Well, the cookbook officially hits the bookstores on October 1, but family and friends have already spied it for sale at larger bookstores. This Sunday, I did a book signing and offered recipe tastings at the Ocean County Book Fair in Toms River, NJ. I met some wonderful people, all of whom were interested in animal-free cooking. By the end of the day, the samples were all snarfed up and the cookbooks were all sold out. The saleswoman at the book stand told me that my cookbook and one other one were the day's most popular sellers. Nice to hear!

I'm giving away 2 coupons for a free half-gallon of Silk Heart Health Soy Milk. According to Silk, this formulation is rich in phytosterols. So as a result, it's clinically proven to reduce cholesterol by up to 12%.

I finally had time to pull out my sewing machine last week. All three felines volunteered to jump in and help. They especially enjoyed trimming the threads.

Sewing is hard work. You need to take a rest immediately afterwards. [Look at Bossa Nova's eyes glowing in the wood.]

Bossa has always been a very studious cat...

Studying also makes you tired. Here, Bossa uses the new Anna Thomas cookbook as a pillow.

A few months back, Mark Bittman published a pithy piece in the New York Times, explaining how to create your own infused oils. These flavorful oils are available in your trendy, neighborhood gourmet shop – for a price. Making your own infused oils is fun and inexpensive, especially if you are growing your own crop of herbs. Simply bring a cup of good olive oil and a healthy handful of your favorite herbs, spices and/or aromatics to a very gently boil, and let it cook for a few minutes. After cooling, pour the mixture into your vessel of choice and store refrigerated for about 2 weeks. You can strain out the herbs, if you prefer, but I happen to like how they float gracefully in the celadon sea of oil.

Tiny pots of rosemary and basil growing in my window served as the inspiration for my oil. While the oil simmered, the kitchen swelled with the herbs' heady aromas, tempered with a piquant garlic low note. I plan on using my infused oil to flavor salad dressings, soups, pastas and baked potatoes.

Here are some ingredient ideas for infused oils. Don't forget, you can mix and match:

What combination will you make?