Cabbage with Bacon and Cream

With St. Paddy's Day less than 3 weeks away, the Progressive Eats bloggers have come together this month to share a menu fit for the occassion. Whether  you want something traditional, something with an Irish twist, or something green—we've got some recipes that you're bound to enjoy!

Spiced Almond Popcorn Snack Mix | #CelebrateAlmonds

I’ve partnered with California Almonds to bring you this sponsored post and all opinions stated are my own.

Almonds and popcorn and seeds—oh my! These three things may just be my ultimate snacking trifecta. They are all easy to pack in my purse or bag when I'm on-the-go, as well as for when I feel a between-meals snack attack coming on. So combining the three might just be one of the smartest things I've done lately.

Burnt Coffee Flan | Pan's Labyrinth #FoodnFlix

This month, the Food 'n Flix club is creating recipes inspired by the 2006 dark fairy tale, Guillermo del Toro's Pan's Labyrinth. Set in post civil war Spain (5 years after its end), it's the story of Ofelia, a young girl who, along with her very pregnant mother, is preparing to move in with her new stepfather, the horrid Captain Vidal, at his military outpost.

Menudo (Red Chile Tripe Soup) | #SoupSwappers

Menudo is touted for it's ability to help cure a hangover. This is due to its high Vitamin B content. I'm guessing that the chile-laden broth probably aids in helping you sweat it out a bit, too. Whether that's a Mexican urban legend or not, I don't know. But ask any Mexican you know how to cure a hangover, and menudo will be the answer. Alongside a big glass of water for hydration, it definitely couldn't hurt. Or you could choose to go hair of the dog. You know, if that's more your style.

Spicy Shrimp Curry | #FishFridayFoodies

It's time for another edition of the Fish Friday Foodies, when a group of bloggers get together to share fish and seafood recipes based on a chosen theme in an effort to incorporate more seafood into our daily routine. This month, we're exploring the wonderful and diverse world of fish and seafood curries.

Okay, actually we are supposed to be exploring the wonderful and diverse world of Indian fish and seafood curries. Zoinks! I'm usually very good at observation, or at least the art of recording, but somehow I forgot to write down that all-important adjective.

Hemp-Chia-Flax Einkorn Crackers | #EinkornExperiment

It's time for another edition of The Einkorn Experiment! This month I decided that I wanted to try my hand at using einkorn to make crackers. Homemade crackers are usually pretty simple to make, and always leave me feeling a sense of accomplishment as I pull them from the oven.

Since I'm still getting comfortable with einkorn flour and its slight differences from all-purpose in a recipe like this, I chose this recipe by Cathy from Bread Experience via Einkorn.com as a starting point. So, here's the thing about einkorn flour—it absorbs liquid slower than all-purpose flour, so you have to take things a little slow, and take care not to over-mix in an effort to incorporate everything.

Salt and Pepper Dip | Gilmore Girls

Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life (S1:E3 "Summer"):

• Hmmm, Stars Hollow has a municipal pool.
• 2:00 in - adorable hippie, college kid, 22-year old April - and she's on the "pot" trail.
• Mac and cheese, salad, and garlic bread on the family table. And popcorn with Luke and Lorelai's after-dinner movie.
• I'm still finding it super hard to believe that with all of Rory's world traveling, Logan is the only one she has to talk to on the phone, visit, and have sex with. The fiance has moved in in this episode, and reality is smacking Rory in the face. She's now the "hotel" girl. The mistress. Duh.
• Loud air conditioner during the town meeting. "It feels like an earthquake." -Rory "Strawberry shortcake?" -Lorelai 
• Such a sad 30-something gang. 😄
• What's up with all the fat shaming? Lorelai and Rory have always been snarky, but I don't remember them being unkind.
• Miss Patty has lost a ton of weight since the series!
• Rory insists that she is not home, but she's using her journalism degree from Yale University to take the unpaying "job" as the new editor of the Stars Hollow Gazette. I actually think it's cool that she's moved back home and is taking over the Gazette, but I wish she'd own that decision.
• Some things never change - Pop Tarts and coffee for breakfast. 
• Whoa, Emily is still asleep at noon. To quote Rory, "it's weird".
• Let me start by saying that I absolutey adore Sutton Foster (because I can't get enough of Younger), but that musical was just another waste of time. Lorelai's face was my face.
• Oh, highlight - Carol Kane singing "I Feel the Earth Move"! I mean, Sophie.
• Possibly crab puffs at the DAR meeting at Emily's house - Berta Puffs and Mystery Soup.
• FINALLY JESS! 💓💓 1 hour into the 3rd episode is far too late for the appearance of the best guy ever to come out of Stars Hollow. A liquid lunch - "Roundbottoms up!" Oh, a reference to Nora Ephron's neck (and one of my favorite books).
• And of course Jess gives her the best advice, because he listens and observes and knows the down-to-earth Rory - write a book about "you and your mom". 
• Still so many emotions at the cemetery. And even more when Rory reveals the story she's writing. Lorelai is not happy. I kind of get it, but at the same time, she's always been nothing but supportive of Rory, it kind of surprises me that she is against the idea. Her "story" is never anything she's been ashamed of before. Oh, and how, after so many years, is Lorelai still against Jess? Come on. He's a successful grown man, not a lost kid anymore. And he's sexy AF. 

