Dean's Awesome Egg White Omelets | Supernatural

Although Dean's breakfast style is more Pig 'n a Poke than cutting carbs, the Mark of Cain has forced him to change his eating habits. He's been getting a lot more green and a lot less fat into his diet with meals like Kale Wraps and Egg White Omelets, aka the Breakfast of Champions for dorks (like Sam). And while Sam looks pleasantly surprised as he declares them “awesome”,  Dean's face reveals my exact thoughts on eating plain egg whites. Because really, there’s nothing quite as flavorless.

That situation is easily remedied by the addition of a bold, FLAVORFUL…but still healthy…filling. I mean, if Dean can eat stomach kale, he might even enjoy my favorite member of the leafy greens family - collards! Throw a little turkey sausage in there, and I think he might even eat this once that pesky mark is removed for good.

Collard Greens w/ Smoked Turkey Wings | To Kill a Mockingbird #FoodnFlix

This month, the Food 'n Flix club is watching an American classic, To Kill a Mockingbird, based on the book of the same name by Harper Lee. I should probably start off with an admission...one that I'm actually ashamed to admit, especially afer introducing it as an American classic, but...I'd never actually seen or even read To Kill a Mockingbird until last week.

[Insert collective gasp!]

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.

Creamy Ham and Greens Noodle Soup | #Reames #HomemadeGoodness

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Reames®. The opinions and text are all mine.

Everybody has those certain triggers that spark up a feeling of nostalgia—sites, sounds, smells that transport them to another place, another time. For me, at this time of the year, when heavy snow blankets the world outside my window, it's the welcoming smell of a roast, a ham, or a bird cooking slowly in the kitchen.

Garlicky Greens and Parmesan Mashed Potatoes | #SignatureRussets

I've partnered with Idahoan on this sponsored post and all opinions stated are my own.

I have never been the best meal planner. I go through periods where I'll semi map out meals for a week or two, but I rarely follow through. I'm (almost) not ashamed to admit this weakness. I've learned to accept that I'm more of a "plan for 3 nights and fly by the seat of my pants for the remaining 4 nights" kind of gal. Having a well-stocked pantry helps me this department.

Let's say, for example, that I've cooked for the majority of the day on Sunday and we have a good, well-balanced meal that night for dinner. I also happened to make sure I had everything that I needed to make dinner for the next couple of days. Suddenly, it's Wednesday, which has been non-stop work and errands all day long. We finally roll in the door that evening after picking up kids from sports and after school activities and everybody is asking me what's for dinner before I can even hang up the keys.

Spelt and Vegetable Soup inspired by I Am Love | #FoodnFlix

Our Food 'n Flix pick this month is the 2009 Italian film I Am Love starring Tilda Swinton. I watched this movie when it was first released on dvd and remember not really liking it. That being said, I believe in second chances, so I went in with a clear head when I popped the dvd in again this week. Unfortunately, it still wasn't my cup of tea. But all was not lost, because while I found the movie to be painfully slow, it did feature some beautiful scenery and delicious food to keep me in front of the screen.

The movie starts in Milan in the home of the wealthy Recchi family. Food is being prepped, silver is getting shined, and the scene is being set for a family meal to celebrate the grandfather's birthday. He announces his retirement from running the family business, which he will be entrusting to his son and grandson (because it will take two to take the place of one of him).

Ham and Greens Corn Muffins

When Liz announced that our Progressive Eats theme for this month would be "Things Made in a Muffin Tin", I had my mind set on making something unexpected. I wasn't going to make muffins or cupcakes, I would make delicate little meat pies, beautiful apple roses, or maybe even tiny little shepherd's pies. But as you can see, that didn't happen. I made muffins.

Not that there's anything wrong with muffins. I mean, I'm always saying that I wish I had more muffin recipes here on the blog, so really this was a great opportunity for me to add another one to the recipe index. I checked the fridge for things that I already had in the house that would make a tasty muffin, and when I spied a container of leftover ham from the crockpot and remembered that I'd frozen some collard greens a few weeks back, I could just taste them inside a hearty corn muffin.

Colcannon

It's pretty amazing how something as humble as a potato can produce one of the most beloved side dishes in the world. Who else lists mashed potatoes in their all-time favorite comfort foods? Served plain with butter and salt, enriched with cheese and cream, strewn with greens, punched with roasted garlic, or spread thick on top of minced meat—I love it all.

