Another wonderful thing to do with sardines

...because Emily at Well Fed, Flat Broke is AWESOME and she was kind enough to take my recipe request. I want that platter at the bottom of the post: almondy fishy garlicky pate, fresh bread, mixed pickles, eggs -- yummmmmm!

If you haven't discovered a cooking blog you love and really, really trust yet... why not? I've got several I follow sporadically, and only a handful I follow as often as they update.

Em's blog is at the top of my list, because along with recipes that always hit the spot and have never let me down, it's got a warmth and serene joy to it that make me smile. I hate to let you see this recipe because it could so easily become one of those culinary Secret Weapons -- but this lovely lemon pudding cake has become my very favorite dessert. Yes, more favorite than my own gingerbread with lemon sauce. More favorite than my chocolate lava cake with creme anglaise.

Let me point you toward a couple other blogs, too:

How to Cook Like Your Grandmother: whether you're looking for a classic recipe or just want some down-home cooking, this is a nice place to find it. Also, Drew is awesome and provides resources regarding food health, cooking techniques, and the latest buzz in the health food community. Besides, I love a blog not too shy to post and love its (delicious) cooking disasters: butterscotch halfway turned to Butterfingers, for instance.

Pioneer Woman's blog: because your saturated fat ought to be handed to you by a smiling, chatty, simultaneously brass-tacks-country and urbane-and-modern farm wife. Don't you think? She loves her butter and beef. Site is super-huge, and PW is super-popular (heck, I have a copy of her cookbook on my shelf). I have never had one of her recipes fail, and some -- yeah, make her "fancy macaroni" and have the cardiologist's phone number handy -- better yet, share it with a herd of people -- are to die from. Er, for. Both. Anyway, say hi to "Mrs. Purple Alien Claw" for me. Heh.

Smitten Kitchen: more often than not, it seems that these are dessert recipes. I've tried out a lot of them on those of you close enough for me to feed. Sometimes fancy, but always with an old-fashioned, traditional feel. Happy-making. And we eat this outstanding tomato sauce about twice a week.

No Recipes: okay, I check this one... weekly instead of daily. But if you want things like authentically delicious Tonkatsu Ramen broth, this is the place to explore. (If you make that recipe, invite me over.)

Broke and Healthy: Simple, inexpensive, delicious things to do with cheap-as-dirt ingredients. It'd be easy to build a meal around any of the dishes featured here. Unfortunately, will stop updating quite as often now that the author has a Full Time Day Job. This is the recipe that hooked me.

If these don't ring your bell, for goodness' sakes go looking. I have a whole "bookmarks" folder full of cooking blogs I like, and refer to whenever I am bored or want to try something new -- but everyone ought to have one or two that they follow like an addiction. The ones listed above are easy to love.

The first taste is free.

Food for thought?