This Easter season, no fewer than ONE BILLION PEEPS will be "hatched." I know. Pretty freakin’ awesome, and a great way to celebrate Peeps' 60th birthday, isn't it? That's six decades of those strange, colorful creations that appear at this time of year.

Peeps, cute though they may be, have a bad rep as far as culinary trends go. "They taste like crap!" declared a colleague of mine. But I have a confession to make ...

I'm never quite on top of things with the holidays, and it wasn't until this week that I suddenly realized that Easter's right around the corner and the kids might want to dye some eggs. No big deal, I thought, I'll just pick up one of those PAAS® kits when I buy groceries tonight. My mind drifted to nostalgic memories of watching the tablets fizz and billow colors before using that flimsy bent metal wire to carefully dip my eggs, then marveling over the tinted results (while simultaneously reeling from the vinegar smell).

Well, as it turns out, those basic egg-dyeing kits aren't quite so easy to find anymore. Somewhere along the line, someone decided a box of dye tablets, a wire, and a cardboard "drying rack" weren't GOOD enough. Because when I went to find that good old PAAS® box I remembered, what I found was an endcap of Easter INSANITY.

When you're in the mood for a rich, decadent, silky, supremely out-of-this world chocolate cake, this recipe is your ticket. And not only is it perfect for Easter or Passover (because it's flourless!) and perfect for anyone abstaining from gluten (again, because it's flourless!), but it's so ridiculously easy that it's actually called a Chocolate Idiot Cake. As in, only an idiot could possibly mess it up! Ha. Love it.

And you will too. Especially if you love chocolate. (And, let's be real, who doesn't?!)

Congratulations to our winer, micheledo!

It's that time of year again! Easter is just around the corner, which means it's time to break out the pastel-colored clothing and stock up on yummy chocolates and egg-shaped everything.

Whether you're celebrating the holiday or looking for a reason to splurge on something yummy, this Hoppy Easter Basket from Lindt will be sure to satisfy your sweet tooth. Complete with Lindt's delicious chocolate bunnies, carrots, and so much more -- it's the perfect springtime indulgence.

One lucky Stir reader will win a Lindt Hoppy Easter Basket! To enter, simply tell me:

I'm definitely not much of a baker, but this Easter, I really want to step up my game just a tad and whip up some cute and festive cookies for my son instead of using the store-bought cookie dough with pictures of bunnies and chicks stamped on it like I usually do. (I'm the world's biggest slacker when it comes to holiday treats. Fail.)

And that's why I'm super excited to try this easy and adorable Easter Nest Cookie recipe from Pure Sugar, and the best part is, you don't even need to turn the oven on to make these things.

When it comes to St. Patrick's Day, it's often the drink rather than the food that takes center stage in our celebrations. Whether it's whiskey in a jar, green beer, or Irish coffee, there are themed drinks o' plenty for the festivities. When it comes to the food, however, it's usually a big helping of corned beef and cabbage and ... well, that's about all most people come up with for this holiday.

That's fine if you like it, but there are plenty who don't, or who would appreciate a little something different (or in addition to it) this year. Here are five fantastic Irish-inspired dishes to consider serving during your weekend shenanigans.

You may not know it, but I'm actually a pretty sensitive guy. I can get mushy like the rest of them and really enjoy treating my wife to a romantic evening when I can. But despite that, I have to say this about that little "holiday" coming up this week: Valentine's Day is the biggest crock.

Just another one of those made-up Hallmark holidays, V-Day regularly spreads far more pain than love. First, there are all the people out there who aren't married, dating, or in a serious relationship. Or worse, there are those who just broke up with someone or are going through a rough divorce. Valentine's Day is just a way of the calendar giving those folks the middle finger.

I'm not sure why, but heart-shaped versions of just about any food are so much more fun to eat than the plain old round or square or rectangular originals. They're just so cuuuute! In fact, it's this abundance of heart-shaped treats that's always made Valentine's Day one of my favorite holidays. Even when I was young and cynical and liking Valentine's Day was hopelessly uncool, I stocked up on red and pink foil-wrapped chocolate hearts to eat in secret (yum!). Anyway, now that I'm older and still cynical but don't care about being thought of as uncool, these Valentine's Day Ice Cream Sandwiches are the perfect heart-shaped dessert to make. Yes, I love them! Because they are shaped like hearts! Whether or not you like Valentine's Day, I promise you'll love them, too.