Peppered Shepherd's Pie | Sweeney Todd #FoodnFlix

For this month's round of Food 'n Flix, our host, Kimberly from Coffee and Casseroles invited us to head into the kitchen and pull our recipe inspiration from the vast selection of Tim Burton's filmography. I actually wound up watching a few this month—Sleepy Hollow, James and the Giant Peach (for the bazillionth time), and Sweeney Todd (for only the 4th or 5th time). I also contemplated watching either Dark Shadows...which I'd forgotten I actually owned until I was hunting through my dvds...or Big Fish, as well.

I've actually created recipes inspired by a few of Burton's films in the past...Beetlejuice, Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter, Alice in Wonderland, Edward Scissorhands, and Sweeney Todd. I had some fun recipe ideas from both Sleepy Hollow and JatJP, but alas, the current state of the grocery stores did not allow me to bring those ideas to fruition (but hey, there's always later). But I was able to create something inspired by Sweeney Todd once again, with only ingredients I already had on hand. So, that's a win.

Lamb Shanks w/ Einkorn & Potatoes | #EinkornExperiment

It's hard to believe that we're already midway through March, but today is the 15th, and that means it's time for another update on the Einkorn Experiment! Since I talked about einkorn flour three months in a row, I wanted to switch things up and share my latest experience with the whole einkorn wheat berries this month.

Toaster Potatoes and Homemade Ketchup | The Martian #FoodnFlix

This month's Food 'n Flix pick is the 2015 Science Fiction/Drama flick, The Martian. If you're not familiar with the story, it's about astronaut Mark Watney's struggle and perseverance to survive after, presumed dead, he is left alone on Mars. Watney's smarts and good humor ensure that, while long, the journey is not boring.

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.

Nest Eggs (Eggs in Potato-Carrot Nests) | French Kiss #FoodnFlix

This month's Food 'n Flix club pick is the 1995 Romantic-Comedy French Kiss, starring Meg Ryan and Kevin Kline. I'm hosting over at the Food 'n Flix site this month is you want to join in the fun! So, I chose this flick because it's one of my all-time faves. What can I say, I'm a cheeseball and a sucker for a good chick-flick.

Tortilla Española | Gilmore Girls

Welcome to another edition of the Wednesday coffee klatch, where I discuss and create recipes inspired Gilmore Girls. Last time I talked about A Year in the Life, episode one (Winter), and today I'm talking, unsurprisingly, about episode two (Spring). So, without further ado, here are my thoughts. I'd love to hear what you thought about this episode in the comments below.

Tater Tot-cos | Gilmore Girls

It's coffee klatch Wednesday! Sorry I missed a couple of weeks, but life threw me a couple of curve balls recently. So, let's talk A Year in the Life. Although I've watched all four episodes a couple of times, I'm only going to discuss one episode at a time. Here we go!

Easy Mixed Seafood Chowder

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

Is there anything more comforting than enjoying a bowl of chowder on a cool, crisp day? I'm going to go ahead and answer that question. Nope, nothing is better. Especially if that chowder isn't only comforting, but also healthy, tasty, and best of all–quick and simple to make!

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.

Bucket of Garlic (Fries) | Hotel Transylvania 2 #FoodnFlix

This month's Food 'n Flix pick is the family-friendly, animated Hotel Transylvania 2, which (surprise!) picks up where Hotel Transylvania left off. Drac has accepted that his daughter loves a human, and Mavis and Johnny are married. Humans and monsters are coexisting throughout most of the world—even in Drac's hotel.

Fast forward a bit to a pregnant Mavis, and eventually baby Dennis. Dennis has big, curly ginger hair like his dad does, and seems human. But Vampa ("vampire grandpa"), aka Drac, believes that Dennis is just a "late fanger", since fangs might not pop out until a vampire's fifth birthday. But Mavis wants her dad to accept that Dennis is human and thinks that they should move to America, to be near the human side of the family.

Bacon Cheeseburger Chowder inspired by Popeye | #FoodnFlix

Our Food 'n Flix pick for this month is the 1980 live action Popeye film starring Robin Williams. So, here's the thing—this film isn't for everybody. I say this because before I actually had time to sit down and watch it, I had a friend who repeatedly told me how horrible it was...that it wasn't worth watching...that she'd rather do pretty much anything other than be subjected to watching it again. So imagine her dismay when, after I sat down to watch it, I reported back that I actually kind of liked it.

