If you’re as addicted to caffeine as I am, you are probably broke (not to mention a real gem in the early morning hours). But, like any good junkie, you’re more than willing to flip the couch cushions in search of a few quarters, or sell your kidney to pay for a grande White Chocolate Mocha on your way to school.

I have to admit, I’m a huge Starbucks fan, and am usually fine with shelling out a few extra dollars to indulge in something tastier than Folgers. Still, I need a new winter wardrobe… so I’m weaning myself off of overpriced coffee drinks (that taste like dessert) and makin’ my coffee at home.

I know it’s a bold move, but after playing around a bit I have learned a few things: 1) Making your own coffee can save you billions, and 2) It is really, really easy. Here are a few tips:

1. Flavor it Up.
Whenever I make my own coffee, no matter how good the brand, or how carefully I measure the coffee-to-water ratio, it always seems to taste like dirt. My solution? Flavor, flavor, flavor. Syrup, syrup, Equal, syrup. Seriously, who just gets a latte from Starbucks? Everyone has their signature: the Pumpkin Latte, Caramel Macchiato, White Chocolate Mocha…what do they have in common? Manufactured taste. Instead of shelling out $4-$5 a day for Starbucks, buy a bottle of Torani Syrups. This brand is used in tons of coffee shops across the country, so you might not even taste the difference. Read More »

It’s true. Men who can cook are hot no matter what. (Editor’s Note: It probably has something to do with that whole “wearing an apron but nothing else” fantasy…mmmm.) But when they’re actually sexy and willing to slave over a stove to cook me up a steak dinner (some sort of chocolate dessert doesn’t hurt either), they’ve automatically won my heart. Sometimes I just sit on my couch watching the Food Network and drooling. No, not because of the food. Because of the men.

Gourmet food and delicious men; what else could we ask for?

Do you need some new eye candy…that actually knows how to make candy? Check out these top 5 sexy celebrity chefs. So hot they boil water (sorry, I had to go there):

1) Bobby Flay- I actually think Bobby Flay is kind of an assh*le. I also think I might like assh*les just a little bit, because I have a serious thing for him. I love his extreme sense of self-confidence on Throwdown, where he smugly believes he can beat food masters around the country at their culinary specialties. I secretly root for him every time. And on Iron Chef America? Come on, not even a competition. The man is magic and he knows it; Bobby’s confidence causes him to ooze sexiness. Also, who doesn’t love a man behind a grill? I’ll take him medium rare. Rarrr.

2) Curtis Stone- Sometimes when I’m wandering through the grocery store, I fantasize that Curtis Stone will, all of the sudden, appear and beg to come home with me. He is the Take Home Chef on TLC after all. The Australian-born hottie seeks out women in grocery stores and then goes home with them and helps them cook dinner. Hi, dream come true. I’d force him to eat dinner with me and then put the house on lock-down so he had no way out: Curtis Stone, Live In Chef. Read More »

After a long, cold winter and a bitter Writer’s Strike, NBC’s The Office is finally returning to the airwaves tonight at 9/8C. What better way to celebrate the return of one of the best comedies on television than hosting an Office Party? Unlike the lame, boring parties you may have at work, this one can be fun, easy and inexpensive! So round up the Party Planning Committee and let’s get crackin’.

Keep your food simple. Nothing is worse than people slurping, chomping, or spilling messy dishes while you’re trying to catch every joke in a new episode. If you’re not much of a gourmet, here are some simple snack recipes with an Office twist.

- Finer Things Club Paninis
- Dunder-Muffins
- Stanley’s Pretzel Day Soft Pretzels
- Kevin’s M&M Cookie Bars

If party games are more your style, check out some of these Office themed games including a crossword puzzle, Office solitaire and trivia questions.

And if you need a quick refresher course from the first part of season four, you can check out all of the episodes online for free on NBC or Hulu.com.

Enjoy the festivities and happy viewing!