Heather Lalley

When planning food for a party, do you: A. Grab a bag of chips and a can of dip?

"Pillsbury C'Mon Over: Hassle-Free, Hustle-Free Entertaining" Wiley, $19.95

Are you wild for raspberries? Looking for a scenic drive this weekend? You may want to head down Highway 95 to Cottonwood, Idaho, on Sunday for the 15th annual Raspberry Festival.

The new nursing school on the Washington State University Riverpoint Campus has received $1.5 million in federal funding to create the Inland Northwest Human Simulation Lab. The lab is part of the nursing building currently under construction. Says a news release, the human patient simulation lab "uses life-sized mannequins that actually breathe, have bowel sounds, lung sounds, pulses and a heart beat. All HPS life signs and sounds, including patient speech, are controlled by a technician at a computer, simulating different disease processes, varying vital signs and deterioration or improvement in patient states."

What started just last year as a small, family-run olive oil business in Coeur d'Alene is going through a growth spurt. The Coeur d'Alene Olive Oil Co. opened last June in downtown Coeur d'Alene, selling freshly pressed extra virgin olive oil, vinegars, stuffed olives and other specialty items.

If you think a picnic needs a sunny day, a basket, a blanket and a nice spot by a lake, you need to broaden your horizons. That's what mother-and-son writers Hilary and Alex Hemingway do in "Picnics," a photo-rich tribute to sitting down to a meal just about anyplace other than your dining room table.

The Red Lion is going on a heart-healthy diet. The hotel chain, with several properties in the Inland Northwest, just announced it has zapped trans fats from menu items at its restaurants, lounges and banquet facilities.

Now, you can learn a little something at the Liberty Lake Farmers' Market, in addition to picking up a basket full of fresh produce, breads and other local goods. The market is hosting demonstrations about cooking, flowers and other food-related topics each Saturday at 11 a.m.

Whip up some of the offerings from two new cookbooks and you'll be transported south of the Mason-Dixon Line faster than you can say "whippersnapper." Chronicle Books has come out with "Southern Cocktails: Dixie Drinks, Party Potions & Classic Libations" by Denise Gee, to go along with "Southern Cakes: Sweet and Irresistible Recipes for Everyday Celebrations" by Nancie McDermott.

Warmer days signal iced-tea weather, and Marji Thompson wants to show you how to brew the perfect, cooling cup. Thompson is co-owner of Spokane's Summit Tea Co., which sells high-quality teas, largely from China.

Get those State Fair recipes ready. The Spokane County Interstate Fair runs from Sept. 7 to 16, but now's the time to be perfecting those blue-ribbon-winning dishes.

Michael Gurian wants you to ignore all of the fads, all of the trendy parenting advice that makes its way onto TV and into magazines. There's no "correct" number of activities for which your child must be registered. There's no DVD that your baby must watch to become a productive member of society. There's no one-size-fits-all bit of parenting advice by which you must abide.

With even the most-minimal amount of planning, and the help of the new collection "Mark Bittman's Quick and Easy Recipes From The New York Times," there's little reason for pulling into the drive-through on a busy weeknight. You can whip up something much tastier (and healthier) in about the same time it'll take you to sail under the Golden Arches. Here are just a couple of the 350 recipes in Bittman's latest book.

Raise a glass to the first official day of summer which, if you haven't noticed, takes place on Thursday. (Yes, that's tomorrow.) It's time to throw some food on the fire, whip up some coleslaw and baked beans, and relax outside with a cool drink in your hand.

Eagle-eyed pastry-eaters may have noticed a change recently in one of the Davenport Hotel's signature baked goods. The coffeecake, it appears, has gone on a diet.

Show your support of all things local at the first-ever Local Flair Street Fair Saturday in Spokane. The all-day event is put on by Fresh Abundance, an organic grocery store and food-delivery service that focuses on selling locally produced foods and products.

With farmers' markets around the area gearing up for summer, home cooks are looking for ways to incorporate all of that beautiful produce into meals. It's worth taking a look at "300 Best Stir-Fry Recipes" for some inspiration. You'll find both vegetarian as well as chicken, beef, pork and seafood dishes. There are old favorites like Classic Chicken with Salted Cashews (recipe below), Beef with Broccoli in Oyster Sauce and Kung Pao Chicken. And there are many, many inventive combinations.

Sample more than 80 wines and a variety of beers next week at the third annual Stem and Stein fundraiser, which benefits the Spokane AIDS Network. The event takes place at 6:30 p.m. on June 15 at the Northern Quest Casino Pend Oreille Pavilion.