It might seem bizarre, but this week celebrates 75 years since the sale of the first can of Spam ('spiced pork and ham'), in 1937. The canned meat rose in popularity during the 1940s as a convenient and economical source of protein, but nowadays it's often looked down on by those who consider it processed 'junk' food.

[Related feature: Does anyone still eat Spam?]

[Related link: Buy a Sushi kit]

Spam is used to make fritters, soups and stews and, of course, Spam and eggs. But we thought we'd try something different to mark the occasion. In Hawaii, they eat an estimated 6 million cans of Spam each year, much of it going into their favourite lunchbox snack, Spam musubi. It's a block of sushi rice (seasoned with rice wine, rice vinegar or left plain) topped with a slice of Spam and wrapped with a strip of nori (seaweed). Sometimes the Spam is cooked in Teriyaki sauce or sandwiched between two layers of rice.

But why Hawaii? It's thought that US soldiers brought Spam to the island in the

Sit Mum down with a cup of tea and treat her this Mothering Sunday with these three simple but impressive cake recipes.

Chocolate-dipped strawberry cupcakes

Chocolate and strawberries are a luxurious combination, and make a great topping for these cupcakes. The icing is quite soft, so use a spoon to ice them instead of a piping bag.

Makes 12
Ingredients:
For the cakes:
130g soft, unsalted butter
65g caster sugar
60g soft light brown sugar
2 medium eggs
120g plain flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 tsp vanilla extract
Splash of milk

For the topping:
75g soft, unsalted butter
200g icing sugar
100g strawberries, chopped finely
12 small whole strawberries, or 3 large ones, cut into quarters
50g plain chocolate

Method:
1.    First, melt the chocolate in a bowl set over a pan of simmering water. Dip in the strawberries or strawberry quarters one by one, and leave them on a piece of greaseproof paper to set.
2.    Preheat the oven to 200C/Gas Mark 6. Beat the butter, caster sugar and light

Need a good reason to tuck into a creamy chocolate treat? Well 6 March marks the 100-year anniversary of the launch of Oreos. To celebrate, we've rounded up some of the best Oreo recipes. Check these out…

Oreo chocolate and lemon truffles

Oreo chocolate and lemon trufflesZesty lemon works so well with the dark chocolate flavour of Oreo cookies. Choose between plain or white chocolate, or make both. They're great with coffee, and taste even better the next day. Makes about 12.

Ingredients:
140g Oreos, blitzed into fine crumbs
100g soft cheese (we used Philadelphia)
100g white or plain chocolate (or 50g of each, melted separately)
2 lemons

[Related story: Asda's Easter egg claims annual taste test top spot]

Method:
1.    In a large bowl, mix together the Oreo crumbs and soft cheese until it forms a smooth, dark paste. Pinch out pieces of the mixture and roll into balls, about 2.5cm wide. Place on a clean, non-stick baking sheet (one that will fit into the freezer) and spear each ball with a cocktail stick. Keep going