts in a cartoon animal film make it a little more relatable and oddly charming.

Zootopia doesn’t stop there. It highlights the unfairness of racism and stereotyping in an animal setting. Why should a fox be refused service at a restaurant run by elephants? Or why should a tiger be stereotyped as mean because of his large stature?

Although it’s not a Pixar film, Zootopia is up there with films such as Up and Inside Out, both movies that producer John Lasseter collaborated on. Lasseter and the rest of his team have yet again released a film targeted toward children with important underlying messages, presented in a way that’s captivating, entertaining and beautiful.

Zootopia isn’t just for kids. It’s a movie that everyone can learn from.

“Whatever happened to predictability?” echoes the theme song to Full House and its sequel Fuller House.

It hasn’t gone anywhere. Fuller House is a predictable and cute follow-up series to the popular ’90s sitcom Full House. The shows share the same characters, the same plot points, and the same cheesy comedy.

However, there’s one big difference that every viewer needs to know before they start watching. Fuller House isn’t Full House and it never will be. It’s a sequel series set 29 years later that’s clearly catered toward the generation of viewers that watched Full House as children. It’s not a strong stand-alone series, but all of its references and reprises of characters from the original series should provide Full House fans with some satisfying nostalgia.

It’s a similar setup to Full House, which starred too many characters to name in once sentence – hence the name Full House. Similarly, in Fuller House there are three parental figures, four children, a dog, and tons of quirky side characters.

Although it primarily features the kids from the original series, now grown, the adults from the old series are still given some screen time. So if you want to know what Danny Tanner, Uncle Jesse, Uncle Joey, and Aunt Becky have been up to since 1995, Fuller House should provide some answers.

The strongest episode is perhaps the first one, where all of the characters (sans Michelle Tanner) return and new characters are established. Classic jokes from the original series are all smashed into one episode that novice viewers might not understand. It’s like watching an inside joke unravel for 20 minutes, so if you’re not in on the joke, it may not be that funny.

There’s nothing in itself special about hearing a grown-up Stephanie say “How rude” another time or listening to Danny Tanner bond with his grandson about the importance of cleaning. But for people who watched Full House when it was often on cable TV, these references are something special.

These references continue for the remainder of the season, which is mildly entertaining. A few of its episodes reuse plots from the original series, which may or may not be on purpose. For example, just like D.J. and her sisters in the original show, D.J. and her best friends’ children misbehave sometimes, and these acts of revolt are always followed with a heartfelt and personable talk from their parents.

The biggest missing piece to the series is Michelle Tanner, as the Olsen twins did not return to play Danny Tanner’s youngest child. However, D.J.’s children mirror the personality of Michelle’s younger self, particularly Max: he’s cute, a bit silly, and sweet to his family.

This cuteness applies to the Fuller House series as a whole. It’s not an exceptional TV show, but it’s a fun, light-hearted, and sentimental show for Full House fans craving a taste of their childhood.

After staring at a brick wall on 25^th Avenue and Harris Street, University of Oregon alumnus Nikolaj Byrdman drew a celestial sketch using a ballpoint pen.

After showing it to the building directors, he got approval to transform the wall of the Wesley Community Center into a mural, now under construction.

The mural is a colorful and vibrant collage of outer space. Byrdman said the painting represents movement, passion, exploration and awe — which he thinks line up with the values of the Wesley Center.

“Although you will not find any metaphysical inspiration in this ice-cold atheist heart, I strongly believe that religious differences should never be an excuse to avoid participation in movements that shape a more equitable world,” Byrdman said. “I will always gravitate towards wherever good work is being done, and the Wesley Center is a great place for that.”

Doug Moore, a Wesley Center board member, said that Byrdman used to go to the Wesley Center’s previous location at 13th and Kincaid to participate in events being held there.

Warren Light, pastor and director at the Wesley Center, said the move was necessary because the old location was too small to fit the center’s needs. The center provides free space for student groups, hosts identity and advocacy groups and facilitates free meals among other things. The new center should be big enough to accommodate all of this, according to both Moore and Light.

Light said he’s proud the center can display Byrdman’s art on the new building.

“[His] art is like the best of Eugene: bold, feminist, independent and unique — created by a young artist of color,” Light said. “We have received a lot of positive feedback from many students on the new building and the mural.”

Byrdman was born in Hawaii and moved to Eugene to study psychology. He got an office job after graduation and didn’t anticipate pursuing his interests in the arts; he was surprised when he was confirmed to paint the mural.