Okay, so...I didn't make a recipe that inspired directly from this episode, rather from my elation that Jess finally made an appearance (albeit, far too short) in this episode. I looked back to season two (episode 16) and decided to make something from one of my favorite food scenes involving Jess and Rory (and Paris).

Paris: "What are you doing?"

Jess: "Salt and pepper dip. Only way to eat a fry."

Paris: "Really?"

Rory: "It's fast food gospel."

Then Jess asks Paris if she likes hot sauce, and she asks if she should. He responds that he thinks it's wise.

So, salt and pepper dip, with hot sauce, if you know what's good for you. Of course, I could have just poured salt and pepper together and called it a day (which is totally fine and delicious), but I went a tiny step further and made an actual dip for the fries. It's only a tiny step higher on the difficulty scale to make than pouring salt and pepper together in a bowl is.

Salt and Pepper Dip (for french fries)

mayonnaise, to taste
freshly ground garlic sea salt, to taste
freshly ground black pepper, to taste
hot sauce, to taste

Stir everything together in a small bowl until well-combined. Serve with hot french fries.

Love Potion cocktail | #SheMadeEllaHace

It's time for another round of She Made, Ella Hace with my friend Leslie from La Cocina de Leslie, and this month, we're creating Valentine's Day inspired recipes. Even though we had this planned in advance, today really snuck up on me, and I was scrambling last minute to create something.

Bisquick Pancakes w/ Raspberry Maple Syrup (for Glenn & Abraham) | The Walking Dead

I know it's been a while since I've shared a recipe inspired by The Walking Dead, but I'm sharing one today to mark the mid season 7 premiere. So, the thing is, I had an extremely rough time with the first half of the season. Episode 1 brought on a ton of anxiety, that seemed to carry me through the season. It was so brutal and heart-breaking that just typing the words are making me cry. Literally. Sometimes my extreme empathic nature feels like a curse.

Herbed Almond Encrusted Goat Cheese Bites | #CelebrateAlmonds

I’ve partnered with California Almonds to bring you this sponsored post and all opinions stated are my own.

It's been awhile since I've talked about a food holiday, but since February has the honor of being American Heart Month, National Snacking Month, and Almond Month (not to mention Almond Day falls on the 16th), I thought it would be fun to combine all three by sharing a few almond recipes with you throughout the month.

Quick Bacon, Avocado and Egg Breakfast Sandwiches

I've mentioned before that I was raised on the old adage that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, though I admit it's not always the easiest one to get on the table. That's especially true on school days and busy work mornings around here, so it helps to have a few tried and true shortcuts up your sleeve.

I love getting the chance to try out new OXO kitchen tools and gadgets, and then sharing them with you. Today I'm going to introduce you to four products that have recently become invaluable to me in the kitchen on those busy mornings. Actually, I've found myself using them even when I'm not in a rush, because they're so darn convenient.

50 States 5000 Ideas | #TLCBookTours

The first time I traveled in an airplane, I was 36. Growing up, whenever we traveled, we took the car, which is probably where my love of road trips began. I've always loved road maps and atlases, often spending just as much time in that section of a book store as I spent anywhere else. I would sit in the back seat of the car, map spread out, tracking our journey with my finger as we passed mile markers, rest stops, state parks, and signs for local attractions.

When I started paging through the new National Geographic release, 50 States 5000 Ideas, it was like I was a kid again, in the back seat, staring at the wonders outside of my window. Filled with bright, vivid photographs from each of the 50 states and 10 Canadian provinces, as well as an overview of a few good cities to start with and landscape info, my mind immediately started planning road trips that I could take with my family.

Apple Cinnamon Stuffing Muffins | Lift And Separate

Welcome to the TLC Book Tours stop for the first novel by Marilyn Simon Rothstein, Lift And Separate! With a title like "Lift And Separate" and a cover filled with bras, you might guess that this book contains a bit of humor—you'd be correct! The story is actually a look into the life of 50-something Marcy Hammer, whose husband of 33 years seems to be going through a mid-life crisis, in the worst way possible.

Harvey Hammer is in the (family) business of bras, and can correctly guess any woman he meets bra size at a glance. As if that weren't uncomfortable enough, he cheats on his wife and mother of his three grown children with a fitting model.