Here's my theory: if you are/were a fan of the Popeye comic strip and cartoons, you'll appreciate this live action version. But if you never really got into Popeye, you may hate this movie. Guess what? I grew up with Popeye cartoons. My grandpa used to record hours of old cartoons on VHS tapes that included all sorts of old Looney Tunes shows, Pink Panther, and Popeye. We used to watch them for hours when I went to visit him, and I watched them at home. I love all of those old cartoons to this day.

Herbes de Provence Roasted Chicken and Potatoes + an Amélie Inspired Menu

Although I can't recall the exact date (or even year) that I first watched Amélie, it seems like it's been one of my favorites for years. Originally released in 2001, this French film is about a young girl raised and schooled at home by parents who were trying to protect her since they mistakenly thought she had a heart defect. Since Amélie is without playmates, she develops a world of magic and mischief inside her head.

She loses her mother young and watches her father become more reclusive as the years go by. When she is old enough to venture out on her own, she moves to an apartment in Montmartre and works as a waitress at the Café des 2 Moulins (Two Windmills Cafe). Her wonderfully quirky apartment shows the imagination that she had a child still lives openly within her as a young adult.

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.

Dublin Coddle

In my search to find some good traditional Irish recipes to try over the past couple of weeks, I came across a dish called Dublin Coddle. If you're familiar with coddled eggs, which are cooked slowly and gently in a liquid just below the boiling point, you probably got the gist of this dish. Potatoes, onions, good pork sausage, and bacon are layered and cooked together gently to make a sort of stew that is basic - in the best of ways.

It's said that an Irish wife could leave a pot simmering on the stove for hours when she went to bed, that way it would be ready when her husband arrived home hungry from the pub. It's also one of those dishes that tastes better after sitting for a day, allowing all of the flavors to mingle and develop. A coddle was a good way to use up stray sausages and rashers of bacon on a Thursday in times when Catholics weren't supposed to eat meat on Fridays.

Bubble and Squeak

Traditionally Bubble and Squeak is made using the leftover vegetables from a roast. Often times the meat is cut into bits and fried up with the veg, others times, it's served alongside. If you don't happen to have any leftover veggies from a roast, you can still enjoy a wedge of this hearty comfort food by starting from scratch.

Although I used brussels sprouts, you could use shredded cabbage if that's what you had on hand. If you have leftover mashed potatoes, feel free to use those in place of the plain boiled potatoes. You might wonder why I used duck fat AND pork in this recipe. The simple reason is because I had both and wanted to use both up. Duck fat adds excellent flavor, but you can definitely substitute extra bacon grease or butter if you don't have any hanging out in your fridge like I do.

New England Clam Chowder

Here's a little not-so-secret fact about me - I love clam chowder. You may even know that the very first recipe I ever posted on my blog was Manhattan Clam Chowder. Last year I did an updated recipe and post about it around my 6-year blogging anniversary. I've also shared a recipe for Rhode Island Clam Chowder. But, believe it or not, this is actually the first time I'm sharing a recipe for the classic, creamy New England version that everybody seems to think of first when they hear the words clam chowder.

Now, don't hate me New Englanders, but Manhattan is actually my favorite kind (and I can't stand the Patriots). I do enjoy the rich white chowder from time to time, though. I think I might have mentioned going on a quest to try as many types of clam chowder as I could get my hands on last year. But I must have forgotten about it, because I never did it. Maybe this will be my year.

Mashed Butternut Squash and Potatoes w/ Roasted Garlic, Smoked Gouda & Bacon

There was a time when I did all of my potato-mashing by hand...and then I discovered the hand mixer method. At first I was resistant, perhaps even a little indignant. I gave my friend the cautious side-eye as she plunged the beaters into a pot of drained potatoes. I'd been mashing potatoes with the pure power of my arm for 22 years (okay, I didn't mash potatoes straight out of the womb, but it was close), why did I need a machine to do it for me?

I didn't say anything then, I just tucked that novel idea into my back pocket for another day. You know, a day when I actually owned a hand mixer. Fast forward a few years to dinner preparation in my own kitchen, steam rising up from a giant pot of potatoes that were ready to be mashed with warm butter and milk.

Silky Parsnip-Potato Soup with Bacon

Although I'm a year-round soup kinda girl, I'm especially happy to enjoy a bowl of warm comfort during the seasons when my fingers and toes never seem to lose their chill entirely. In other words, right now. After a month-long flurry of planning, prepping, and eventually enjoying my favorite meal of the year, all I really want to do is make a big pot of soup and relax with a good book (or movie or tv series).