“The catalyst was enough people thanking me and telling me my art resonated with them,” Byrdman said.

The building is still undergoing renovations, and although Byrdman doesn’t know when the mural will be finished, he said it will be worth the wait.

Tofu’s an ingredient that some people love and some people hate. Regardless, it’s fairly simple to prepare and versatile enough to match well with either simple or complex dishes. So if you’re looking for a few different ways to prepare tofu, here’s a list of suggested recipes.

Here’s how to prepare the tofu itself.

1. Drain the water out of a block of firm tofu. Use a large spoon or plate to press on the tofu and squeeze out excess water.
2. Place the tofu on a cutting board, then cut into ½ blocks.
3. Save in refrigerator for later.

Tofu Breakfast Burrito

Ingredients:

1 tsp. onion powder

1 block of cubed tofu

a pinch of salt

1 cup spinach

1 tablespoon of olive oil

¼ tsp. of paprika

1 tablespoon of chicken seasoning (optional; can be excluded for vegans/vegetarians)

Several corn tortillas

1 tsp. of salsa

Directions:

1. Pour the olive oil and salt in a pan and set temperature to medium heat.
2. After a few minutes, marinate the tofu in the olive oil. Turn the heat off after about 6 minutes.
3. Shred apart the spinach, then pour into the mixture.
4. Add the onion powder, paprika, chicken seasoning, and salsa into the mixture.
5. Mix everything together and serve on tortillas.

Simple Tofu Bowl

Ingredients:

1 tbsp. of olive oil

1 tbsp. of soy sauce

1 tbsp. of sesame oil

½ tsp. onion powder

tofu cubes

2 ½ cups of cooked instant quinoa

a pinch of salt

1 cup of cooked edamame

Directions:

1. Combine all the ingredients except the tofu, olive oil, edamame, and quinoa in a bowl. Set aside for later.
2. Pour the olive oil in a pan, then the tofu, and cook on medium heat for 10 minutes.
3. Add the first mixture, then cook for another 5 minutes.
4. Pour the quinoa and edamame in the pan and mix everything together.
5. Enjoy.

Tofu Lasagna

Ingredients:

½ package of lasagna noodles

3 cups mozzarella

1 1/4 jars of tomato sauce

a pinch of Italian seasoning

a pinch of salt

a pinch of crushed red pepper

1 cup of shredded spinach

Directions:

1. Boil lasagna for 8 minutes in a medium-sized pot.
2. While the lasagna is cooking, preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
3. Mash the tofu in a blender.
4. Mix the seasoning, salt, spinach, pepper, and tomato sauce in a bowl.
5. Layer the bottom of a baking pan with about a cup of the mixture. Layer noodles on top to cover the pan, then add a cup of mozzarella across the noodles. Then add about 1/3 of the tofu across the noodles.
6. Repeat this step until there are no more ingredients. (The last ingredients to be layered should be noodles, followed by sauce and mozzarella, but not tofu.)
7. Bake in oven for about 30 minutes.
8. Enjoy.

Need a few last minute Valentine’s Day treat ideas? Here are a few recipes that are easy to make and colorfully represent the February holiday.

Strawberry Cake (Serves 2 with ingredients left over)

Ingredients:

4 slices of pound cake

1 pint of heavy whipping cream

Sugar to taste (1 ½ tablespoons recommended)

1 cup of strawberries

1 cup of strawberry jam

Directions:

1. Whip the whipping cream using a beater. This should take about 6 minutes. When the whipped cream forms lines that trickle out of the center, you’re about done and should mix the cream for about 30 seconds or so to make sure it’s not still liquid.
2. Add the sugar, then mix in.
3. Cut the strawberries into quarters, throwing away tops.
4. Pour the jam and strawberries in a pot and cook on medium low, stirring the strawberries into the jam until the mixture becomes warm.
5. Place 1 pound cake slice on a plate, then pour a few tablespoons of the strawberry mixture onto the cake. Place the another slice on top of it, then cover the dessert with whipped cream.
6. Repeat on another plate with the remaining 2 pieces of pound cake and enjoy!

