Wendigo Hunting M&M's Trail Mix | Supernatural

Welcome to another Supernatural Thursday, in which I share recipes inspired by the show Supernatural. This week I'm heading way back to a time before our boys voices were deep and husky, and the hunt to find their dad had only just begun. Season 1, Episode 2 (Wendigo) finds Sam and Dean posing as park rangers in order to look into the disappearance of campers in the woods at Blackwater Ridge in Colorado...thinking that perhaps John may have been there.

Pan-Seared Salmon w/ Mixed Greens Pesto & Lentil Black Rice Salad

Today is the first Friday of the Lenten season, and in honor of that, Leslie and I are sharing fish and seafood recipes for today's edition of She Made, Ella Hace. So, here's the thing—I wasn't raised Catholic (and I'm not Catholic now), so I've never done the whole abstaining from meat on Fridays during Lent thing. And while my husband was raised Catholic, he's not a practicing Catholic now.

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.

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.

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.

Coffee Biscotti w/ Almonds & Goji Berries

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Folgers. All opinions are 100% mine.

I'm the kind of person who needs coffee to clear the fog from my brain in the morning. It just gives me the boost I need to get the household up and running and power through some morning work. By the time early afternoon (aka break time) rolls around, my coffee pot has been cold for hours—that's when I open up the cupboard and reach for the instant coffee.

I actually love this time of day, because it's my "me time"; a window of time between that busy morning and late afternoon when my husband and kids walk through the door after work and school. I use it to watch a movie, read a few chapters of a book, brainstorm recipe ideas, or just sit and listen to the world...more often than not with said cup of instant coffee and a snack.

Almond Pretzel Bread Pudding | #ProgressiveEats

Welcome to this month's edition of Progressive Eats, which I am very happy to be hosting this month! Since today just so happens to be National Pretzel Day, I invited everybody to share a recipe featuring pretzels as an ingredient, a recipe for pretzels (or using pretzel dough), or a condiment that went perfectly with pretzels—and boy did they deliver!

My love for pretzels has never been a secret, I've shared everything from regular homemade soft pretzels and pretzel sticks to homemade pretzel dogs to cinnamon-sugar pretzels, pretzel bites to pretzel pockets, and even pretzel crackers and pretzel croissants! Initially I planned on trying my hand at homemade pretzel rods to share today, but time got away from me and I had to push that endeavor back...but only temporarily.

Pork Picadillo Bowls

Isn't it funny how you can cook a certain dish for years without really thinking about its origins? Okay maybe not for everybody, but for me, a girl who has a thing for history, culture, roots, and tradition as they relate to food, it is. For example, I've been making these empanadas for several years now. They are my absolute favorite empanadas in the world and if my stomach (and conscience) would allow, I'd eat an entire batch all by my lonesome.

They have an awesome pastry case that uses not only butter, but also cream cheese, which I just know adds to their perfectly tender and flaky texture. But it's the pork picadillo filling that I just can't get enough of. Okay, so picadillo is actually a dish all on its own...I knew that. But until today, I'd never actually made it to eat any other way than inside an empanada.

Warm Farro and Quinoa Breakfast Bowls

I was raised on that familiar old adage telling us that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. The same way that my parents made sure I knew it, I make sure my kids know it. I'm a firm believer that you just can't concentrate on an empty stomach—especially when it's grumbling out loud. I don't think that breakfast always has to be the same thing. One day you may want bacon, eggs, and toast...the next day you may need a waffle more than life itself...and the next you might be in the mood for some yogurt, granola, and fresh fruit.

And since the list of breakfast possibilities is endless, you don't have to get bored. One of my favorite meals on a cooler (or downright freezing) days was a bowl of warm oatmeal. While some may consider oatmeal boring, I tend to disagree. It's a neutral palate just waiting to be dressed up. But if I still can't convince you of that, how about a different kind of warm porridge to start your day? Today I'm partnering with Village Harvest to tell you how to make a nourishing bowl to start your day right! Village Harvest Rice & Grains make it easy to stay on track and keep a healthy lifestyle in the new year and beyond with their natural, unprocessed rice and grains.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Protein Bars

Thank you to Meijer for sending me a box of essential health products to kick-start my health, fitness, and diet goals in the new year! All opinions shared in this post are my own.

Well friends, we are officially into the third week of 2016. I meant to share this post with you in the first week, but this year started off very rough for my family. It's not something that I'm ready to talk about yet, but I will be soon. So, I apologize for starting the year a couple of weeks late.

Tell me, did you make any resolutions or set any goals for yourself this year? I've never been big on resolutions, since any I set seemed like things I should always be striving for anyway. So, I tend to call them goals instead. But really, I guess they're just the same thing—changes, improvements, and things I want to accomplish going forward. One foot in front of the other seemed like a good place to start recently.