Today I want to share not only a perfect bowl of soup, but also the perfect pot in which to make it. I've mentioned the fact that, as a whole, All-Clad makes my favorite pots and pans. If my kitchen could be stocked with them, life would be so much easier. I'm working towards that goal. While I did receive the soup pot that I'm sharing with you today at no cost, I would buy it in a heartbeat.

25 Potato Side Dishes for your Thanksgiving Table

Turkey, Gravy, Stuffing...POTATOES! Potatoes are the next item that I feature on my Thanksgiving menu, and honestly, they may pose the most difficult choice in my house. I mean, everybody in the world loves mashed potatoes, right? Well, everybody minus one person—my youngest child. As far as he is concerned, the only good potato comes in the form of a french fry. It's a mystery to me.

But back on topic, the choice of which potato dish to to make is so hard because I love to mix things up and make au gratin potatoes, scalloped potatoes, or maybe even duchess potatoes, but my oldest child insists that it is not Thanksgiving dinner without mashed potatoes. So for me, it's either make two potato dishes—one mashed and one not, or just try a different mash variation.

In the end, I usually just choose a new spin on mash, because honestly I love me some mashed potatoes in any form. But then I make a different type of potato for Easter dinner. That's a compromise I can work with. How about you? Is there a must-have potato dish or style of potatoes that make your holiday meal what it is? Here are 25 potato side dish ideas to inspire you this year!

Garlic-Herb Smashed Potatoes by Cooking on the Weekends

Adobo Potatoes Gratin
Aunt Ruthie Mashed Potatoes from Melanie Makes (pictured)
Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes
Butternut Squash & Cheddar Potatoes Au Gratin from Cupcakes & Kale Chips
Buttery Fresh Herb Smashed Potatoes from Frugal Foodie Mama

Aunt Ruthie Mashed Potatoes by Melanie Makes

Canadian Bacon, Swiss Chard and Potato Gratin from Noshing With The Nolands
Cauliflower, Potato & Cheddar Bake from Rachel Cooks
Cheesy Potatoes from Nutmeg Nanny
Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes
Crock Pot Comforting Cheesy Potatoes from Julie's Eats & Treats

Crockpot Potatoes Au Gratin by Chelsea's Messy Apron

Crockpot Potatoes Au Gratin from Chelsea's Messy Apron (pictured)
Duchess Potatoes from Tea & Biscuits (pictured)
Garlic and Herb Potato Gratin from Shockingly Delicious
Garlic-Herb Smashed Potatoes from Cooking on the Weekends (pictured)
Hasselback Garlic and Herb Baby Potatoes from taste love and nourish (pictured)

Duchess Potatoes by Tea & Biscuits

Honey Mustard Roasted Potatoes from Busy in Brooklyn
Irish Champ (Mashed Potatoes with Leek, Watercress and Parsley)
Make Ahead Mashed Potatoes from Karen's Kitchen Stories
Oven Roasted Garlic Herb Parmesan Potatoes from Flavor Mosaic
Roasted Herb Potatoes with Garlic Cumin Aioli from With Salt & Wit

Hasselback Garlic and Herb Baby Potatoes by taste love and nourish

Roasted Red Pepper and Mascarpone Mashed Potatoes from Savory Experiments
Slow Cooker Loaded Mashed Potatoes from Kitchen Treaty
Smashed Roasted Cheesy Potatoes from 365 Days of Baking and More
Sour Cream and Onion Smashed Potato Casserole from Melissa's Southern Style Kitchen
Super Crispy Roasted Potatoes with Shallot-Rosemary Yogurt from Foxes Love Lemons

Check out my Pinterest boards for more Thanksgiving Food and Inspiration!


Oven-Baked Potatoes with Pumpkin Seeds, Garlic and Herbs photo via Shutterstock

Old Fashioned Creamy Potato Salad

Every time I post a potato salad recipe, I note that I tend to choose a vinegar-based one over a mayo based one. But every once in a while, I get a craving for some good old fashioned creamy potato salad, the kind my grandma used to make. Well, that feeling hit me hard about a month ago, and I knew it wouldn't go away until I made a batch. It actually took two batches to quiet the craving.

If you're looking for a good all-American style meal to serve on the Fourth of July this year, it doesn't get much closer than some tender grilled barbecue ribs, baked beans, corn on the cob, and some potato salad. Although, adding some classic macaroni salad would also be a nice touch. That's my next craving...I can feel it stirring just under the surface. Oh, and don't forget to top it off with a bomb pop.

All you'll want to do after eating this meal is watch some awesome fireworks and listen to some patriotic tunes. Sounds like summer in the U.S.A. to me.