Valentine’s Day Sundae (Serves 2 with ingredients left over)

Ingredients:

1 box of brownie mix (also the ingredients specified on the brownie box, likely vegetable oil, water, and egg(s))

2 teaspoons of chocolate sprinkles

1 scoop of strawberry ice cream

1 scoop of vanilla ice cream

a drizzle of strawberry sauce

a sprinkle of powdered sugar

Directions:

1. Use a medium-sized cake pan to bake the brownie mix, following the recipe on the box for ingredients and directions based on pan size.
2. Using a heart-shaped cookie cutter or a knife, cut out a few very large heart shapes from the brownies.
3. Drizzle strawberry sauce and sprinkle powdered sugar across a plate.
4. Place a large brownie on top of the plate, then place the ice cream scoops next to the brownie.
5. Cover the ice cream in sprinkles and enjoy!

Red Velvet Cupcakes (Serves 8-10 people)

Ingredients:

¼ cup butter

½ cup sugar

1 egg

½ cup milk

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 cup flour

3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

a pinch of salt

1 tablespoon and 1 teaspoon of red food coloring

1 teaspoon distilled white vinegar

cream cheese frosting

pink sprinkles

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 345 degrees.
2. Beat butter and sugar together.
3. Add the egg, vanilla, and food coloring, and beat together.
4. Slowly add the milk, baking soda, and vinegar and beat together.
5. Stir the flour, salt, and cocoa powder together in a bowl.
6. Combine the dry ingredients with the wet ingredients using a mixer.
7. Butter cupcake pan(s) before filling them about halfway with the mixture.
8. Bake for about 18 minutes.
9. After the cupcakes have cooled, cover with cream cheese frosting, then cover in sprinkles. Enjoy!

Today we’ll see the Carolina Panthers and the Denver Broncos go head-to-head in Super Bowl 50. While some throw Super Bowl parties to follow the game — others for the commercials — most everybody can agree that the most important part of the Super Bowl is the food offerings.

When you throw a party, impress everybody with your geographical and culinary prowess; use your Super Bowl party to serve up snacks from these respective regions of Colorado and North Carolina.

Although Denver is famous for its Rocky Mountain oysters, the city is also known for The Denver or Western Omelette. Here’s a recipe:

Denver Omelette

Ingredients:

3 tbsp. of cheddar cheese

2 tbsp. of butter

½ red finely chopped red bell pepper

1 tsp. milk

¼ tsp. onion powder

a pinch of salt

2 eggs

¼ cup of cooked, diced ham

Directions:

1. In a small bowl, whisk together the eggs, cheese, milk, onion powder, and salt.
2. Heat 1 tbsp. of butter on a medium skillet over medium heat.
3. Add the bell pepper and ham and let cook for about 5 minutes, stirring often.
4. Pour the mixture into a bowl.
5. Heat the remaining butter on the pan, then add the egg mixture. Spread the mixture around the pan by tilting it.
6. Wait about 2 minutes, then pour the bell pepper mixture onto the pan.
7. Fold the omelette over and press the sides of it together.
8. Let cook 1 more minute, then enjoy!

North Carolina is famous for its barbecue, especially its pork barbecue, but it’s also the birthplace of the Krispy Kreme Doughnut. The Krispy Kreme Doughnuts franchise originated in North Carolina in the late 1930s. Here’s a recipe:

Homemade Glazed Doughnuts

Dough Ingredients:

½ tbsp. of yeast

1/2 cup milk

1 tsp. vanilla

2 eggs

3 cups flour (plus extra for rolling dough)

a pinch of salt

½ stick of butter

vegetable oil to fill ½ medium sized pot

Glaze Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

1/4 tsp. vanilla

1/4 cup water

Directions:

1. Heat the milk in the microwave for 20 seconds, then combine it with the sugar and the yeast. (Come back to the mixture in 10 minutes)
2. Melt the butter in the microwave for 20 seconds, then beat together with the eggs.
3. Once the yeast mixture has been sitting for ten minutes, combine it with the egg mixture.
4. Add the salt, then slowly stir the flour into the mixture, pouring a little at a time.
5. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
6. Liberally sprinkle extra flour over a cutting board, then roll the dough over the cutting board. Add flour to dough as needed, eventually rolling the mixture to be about ½ inch thick.
7. Cut out doughnut shapes with a knife or a doughnut cutter. (Add leftover dough back into the mixture, until there’s not enough for a full doughnut)
8. Loosely cover the doughnuts, and let sit for 1 hour and 15 minutes outside of the refrigerator.
9. Pour the vegetable oil into a medium sized pot and let heat on high. (Wait until oil lightly boils)
10. Carefully drop one doughnut into the oil and let cook about 45 seconds per side. Continue with remaining doughnuts.
11. Combine the glaze ingredients, then dip doughnuts into glaze to cover.
12. Enjoy!