Honey Balsamic Roasted Sweet Potato with Collard Greens

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

I am basically the worst at making sure there is a good, healthy side dish at every meal. I hate to admit it, but it's true. I tend to focus all of my energy on making sure we have a delicious protein on the table, only to realize that I haven't prepared anything to serve alongside that protein as I'm about to put it on the plate. You'd think that since I know that I do this, I could easily change it...but it hasn't happened yet.

So, I usually wind up scrambling to cook whatever veggie I have in the crisper drawer or the freezer. The problem with this habit is that it usually produces boring veggies. Recently I was introduced to a new product that I have to believe was developed with people like me in mind, Marzetti® Veggie Drizzle™ Finishing Sauce, which is made for adding a splash of flavor to any cooked vegetable AFTER it has been cooked!

Chicken Pot Pie

I love it when the second Wednesday of the month rolls around, because that means it's time for another round of the Blogger CLUE Society (more about this at the bottom of the post). Our theme this month is potatoes, and the blog I was assigned to do a little clue hunting on was none other than Cake Duchess, written by my friend Lora.

I came back several times to dig for potatoes on Lora's blog, changing my mind about what I was going to make every time. At first I thought I'd make her Purple Cauliflower and Potato Gratin, but apparently this isn't the time for purple cauliflower in my markets, because there was none to be found. Sure, I could have made it with white cauliflower, but that wouldn't have been as fun.

Next, I had my heart set on making something that I haven't made in a few years—homemade gnocchi. But not just regular gnocchi, potato and butternut squash gnocchi! There was a butternut squash sitting on my table, potatoes in the potato bin (and by potato bin, I mean a makeshift box that I keep in a dark spot in the kitchen). I even dusted off my gnocchi paddle. And then I just didn't.

Smoked Turkey and Spinach Curry inspired by Bridget Jones's Diary | #FoodnFlix

"It all began on New Year's Day, in my 32nd year of being single. Once again I found myself on my own and going to my mother's annual turkey curry buffet."

She says it like it's a bad thing. I suppose that in Bridget's situation I may feel the same. But since my mother doesn't hold an yearly Turkey Curry Buffet, and never once tried to set me up when I was single, I find it a fairly brilliant tradition. I'm thinking about starting my own New Year's Day Turkey Curry Buffet tradition, actually. It sounds both fun and delicious. Of course, I also think a summertime "Tarts and Vicars" party would be a blast, so...

In case you hadn't guessed yet, this month the Food 'n Flix club is watching Bridget Jones's Diary. I was excited for this pick since I hadn't seen it in years. I watched it way back when, and have caught bits and pieces on tv now and again over the years, but I'd pretty much forgotten it. I couldn't actually recall any of the scenes if my life depended on it. Apparently I didn't appreciate it as much at 25 as I do at 39 (perfectly sandwiching the age that Bridget was slogging her way through in the film)...because certainly I would have remembered it if I did. That all changed after I cozied up with it on New Year's Eve this year. I kind of love it now.

Tuscan White Bean Soup

I received samples from Swanson® for review purposes. The opinions stated in this post are my own.

My attention is being steadily averted by the window to my left. It's mid-November, therefore the fact that fat, lazy snowflakes are falling steadily from a pale sky should not be surprising. Yet here I sit, shaking my head in disbelief at the six inches lining the shoveled path in front of the house. I wasn't ready for it. Honestly, it seems like last year's snow just finished melting.

My initial reaction aside, it's kind of comforting. I mean, as a child of the Midwest, a good snowfall does conjure up images of crackling fires, piles of cozy blankets, steaming mugs of hot chocolate, and big pots of soup to warm your bones after a day of sledding, fort building, and snowball fights.

So, when the folks at Swanson contacted me to see if I'd be interested in trying an assortment of their products, I was more than happy to put the broths and stocks to use warming up my kitchen. Swanson is a name that already appears on containers and cans in my pantry, so I was already a fan of their products. I use a lot of stock and broth, and while I do make my own, I don't make enough to keep up with what I go through. I especially like their seafood stock, since that's something I rarely make myself.

Veggie Lovers Lasagna

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Dreamfields. All opinions are 100% my own.

Today I'm partnerting with Dreamfields Pasta to celebrate National Pasta Month. I can think of no better way to celebrate than with a pan stacked with wavy lasagna noodles that are layered with tons of veggies, and accented by a light cream sauce that has been flavored with sundried tomatoes. I'm pretty sure that even the carnivores in your life will be sated after eating a slice of this meatless lasagna.

