Chow is a new, bi-monthly food magazine that is all about food as enjoyment. It demystifies food, making it accessible to even the most green of all food novices. Heavy on the “journalistic” aspect of food writing, it is filled with facts, and little-known details about the foods we eat everyday. But most exciting (for me anyway), is the latest issue contains an article about Snack Cakes for the 21st Century, with four all-new recipes for those little bits of goodness, minus the cellophane wrappers from our childhood, by me. That’s right the girl who professes to not enjoying baking, bit the bullet, tied on an apron, and got down and dirty with a pastry bag, all in the name of a little bit of food journalism. And I have to admit, I rather liked it.

For the two weeks time that I had to develop these recipes, I became all consumed with a little bit of vanilla cream. That’s cream, not creme, mind you. I’m talking about that gooey, sugary sweet filling for dozens of snack cakes eaten by kids and adults daily (come on, you know that you do). But the snack cakes for which the recipes are given, are for snack cakes with a sort of conscience. Now mind you, you won’t get thin eating my version of Ding Dongs, but they are preservative, and trans-fat free. These versions for Twinkies, Oatmeal Cream Pies, and Ding Dongs, are rich, decadent, and fun. Not everything that we eat has to be so serious, so organic, or so mature. If you’re out, and happen to see a copy of Chow, pick one up and let me know what you think.