SMORGASBORD: Small wonders . . . Cook and freeze . . . Shrivel me this . . . Healthy cocktail

Small wonders

The cupcake craze that swept the nation means there are flavors galore out there. But you can't try them all, can you?

Baked by Melissa's minicupcakes might come close to making it possible. Her colorful variety trays of one-bite cakes feature decadent flavors such as Cookies & Cream, Mint Chocolate Chip, Peanut Butter & Jelly and Smores.

Buy a tray of 50 ($37.50, plus shipping) at bakedbymelissa.com.

Cook and freeze

Cookbook author Dana Jacobi presents 150 recipes for dishes you can make and eat now, or freeze for later in "Cook & Freeze: 150 Delicious Dishes to Serve Now and Later" (Rodale Books, $22.99).

Her emphasis is on preserving quality along with the food and proving the freezer can indeed hold more than ice cubes, frozen pizza and vodka bottles.

Jacobi goes about cooking and freezing with a scientist's precision and Julia Child's passion for explaining the "why." You'll learn how freezing works, how to thaw and just how long you can keep that catfish jambalaya, banana coconut bread pudding or Italian wedding soup in the fridge.

Jacobi's recipes are clearly written, easy to follow and sensible; she knows every dollar counts these days, and she tells you how to get the most for your money. More important, Jacobi tackles the topic with such can-do enthusiasm you'll be itching to run out to the kitchen, pull together all those plastic freezing containers and lids you have scattered about, and start cooking and freezing.

Shrivel me this

You just can't argue with the sweet appeal of fruit -- fresh, dried, pureed. But sometimes dried fruit options can seem limited, and our fresh fruit options are dictated by the seasons.

So, we welcome the new offerings from Ocean Spray, including dried blueberries, jumbo dried cranberries and dried cherries.

Pick up a 4-5-ounce package of the chewy snacks for about $4 in grocery stores nationwide.

Healthy cocktail

Have you been drinking your vegetables?

Well, the idea just got even sweeter, thanks to V8 V-Fusion + Tea. The veggie-plus-fruit juices come in flavors such as Pomegranate Green Tea, Raspberry Green Tea and Pineapple Mango Green Tea.

Pick up a 12-ounce bottle at grocery stores nationwide beginning in October.

1/3: Baked by Melissa's mini cupcakes offer colorful variety trays of one-bite cakes featuring decadent flavors such as Cookie & Cream, Mint Chocolate Chip, Peanut Butter & Jelly and Smores. (McClatchy Tribune)

2/3: The new offerings from Ocean Spray include dried blueberries, jumbo dried cranberries and dried cherries. (McClatchy Tribune)

3/3: V8 V-Fusion + Tea got a little sweeter. The veggie-plus-fruit juices come in flavors like Pomegranate Green Tea, Raspberry Green Tea and Pineapple Mango Green Tea. (McClatchy Tribune)