St. Patrick’s Day was made for girls like me. It’s a little bit goofy, has a fabulous theme, a color scheme, AND some built in menu items that are delicious! I can’t wait for it every year. Shopping for a few items that are thematic, but not cheesy is critical for me. Here are my picks for the year - click through and purchase them for yourselves.

Slainte!

Even a glass of milk looks festive when it’s in a green glass. Garnish with whip cream and sprinkles and you’re the mom of the year.

Throw in some green

Decorating for the holiday doesn’t have to look tacky. Pop this over your throw pillow - an easy upgrade for your sofa!

Pop it on a tray

Serve drinks on it, put it on the coffee table, serve charcuterie on it, how about cupcakes?

Swizzle it up

Glass swizzle sticks class up literally everything. Even green beer would look classy with one of these beautiful swizzles!

The good stuff

Just the marshmallows! These are perfect when you make Rice Krispie treats and add a little extra something.

---

I cannot believe I didn’t think of this before. It’s so simple. And so delicious! It tastes just like a boat drink, but without the booze. My kids love this one - and depending on your kids - you can you spicy ginger beer or the version that’s a little more sugary. I choose the spicy one because we like the zip of it all!

This would make an amazing pitcher cocktail too! Fill all of the ingredients in a pitcher, pop it on the counter (do not add ice) and let guests pour their own. I highly recommend this for Easter.

Pineapple Ginger Mocktail

serves 4

4 ounces pineapple juice

8 ounces ginger beer

lime wedge garnish

fresh ginger root

Divide the juice and ginger beer across four glasses filled with ice. Top with a garnish of fresh ginger and a squeeze of lime!

---

This recipe went out two weeks ago to email subscribers! Are you signed up? Sign up here if not - I send out regular recipes you can only get in the newsletter. Sometimes it’s sneak peak, sometimes it’s an exclusive!

The first Oreo cookies I saw in a cookie had the batter wrapped around an Oreo and that seemed overly fussy. I made these several times before I figured out that what the tricks are:

• White chocolate chips! It’s the same flavor as the filling so it’s PERFECT

• Don’t stir in the Oreos until the last second

• Make the cookies like you’re making a cake. It’s the only way to make them cake-y!

These are the perfect playdate, dinner out, kid’s night cookies - but if you try them with a roasted marshmallow inside, you will be SHOOK. I can’t even. Tell me what you think and what you make them for!

Cookies & Cream Cookies

makes 2 dozen

1 cup butter, room temperature

1 1/2 cups sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 teaspoon cornstarch

1 teaspoon baking soda

3 cups flour

1/4 cup milk

12 Oreo cookies, crushed

1 cup white chocolate chips

STEP 1

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, whip together the butter and sugar until creamy. Add eggs and vanilla and whip until fluffy. 

STEP 2

Combine cornstarch, baking soda, and flour in a separate bowl. Add half of the mixture to the butter mixture and combine. 

STEP 3

Pour in milk and mix again.

STEP 4

Add remaining flour and mix until just combined. Then stir in the crushed Oreos and chips until just combined. 

STEP 5

Scoop onto a baking sheet and bake 10-12 minutes until just browned around the edges. Let cool. Keep for up to one week in an airtight container. 

---

I buy loads of food on vacation. I love finding things that I might not usually cook with - and sometimes things I do - and pick them up somewhere unique. Artichoke hearts in Rome, tomato paste in Venice, salt in Hawaii, and preserved lemons from Palm Springs - but sometimes I’m at a loss for what to do with them once I get home.

Preserved lemons are surprisingly simple to cook with - they go with almost anything but can feel intimidating. This risotto is the perfect introduction to using preserved lemons. And then you can graduate to more complicated recipes later - or not.

Preserved Lemon Risotto

With asparagus and zucchini

Serves 4

1 bunch asparagus, chopped

½ preserved lemon, drained and chopped

1 zucchini, chopped

1 onion, chopped

¼ cup butter, divided

¼ cup olive oil, divided

2 cup Arborio rice

6 cups room temperature vegetable stock

1 cup parmesan cheese

salt and pepper

STEP 1

Heat 2 tablespoons of butter and 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat.  Add the onions zucchini, and asparagus.  Cook 5 minutes until slightly browned and tender.  Remove from the pan and set aside.

STEP 2

Add two tablespoons olive oil and rice to the pan - stir until coated with oil.  Pour in one cup of chicken stock and stir until completely incorporated.  When most of the stock has dissolved, add another cup of stock.  Continue until all of the stock has been added.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.

STEP 3

Remove from heat and stir in remaining butter, Parmesan cheese, and reserved asparagus and preserved lemons.

