Ethnic food lovers can tuck into a feast Sunday at the fourth annual Soul Food Dinner, 3 p.m., at Hoyt Institute of Fine Arts, New Castle.

The menu includes specialties such as shredded barbecued pork, Southern fried chicken, spicy sausage and black-eyed peas, garlic smashed potatoes, corn bread, Mississippi red beans, corn pudding, sweet potato pie and more.

A gospel concert featuring Lindsay, Jennifer and Jessica Austin, known as Aus 10, follows the dinner. The trio has opened for Pirates games and performed at Harlem's Cotton Club.

Tickets are $12.50; proceeds benefit the institute. Call 724-652-2882 for reservations.

More veggies for lunch

Here's another reader's favorite restaurant where you can enjoy a big healthful veggie lunch:

La Feria, 5527 Walnut St., Shadyside, 412-682-4501.

"I love the La Feria Salad. It's good enough and filling enough to eat as a meal, especially with their sweet potato chips and limeade. Made with green leaf lettuce, red onions, walnuts, grated Swiss cheese and parmesan, it's served with excellent house dressing, some olives and 2 slices of great baguette." Katherine Wilkins

African cookbook signing

Local writer Zainabu Kpaka Kallon, who was born and raised in Sierra Leone, West Africa, will discuss and sign "Zainabu's African Cookbook" at 7 p.m. tonight at Barnes & Noble, Waterfront. Samples of one of her dishes will be available.

Sweets for your sweetie.....

Need a last-minute idea for your valentine? Here are some sweet suggestions, most with chocolate a main ingredient:

Brownies on the Brain -- Gourmet-quality brownies made by a young Squirrel Hill woman. Flavors are Chocolate Raspberry Truffle, Double Chocolate Caramel and Butterscotch Caramel. A dozen (almost 3 pounds) in a distinctive art box is $41.50, or in an unpainted papier-mache box with tissue and ribbon, $24. Internet only, www.browniesonthebrain.com.

BreadWorks -- Chocolate Babka, a round loaf made with sweet dough and chunks of chocolate, made famous in an episode of "Seinfeld." Order before 2 p.m. Saturday for pick up at the North Side store Monday. Cost is $5.50. Call 412-231-7555.

Cold Stone Creamery -- Red Hot Rush, made with Red Hots, ice cream, brownie pieces and fudge swirls. Or Cupid's Arrow, an ice cream cake with layers of devil's food cake, Red Hot ice cream, chocolate shavings, rich ganache, red piping and chocolate hearts.

Baskin & Robbins -- Polka Dot Ice Cream Cake that says "My Valentine" on the top in 6-inch or 9-inch sizes, various flavors. Or an ice cream cake just for two, dotted with hearts, that says "Be Mine."

Shari's Berries -- If you really want to win her heart, try Long-Stemmed Strawberry Roses, elegant, lovingly hand-decorated, gourmet chocolate-dipped fresh strawberries in a gift box with bow. Price for half dozen, $62.95; a dozen, $79.95. Shipped overnight, 24/7. Call 1-877-BERRIES,

Sensational soup

Congratulations to Lorraine Garvin of Monroeville, who was the winner in the Souper Bowl contest at McGinnis Sisters last weekend.

Her "Chicken Taco Soup" beat out 11 other soups.

Oso Sweet Onion alert

Keep your eyes peeled at the supermarket for Oso Sweet Onions, now in season through March. If you've never eaten an Oso Sweet, don't wait until next year to try one.

Mild, delicious, juicy, crunchy and, yes, sweet, these beauties are grown in the Andes and flown in fresh daily. Eat them raw or cooked.

For a quick, delicious side dish, melt a tablespoon or two of butter in a nonstick skillet, add a chopped Oso Sweet, a sprinkle of salt, pepper and garlic powder and simmer, covered, for 4 to 5 minutes.

Tasting good outside

The weather was sunny and beautiful last Saturday for Venture Outdoors' annual Winter Party and potluck feast for members at Ohiopyle.

A highlight of this yearly event is the Campfire Cook-off, judged by me and two food-savvy VO employees.

The entrees, cooked over simple camp stoves, were remarkable: Thai Curry (Kim and Ian Barlow), Mexican Lasagna (with homemade red wine, Rose Miller), Sausage & Peppers (Helen Walsh), Pasta Porcini Del Mar (Sean Brady) and Grilled Lake Erie Yellow Perch (Mitchell Cole).

Venture Outdoors director Mike Schiller made one of his specialties, Spambalaya (don't laugh, cubes of Spam cooked with Zatarain's rice and green peas was surprisingly delicious).

While each cook received an award, Brady's Pasta Porcini won Best Overall Taste. The recipes will be on the group's web site, www.ventureoutdoors.org, in two weeks.

New on the market

Pillsbury -- Ice cream in seven flavors including Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough, Turtle Fudge Brownie, Peanut Butter Fudge Chunk and Lovin' Caramel.

The last word

"Whoever tells a lie cannot be pure in heart -- and only the pure in heart can make good soup." Ludwig van Beethoven in a letter to Mme. Streicher in 1817.