Double Chocolate Peppermint Granola

This granola (and what goes into it) is something that I've been wanting to share with you since October! With its double-dose of chocolatey goodness laced with fragrant peppermint, it is perfect for the holiday season. I mean, chocolate and mint is a great year-round combination, but there's just something about it that screams winter to me.

Normally I'm a granola for breakfast kind of girl, but this version tastes so sinful that you'll totally want to eat it for dessert—which is the first reason I'm sharing it with you during Christmas Week (which is all about the sweets). The second reason is that it makes a perfect homemade gift when stored in a pretty jar or container wrapped with a ribbon. Best of all...it's pretty much the easiest thing in the world to make.

Boulou (Libyan Jewish Bread)

It's the first Tuesday of the month, and that means it's time for another edition of #TwelveLoaves! Our host this month is Karen from Karen's Kitchen Stories, and she's chosen Jewish Breads as our theme. Beyond bagels, Bialys, Challah, Babka, rye and matzo, I'm not familiar with many other types of Jewish bread, so I was really looking forward to this challenge.

I swear, the hardest part was deciding which type of bread to make. I've had Bialys on my to-make list forever. And while I've made rye before, I don't think I've ever made a true Jewish rye. I considered making a non-yeast bread like Matzo or Mandelbrot. I used to make bagels every weekend. Something intricate like a beautiful Babka or braided Challah just seemed like too much in this heat since our air conditioner is broken, making it a disgusting 86 degrees in the house without the oven on.

Matcha Shamrock Shortbread Cookies

We're baaaaaack—I'm so excited to be spending time in the kitchen with my good friend Leslie from La Cocina de Leslie again (finally) for another edition of she made, ella hace! I don't know how it happened, but somehow SEVEN months has gone by since we last did a little kitchen collaboration. I tell you, time only goes faster with each passing year.

Since it's March, we decided to get in the Irish spirit and choose GREEN as our theme, in honor of both St. Paddy's Day and the start of Spring. I was totally down with this idea, because I'd been sitting on a bag of Matcha Green Tea Powder for a couple of months, just waiting for the right time to use it. Using it as a natural way to infuse green into some shortbread cookies shaped like shamrocks couldn't be more fitting.

This shortbread dough is perfectly buttery and delicate, flecked with tiny bits of almond, and the delicate taste of green tea lies subtley underneath. My oldest son and I are the shortbread lovers (total understatement) in the house, and we've both declared that these are our current favorites. We'll be making them throughout the year...shaped like shamrocks for St. Paddy's Day, leaves for the start of spring, pine trees for Christmas...or just plain slice-and-bake if no "special" shape seems to fit.

Rosca de Reyes (Three Kings Bread)

Growing up in my American household, January 6 was just another day. It usually coincided with the end of a winter break from school that was far too short. But while I was dragging myself out of bed and into school clothes, two thousand miles (or so) south of my location, my future husband was waking up excited to receive a gift left by the Three Kings.

January 6, or Dia de Reyes, was the day for presents, not Christmas. Three Kings Day follows the twelfth night of Christmas. The way I grew up having a hard time to falling asleep from anticipation on Christmas eve is the way my hubs had a hard time falling asleep on January 5. It wasn't Santa Claus he was waiting on, instead the Three Magi left gifts as they traveled through the town.

Of course the day also meant a celebration! The Merienda de Reyes was an Epiphany feast (a tradition brought to Mexico from Spain) that included food and drink like posole, tortilla soup, tamales, atole, hot chocolate—and of course Rosca de Reyes!

Vassilopitta (New Year Wish Cake)

I love hearing people's new year traditions. Whether a tradition between a small family unit, or something native to a region or country, it's so fascinating to get that glimpse into what makes people tick. Growing up, we didn't really have many traditions revolving around welcoming a new year. Unless you count watching Dick Clark, counting down with the ball, and yelling "Happy New Year" as the hour changed, hugs and kisses all around. Okay, I guess that is a tradition in itself. But I'm thinking something beyond that.

A few years ago, I started with the twelve grapes at the twelve strokes of midnight thing. I always prepare five cups of twelve grapes and we try to gobble quickly as the year changes. It's a pretty fun tradition, but I don't like that it takes away from the kissing and hugging. I mean, giggles and gagging are always a good time, but I miss kisses and hugs with loved ones on the hour.

One tradition that I started myself when the kids were young is drinking mimosas all day on New Year's day. I used to pop the cork at midnight—and then I had kids. I just couldn't keep my eyes open long enough to enjoy a whole bottle of champagne before passing out (from exhaustion). So, I'd wait and the hubs and I would pop the cork as soon as we woke up...full bottles of orange juice (and maybe some other fun juices and additions) ready in the fridge. Don't worry (I know you were), I buy sparkling juices for the kids.