---

Cucumber Mint Cocktail

The perfect spring cocktail! There’s literally nothing better for your spring cocktail hour.

photo by Lara Swimmer for David Coleman

I have three kids and a 100 pound dog. My house needs to be cleaned far too often. And it looks unclean far too often. I’ve found some products that have tremendously helped me to not look like a complete slob when people stop in - even though there’s still usually some dog hair somewhere…

The very Best

Friends of mine make this surface spray and it’s literally the best. It cleans exceptionally well - I use it on my stove, counters and windows - and it smells really really good.

daily duty

I have to mop my floors daily - especially right now when the dog park is a muddy disaster. This has been game changing! It takes a few minutes to vacuum and mop the house. Its not a perfect job, but the floors look (and feel) a million percent better.

The Deep Steam

This is definitely a better steam clean than the daily mop above, but it’s also more of a ‘weekly’ or ‘monthly’ job vs. what you’ll pull out daily to not feel gross.

Dog Hair Be Gone

Literally the only way I can get the dog hair out of my car. I tried one million things before this - and this is IT. I cannot recommend it enough.

Put it away

I have these bins all over the house. I’ve found that if there’s a designated space for something, it’s so much easier to tidy up quickly. I love them in the pantry because then I can actually see what we’re out of!

I do receive a commission when you purchase directly from these links. I appreciate it so much if you even just click through. Thank you!

---

This time of year we start thinking about eating healthier and cutting out some foods.  This would be a food lots of people may cut out – however, let me make a case for it.  If this February is anything like last February, we should have at least one snow day!  Can you think of anything more comforting on a snow day than Bacon Mac & Cheese?  We can return to healthy eating after the snow melts.

This is the ultimate comfort food. Had a bad day? Bacon + cheese. Feeling sad? Bacon + cheese. Still dreary outside? Bacon + cheese. I make this regularly for my kids and I made it for the Robotics team last week - they devoured it. Once a week I make the high school Robotics team dinner and every week I try to outdo myself. So far I made ribs, pulled pork, and meatballs - but this is going to be the winner. I can feel it.

Bacon Mac & Cheese

serves 4

6 slices bacon

2 tbs flour

1 cup milk

1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded

½ cup parmesan cheese, grated

Salt & pepper

1 pound cooked noodles

STEP 1

Cook bacon over medium in a small skillet.  Pull it out when crispy and let it cool on paper towel.  Reserve 2 tbs of the bacon fat.

STEP 2

In a sauce pan over medium heat, whisk together 2 tbs bacon grease and flour.  Pour in milk and continue whisking until the sauce thickens. 

STEP 3

Pour in cheeses and whisk until they are melted.  Add pasta and stir until completely covered in sauce.  Crumble bacon over top. 

Serve hot with extra parmesan cheese.

---

As long as we’re in comfort mode

Make these Brown Butter Salted Chocolate Chip Cookies and go for broke. It’s the ultimate comfort pairing!

This is 1000% a kid dinner. But sometimes that’s exactly what you need. It’s a huge hit - especially if you have everyone choose their own toppings. Go more elegant with prosciutto and pesto - or keep it basic with pepperoni and black olives. All that’s really needed is the sauce and cheese - everything else is up to you!

When layering up the waffles, the size of your waffle maker will determine a lot. I used this Belgian maker that has really deep wells. The deeper the wells, the more filling I can get into the waffles and the more batter I can use. If yours has shallow wells, just use slightly less batter.

I also push down super gently and let it cook and melt as I push. If you get too forceful, the hinge will break and then you’re out of luck.

Don’t forget to serve with extra sauce! The best part is dipping bites into the sauce!

Calzone Waffles

serves 4

2 cups flour

2 tbs sugar

1 tbs Baking powder

½ tsp salt

2 cups buttermilk

8 tablespoons butter

2 eggs, beaten

½ cup grated parmesan cheese

1 cup Pizza sauce

¼ cup olive tapanade

¼ lb sliced Salami

2 cups Shredded mozzarella

STEP 1

Preheat your waffle maker.  Mix together buttermilk, melted butter and eggs.

STEP 2

In a separate bowl, mix together flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and cheese.  Pour in wet ingredients and stir until just combined.  Let rest 5 mins. 

STEP 3

Place ¼ cup waffle batter on the hot waffle maker.  Top with pizza sauce, salami, tapenade, shredded mozzarella, and another scoop of pizza sauce.  Cover everything with another ¼ cup of waffle batter.

STEP 4

Press waffle maker top down and cook 10 minutes or until waffle is done. Serve with more tomato sauce on the side.