So, I know lasagna sort of seems like a weekend dish. A dish that you need some time to prepare. But really, once you have all of your components ready (noodles cooked, sauce stirred, veggies chopped)—it's just a matter of layering things into the pan. Hands-on time is only about 20 minutes. Once that part is complete, the oven does all of the work while you finish up some homework, throw in a load of laundry, or set the table and wrangle everybody to the table. I'd say it's very possible to make lasagna a weekday meal.

Since this week of National Pasta Month with Dreamfields is all about vegetarian meals, I left out the meat sauce and loaded up on the veggies. I wanted to use a white sauce, but drenching it in Alfredo didn't seem quite right, so I chose a light Alfredo (if you're making it at home, use skim milk) and then fortified it by swirling in a little sundried tomato pesto; basically a creamy flavor-bomb.

Potato Chorizo Breakfast Casserole

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Simply Potatoes. All opinions are 100% mine.

Today I'm partnering with Simply Potatoes to bring you a recipe featuring part of their refrigerated, prepared potato line. Since I already use these products in my own kitchen, I'm happy to have the opportunity to share them with you today. If you're not familiar with Simply Potatoes by Crystal Farms, they are a fresh (never frozen) potato product made with real ingredients that located in the refrigerated dairy section of the grocery store.

The main reason that I keep them on hand is because they're so darn convenient. I've mentioned this before, but my oldest child is a potatoaholic. He would happily eat them for every meal of the day, if I made them. So, you can probably guess that hash browns are an often-requested breakfast dish in my house (and not only by him). I like to keep a bag or two of Simply Potato hash browns in the fridge to meet this request. School morning are generally pretty rushed around here, and the simple fact that I can open a bag, pour the already shredded potatoes into a hot skillet with a bit of fat, and serve up them up in mere moments makes me happy.

But Simply Potatoes goes beyond hash browns for a weekday breakfast. You can find them in all forms, from diced to sliced to wedges—and with all  manners of "seasoning" (O'Brien, Garlic and Herb, Southwest Style, Rosemary & Garlic). Should I even tell you that they also have different varieties of mashed potatoes? That means everything from leisurely weekend meals to holiday sides to breakfast-for-dinner to weeknight supper side dishes are at your fingertips!

Pasta w/ Black Garlic, Kale, and a Poached Egg

I know that I must sound like a broken record when it comes to my #WeekdaySupper posts. Simple, real food is the best food. Especially when you're in a hurry. Of course, I also talk about preparation, but today's meal can be made without advance preparation and still be on the table in far less than 30 minutes.

I always have pasta in my pantry and eggs in the fridge. With the addition of only a few simple veggies, herbs, spices, and some oil, I've always got a great meal.

I recently bought a pound and a half of black garlic. That's a lot, by the way. So, I've been using it like crazy. Sliced very thin, and tossed sauteed with a bit of oil, a few red chile flakes, and a huge handful of baby kale, it made the perfect flavor-packed, yet super simple meal when added to some pasta.

Spring Panzanella Salad w/ Balsamic and Spring Herb Vinaigrette

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

Did you know that May is both National Vinegar Month and National Salad Month? Somebody totally planned that. And that's what I call great planning. I don't know about you, but my favorite way to dress a salad is with a vinaigrette, which is exactly why I'm excited to be partnering with Pompeian to bring you a simple, yet bright and tasty vinaigrette to enjoy over what may just be the perfect spring salad. If I do say so myself.

I've mentioned in the past how my favorite salads are the "salad as a meal" type of salads. Sure, I like a little roughage to close out a satisfying meal, but salads can be so much more than that. And personally, if I'm choosing to eat a salad as my meal, I usually opt out of heavy dressings, and instead choose a simple oil and vinegar-based one instead.

So, you're probably tired of hearing about the long, grueling winter that we had this year. So am I. But, it bears mention since we are just now beginning to see some glorious green vegetables starting to grow here in my part of the country, and we're already into May. After month upon month of frozen ground and either preserved or trucked in produce, I can finally find asparagus, baby greens, and even tender herbs bursting from the earth in my own backyard (or lining the stalls of my farmers' market).

