If you want to "have your cupcake and eat it too," just try this delicious recipe for Coconut Cupcakes with Coconut-White Chocolate Frosting. Baking from scratch never tasted so incredibly good!

Cupcakes:
2¼ cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
½ cup sweetened flaked coconut
¾ cup (1½ sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1½ cups sugar
3 large eggs
½ tsp coconut extract or vanilla extract
¾ cup light coconut milk (not cream of coconut)

Coconut-White Chocolate Frosting:
1 cup (6 oz) white chocolate baking chips
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1 brick (8 oz) cream cheese, softened
½ tsp coconut extract
2½ cups confectioners' sugar
Garnish: sweetened flaked coconut, toasted

Directions:
1. Cupcakes: Heat oven to 350ºF. Line 24 muffin cups with paper liners.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk flour, baking powder and salt until blended; stir in coconut.
3. In a large bowl with electric mixer, beat butter and sugar until creamed, about 2 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, until blended. Beat in coconut extract.
4. With mixer on low speed, alternately beat in flour mixture and coconut milk, beginning and ending with flour mixture, until just blended.
5. Spoon about 1/4 cup batter into each muffin cup. Bake 20 to 23 minutes until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; remove cupcakes from pan to wire rack to cool completely.
6. Frosting: Melt white baking chips in a small glass bowl in microwave as package directs. Beat butter, cream cheese and coconut extract in large bowl with electric mixer until creamed and blended. Beat in melted white chocolate until blended. On low speed, gradually beat in confectioners' sugar.
7. Spread 2 Tbsp frosting onto each cupcake; sprinkle tops with toasted coconut.

(Makes 24 Cupcakes.)

If you want to "have your cupcake and eat it too," just try this delicious recipe for Creamsicle Cupcakes. Are you old enough to remember getting a Creamsicle from the ice cream man's wagon as he drove through the neighborhood on a hot summer day?

Orange Cupcakes:
2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups granulated sugar
½ tsp each baking powder, baking soda and salt
3 large eggs
2 Tbsp grated orange zest
2 tsp vanilla extract
¾ cup vegetable oil
1 cup buttermilk

Orange Cream Frosting:
1 brick (8 oz) cream cheese, softened
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 tsp grated orange zest
1½ cups confectioners' sugar
Orange paste food color (optional)
Garnish: strips of orange peel

Directions:
1. Cupcakes: Heat oven to 350ºF. Line 24 muffin cups with paper liners.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk flour, 1 cup of the sugar, the baking powder, baking soda and salt until blended.
3. In a large bowl with electric mixer, beat eggs, orange zest and vanilla until blended. Beat in remaining 1 cup sugar. Beat in oil, then buttermilk, until blended.
4. With mixer on low speed, alternately beat in flour mixture and buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour mixture, until just blended.
5. Spoon about 1/4 cup batter into each muffin cup. Bake 18 to 20 minutes until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 5 minutes; remove from pan to wire rack to cool completely.
6. Filling: Prepare pudding as package directs, using 1-1/4 cups milk. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Scrape into a bowl; cover surface directly with plastic wrap and refrigerate until cold.
7. Glaze: Place chocolate, sugar and water in a small saucepan over low het. Cook, stirring, until melted and smooth, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in butter until it melts and mixture is smooth. Let cool.
8. To assemble: Slice off top of cupcakes to come to top of paper liners. Spread cut surface with about 1 Tbsp filling. Top with cupcake top. Spoon about 1 Tbsp glaze onto top center of each, easing it over top.

(Makes 18 Cupcakes.)

The tomb of the unknown soldier exists in several parts of the world and you can get postcards from any of the countries. For more information about these tombs and the postcards that have been issued in the United States and other countries, check out a recent blog (http://www.collectstampsandpostcards.com/blog/2010/01/28/postcards-of-the-tomb-of-the-unknown-soldier.html).

I am pleased to know that these unknown soldiers are being commemorated even on picture postcards. And, if you are a collector of vintage postcards, a section on the various tombs of the unknown soldier would certainly enhance your collection. Part of the fun of putting the collection together would finding all the countries that have monuments to the unknown soldier.

Visit this special website (www.collectstampsandpostcards.com) to find out more about collecting stamps and, especially, postcards.

Try this delicious recipe for Boston Cream Cupcakes to serve with your next coffee break. They would also be a scrumptious treat with a cup of hot chocolate after a cold winter of shoveling snow --- or playing in the snow.

Cupcakes:
2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp each baking powder and salt
3/4 cup (1½ sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1-1/4 cups sugar
3 large eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup buttermilk

Filling:
1 package (3 oz) cook & serve vanilla pudding
1-1/4 cups milk
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Chocolate Glaze:
8 oz semisweet chocolate, chopped
1/3 cup each sugar and water
3 Tbsp unsalted butter, softened

Directions:
1. Cupcakes: Heat oven to 350ºF. Line 18 muffin cups with paper liners.
2. In a bowl, whisk flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt until blended.
3. Beat butter and sugar in a large bowl with electric mixer until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, until well blended. Beat in vanilla extract.
4. With mixer on low speed, alternately beat in flour mixture and buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour mixture, until just blended.
5. Spoon about 1/4 cup batter into each muffin cup. Bake 18 to 20 minutes until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 5 minutes; remove from pan to wire rack to cool completely.
6. Filling: Prepare pudding as package directs, using 1-1/4 cups milk. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Scrape into a bowl; cover surface directly with plastic wrap and refrigerate until cold.
7. Glaze: Place chocolate, sugar and water in a small saucepan over low het. Cook, stirring, until melted and smooth, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in butter until it melts and mixture is smooth. Let cool.
8. To assemble: Slice off top of cupcakes to come to top of paper liners. Spread cut surface with about 1 Tbsp filling. Top with cupcake top. Spoon about 1 Tbsp glaze onto top center of each, easing it over top.

(Makes 18 Cupcakes.)

Try this healthy Mexican-inspired recipe for Salmon Tacos. This recipe embraces the bold Mexican flavors we adore but leaves behind the fat, sodium and calories we don't.

Ingredients:
1 lb skinless salmon fillet
1 Tbsp Slat-Free Mexican Seasoning Blend (below)
1 cup shredded cabbage or lettuce
1  diced avocado
½ cup diced tomatoes
½ cup sliced onion
½ cup chopped cilantro
2 Tbsp fresh lime juice
1 Tbsp olive oil
8 corn or flour tortillas
Serve with: green or red salsa

Directions:
1. Heat oven to 500ºF. Line a baking pan with nonstick foil.
2. Rub salmon fillet with seasoning blend. Roast 8 minutes on baking pan or just until cooked through.
3. Meanwhile, in a bowl, toss shredded cabbage or lettuce, avocado, tomatoes, onion, cilantro, lime juice and olive oil. Break salmon into pieces with a fork.
4. Fill warmed tortillas with the salmon and vegetables. Serve with green or red salsa. Hold the cheese and sour cream!

(Makes 4 servings.)

Salt-Free Mexican Seasoning Blend: Use this in place of those convenient (but sodium-laden) packets of taco or chili seasoning. It's also great as a rub.

Mix ¼ cup salt-free chili powder, 1 Tbsp each dried oregano and ground cumin and ½ tsp garlic powder. Store in an airtight jar.

For tacos or chili: Use 2½ Tbsp per pound of ground beef or turkey.
As a rub (great for faijitas): Use 1 Tbsp per pound of steak, chicken or pork.