---

A few nights a week we decide we aren’t drinking. Not for any big reason, just because we don’t need to/want to/feel like it. But sometimes, it’s nice to have something a little more special than bubbly water. This is that.

I’ve also found it’s kind of nice to go through the process of “mixing a drink,” with the muddling, and the shaking and the straining, this is that.

The flavors are perfect for right now, it’s light and refreshing. The coconut water adds a depth that is so delish. If you don’t have it, you can always muddle the cucumber and mint and just top it with bubbly water - it’s also good, but not AS good.

Coconut Cucumber Mocktail

makes two

12 slices of cucumber

3 sprigs of mint

1 lime

2 cups coconut water

mint, cucumber slices and lime wedges for garnish

STEP 1

Drop the cucumbers and mint into a cocktail shaker. With a muddler or the handle end of a table knife, muddle together the cucumber and mint until it’s completely smashed.

STEP 2

Pour in the coconut water and squeeze half a lime - add ice. Shake well.

STEP 3

Strain into glasses filled with fresh ice. Garnish with cucumbers, limes and a spring of mint.

---

Ok - so these aren’t really a Danish. Not like the amazing Danishes you can get at a fancy bakery, but these are the kind of Danishes that you can make quickly on a Sunday morning with three ingredients! So they pass. My kids love them. I often have them make their own and fill them with what ever they want - which becomes a fun way to breakfast. Unless it’s a weekday and then I just pop these out so we can dash off to school.

Not that I’m making these on a weekday morning regularly. These are more of an “I couldn’t sleep last night and I’ve been up for hours and I’m bored” type breakfast.

There are so many options with how to fill these. When I do cream cheese, I just do cream cheese. I personally like the savory with just a little sugar on top. I’ve seen other recipes where the cream cheese is whipped with powdered sugar. That’s also delicious. It takes a minute or two longer which I’m not always into also.

Homemade Danish

makes 16

One package puff pastry sheets

jams, cream cheese, fresh fruit

one egg, beaten

sugar

STEP 1

Unroll the pastry dough on a floured cutting board. Roll out gently to about 18”x 12”. Cut into eight squares.

STEP 2

Slice in on each corner of each square, leaving the center uncut. Pop a spoonful of filling into the uncut center. One tablespoon of filling does the trick. You can combine fillings depending on what you want to eat.

STEP 3

Pull up every other corner of the pastry to form a little pinwheel. Brush the top of each pinwheel with beaten egg. Sprinkle the top with your favorite sugar.

STEP 4

Bake 20 minutes until browned on top. Remove from the baking sheet and cool. Serve slightly warm with coffee.

---

When my kids were little they called risotto “parmesan rice.” They loved it. It’s salty and creamy - what’s not to love? As they got older, I added more and more ingredients to make it a lot more adult. The best part of making this very adult version, is that you can leave out the salmon and peas or serve them on the side for your kids, depending on what they will (and won’t) eat.

The trick with risotto is to just keep stirring. Some will tell you the broth needs to be warm too - I’ve found that if it’s room temperature, it works just fine. Which means, you can use a new broth from the pantry and don’t worry about warming it up.

Smoked Salmon Risotto with fresh peas

serves 4

1 leek, whites thinly sliced

1 cup freshly shelled peas

¼ cup butter, divided

¼ cup olive oil, divided

1 cup Arborio rice

½ cup white wine

4 cups room temperature chicken stock

1 cup parmesan cheese

4 oz smoked salmon

1 tablespoon fresh dill, chopped

salt and pepper

STEP 1

Heat 2 tablespoons of butter and 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat.  Add the leek and cook 3 minutes until slightly browned and tender.  Add peas and cook an additional 2-3 minutes until tender.  Remove from the pan and set aside.

STEP 2

Add two more tablespoons olive oil and rice - stir until coated with oil.  Pour in ½ cup white wine and cook until all liquid is absorbed.  Then add one-cup chicken stock and stir until completely incorporated.  When most of the stock has dissolved, add another cup of stock.  Continue until all of the stock has been added. 

STEP 3

Remove from heat and stir in remaining butter, Parmesan cheese, and peas and salmon

Notes

• When I make this dairy free, I use only olive oil to melt the leeks. Then at the end, I’ll add a drizzle of a really good olive oil and skip the butter and parmesan. Since half of us do eat dairy, the parm is on the side.

• This is just as delicious with crab! Swap out for your favorite smoked fish too if you don’t have salmon. In the Northwest, we have loads of salmon but also trout. And smoked trout is awesome.

---

Classic Paloma

A bright citrusy cocktail is perfect right now because grapefruit is perfectly in season!