Honey-Mustard Chicken and Arugula Wraps

In order to have quick and easy meals at hand during the busy week, I often do a little extra prep on the weekends. I've mentioned before that I love to cook a big pot of beans or lentils, and then use them for wraps, tacos, or sides. Sometimes I'll make a couple of types of pasta, cool them down, and stick them into zippered baggies for tossing into quickly sauteed veggies and sauces. Big batches of grains like rice, farro, freekeh, or quinoa are another good example of something that can be made in a large batch on Sunday, then reheated quickly on a weekday.

Now, often our protein is made day-of, to keep it from drying out or getting overcooked. But there are a few ways and preparations that lend themselves to advanced cooking. Large roasts and shoulders that can be shredded and stretched throughout the week are what come to mind first, along with chicken things. Just think about the fattier cuts, since the fat is what will keep them from drying out.

That said, I also like to make a batch of chicken breasts in advance. So basically, the exact opposite of those fatty cuts. I think the secret is gently poaching them in a highly seasoned liquid until they are just cooked through. I actually like storing them in the fridge IN some of their cooking liquid, as well, to help them stay moist. Then, over the next few days, you can cut the breasts into chunks, shred them, or slice them thinly for use in chicken salad (the mayo kind), cold chicken salad (the "fan it over the top of the greens and such kind"), stir it into a salsa for a taco filling, roll it up into tortillas and fry them for flautas, or use them in a sandwich or wrap.

Egg White Frittata w/ Mushrooms, Spinach, & Goat Cheese inspired by Trinity Stones

So, apparently Paranormal Romance is a thing. When I first saw it, all I could picture were aliens in love. Fortunately this novel has no such nonsense in it. It has Nephilim and humans in love. Much better. And I'm being entirely serious. But if asked to give it a genre, I would probably have chosen Supernatural Romance over Paranormal Romance - it just seems more fitting. But I'll move on.

Would you believe me if I told that I've never read a Romance novel before? It's true. They just never appealed to me. I remember studying the Fabio-filled paperback covers in the grocery store when I was a kid, though. They didn't even pique my interest back then. Now, this isn't a straight-up Romance, so I still can't say that I've read one. But if the few pages filled with scenes full of deep penetrating thrusts, milking his hard length, and swirling tongue on sensitive peaks are just a glimpse into their pages, I won't be starting anytime soon. At those points, I felt like I shouldn't be reading the book while my kids were in the same room!

Roasted Delicata Squash and Tuscan Kale Pasta {Cook the Books + 12 Weeks of Winter Squash}

I first read Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life, 5 or 6 years ago.  I think it only took a couple of pages to kick-start the longing for my own parcel of useful land.  An area where I could plant not only row after row of vegetables to sustain us throughout the growing season (and beyond), but also an orchard with fruit trees, a few rows of grape vines tucked behind the house, and plenty of room for free-roaming hens, roosters, and turkeys that would produce not only eggs, but meat.

I can still picture an open room with exposed beams dripping with braids of garlic and onions, bunches of herbs and flowers; heavy sunflower heads with bags tied around the end to grab the seeds.  Shelves lined with random mason jars and re-purposed tins.  A root cellar stocked with potatoes and tubers that still have earth clinging to their skins.  Bejeweled jars of jams and preserves lining the shelves of the pantry, alongside tomatoes, purees, and pickles to carry us through the winter.

Half of me is drawn to a "simpler" (yet infinitely more satisfying, I imagine) way of life.  A life where all the food we need comes from our own hands, or the hands of those nearby.  A life where we give up the things that aren't a necessity.  A actual necessity, not a perceived one.

Cheesy Italian Sausage & Kale Quiche

Ah yes, how I adore the four basic food groups: Bread, booze, garlic, and CHEESE.  What's that?  Those are not the four basic food groups?  Oh yes, I forgot - there are five basic food groups.  How 'bout I add fish?  Yes, that sounds much more complete.

Today's Sunday Supper menu is focusing on one of those basic food groups.  Maybe my favorite one of them all.  Well, next to bread.  Bread and CHEESE are equal in my book.  Heck bread with cheese is pretty much what I call bliss.  Anyway.  Cheese  makes everything better.

Take for example, this already stellar quiche.  It's a glorious meal; slightly spicy sausage, ribbons of kale, and piles of paper-thin shallots - all resting in a thin, crispy phyllo shell.  Sounds pretty amazing right?  How in the world could it possibly get any better?