Chicken and Farro Whole Grain Empanadas

September is Whole Grains Month, and I am partnering with the Whole Grains Council as one of their selected "Make the Switch" bloggers. Our goal was to take a family favorite recipe and retool it by adding more whole grains. It's a contest for the participating bloggers (we can win cash prizes for the top votes), but if you drop by the Whole Grains Council website and place a vote for your favorite recipe—you'll also be entered for a chance to win cash ($500) and a big selection of whole grain foods!

So, now you're wondering what I did to make the switch to whole grains, right? Well, I started with my family's favorite empanada recipe. The original uses only all-purpose flour, so I substituted half whole wheat pastry flour in this version. It was still flaky and tender and melt-in-your mouth delicious. I actually think it may work well using entirely whole wheat pastry flour. That was my first "switch".

My second switch was in the picadillo filling itself. The original uses pork, but I switched it out for a combination of white meat chicken and farro (one of my 3 favorite whole grains). I decided to use half lean meat and half farro to make the picadillo because I wanted to ease everybody into the switch. I think I could've gone straight-up whole grain (no meat) in this instance, as well. The size and chewiness of the cooked farro really echoed the texture of our usual filling. I actually think that if they didn't already know I'd made the switch, they wouldn't have even guessed there was anything different.

Bacon-Wrapped Dates stuffed w/ Blue Cheese & Smoked Almonds

In my family, we have a couple of favorite holiday appetizers and nibbles. Okay, maybe more than a couple, but let's just go with it. Those appetizers are both wrapped in bacon. I wonder why everybody loves them so?

The first are bacon-wrapped water chestnuts. Looking back over the last 5-1/2 years of recipes that I've shares here, I'm dumbfounded that I have never shared them before. The recipe is simple, and it's one of the longest-running recipes in my family. Generations upon generations have been clamoring around the oven for them to finish cooking during family holiday get togethers. Mental note - share them SOON.

The other bacon-wrapped nibble is one that I started making 12 years ago, give or take. They don't have the longevity of the water chestnuts (yet), but check back with me in 50 years. Again, they're so simple to make, and even simpler to pop in  your mouth.

Chiles en Nogada inspired by Like Water for Chocolate | #FoodnFlix

It all begins with a pregnant Mama Elena chopping onions. From inside the womb, Tita begins to cry, and doesn't stop until she is pushed into this world by a torrid stream of tears.  They  overflow from the kitchen table (where she was birthed) to the kitchen floor. The ocean of tears is eventually evaporated by the sun, at which point Nacha sweeps them up and fills a 40-pound sack with them. And, of course, then they're used in cooking for a long time.

Ummm, ewww. While vivid and descriptive, it's actually pretty gross when you think about it. I mean, those tears were mixed with amniotic fluid and who-knows-what else. So, let's not think about it. Let's just take it as the beginning of a very luscious, very sensual, very dark and tragic film.

Tita's kitchen birth foreshadows what will be her life. Bound by an old family tradition, Tita is forbidden to marry. Since she is the youngest daughter, she is not allowed to marry, and it is her duty to care for her mother until her mother's death. So, Tita thrives under the beloved family cook's love and tutelage.

Duck Salad w/ Grapes, Almonds, & Blue Cheese + 13 more tasty ways to use DUCK!

A lot of people consider duck a "special occasion" meal, often roasting a duck during the holidays, and not thinking of it again for a whole nother year. While duck does make for a very special holiday meal, it's also great on a Tuesday.

Duck is extremely versatile, and holds up well to bold flavors. Try it with your favorite spice mix or rub. Still not sure when to use duck? Replace the chicken, pork, or beef in a recipe with duck! Try duck in a curry. Use it as a taco filling. Shred some slow-cooked duck legs and combine with your favorite barbecue sauce for a Pulled Duck Sandwich! Season a duck breast, sear it, and serve it over a salad or rice. Use any portion of cooked duck in a duck salad sandwich or wrap (like the one pictured below made by a local catering company that's filled with duck, pecans, pickles, mandarin oranges, and I think there was even rice in there!).

Maple Almond Butter

Last year for Mother's Day, I shared some Lavender Shortbread Cookies that were inspired by my mom's dreams of running a lavender farm. This year, I decided to go in a slightly different direction and share something I love for Mother's Day. I mean, I'm a mom - so that's okay, right?

It's something that (in my house) I, and I alone, love: almond butter. That's a good thing and a bad thing all wrapped into one little glass jar. It's good because that means I don't have to go thorugh the experience of craving some, and then going to grab the jar only to realize that it's no longer there. Because somebody else ate it all and didn't tell me so I could replace it.  It's bad for the exact same reason. It's there waiting for me to eat it. All. Every single time I walk by and spy it on the shelf or in the fridge. Oh, let me grab a spoon...

Really. I do that. It's entirely addictive. But in all fairness, I do the same thing with cookie butter. And chocolate hazelnut spread. Apparently I enjoy eating expensive spreadable things from a jar.